Storage battery module and storage unit thereof

Abstract

To provide a storage battery module M and a storage unit C of the storage battery module capable of maintaining the temperature of a BMU, a CMU, etc. at a predetermined value or higher with little energy consumption even when the outside air temperature drops.SOLUTION: A storage battery module M includes one or more storage battery cells 8, a CMU that controls the storage battery cells 8, a module case 9 that houses the storage battery cells 8 and the CMU, and a heat-insulating box 13 that is provided inside the module case 9 and covers the CMU. A storage unit C includes a BMU that stores a plurality of storage battery modules M and controls each storage battery module M, an insulation box 19 that covers the BMU, and a heating unit 17 that heats the BMU.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage battery module and a storage unit thereof that are provided with measures to prevent malfunction at low temperatures. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a known storage battery system that stores the electricity generated by a solar power generation system installed in a building such as a home or a building. In the storage battery system, the surplus electricity generated by the solar power generation system is charged in a storage battery, and it can be discharged and used when needed. This allows the storage battery system to make more effective use of the electricity generated by the solar power generation system, and to use it to improve the self-consumption rate and as a preparation for disasters.

[0003] It is known that the performance of storage battery systems declines when temperatures drop below freezing.In addition, the control boards used in storage battery systems also have problems at low temperatures, such as the increase in the viscosity of the electrolyte in the storage battery and the increase in internal resistance due to freezing, which reduces the charging efficiency and makes it impossible to use energy, which leads to deterioration of electrical insulation and the failure of electrical circuits to function normally.

[0004] For example, in the SCiB energy storage system, a single battery cell can operate even at -30°C without metallic lithium being precipitated. However, a module combining cell batteries is equipped with a cell monitoring unit (hereinafter referred to as CMU) that monitors the cell status such as the voltage and current information of each cell and temperature information by connecting a thermistor to a connecting conductor such as a bus bar, but this CMU has poor startup characteristics at low temperatures. For example, the start-up voltage of the PN diode of the element becomes high at low temperatures and it does not operate at the voltage of the storage battery. Also, in a battery system combining multiple modules, a battery management unit (hereinafter referred to as BMU) is installed to adjust the balance of the cell voltage of each module, but this BMU also has poor startup characteristics at low temperatures. Furthermore, in the entire system, the temperature of the connecting conductors also drops due to the surrounding environment, which causes a drop in temperature around the BMU and CMU.

[0005] To solve these problems, a technology is known in which an insulating cover that can be attached to the outside of a storage battery system and a heater are provided inside the cover to maintain an appropriate temperature inside the insulating cover, as shown in Patent Document 1, for example. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-103833 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the prior art, as in Patent Document 1, measures have been taken to insulate or heat the entire battery system using a heat-retaining cover or heater. However, these measures tend to increase the size of the battery system, leading to high costs. In addition, the power consumption due to heating increases, and for example, if the power for heating is supplied from the battery, the power storage capacity decreases.

[0008] In order to solve the above problem, the present embodiment aims to provide a storage battery module and a storage unit for the same that can operate stably even in low outside air temperatures such as below freezing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The storage battery module of the embodiment is a storage battery module that adjusts the temperature of a cell management unit and has the following configuration. (1) One or more battery cells. (2) A cell management unit that controls the storage battery cells. (3) A module case that houses the storage battery cells and the cell management unit. (4) A heat insulating box provided within the module case and covering the cell management unit.

[0010] The storage battery module of the embodiment can employ the following configuration. (a) A heating section of a cell management unit is provided inside the insulating box, and the heating section is powered by the storage battery cells inside the module case. (b) A connecting conductor for supplying and charging external power is provided, and the connecting conductor is housed within the heat-insulating duct.

[0011] A storage battery module storage cabinet according to an embodiment is a storage cabinet that stores a plurality of the above-described storage battery modules and has the following configuration. (1) A battery management unit that controls each of the battery modules. (2) An insulated box that covers the battery management unit. (3) A heating section for heating the battery management unit.

[0012] The storage battery module storage cabinet according to the embodiment may have the following configuration. (a) The heat-retaining box has an air intake and an air exhaust with doors that open and close in response to temperature changes. (b) The storage facility has an air intake and an air exhaust port equipped with an opening and closing member that opens and closes in response to temperature changes. (c) The storage facility is constructed by selectively fixing standard panels and insulating panels to a common frame. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a storage battery module and its storage facility that can maintain the temperatures of the battery management unit, cell management unit, etc. at or above a predetermined value with little energy consumption, even when the outside air temperature drops. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a storage battery module and its storage compartment; [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of a storage battery module. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another modified example of the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of a second embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of a third embodiment. [Figure 10] 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a fifth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram of a fifth embodiment. [Figure 14] 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the fifth embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a sixth embodiment. [Figure 16] Cross-sectional view of line AA in Figure 15. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing a seventh embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] [First embodiment] As shown in Fig. 1, in the first embodiment, a plurality of storage battery modules M are stored in multiple stages inside a storage cabinet C. A CMU is provided for each storage battery module M. A control device 1 for the power storage system is provided in the upper stage inside the storage cabinet C, and a BMU is provided as a part of the control device 1.

[0016] The control device 1 and the module M are connected by a connection conductor 2 consisting of a signal line for the control circuit and a conductive bus bar for the power circuit. For example, the CMU and BMU are connected by a signal line. The BMU is connected to a substation equipment 3 installed outside the storage facility C, and each module M is connected via this substation equipment 3 to a power company 4 on the power supply side and to general loads 5 in homes and factories on the power consumption side. The BMU can also be connected to power generation equipment other than commercial power systems, such as solar panels 6, wind power generation equipment, and private power generation equipment, as well as other power storage devices such as electric vehicles 7.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 2, each storage battery module M is provided with a module case 9 that houses a plurality of storage battery cells 8 (hereinafter referred to as cells 8). This module case 9 includes a lower case that houses the plurality of cells 8, and an upper case that is a cover for the module M. Inside the lower case, each cell 8 is housed in a state in which a cell electrode 10 provided on the upper portion of the cell 8 is oriented in a predetermined direction. The cell electrodes 10 of each cell 8 are electrically connected by a cell bus bar 11. The cell bus bar 11 is provided with a cell information detection unit 12 that detects the charge / discharge current, charge / discharge voltage, and temperature sensor 16 of each cell 8.

[0018] A CMU is provided above the connection conductor 2 inside the module case 9. The CMU is housed in a hollow insulation box 13. The hollow inside the insulation box 13 is filled with a molded resin having thermal insulation properties, such as polystyrene foam or urethane. One end of the insulation box 13 is provided with a connector to be attached to a module outlet 14 provided in the module case 9, allowing information to be exchanged between the CMU inside the module case 9 and the BMU provided outside the module case 9. Note that the insulation box 13 is preferably made of a resin material with excellent thermal insulation properties, but may be made of other materials as long as the thermal insulation properties of the molded resin are ensured.

[0019] The CMU is mounted on a detection board 15 arranged below it, and signals from the cell information detection unit 12 are transmitted to the CMU via conductors of the detection board 15. Temperature sensors 16 are provided inside and outside the insulating box 13, and information from these temperature sensors 16 is also transmitted to the CMU. In this embodiment, a thermistor is used as the temperature sensor 16, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0020] According to the module M of the present embodiment having such a configuration, the CMU, which has poor start-up characteristics at low temperatures, is covered with a heat insulating material, so that the CMU can be maintained in the start-up temperature range, thereby improving the start-up characteristics at low temperatures in the module system. Moreover, since only the CMU, which requires high cold resistance, is housed in the heat insulating box 13, the area where heat insulating measures are required is significantly reduced compared to a technique in which the entire module M is covered with a heat insulating material or a plurality of modules M stacked in multiple stages are housed in one heat insulating box 13. As a result, it is possible to miniaturize the entire device and reduce the amount of heat insulating material used. In particular, since the cell 8 generates heat and changes in volume during charging and discharging, there is an advantage in that the durability of the cell 8 is improved by not covering it with a heat insulating material or molding it as in the present embodiment.

[0021] [Modification of the first embodiment] 3 shows a modification of the first embodiment, in which the CMU and the detection board 15 on which it is mounted are covered with a heat insulating box 13. According to this modification, the detection board 15 is for communication such as control with the power storage system, and therefore does not have any heat generating elements, so that even if it is covered with the heat insulating box 13, there is no functional problem.

[0022] 4 shows another modification of the first embodiment, in which the cell electrodes 10 and cell bus bars 11 of each cell 8 are housed in a thermal insulation box 13 together with the CMU. The cell information detection unit 12 detects cell information such as the electric capacitance of each cell 8, such as the voltage and current, and the bus bar temperature, and transmits this to a detection board 15. In this modification, in addition to the CMU, cold and heat reaching the CMU through the cell electrodes 10 and cell bus bars 11 can be blocked, thereby further improving cold resistance.

[0023] [Second embodiment] The second embodiment shown in Fig. 5 is the first embodiment shown in Fig. 2, with a heater provided as the heating unit 17 of the CMU. The type of heater that can be used may be a rubber heater, a ceramic heater, a heater wire, etc. Note that a heater can also be provided in the modified examples of the first embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in the same manner.

[0024] In this embodiment, the heater is provided so as to cover the entire surface of the CMU, but its location is not limited. Power for the heater is preferably supplied from a cell 8 in the same or another module M, but may also be supplied from commercial power outside the module M, a solar panel 6, an electric vehicle 7, or the like. A relay 18 for turning the heater on and off is provided near the heater, and the heater is turned on and off at a predetermined temperature by operating the relay 18 based on information from temperature sensors 16 inside and outside the insulation box 13. The temperature sensors 16 are composed of a temperature sensor 16-a inside the insulation box and a temperature sensor 16-b outside the insulation box.

[0025] 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a heater control device 1. In this example, a heating unit 17 (heater), a relay 18, and a temperature sensor 16 provided in each module M are connected to a control device 1 outside the module M. This control device 1 may be incorporated in the BMU or may be provided separately from the BMU. Furthermore, the control device 1 can be provided in each individual module M.

[0026] 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the heater by the control device 1. When the control device 1 starts, the external temperature is measured from the external temperature sensor 16-b outside the insulating box 13 (S1), and if the external temperature is equal to or lower than the control temperature (Yes in S2), the temperature inside the insulating box 13 is measured by the internal temperature sensor 16-a inside the insulating box 13 (S3). If the temperature inside the insulating box 13 is equal to or lower than the control temperature (Yes in S4), the relay 18 is turned on (S5) and the heater is turned on (S6). On the other hand, if the temperature sensor 16 outside or inside the insulating box 13 is not equal to or lower than the control temperature (No in S2, No in S4), the relay 18 is turned off (S7) and the heater is turned off (S8).

[0027] After the heater is turned on or off (S6 or S8) according to information from the temperature sensors 16 inside and outside the insulating box 13, it is determined whether the power is on, i.e., whether heating the inside of the insulating box 13 with a heater is required, and if the power is not off (No in S9), the process returns to the temperature measurement outside the insulating box 13 immediately after start (S1) and repeats the control process. If the power is off (Yes in S9), the relay 18 is turned off (S10), the heater is turned off (S11), and the process moves to the next step, such as resuming control.

[0028] According to this embodiment, when the ambient temperature of the CMU transitions to a predetermined low-temperature region, the heater of the built-in CMU heats the CMU board to a predetermined temperature or higher, and the heating unit 17 stops. This improves the startup characteristics at low temperatures. In particular, by using the heat insulating box 13 in combination with the heater, the startup temperature region of the CMU can be secured with a small heater. In addition, the electric energy of the module M is used as the power source for the heater, but due to the heat retention of the heat insulating box 13 and the heat generated by the charging and discharging of the cells 8, the heater only needs to be used for a short time, such as at startup, and energy consumption can be reduced.

[0029] By covering the CMU with insulation, the temperature of the CMU will not drop suddenly even if the outside temperature suddenly drops, and the heater can be operated to allow time for the CMU to warm up. In addition, after heating with the heater, the appropriate temperature can be maintained for a long time, making it possible to reduce the frequency of heating, thereby realizing energy savings.

[0030] By using the generated electricity to run the heater without relying on external power, running costs after installation can be reduced.In addition, since the system can continue to operate even if a problem occurs with the external power supply, a disaster-resistant storage battery system can be constructed.

[0031] [Third embodiment] The third embodiment shown in Fig. 8 relates to a storage cabinet C in which modules M according to the first or second embodiment are stored in multiple tiers. In this embodiment, a storage section for modules M is provided within the storage cabinet C from the floor to the upper part, and an insulation box 19 is provided in the space above the topmost module M. An engineering plastic or foam-based insulation material is attached to the inside of the insulation box 19 to make it difficult for heat to be transferred from the outside to the inside of the insulation box 19. A storage cabinet intake port 20-b for taking in outside air is provided at the bottom of the storage cabinet C, and a storage cabinet exhaust port 21-b for exhausting the inside of the storage cabinet C together with the exhaust heat of the modules M is provided at the top.

[0032] A control device 1 that controls the entire power storage system, including overcharging, overdischarging, and temperature of each module M, is provided within the thermal insulation box 19, and a BMU is provided as part of this control device 1. Further housed within the thermal insulation box 19 are a heating unit 17 for heating, a relay 18 for turning the heating unit 17 on and off, and an internal thermal insulation box temperature sensor 16-c. A temperature sensor 16 is also provided outside the thermal insulation box 19.

[0033] The thermal insulation box 19 is provided with an inlet side and an outlet side door 22 for drawing in and exhausting the air in the storage C into the thermal insulation box 19. These doors 22 are provided with a drive mechanism 23 that opens and closes the doors 22 using a motor, a plunger, or the like, in response to a command from the control device 1. As the drive mechanism 23, a bimetal provided at the front, rear, top, and bottom of the thermal insulation box 19 can also be used. The door 22 can be an open-close type or a roll-up type shutter, and can be opened and closed by up-down, left-right, front-back, or rotational drive. The air passing through the inside and outside of the thermal insulation box 19 can be rectified depending on the opening and closing direction of the door 22. The door 22 is composed of a thermal insulation box intake port door 22-a and a thermal insulation box exhaust port door 22-b, and the drive mechanism 23 is composed of an intake port opening and closing door drive mechanism 23-a and an exhaust port opening and closing door drive mechanism 23-b.

[0034] The entrance and exit doors 22 are provided with detection units 24 such as push switches that detect the open / closed states of the respective doors. Note that the detection unit 24 may be one that detects the position of the door 22 itself, or one that detects the open / closed position of the door 22 from the state of the drive mechanism 23. The detection unit 24 is composed of an intake port open / closed door detection unit 24-a and an exhaust port open / closed door detection unit 24-b.

[0035] 9 is a block diagram showing the control mechanism for the heating unit 17 and each door 22 of the third embodiment, and the connection relationship of each member. The temperature sensors 16 inside and outside the heat retention box 19 and the heating unit 17 have the same configuration as in the second embodiment, but in addition, each door 22, its drive mechanism 23, and its open / close detection unit 24 are connected to the BMU of the control device 1.

[0036] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the heating unit 17 and the door 22 by the control device 1. When the power is turned on and the control device 1 starts up, the external temperature (S41) is measured from the temperature sensor outside the insulation box 16-d and the internal temperature is measured from the temperature sensor inside the insulation box 16-c (S42) in order to measure the external and internal temperatures of the insulation box 19 (S21). The external temperature is measured from the temperature sensor outside the insulation box 16-d (S41) and the internal temperature is measured from the temperature sensor inside the insulation box 16-c (S42). The external and internal temperatures of the insulation box 19 are referenced (S43). If both are below the control temperature (insulation box) (Yes in S22), the drive mechanism 23 closes the door 22 to the intake and exhaust port of the insulation box 19 (S23). In order to measure the external and internal temperatures of the insulation box 19 (S25), the external temperature is measured from the temperature sensor outside the insulation box 16-d (S41) and the internal temperature is measured from the temperature sensor inside the insulation box 16-c (S42). The external and internal temperatures of the insulation box 19 are referenced (S43). If both are below the control temperature (heating unit) (Yes in S26), the heating unit 17 is turned on (S27). On the other hand, the temperature outside and inside the heat-retaining box 19 is referenced (S43), and if either of them is not below the control temperature (heat-retaining box) (No in S22), the door 22 of the intake and exhaust port is opened by the drive mechanism 23 (S24), and the heating unit 17 is turned off (S28). On the other hand, the temperature outside and inside the heat-retaining box 19 is referenced (S43), and if either of them is not below the control temperature (heating unit) (No in S26), the heating unit 17 is turned off (S28). As a result, if the temperature is above the control temperature, the heating unit 17 is turned off and the entrance door 22 is kept open.

[0037] Next, after turning on the heating unit 17 (S27) or turning off the heating unit 17 (S28), if the control device 1 is on (Yes in S29), the process returns to measuring the temperature outside and inside the heat insulation box 19 immediately after the start (S21). If the control device 1 is not on (No in S29), the heating unit 17 is turned off (S30), the door 22 is closed (S31), and the next process such as restarting control is performed. This door 22 is operated by the intake port opening / closing door drive mechanism 23-a and the exhaust port opening / closing door drive mechanism 23-b, and the temperature inside the heat insulation box 19 is controlled by the intake port door 22-a and the exhaust port door 22-b. In addition, the fluid inside the heat insulation box is circulated by a fan (not shown). In addition, the reason why the outside and inside of the heat insulation box 19 are measured is to perform safe cooling control when one of the sensors detects an abnormal value.

[0038] According to this embodiment, the following effects are achieved. That is, the control device 1 equipped with the BMU in the storage C has many elements that link the flow of power between each module M in the storage C and external devices, and the elements generate heat, but on the other hand, the startup characteristics at low temperatures are poor. In this embodiment, by installing the control device 1 inside an insulation box 19 having an opening / closing door 22, when the temperature of the insulation box 19 falls below a predetermined temperature, the door 22 is closed to keep the inside warm, and the BMU is prevented from stopping.

[0039] On the other hand, when the system is started up, if the temperature of the heat-retaining box 19 is below the startup set temperature, the heating unit 17 heats it to above the startup temperature, and the BMU is started up. After the BMU is started up, the door 22 of the heat-retaining box 19 is opened to introduce air into the box, so that the heat-retaining box 19 acts as a cooling duct for the control device 1, and the cooling efficiency is improved by exhausting the air heated by the heat generated by the electric elements inside the heat-retaining box 19.

[0040] Since the BMU is insulated from the outside by the heat insulation box 19, it is less susceptible to external influences, and even if there is a sudden temperature change, the operation is less likely to become unstable. In addition, the temperature of the BMU heated by the heating unit 17 is easily maintained, and the number of times it needs to be reheated can be reduced. This makes it possible to reduce power consumption.

[0041] When only the BMU in the storage compartment C of the battery module M is heated with a heater, it is possible to significantly reduce power consumption compared to conventional methods in which the entire storage compartment C of the battery module M is heated.

[0042] [Fourth embodiment] The fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is provided with a heating section 17 that reuses exhaust heat in addition to the third embodiment. In this embodiment, each module M is provided with a module heat exhaust section 25 such as an aluminum plate that transfers the exhaust heat generated in the internal cells 8 to the outside of the module M. The module heat exhaust section 25 is in contact with a cooling pipe 26 through which a refrigerant circulates, and the cooling pipe 26 from each module M is connected to a heat exchanger 27 outside the storage C. The cooling pipe 26 has an insulated structure that is not affected by temperature changes outside the pipe, and the refrigerant or heat storage medium is circulated in the heat exchanger 27 by a driving pump (not shown). A valve 28 that operates by an electric command is provided on the cooling pipe 26 from each module M. The valve 28 controls the inflow of the refrigerant or heat storage medium to control the exhaust heat and cooling of each module M and the heating section 17 of the control device 1.

[0043] The heat exchanger 27 is connected to a heat storage box 29 outside the storage C, and the heat of the refrigerant that has become high temperature through heat exchange is stored in the heat storage medium inside the heat storage box 29. As the heat storage medium, the refrigerant itself may be stored in the large-capacity tank-shaped heat storage box 29, or the refrigerant may be brought into contact with a solid or liquid heat storage material to store latent heat. From the heat storage box 29, a heating pipe 26-a, which has the same configuration as the cooling pipe 26 and through which the heating medium circulates, is extended to the inside of the heat retention box 19 and connected to the heating unit 17 provided in the BMU portion, i.e., a heat transfer plate for heat dissipation that functions as a heater.

[0044] In this embodiment, the energy required for heating can be reduced by reusing the exhaust heat of the module M. In extremely cold regions, when the exhaust heat from the module M alone is insufficient to heat the control device 1 inside the heat insulation box 19, an electric heater can be built into the heat storage box 29 to directly heat the refrigerant. It is also possible to use the exhaust heat in combination with the heater (heating unit 17) of the third embodiment. Even in these cases, it is possible to reduce energy consumption compared to when the control device 1 is heated by a heater alone.

[0045] [Fifth embodiment] The fifth embodiment shown in Figure 12 is provided with an opening / closing member 30 that operates in response to temperature changes, for a storage cabinet air intake 20-b for outside air provided at the bottom of the storage cabinet C of the fourth embodiment, and a storage cabinet air exhaust 21-b provided at the top.

[0046] In this embodiment, the storage suction port 20-b and the storage suction port 21-b are provided with heat insulating covers 31, and an opening / closing member 30 operated by a drive mechanism 23 is provided at the opening of the heat insulating cover 31. As the drive mechanism 23, a mechanism similar to the drive mechanism 23 of the door 22 of the heat insulation box 19 can be used, and a mechanism in which the opening / closing member 30 itself, such as a bimetal, deforms due to a change in temperature to open and close the opening of the heat insulating cover 31 can also be used. At the opening of the heat insulating cover 31, a detection unit 24 is provided that detects the open / close state of the opening / closing member 30. As this detection unit 24, a mechanism similar to the detection unit 24 of the door 22 of the heat insulation box 19 can be used. The opening / closing member 30 is composed of an intake port opening / closing member 30-a and an exhaust port opening / closing member 30-b, the drive mechanism 23 is composed of an intake port opening / closing member drive mechanism 23-c and an exhaust port opening / closing member drive mechanism 23-d, and the detection unit 24 is composed of an intake port opening / closing member detection unit 24-c and an exhaust port opening / closing member detection unit 24-d.

[0047] 13 is a block diagram showing the connection relationship between the door 22 of the heat-retaining box 19 and the opening / closing member 30 of the storage C in the fifth embodiment. The door 22 of the heat-retaining box 19 has the same configuration as in the fourth embodiment, but in addition, the opening / closing member 30 provided on the heat-insulating cover 31 of the storage intake port 20-b and the storage exhaust port 21-b, its drive mechanism 23, and the opening / closing detection unit 24 are connected to the BMU of the control device 1.

[0048] 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the heating unit 17 and the door 22 by the control device 1 in the fifth embodiment. The fifth embodiment basically performs the same operations (S21 to S31 and S41 to S43) as the fourth embodiment, but differs in that immediately after the start of the fourth embodiment, prior to the measurement of the temperatures outside and inside the heat-retaining box 19 (S21), the outside temperature is measured from the outside temperature sensor 16-f of the storage cabinet (S41) and the inside temperature is measured from the inside temperature sensor 16-e of the storage cabinet (S42) to measure the temperatures outside and inside the storage cabinet C (S51), and the outside and inside temperatures of the storage cabinet C are referred to (S43). If both are below the control temperature (storage cabinet) (Yes in S52), the drive mechanism 23 closes the opening and closing member 30 of the intake and exhaust port of the storage cabinet C (S53). On the other hand, the outside and inside temperatures of storage C are checked (S43), and if neither is below the control temperature (storage) (No in S52), the drive mechanism 23 opens the opening / closing member 30 of the intake and exhaust port of storage C (S54).

[0049] In addition, when the control device 1 is not on (No in S29), a process (S55) for closing the opening / closing member 30 of the storage cabinet C is added after the process (S31) for closing the door 22 of the intake / exhaust port of the thermal insulation box 19. This opening / closing member 30 is operated by the intake port opening / closing member drive mechanism 23-c and the exhaust port opening / closing member drive mechanism 23-d, and the temperature inside the storage cabinet C is controlled by the intake port opening / closing member 30-a and the exhaust port opening / closing member 30-b. The reason for opening / closing member 30 of the storage cabinet C before the door 22 of the thermal insulation box 19 is to prevent a drop in the temperature inside the storage cabinet C by suppressing the intake of outside air into the storage cabinet C when the outside air of the storage cabinet C is equal to or lower than the control temperature.

[0050] This embodiment has a heat insulating box 13, a heat retaining box 19, and a heating section 17, and these members stabilize the surrounding environment which improves the startup characteristics of the system, and keep the CMU and BMU of module M at room temperature, thereby ensuring local temperature. Since the BMU needs to cool each control device 1 after the system is started up, an opening and closing member 30 is provided at the storage cabinet intake 20-b and storage cabinet exhaust 21-b for outside air provided in storage cabinet C.

[0051] Therefore, the opening / closing member 30 opens at the time of startup, and outside air is introduced into the storage C during operation, allowing heat generated from elements such as the cells 8 and the circuit boards to be released to the outside. In addition, by installing the opening / closing member 30 at the storage inlet 20-b and the storage outlet 21-b for outside air provided in the storage C and closing the opening / closing member 30 when the system is stopped, it is possible to prevent rain, snow, etc. from entering the storage C during shutdown and to prevent a drop in temperature inside the storage C. In addition, by providing the opening / closing member 30 with the detection unit 24, if the opening / closing member 30 does not operate due to snow accumulation or freezing at the time of startup, an error is transmitted, making it possible to prevent the inside of the storage C from becoming abnormally hot due to heat generated by the cells 8, etc.

[0052] Thus, according to this embodiment, the storage cabinet C of the module M is provided with a storage cabinet intake port 20-b and a storage cabinet exhaust port 21-b for outside air, thereby enabling air exchange. By exchanging air, the temperature of the storage cabinet C can be adjusted so that it is within the appropriate operating range. For example, when the temperature is high, the opening and closing member 30 is opened to actively exchange air. When the temperature is low, the opening and closing member 30 is closed to seal the storage cabinet C, thereby suppressing the effects of the outside air temperature.

[0053] [Sixth embodiment] In the sixth embodiment shown in Fig. 15, the connecting conductors 2, such as conductive bus bars, that connect the modules M are covered with a duct 32 having thermal insulation properties. The connecting conductors 2 are arranged vertically along the stacking direction of the modules M, and are connected to the modules M via their module outlets 14. It is preferable to arrange a thermal insulating material, such as a foamed resin, on the inner surface of the duct 32. On the other hand, it is preferable to make the cross section of the duct 32 larger than the connecting conductors 2 to ensure a space for exhausting heat.

[0054] According to this embodiment, by covering the connection conductor 2, such as a copper bus bar having high thermal conductivity, with the duct 32, it is possible to prevent the temperature inside the module M from decreasing through the connection conductor 2. In particular, the connection conductor 2 used in the module M is connected to the connector of the module M. The material of the connection conductor 2 is copper wire or copper plate, and if the wiring is not insulated, the temperature change of the connection conductor 2 affects the CMU, which causes a decrease in the insulating effect of the CMU. However, by storing the connection conductor 2 inside the insulating duct 32 and making it less susceptible to the influence of air temperature, it becomes less susceptible to the temperature change of the CMU, and the temperature change of the CMU can be reduced. By insulating the connection conductor 2, the insulating performance of the CMU can be indirectly maintained.

[0055] [Seventh embodiment] 17, the exterior panel 33 of a storage unit C is replaceable between an insulating panel 33a and a non-insulated standard panel 33b. The storage unit C of this embodiment is, for example, composed of pillars at the four corners, a common frame 34 consisting of an upper frame and a lower frame, and the exterior panel 33 fixed to the common frame 34 by means of screws or fitting.

[0056] The exterior panel 33 is made of metal or resin plates, and two types are prepared: a standard panel 33b that covers five sides of the housing, the front, back, left, right and top panel, and a heat-insulating panel 33a that is formed by fixing a heat insulating material 35 and a holding panel 36 to the inner surface of the standard panel 33b. In the heat-insulating panel 33a, the standard panel 33b can be attached to the heat insulating material 35 and the holding panel 36 by adhesives, screws, welding, or the like.

[0057] In this embodiment, by appropriately selecting the standard panel 33b or the heat insulating panel 33a as the exterior panel 33 according to the installation location of the storage unit C, the temperature inside the storage unit C can be kept at an appropriate level and start-up and operability can be improved by using the heat insulating panel 33a having a heat insulating function in an extremely low temperature environment such as in a cold region. On the other hand, in a warm region, the use of the standard panel 33b can adequately protect the internal module M with a simple configuration.

[0058] [Other embodiments] Although the embodiment of the present invention and the modified examples of each part have been described above, these embodiments and the modified examples of each part are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments described above can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations of multiple embodiments can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims.

[0059] For example, in the embodiment, a heat insulating box is provided in the module and a heat retaining box is provided in the storage for easy understanding of the invention, but the two are substantially the same, and as long as they provide heat insulation and heat retention functions for the BUM and CMU inside the box, they may be called by the same name, or the heat retaining box and the heat insulating box may be called interchangeably. The same applies to the door and the opening / closing member, and as long as they have the function of opening and closing the opening, they are not limited to the names. The door and the opening / closing member may be a single plate-shaped member, a combination of multiple louver-shaped plate-shaped members, a roll-up shutter, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] M: Battery module C…Storage CMU: Cell Management Unit BMU: Battery Management Unit 1...Control device 2...Connecting conductor 3. Power receiving and transforming facilities 4. Electric power company 5…General load 6. Solar panels 7. Electric vehicles 8…Cell 9…Module case 10…Cell electrode 11…Cell bus bar 12...Cell information detection unit 13…Insulated box 14…Module outlet 15…Detection board 16...Temperature sensor 16-a…Temperature sensor inside thermal insulation box 16-b…Temperature sensor outside the insulation box 16-c…Temperature sensor inside heat insulation box 16-d…Temperature sensor outside the thermal insulation box 16-e…Temperature sensor inside storage 16-f…Outside storage temperature sensor 17...Heating part 18…Relay 19…Thermos box 20…Air intake 20-a…Insulation box intake 20-b…Storage air intake 21…Exhaust port 21-a…Insulation box exhaust port 21-b…Storage vent 22...Door 22-a…Insulation box intake door 22-b…Insulation box exhaust door 23...Drive mechanism 23-a…Air intake opening / closing door drive mechanism 23-b…Exhaust port opening / closing door drive mechanism 23-c…Intake port opening / closing member drive mechanism 23-d…Exhaust port opening / closing member drive mechanism 24…Detection section 24-a…Air intake door open / close detector 24-b…Exhaust port opening / closing detector 24-c…Air intake opening / closing component detector 24-d…Exhaust port opening / closing component detector 25…Module heat exhaust section 26…Cooling pipe 26-a…Heating pipe 27...Heat exchanger 28…Valve 29…Heat storage box 30...Opening and closing member 30-a…Air intake opening and closing member 30-b…Exhaust port opening and closing member 31…Insulation cover 32…Duct 33…Exterior panel 33a…Insulation panel 33b…Standard panel 34…Common frame 35…Insulation material 36…Retaining panel

Claims

1. one or more storage battery cells; A cell management unit that controls the storage battery cells; a module case that houses the storage battery cell and the cell management unit; a heat insulating box provided in the module case and covering the cell management unit; A storage battery module comprising:

2. A heating section of a cell management unit is provided inside the insulating box, and the heating section is powered by the storage battery cells inside the module case.

3. A connection conductor is provided for supplying and charging an external power source. The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the connecting conductor is housed in a heat-insulating duct.

4. A storage cabinet for storing a plurality of storage battery modules according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A battery management unit that controls each of the battery modules; A thermal insulation box for covering the battery management unit; A heating unit that heats the battery management unit; A storage facility for a storage battery module comprising:

5. The storage battery module storage facility according to claim 4 , wherein the heat-insulating box has an air intake and an air exhaust port with doors that open and close in response to temperature changes.

6. 6. The storage battery module storage cabinet according to claim 5, wherein the storage cabinet has an air intake port and an air exhaust port for external air, each of which is provided with an opening / closing member that opens and closes in response to a change in temperature.

7. 5. The storage facility for battery modules according to claim 4, wherein the standard panel and the heat insulating panel are selectively fixed to a common frame.

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