Storage battery part transporting and storing method

Abstract

To make it possible to achieve both of improving safety such as fire-resistant performance and so on of a storage battery part attachable to / detachable from a storage battery box for railway vehicle during transportation and storage thereof, and reduction in man-hour required for transportation, storage, and for transmitting storage battery information during storage.SOLUTION: A method for transportation and storage of a storage battery part which is attachable to / detachable from a storage battery box mounted on a railway vehicle stores a storage battery unit 103 from a storage battery box mounted on a railway vehicle into a container 20 having fire-resistant performance, transports the storage battery unit 103 to a storage place in the state that the same is stored in the container 20, and stores the storage battery unit 103 so as to be capable of transmitting information concerning the storage battery unit 103 to a storage battery data management server existing outside the container 20 in the state that the storage battery unit is stored in the container 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for transporting and storing battery parts for rail vehicles. [Background technology]

[0002] Railway lines include electrified sections where trains can receive power from overhead lines, and non-electrified sections where there are no overhead lines and no power supply. With conventional railway technology, trains run on diesel engines in non-electrified sections. In recent years, advances in lithium-ion battery technology have led to the introduction of vehicles that use batteries as their energy source, such as hybrid diesel railcars and battery-powered trains. Hybrid diesel railcars are conventional diesel railcars equipped with a battery system that charges the train with regenerative power during braking and assists the train with the battery and motor during powering. Battery-powered trains are trains equipped with a rechargeable battery system that uses the battery system as their driving energy source. In electrified sections, the train receives power from overhead lines, which is used for driving energy while charging the battery system, and in non-electrified sections, the train runs on the battery as its energy source.

[0003] Railway battery systems, for example, are usually configured by connecting many lithium-ion battery cells in series and in parallel to ensure the capacity, output, and voltage required for vehicle operation. Railway battery systems are configured in stages, and are configured as, for example, a battery cell (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a "cell"), which is the smallest unit that functions as a battery, a battery module (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a "module"), which is a handling unit that combines multiple cells and a cell controller, which is a control controller mounted on the battery module, an exchange unit (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a "unit") in which multiple battery modules, which are multiple combinations of modules, are fixed and wired to a rack or the like and can be replaced from the battery box, a battery box that contains multiple units and is installed in a railway vehicle, and a battery system consisting of multiple battery boxes.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes a battery utilization system that includes a battery, a charging device that charges the battery, and a server that communicates with the charging device. The charging device transmits identification information of the battery contained in the container to the server, and controls charging of the battery and / or removal of the battery based on the received information received from the server. The server determines whether or not the battery can be charged and / or removed based on the identification information received from the charging device and the provided information provided by the information provider, and transmits transmission information based on the determination result of whether or not it can be charged and / or removed to the charging device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-16516 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present inventors have conducted extensive research into improving the aging performance of storage batteries mounted on railway vehicles and have come to the following findings.

[0007] Lithium-ion batteries generally deteriorate due to charging and discharging or simply storage. Degradation is mainly manifested as a decrease in capacity, an increase in resistance, and an increase in the self-discharge rate. Modern lithium-ion batteries generally have a short lifespan compared to the decades-long operational lifespan of railway vehicles, and it cannot be ignored that their deterioration limits the performance of the battery storage system. The deterioration state of each cell in the battery storage system is not uniform due to uneven cell temperature within the system and manufacturing variations in the cells. Uneven deterioration leads to uneven cell voltage, current, and temperature within the system, and for example, the cell voltage of the most deteriorated battery often becomes significantly high or low, which is a serious problem. At this time, the battery storage system must operate all cell voltages within the specified usable range, so the battery storage system's overall charge and discharge operation is limited by the most deteriorated cell. Such restrictions have a negative impact on vehicle performance in railway vehicles, such as limiting power running performance, limiting regenerative absorption capacity, and reducing cruising range. In addition, if vehicle performance were not restricted and current were applied to the battery, battery overvoltage could occur, causing the storage battery system to shut down as a protective measure, and the battery could become isolated from the vehicle system, potentially causing the vehicle to shut down.

[0008] In order to correct the uneven deterioration in such a battery storage system, if there are cells with seriously uneven deterioration levels, it is conceivable to remove the batteries from the system, rearrange them so that the deterioration levels are uniform, and then insert them back into the vehicle system. In the future, when the deterioration levels of the cells in a battery storage system are made more uniform, it is conceivable that in order to proceed with battery replacement more quickly, it will be possible to quickly replace the batteries with new battery units by preparing new battery units with uniform deterioration levels in advance, removing the battery units from the battery boxes at a vehicle depot, and inserting new battery units. At this time, the new battery units are pre-maintained in a battery warehouse or the like located separately from the vehicle depot, and then transported to the vehicle depot. Similarly, the battery units removed from the battery boxes are transported to a warehouse for re-maintenance. The battery units transported to the warehouse are maintained and stored in the warehouse until they are used for the next purpose.

[0009] Although railway battery box casings usually have a certain level of fire resistance due to their design in accordance with railway standards, the battery units inserted into them are not generally fire-resistant, as they are not intended to be used as a single battery unit. In addition, transportation means and warehouses generally do not necessarily have fire resistance. Therefore, it is desirable to transport the battery units as a unit and store them in a fire-resistant casing when transporting them in a warehouse. In this case, if the storage state of the battery unit is different from the packaging state during transportation between the warehouse and the depot, labor is required for repackaging. Since railway batteries have huge battery boxes and labor and equipment are required for removal, they must be removed as individual battery units from inside the battery box and transported and stored at a maintenance base. In this case, a method is required that allows them to be easily removed from the railway vehicle and transported and stored.

[0010] In addition, it is desirable to periodically inspect the electrical condition of the battery during storage. For example, when obtaining the cell voltage, this inspection can be performed by externally accessing the cell controller of each module. However, if the storage battery unit is inserted in a case, it is necessary to open the case to access it from the outside.

[0011] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is common for devices that charge the built-in battery to be able to output battery information to the outside, but in order to extract battery information from a battery storage casing in which the battery is stored without being charged or discharged, it is generally necessary to open the casing. The object of the present invention is to simultaneously improve the safety, such as fire resistance, of the battery part that can be attached or detached to a battery box for a railway vehicle during transportation and storage, and to reduce the labor required for transportation, storage, and for transmitting battery information during storage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to solve the above problems, for example, the configuration of the claims is adopted. One example is a method for transporting and storing a storage battery part that is detachable from a storage battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, which is characterized by storing the storage battery part from the storage battery box mounted on the railway vehicle in a fire-resistant storage battery part casing, transporting the storage battery part stored in the storage battery part casing to a storage location, and storing information about the storage battery part stored in the storage battery part casing so that it can be transmitted to a storage battery data management server located outside the storage battery part casing. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the safety, such as fire resistance, of the battery part that can be attached and detached to a battery box for a railway vehicle during transportation and storage, while reducing the labor required for transportation, storage, and for transmitting battery information during storage. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a circulation system of storage batteries. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a storage battery data management means for upcycling a storage battery system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a drive system of an actual vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the storage battery system. [Diagram 5] 1A is a diagram showing the configuration of a controller that collects data from a storage battery system, and FIGS. 1B and 1C are diagrams showing necessary data required as quality data of the storage battery. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a step diagram showing the maintenance and replacement process of a battery storage system. [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a method for replacing a storage battery unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the maintenance and replacement process of a storage battery system. [Figure 9]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the transportation relationship of batteries related to the maintenance of the storage battery unit in this embodiment. [Figure 10] 4 is a flowchart relating to replacement and storage of a storage battery unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the battery transport and storage container according to the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a wired communication method for the storage battery units in the container according to the present embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a wireless communication method for a storage battery unit in a container according to the present embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a communication method among multiple containers according to the present embodiment. [Figure 15] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a method for charging and discharging a storage battery unit in a container according to the present embodiment. [Figure 16] 1 is a diagram showing a structure of a container having a high-voltage terminal on the outside according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing container arrangement in a warehouse according to the present embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 illustrates a directly stackable container according to an embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a method for replacing a storage battery unit using a container at a vehicle depot according to the present embodiment. [Figure 20] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing a fixing structure in a fork hole of the container according to the present embodiment. [Figure 21] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a forklift transport method for a container using fork holes oriented vertically in a tube according to this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment described below, a storage battery system mounted on a railway vehicle is taken as an example, but the main part of this embodiment can be generally applied to storage battery systems in various systems such as stationary systems. In addition, the embodiment described below will be taken as an example in which lithium-ion batteries are used as storage batteries constituting the power storage device, but the embodiment can be similarly applied to other power storage elements such as lead batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, or capacitors.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a circulation system of storage batteries. In this case, the storage batteries are used by an operator. The operator is a railway company (operation department), which installs storage batteries in vehicles and uses them as a power source. Therefore, in this case, the railway company (operation department) can also be said to be the recipient of the storage batteries. Maintenance and replacement of storage batteries is performed in units of storage battery units, which contain multiple storage battery modules, which will be described later. As will be described in more detail in Figure 4, multiple storage battery units are housed in a battery box, and the multiple battery boxes make up a storage battery system.

[0017] Battery units are maintained by battery hardware maintenance personnel. Based on requests from the battery hardware manager, the battery hardware maintenance personnel disassemble the battery unit and perform maintenance by replacing the battery modules that make up the battery unit. Figure 1 illustrates this work as battery hardware maintenance. The battery unit to be maintained is removed from the vehicle as a maintenance recovery unit and sent to the battery manager. The battery hardware maintenance personnel then performs battery hardware maintenance on the maintenance recovery unit. After maintenance, the battery unit is sent to the operator as a maintenance-completed unit, and is installed back into the vehicle for use.

[0018] Furthermore, the storage battery units are managed by a battery hardware manager. The battery hardware manager has ownership of the storage battery units. The battery hardware manager collects storage battery units from the business operator as necessary (unit collection). The battery hardware manager also supplies storage battery units to the business operator as necessary (unit supply). Unit collection is the route taken when a storage battery unit has reached its usage limit due to aging or other reasons and needs to be overhauled and maintained. Unit supply is the route taken when sending new storage battery units or storage battery units that have been overhauled and maintained to the business operator.

[0019] The storage battery units owned by the battery hardware manager are further collected and supplied by the battery hardware supplier. The battery hardware supplier produces and upcycles the storage battery units. In the "production" process, the battery hardware supplier collects the storage battery units from the battery hardware manager (unit collection) and disassembles them into storage battery modules (unit disassembly). Meanwhile, the regenerated storage battery modules are used to produce storage battery units (unit assembly). The produced storage battery units are supplied to the battery hardware manager (unit supply). In addition, in the "upcycling" process, the storage battery modules are collected (module collection) and the cell materials are regenerated (cell material regeneration). This results in the regeneration of the storage battery modules (module regeneration), and the regenerated storage battery modules are supplied for the production of storage battery units (module supply).

[0020] In addition, a battery hardware maintainer may supply a battery unit to a battery hardware manager (maintenance unit supply), and the battery hardware manager may collect the battery unit from the battery hardware maintainer (maintenance unit collection).

[0021] The business operator, the battery hardware maintenance person, the battery hardware manager, and the battery hardware supplier use a battery management means having a server or the like for managing the battery to manage the battery. The battery data management includes, for example, data management of the battery products and materials for the battery. Specifically, operation data and quality data of the battery unit are exchanged with the business operator. When the battery data manager makes a maintenance proposal, the maintenance proposal is sent to the business operator, and a reply is made regarding the date and time of the maintenance proposal. Furthermore, information on unit maintenance and unit investigation is exchanged with the business operator and the battery hardware maintenance person. Furthermore, information on the battery module specifications (module specifications), the battery unit specifications (unit specifications), and analysis reports are exchanged with the battery hardware supplier. Furthermore, information on the supply and collection of the battery unit, the maintenance records, and analysis reports are exchanged with the battery hardware manager. The battery data management performed by the battery management means is in accordance with Battery Passport (product and material data management) which records information on the life cycle of the battery from material procurement to recycling. The business operator, the battery hardware maintenance person, the battery hardware manager, and the battery hardware supplier access the battery management means to share information. The battery management means is, for example, a server computer that manages battery data. The business operator, the battery hardware maintenance person, the battery hardware manager, and the battery hardware supplier each have a terminal device, such as a PC (Personal Computer), and are connected to the battery management means via a network. The business operator, the battery hardware maintenance person, the battery hardware manager, and the battery hardware supplier use the terminal device to access the battery management means to send and receive necessary information, and share the information. It can also be said that a system that realizes such information sharing and realizes a circulation system for batteries is a battery management system that manages batteries.

[0022] The locations where each task is carried out are as follows: module regeneration and cell material regeneration are carried out at a module factory owned by the battery hardware supplier, unit assembly and unit disassembly are carried out at a unit factory owned by the battery hardware supplier, battery hardware maintenance is mainly carried out in a warehouse managed by a battery hardware maintenance company, and loading of batteries into vehicles is mainly carried out at a vehicle depot owned by the operator. The players in the diagram, the business operator, the battery data manager, the battery hardware maintainer, the battery hardware manager, and the battery hardware supplier, may be separate corporations or may be the same corporation. Similarly, even if the players are different corporations, they may share the same base. In this case, the batteries may be moved between the different players in name only, but may be located in the same place as a base and not moved physically.

[0023] 2 is a diagram showing a storage battery data management means 18 that upcycles the storage battery system. The storage battery data management means 18 is provided in the storage battery management means in FIG. Here, the route is classified into three categories, a depot, an electrified section, and a non-electrified section, and information is transmitted and received from each route. That is, the route is classified into a route (depot) 17a, a route (electrified) 17b, and a route (non-electrified) 17c, and information is transmitted and received. A plurality of real vehicles 11 run on a rail 15 such as a rail. If the real vehicles 11a to 11e (11 if no distinction is required) are electric vehicles, power is supplied to the drive system and auxiliary equipment 118 (see FIG. 3) such as lighting and air conditioning by a power supply unit 16 such as an overhead line. In addition, if power can be supplied to the drive system and auxiliary equipment by an engine, a power generation device such as a fuel cell, or a power storage unit such as a storage battery instead of an electric vehicle, the power supply unit 16 is not essential. The actual vehicle 11 is not limited to a single vehicle, and may be a train consisting of multiple vehicles. The rails 15 may be arranged in parallel to form a double-track section in which trains going in different directions, such as up and down, can run simultaneously.

[0024] The actual vehicle 11 transmits and receives information via wireless communication with the wide-area information transmission base 33. Here, the wireless communication may be applied to a mobile communication system that assumes continuous communication while moving within a plurality of limited communication ranges using a fifth generation mobile communication system (5G) or the like. The information transmitted and received by the wide-area information transmitting and receiving unit 32a is collected in the wide-area information transmitting and receiving unit 32a, and is connected to the storage battery data management means 18 via a wide-area information transmission path 31 such as the Internet.

[0025] Furthermore, the actual vehicle 11 transmits and receives information via wireless communication with an intra-area information transmission and reception base 36. The intra-area information transmission and reception base 36 is installed at a station, a vehicle depot, etc., and enables wireless communication with the stopped actual vehicle 11. For this reason, wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), infrared communication, etc., which are suitable for short-distance communication between devices, can be applied. The information transmitted and received at the intra-area information transmission and reception base 36 is collected by an intra-area information transmission and reception unit 35a, an intra-area information transmission path 34, and a wide-area information transmission and reception unit 32a, and is connected to the storage battery data management means 18 via a wide-area information transmission path 31 such as the Internet.

[0026] The battery data management means 18 performs upcycling of the hardware and software. Specifically, the actual running data is received from the actual vehicle 11 by wireless communication via the wide-area information transmission / reception unit 32a, the area information transmission / reception unit 35a, and the area information transmission / reception base 36. At this time, the actual running data is received for each of the route (garage) 17a, the route (electrified) 17b, and the route (non-electrified) 17c. The received actual running data (received data) is compared with a simulation by the simulated vehicle means 181a provided in the data analysis means 181. Then, using the comparison result, an upcycling evaluation is performed in the battery recombination decision 181b. Furthermore, based on the upcycling evaluation, a module recombination plan 182, which is an upcycling of the hardware of the battery system, and a control parameter optimization 183, which is an upcycling of the software of the battery system, are executed. The module recombination plan 182 is, for example, maintenance or updating of the battery system. Furthermore, the control parameter optimization 183 is, for example, updating of the control software that controls the battery storage system and the control software that controls the drive system that is driven by the power from the battery storage system.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a drive system of the actual vehicle 11. As shown in FIG. In the actual vehicle 11, the main on-board devices, that is, the storage battery system 100, the main transformer 121, the drive control unit 122, and the auxiliary power supply (APS_DC / AC) 124, are controlled by the actual vehicle control unit 13. The AC / DC converter 122a and the DC / AC inverter 122b are collectively referred to as the drive control unit 122. The drive control unit 122 controls the drive of the main motor 117.

[0028] The AC voltage detector (ACPT) 131 is disposed between the current collector 114 and the primary winding of the main transformer 121, and inputs a detected voltage signal to the actual vehicle control unit 13 for control. The AC current detectors (ACCT) 132a to 132e input detected current signals to the actual vehicle control unit 13 for control. A main DC circuit is formed between the AC / DC converter 122a and the DC / AC inverter 122b, and DC voltage signals detected by the DC voltage detectors 133a and 133b are input to the actual vehicle control unit 13 for control.

[0029] The actual vehicle control unit 13 includes a train information control unit 141, an AC / DC converter control unit 142a, a DC / AC inverter control unit 142b, a storage battery control unit 143, and an auxiliary power supply control unit 144. The actual vehicle control unit 13 is controlled by a higher-level control unit such as a driving command unit. The higher-level control unit is the driving body, and refers to the traffic management system and the driver. The actual vehicle control unit 13 includes control software, and transmits and receives control signals to and from the higher-level control unit, while controlling the lower-level controlled units as intended.

[0030] The storage battery system 100 and the auxiliary power supply 124 are connected to the main DC circuit. DC voltage detectors 133c-133d and DC current detectors 134a-134c are connected to these, and DC voltage signals detected by these are input to the actual vehicle control unit 13 for control. Since the storage battery system 100 is composed of multiple battery boxes 101, it is assumed that the DC current detector 134b detects the current of each battery box 101 individually.

[0031] The battery control device 143 controls the main circuit battery 123. The auxiliary power control device 144 controls the auxiliary power supply device 124 and the auxiliary equipment 118. DC voltage detectors 135a, 135b are connected to the auxiliary equipment 118, and DC voltage signals detected by these detectors are input to the actual vehicle control unit 13 and used for control. This configuration allows the collection of the following data: AC / DC converter: control frequency, input current / voltage, output current / voltage, power unit temperature estimate DC / AC inverter: control frequency, input current / voltage, output current / voltage, power unit temperature estimate Auxiliary power supply: control frequency, input current / voltage, output current / voltage, power unit temperature estimate Main circuit battery: charge / discharge current, voltage, SOC, SOH, cell temperature Train information control device: status of each device, occupancy rate, temperature and room temperature

[0032] Also shown here is a case where the train information control device 141 is connected to a display 150 and an antenna 160. The display 150 displays collected data. This data is, for example, the control frequency, input current / voltage, output current / voltage, and power unit temperature estimate value of the AC / DC converter and DC / AC inverter described above. The antenna 160 communicates with the wide-area information transmitting / receiving unit 32a, the intra-area information transmitting / receiving unit 35a, and the intra-area information transmission / reception base 36 described in FIG. 2. Note that the display 150 is not necessarily required for the actual vehicle 11.

[0033] The train information control device 141 includes a controller 141a and routers 141b1, 141b2, 141b3, and 141b4. The controller 141a controls the AC / DC converter control unit 142a, the DC / AC inverter control unit 142b, the storage battery control device 143, and the auxiliary power supply control device 144. The routers 141b1, 141b2, 141b3, and 141b4 collect data from the AC / DC converter control unit 142a, the DC / AC inverter control unit 142b, the storage battery control device 143, and the auxiliary power supply control device 144, respectively, and output control signals from the controller 141a.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of storage battery system 100. As shown in FIG. The storage battery system 100 is defined as one storage battery system as the whole of batteries connected to one traction system shown in FIG. 3. The storage battery system 100 is configured in stages. The storage battery system 100 is configured by connecting one or more storage battery boxes 101 in series or parallel. The storage battery box 101 is a unit that is directly attached to a railway vehicle. A plurality of storage battery banks 102 are connected in parallel inside the storage battery box 101. A box controller 105 is attached to each storage battery box 101. The storage battery bank 102 is a unit in which storage battery modules 104 are connected in series. A bank controller 106 is attached to each storage battery bank 102. The storage battery module 104 is a handling unit that combines a plurality of storage battery cells, which are the smallest units that function as batteries, and a cell controller that is a control controller mounted on the storage battery module. The storage battery unit 103 is a structural unit in which a plurality of storage battery modules 104 are fixed and wired to a rack or the like, and can be easily replaced from the storage battery box 101. The battery units 103 are classified based on the arrangement and installation of the battery modules 104 in the battery box 101, and are not related to the electrical connection relationship. For example, in FIG. 4, the battery units 103 are four adjacent modules that are electrically connected in series in the same battery bank 102, but even if the battery modules 104 are in different battery banks 102, they may be the same battery unit 103 if they are spatially adjacent. Each battery bank 102 is provided with a current detection means that measures the bank current value flowing through each battery bank 102. The bank current value is received by the bank controller 106 and sent to the upper and lower controllers by communication between the control boards. A direct current voltage detection means (DCPT) is provided at the point where each battery bank 102 is paralleled, and the voltage of the battery box 101 is measured. The voltage of the battery box 101 is received by the box controller 105 and sent to the upper and lower controllers by communication between the control boards. Each battery bank 102 has a current control means, and the current flowing through each battery bank 102 is controlled by the box controller 105. The current control means can be, at its simplest, a contactor or a breaker that opens and closes a circuit, or it can be a variable resistor or a chopper circuit that allows stepless adjustment of DC current.The current control means allows the box controller 105 to protect each battery bank 102, control its temperature, and control its degradation.

[0035] FIG. 5( a ) is a diagram showing the configuration of a controller that collects data from the storage battery system 100. As shown in FIG. As described in FIG. 4, the storage battery system 100 is composed of a plurality of battery boxes 101. Furthermore, each storage battery box 101 is composed of a plurality of battery banks 102. Furthermore, each storage battery bank 102 is composed of a plurality of storage battery modules 104. Furthermore, each storage battery module 104 is composed of a plurality of storage battery cells. Note that a controller is not necessarily implemented in the storage battery unit 103.

[0036] Each battery box 101 is provided with a box controller 105. Each battery bank 102 is provided with a bank controller 106. Each battery module 104 is provided with a cell controller 107. The box controller 105, the bank controller 106, and the cell controller 107 are provided with a communication I / F (communication interface, illustrated as "communication" in FIG. 5(a)) and a tag. The communication I / F exchanges data with these controllers. The tag has the model and model number of the battery system 100, each battery unit 103, the battery module 104, and the battery cell as tag information, and can identify the output source of the collected data. The data acquired by these controllers is collected by a controller provided in the main converter, and further acquired by a controller provided in the vehicle information control device, and is sent to the battery data management means 18 by using wireless communication as described in FIG. 2. For example, OTA (Over The Air) cloud communication is used as the wireless communication. In addition, in FIG. 5(a), the bank controller 106 can be connected to a personal computer (PC) or the like to extract data, and then the data can be sent to the storage battery data management means 18 by means of Internet communication or the like. This is used, for example, when it is desired to obtain data on the storage battery unit 103 during storage of the storage battery unit 103. This makes it possible to understand changes over time due to storage. In this case, either wired communication or wireless communication can be used, as will be described later with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13.

[0037] 5(b) and (c) are diagrams showing necessary data required as quality data of a storage battery. Of these, FIG. 5(b) is a diagram showing necessary data acquired from a vehicle information control device. Here, it indicates that the data shown as items corresponding to No. 1 to No. 10 are necessary data. In other words, the necessary data are tag information (type, model number), unit SOH which is the SOH (State of Health: battery deterioration index) of the storage battery unit 103, module SOH which is the SOH of the storage battery module 104, unit voltage which is the voltage of the storage battery unit 103, unit current which is the current of the storage battery unit 103, module voltage which is the voltage of the storage battery module 104, module current which is the current of the storage battery module 104, cell voltage which is the voltage of the storage battery cell, cell current which is the current of the storage battery cell, and cell / module temperature which is the temperature of the storage battery cell or the storage battery module 104. Note that Remarks is a remarks column. Here, it means that the tag information (type, model number) is transmitted periodically, and the unit SOH is acquired every 1 second.

[0038] FIG. 5( c ) is a diagram showing necessary data acquired from the storage battery unit 103 . Here, it is shown that the data shown as items corresponding to No. 1 to No. 5 are required data. In other words, the tag information (type, model number), unit voltage which is the voltage of the storage battery unit 103, module voltage which is the voltage of the storage battery module 104, cell voltage which is the voltage of the storage battery cell, cell current which is the current of the storage battery cell, and cell / module temperature which is the temperature of the storage battery cell or storage battery module 104 are required data. Note that Remarks is a remarks column. Here, the tag information (type, model number) is "on demand," which means that it is obtained in response to a request from an administrator or the like.

[0039] FIG. 6 is a step diagram showing the maintenance and replacement process of the storage battery system 100. 6 shows the maintenance and replacement process of the storage battery system 100 in three steps, Step 1 to Step 3. Here, the diagram illustrates interactions between a business operator who uses the storage batteries, a storage battery hardware maintainer who maintains the storage batteries, and a storage battery data manager who manages the upcycle.

[0040] Step 1 is the process up to when the battery hardware maintainer proposes maintenance and replacement of the battery. In Step 1, operation data is transmitted from the business operator to the battery data manager. Next, the battery data manager analyzes the operation data. Then, if the analysis results in the need to replace the battery, the battery data manager issues an instruction to the battery hardware maintainer to maintain and replace the battery. The battery hardware maintainer checks the replacement unit and proposes maintenance and replacement of the battery to the business operator. The replacement unit is a battery unit 103 prepared to replace the battery unit 103 installed in the actual vehicle 11.

[0041] Step 2 is the process up to when the battery hardware maintainer sends a replacement battery unit. In Step 2, the business operator who has received a proposal for battery maintenance and replacement from the battery hardware maintainer responds to the battery hardware maintainer with a replacement date and time. Next, the battery hardware maintainer arranges for the replacement unit. The battery hardware maintainer then sends the replacement unit from the storage location of the battery unit 103 to the business operator's garage. Furthermore, the battery hardware maintainer replaces the storage battery unit 103 at the business operator's garage.

[0042] Step 3 is the process up to when the battery data manager receives the maintenance and replacement completion record. In Step 3, the battery hardware maintenance person at the operator's garage returns the removed replacement unit to the storage location of the battery unit 103. The replacement unit is the battery unit 103 that was installed in the actual vehicle 11, and is the battery unit 103 that was removed from the actual vehicle 11 in order to install a replacement unit. Next, the battery hardware maintenance person inspects the replacement unit at the storage location of the battery unit 103. The inspection results are presented to the operator, who confirms the inspection results. The battery hardware maintenance person then sends the maintenance and replacement completion record to the battery data manager. This makes the maintenance and replacement completion record available for viewing by the battery hardware manager.

[0043] Next, a specific method for replacing the storage battery unit 103 will be described. Most typically, the storage battery capacity degradation index SOH (State of Health) is used as an evaluation index, the storage battery module 104 is arranged so as to minimize variation in SOH, and the storage battery unit 103 is replaced. Note that this is just an example, and the evaluation index may also be an increase in resistance or voltage variation of the storage battery module 104.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an outline of a method for replacing the storage battery unit 103. As shown in FIG. Here, a case where the storage batteries are replaced in three actual vehicles 11 indicated by Train 1 to Train 3 is shown. First, a maintained storage battery unit 103 (maintained storage battery unit) is prepared for Train 1, and the storage battery unit 103 already installed is replaced. Here, replacement of the storage battery units 103 in the storage battery system 100 (storage battery boxes 101) indicated by Battery Box-A, Battery Box-B, and Battery Box-C is shown. Then, the removed storage battery units 103 are rearranged in a predetermined method. This method will be described in detail later, but the storage battery modules 104 are ranked based on the SOH, and rearrangement of the storage battery modules 104 is planned based on this ranking so as to reduce the variation in SOH. This makes it easier to create new maintained storage battery units. This process is repeated from then on. In other words, the new refurbished battery unit is used to replace the battery in Train 2. At this time, a new refurbished battery unit is also prepared, which is used to replace the battery in Train 3.

[0045] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram showing the maintenance and replacement process of the storage battery system 100. First, the business operator operates the storage battery (S101). That is, the business operator uses the storage battery unit 103 mounted on the actual vehicle 11 as a power source. Operation data obtained when the storage battery is operated is sent to the storage battery data management means 18 of the storage battery data manager, and the storage battery data manager analyzes the operation data in the storage battery data management means 18 (S102). Then, when the analysis result indicates that the battery needs to be replaced, the battery data manager issues an instruction to a battery hardware maintainer to maintain and replace the battery via the battery data management means 18. At this time, the battery data manager also issues an instruction to prepare a replacement / substitute unit (S103). The battery hardware maintainer proposes maintenance and replacement of the battery to the business operator via the battery data management means 18 (S104). The business operator sets the date and time of the battery replacement in the battery data management means 18 (S105), and responds to the battery hardware maintainer with the date and time of the replacement via the battery data management means 18 (S106). The battery hardware maintainer receives and confirms the replacement date and time from the business via the battery data management means 18 (S107), and sends a replacement unit from the warehouse of the battery unit 103 to the customer's (business's) garage (S108). When the replacement unit is received at the operator's garage (S109), a battery hardware maintenance technician removes the replacement unit and installs the replacement unit at the operator's warehouse (S110). Furthermore, the battery hardware maintenance technician returns the replacement unit removed at the business operator's warehouse to the warehouse of the storage battery unit 103 (S111). The battery hardware maintenance technician receives the replacement unit at the warehouse of the battery unit 103 (S112). The battery hardware maintainer inspects the received replacement unit (S113), inputs the inspection results into the battery data management means 18, and presents them to the business operator. The business operator confirms the investigation result from the storage battery data management means 18 (S114), and approves the investigation result (work completion) via the storage battery data management means 18 (S115). When the business operator accepts the investigation results, the battery hardware maintainer confirms the completion of the maintenance and replacement of the battery via the battery data management means 18 (S116). The battery hardware maintainer sends the maintenance and replacement completion record to the battery data manager via the battery data management means 18, and the battery data manager receives it (S117). This makes the maintenance and replacement completion record available for viewing by the battery hardware manager. The battery hardware manager can check the records of supply and recovery of a specified unit using the battery data management means 18, and can check the status of the desired unit (the vehicle it is installed in, the storage location, etc.).

[0046] Next, the battery data manager issues an instruction to a battery hardware maintenance person to replace the storage battery module 104 of the replacement unit via the storage battery data management means 18 as necessary (S118). The battery hardware maintenance person who has received the instruction from the storage battery data management means 18 replaces the storage battery module 104 (S119). Then, the battery hardware maintenance person inspects the storage battery unit 103 after replacing the storage battery module 104 (S120). Then, the battery hardware maintenance person inputs the inspection record of the storage battery unit 103 and a notice that the replacement of the storage battery module 104 has been completed into the storage battery data management means 18, and stores the storage battery unit 103 in a warehouse (S121). Then, the battery data manager receives the storage completion record of the storage battery unit 103 from the storage battery data management means 18 (S122). As a result, the inspection record of the storage battery unit 103 and the record of the completion of replacement of the storage battery module 104 become viewable by the battery hardware manager as well. The battery hardware manager can check the maintenance record of the specified storage battery unit 103 by the storage battery data management means 18, and can check the status of the desired storage battery unit 103 (such as the configuration of the storage battery module 104).

[0047] By adopting such an embodiment, it is possible to equalize the deterioration variation within the storage battery system 100, thereby avoiding limitations on vehicle performance and protection detection of the storage batteries due to deterioration variation, and it is possible to extend the service life of the storage batteries compared to an operating method in which batteries are all replaced with new ones at the same time without equalizing the degree of battery deterioration. In addition, the load on railway storage batteries varies significantly from line to line depending on the type of vehicle, mileage, gradient, number of passengers, charging station interval, and schedule, so even if a storage battery has a degree of degradation that makes it impossible to maintain the schedule on a high-load line, it is possible to maintain the schedule on a low-load line. Therefore, even if a storage battery has deteriorated to the point where it has reached the end of its life on a high-load line, it can be refurbished rather than discarded and repurposed for a low-load line, thereby extending the life of the storage battery.

[0048] In the embodiment of servicing and repurposing a used storage battery module 104 in the storage battery system 100 as described above, the storage battery unit 103 is removed from the railway vehicle, refurbished, and transported and stored at various locations before being returned. This embodiment details a specific method of transporting and storing the storage battery unit 103. In this embodiment, the discussion focuses on the transportation and storage of batteries. Note that who actually performs each task (the person who performs it) is not limited to the configuration of this embodiment. For example, the task of inserting and removing the storage battery unit 103 from an actual vehicle at a vehicle depot could be performed by the business operator, the storage battery hardware manager, or a storage battery hardware maintainer. Similarly, the owner of each base is not limited to the configuration of this embodiment.

[0049] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the transportation relationship of batteries related to the maintenance of the storage battery unit 103 according to this embodiment. Batteries are transported between warehouse 1, vehicle depot 2, unit factory 3, and module factory 4. In reality, more than one of the four bases in the diagram may be owned by the same corporation and located on the same premises, but even in that case, the four bases are different buildings or different sections of the same building, and movement is necessary, so they are moved by the same means as shown in the diagram. Warehouse 1 is a place where the storage battery units 103 removed from the actual vehicles 11 are stored until they are reconditioned and transported to their next use. For example, warehouse 1 is owned by a storage battery hardware maintenance person, and the storage battery hardware maintenance person works there. In warehouse 1, units are stored, battery condition inspections are performed, and unit maintenance is performed. The procedures for battery condition inspections and unit maintenance in warehouse 1 are the same as those shown in Figure 8.

[0050] Unit storage refers to storing a repaired battery unit removed from an actual vehicle 11, or a repaired battery unit obtained by repairing a repaired battery unit, or a new battery unit manufactured at the unit factory 3 without using the batteries until the next shipping destination is decided and the battery is transported. Storing the batteries without using them refers to storing the batteries without charging or discharging them except for the battery condition inspection described below.

[0051] The battery state inspection refers to inspecting the deterioration and failure of the storage battery unit 103 and the storage battery module 104 that constitutes it. There are three main methods for inspecting the battery: the first is a non-energized test, the second is a cell controller communication test, and the third is a charge / discharge test. In the non-energized test, the storage battery unit 103 and its components are visually inspected for deformation, damage, and dirt, and bolts are tightened. In the cell controller communication test, communication is performed with the cell controller 107 of the storage battery module 104, the voltage of each cell is acquired, the battery voltage variation is inspected, and the operation test of the cell controller 107 is also performed. At this time, the battery itself is not charged or discharged. Details of the communication method used in the cell controller communication test are explained in FIG. 12. In the charge / discharge test, the storage battery module 104 in the storage battery unit 103 is connected to an external charge / discharge device, and the battery is charged and discharged to inspect the deterioration of the battery. Details of the charge / discharge method used in the charge / discharge test are explained in FIG. 15. As shown in FIG. 8, the battery state inspection is performed on one storage battery unit 103 after the repair return unit is received (S113) and after the unit repair and replacement is completed (S120).

[0052] Unit maintenance is the work of repairing defects in the maintenance-returned unit that were found by the battery condition inspection, removing storage battery modules 104 that are in poor condition and cannot be used (unusable modules), and replacing them with used storage battery modules that are still usable in multiple storage battery units 103 so that their deterioration states are uniform, to create a maintenance-completed unit. An unusable module is determined based on whether the deterioration level of the battery has exceeded a threshold and deteriorated, or whether the variation in each cell voltage has exceeded a threshold that determines the acceleration of battery self-discharge.

[0053] With regard to the transportation of the storage battery units 103 to the warehouse 1, (1) it receives a serviced and recovered storage battery unit in a container from the railroad depot 2, and (2) sends a serviced storage battery unit in a container to the railroad depot 2. (4) it receives a new storage battery unit in a container from the unit factory 3 and sends it to the railroad depot (2) without conversion, (5) it receives a new module from the module factory 4, and (6) sends an unusable module that cannot be repurposed to the module factory 4.

[0054] (4) A new storage battery unit is used, for example, when the storage battery modules 104 in a storage battery unit 103 have reached the end of their life even if their levels of deterioration are uniform, and all of the storage battery modules 104 in a certain storage battery system 100 are replaced with new ones. Here, the new storage battery units may be sent directly to the rolling stock depot 2 after being manufactured at the unit factory 3 as in (3), or may be sent to the warehouse 1 in advance for storage as in (4), and then sent to the rolling stock depot after having been stored there like other units that have completed maintenance. In this case, the new storage battery units stored in the warehouse 1 are not subjected to unit maintenance. When the unit factory 3 has a small battery storage capacity, the new storage battery units may be stored in the warehouse 1 where maintenance, etc. is performed in this way.

[0055] (5) A new module is produced by incorporating it into an empty unit frame that is generated during the process of removing an unusable module during the unit maintenance described above, due to a shortage of usable storage battery modules 104 for the storage battery unit 103. In this case, the unit frame is second-hand, and the storage battery module 104 is a brand new, refurbished unit (the refurbished unit in this embodiment is a refurbished storage battery unit). The railroad depot 2 is a place where the actual railcars 11 are stored and where the storage battery units 103 are inserted and removed from the storage battery boxes 101 of the actual railcars 11. The railroad depot 2 is owned by the railway operator, and the operator also performs the work. At the railroad depot 2, the storage battery units 103 are removed from the railcars and inserted into the railcars. The method of inserting and removing the storage battery units 103 will be described in detail in FIG. 19.

[0056] The transportation of batteries at depot 2 is as described above in steps (1) to (4). The unit factory 3 is a place where the storage battery units 103 are manufactured. The unit factory 3 is owned by a unit manufacturer among the storage battery hardware suppliers who manufactures the storage battery units 103, and is similarly operated by the unit manufacturer. In the unit factory 3, new storage battery units are produced. The production of a new storage battery unit is carried out by receiving a new module (7) from the module factory 4 and combining it with other components of the storage battery unit 103. The manufactured new storage battery unit undergoes shipping inspection, is placed in a container, and is sent to the rolling stock depot 2 via the route (3) to (4) described above.

[0057] The module factory 4 is a place where the storage battery modules 104 are manufactured. The module factory 4 is owned by a module manufacturer that manufactures the storage battery modules 104 among the storage battery hardware suppliers, and is operated by the module manufacturer as well. In the module factory 4, new modules are produced and used modules are remanufactured. In the production of new modules, storage battery cells are manufactured by electrically and mechanically combining the cell controller 107 and the module housing. In the remanufacturing of used modules, the used cells of the unusable module obtained in (6) are replaced with new cells to remanufacture the storage battery module 104. The removed used cells are dismantled and the materials are remanufactured. As described above, the module factory 4 transports new and used modules as in (5) to (7). In this process, the storage battery module 104 is removed from the storage battery unit 103, a battery container is not used, and the batteries are transported by the same means as those used by the module factory 4 for product shipment.

[0058] In the battery transportation relationship of Figure 9, the storage battery module 104 is placed in the same transport and storage container in the form of a storage battery unit 103 during transportation (1) to (4) between the warehouse 1, the vehicle depot 2, and the unit factory 3, and during storage at the warehouse 1. The storage battery module 104 is inserted and removed at the vehicle depot 2 in the form of the storage battery unit 103, thereby reducing the labor required to move and refill the batteries.

[0059] Fig. 10 is a flowchart relating to replacement and storage of the storage battery unit 103 according to this embodiment. Fig. 10 describes battery measurement in more detail than Fig. 8. The terminology associated with each step is given below: Voltage variation refers to the variation in the voltage of each cell in the storage battery module 104, and the maximum / minimum difference or standard deviation is generally used as the statistical quantity. So far, it has been stated that each cell voltage is sent from the cell controller 107, but in order to ultimately evaluate the voltage variation for each storage battery module 104, the signal sent from the cell controller 107 may be the aforementioned statistical quantity sufficient for discussing and evaluating the variation in the voltage of each cell for each storage battery module 104. In this case, the target voltage of the balancing circuit and the minimum and maximum cell voltages of each storage battery module 104 must also be sent for control during charge / discharge tests. The variation in cell voltage is often exacerbated by the variation in the self-discharge rate of the batteries. A common method to correct the voltage variation in lithium-ion batteries is to use a balancing circuit.

[0060] The voltage drop rate is the change in each cell voltage between two times when no power is applied, divided by the time between those two times. When the voltage drop rate (more precisely, the maximum and minimum difference in the voltage drop rate) exceeds the voltage adjustment rate of the balancing circuit, it is impossible to reduce the voltage variation of that storage battery module 104, and that storage battery module 104 must be changed to a storage battery module 104 in a better condition.

[0061] The degree of capacity degradation is calculated as the ratio of the chargeable and dischargeable charge of a battery to that of a new battery. The more the capacity deteriorates, the smaller it becomes. The chargeable and dischargeable charge is calculated by actually discharging the battery from the full charge voltage to the full discharge voltage and integrating the charge. The degree of resistance degradation is calculated as the ratio of the resistance of a battery to that of a new battery. The more the battery deteriorates, the greater the resistance becomes. Resistance is calculated by measuring the amount of voltage change in current value at a given temperature, open circuit voltage, current value, and current duration. Since the degree of degradation of the capacitance decreases as the capacitance deteriorates and the degree of degradation of the resistance increases as the capacitance deteriorates, the degree of degradation of the capacitance decreases as the capacitance deteriorates, and therefore the degree of degradation of the capacitance increases. Calculation of the capacity deterioration degree and the resistance deterioration degree generally requires charging and discharging the battery. The deterioration degree can be calculated individually for each storage battery cell in the smallest unit by using data during actual commercial operation while the storage battery module 104 is mounted on the actual vehicle 11, or by performing a dedicated vehicle test for deterioration degree measurement. Calculation of the deterioration degree using data during actual commercial operation is a method of calculating the deterioration degree by applying a battery model including the deterioration degree in the calculation formula to the battery data during commercial operation. This method does not require additional dedicated tests for deterioration degree measurement, which reduces the labor costs, but generally does not have high accuracy. The accuracy of the deterioration degree is higher when a dedicated vehicle test for deterioration degree measurement is performed than when commercial operation data is used, but this requires the vehicle to be secured outside of commercial use and typically to be tested for several hours. Therefore, tests for deterioration degree measurement are not performed daily, but are performed periodically.

[0062] If such degradation level measurement while mounted on the vehicle is sufficiently accurate, it is not necessarily necessary to measure the degradation level after removing the storage battery unit 103 from the warehouse 1, but generally, degradation level measurement on a charging / discharging device provides more accurate current and voltage control, better sensor accuracy, and temperature adjustment than degradation level measurement on an actual vehicle 11, resulting in more accurate measurement results. In addition, if the storage period in the warehouse 1 is long, degradation may have progressed beyond the level at the time of removal from the vehicle, and degradation level measurement at the warehouse 1 is also required. In that case, the storage battery unit 103 in the container is connected to a charging / discharging device 25 for charging and discharging, as shown in FIG. 15.

[0063] Each step will be explained below. S201 is the start step of the storage battery unit replacement flow. The timing for planning to replace the storage battery unit 103 is when an abnormality is found in data monitoring or measurement on the vehicle side, such as when the progression of battery deterioration is detected by a deterioration degree measurement in the vehicle system, deterioration variation is detected, voltage variation during operation is detected, or some control value of the battery (voltage or charging rate) becomes rate-limiting and limits vehicle performance, or when the battery usage history (number of days, Wh amount, etc.) simply reaches a certain value.

[0064] S202 is a step for measuring the battery state in an actual vehicle 11. Measuring the battery state in a vehicle involves measuring the voltage variation and the degree of deterioration (capacity or both capacity and resistance). The voltage variation is measured by measuring the voltage variation for each storage battery module 104. The degree of deterioration can be measured using data from actual commercial operation or by conducting a dedicated vehicle test for measuring the degree of deterioration. The degree of deterioration can be measured on a battery cell basis if the controller that calculates the degree of deterioration acquires the voltage of each cell via communication or the like, and can also be calculated on a storage battery module 104 basis.

[0065] S203 is a step for formulating a unit replacement plan. The battery hardware manager uses the voltage variation and deterioration degree information of each storage battery module 104 of each storage battery unit 103 in the storage battery box 101 obtained in step S202 and the information of the storage battery units 103 in the warehouse 1 to formulate a unit replacement plan that can improve the operation of the vehicle.

[0066] S204 is a unit transport step to the vehicle depot. The battery hardware maintenance technician transports the maintenance-completed battery units required in the replacement plan of S203 in a container from the warehouse 1 to the vehicle depot 2. A truck is used for the transportation. At this time, in addition to the container with the battery units 103, at least one empty container is sent at the same time.

[0067] S205 to S212 are the steps of battery replacement performed at the rail depot. The actual insertion and removal method will be described with reference to Fig. 19. The container containing the maintenance-completed storage battery unit 103 brought in at S204 may be placed on the truck bed or near the actual vehicle 11 at the rail depot 2.

[0068] S205 is a step for removing the wiring and bolts in the battery box 101. To replace the battery unit 103, the contactor of the battery box 101 is opened, and the high-voltage wiring, communication wiring, and fixing bolts of the storage battery unit 103 to be replaced are removed. This step may be performed in parallel with S206 to S213 if there is no risk of being pinched by a forklift.

[0069] S206 is a step for attaching the empty container to the forks. The empty container is attached to the forks of the forklift in order to remove the storage battery unit 103 (maintenance-completed storage battery unit) from the storage battery box 101 of the actual vehicle 11 and place it in the container. At this time, it is preferable to close the fork fixing clamp 2031 in Fig. 20 so that the container does not fall off the forks 401 when pushing and pulling the storage battery unit 103 inside the container.

[0070] S207 is a step for removing the unit from the battery box 101. The battery unit 103 (maintenance-completed battery unit) is removed from the battery box 101 of the actual vehicle 11 and placed in a container. Here, the unit fixing structure in the container is tightened, and the battery unit 103 is fixed in the container.

[0071] S208 is a step for removing the forks from the maintenance and recovery unit container. The container containing the storage battery unit 103 recovered in S206 is removed. This maintenance and recovery unit may be loaded onto a truck here for transport to the warehouse 1.

[0072] S209 is a step in which the serviced unit container is attached to the forks. The container with the serviced battery unit brought to the vehicle depot in S204 is attached to the forks of the forklift that were released in S208. If the travel distance on the forks is long, it is safer to tighten the unit fixing structure inside the container and fix the battery unit 103 inside the container.

[0073] S210 is a step for installing a storage battery unit in the storage battery box 101. The maintenance-completed storage battery unit in the container on the forklift is inserted into the space vacated in S206 in the storage battery box 101 by removing the unit fixing structure in the container. At this time, the container left by the forklift becomes empty. By using this empty container in the next extraction step S207, it is possible to reduce the number of empty containers to be transported in S204 and to reduce the number of times containers are attached and detached. Here, if multiple unit replacements are to be carried out in parallel, it is necessary to transport multiple empty containers in S204.

[0074] S211 is a step for judging whether or not the unit replacement is complete. If all the planned unit replacements have not been completed, the next unit replacement is started from step S207. If all the planned unit replacements have been completed, the process proceeds to the next step S212.

[0075] S212 is a step for attaching wiring and bolts inside the battery box 101. For use in the actual vehicle 11, the high-voltage wiring, communication wiring, and fixing bolts of the battery unit 103 to be replaced are attached. This step may be performed in parallel with S205 to S211 if there is no risk of being pinched by a forklift.

[0076] S213 is a unit transportation step to the warehouse 1. The business operator transports the serviced and recovered storage battery units removed in S205 to S212 in a container from the rolling stock depot 2 to the warehouse 1. For example, a truck is used for the transportation. At this time, the empty container brought in in S204 is also sent.

[0077] S214 to S221 are work steps in warehouse 1. Before being fixed to the shelf, the maintenance and recovery unit undergoes steps S214 to S218.

[0078] S214 is a non-energized test step. In the non-energized test, the storage battery unit 103 and its components are visually inspected for deformation, damage, contamination, and corrosion, and bolts are retightened. Anything that is found to be deformed, damaged, or contaminated beyond a certain level in this step is deemed unusable. For example, deformation of the cell can, breakage of the cell coating, damage to the main circuit or communication connector, or rust on the module frame can be deemed unusable.

[0079] S215 is a cell controller communication test step. In the cell controller communication test, the voltage of each cell is acquired to check the battery voltage variation, and an operation test of the cell controller is also performed. At this time, the battery itself is not charged or discharged. Details of the communication method used in the cell controller communication test are explained in FIG. 12. If there is any abnormality in the cell controller operation in this step or if the battery voltage variation is above a certain level, it is determined that the battery cannot be reused. Abnormalities in the cell controller operation include, for example, an abnormality flag being issued, communication being cut off, or fluctuations in the cell voltage or battery temperature value. If the battery voltage variation is above a certain level due to the self-discharge of the storage battery cells or the like, it is determined that the battery cannot be reused.

[0080] S216 is a charge / discharge test. The battery module 104 in the battery unit 103 is connected to an external charge / discharge device, and the battery is charged and discharged to inspect the deterioration level of the battery. The charge / discharge method used in the charge / discharge test will be described in detail in FIG. 15. In this step, if the capacity deterioration level or resistance deterioration level of the battery is greater than a certain level, it is determined that the battery cannot be reused. For example, the determination criterion is a deterioration level progress value that is determined by the battery module manufacturer to be dangerous for use, or a deterioration level progress value that cannot withstand the expected usage method, and a deterioration level additional value is calculated for the expected reuse destination and the expected reuse period. If the future deterioration progress expected value obtained by adding the calculated deterioration progress additional value to the current deterioration level measured in S216 exceeds the deterioration progress limit value, the battery is determined to be unusable. At the end of this test, the battery charge rate is adjusted to the value that minimizes deterioration during storage before storage. Because the charge rate and OCV correspond one-to-one, all battery voltages are the same at the start of storage.

[0081] S217 is a step of extracting an unusable module. The storage battery module 104 determined to be unusable in S214 to S216 is extracted from the storage battery unit 103. The process of determining that the module is unusable is carried out by the storage battery data management means 18 after transmitting the aggregated data in S214 to S216 to the storage battery data management means 18. The extracted unusable module is transported to the module factory 4.

[0082] S218 is a unit maintenance and rearrangement step. The storage battery modules 104 are rearranged so that the deterioration levels of the storage battery modules 104 in each storage battery unit 103, excluding unusable modules, are uniform. At this time, the storage battery units 103 that are already stored in the warehouse 1 and new storage battery modules 104 may be included in the rearrangement targets. The storage battery units 103 rearranged in this manner are called maintenance-completed units. The steps of S217 and S218 can be performed without removing the storage battery units 103 from the container, for example, by having the fixing parts for removing the storage battery modules 104 in FIG. 11 located in accessible locations at the front and rear of the container housing.

[0083] In step S219, the container with the serviced unit is moved to a storage location and secured in place. After this, the secured container is secured in place until a unit exchange plan for reuse is made and a charge / discharge test is performed before reuse in step S222.

[0084] S220 is the cell controller communication test step. Here, the voltage variation and the voltage drop rate are measured. Unlike S215, the voltage drop rate can be measured because the voltage drop rate is calculated by dividing the amount of change in each cell voltage by the interval time through regular measurements. Voltage variation and voltage drop rate must be observed regularly. This is because if the voltage drop is left unchecked and the battery's charge rate falls below the lower limit of the usable range (often 0% charge rate), the battery manufacturer's recommended storage conditions are exceeded, quality cannot be guaranteed, and in some cases deterioration will accelerate. In addition, if the stored battery has self-discharge, voltage drop generally progresses faster than storage deterioration of battery capacity and resistance, so frequent measurement is required. The frequency of the cell controller communication test can be measured, for example, every week for the first month after storage, and then about once a month if no significant voltage drop is observed. If there is a special abnormality such as an increase in the self-discharge rate due to an internal short circuit, the rate of voltage drop is extremely fast and there is a risk that the voltage will fall below the lower limit of the battery storage specifications while left unused, so it is desirable to measure the voltage frequently in the early stages of storage. Generally, storage battery module manufacturers prohibit the reuse of batteries that have fallen below the lower limit of the battery storage specifications. On the other hand, after it is determined that there is no such abnormality, the rate of voltage change is extremely slow, at around a few mV to a few tens of mV per year, so the measurement interval can be extended.

[0085] S221 is a step for judging whether or not a unit replacement plan has been made. The decision as to whether or not a unit replacement plan has been made is made in the same manner as in S201. If it has been decided, the process proceeds to the next step S222, and if it has not been decided, the process returns to before S220.

[0086] S222 is a charge / discharge test step. The test content is the same as S216. In this embodiment, charge / discharge tests during warehouse storage are performed when brought into warehouse 1 and immediately before use at the next diversion destination. However, if the storage time of the batteries is long, it is desirable to perform charge / discharge tests periodically even during storage. When charging / discharging each storage battery unit 103 with a charging / discharging device, there are a first method in which the container is transported to the charging / discharging device side, and a second method in which the high-voltage wiring of the charging / discharging device is designed to be long and extended to each container for connection.

[0087] S223 is a step for judging an abnormality of the unit. Using the measurement results of S220 and S222, it is judged again whether the storage battery modules 104 constituting the storage battery unit 103 have become unusable and whether the degree of deterioration is the same. Depending on the battery, the condition may have worsened due to deterioration during storage. Here, the non-energized test is also performed again. If there is no abnormality, proceed to the next S225, and if there is an abnormality, proceed to S224.

[0088] S224 is a unit maintenance and reassembly step. The storage battery module 104 is reassembled in the same manner as S218 so as to eliminate the abnormality determined in S223. After S224, the process proceeds to S220, where the test is performed again.

[0089] S225 is an SOC adjustment step. The storage battery unit 103 in storage is stored under SOC conditions that minimize deterioration during storage, but this is adjusted to an optimal SOC for the transportation state (usually SOC of 30% or less). When replacing the batteries, the SOC of the storage battery unit 103 left in the storage battery box 101 and the SOC of the storage battery unit 103 to be newly inserted must be the same, so the SOC of the battery on the vehicle side must be matched with the SOC of the storage battery unit 103 to be transported in advance. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that a mismatch in SOC causes the same current to flow within the range of the batteries connected in series, limiting battery performance, such as overcharging the battery on the high SOC side and overdischarging the battery on the low SOC side. The second is that when the unit replacement is completed and the batteries are connected in parallel, a large cross current flows due to the voltage difference. However, a slight SOC mismatch of, for example, within 5% in SOC, can be sufficiently matched by a balancing circuit after the storage battery unit 103 is replaced. The operation of S225 may be performed simultaneously with S222.

[0090] S226 is a unit transport step to the rail depot 2. The work content is the same as S204. S227 is a unit exchange step at the depot 2. The work content is the same as S205 to S212. S228 is the end step.

[0091] FIG. 11 is a structural diagram of a battery transport and storage container 20 according to this embodiment. The battery transport and storage container (hereinafter, simply referred to as the "container") 20 is a sealed container having fire resistance that stores the storage battery unit 103, has a structure that facilitates transportation, and also has fire resistance. Here, the fire resistance is, for example, a container that can contain a flame without burning or melting in a normal fire that occurs in a storable amount of lithium ion batteries. Specific examples include a container 20 that has fire resistance by being made of a metal plate such as a steel plate, a container that has fire resistance by being covered with a fire-resistant fiber such as glass fiber, and a container that has fire resistance by using a coating agent or coating material inside. More specifically, the container 20 has fire resistance when made of a steel plate of 1.6 mm or more. The container 20 is composed of a cylindrical container housing 201, container doors 202 provided at the front and rear of the cylinder, and a square pipe for a fork 203. That is, the container 20 has an opening for putting in and taking out the storage battery unit 103 and the container door 202 as a lid that covers the opening. The storage battery unit 103 stored in the container 20 has a structure in which the storage battery modules 104 are supported by a unit frame. When used in the actual vehicle 11, this structure is inserted into the storage battery box 101, the unit frame is fixed to the storage battery box 101, the high-voltage terminals of the storage battery modules 104 are connected to all the storage battery modules 104 in the storage battery box 101 (high-voltage wiring), and the cell controller terminals 1071 are connected to all the modules in the box (communication wiring). In this embodiment, a case is considered in which four storage battery modules 104 are inserted into one storage battery unit 103. In this case, the connection relationship of these four storage battery modules 104 is not necessarily four in series and one in parallel in the storage battery box 101, but may be two in series and two in parallel or one in series and four in parallel. This connection relationship can be changed after the storage battery unit 103 is removed from the storage battery box 101. When removing the storage battery unit 103 from the storage battery box 101, at least the high-voltage wiring and communication wiring that cross the storage battery unit 103 must be removed to avoid getting caught. Also, in this embodiment, the number of storage battery modules 104 included in the storage battery unit 103 is not limited to four, and may be, for example, three or eight.Furthermore, in the case of one storage battery unit 103, the storage battery module 104 coincides with the storage battery unit 103. Accordingly, the number of storage battery modules 104 of the storage battery unit 103 housed in the container 20 is not limited to four, and the container 20 may house any number of storage battery modules 104.

[0092] Since the storage battery unit 103 is usually inside the storage battery box 101, the frame is open for the convenience of wiring and cooling. In addition, the storage battery module 104 does not have fire resistance. Therefore, the storage battery unit 103 does not have fire resistance. The container 20 ensures the fire resistance of the battery by sealing the storage battery unit 103 with a container housing 201 and a container door 202 that have fire resistance. A structure with fire resistance can be obtained by constructing the container housing 201 and the container door 202 with materials such as glass fiber or a steel plate of a certain thickness. Providing fire resistance to the container 20 makes it possible to relax the fire resistance of the warehouse 1 and the means of transportation such as a truck, thereby reducing costs and labor.

[0093] The most reliable method of fixing the storage battery unit 103 to the container 20 is to provide an attachment structure inside the container casing 201 that is the same as that of the actual storage battery box 101. However, in this case, the labor required for fixing to the container 20 may increase, so it is sufficient to simply provide bolt holes for container fixing on the bottom surface of the storage battery unit 103, similar bolt holes on the bottom surface of the container casing 201, and fix with bolts on the bottom surface. This can also be said to mean that the container 20 has holes for fixing the storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery part) to the inside of the container 20 when storing the storage battery unit 103. The container door 202 in the figure has a structure that is widely used in railway electrical equipment, with a hook structure at the top that hooks onto the container housing 201, and when the locking structure at the bottom is rotated, a rod on the inside of the lid catches on the container 20 side and closes. The structure of the container door 202 does not necessarily have to be this structure, but it is desirable for the structure to be fire-resistant and easy to open and close. It is desirable to have a structure in which the inner surfaces of the container casing 201 and the container door 202 are covered with insulating plate material or coated with insulating paint to prevent a short circuit of the storage battery unit 103 through the container 20.

[0094] The container 20 has at least two square pipes for forks 203 under the container casing 201. The square pipes for forks 203 are a structure for transporting the container 20 with a forklift 40 (see FIG. 19 described later), and have holes for inserting the forks 401 (see FIG. 19 described later) and a load capacity for the container 20 to stand upright. In this embodiment, the square pipes for forks 203 are oriented in the same direction as the cylinder of the container casing 201. The square pipes for forks 203 are provided with fork holes 2033 in the vertical direction of the cylinder so that the forks 401 can be inserted perpendicularly to the cylinder direction. The fork holes 2033 in the vertical direction of the cylinder are not only useful for the transportation of the container 20 in a narrow space, but are also used to prevent the forks 401 from coming off when the battery unit 103 is inserted or removed by making the insertion / removal direction of the battery unit 103 into and from the battery box 101 perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction of the forks 401 as shown in FIG. 21 described later. In this case, the container 20 can also be said to have holes provided in the fork square pipe 203 and the vertical tube fork holes 2033 as holes into which the forks 401 of the forklift 40 can be inserted in order to move the container 20 while the storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery part) is stored.

[0095] The container housing 201 desirably has a foldable structure so that it can be stored in a small space when the storage battery unit 103 is not enclosed. The fork square pipe 203 may have a structure on the entire bottom surface like a pallet, but the square pipe structure is lighter. The battery container 20 has an external cell controller terminal 204. This is a terminal for connecting all cell controller terminals 1071, which are terminals of the cell controllers 107 of the storage battery modules 104 in the storage battery unit 103, to the outside of the container. The cell controller terminals 1071 are usually connected between the cell controllers 107 of adjacent storage battery modules 104 in a daisy chain system to form a communication circle together with the upper control, so that two wires can be connected. Therefore, two external cell controller terminals 204 are also required. By having the external cell controller terminals 204 in this way, it is possible to communicate with the cell controllers 107 without opening the container door 202 and directly accessing the internal cell controller terminals 1071, which makes it possible to reduce the number of steps.

[0096] 12 is a diagram showing a wired communication method for the storage battery unit 103 in the container 20 according to this embodiment. The area shown in this figure is within the range of the warehouse 1. The upper battery controller 22 is connected to the two cell control terminals 204 outside the container to complete the daisy-chain communication circle, and the upper battery controller 22 is started up by the power source 23. The upper battery controller 22 is connected to a personal computer (PC) 24 and outputs data. The PC 24 further transmits the data acquired about each container and the battery modules contained therein to a storage battery data management means 18 (not shown) via the Internet or the like. Here, the upper battery controller refers to a controller that communicates with multiple cell controllers 107, such as the bank controller 106. By communicating in this manner, two functions can be performed. First, it is possible to read cell control information and calculate its state, and second, it is possible to operate the balancing circuit. For example, in a configuration in which each battery unit 103 corresponds to each bank, there is one host battery controller 22 for each battery unit 103, and if each storage battery unit 103 is also equipped with a host battery controller 22 in terms of hardware, the host battery controller 22 is also removed at the same time when the battery unit 103 is inserted or removed from the storage battery box 101. For this reason, the host battery controller 22 may be located inside the storage battery unit container 20, in which case the external cell control terminal 204 relays the connection between the host battery controller 22 inside the container 20 and the PC 24. In some cases, at least one of the cell controllers 107 also serves as the upper-level battery control controller. In this case, there is no independent upper-level battery control controller, and the outside-container cell control terminal 204 connects the daisy chain connection of the cell controllers 107 inside the container 20 to the PC 24. The storage battery data management means 18 is generally a data server having computing power, is owned by a storage battery data manager, and is generally located at a site different from the warehouse 1.

[0097] The functions of each of the cell controller 107 and the higher-level battery controller 22 will be described. The functions of the cell controller 107 are to measure the state of the storage battery module 104, to operate the balancing circuit, and to detect abnormalities in the storage battery module 104. Measuring the state of the storage battery module 104 means measuring the voltage of each cell and the temperature of the cell. The operation of the balancing circuit means that in order to correct the variation in the cell voltage, a switch and a resistor are connected in parallel to each storage battery cell, and each storage battery cell is individually closed to discharge the battery, thereby aligning the cell voltage to a target voltage. The target voltage is generally determined by a method in which the upper battery control controller collects information on the multiple storage battery modules 104 in the connected range, sets the lowest cell voltage in the range connected in series as the target voltage, and transmits the target voltage to each cell controller 107. Detection of abnormalities in the storage battery module 104 means abnormalities in communication with the cell controller 107, abnormalities in the cell voltage, abnormalities in the cell temperature, etc. The division of roles between the upper battery control controller and the abnormality detection function varies slightly depending on the manufacturer.

[0098] Note that the operation of the cell controller 107 may use the power of the storage battery module 104 itself. In this case, it is desirable to take measures such as disconnecting and shutting down the upper control controller so that the cell controller 107 pauses except for the minimum necessary operations. Generally, the state measurement of the storage battery module 104 is completed within a few seconds, but the operation of the balancing circuit may require several hours or more depending on the state. If used for a long time, the charge rate of the storage battery module 104 will decrease, and if the cell controller 107 does not have an over-discharge prevention function, the charge rate may fall below 0%, and may fall below the charge rate allowed by the storage battery module manufacturer when stored. To avoid this, it is desirable to minimize the operation of the cell controller 107, and if the charge rate of the battery falls below a certain level, it is necessary to charge it.

[0099] The upper battery controller 22 communicates with the cell controller 107, and can also communicate with a higher-level controller than the upper battery controller, a PC, etc. In this embodiment, it has five functions, namely, communication with the cell controller 107, calculation of the battery state, calculation and transmission of balancing circuit target values, detection of battery abnormalities, and transmission of information. In addition, it often has the functions of controlling a cooling device and opening and closing a contactor, but these are not relevant to this embodiment and will not be described in detail. Communication with the cell controllers 107 refers to reception of cell voltage signals and module temperature signals transmitted by each cell controller 107, reception of abnormality signals from the storage battery modules 104, and communication with the balancing circuit target values. The calculation of the battery state refers to calculation of the charging rate, the voltage variation, the voltage drop rate, the degree of capacity deterioration, and the degree of resistance deterioration. The charging rate is a value that indicates the ratio of the remaining charge to the charge that can be charged and discharged from the full charge voltage to the full discharge voltage of the battery. When the battery is not being charged or discharged, it can be uniquely calculated from the relationship curve between the charging rate and the open circuit voltage (battery voltage when not being charged or discharged). In the current-carrying state, if the amount of charge that the battery has charged and discharged is calculated using the current sensor value, the remaining charge inside the battery can be calculated, and the charging rate can be calculated.

[0100] Of the state calculation functions of the upper battery control controller 22 described above, the upper battery control controller 22 does not necessarily have the calculation functions for calculating voltage variations and deterioration levels. In such cases, the necessary data is sent to a higher-level controller or the PC 24, and calculations are performed by the PC 24. In this embodiment, for simplicity, the calculations are performed by the upper battery control controller 22, and the battery state calculation values ​​are collected and managed by the PC 24. The PC 24 compiles and manages the information acquired in the non-energization test S214, the cell controller communication test S215, and the charge / discharge test S216 in Fig. 10 for each storage battery module 104 inside each container 20 stored in the warehouse 1. The compiled and managed data is transmitted to the storage battery data management means 18 outside the warehouse via the Internet or the like. The battery data management means 18 also wirelessly collects and manages the usage history of each battery module 104 from the vehicle control device of the vehicle on which it is installed, and determines which modules are unusable using data on the battery modules 104 in each container 20 measured and acquired at the warehouse 1 and the usage history of the battery modules 104 (period of use, route in which they are installed, cumulative amount of power used, etc.) acquired via the vehicle control device when they are installed in the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 10, the battery module 104 that is determined to be unusable is determined to be an unusable module if it has an abnormality in the non-power-flow test S214, if the cell voltage variation of the battery module 104 obtained in the cell controller communication test S215 is equal to or greater than a threshold, if the voltage drop rate of the battery module 104 is equal to or greater than a threshold, if the capacity deterioration level of the battery cells inside the battery module 104 or the battery module 104 obtained in the charge / discharge test S216 is equal to or less than a threshold (is more advanced), or if the resistance deterioration level of the battery cells inside the battery module 104 or the battery module 104 is equal to or greater than a threshold (is more advanced). In addition, when the usage period or the accumulated power usage amount based on the usage history is equal to or exceeds a threshold, the module is also determined to be unusable. This threshold value is calculated by subtracting a margin required for reuse from the usage period or accumulated power usage amount that is the life threshold value specified by the battery module manufacturer, or the usage period or accumulated power usage amount when the storage battery module 104 has previously failed on the vehicle, which is obtained by the storage battery data management means 18 through statistical processing of the vehicle operation history. The upper battery control controller 22 and the PC 24 are devices that are typically installed in the warehouse 1, and although they are described as separate devices in this embodiment, they do not have to be separate, and the functions of the two devices may be achieved by a single device.

[0101] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a wireless communication method for the storage battery unit 103 in the container 20 according to this embodiment. A cell control signal wireless device 205 is attached to the cell control terminal 204 outside the container shown in FIG. 12, and a cell control signal wireless device 205 is also attached to the upper battery control controller 22. The cell control signal wireless device 205 on the container 20 side does not necessarily need to be outside the container 20, and may be inside the container 20 as long as radio waves can penetrate the container 20. In this case, one cell control signal wireless device 205 may be attached to each storage battery module 104. A signal on the cell controller 107 side is transmitted to the upper controller 22 via the cell control signal wireless device 205, and a signal from the upper controller 22 is transmitted to the cell controller 107. In this way, there is no need to wire the upper controller 22 and each container 20, and the storage battery units 103 can be more freely arranged in the warehouse 1 when stored, and data can be easily collected.

[0102] 11 to 13 is an example of a casing for a battery part that houses a battery unit 103 (an example of a battery part) that is detachable from a battery box 101 mounted on a railroad car. The battery unit 103 has fire resistance and includes a communication device that enables information about the battery unit 103 to be transmitted to an external battery data management means 18 (an example of a battery data management server) while the battery unit 103 is housed therein. In this case, the battery data management means 18 can calculate and manage the internal battery state of the battery unit 103. It can also be said that the container 20 includes a fire-resistant container casing 201 (one example of a storage section) that stores a detachable storage battery unit 103 in a battery box 101 mounted on a railroad car, and a communication device that can transmit information about the storage battery unit 103 stored in the container casing 201 to a storage battery data management means 18 located outside the container casing 201. In this case, communication with the upper battery controller 22 can be performed with the storage battery unit 103 stored in the container casing 201. 11 and 12, the communication device is either an external cell control terminal 204 (an example of a relay terminal) connectable by wire to both the storage battery unit 103 and the upper battery control controller 22 (an example of a storage battery data management terminal device), or a cell control signal radio 205 (an example of a wireless device) connectable by wire or wirelessly to the storage battery unit 103 and connectable wirelessly to the upper battery control controller 22, and enables information about the storage battery unit 103 to be transmitted to the storage battery data management means 18 via the upper battery control controller 22. In this case, communication with the upper battery control controller 22 can be more easily performed.

[0103] Here, the information on the storage battery unit 103 may include the cell voltage, or the maximum cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage, of the storage battery cells (one example of a cell) that constitute the storage battery unit 103. In this case, information that is particularly necessary for managing the storage battery unit 103 may be transmitted to the upper battery controller 22. Then, based on the information on the storage battery unit 103 from the container 20 in which the storage battery unit 103 is housed, the storage battery data management means 18 determines that the storage battery unit 103 including the storage battery cell in which the cell voltage variation of the storage battery cells of each storage battery module 104 constituting the storage battery unit 103 is equal to or greater than a threshold value, or the self-discharge rate of the storage battery cell is equal to or greater than a threshold value, is defective. In this case, the information transmitted from the storage battery unit 103 makes it possible to extract the defective storage battery unit 103. Also, it is possible to extract the defective storage battery module 104. The upper battery control controller 22 that controls the storage battery unit 103 determines a target voltage of the balancing circuit based on information about the storage battery unit 103 from the container 20 in a state in which the storage battery unit 103 is housed, and transmits the target voltage to the container 20, and the container 20 controls the storage battery unit 103 based on the received target voltage. At this time, the container 20 receives from the upper battery control controller 22 the target voltage of the balancing circuit calculated based on the information about the storage battery unit 103 from the container 20 in a state in which the storage battery unit 103 is housed. In this case, the cell voltage target value is shared, and each storage battery cell can have the same cell voltage.

[0104] Meanwhile, the host battery controller 22 includes a communication device that can transmit information about the storage battery unit 103 to the external host battery controller 22 when the detachable storage battery unit 103 is housed in the storage battery box 101 mounted on the railcar, and communicates information about the storage battery unit 103 with the fire-resistant container 20. In this case, the host battery controller 22 calculates the battery state inside the storage battery unit 103, and the PC 24 can manage it.

[0105] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a communication method among a plurality of containers 20 according to this embodiment. Consider a case where multiple containers 20 are stored on a shelf 21 in a warehouse 1. The connection of communication wiring within the storage battery unit 103 is the same as that shown in FIG. 11. In the method of communicating one unit at a time as shown in FIG. 12, in order to obtain data from all the storage battery units 103, it is necessary to prepare a host battery control controller 22 or a PC 24 for each storage battery unit 103, or to rewire to another unit every time work on one unit is completed. As shown in FIG. 14, by connecting the cell control terminals 204 outside the container so that multiple storage battery units 103 are connected in series and connected in a daisy chain circle including the host battery control controller 22, one host controller 22 can communicate with the cell controllers 107 of multiple storage battery units 103. This is the same as the connection between the bank controller 106 inside the actual storage battery box 101 and each cell controller 107 in the storage battery bank 102. This connection not only reduces the labor required to rewire one upper battery controller 22 to multiple storage battery units 103 and saves the number of upper battery controllers 22, but also allows multiple storage battery units 103 to share the cell voltage target value of the balancing circuit and achieve the same cell voltage. In this way, the SOC adjustment of multiple storage battery units 103 can be performed without connecting them to a charging / discharging device. In this case, communication between each storage battery unit 103 and the upper battery controller 22 may be wireless as shown in FIG. 13.

[0106] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a method for charging and discharging the battery unit 103 in the container 20 according to this embodiment. The configurations in Figures 12 to 14 allow communication with the cell controller 107, but do not allow charging or discharging of the battery itself. The configuration in Figure 15 allows the battery to be charged and discharged, which enables two tasks. The first is measurement of the deterioration level. As explained in step S216 of Figure 10, measuring the deterioration level requires charging and discharging the battery. The second is SOC adjustment, as explained in step S225 of Figure 10. The configuration of FIG. 15 is the same as the configuration of FIG. 12, except that the high-voltage terminal of the internal storage battery module 104 is connected to the charge / discharge device 25. At this time, the charge / discharge device 25 can satisfactorily control charging and discharging using its own ammeter and voltmeter, but it is preferable to communicate with the upper battery control controller 22. This allows the charge / discharge device 25 to grasp the voltage of each cell and the battery temperature, and enables charging and discharging while avoiding overvoltage of each cell. The deterioration level of each storage battery module 104 is calculated by the upper battery control controller 22 using each cell voltage signal obtained from the upper battery control controller 22 and a current signal obtained from the charge / discharge device 25. The calculated deterioration level is transmitted from the PC 24 to the storage battery data management means 18 and is used to determine whether the module is defective. 15, the battery modules 104 in the battery unit 103 are connected in four series and one parallel, but there are no particular limitations on the connections for measuring the deterioration level or adjusting the SOC. The connections actually adopted depend on the man-hours required to change the battery modules from the state when they are removed from the battery box 101 and the available current and voltage specifications of the charging / discharging device 25. 15, when connecting the storage battery unit 103 inside the container 20 to the charging / discharging device 25, the container door 202 is opened and the high-voltage wiring terminal of the charging / discharging device 25 is connected to the main circuit connector of the storage battery unit 103 inside. This method of opening and closing the container door 202 temporarily opens the fire-resistant container 20, but because battery charging and discharging is performed sequentially for the storage battery units 103 inside the warehouse 1, only a small number of containers 20 are open at the same time inside the warehouse 1. This makes it unlikely that safety issues will arise.

[0107] In this case, the container 20 (an example of a casing for the storage battery portion) has a charge / discharge terminal capable of electrically connecting the storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery portion) to an external power source in a state in which the storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery portion) is housed therein. The container 20 has a charge / discharge terminal capable of electrically connecting the storage battery unit 103 to an external power source in a state in which the storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery portion) is housed therein, and when the storage battery unit 103 is stored, the storage battery unit 103 is charged / discharged via the charge / discharge terminal using the charge / discharge device 25. The storage battery data management means 18 (an example of a storage battery data management server) determines, based on the charging / discharging, that the storage battery unit 103 whose capacity deterioration degree is equal to or lower than a threshold or whose resistance deterioration degree is equal to or higher than a threshold is defective. In this case, the storage battery unit 103 can be determined to be defective based on information obtained by performing charging / discharging. Alternatively, the degree of capacity degradation or the degree of resistance degradation of the storage battery modules 104 (one example of a module) constituting the storage battery unit 103 is measured, and a storage battery module 104 whose degree of capacity degradation is below a threshold (more advanced) or whose degree of resistance degradation is above a threshold (more advanced) is determined to be a defective module (unusable module). In this case, the defective module can be extracted from information obtained by performing charging and discharging. Furthermore, the charging / discharging device 25 is used to charge / discharge the storage battery unit 103 via a charging / discharging terminal to adjust the charging rate of the storage battery unit 103 within a predetermined range, and while the storage battery unit 103 is housed in the container 20, information on the storage battery unit 103 is stored so as to be transmittable to a storage battery data management means 18 (an example of a storage battery data management server) located outside the container 20. In this case, the charging rate can be managed by the PC 24 or the storage battery data management means 18.

[0108] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the structure of a container 20 having a high-voltage terminal on the outside according to this embodiment. The container 20 has a heavy-current terminal 206 outside the container, to which the heavy-current terminal of the storage battery module 104 inside is connected. Since there is a risk of electric shock if the heavy-current terminal is constantly energized, it is desirable to have a structure that allows it to be opened and closed with a breaker (not shown). This structure makes it possible to charge and discharge the battery while it is still inside the fire-resistant container 20 without opening the container door 202 as shown in Figure 15, making charging and discharging safer. At the same time, it also becomes possible to treat each container 20 as an easily movable storage battery power source.

[0109] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the arrangement of containers in the warehouse 1 according to this embodiment. There are multiple shelves 21 in the warehouse 1, and containers 20 are stored on each shelf. When the warehouse 1 does not have air conditioning or has insufficient cooling capacity, the upper part of the warehouse 1 generally has a higher temperature and the lower part has a lower temperature due to the heat transfer from the roof during solar radiation and the temperature dependency of the specific gravity of the air. Generally, the higher the temperature, the faster the storage deterioration rate of the battery. On the other hand, the deterioration of the battery is faster in the early stages of deterioration, and the deterioration rate of the battery that has deteriorated to a certain extent becomes slower. Therefore, the storage deterioration rate at high temperature storage is smaller for batteries with a more deteriorated degree. When storing in the warehouse 1, it is desirable to first store the batteries in a low-temperature location in order to protect the quality of the batteries that have not deteriorated as much and are close to new. If a temperature difference cannot be avoided in a limited storage location, it is desirable to place the storage battery unit 103 including the deteriorated battery on the upper shelf, which is at a higher temperature, as shown in FIG. 17, and place the storage battery unit 103 that has not deteriorated on the lower shelf, which is at a lower temperature. The above unit arrangement according to temperature is not only applicable to shelves, but also to cases where the temperature differs between rooms in the warehouse 1 or there is a temperature distribution within the room.

[0110] In this case, when storing the storage battery units 103 (an example of a storage battery part) in the container 20 (an example of a casing for the storage battery part), the storage battery units 103 that are more deteriorated are stored in a place with a higher temperature. This makes it possible to delay the deterioration of the storage battery units 103.

[0111] The storage battery units 103 may be stored in the warehouse 1 by directly stacking them. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a directly stackable container 20 according to this embodiment. The container housing 201 has container top fixing holes 2011 on its top surface, and is fixed by the square container pipes 203 of the upper container 20 stacked directly above it and container fixing bolts 2032 (see FIG. 20 described later). In the case of this structure, the container 20 needs to have a structural strength capable of withstanding the weight of the container 20 stacked above it. With this structure, even if the warehouse 1 does not have shelves 21 with a structure suitable for storing containers 20, containers 20 can be stored in the warehouse 1 at a high density.

[0112] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a method of replacing the storage battery unit 103 using the container 20 at the railroad depot according to this embodiment. In the figure, the top is the height direction, the side is the sleeper direction, and the depth is the rail direction. The rails 99 extend from the front to the back of the figure. A battery box 101 is hung and attached under the floor of the actual vehicle 11, and a battery unit 103 is fixed in it. In the case of a battery box 101 that fills the entire width of the vehicle floor in the sleeper direction as shown in the figure, the battery unit 103 is often located on both the left and right sides of the figure. The battery unit 103 is inserted and removed in the left and right directions of the figure. The forklift 40 inserts the fork 401 into the fork square pipe 203 of the battery container 20, and moves the forklift 40 to the side of the battery unit 103 with the same height. Then, the opening of the container 20 is aligned with the opening of the battery box 101 so that the insertion and removal directions of the battery box 101 and the container 20 are in a straight line. The operation of the battery unit 103 moving back and forth between the battery box 101 and the container 20 is performed by manually pushing and pulling the battery unit 103. 10, the storage battery unit 103 can be removed and stored simultaneously when switching the storage battery unit 103 between the battery box 101 and the container 20, and the number of steps can be reduced because there is no intermediate step of placing the storage battery unit 103 on a dolly when moving it between the battery box 101 and the container 20, and safety is improved because the number of times the storage battery unit 103 is transferred is also reduced.

[0113] In this case, the forks 401 of the forklift 40 are inserted into holes in the container 20 (an example of a casing for the storage battery portion), and the container 20 is moved with the storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery portion) stored therein. This makes it easier to transport the storage battery unit 103 than, for example, placing the container 20 on a dolly and pushing it manually. At this time, the opening of the battery box 101 through which the storage battery unit 103 is inserted and removed is aligned with the opening of the storage battery unit 103 through which the storage battery unit 103 is inserted and removed, and the storage battery unit 103 is stored from the battery box 101 into the container 20. This makes it possible to store the storage battery unit 103 in the container 20 more safely. Furthermore, when the storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery part) is stored in the container 20 (an example of a casing for the storage battery part) from the storage battery box 101, the storage battery unit 103 is fixed inside the container 20. This prevents the storage battery unit 103 from falling out of the container 20 during transportation, and allows the storage battery unit 103 to be transported more safely.

[0114] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a fixing structure in the fork holes of the container 20 according to this embodiment. The fork fixing clamp 2031 is a structure that fixes the fork square pipe 203 to the fork 401 by tightening with a clamp structure, thereby preventing the container 20 from falling off the fork 401 when the storage battery unit 103 is pushed or pulled inside the container 20. The container fixing bolt 2032 is a structure for fixing the square fork pipe 203 with a screw to a bolt hole provided in the shelf plate on the shelf 21 side, so as to prevent the container from falling off the shelf during storage in the warehouse.

[0115] FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a forklift transportation method for a container 20 using the tube vertical fork holes 2033 according to this embodiment. In Figure 19, the direction in which the battery is inserted or removed (left-right direction in Figure 19) and the direction in which the fork 401 is inserted or removed (left-right direction in Figure 19) are the same, so there was a possibility that the container 20 would fall off the fork 401 when the storage battery unit 103 was inserted or removed. By inserting the fork 401 in the direction of the fork hole 2033 in the vertical direction of the cylinder as shown in Figure 21, the direction in which the battery is inserted or removed (depth direction in Figure 21) and the direction in which the fork is inserted or removed (left-right direction in Figure 21) become perpendicular, reducing the possibility that the container 20 will fall off the fork 401 due to friction when the storage battery unit 103 is inserted or removed. According to the present embodiment, the storage battery unit 103 that does not have fire resistance can be safely transported using a transportation means and method that does not have fire resistance, while reducing the number of steps required for repackaging during transportation and storage. By acquiring information about the storage battery in its stored state during storage, the number of steps required for storing the battery can also be reduced.

[0116] The embodiment described above can also be considered as a method for storing a storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery part) that is detachable from a storage battery box 101 mounted on a railway vehicle. Therefore, this embodiment can be considered as a method for transporting and storing a storage battery unit 103 that is detachable from a storage battery box 101 mounted on a railway vehicle, characterized in that the storage battery unit 103 is stored in a fire-resistant container 20 (an example of a housing for a storage battery part) from the storage battery box 101 mounted on the railway vehicle, the storage battery unit 103 stored in the container 20 is transported to a storage location, and the storage battery unit 103 stored in the container 20 is stored so that information of the storage battery unit 103 can be transmitted to a storage battery data management means 18 (an example of a storage battery data management server) located outside the container 20.

[0117] The above-described embodiment can also be considered as a storage system for the storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery part). Therefore, this embodiment can also be considered as a storage battery part storage system that includes a fire-resistant container 20 (an example of a housing for the storage battery part) that includes a communication device that can transmit information about the storage battery unit 103 to an external storage battery data management means (an example of a storage battery data management server) in a state in which the detachable storage battery unit 103 is stored in the storage battery box 101 mounted on the railroad car, and a storage battery data management terminal device that can be connected to the communication device by wire or wirelessly and transmits information about the storage battery unit 103 received from the communication device to the storage battery data management means 18.

[0118] The above-described embodiment can also be considered as a battery partial management system including a battery data management means 18 (an example of a battery data management server) that manages information on the battery unit 103 (an example of a battery part). Thus, the present embodiment can also be considered as a battery partial management system including a battery data management means 18 that manages information on the battery unit 103, the battery partial management system including a fire-resistant container 20 that includes a communication device that can transmit information on the battery unit 103 to the battery data management means 18 (an example of a battery data management server) that is located outside the container 20 (an example of a housing for a battery part) in a state in which the detachable battery unit 103 is housed in a battery box 101 mounted on a railroad car, and the battery data management means 18 manages information on the battery unit 103 received from the container 20.

[0119] The above-described embodiment can also be considered as a battery partial management system including a battery data management means 18 (an example of a battery data management server) that manages information on the battery unit 103 (an example of a battery part). Therefore, the present embodiment can also be considered as a battery partial management system including a battery data management means 18 that manages information on the battery unit 103, the battery partial management system including a communication device that can transmit information on the battery unit 103 to the external battery data management means 18 in a state in which the detachable battery unit 103 is housed in a battery box mounted on a railroad car, the battery partial management system including a fire-resistant container 20 (an example of a housing for a battery part), the battery data management means 18 managing information on the battery unit 103 received from the container 20, the battery partial management system including a battery data management terminal device that can be connected to the communication device by wire or wirelessly and transmits information on the battery unit 103 received from the communication device to the battery data management means 18.

[0120] The above-described embodiment can also be considered as a battery data management system including a battery data management means 18 (an example of a battery data management server) that manages information on the battery unit 103 (an example of a battery part). Thus, the present embodiment can also be considered as a battery data management system including a battery data management means 18 that manages information on the battery unit 103, the battery data management means 18 including a communication device that can transmit information on the battery unit 103 to the battery data management means 18 located outside in a state in which the detachable battery unit 103 is housed in the battery box 101 mounted on the railroad car, and the battery data management means 18 manages information on the battery unit 103 received from a fire-resistant container 20 (an example of a housing for the battery part), and the battery data management system including a battery data management terminal device that can be connected to the communication device by wire or wirelessly and transmits information on the battery unit 103 received from the communication device to the battery data management means 18.

[0121] The above-described embodiment can also be considered as a method for transporting the storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery part) that can be attached to and detached from a storage battery box mounted on a railway vehicle. Therefore, the present embodiment can also be considered as a method for transporting the storage battery unit 103, in which the storage battery unit 103 is transported in a fire-resistant container 20 (an example of a casing for the storage battery part) that is provided with a communication device that can transmit information about the storage battery unit 103 to an external storage battery data management means 18 (an example of a storage battery data management server) while the storage battery unit 103 is stored therein.

[0122] The above-described embodiment can also be considered as a method for producing a casing for a battery section containing a battery unit 103 (an example of a battery section) that can be attached to and detached from a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle. Therefore, the present embodiment can also be considered as a method for producing a casing for a battery section containing a battery section, in which a battery unit 103 (an example of a battery section) that can be attached to and detached from a battery box 101 mounted on a railway vehicle is stored in a container 20 (an example of a casing for a battery section) that has a fire-resistant performance and is equipped with a communication device that can transmit information about the battery unit 103 in a state in which the battery unit 103 is stored from the battery box 101 mounted on the railway vehicle to an external battery data management means 18 (an example of a battery data management server).

[0123] The above-described embodiment can also be considered as a method for storing the storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery part). Therefore, this embodiment can also be considered as a method for storing a storage battery part, in which the storage battery unit 103, which has been stored in a fire-resistant container 20 (an example of a casing for the storage battery part) and transported to a storage location, is stored in the container 20 in such a manner that information about the storage battery unit 103 can be transmitted to a storage battery data management means 18 (an example of a storage battery data management server) located outside the container 20.

[0124] The above-described embodiment can also be considered as a housing with a storage battery part. Therefore, the present embodiment can also be considered as a housing with a storage battery part for a railway vehicle, which has a container 20 (an example of a housing for a storage battery part) that houses a storage battery unit 103 (an example of a storage battery part) that is detachable from a storage battery box 101 mounted on a railway vehicle, and the storage battery unit 103 housed in the container 20, in which the container 20 has fire resistance, is connected to the housed container 20, and includes a communication device that can transmit information about the container 20 to a storage battery data management means 18 (an example of a storage battery data management server) outside the container 20 while the storage battery unit 103 is housed therein.

[0125] Furthermore, the above-described embodiment includes at least the following technical matters. <Technical matters 1> A method for transporting and storing a battery part that is detachable from a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, comprising: storing the battery part from the battery box mounted on the railway vehicle in a fire-resistant battery part casing, transporting the battery part while stored in the battery part casing to a storage location, and storing the battery part while stored in the battery part casing so that information about the battery part can be transmitted to a battery data management server outside the battery part casing. <Technical matters 2> In the method for transporting and storing the storage battery part described in technical item 1 above, information about the storage battery part contained in the storage battery part casing can be transmitted to the storage battery data management server via a communication device provided in the storage battery part casing. <Technical matters 3> In the transportation and storage method of the storage battery part described in Technical Item 2 above, the communication device is either a relay terminal that can be connected via wire to both the storage battery part and the storage battery data management terminal device, or a wireless device that can be connected via wire or wirelessly to the storage battery part and can be connected wirelessly to the storage battery data management terminal device, and makes it possible to transmit information about the storage battery part to the storage battery data management server via the storage battery data management terminal device. <Technical matters 4> In the method for transporting and storing the storage battery part described in Technical Item 3 above, the storage battery data management terminal device transmits to the storage battery part casing a target voltage of the balancing circuit calculated based on information about the storage battery part from the storage battery part casing in which the storage battery part is stored. <Technical matters 5> In the method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion described in any one of Technical Features 1 to 4 above, the information on the storage battery portion includes the cell voltages of the cells constituting the storage battery portion, or the maximum cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage. <Technical matters 6> In the method of transporting and storing a storage battery portion described in any one of Technical Items 1 to 5 above, the storage battery data management server determines, based on information about the storage battery portion from the storage battery portion casing in a state in which the storage battery portion is stored, that a storage battery portion having a plurality of cells and including a cell that satisfies the condition that the cell voltage variation of the cells constituting the storage battery portion is equal to or greater than a threshold value or the self-discharge rate of the cell is equal to or greater than a threshold value, is defective. <Technical matter 7> In the method for transporting and storing the storage battery portion described in any one of technical matters 1 to 6 above, the casing for the storage battery portion has a charge / discharge terminal capable of electrically connecting the storage battery portion to an external power source when the storage battery portion is stored therein, and when the storage battery portion is stored, a charge / discharge device is used to charge and discharge the storage battery portion via the charge / discharge terminal. <Technical matters 8> In the transportation and storage method of the storage battery part described in Technical Item 7 above, the storage battery data management server determines that the storage battery part whose capacity deterioration level is below a threshold or whose resistance deterioration level is above a threshold is defective based on the charging and discharging. <Technical matter 9> In the method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion according to any one of the technical matters 1 to 8, the casing for the storage battery portion is made of a steel plate. <Technical matters 10> In the method for transporting and storing the storage battery portion described in any one of Technical Items 1 to 9 above, the forks of a forklift are inserted into holes in the casing for the storage battery portion, and the casing for the storage battery portion is moved with the storage battery portion stored therein. <Technical matters 11> In the method for transporting and storing the storage battery portion described in any one of Technical Items 1 to 10 above, an opening of the battery box for inserting and removing the storage battery portion and an opening of the casing for the storage battery portion for inserting and removing the storage battery portion are aligned, and the storage battery portion is stored from the battery box into the casing for the storage battery portion. <Technical matter 12> In the method for transporting and storing the storage battery part described in any one of Technical Features 1 to 11 above, when the storage battery part is stored in the casing for the storage battery part from the battery box, the storage battery part is fixed inside the casing for the storage battery part. <Technical matter 13> In the method for transporting and storing the storage battery part shown in any one of Technical Items 1 to 12 above, when storing the storage battery part in a state housed in a casing for the storage battery part, the storage battery part that is more deteriorated is stored in a place with a higher temperature.

[0126] <Technical matter 14> A battery section casing that stores a battery section that can be attached to and detached from a battery box installed in a railway vehicle, the battery section casing having fire resistance and equipped with a communication device that enables information about the battery section to be transmitted to an external battery data management server while the battery section is stored therein. <Technical matters 15> In the housing for the storage battery part shown in technical item 14 above, the communication device is either a relay terminal that can be connected via wire to both the storage battery part and the storage battery data management terminal device, or a wireless device that can be connected via wire or wirelessly to the storage battery part and can be connected wirelessly to the storage battery data management terminal device, and makes it possible to transmit information about the storage battery part to the storage battery data management server via the storage battery data management terminal device. <Technical matter 16> In the casing for the storage battery section described in Technical Item 15 above, a target voltage of the balancing circuit calculated based on information about the storage battery section from the casing for the storage battery section in a state in which the storage battery section is stored is received from the battery data management terminal device. <Technical matter 17> In the casing for the storage battery section shown in either Technical Item 14 or Technical Item 16 above, the information on the storage battery section includes the cell voltages of the cells constituting the storage battery section, or the maximum cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage. <Technical matter 18> The casing for the storage battery section described in any one of Technical Features 14 to 17 above has a charge / discharge terminal that can electrically connect the storage battery section to an external power source when the storage battery section is housed therein. <Technical matter 19> In the storage battery section casing shown in any one of Technical Features 14 to 18 above, the storage battery section casing is made of a steel plate. <Technical matters 20> The casing for the storage battery section shown in any one of Technical Features 14 to 19 above has holes for inserting the forks of a forklift to move the storage battery section in a housed state. <Technical matters 21> The casing for the storage battery section according to any one of Technical Features 14 to 20 above is provided with an opening for inserting and removing the storage battery section and a lid for covering the opening. <Technical matters 22> In the casing for the storage battery portion shown in any one of Technical Features 14 to 21 above, a hole is provided for fixing the storage battery portion inside the casing for the storage battery portion when storing the storage battery portion.

[0127] <Technical matter 23> A battery portion storage system comprising: a housing for the battery portion as described in any one of technical matters 14 to 22 above; and a battery data management terminal device that can be connected to the communication equipment via wired or wireless connection and transmits information about the battery portion received from the communication equipment to the battery data management server. <Technical matters 24> A battery part management system comprising a battery data management server that manages information about the battery part, wherein the battery part management system comprises a battery part casing having fire-resistant properties and a communication device that enables information about the battery part to be transmitted to the battery data management server located outside the battery part casing when a removable battery part is stored in a battery box installed in a railway vehicle, and the battery part management system comprises a battery part casing having fire-resistant properties, and the battery part data management server manages the battery part received from the battery part casing. <Technical matters 25> In the battery part management system described in Technical Item 24 above, the communication device is either a relay terminal that can be connected via wire to both the battery part and the battery data management terminal device, or a wireless device that can be connected via wire or wirelessly to the battery part and can be connected wirelessly to the battery data management terminal, and makes it possible to transmit information about the battery part to the battery data management server via the battery data management terminal device. <Technical matter 26> The battery part management system shown in Technical Item 25 above is equipped with a battery data management terminal device that can be connected to the communication equipment via wired or wireless connection and transmits information about the battery part received from the communication equipment to a battery data management server. <Technical matter 27> In the battery part management system described in Technical Item 26 above, the battery data management terminal device transmits to the battery part casing a target voltage of the balancing circuit calculated based on information about the battery part from the battery part casing when the battery part is stored. <Technical matter 28> In the storage battery partial management system described in any one of Technical Items 24 to 27 above, the information on the storage battery portion includes the cell voltages of the cells constituting the storage battery portion, or the maximum cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage. <Technical matter 29> In the battery part management system described in any one of technical matters 24 to 28 above, the battery data management server determines, based on information about the battery part from the battery part casing in a state in which the battery part is stored, that a battery part including a cell whose cell voltage variation of the cells constituting the battery part is equal to or greater than a threshold value or whose self-discharge rate of the cell is equal to or greater than a threshold value is defective. <Technical matters 30> In the storage battery part management system shown in any one of technical matters 24 to 29 above, the storage battery part casing has a charge / discharge terminal capable of electrically connecting the storage battery part to an external power source when the storage battery part is stored, and when the storage battery part is stored, a charge / discharge device is used to charge and discharge the storage battery part via the charge / discharge terminal. <Technical matters 31> In the storage battery partial management system described in Technical Item 30 above, the storage battery data management server determines that the storage battery portion whose capacity deterioration level is below a threshold or whose resistance deterioration level is above a threshold is defective based on the charging and discharging. <Technical matter 32> In the storage battery partial management system described in any one of Technical Items 24 to 31 above, the storage battery partial casing is made of a steel plate. <Technical matter 33> In the battery section management system described in any one of technical items 24 to 32 above, the battery section housing has holes for inserting the forks of a forklift to move the battery section while it is stored. <Technical matters 34> In the storage battery portion management system described in any one of Technical Items 24 to 33 above, the storage battery portion casing has an opening for inserting and removing the storage battery portion and a lid for covering the opening. <Technical matters 35> In the battery part management system described in any one of technical matters 24 to 34 above, the battery part casing has a hole for fixing the battery part inside the battery part casing when storing the battery part.

[0128] <Technical matter 36> A battery data management server that manages information about the storage battery part, the battery data management server having a communication device that enables information about the storage battery part to be transmitted to the battery data management server when a removable storage battery part is stored in a battery box installed in a railway vehicle, and the battery data management server receives information about the storage battery part from a fire-resistant casing for the storage battery part. <Technical matter 37> In the battery data management server described in Technical Item 36 above, the battery data management server determines that a storage battery portion including a cell whose cell voltage variation among the cells constituting the storage battery portion is equal to or greater than a threshold, or whose self-discharge rate of the cell is equal to or greater than a threshold, is defective, based on information about the storage battery portion from the storage battery portion casing in the state in which the storage battery portion is stored. <Technical matter 38> In the storage battery data management server shown in Technical item 36 or Technical item 37 above, when storing the storage battery part, the storage battery data management server determines that the storage battery part whose capacity deterioration level is below a threshold value or whose resistance deterioration level is above a threshold value is defective based on charging and discharging the storage battery part using a charging and discharging device via a charging and discharging terminal that can be electrically connected to an external power source that the storage battery part casing has.

[0129] <Technical matter 39> A battery data management system comprising: a battery data management server described in any one of technical items 36 to 38 above; and a battery data management terminal device capable of being connected to the communication equipment via a wired or wireless connection and transmitting information about the battery portion received from the communication equipment to the battery data management server. <Technical matters 40> In the battery data management system described in Technical Item 39 above, the battery data management terminal device transmits to the battery part casing a target voltage of the balancing circuit calculated based on information about the battery part from the battery part casing when the battery part is stored.

[0130] <Technical matters 41> A battery data management terminal device that communicates information about the storage battery part, which can be connected via wired or wireless connection to a communication device provided in a fire-resistant battery part casing that stores a removable battery part in a battery box installed in a railway vehicle, and which transmits information about the storage battery part stored in the battery part casing received from the communication device to a battery data management server. <Technical matter 42> In the battery data management terminal device shown in Technical Item 41 above, a target voltage of the balancing circuit calculated based on information about the battery part from the casing for the battery part when the battery part is stored is transmitted to the casing for the battery part.

[0131] <Technical matter 43> A method for transporting a storage battery portion, comprising transporting the storage battery portion in a fire-resistant casing for the storage battery portion, the casing having a communication device that enables information about the storage battery portion to be transmitted to an external battery data management server while the storage battery portion is stored. <Technical matters 44> In the transportation method of the storage battery part shown in Technical Item 43 above, the communication equipment is either a relay terminal that can be connected by wire to both the storage battery part and the storage battery data management terminal device, or a wireless device that can be connected by wire or wirelessly to the storage battery part and can be connected wirelessly to the storage battery data management terminal device, and makes it possible to transmit information about the storage battery part to the storage battery data management server via the storage battery data management terminal device. <Technical matters 45> In the transportation method of a storage battery portion shown in Technical item 43 or Technical item 44, the information of the storage battery portion includes the cell voltages of the cells constituting the storage battery portion, or the maximum cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage. <Technical matter 46> In the method for transporting a storage battery portion according to any one of the technical matters 43 to 45, the casing for the storage battery portion is made of a steel plate. <Technical matter 47> In the method for transporting the storage battery part shown in any one of Technical Items 43 to 46 above, the forks of a forklift are inserted into holes in the casing for the storage battery part, and the casing for the storage battery part is moved with the storage battery part stored therein. <Technical matter 48> In the method for transporting a storage battery part shown in any one of Technical Items 43 to 47 above, an opening of the battery box through which the storage battery part is put in and taken out is aligned with an opening of the casing for the storage battery part through which the storage battery part is put in and taken out, and the storage battery part is stored from the battery box into the casing for the storage battery part.

[0132] <Technical matters 49> A method for producing a battery section casing containing a battery section that can be attached / detached to a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, the method comprising: producing a battery section casing containing a battery section that is detachably mounted on a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, the method comprising storing the battery section in a fire-resistant casing that is equipped with a communication device that enables information about the battery section to be transmitted from the battery box mounted on the railway vehicle to an external battery data management server while the battery section is stored therein. <Technical matters 50> In the method for producing a casing for a battery part containing a battery part as shown in Technical Item 49 above, the communication device is either a relay terminal that can be connected via wire to both the battery part and a battery data management terminal device, or a wireless device that can be connected via wire or wirelessly to the battery part and can be connected wirelessly to the battery data management terminal device, and makes it possible to transmit information about the battery part to the battery data management server via the battery data management terminal device. <Technical matters 51> In the method for producing a casing for a battery part containing a battery part as shown in Technical Item 49 or Technical Item 50 above, the casing for the battery part has a charge / discharge terminal capable of electrically connecting the battery part to an external power source when the battery part is housed therein, and when the battery part is stored, a charge / discharge device is used to charge and discharge the battery part via the charge / discharge terminal. <Technical matter 52> In the method for producing a casing for a storage battery section containing a storage battery section as described in any one of Technical Items 49 to 51 above, the casing for the storage battery section is made of a steel plate. <Technical matter 53> In the method for producing a casing for a battery part containing a battery part as described in any one of Technical Items 49 to 52 above, the forks of a forklift are inserted into holes in the casing for the battery part, and the casing for the battery part is moved with the battery part stored therein. <Technical matters 54> In the method for producing a casing for a battery part containing a battery part as described in any one of Technical Items 49 to 53 above, an opening of the battery box for inserting and removing the battery part is aligned with an opening of the casing for the battery part for inserting and removing the battery part, and the battery part is stored from the battery box into the casing for the battery part. <Technical matters 55> In the method for producing a casing for a battery part containing a battery part as described in any one of Technical Items 49 to 54 above, when the battery part is stored in the casing for the battery part from the battery box, the battery part is fixed inside the casing for the battery part.

[0133] <Technical matter 56> A method for storing a detachable battery part in a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, the method comprising: storing the battery part in a fire-resistant casing for the battery part that has been transported to a storage location; storing the battery part in the casing for the battery part in a state where it is stored in the casing for the battery part so that information about the battery part can be transmitted to a battery data management server outside the casing for the battery part. <Technical matter 57> In the method for storing the storage battery part shown in technical item 56 above, information about the storage battery part contained in the storage battery part casing can be transmitted to the storage battery data management server via a communication device provided in the storage battery part casing. <Technical matter 58> In the method of storing the storage battery part shown in technical item 57 above, the communication device is either a relay terminal that can be connected via wire to both the storage battery part and the storage battery data management terminal device, or a wireless device that can be connected via wire or wirelessly to the storage battery part and can be connected wirelessly to the storage battery data management terminal device, and makes it possible to transmit information about the storage battery part to the storage battery data management server via the storage battery data management terminal device. <Technical matter 59> In the method for storing a storage battery portion described in any one of technical matters 56 to 58 above, the storage battery data management terminal device transmits a target voltage of a balancing circuit calculated based on information about the storage battery portion from the storage battery portion casing in a state in which the storage battery portion is stored to the storage battery portion casing. <Technical matters 60> In the method for storing a storage battery portion described in any one of Technical Items 56 to 59 above, the information of the storage battery portion includes the cell voltages of the cells constituting the storage battery portion, or the maximum cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage. <Technical matter 61> In the method for storing the storage battery portion shown in Technical Item 60 above, the storage battery data management server determines, based on information about the storage battery portion from the storage battery portion casing in a state in which the storage battery portion is stored, that the storage battery portion includes a cell whose cell voltage variation is equal to or greater than a threshold value or whose self-discharge rate is equal to or greater than a threshold value, as defective. <Technical matter 62> In the method for storing a storage battery portion shown in any one of technical matters 56 to 61 above, the casing for the storage battery portion has a charge / discharge terminal capable of electrically connecting the storage battery portion to an external power source when the storage battery portion is stored, and when storing the storage battery portion, a charge / discharge device is used to charge and discharge the storage battery portion via the charge / discharge terminal. <Technical matter 63> In the method for storing a storage battery part shown in any one of Technical Items 56 to 62 above, when storing the storage battery part in a casing for the storage battery part, the storage battery part which has been more deteriorated is stored in a place with a higher temperature.

[0134] <Technical matters 64> A battery part-containing housing having a battery part housing that houses a battery part that is detachable from a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, and the battery part housed in the battery part housing, wherein the battery part housing has fire resistance and is connected to the housed battery part, and the battery part-containing housing is equipped with a communication device that enables information about the battery part to be transmitted to an external battery data management server while the battery part is housed. <Technical matters 65> In the housing containing the storage battery part shown in technical item 64 above, the communication device is either a relay terminal that can be connected via wire to both the storage battery part and the storage battery data management terminal device, or a wireless device that can be connected via wire or wirelessly to the storage battery part and can be connected wirelessly to the storage battery data management terminal device, and makes it possible to transmit information about the storage battery part to the storage battery data management server via the storage battery data management terminal device. <Technical matter 66> In the casing containing the storage battery portion shown in any one of Technical Items 64 to 65 above, the information on the storage battery portion includes the cell voltage of the cells constituting the storage battery portion, or the maximum cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage. <Technical matter 67> In the casing containing the storage battery part shown in any one of technical matters 64 to 66 above, the casing for the storage battery part has a charge / discharge terminal capable of electrically connecting the storage battery part to an external power source when the storage battery part is stored, and when the storage battery part is stored, a charge / discharge device is used to charge and discharge the storage battery part via the charge / discharge terminal. <Technical matter 68> In the casing containing the storage battery portion shown in any one of Technical Items 64 to 67 above, the casing for the storage battery portion is made of a steel plate. <Technical matter 69> In the housing containing the storage battery part shown in any one of technical items 64 to 68 above, the forks of a forklift are inserted into holes in the housing for the storage battery part, and the housing for the storage battery part is moved with the storage battery part stored therein. <Technical matters 70> In the casing containing the battery part shown in any one of technical matters 64 to 69 above, an opening of the battery box for inserting and removing the battery part and an opening of the casing for the battery part for inserting and removing the battery part are aligned, and the battery part is stored from the battery box into the casing for the battery part. <Technical matter 71> In the casing containing the battery part shown in any one of technical matters 64 to 70 above, when the battery part is stored from the battery box into the casing for the battery part, the battery part is fixed inside the casing for the battery part.

[0135] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiment. It is clear from the claims that various modifications and improvements to the above embodiment are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0136] 11...actual vehicle, 13...actual vehicle control unit, 15...rail, 16...power supply unit, 17...route, 18...battery data management means, 20...container, 21...shelf, 22...upper battery control controller, 23...power source, 24...PC, 25...charging / discharging device, 40...forklift, 100...battery system, 101...battery box, 102...battery bank, 103...battery unit, 104...battery module, 105...box controller, 106...bank controller, 107...cell controller, 201...container housing, 202...container door, 203...square pipe for fork, 204...cell control terminal outside container, 205...cell control signal radio, 206...high voltage terminal outside container, 401...fork, 2011...container top fixing hole, 2032...container fixing bolt, 2033...tube vertical fork hole

Claims

1. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery part that can be attached to and detached from a storage battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, comprising the steps of: The storage battery section is stored in a fire-resistant housing for the storage battery section from a storage battery box mounted on the railway vehicle; Transporting the storage battery portion to a storage location while the storage battery portion is housed in the storage battery portion case; The storage battery portion is stored in a casing for the storage battery portion in such a state that information about the storage battery portion can be transmitted to a storage battery data management server located outside the casing for the storage battery portion. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

2. 2. The method for transporting and storing a battery portion according to claim 1, Information about the storage battery section housed in the storage battery section casing can be transmitted to the storage battery data management server via a communication device provided in the storage battery section casing. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

3. The method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of: The communication device is either a relay terminal that can be connected to both the storage battery portion and the storage battery data management terminal device by wire, or a wireless device that can be connected to the storage battery portion by wire or wirelessly and can be connected to the storage battery data management terminal device by wireless, and information about the storage battery portion can be transmitted to the storage battery data management server via the storage battery data management terminal device. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

4. The method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of: The storage battery data management terminal device transmits a target voltage of a balancing circuit, which is calculated based on information of the storage battery portion from the storage battery portion housing in a state where the storage battery portion is housed, to the storage battery portion housing. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

5. The method for transporting and storing a battery portion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The information on the storage battery portion includes a cell voltage of the cells constituting the storage battery portion, or a maximum cell voltage and a minimum cell voltage. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

6. The method for transporting and storing a battery portion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The storage battery data management server determines, based on information about the storage battery part from the storage battery part casing in a state in which the storage battery part is housed, that a storage battery part including a cell whose cell voltage variation constituting the storage battery part is equal to or greater than a threshold value or whose self-discharge rate of the cell is equal to or greater than a threshold value is defective. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

7. The method for transporting and storing a battery portion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the storage battery portion casing has a charge / discharge terminal capable of electrically connecting the storage battery portion to an external power source in a state in which the storage battery portion is housed therein, When the storage battery portion is stored, a charging / discharging device is used to charge and discharge the storage battery portion via the charging / discharging terminal. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

8. 8. The method for transporting and storing battery portions according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of: The storage battery data management server determines, based on the charging and discharging, that the storage battery portion in which the capacity deterioration degree is equal to or lower than a threshold or the resistance deterioration degree is equal to or higher than a threshold is defective. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

9. The method for transporting and storing a battery portion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The battery section housing is made of steel plate. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

10. The method for transporting and storing a battery portion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The forks of a forklift are inserted into the holes of the storage battery section casing, and the storage battery section casing is moved with the storage battery section housed therein. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

11. The method for transporting and storing a battery portion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The opening of the battery box through which the storage battery part is inserted and removed is aligned with the opening of the storage battery part housing through which the storage battery part is inserted and removed, and the storage battery part is stored from the storage battery box into the storage battery part housing. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

12. The method for transporting and storing a battery portion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, When storing the storage battery portion from the storage battery box into the storage battery portion housing, the storage battery portion is fixed inside the storage battery portion housing. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

13. The method for transporting and storing a battery portion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, When storing the storage battery portion in a state where the storage battery portion is housed in the storage battery portion housing, Store the battery parts that have deteriorated more in places with higher temperatures. A method for transporting and storing a storage battery portion, comprising:

14. A battery section housing that houses a battery section that is detachable from a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, The battery compartment case has fire resistance, A communication device is provided that can transmit information about the storage battery portion to an external storage battery data management server while the storage battery portion is stored. A housing for a storage battery section.

15. 15. The battery compartment housing according to claim 14, The communication device is either a relay terminal that can be connected to both the storage battery portion and the storage battery data management terminal device by wire, or a wireless device that can be connected to the storage battery portion by wire or wirelessly and can be connected to the storage battery data management terminal device by wireless, and information about the storage battery portion can be transmitted to the storage battery data management server via the storage battery data management terminal device. A housing for a storage battery section.

16. 16. The battery compartment housing according to claim 15, A target voltage of a balancing circuit calculated based on information of the storage battery portion from the storage battery portion housing in a state where the storage battery portion is housed is received from the storage battery data management terminal device. A housing for a storage battery section.

17. A battery compartment housing according to any one of claims 14 to 16, The information on the storage battery portion includes a cell voltage of the cells constituting the storage battery portion, or a maximum cell voltage and a minimum cell voltage. A housing for a storage battery section.

18. The battery compartment housing according to any one of claims 14 to 16, The battery pack has a charging / discharging terminal that can electrically connect the battery pack to an external power source while the battery pack is stored. A housing for a storage battery section.

19. The battery compartment housing according to any one of claims 14 to 16, The battery compartment is made of steel. A housing for a storage battery section.

20. The battery compartment housing according to any one of claims 14 to 16, The storage battery unit has holes for inserting the forks of a forklift to move the storage battery unit in a stored state. A housing for a storage battery section.

21. The battery compartment housing according to any one of claims 14 to 16, An opening for inserting and removing the storage battery portion and a lid for covering the opening are provided. A housing for a storage battery section.

22. The battery compartment housing according to any one of claims 14 to 16, A hole is provided for fixing the storage battery portion inside the storage battery portion housing when the storage battery portion is housed. A housing for a storage battery section.

23. A battery section housing according to any one of claims 14 to 16; a storage battery data management terminal device that can be connected to the communication device by wire or wirelessly and transmits information about the storage battery portion received from the communication device to the storage battery data management server. A battery partial storage system.

24. A storage battery portion management system including a storage battery data management server that manages information on a storage battery portion, the battery portion management system includes a fire-resistant casing for the battery portion, the fire-resistant casing including a communication device that can transmit information about the battery portion to the battery data management terminal device located outside the casing for the battery portion when the detachable battery portion is housed in a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle; The storage battery data management server manages the information of the storage battery part received from the storage battery part housing. A battery partial management system characterized by the above.

25. The battery partial management system according to claim 24, The storage battery data management terminal device is connected to the communication device by wire or wirelessly and transmits the information on the storage battery portion received from the communication device to a storage battery data management server. A battery partial management system characterized by the above.

26. A storage battery data management server for managing information on a storage battery portion, The battery data management server includes a communication device that can transmit information about the detachable battery section to the battery data management server when the detachable battery section is stored in a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, and receives information about the battery section from a fire-resistant battery section housing. A battery data management server comprising:

27. A battery data management server according to claim 26; a storage battery data management terminal device that can be connected to the communication device by wire or wirelessly and transmits information about the storage battery portion received from the communication device to the storage battery data management server. A battery data management system comprising:

28. A storage battery data management terminal device that communicates information on a storage battery portion, A storage battery section that can be detachably mounted in a storage battery box mounted on a railway vehicle is connected by wire or wirelessly to a communication device provided in a fire-resistant storage battery section case, and information on the storage battery section that is received from the communication device and is stored in the storage battery section case is transmitted to a storage battery data management server. A storage battery data management terminal device.

29. A method for transporting a storage battery part that can be attached to and detached from a storage battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, comprising the steps of: The storage battery part is transported in a fire-resistant storage battery part case equipped with a communication device that can transmit information about the storage battery part to an external storage battery data management server while the storage battery part is stored therein. A method for transporting a storage battery portion.

30. A method for producing a battery compartment housing containing a battery compartment that can be attached to and detached from a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, comprising the steps of: The storage battery section is housed in a fire-resistant storage battery section case equipped with a communication device that enables information about the storage battery section to be transmitted from a storage battery box mounted on the railway vehicle to an external storage battery data management server while the storage battery section is housed therein.

23. A method for producing a battery compartment housing containing a battery compartment, comprising:

31. A method for storing a removable battery part in a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, comprising: The storage battery portion is transported to a storage location while being housed in a fire-resistant housing for the storage battery portion, and information about the storage battery portion is stored in the housing for the storage battery portion in a manner that allows it to be transmitted to a storage battery data management server located outside the housing for the storage battery portion. A method for storing a storage battery portion comprising:

32. A battery part housing having a battery part housing that houses a battery part that is detachable from a battery box mounted on a railway vehicle, and the battery part housed in the battery part housing, The battery compartment housing has fire resistance, It is connected to the stored battery portion, A communication device is provided that can transmit information about the storage battery portion to an external storage battery data management server while the storage battery portion is stored. A housing containing a storage battery section.

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