Snow melting system using exhaust heat and snow melting method using exhaust heat

Abstract

To provide an exhaust heat utilization snow melting system and an exhaust heat utilization snow melting method capable of achieving both efficient cooling of a stationary storage battery and load reduction of a structure by snow melting.SOLUTION: An exhaust heat utilization snow melting system includes a heat recovery part, a natural heat radiation part, and a cooling path in a structure for storing a stationary storage battery. The heat recovery unit recovers heat of the stationary storage battery. The natural heat radiation portion naturally radiates the collected heat to the external environment. The cooling path connects the heat recovery portion and the natural heat radiation portion to circulate the coolant. The natural heat radiation part has a heat pipe installed in the vicinity of a snowfall part of the structure, and melts snow in the snowfall part during heat radiation by the heat pipe.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a snow melting system and a snow melting method using exhaust heat. [Background technology]

[0002] Snow accumulation in areas with heavy snowfall poses a serious threat to structures. One possible solution to this problem is to sufficiently reinforce structures and increase their load-bearing capacity. However, this reinforcement increases the complexity and weight of the structure, which can lead to problems such as limited construction sites and prolonged construction times. Installing snow melting equipment is also a solution to the problem of snow accumulation, but this increases electricity consumption throughout the snowy season in order to secure a heat source for melting the snow.

[0003] On the other hand, with the recent increase in natural energy generation, stationary storage batteries have been attracting attention as they can play a role in stabilizing power supply, utilizing surplus power, and as backup power sources.However, stationary storage batteries generate heat during charging and discharging, and deteriorate due to heat, so efficient cooling is required.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses an electrical equipment storage housing that includes a storage space and a heat pipe including a first heat receiving portion and a first heat dissipating portion. The storage space stores the electrical equipment. The first heat receiving portion faces a position in the storage space where heated air flows out, and has a heat receiving fin formed thereon. The first heat dissipating portion is installed on the upper bottom surface of the electrical equipment storage housing, and performs cooling using a cold source present in the outdoor natural environment. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-156356 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The electrical equipment housing described in Patent Document 1 uses a first heat receiving section to absorb heat from air heated by the electrical equipment, thereby cooling the air in the storage space where the electrical equipment is housed. The electrical equipment housing also uses a first heat dissipation section to cool the heat absorbed by the first heat receiving section using a cold source present in the natural environment. However, the document does not disclose measures to protect the electrical equipment housing from snow accumulation, nor does it mention utilizing the heat generated by the electrical equipment. Therefore, separate measures to protect structures housing electrical equipment from snow accumulation are required in areas with heavy snowfall.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the object of the present disclosure is to provide a waste heat utilization snow melting system that achieves both efficient cooling of stationary storage batteries and reducing the load on structures by melting snow. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A waste heat utilization snow melting system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is provided in a structure housing a stationary storage battery, and includes a heat recovery unit, a natural heat dissipation unit, and a cooling path. The heat recovery unit recovers heat from the stationary storage battery. The natural heat dissipation unit naturally dissipates the recovered heat to the external environment. The cooling path connects the heat recovery unit and the natural heat dissipation unit and circulates a refrigerant. The natural heat dissipation unit has a heat pipe installed near a snow-covered portion of the structure, and melts snow in the snow-covered portion when the heat pipe dissipates heat.

[0009] The above-mentioned waste heat utilization snow melting system may further include a forced heat dissipation unit and a path change unit. The forced heat dissipation unit forcibly dissipates the recovered heat. The path change unit changes the cooling path so that at least one of the natural heat dissipation unit and the forced heat dissipation unit is included in the cooling path. Here, the heat recovery unit may measure the temperature of the stationary storage battery and transmit the temperature to the path change unit, and the path change unit may change the cooling path based on the temperature.

[0010] In the above-described waste heat utilization snow melting system, the natural heat dissipation unit may measure the outside air temperature and transmit it to the path change unit, and the path change unit may change the cooling path based on the outside air temperature.

[0011] In the above-described waste heat utilization snow melting system, the snow-covered area may be the top surface of a structure, and the heat pipe may be disposed on the top surface of the structure.

[0012] A snow melting method using waste heat according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a heat recovery step and a natural heat dissipation step. The heat recovery step recovers heat from a stationary storage battery housed in a structure. The natural heat dissipation step naturally dissipates the recovered heat. Here, the natural heat dissipation step uses a heat pipe installed near a snow-covered portion of the structure, and melts snow in the snow-covered portion when the heat pipe dissipates heat. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a waste heat snow melting system and a waste heat snow melting method that achieve both efficient cooling of stationary storage batteries and reducing the load on structures by melting snow. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a waste heat utilization snow melting system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a waste heat utilization snow melting system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a waste heat utilization snow melting system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a path selection process for a three-way valve according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present disclosure will be described below through embodiments, but the disclosure according to the claims is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential as means for solving the problems. For clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings have been omitted and simplified as appropriate. In each drawing, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations are omitted as necessary.

[0016] <First Embodiment> A first embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a waste heat utilization snow melting system 1 according to the first embodiment. The waste heat utilization snow melting system 1 is a system that uses waste heat generated by cooling a stationary storage battery 11 to melt snow in a snow-covered portion 12 of a structure 10 that houses the stationary storage battery 11. The waste heat utilization snow melting system 1 mainly includes the stationary storage battery 11 housed in the structure 10, a heat recovery unit 21, a cooling path 22, and a natural heat dissipation unit 23.

[0017] The structure 10 houses a stationary storage battery 11. The structure 10 is installed outdoors in a snowy region, and snow accumulates in a snow-covered portion 12. The snow-covered region is, for example, a heavy snowfall area. The shape of the structure 10 is not particularly limited. The structure 10 may have, for example, a flat roof or a triangular roof. The snow-covered portion 12 is not limited to the top surface of the structure 10, such as a roof, but may also be a wall surface or a window portion onto which snow blows.

[0018] The stationary storage battery 11 is a storage battery stored in the structure 10. The stationary storage battery 11 is connected to a power source (not shown) via a power line (not shown) and can store power. The stationary storage battery 11 can also discharge power as needed. The stationary storage battery 11 generates heat when it is charged and discharged. However, the performance of the stationary storage battery 11 deteriorates due to temperature changes. Therefore, the stationary storage battery 11 requires a means for efficiently cooling it. The stationary storage battery 11 may be stored inside or underground the structure 10, or may be stored in a storage space provided on the outer wall of the structure 10.

[0019] There is no limitation on the type of the stationary storage battery 11. Specifically, the stationary storage battery 11 may be a lithium ion battery, a lead storage battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a sodium-sulfur battery, a redox flow battery, or the like.

[0020] The heat recovery unit 21 recovers heat from the stationary storage battery 11. The heat recovery unit 21 transfers the recovered heat to the natural heat dissipation unit 23 via the cooling path 22. As indicated by the thick arrows in Fig. 1 , the cooling path 22 transfers the heat recovered by the heat recovery unit 21 to the natural heat dissipation unit 23 and transfers the cold air cooled by the natural heat dissipation unit 23 to the heat recovery unit 21. The cooling path 22 circulates a refrigerant inside and transfers the heat and cold air using the refrigerant.

[0021] The natural heat dissipation unit 23 has a heat pipe 231 and dissipates heat using the heat pipe 231. The heat pipe 231 is made of a metal or the like with high thermal conductivity. The heat pipe 231 has a structure in which a capillary structure is created inside the pipe. A small amount of liquid is sealed inside the heat pipe 231. When one end of the heat pipe 231 located in the heating unit is heated, the liquid inside the pipe evaporates, and the gas moves to the other end, which is the heat dissipation unit. The gas that moves to the other end exchanges heat there, dissipates heat, and becomes liquefied. The liquid produced by the liquefaction moves through the capillary structure by capillary action back to the end located in the original overheating unit. In this way, the heat pipe 231 cools the heat source on the heating side without power by circulating the liquid and gas and exchanging heat with the outside in the heating unit and heat dissipation unit.

[0022] The heat pipe 231 of the natural heat dissipation unit 23 is disposed near the snow-covered portion 12 of the structure 10. In this way, when the heat dissipation unit of the heat pipe 231 dissipates heat, the natural heat dissipation unit 23 transfers heat to the snow accumulated in the snow-covered portion 12, thereby melting the snow. This reduces the load on the structure 10 due to an increase in the amount of snow. In particular, when the heat pipe 231 is disposed near the roof of the structure 10, the weight of the snow can be reduced by melting the snow accumulated on the top surface, thereby reducing the gravitational load on the structure 10. Furthermore, when the heat pipe 231 is disposed near the window of the structure 10, the visibility of the window can be improved by melting the snow on the window.

[0023] The natural heat dissipation unit 23 transfers the cold air cooled using the heat pipe 231 to the heat recovery unit 21 via the cooling path 22. This allows the heat recovery unit 21 to be supplied with cold air and maintain a low temperature.

[0024] As described above, the waste heat utilization snow melting system 1 cools the stationary storage battery 11 by recovering heat generated in the heat recovery unit 21 and transmitting the heat to the natural heat dissipation unit 23. Furthermore, the waste heat utilization snow melting system 1 dissipates heat transmitted from the heat dissipation unit of the heat pipe 231 disposed near the snow-covered portion 12 of the structure 10 in the natural heat dissipation unit 23, and melts the snow in the snow-covered portion 12. Therefore, the waste heat utilization snow melting system 1 can efficiently cool the stationary storage battery 11 and reduce the load on the structure 10 by melting the snow.

[0025] <Embodiment 2> Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a waste heat utilization snow melting system 2 according to the second embodiment. The waste heat utilization snow melting system 2 changes the cooling method based on the temperature of the stationary storage battery 11 and the outside air temperature of the structure 10. The waste heat utilization snow melting system 2 has a configuration in which a path changing unit 24 and a forced heat dissipation unit 25 are added to the waste heat utilization snow melting system 1 described in the first embodiment. The heat recovery unit 21 and the path changing unit 24, the natural heat dissipation unit 23 and the path changing unit 24, and the forced heat dissipation unit 25 and the path changing unit 24 are connected by wire or wirelessly, and various signals can be transmitted.

[0026] The waste heat utilization snow melting system 2 has the same configuration as the waste heat utilization snow melting system 1 in Fig. 1 with respect to the structure 10, stationary storage battery 11, snow accumulation section 12, heat recovery section 21, natural heat dissipation section 23, and heat pipe 231. Therefore, a description of the configuration of the waste heat utilization snow melting system 2, which has the same configuration and executes the same processes as the waste heat utilization snow melting system 1, will be omitted. It should be noted that the snow accumulation section 12 is assumed to be placed on the top surface of the structure 10.

[0027] The heat recovery unit 21 measures the temperature of the stationary storage battery 11, for example, using a temperature sensor. The heat recovery unit 21 transmits information about the measured temperature to the path change unit 24. Note that the temperature measurement and transmission may be performed by the stationary storage battery 11. The natural heat dissipation unit 23 measures the outside air temperature of the structure 10, for example, using a temperature sensor. The natural heat dissipation unit 23 transmits the measured outside air temperature to the path change unit 24. Note that the outside air temperature measurement may be performed by the path change unit 24.

[0028] The path change unit 24 has a function of executing a process for changing the cooling method. For example, the path change unit 24 includes a built-in computer on which software for realizing this function is installed, and further includes a hardware structure, such as a control solenoid valve, that is controlled by the computer and physically realizes the path change operation. The path change unit 24 receives temperature information of the stationary storage battery 11 from the heat recovery unit 21. The path change unit 24 also receives outside air temperature information of the structure 10 from the natural heat dissipation unit 23. Based on the temperature of the stationary storage battery 11 and the outside air temperature of the structure 10, the path change unit 24 changes the cooling path 22 so that at least one of the natural heat dissipation unit 23 and the forced heat dissipation unit 25 is included in the cooling path 22. This allows the waste heat utilization snow melting system 2 to select the cooling path 22 according to the temperature status of the stationary storage battery 11. This also allows the waste heat utilization snow melting system 2 to select the cooling path 22 according to the outside air temperature status of the structure 10.

[0029] The forced heat dissipation unit 25 uses a powered cooling mechanism to forcibly dissipate heat from the refrigerant contained in the cooling path 22. The forced heat dissipation unit 25 is used, for example, when the temperature of the stationary storage battery 11 is high and the cooling performance of the natural heat dissipation unit 23 is insufficient, or when the outside temperature of the structure 10 is high and the natural heat dissipation unit 23 does not function sufficiently. The forced heat dissipation unit 25 uses, for example, a cooling fan or a heat pump.

[0030] As described above, the waste heat utilization snow melting system 2 can cool the stationary storage battery 11 by selecting an appropriate cooling path 22 depending on the temperature conditions of each part.

[0031] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a waste heat utilization snow melting system 3 according to the third embodiment. The waste heat utilization snow melting system 3 mainly includes a structure 30, a heat exchanger 210, cooling piping 220, a main reserve tank 221, a sub-reserve tank 230, a heat pipe 231, a three-way valve 240, and a cooling fan unit 250. The operations of the three-way valve 240 and the heat pipe 231 are controlled by a controller (not shown).

[0032] The structure 30 houses a PCU (Power Control Unit) 111 and a battery pack 112. The PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 correspond to the stationary storage battery 11 in the second embodiment. The PCU 111 is a computer unit that manages the charging and discharging of the battery pack 112. When the structure 30 includes a plurality of PCUs 111 and battery packs 112, each PCU 111 manages the charging and discharging of each battery pack 112. This allows the owner of the battery pack 112 to make optimal use of the power stored in the battery pack 112. Note that one PCU 111 may collectively control the charging and discharging of a plurality of battery packs 112.

[0033] The PCU 111 generates heat during control. The battery pack 112 also generates heat during charging and discharging. However, the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 have an optimum temperature range for operation, and performance deteriorates if they are outside this temperature range. Therefore, the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 need to be appropriately cooled.

[0034] The heat exchanger 210 corresponds to the heat recovery unit 21 in the second embodiment. The heat exchanger 210 exchanges heat between the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 and the refrigerant flowing in the cooling pipe 220. This allows the heat exchanger 210 to transfer heat generated in the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 to the refrigerant. The heat exchanger is, for example, a fan coil unit or a brazing plate heat exchanger. The heat exchanger may be one that uses a heat sink. It is preferable that the heat exchanger does not require power, but it may also be one that requires power.

[0035] The heat exchanger 210 measures the temperatures of the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 and transmits the results to the controller. This allows the exhaust heat utilization snow melting system 3 to select the path of the cooling pipe 220 depending on the temperatures of the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112.

[0036] The cooling pipe 220 corresponds to the cooling path 22 in the second embodiment. The cooling pipe 220 circulates a refrigerant within the pipe and transfers the heat and cold contained in the refrigerant to each component. The cooling pipe 220 connects the heat exchanger 210 and the main reserve tank 221. The cooling pipe 220 also connects to the three-way valve 240 beyond the main reserve tank 221. The refrigerant whose temperature has increased in the heat exchanger 210 is temporarily stored in the main reserve tank 221 for operation of the three-way valve 240. The cooling pipe 220 also connects the cooling fan unit 250 and the heat exchanger 210. This allows the cooling pipe 220 to circulate the refrigerant, recover heat from the heat exchanger 210, and supply cold air to the heat exchanger 210. The refrigerant is, for example, cooling water. The refrigerant may also be carbon dioxide or ammonia.

[0037] The main reserve tank 221 is disposed upstream of the three-way valve 240, and temporarily stores the refrigerant sent through the cooling pipe 220. This allows the refrigerant to be blocked while the three-way valve 240 is operating.

[0038] The three-way valve 240 and the controller (not shown) correspond to the path changing unit 24 described in the second embodiment. The three-way valve 240 selectively connects the main reserve tank 221 to the sub-reserve tank 230 or the cooling fan unit 250. When the three-way valve 240 connects the main reserve tank 221 to the sub-reserve tank 230, the refrigerant flows into the sub-reserve tank 230. In this case, the cooling pipe 220 connects the outflow destination of the sub-reserve tank 230 to the cooling fan unit 250. When the three-way valve 240 connects the main reserve tank 221 to the cooling fan unit 250, the refrigerant flows directly into the cooling fan unit 250.

[0039] Here, when the three-way valve 240 connects the main reserve tank 221 to the sub-reserve tank 230 , the refrigerant is temporarily stored in the sub-reserve tank 230 and then cooled by the heat pipe 231 .

[0040] The sub-reserve tank 230 corresponds to the natural heat dissipation unit 23 in the second embodiment. The sub-reserve tank 230 stores a refrigerant and cools it using the heat pipe 231. This allows the sub-reserve tank 230 to hold back the refrigerant until the heat pipe 231 has sufficiently cooled it. The sub-reserve tank 230 also measures the outside air temperature of the structure 30 and sends it to the controller. This allows the exhaust heat utilization snow melting system 3 to operate to utilize exhaust heat especially when snow melting is necessary.

[0041] The heat pipe 231 absorbs heat in the heating section and radiates the heat in the heat radiation section. Specifically, the heat pipe 231 uses the sub-reserve tank 230 as its heating section. The heat pipe 231 also has a heat radiation section provided on the top surface of the structure 30. This allows the heat pipe 231 to collect heat in the sub-reserve tank 230 and radiate the heat in the heat radiation section. Here, the top surface of the structure 30 corresponds to the snow accumulation section 12 in the second embodiment. In other words, the heat pipe 231 can melt snow accumulated near the heat radiation section by radiating heat from the heat radiation section provided on the top surface of the structure 30. This prevents excessive snow from accumulating on the structure 30 and reduces the load on the structure 30. Therefore, the waste heat utilization snow melting system 3 enables the structure 30 to be simplified and lightweight.

[0042] In addition, the heat pipe 231 has a small amount of liquid sealed in a pipe-shaped metal structure, so there is a low risk of water leakage. Therefore, by placing only the heat pipe 231 above the battery pack 112, the risk of the battery pack 112 becoming wet can be reduced. In addition, there is no need to ensure the waterproofing of the battery pack 112, which simplifies installation and replacement work.

[0043] Next, the cooling fan unit 250 corresponds to the forced heat dissipation unit 25 of the second embodiment described with reference to FIG. 2. The cooling fan unit 250 cools the refrigerant using a cooling fan. The cooling method may be a radiator, a heat pump, or a chiller. The cooling method of the cooling fan unit 250 may be air cooling or liquid cooling. By passing the refrigerant through the cooling fan unit 250, it is possible to reliably cool the refrigerant and cool the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 without being affected by the external environment of the structure 30.

[0044] Here, heat transfer will be described, focusing on the refrigerant in the cooling pipe 220. The refrigerant recovers heat from the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 in the heat exchanger 210 and is heated. Next, the heated refrigerant moves to the main reserve tank 221. The controller determines the destination of the refrigerant based on the temperatures of the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 and the outside air temperature of the structure 30. When the refrigerant heated by the three-way valve 240 moves to the sub-reserve tank 230, heat is removed from the refrigerant heated by the heat pipe 231. The heat pipe 231 melts snow accumulated near the heat dissipation section using the heat removed from the refrigerant.

[0045] The refrigerant from which heat has been removed moves to the cooling fan unit 250 and is further cooled. Once the refrigerant has been cooled sufficiently and its temperature has dropped, it flows into the heat exchanger 210 and recovers heat from the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 again.

[0046] As described above, the waste heat utilization snow melting system 3 recovers heat generated from the stationary storage battery and uses it to melt snow. This eliminates the need to generate a heat source for melting snow, and also allows for efficient heat release from the stationary storage battery.

[0047] Next, the control of the three-way valve 240 by the controller will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flow diagram of the path selection of the three-way valve 240 according to the third embodiment. The path selection flow is made up of steps S10 to S60, and is repeated in a loop process when the exhaust heat utilization snow melting system 3 is in operation.

[0048] In step S10, the controller executes a temperature confirmation routine. The controller receives temperature information of the battery pack 112 and the external environment from the heat exchanger 210 and the main reserve tank 221. After the controller receives the temperature information, the process proceeds to step S20.

[0049] Next, in step S20, the controller checks whether the temperature of the battery pack 112 is equal to or higher than a first threshold. Here, the first threshold is 40°C, and is compared with the temperature of the battery pack. If the temperature of the battery pack 112 is lower than 40°C, the process proceeds to step S21. If the temperature of the battery pack 112 is equal to or higher than 40°C, the process proceeds to step S30.

[0050] In step S21, the controller controls the three-way valve 240 to directly connect the main reserve tank 221 to the cooling fan unit 250. This is because when the temperature of the battery pack 112 is below 40°C, the cooling performance of the cooling fan unit 250 is sufficient and cooling using the external environment is not necessary. After step S21 is completed and a predetermined period has elapsed, the controller starts the process again from step S10.

[0051] In step S30, the controller checks whether the outside air temperature of the structure 30 is equal to or lower than a second threshold. Here, the second threshold is 5°C, and is compared with the outside air temperature of the structure 30. If the outside air temperature is higher than 5°C, the process proceeds to step S31. If the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than 5°C, the process proceeds to step S40.

[0052] In step S31, the controller controls the three-way valve 240 to directly connect the main reserve tank 221 to the cooling fan unit 250. This is because when the outside temperature is higher than 5°C, there is no snow to melt and the refrigerant cannot be sufficiently cooled even when the heat pipe 231 is used. After step S31 is completed and a predetermined period has elapsed, the controller starts the process again from step S10.

[0053] Next, in step S40, the controller controls the three-way valve 240 to connect the main reserve tank 221 to the sub-reserve tank 230. This allows the battery pack 112 to be appropriately cooled if it becomes hotter than the optimum temperature for use. Also, natural cooling can be used when the outside temperature is suitable for cooling. After step S40 is completed, the process proceeds to step S50.

[0054] In step S50, the controller starts cooling the refrigerant in the sub-reserve tank 230 using the heat pipe 231. This allows the waste heat utilization snow melting system 3 to simultaneously discharge heat from the PCU 111 and the battery pack 112 and melt snow in the snow-covered area. After step S50 is completed, the process proceeds to step S60.

[0055] In step S60, the controller continues heat dissipation by the heat pipe 231 until the temperature of the battery pack 112 falls below a third threshold. Here, the third threshold is set to 20°C. This makes it possible to prevent the temperature of the battery pack 112 from dropping excessively and performance from deteriorating due to continued cooling by the heat pipe 231. When the temperature of the battery pack 112 falls below the third threshold, the controller interrupts the processing of step S60 and resumes the processing from step S10.

[0056] The above has described the control flow of the controller consisting of steps S10 to S60. According to this, the waste heat utilization snow melting system 3 can simultaneously cool the battery pack 112 and melt snow using waste heat while maintaining an appropriate temperature of the battery pack 112. Note that each threshold value does not have to be the temperature shown here, and appropriate values ​​may be set depending on the type of battery pack 112, the installation environment of the structure 30, and the conditions of the cooling piping 220 and heat pipe 231.

[0057] As explained above, the waste heat utilization snow melting system 3 can achieve both efficient cooling of the PCU 111 and battery pack 112 and reducing the load on the structure 30 by melting snow. Furthermore, the waste heat utilization snow melting system 3 can maintain appropriate temperatures of the PCU 111 and battery pack 112 by selecting a cooling path according to the temperature of the battery pack 112 and the outside air temperature of the structure 30. The waste heat utilization snow melting system 3 does not require any special measures to prevent water leakage.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, a snow melting system using exhaust heat may be constructed in which the cooling path dissipates heat from a stationary storage battery via either a natural heat dissipation section or a forced heat dissipation section. Alternatively, the cooling path may always include a natural heat dissipation section, and a path change section may change the cooling path so that the cooling path passes through the forced heat dissipation section if the cooling performance of the natural heat dissipation section is insufficient. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1, 2, 3 Snow melting system using waste heat 10, 30 structures 11 Stationary storage batteries 12 Snow section 21 Heat recovery section 22 Cooling path 23 Natural heat dissipation section 24 Route change section 25 Forced heat dissipation section 112 Battery Pack 210 Heat exchanger 220 Cooling piping 221 Main reserve tank 230 Sub-reserve tank 231 Heat Pipe 240 Three-way valve 250 Cooling fan section S10 Step S20 Step S21 Step S30 Step S31 Step S40 Step S50 Step S60 Step

Claims

1. In a structure that houses a stationary storage battery, a heat recovery unit that recovers heat from the stationary storage battery; a natural heat dissipation unit that naturally dissipates the recovered heat into the external environment; a cooling path connecting the heat recovery unit and the natural heat dissipation unit and circulating a refrigerant therethrough, The natural heat dissipation portion is a heat pipe disposed near a snow-covered portion of the structure; The snow in the snow-covered portion is melted when the heat pipe dissipates heat. Snow melting system using waste heat.

2. a forced heat dissipation unit that forcibly dissipates the recovered heat; a path changing unit that changes the cooling path so that at least one of the natural heat dissipation unit and the forced heat dissipation unit is included in the cooling path, the heat recovery unit measures the temperature of the stationary storage battery and transmits the measured temperature to the path change unit; the path changing unit changes the cooling path based on the temperature. The waste heat utilization snow melting system according to claim 1.

3. the natural heat dissipation unit measures an outside air temperature and transmits the measured value to the path change unit; The path changing unit changes the cooling path based on the outside air temperature. The waste heat utilization snow melting system according to claim 2.

4. the snow-covered portion is a top surface of the structure, The heat pipe is disposed on the top surface of the structure. The waste heat utilization snow melting system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. a heat recovery step of recovering heat from a stationary storage battery housed in the structure; and a natural heat dissipation step for naturally dissipating the recovered heat. The natural heat dissipation step includes: A heat pipe is installed near the snow-covered portion of the structure, The snow in the snow-covered portion is melted when the heat pipe dissipates heat. A method of melting snow using waste heat.

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