Battery container

Abstract

Disclosed is a battery container having excellent assemblability, expandability, and safety.SOLUTION: A battery container according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes at least one battery rack provided with a plurality of battery modules, a container housing having an empty space formed therein to accommodate the battery rack, a plurality of main connectors located on at least one side of the container housing and configured to be electrically connected to the outside, and a main bus bar connected between the plurality of main connectors to transmit power.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0008035, filed on January 19, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in the specification and drawings thereof.

[0002] The present invention relates to batteries, and more particularly to battery containers and the like applied to energy storage systems. [Background technology]

[0003] In recent years, as issues such as power shortages and environmentally friendly energy have come to the forefront, energy storage systems (ESS) for storing generated electricity have been attracting increasing attention.

[0004] For example, a smart grid system has been proposed as a method for adjusting the supply and demand of electricity. The amount of electricity used by consumers is not always constant and may fluctuate from time to time. Typically, the use of such an ESS makes it easy to establish a power management system such as a smart grid system, and makes it possible to easily adjust the supply and demand of electricity in a specific region or city. Furthermore, as the commercialization of electric vehicles becomes widespread, such an ESS can also be applied to electric charging stations where electric vehicles can be charged.

[0005] An ESS may be configured in a variety of forms, but typically includes one or more battery containers. A container is a component configured to accommodate items inside, and generally refers to a shipping container that can be transported on land as well as at sea. In particular, shipping containers can be large, such as 20-foot containers or 40-foot containers. Because the battery containers included in an ESS are as large as shipping containers, the term "container" is used.

[0006] The battery container may include a plurality of battery modules connected in series and / or parallel to one another. Here, the plurality of battery modules are stacked via a rack frame or a separate fixing structure to form a battery rack, and one or more battery racks can be accommodated inside the container housing.

[0007] In the case of an ESS used in a smart grid system, for example, many battery containers are typically connected to each other to increase charge / discharge capacity. However, conventional battery containers have problems such as difficulty in transportation and installation. Furthermore, battery containers are bulky and very heavy, making them difficult to move once positioned. Therefore, connecting multiple battery containers on-site not only requires meticulous process design and high operator skill, but can also be time-consuming.

[0008] Furthermore, with conventional battery containers, it is not easy to connect additional battery containers. Furthermore, after connecting multiple containers to install an ESS, the process of connecting and installing additional battery containers can become extremely difficult. Therefore, the process of adjusting or expanding the ESS value chain by connecting multiple containers on-site is extremely complicated and not easy. For example, when installing an existing ESS, ground work is required to connect the battery container to a power conversion system (PCS) or power conditioning system (DC) by itself, which is inconvenient. Furthermore, when using battery containers, the longer the distance between the battery container and the PCS, the longer the DC line must be. Therefore, conventional technologies have problems such as a complicated installation process, a very long installation time, and the significant cost and labor required to prepare the necessary materials.

[0009] In addition to the above-mentioned workability, ease of assembly, and expandability, battery containers are also required to have a wide range of other performance characteristics, such as high energy density and fire safety. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] Therefore, the present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a battery container and the like that is excellent in workability, assembly, expandability, safety, etc.

[0011] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention given below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a battery container includes one or more battery racks each having a plurality of battery modules provided therein; a container housing having an empty space formed therein to accommodate the battery rack; a plurality of main connectors located on at least one side of the container housing and configured to be electrically connectable to the outside; and a main bus bar connected between the plurality of main connectors and configured to transmit power.

[0013] Here, the main bus bar may be configured to transmit DC power.

[0014] The main bus bar may be disposed in the interior space of the container housing.

[0015] Furthermore, the main connectors may be configured to be exposed to the outside of the container housing.

[0016] Furthermore, the main connectors may be located on the upper side of the container housing.

[0017] Furthermore, the container housing may have a recessed connector receiving portion formed on at least one side thereof, and the main connector may be positioned in the connector receiving portion of the container housing.

[0018] Furthermore, the connector accommodating portion may be formed so as to be open upward and sideways at the edge portion of the upper end of the container housing.

[0019] Furthermore, the battery container may further include a connector cover that covers the outside of the connector accommodating portion.

[0020] Furthermore, the battery container may include a link cover configured to be connectable to a side of the connector accommodating portion and configured to surround a link bus bar connected to the main connector.

[0021] Furthermore, the battery container may further include an air conditioning module configured to condition the atmosphere within the container housing.

[0022] Furthermore, the battery container may further include a vent module configured to vent gas inside the container housing to the outside.

[0023] Furthermore, the battery container may further include a fire extinguishing module configured to supply an externally supplied fire extinguishing fluid to the battery rack.

[0024] Furthermore, the fire extinguishing module may be configured to supply the externally supplied fire extinguishing fluid to other battery containers.

[0025] Furthermore, an energy storage system according to another aspect of the present invention includes a battery container according to the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery container that is excellent in workability, assembly, installation convenience, and the like.

[0027] Furthermore, the present invention provides a battery container with excellent scalability that can easily adapt to changes in the ESS value chain. In particular, the present invention provides a differentiated energy storage system level product solution compared to conventional technologies.

[0028] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, a battery module and various accessories can be transported and installed in a single enclosure, minimizing the need for transportation to an ESS construction site and on-site installation, and improving the convenience of expansion.

[0029] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the number of on-site fastening points and installation time. Also, according to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce ground work during on-site installation.

[0030] In particular, in the past, to build an energy storage system including multiple battery containers, ground work was required in the process of connecting a DC power source from each battery container to a PCS, and the longer the distance, the longer the DC line had to be used. However, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is not necessary to directly connect a DC power source to each of the battery containers using a PCS, which makes installation easier and significantly reduces installation time and material costs.

[0031] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, the energy density can be improved due to the compact structure.

[0032] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is advantageous for integrated environmental control using power line communication (PLC).

[0033] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery container with improved safety in the event of a fire or the like.

[0034] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, when an energy storage system is constructed using a plurality of battery containers, the convenience of constructing a fire protection system can be improved.

[0035] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery container with excellent cooling capacity.

[0036] In addition to these, the present invention can have various other additional effects, which will be explained in the respective embodiments, and explanations of effects that can be easily understood by those skilled in the art will be omitted.

[0037] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further understand the technical concepts of the present invention as well as the content of the invention, and therefore the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to only the matters described in the drawings. [Additional note 1] one or more battery racks each having a plurality of battery modules; a container housing having an interior space for accommodating the battery rack; a plurality of main connectors located on at least one side of the container housing, the main connectors being configured to be electrically connectable to an external device; a main bus bar connected between the plurality of main connectors to transmit power; Including, a battery container. [Additional note 2] 2. The battery container of claim 1, wherein the main bus bar is configured to transmit DC power. [Additional note 3] 2. The battery container according to claim 1, wherein the main bus bar is disposed in the interior space of the container housing. [Additional note 4] The battery container described in Appendix 1, wherein the main connectors are configured to be exposed to the outside of the container housing. [Additional note 5] The battery container according to claim 1, wherein the main connectors are located on an upper side of the container housing. [Additional note 6] The battery container according to claim 1, wherein the container housing has a recessed connector accommodating portion formed on at least the one side of the container housing, and the main connector is located in the connector accommodating portion of the container housing. [Additional note 7] The battery container according to claim 6, wherein the connector accommodating portion is formed so as to be open upward and sideways at an edge portion of an upper end of the container housing. [Additional note 8] 7. The battery container according to claim 6, further comprising a connector cover that covers the outside of the connector housing portion. [Additional note 9] The battery container according to claim 6, further comprising a link cover configured to be connectable to a side portion of the connector accommodating portion and to surround a link bus bar connected to the main connector. [Additional Note 10] Item 10. The battery container of claim 1, further comprising an air conditioning module configured to condition the air inside the container housing. [Additional Note 11] Item 10. The battery container of claim 1, further comprising a vent module configured to allow gas inside the container housing to be discharged to the outside. [Additional Note 12] The battery container of claim 1 further includes a fire-fighting module configured to supply an externally supplied fire-extinguishing liquid to the battery rack. [Additional Note 13] The battery container according to claim 12, wherein the fire-fighting module is configured to be able to supply the fire-extinguishing liquid supplied from the outside to other battery containers. [Additional Note 14] 14. An energy storage system comprising the battery container of any one of claims 1 to 13. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0038] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a configuration of a battery container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a state in which some components of a battery container according to an embodiment of the present invention have been removed or moved. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a top view of the internal configuration of a battery container according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a top view schematically illustrating a configuration in which two battery containers according to an embodiment of the present invention are connected to each other. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a front view of the configuration of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 5 is an enlarged view of the connection portion of the connector in FIG. 4 as viewed from above. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic connection configuration of a portion of an energy storage system including a battery container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a portion where a battery container is connected according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a battery container according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the assembled state of the configuration of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a battery container according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a battery container according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a view schematically illustrating a configuration in which battery containers are connected to each other according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a view schematically illustrating a configuration in which battery containers are connected to each other according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15]FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a portion of a battery container according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a configuration in which another battery container is coupled to the battery container of FIG. 15. [Figure 17] FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view showing some components of the battery container shown in FIG. 15. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery container according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an energy storage system constructed using a plurality of battery containers according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery container according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the battery container of FIG. 20. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a portion of an energy storage system including a battery container according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of a battery container according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating the connection of a firefighting module to two battery containers according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in the specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as having meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical ideas of the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventors themselves can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best explain the invention.

[0040] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention, and that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted therefor at the time of this application.

[0041] Meanwhile, although directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, and rear may be used in this specification, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that these terms are used merely for convenience of explanation and may vary depending on the position of the object in question, the position of the observer, etc. In particular, in each drawing, the X-axis direction indicates the left-right direction, the Y-axis direction indicates the front-back direction, and the Z-axis direction indicates the up-down direction, respectively.

[0042] In this specification, the terms "inside" and "outside" may be used for each component, but unless otherwise specified or explained, "inside" means the direction toward the center of each component, and "outside" means the opposite direction.

[0043] Furthermore, this specification may include multiple embodiments, and for each embodiment, detailed descriptions of parts that are identically or similarly applicable to other embodiments will be omitted, and the description will focus on parts that are different.

[0044] Fig. 1 is a perspective view that schematically shows the configuration of a battery container 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view that schematically shows a state in which some components of the battery container 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention have been removed or moved. Fig. 3 is a view of the internal configuration of the battery container 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention viewed from above.

[0045] 1 to 3, a battery container 1000 according to the present invention includes a battery rack 100, a container housing 200, a main connector 300, and a main bus bar 400.

[0046] The battery rack 100 may include a plurality of battery modules 110. Here, each battery module 110 may be configured in a form in which a plurality of battery cells (secondary batteries) are housed in a module case. The battery modules 110 may be stacked in one direction, for example, vertically, to form the battery rack 100. In particular, the battery rack 100 may be provided with a rack case to facilitate stacking of the battery modules 110. In this case, the plurality of battery modules 110 may be housed in respective housing spaces provided in the rack case to form a module stack.

[0047] The battery modules 110 included in the battery rack 100 may further include a control unit such as a battery management system (BMS) for each or a certain group of battery modules 110. For example, a separate pack BMS may be provided for each battery module 110. In this case, each battery module 110 may be referred to as a battery pack. That is, the battery rack 100 may be said to include a plurality of battery packs. In various descriptions below, the battery module 110 may be substituted with the battery pack.

[0048] One or more battery racks 100 may be included in the battery container 1000. In particular, a plurality of battery racks 100 may be included in the battery container 1000. The plurality of battery racks 100 may be arranged in at least one direction, for example, horizontally. For example, the battery container 1000 may include eight battery racks 100, and the battery racks 100 may be arranged in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) inside the battery container 1000. When a plurality of battery racks 100 are included, each battery rack 100 may be provided with a separate control unit, for example, a rack BMS. In this case, the rack BMS may be connected to a plurality of pack BMSs to exchange data with and control the plurality of pack BMSs. Meanwhile, when the battery container 1000 includes one or more rack BMSs, the rack BMS may be connected to a separate control device, i.e., a control container, provided outside the battery container 1000. The control container may be connected to the rack BMS or pack BMS of the battery container 1000 to control them and exchange data with them.

[0049] The container housing 200 may have an empty space formed therein. The container housing 200 may accommodate the battery rack 100 in the interior space. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 , the container housing 200 may be formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape. The container housing 200 may include an upper housing 201, a lower housing, a front housing 203, a rear housing, a left housing 205, and a right housing, with the interior space at the center. The container housing 200 may accommodate the battery rack 100 in the interior space defined by these six unit housings.

[0050] The container housing 200 may be made of a material that has a certain level of rigidity and can stably protect the internal components from external physical and chemical factors. For example, the container housing 200 may be made of or include a metal material such as steel.

[0051] The container housing may have the same or similar size as a shipping container. The container housing may also conform to predetermined shipping container standards, such as ISO standards. For example, the container housing may be designed to have dimensions the same as or similar to those of a 20-foot container or a 40-foot container. However, the size of such a container housing may be appropriately designed depending on the circumstances. In particular, the size and shape of the container housing may be variously set depending on the construction scale, shape, and topography of a system to which the battery container is applied, such as an energy storage system. The present invention is not limited in any way to the size and shape of such a container housing.

[0052] The main connector 300 may be a component that is electrically connectable to the outside. That is, the main connector 300 may be configured to be connected to the battery container 1000 with another component outside the battery container 1000, for example, another battery container 1000 or a control container equipped with a control unit such as a battery system controller (BSC).

[0053] The main connector 300 may be located on at least one side of the container housing 200. For example, the main connector 300 may be located on the left or right side of the container housing 200. Furthermore, a plurality of main connectors 300 may be included in the battery container 1000. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the main connector 300 may include two main connectors 300, i.e., a first connector 301 and a second connector 302.

[0054] The multiple main connectors 300 may be located on different sides of the container housing 200. Furthermore, the multiple main connectors 300 may be located on opposite sides of the container housing 200. For example, referring to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the first connector 301 and the second connector 302 may be provided on the left and right sides of the container housing 200, respectively.

[0055] The main bus bar 400 may be configured to transmit power. In particular, the main bus bar 400 may be a path through which charging power is transmitted to the battery rack 100 included in the battery container 1000 and discharging power is transmitted from the battery rack 100. To this end, the main bus bar 400 may be electrically connected to each terminal of the battery modules 110 installed in the battery rack 100. The main bus bar 400 may also be connected to the main connector 300. Therefore, the main bus bar 400 may be a path through which charging power is transmitted from the main connector 300 to the battery module 110. The main bus bar 400 may also be a path through which discharging power is transmitted from the battery module 110 to the main connector 300.

[0056] Furthermore, the main bus bar 400 can function as a power transmission line between multiple main connectors 300. To this end, different ends of the main bus bar 400 can be connected to different main connectors 300. For example, the main bus bar 400 can be a long power line extending in one direction, for example, the left-right direction. In this case, both ends of the main bus bar 400 can be connected to different main connectors 300, for example, the first connector 301 and the second connector 302. The main bus bar 400 can then serve as a path for transmitting power between different main connectors 300, for example, between the first connector 301 and the second connector 302.

[0057] The main bus bar 400 may include two unit bus bars, i.e., a positive bus bar 410 and a negative bus bar 420, to function as a path for transmitting power. The positive bus bar 410 may be connected to the positive terminal of the battery rack 100 or the positive terminal of the battery module 110 included therein. The negative bus bar 420 may be connected to the negative terminal of the battery rack 100 or the negative terminal of the battery module 110 included therein.

[0058] Furthermore, a main connector 300 may be provided at each end of the positive bus bar 410 and the negative bus bar 420. For example, a first connector 301 and a second connector 302 may be provided at the left and right ends of the positive bus bar 410, respectively. The first connector 301 and the second connector 302 provided at both ends of the positive bus bar 410 may be the positive connector 310. The first connector 301 and the second connector 302 may also be provided at the left and right ends of the negative bus bar 420, respectively. Both of the two connectors provided at both ends of the negative bus bar 420, i.e., the first connector 301 and the second connector 302, may be the negative connectors 320.

[0059] According to the above-described embodiment, it is easier to construct a battery system including a plurality of battery containers 1000. This will be described in more detail with further reference to FIGS.

[0060] Fig. 4 is a top view schematically showing a configuration in which two battery containers 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention are connected together. Fig. 5 is a front view of the configuration shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the connector connection portion of Fig. 4 viewed from above. For example, Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of portion A1 in Fig. 4.

[0061] 4 to 6, there are shown two battery containers 1000, namely, a first container indicated by B-LINK#1 and a second container indicated by B-LINK#2. In this case, the battery container 1000 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 can be commonly applied to both the first container B-LINK#1 and the second container B-LINK#2.

[0062] In this embodiment, two battery containers 1000 can be connected to each other via the main connector 300. To this end, the two battery containers 1000 can be arranged so that the sides on which the main connectors 300 are provided face each other. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the two battery containers 1000 have main connectors 300 provided on the left and right sides, and can therefore be arranged side by side in the left-right direction with the sides on which the main connectors 300 are provided facing each other. In particular, two battery containers 1000 arranged in the left-right direction can be connected to each other via the main connector 300 on the right side of the first container B-LINK #1 arranged on the left side and the main connector 300 on the left side of the second container B-LINK #2 arranged on the right side.

[0063] The two battery containers 1000 may be arranged at a predetermined distance from each other, taking into consideration various factors such as tolerance, installation convenience, prevention of physical damage, and thermal insulation. For example, the first container B-LINK #1 and the second container B-LINK #2 may be arranged laterally with a separation distance of 10 cm to 20 cm. A separate connecting member may be used to electrically connect the main connector 300 of the first container B-LINK #1 and the main connector 300 of the second container B-LINK #2 to each other. In particular, when constructing a battery system using the battery containers 1000 according to the present invention, a link bus bar such as that indicated by L1 may be included as a member for connecting power sources between the battery containers 1000. One end of this link bus bar L1 may be connected to the main connector 300 of the first container B-LINK #1, and the other end may be connected to the main connector 300 of the second container B-LINK #2.

[0064] Furthermore, since the main connector 300 has a positive connector 310 and a negative connector 320, the link bus bar L1 may similarly have two link bus bars L1, i.e., a positive link bus bar and a negative link bus bar, as shown in Figures 4 and 6.

[0065] In particular, because the main connector 300 of each battery container 1000 is connected to the main bus bar 400, the link bus bar L1 can connect the main bus bars 400 of different containers. In particular, because the main bus bar 400 can be configured to transmit charging / discharging power to the battery containers 1000, the link bus bar L1 can be considered a component provided to transmit charging / discharging power between different battery containers 1000. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 , the link bus bar L1 can transmit charging / discharging power between the first container B-LINK#1 and the second container B-LINK#2. More specifically, power for charging the battery rack 100 included in the second container B-LINK#2 can be transmitted from the main bus bar 400 of the first container B-LINK#1 to the main bus bar 400 of the second container B-LINK#2 via the link bus bar L1. In addition, discharge power from the battery rack 100 of the second container B-LINK#2 can be transmitted from the main bus bar 400 of the second container B-LINK#2 to the main bus bar 400 of the first container B-LINK#1 via the link bus bar L1.

[0066] According to the above embodiment, a power supply connection configuration between two adjacent battery containers 1000 can be easily achieved by simply connecting both ends of the link bus bar L1 to the main connectors 300 of the two battery containers 1000, respectively, with the main connectors 300 facing each other. In particular, the battery container 1000 according to the present invention can provide a path for transmitting charging / discharging power to another external battery container 1000. For example, in the above embodiment, the first container B-LINK #1 can provide a path for transmitting charging / discharging power to the second container B-LINK #2. This eliminates the need to provide a separate power supply path for connecting to an external power system, etc., for each battery container 1000. For example, in the above embodiment, if the first container B-LINK #1 is connected to the power system, the second container B-LINK #2 only needs to be connected to the first container B-LINK #1, and there is no need for the second container B-LINK #2 to be separately connected to the power system. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a long power supply path for the second container B-LINK #2. As a result, when constructing a battery system using multiple battery containers 1000, the convenience of installation and assembly is improved, and costs and working time can be reduced.

[0067] The main bus bar 400 may be configured to transmit DC power as a charging / discharging power source to the battery container 1000. That is, the power source transmitted via the main bus bar 400 may be a DC power source, which will be described in more detail with further reference to FIG. 7.

[0068] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a schematic connection configuration of a portion of an energy storage system including a battery container 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 7 , two battery containers 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, i.e., a first container B-LINK#1 and a second container B-LINK#2, are connected to each other via a link bus bar L1. Each battery container 1000 may include a main connector 300, a main bus bar 400, and a plurality of battery racks 100 connected to the main bus bar 400. These two battery containers 1000 may be sequentially connected to a control container 2000 indicated by E-LINK and a power conversion system indicated by PCS. Here, the PCS may also be referred to as a power conditioning system. This type of energy storage system may be connected to a power grid. In particular, the PCS may be configured to perform AC-DC power supply switching between the power grid and the battery racks 100.

[0070] In this configuration, each battery container 1000 does not need to have its own AC / DC conversion module in the process of exchanging charging / discharging power with the outside. Therefore, the main bus bar 400 of each battery container 1000 may be configured to transmit DC power as a charging / discharging power source.

[0071] In this embodiment, a DC power supply connection configuration between multiple battery containers 1000 can be easily realized by connecting only the main connectors 300 provided on each of the multiple battery containers 1000. In this case, the main bus bars 400 of the multiple battery containers 1000 can be said to be connected in series. That is, the positive connector 310 of the first container B-LINK#1 can be connected to the positive connector 310 of the second container B-LINK#2, and the negative connector 320 of the first container B-LINK#1 can be connected to the negative connector 320 of the second container B-LINK#2. Therefore, the positive bus bar 410 of the first container B-LINK#1 can be connected to the positive bus bar 410 of the second container B-LINK#2, and the negative bus bar 420 of the first container B-LINK#1 can be connected to the negative bus bar 420 of the second container B-LINK#2.

[0072] The battery racks 100 of the multiple battery containers 1000 can be said to be connected in parallel to each other. For example, in the embodiment of Fig. 7, the positive terminals of the battery racks 100 included in each battery container 1000 can be connected to the positive bus bar 410 and the negative terminals can be connected to the negative bus bar 420. Therefore, the battery rack 100 included in the first container B-LINK #1 and the battery rack 100 included in the second container B-LINK #2 can be said to be connected in parallel to each other.

[0073] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, since a separate AC-DC switching device does not need to be provided in the battery container 1000, the internal configuration of the battery container 1000 is simplified. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the second container B-LINK #2, which is located rearward of the first container B-LINK #1, from the control container 2000 connected to the PCS only needs to be connected to the first container B-LINK #1, and does not need to be directly connected to the PCS or the control container 2000. In other words, the second container B-LINK #2 can exchange charge / discharge power with the control container 2000 using the main bus bar 400 included in the first container B-LINK #1, so there is no need to provide a long, separate power path for exchanging charge / discharge power through the control container 2000. Therefore, from this perspective as well, the construction of an energy storage system is very easy, which is advantageous for reducing costs and shortening the construction period for building the system.

[0074] Furthermore, in the embodiment configuration of FIG. 7 , another container, for example, a third container, may be connected to the right side of the second container B-LINK #2. This third container is also a battery container according to an embodiment of the present invention and may have a configuration substantially similar to that of the first container B-LINK #1 and the second container B-LINK #2. In particular, the main connector of the third container may be connected to the main connector 310 provided at the right end of the second container B-LINK #2. In this case, charging / discharging power to the third container may be supplied from the control container 2000 and PCS side or transmitted to the control container 2000 and PCS side via the first container B-LINK #1 and the second container B-LINK #2. This improves the convenience of expansion when establishing a DC link for the battery container 1000.

[0075] The main bus bar 400 may be disposed in the internal space of the container housing 200. That is, the main bus bar 400 may be embedded in the container housing 200 and not exposed to the outside. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , the main bus bar 400 may be located below the upper housing 201, particularly above the battery rack 100. That is, the main bus bar 400 may be embedded in the space between the battery rack 100 and the upper housing 201.

[0076] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the main bus bar 400 is configured to be embedded inside the battery container 1000, so that transportation and installation of the main bus bar 400 can be performed simultaneously by simply transporting and installing the battery container 1000. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the exposure of the power transmission path, i.e., the main bus bar 400, to the outside can be minimized, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the power transmission path and the possibility of electrical leakage. Therefore, the safety of the battery container 1000 and the energy storage system including the battery container 1000 can be improved.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the main bus bar 400 is positioned on the upper side of the battery rack 100, which can avoid or minimize interference of the battery rack 100 with the main bus bar 400. This improves ease of manufacturing the battery container 1000 and minimizes the length of the main bus bar 400. In particular, in the above embodiment, the main bus bar 400 is configured to extend in a straight, elongated manner, and does not need to have a separate curved section.

[0078] The plurality of main connectors 300 may be configured to be exposed to the outside of the container housing 200. For example, referring to the embodiment of Fig. 1, two main connectors 300 may be exposed to the outside of the container housing 200. In particular, such a plurality of main connectors 300 may be located on the outer surface of the container housing 200. That is, the main connectors 300 may be provided on the outer wall of the container housing 200, rather than in the interior space thereof.

[0079] In this case, the operator can easily perform the connection work to the main connector 300 outside the container housing 200 without having to enter the inside of the container housing 200. Therefore, the connection work between battery containers 1000 and the connection work between the battery container 1000 and the control container 2000 can be performed more easily. Therefore, the convenience of installing or expanding the battery container 1000 can be further improved.

[0080] Also, the main connector 300 may be located on the upper side of the container housing 200. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the main connectors 300 may be disposed on the upper left and right sides of the container housing 200, respectively. In this case, the connection between the main connectors 300 can be easily performed. This will be described in more detail with reference to Fig. 8.

[0081] 8 is an enlarged view of a portion where battery containers 1000 are connected together according to one embodiment of the present invention. For example, FIG. 8 may be an enlarged perspective view of a portion where two battery containers 1000 shown in FIG. 1 are provided and the main connectors 300 are connected to each other.

[0082] 8, a second connector 302 may be provided as the main connector 300 on the right side of the first container B-LINK#1, and a first connector 301 may be provided as the main connector 300 on the left side of the second container B-LINK#2. In this case, the second connector 302 and the first connector 301 may be located on the upper side of the first container B-LINK#1 and the second container B-LINK#2, respectively. Furthermore, the second connector 302 and the first connector 301 may be exposed to the outside.

[0083] In this embodiment, an operator can move to the upper side of the first container B-LINK#1 and the second container B-LINK#2 and easily connect the link bus bar L1 between the second connector 302 exposed to the outside and the first connector 301. Furthermore, the operator does not need to enter the space between the two battery containers 1000 to connect the two battery containers 1000. This not only improves workability but also minimizes the space between the two battery containers 1000. This can contribute to improving the energy density of the energy storage system and reducing the installation space.

[0084] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the high-voltage connector is positioned high above the ground, which reduces the risk of flooding and electric leakage. Furthermore, when the size of the battery container 1000 is above a certain level, such as a ship container, the operator is less likely to come into contact with the main connector 300 when moving, which can prevent electric shock and other accidents.

[0085] Meanwhile, when the main connectors 300 are located at the upper side of the container housing 200, the main bus bars 400 connected between the main connectors 300 inside one battery container 1000 may also be located at the upper side of the internal space of the container housing 200. In particular, as described in the previous embodiment, the main bus bars 400 may be located at the upper side of the battery rack 100. In this case, the length of the main bus bars 400 can be shortened, minimizing interference with the battery rack 100, which is advantageous for reducing costs and improving productivity when manufacturing the battery containers 1000.

[0086] The container housing 200 may be formed with a connector receptacle R, as shown in the portion indicated by R in Fig. 1. In particular, when the battery container 1000 includes a plurality of main connectors 300, a plurality of connector receptacles R may be formed as well. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, when two main connectors 300 are located on the left and right sides of the battery container 1000, the connector receptacle R may include a first receptacle R1 formed on the left side of the container housing 200 and a second receptacle R2 formed on the right side of the container housing 200.

[0087] Such a connector accommodating portion R may be formed in an inwardly recessed shape on at least one side of the container housing 200. The main connector 300 may be located in the connector accommodating portion R of the container housing 200. In particular, although the connector accommodating portion R is a portion of the container housing 200 formed in an inwardly recessed shape, it can also be said to correspond to a portion of the outer wall of the container housing 200. Therefore, although the main connector 300 is provided on the outer wall of the container housing 200, it can also be said that the outer wall of the container housing 200 itself is formed to be inwardly recessed. Therefore, it is recognized that the main connector 300 is located in the inwardly recessed portion of the outer wall of the container housing 200.

[0088] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the main connector 300 is exposed to the outside so that connecting members such as the link bus bar L1 can be easily connected to the main connector 300, while minimizing exposure of the main connector 300. This improves workability and installation convenience when connecting other connecting members to the main connector 300, while also providing protection for the main connector 300 and the link bus bar L1 connected thereto. That is, because the main connector 300 is located in a recessed portion known as the connector accommodation portion R in the container housing 200, exposure of the main connector 300 to the outside can be reduced, thereby improving protection for the connection portion of the main connector 300 and the link bus bar L1 connected thereto. In this case, the main connector 300 can be easily protected by separately covering only the open portion of the recessed portion.

[0089] In particular, the connector receiving portion R may be located on the edge portion of the upper end of the container housing 200. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 8, the second receiving portion R2 of the first container B-LINK#1 may be located on the right edge portion of the upper end of the container housing 200. Also, in the embodiment of FIG. 8, the first receiving portion R1 of the second container B-LINK#2 may be located on the left edge portion of the upper end of the container housing 200.

[0090] In particular, the connector accommodating portion R may be formed so that the main connector 300 is open upward and sideways. Here, sideways may refer to the direction in which the adjacent battery container 1000 is located. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 8 , the second accommodating portion R2 of the first container B-LINK#1 may be configured to be open upward and to the right. Therefore, the main connector 300 of the first container B-LINK#1 can be exposed upward and to the right. And, the first accommodating portion R1 of the second container B-LINK#2 may be configured to be open upward and to the left. Therefore, the main connector 300 of the second container B-LINK#2 can be exposed upward and to the left.

[0091] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the construction of a battery system is made easier. For example, as shown in Fig. 8, when two battery containers 1000 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, each main connector 300 may be exposed upward and sideways from the adjacent portion. Therefore, an operator can more easily install or replace the link bus bar L1 using the exposed main connector 300.

[0092] Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a partial configuration of a battery container 1000 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In particular, Fig. 9 may be an enlarged view of the left side of the battery container 1000 according to the present invention. And Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the assembled state of the configuration of Fig. 9.

[0093] 9 and 10 , the battery container 1000 according to the present invention may further include a connector cover 500. The connector cover 500 may cover the outside of the connector receptacle R. That is, the connector receptacle R may be formed such that the outer wall of the container housing 200 is recessed inward, and the connector cover 500 may be configured to cover the outside of this recessed portion. In particular, the connector cover 500 may be configured to cover the main connector 300 received in the connector receptacle R.

[0094] Furthermore, the connector cover 500 may be configured to be openable and closable so as to expose or prevent the connector accommodating portion R to the outside. For example, the connector cover 500 may completely close the connector accommodating portion R to prevent the main connector 300 from being exposed to the outside. The connector cover 500 may also open at least a portion of the connector accommodating portion R to expose the main connector 300 to the outside. In this case, when the main connector 300 is exposed to the outside, the link bus bar L1, the link line L2, etc. may be connected to the main connector 300 through the exposed portion.

[0095] The connector cover 500 may include at least one of a top cover 510 and a side cover 520. The top cover 510 may be configured to close or open the top of the connector accommodating portion R. That is, the top cover 510 may be configured to cover the top opening of the first accommodating portion R1, as indicated by OT. The side cover 520 may be configured to close the side opening of the connector accommodating portion R, as indicated by OS. For example, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the side cover 520 may be configured to cover the left opening of the first accommodating portion R1.

[0096] Furthermore, the connector cover 500 may be configured to be at least partially detachable from the connector housing portion R of the container housing 200. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the top cover 510 and the side cover 520 may be configured to be detachable from the connector housing portion R.

[0097] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the exposure of the main connector 300 located outside the container housing 200 to the outside can be appropriately adjusted depending on the situation. Therefore, protection of the main connector 300 and the connecting members connected thereto can be ensured. For example, during transportation of the battery container 1000, as shown in FIG. 10, the top cover 510 and the side cover 520 close the open portion of the connector accommodating portion R, thereby preventing damage to the main connector 300 inside and electric shock accidents. Furthermore, during installation of the battery container 1000, as shown in FIG. 9, the top cover 510 and the side cover 520 can be detached from the connector accommodating portion R to open the connector accommodating portion R. Therefore, an operator can easily connect connecting members, such as the link bus bar L1, to the main connector 300 through the open portion.

[0098] Meanwhile, the connector cover 500 may be only partially coupled to the connector accommodating portion R, with one portion of the connector accommodating portion R open and the other portion closed. For example, after the connection of the battery container 1000 is completed, the top cover 510 may be recoupled to the connector accommodating portion R, thereby closing the top of the connector accommodating portion R as shown by OT. In this case, the side of the connector accommodating portion R as shown by OS may be open to provide a passage for the link bus bar L1 to pass through, while the top may be closed to block rainwater, dust, and other foreign matter from flowing in from the top side. Therefore, after the connection of the battery container 1000 is completed, this can contribute to protecting the main connector 300 and the link bus bar L1 and preventing electric shock accidents.

[0099] FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a portion of a battery container 1000 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0100] Referring to FIG. 11, the connector cover 500 may be configured to be slidable relative to the container housing 200.

[0101] More specifically, the top cover 510 is attached to the top surface of the container housing 200 and may be configured to be slidable in the horizontal direction (left and right direction) as indicated by arrow B1 in FIG. 11 . The top cover 510 may be configured to open and close the upper end OT of the open portion of the connector accommodating portion R by such sliding action. For example, in the process of connecting the link bus bar L1 to the main connector 300, the top cover 510 may slide in the −X-axis direction to open the upper portion of the connector accommodating portion R, thereby improving the operator's convenience in connecting the link bus bar L1. Then, once this connection operation is completed, the top cover 510 may slide in the +X-axis direction to close the connector accommodating portion R.

[0102] Furthermore, the side cover 520 is attached to the side of the container housing 200 and may be configured to be slidable in the vertical direction (up and down) as shown by arrow B2 in FIG. 11 . The side cover 520 may be configured to open and close the side OS of the open portion of the connector accommodating portion R using such a sliding action. For example, during transportation of the battery container 1000, the side cover 520 may be kept in an upwardly slidable state to close the side of the connector accommodating portion R. Then, after transportation of the battery container 1000 is completed, the side cover 520 may be slid downward to expose the side of the connector accommodating portion R, allowing a connecting member such as the link bus bar L1 to be connected.

[0103] Meanwhile, the container housing 200 may further include a connection reinforcement portion, such as the portion indicated by F in Fig. 11. The connection reinforcement portion F may be located in the connector accommodating portion R of the container housing 200. In particular, the connection reinforcement portion F may be formed in a shape that extends elongatedly along the edge of the container housing 200. Furthermore, the connection reinforcement portion F may be located in the edge portion where the connector accommodating portion R is formed, so as to divide the open portion of the connector accommodating portion R into an upward and a lateral portion.

[0104] The coupling reinforcement portion F may be provided to fasten and fix components included in the battery container 1000 of the present invention or components required when constructing an energy storage system using the battery container 1000. For example, the coupling reinforcement portion F may be provided to fasten and fix the connector cover 500 described in the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 and 10. More specifically, the coupling reinforcement portion F may be provided with components such as fastening holes, protrusions, and hooks for fastening and fixing the top cover 510 and the side cover 520.

[0105] FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a portion of a battery container 1000 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0106] Referring to FIG. 12, the connector cover 500 may be configured to be hinged and rotatable relative to the container housing 200 .

[0107] More specifically, the top cover 510 may be hinged at one end to the top surface of the container housing 200 as indicated by HT and configured to be rotatable as indicated by arrows B3 and B3′. The top cover 510 may be configured to open and close an upper end OT of the opening of the connector accommodating portion R using such a rotational movement. For example, when the battery container 1000 is being transported, the top cover 510 may rotate as indicated by B3 to keep the upper end OT of the opening of the connector accommodating portion R in a closed state. When the battery container 1000 is placed in a specific position for construction of an energy storage system, the top cover 510 may rotate as indicated by B3′ to open the upper end OT of the opening of the connector accommodating portion R. In this case, an operator can easily connect connecting members, such as the link bus bar L1, to the main connector 300 through the opening at the upper end of the connector accommodating portion R. Then, when the connection operation to the main connector 300 is completed, the upper cover 510 can rotate as shown at B3 to close the upper end OT of the opening of the connector receiving portion R again.

[0108] Furthermore, the side cover 520 may be hinged at one end to the side of the container housing 200 as indicated by HS and configured to be rotatable as indicated by arrows B4 and B4'. The side cover 520 may be configured to open and close the side OS of the opening of the connector accommodating portion R using such a rotational movement. For example, when the battery container 1000 is being transported, the side cover 520 may rotate as indicated by B4 to keep the side OS of the opening of the connector accommodating portion R in a closed state. Then, when the battery container 1000 is placed in a specific position for construction of an energy storage system, the side cover 520 may rotate as indicated by B4' to open the side OS of the opening of the connector accommodating portion R. In this case, an operator can easily connect connecting members, such as the link bus bar L1, to the main connector 300 through the opening OS on the side of the connector accommodating portion R. On the other hand, even after the connection work to the main connector 300 is completed, the side cover 520 can be kept open because the side surface OS of the open portion of the connector accommodating portion R must be penetrated by the link bus bar L1 and the like.

[0109] According to this embodiment of the present invention, not only is it easy to open and close the connector cover 500, but the connector cover 500 can remain coupled to the container housing 200 regardless of the opening and closing operation. Therefore, the connector cover 500 can be opened and closed even more easily, and the risk of losing the connector cover 500 can be eliminated.

[0110] In the above-described embodiment, the hinge portion HS of the side cover 520 may be located at the upper end. In this case, the lower end of the side cover 520 may be rotated upward to open the side surface OS of the opening of the connector housing portion R. In this embodiment, the side cover 520 may be configured to protect the outside of the connecting member connected to the main connector 300. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14.

[0111] 13 and 14 are diagrams schematically illustrating a configuration in which battery containers 1000 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention are connected to each other. FIGS. 13 and 14 show the right side of a first container B-LINK #1 and the left side of a second container B-LINK #2. The left side of the first container B-LINK #1 (not shown) may be configured with the same shape as the left side of the second container B-LINK #2 (shown). The right side of the second container B-LINK #2 (not shown) may be configured with the same shape as the right side of the first container B-LINK #1 (shown). That is, the first container B-LINK #1 and the second container B-LINK #2 are battery containers according to an embodiment of the present invention and may be configured with the same shape.

[0112] First, referring to FIG. 13, the main connector 300 provided on the right side of the first container B-LINK #1 and the main connector 300 provided on the left side of the second container B-LINK #2 can be connected to each other via the link bus bar L1. In this case, in the case of the connector housing R provided on the left side of the second container B-LINK #2, i.e., the first housing R1, the top cover 510 and the side cover 520 can be configured to be hinged, as described in the embodiment of FIG. 12 above. Therefore, with the top cover 510 and the side cover 520 open, an operator can connect the link bus bar L1 to the main connector 300 of the first container B-LINK #1 and the main connector 300 of the second container B-LINK #2.

[0113] Once this connection work is completed, as shown in Figure 14, the top cover 510 provided on the first container B-LINK #1 and the top cover 510 provided on the second container B-LINK #2 can be closed to close the top of the connector accommodating section R of each container.

[0114] Therefore, after the battery container 1000 is installed, it is possible to prevent external foreign objects from being thrown into the upper end OT of the open portion of the connector accommodating section R, and to reduce the exposure of electrical connection parts such as the main connector 300 to the outside, thereby effectively preventing electric shock accidents and the like.

[0115] 13 and 14, the hinge portion HS of the side cover 520 of the second container B-LINK #2 may be located on the upper surface side of the connection reinforcement portion F. In this case, when the side cover 520 of the second container B-LINK #2 is placed on the connection reinforcement portion F of the first container B-LINK #1, the side cover 520 may be maintained parallel to the ground. This prevents rainwater and the like from flowing toward the main connector 300 located on the left or right side.

[0116] In addition, in such an embodiment, the connector cover 500 of at least one of the two battery containers 1000 connected to each other can be configured to be able to protrude outward in the horizontal direction.

[0117] For example, after the connection work of the link bus bar L1 is completed, the side cover 520 of the second container B-LINK #2 may be configured to rotate as indicated by arrow B5 and protrude horizontally toward the first container B-LINK #1. At this time, the side cover 520 of the second container B-LINK #2 may be configured to cover the space between the second container B-LINK #2 and the first container B-LINK #1. Furthermore, the side cover 520 of the second container B-LINK #2 may be configured to cover the space between the second container B-LINK #2 and the first container B-LINK #1 from above.

[0118] According to this configuration, the upper part of the link bus bar L1 disposed in the space between the second container B-LINK#2 and the first container B-LINK#1 can be covered, thereby improving the protection effect for the link bus bar L1 and the main connector 300. For example, it is possible to prevent snow, rain, dust, and other external foreign matter from flowing from the upper part of the link bus bar L1 toward the link bus bar L1 or the main connector 300.

[0119] In the above-described embodiment, the connector cover 500 configured to protrude horizontally outward may be configured to be mountable on another battery container 1000. For example, as shown in FIG. 14 , the side cover 520 of the second container B-LINK #2 may have one end hinged to the second reinforcement part F2, which is the connecting reinforcement part F of the second container B-LINK #2, and the other end mounted on the first reinforcement part F1, which is the connecting reinforcement part F of the first container B-LINK #1.

[0120] In this case, a mounting portion may be formed in the first reinforcement portion F1 of the first container B-LINK #1, as shown by D in FIG. 13 , so that the side cover 520 of the second container B-LINK #2 can be placed thereon. In particular, the mounting portion D may be formed in the shape of a recessed groove facing downward in the connection reinforcement portion F. When the link bus bar L1 is connected between the main connectors 300 of the two battery containers 1000, the end of the side cover 520 may be placed on the mounting portion D. In addition, the mounting portion D may be configured to have a variety of other fastening forms, such as a protrusion or a hook.

[0121] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the side cover 520 can be stably coupled to other containers, thereby improving the ease of assembly between battery containers. In addition, in this case, the side cover 520 can more securely protect the link bus bar L1, the main connector 300, and the like.

[0122] Furthermore, the side cover 520 may be provided with a sealing member, as shown by C in FIG. 13 , on the end side that is placed on the placement portion D. Such sealing member C may be made of an elastic material such as rubber, silicone, or polyurethane. In this case, when the side cover 520 is placed on the placement portion D, it is possible to prevent impact from being applied to the side cover 520 or the connection reinforcement portion F of the container housing 200. Therefore, it is possible to prevent damage or breakage of the side cover 520 or the connection reinforcement portion F. In addition, in this case, the sealing force between the side cover 520 and the connection reinforcement portion F is improved, further improving the effect of preventing the entry of foreign matter such as water and dust.

[0123] Meanwhile, in the embodiment of FIG. 12, the lower end of the side cover 520 is configured to rotate upward to open the side opening of the connector accommodating portion R, but the side cover 520 may be configured to have a hinged lower end and an upper end that rotates downward to open the side opening of the connector accommodating portion R. For example, in the embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14, the side cover 520 provided on the connector accommodating portion R formed on the right side of the first container B-LINK#1 may have a hinged lower end and an upper end that rotates downward to open the side opening of the connector accommodating portion R. In this case, the two opposing side covers 520, i.e., the side cover 520 of the first container B-LINK#1 and the side cover 520 of the second container B-LINK#2, can be said to be configured to open in opposite directions.

[0124] According to this embodiment, interference between the side covers 520 can be avoided while the openings on the sides of the connector receiving portion R are open. For example, the left side cover 520 covering the left side of the first receiving portion R1 of the second container B-LINK#2 can be maintained in an open state, positioned above the link bus bar L1, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. The right side cover 520 covering the right side of the second receiving portion R2 of the first container B-LINK#1 can be rotated downward and brought into close contact with the outer wall on the right side of the first container B-LINK#1, thereby opening the right side of the second receiving portion R2.

[0125] According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to prevent external foreign objects from being introduced into components for electrical connection, such as the main connector 300 and the link bus bar L1, during transportation or after installation of the battery container 1000, thereby preventing electric shock accidents. Furthermore, during installation of the battery container 1000, the connection work between the main connector 300 and the link bus bar L1 can be easily performed.

[0126] Fig. 15 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a portion of a battery container 1000 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 16 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a configuration in which another battery container 1000 is coupled to the battery container 1000 of Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is an exploded perspective view showing some components of the battery container 1000 shown in Fig. 15.

[0127] 15 to 17, the battery container 1000 according to the present invention may further include a link cover 900.

[0128] The link cover 900 may be configured to be connectable to the outer wall of the container housing 200, particularly to the side of the connector accommodating portion R. For example, as shown in FIG. 15 , the link cover 900 may be connected to the connector accommodating portion R formed on the left side of the second container B-LINK#2. In particular, the link cover 900 may have an empty space, i.e., a hollow, in the center, as indicated by V. The link cover 900 may be attached to the container housing 200 such that the hollow V communicates with the opening OS on the side of the connector accommodating portion R.

[0129] The link cover 900 may be configured to be detachable from the outer wall of the container housing 200. In particular, when the battery container 1000 is being stored or transported, a side cover 520 may be attached to the side opening portion OS of the connector accommodating portion R. In order to couple or connect the battery container 1000 to another battery container 1000 or a control container 2000, the side cover 520 opens the side opening portion OS, and the link cover 900 may be coupled to the side wall of the container housing 200 so that the hollow V communicates with the side opening portion OS.

[0130] The link cover 900 may be configured so that one end is connectable to the container housing 200 of the battery container 1000 in which it is included. The link cover 900 may also be configured so that the other end is connectable to the container housing 200 of another battery container 1000. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 15 , the link cover 900 is a component included in the second container B-LINK#2, and its right end is connectable to the left side wall of the container housing 200 of the second container B-LINK#2. In the embodiment of FIG. 15 , the left end of the link cover 900 may also be connectable to the right side wall of the container housing 200 of another battery container 1000, for example, the first container B-LINK#1, as in the embodiment of FIG. 16 . Here, the link cover 900 may be connected to the container housing 200 by a variety of fastening methods, such as clamping or hooking.

[0131] Furthermore, the link cover 900 can be coupled to the periphery of the connector accommodating portion R in the container housing 200, particularly to a shape that surrounds the opening portion OS on the side of the connector accommodating portion R. For example, the link cover 900 can be formed in a ring shape with a roughly square end, and coupled to the upper, lower, front, and rear portions of the opening portion OS on the side of the connector accommodating portion R.

[0132] Furthermore, the link cover 900 may be configured to surround the link bus bar L1 connected to the main connector 300 when coupled to the side of the connector accommodating portion R. For example, as shown in FIG. 15 , with the right end of the link cover 900 coupled to the side opening OS of the left connector accommodating portion R of the second container B-LINK #2, the left end of the link cover 900 may be coupled to the side opening of the right connector accommodating portion R of the first container B-LINK #1, as shown in FIG. 16 . In this case, the link bus bar L1 may be connected between the main connector 300 located in the left connector accommodating portion R of the second container B-LINK #2 and the main connector 300 located in the right connector accommodating portion R of the first container B-LINK #1. In particular, a hollow V is formed in the link cover 900, and the link bus bar L1 may be fitted into the hollow V.

[0133] The link cover 900 may be configured to cover the link bus bar L1 in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction. For example, the link bus bar L1 may extend in the left-right direction from between two battery containers 1000 arranged in the left-right direction, and the link cover 900 may be configured to surround the upper, lower, front, and rear portions of the link bus bar L1 with both ends coupled to the two battery containers 1000.

[0134] Referring to FIG. 17 , the link cover 900 may include a plurality of unit covers. In this case, the plurality of unit covers may be configured to be separable and connectable to each other. In particular, the link cover 900 may be manufactured with the unit covers separated from each other, and then the unit covers may be connected to each other during the process of mounting the unit covers on the container housing 200. In this case, the connection of the plurality of unit covers may be performed by a method such as bolt fastening. To this end, at least some of the plurality of unit covers may be formed with fastening holes for bolt fastening between them. In addition, the plurality of unit covers may be formed with components such as protrusions or grooves for fitting and fastening.

[0135] According to this embodiment of the present invention, since the link cover 900 is separated into a plurality of unit covers, it is easier to handle and install the link cover 900. Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, it is possible to provide better overall protection for the link bus bar L1.

[0136] Furthermore, the link cover 900 according to the present invention may be a plurality of unit covers, and may include a bottom cover 910 and a top cover 920 as shown in FIG.

[0137] Here, the bottom cover 910 may be configured to protect the lower and side portions of the link bus bar L1. To this end, the bottom cover 910 may have a plurality of plate-like portions to easily form a space for accommodating the link bus bar L1 inside and to improve connectivity. More specifically, the bottom cover 910 may have a lower plate for covering the lower portion of the link bus bar L1 and side plates for covering the side portions of the link bus bar L1. Furthermore, the bottom cover 910 may be configured in the shape of a folded plate.

[0138] The top cover 920 may be configured to protect the upper portion of the link bus bar L1. To this end, the top cover 920 may include a plate-shaped portion, i.e., an upper plate, for covering the upper portion of the link bus bar L1. In particular, the top cover 920 may be configured to be longer than the space between the two battery containers, and a portion of the top cover 920 may be placed on the upper portion of the two battery containers. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 16 , the left end of the top cover 920 may be placed on the upper surface of the right side of the container housing 200 of the first container B-LINK #1, and the right end of the top cover 920 may be placed on the upper surface of the left side of the container housing 200 of the second container B-LINK #2.

[0139] According to this embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily cover the exposed portions of the link bus bar L1 between two battery containers 1000. In particular, the link bus bar L1 connected between two battery containers 1000 arranged in the left-right direction may have its upper, lower, front, and rear exposed in the space between the two battery containers 1000. However, in the above embodiment, the bottom cover 910 and the top cover 920 can cover and protect the exposed portions of the link bus bar L1, i.e., its upper, lower, front, and rear. Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, the bottom cover 910 and the top cover 920 can be fastened together with the link bus bar L1 connected between the two battery containers 1000, making it easy to assemble the link bus bar L1 and the link cover 900.

[0140] 17, the plurality of unit covers constituting the link cover 900 may further include a guide cover 930. The guide cover 930 may be coupled to the outside of the container housing 200. Here, the guide cover 930 may be fastened to the container housing 200. At this time, the guide cover 930 and the container housing 200 may each have a coupling hole formed therein for bolting them together.

[0141] 17, the guide cover 930 may be configured in a generally C-shape and coupled to the lower and side portions (front and rear portions) of the connector accommodating portion R in the container housing 200. More specifically, the guide cover 930 may include a horizontal guide portion and a vertical guide portion. Here, the horizontal guide portion may be located on the lower side of the opening portion OS in the side portion of the connector accommodating portion R in the container housing 200, and the vertical guide portions may be located on the front and rear sides of the opening portion OS in the side portion of the connector accommodating portion R.

[0142] The link cover 900 located between two battery containers 1000 may be coupled to each of the two battery containers 1000, and therefore may include two guide covers 930. For example, referring to the configuration shown in FIG. 17 , two guide covers 930 may be included as unit covers for configuring one link cover 900. In this case, one guide cover 930 may be coupled to the right surface of the first container B-LINK #1, and the other guide cover 930 may be coupled to the left surface of the second container B-LINK #2.

[0143] The guide cover 930 may be configured to receive at least one of the bottom cover 910 and the top cover 920. That is, the guide cover 930 may be configured to receive the bottom cover 910 or the top cover 920 while being coupled to the outside of the container housing 200. Referring to the configurations shown in FIGS. 15 to 17 as a more specific embodiment, the bottom cover 910 may be received on two guide covers 930. In particular, the left side of the bottom cover 910 may be received on the left guide cover 930, and the right side of the bottom cover 910 may be received on the right guide cover 930.

[0144] FIG. 18 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a battery container 1000 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0145] 18, three or more connector receptacles R may be formed in the battery container 1000. More specifically, the connector receptacles R are formed on the upper side of the container housing 200, and may be formed on the left and right sides as well as the front and rear sides. A main connector 300 may be provided in each of the four connector receptacles R1 to R4. The main connectors 300 may be connected to each other via a main bus bar 400 to allow power, particularly DC power, to flow through them. A connector cover 500 may be provided in each of the connector receptacles R1 to R4 in an openable and closable manner to expose or cover the main connector 300.

[0146] This embodiment facilitates the construction of a wide variety of energy storage systems. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, two different battery containers 1000 may be arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction and connected to each other in a DC link configuration. Alternatively, two different battery containers 1000 may be arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction and connected to each other in a DC link configuration. Here, when two battery containers 1000 are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction, the main connectors 300 of the connector housings R1 and R2 located at both ends of the left and right sides may be used. Alternatively, when two battery containers 1000 are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction, the main connectors 300 of the connector housings R3 and R4 located at both ends of the front and rear sides may be used. This increases the degree of freedom in the overall design of the energy storage system and the arrangement of the battery containers 1000.

[0147] Meanwhile, in the above embodiment, depending on the arrangement of the battery container 1000, the connector accommodating portion R in which the unused main connector 300 is located may be covered by the connector cover 500 on both the top and sides.

[0148] Fig. 19 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an energy storage system constructed using a plurality of battery containers 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Furthermore, Fig. 19 can be said to be a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an energy storage system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0149] 19, an energy storage system according to the present invention may include a battery container 1000 according to the present invention, a control container 2000, and a PCS. For example, the energy storage system may include six battery containers 1000, two control containers 2000 (E-LINK), and one PCS.

[0150] Here, three battery containers 1000 and one control container 2000 may constitute one link group. The energy storage system of FIG. 19 includes two link groups. The two link groups may be connected to one PCS. In each link group, the three battery containers 1000 may be connected to each other via their respective main connectors 300 located at the left and right ends, via charge / discharge power supply paths, i.e., DC paths. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, a link bus bar L1 may be connected between the battery containers 1000 in the portion indicated by A2, thereby realizing a DC link between the battery containers 1000. To connect the link bus bar L1, the side cover 520 may open the side opening portion OS of the connector accommodating portion R in the portion indicated by A2.

[0151] Meanwhile, in each of the two link groups, in the portion of the battery container 1000 located on the outer periphery to which no other containers are connected, the side cover 520 may have a configuration in which the side opening portion OS of the connector accommodating portion R is closed. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 19 , as shown in the portion A3, in the right-side connector accommodating portion R of the battery container 1000 located at the rightmost side, the side opening portion OS may be configured to be closed by the side cover 520.

[0152] In addition, among the battery containers 1000 located on the outer periphery of each of the two link groups, the battery container 1000 located closest to the PCS in terms of the electrical path, for example, the battery container 1000 located on the leftmost side, may be connected to the control container 2000. In this case, the control container 2000 (E-LINK) may be a component configured to perform overall control and diagnosis of the three battery containers 1000 (B-LINK) connected at the rear end. That is, in the above embodiment, control components for collectively controlling the multiple battery containers 1000 (B-LINK) may be separately located outside each battery container 1000 (B-LINK). Such a control container 2000 (E-LINK) may include a DC part, an AC part, a BSC part, etc. to control the multiple battery containers 1000. In each link group, control components for the multiple battery containers 1000 may be collectively provided in the control container 2000. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the control components included in each battery container 1000, thereby simplifying the configuration of the battery container 1000. Meanwhile, each control container 2000 (E-LINK) can be connected to a PCS.

[0153] 19, the battery container 1000 may be connected to the control container 2000 via a link line such as that indicated by L2. The link line L2 connected to the control container 2000 may be connected to the main connector of the battery container 1000. In this case, the battery container 1000 may further include additional components for connection with such link line L2. This will be described in more detail with further reference to FIGS. 20 and 21.

[0154] 20 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a battery container 1000 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the battery container 1000 of FIG.

[0155] For example, the battery container 1000 shown in Figure 21 can be said to represent the left connection portion of the battery container 1000 that is located on the far left side of the multiple battery containers 1000 shown in Figure 19 and is directly connected to the control container 2000 in each link group.

[0156] Referring to Figures 20 and 21, the battery container 1000 may include a terminal bus bar TB, an insulating panel IP, and / or a terminal cover TC.

[0157] The terminal bus bar TB may be connected to the main connector 300 that is directly connected to the control container 2000. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figures 20 and 21, the terminal bus bar TB may be connected to the left main connector 300 of the battery container 1000 that is located on the leftmost side in each link group. The other end of the terminal bus bar TB may be connected to the link line L2.

[0158] The terminal bus bar TB may be made of an electrically conductive material. The terminal bus bar TB may also be configured in a plate shape. For example, the terminal bus bar TB may be formed in the shape of a metal plate. In this case, the terminal bus bar TB can be stably attached to the outer wall of the container housing 200. The terminal bus bar TB may also include two terminal bus bars with opposite polarities, i.e., a positive terminal bus bar and a negative terminal bus bar, for transmitting power.

[0159] Furthermore, the terminal bus bar TB may extend from the main connector 300 located inside the connector housing R to the outside of the connector housing R and be bent along the outer wall of the container housing 200. In particular, when the main connector 300 is located on the upper side of the container housing 200, the terminal bus bar TB may extend horizontally from the main connector 300 and be bent downward. In this case, the terminal bus bar TB is prevented from protruding outward, making it easier to connect the terminal bus bar TB and the link line L2. In addition, since the end of the terminal bus bar TB faces downward, it is easier to install the link line L2 underground.

[0160] The insulating panel IP may electrically insulate the terminal bus bar TB from the container housing 200. To this end, the insulating panel IP may be made of an electrically insulating material such as rubber, silicone, or plastic. Furthermore, the insulating panel IP may be interposed between the terminal bus bar TB and the container housing 200 to space the terminal bus bar TB a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the container housing 200. Furthermore, the insulating panel IP may be made of an elastic material, thereby suppressing the transmission of shocks and vibrations between the terminal bus bar TB and the container housing 200.

[0161] The terminal cover TC may be configured to protect the terminal bus bar TB. To this end, the terminal cover TC may be configured to encase the outside of the terminal bus bar TB. For example, the terminal cover TC may include a shroud panel as shown by TC1 and a shroud cover as shown by TC2. Here, the shroud panel TC1 may be formed in a generally square ring shape and configured to encase the sides, such as the upper, lower, front, and rear sides, of the terminal bus bar TB. The shroud cover TC2 may be configured in a generally plate shape and to cover the open side of the shroud panel TC1. Thus, the shroud cover TC2 can cover the left side of the terminal bus bar.

[0162] This embodiment provides stable protection for the terminal bus bars from external physical and chemical factors. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the shroud cover TC2 can be configured to be detachable from the shroud panel TC1. In this case, removing the shroud cover TC2 allows for easy connection, disconnection, and repair of the terminal bus bars TB.

[0163] Furthermore, the battery container 1000 according to the present invention may include a cable cover CC. The cable cover CC may be configured to encase cables connected to the battery container 1000. For example, a plurality of power cables may be connected to the terminal bus bar TB to transmit power. In this case, the cable cover CC may be located at one end, for example, the lower end, of the terminal cover TC to protect the plurality of power cables connected to the terminal bus bar TB. Alternatively, data cables may be connected to the battery container 1000 to exchange various data with other external components, for example, the control container 2000. In this case, the cable cover CC may be configured to protect the data cables connected to the battery container 1000 from the outside.

[0164] In particular, the cable cover CC may include a cable tray CC1 and a tray cover CC2. The cable tray CC1 may include a main body portion attached to the outer wall of the container housing 200 and sidewall portions protruding outward from the periphery of the main body portion. For example, the sidewall portions may be formed to protrude to the left from the front and rear edges of the main body portion. The tray cover CC2 may be coupled to the ends of the sidewall portions protruding from the main body portion of the cable tray CC1, so that an empty space may be formed inside together with the main body portion and the sidewall portions. In particular, such empty space may be formed hollow. Therefore, cables can extend outward from the battery container 1000 through such empty space in the cable cover CC. The cables extending outward may then be connected to other external components, such as the control container 2000 or another battery container 1000.

[0165] According to this embodiment, exposure of the cables extending from the battery container 1000 to the outside can be minimized to protect the cables and prevent damage or breakage of the cables. Furthermore, the cable cover CC is configured to have a hollow portion formed downward on the side surface of the container housing, so that the cables housed inside can be exposed downward to the outside. This is advantageous for routing and managing the cables, burying them underground, and the like.

[0166] Furthermore, the battery container 1000 according to the present invention may further include an air conditioning module 600, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, etc.

[0167] The air conditioning module 600 may be configured to condition the air inside the container housing 200. In particular, the air conditioning module 600 may adjust the temperature state of the internal air. Furthermore, the air conditioning module 600 may be configured to circulate the air inside the container housing 200, thereby controlling the temperature of various electronic equipment, such as the battery rack 100 and the rack BMS, included inside the battery container 1000 within a certain range. In particular, the air conditioning module 600 may cool the air inside the container housing 200. For example, the air conditioning module 600 may be configured to absorb heat from the air inside the container housing 200 and discharge it to the outside. Furthermore, the air conditioning module 600 may be configured to remove dust, foreign matter, etc. from the air inside the container housing 200.

[0168] Typically, the air conditioning module 600 may include one or more HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning) units. For example, the battery container 1000 according to the present invention may be equipped with four HVAC units. The HVAC units may circulate air inside the container housing 200. In this case, the temperature of the battery racks 100 may be lowered, and the temperature difference between the battery racks 100 or the battery modules 110 contained inside the container housing 200 may be reduced.

[0169] In particular, the container housing 200 may have one or more doors, such as the portion indicated by E in FIGS. 1 and 2, to facilitate installation and maintenance of the battery rack 100. For example, the container housing 200 may have eight doors E on its front side. Two of the doors E may form a pair and be opened and closed in a sliding door manner. Such doors E may also be attached to other portions of the container housing 200, for example, on its rear side.

[0170] In this manner, when the container housing 200 is provided with a door E, an air conditioning system (HAVC: Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) may be installed in the door E of the container housing 200. For example, when two doors E are configured as a pair, the HVAC may be installed in one of the two doors E. Furthermore, the HVAC, i.e., the air conditioning module 600, may be configured to penetrate the container housing 200, particularly the door E. In this case, one surface of the air conditioning module 600 may be exposed to the outside of the container housing 200, and the other surface of the air conditioning module 600 may be exposed to the inside of the container housing 200. Therefore, the inner surface of the air conditioning module 600 comes into contact with the air inside the container housing 200 to absorb heat, and the outer surface of the air conditioning module 600 comes into contact with the air outside the container housing 200 to discharge heat.

[0171] The air conditioning module 600 may be configured to prevent direct contact between the internal air and the external air. That is, the air conditioning module 600 may be configured to prevent the internal air from being discharged to the outside and to prevent the external air from flowing into the inside. Therefore, even if the temperature inside the container housing 200 rises, the air conditioning module 600 can absorb only the heat from the internal air and discharge it to the outside without directly discharging the internal air to the outside. According to this embodiment, even if a fire or toxic gas is generated inside the battery container 1000, it can be prevented from being discharged to the outside and causing damage to other devices such as other surrounding battery containers 1000 or external operators.

[0172] Furthermore, the battery container 1000 according to the present invention may further include a vent module 700, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, for example.

[0173] The vent module 700 may be configured to exhaust gas inside the container housing 200 to the outside. The vent module 700 may also allow air outside the container housing 200 to flow into the inside. Therefore, the vent module 700 may function as a ventilation device. That is, the vent module 700 may allow gas to be exchanged or circulated between the inside and outside of the container housing 200.

[0174] In particular, the vent module 700 may be configured to operate in an abnormal situation, for example, when vent gas is generated or a fire occurs in a specific battery module 110. Furthermore, the vent module 700 may be configured to discharge gas to the outside when gas is generated inside the container housing 200 due to a thermal runaway phenomenon of the battery rack 100, for example. Furthermore, the vent module 700 may be configured to be in a closed state under normal conditions and to be switched to an open state under an abnormal condition, such as a thermal runaway situation. In this case, since the vent module 700 performs active ventilation, the vent module 700 may be referred to as an active ventilation system (AVS) or may include such a system.

[0175] In this case, it is possible to prevent a larger problem, such as an explosion, from occurring due to an increase in the internal pressure of the battery container 1000. Also, in this case, by quickly discharging the flammable gas inside the container housing 200 to the outside, it is possible to reduce the possibility of a fire occurring in the battery container 1000 or delay the occurrence of a fire, thereby reducing the scale of the fire.

[0176] On the other hand, in an embodiment including both the vent module 700 and the air conditioning module 600, the vent module 700 may not operate under normal circumstances, but the air conditioning module 600 may operate. In this case, it is possible to prevent external foreign matter or moisture from flowing into the container housing 200 through the vent module 700 during the cooling process.

[0177] According to the above-described embodiment, since the air conditioning module 600, the vent module 700, etc. are incorporated into the battery container 1000, the air conditioning module 600 and the vent module 700 can be transported and installed simply by transporting and installing the battery container 1000. Therefore, on-site installation work for installing the energy storage system is minimized, and the connection structure, etc. can be simplified.

[0178] In the above-described implementation, the air conditioning module 600 and / or the vent module 700 may operate under the control of the control container 2000. Alternatively, the air conditioning module 600 and / or the vent module 700 may be controlled by a control unit included inside the battery container 1000, such as a rack BMS or other separate control unit that controls the charging and discharging operations of each battery rack 100.

[0179] Furthermore, the battery container 1000 according to the present invention may include one or more sensors to provide sensing information to a rack BMS or other separate control unit included in the battery container 1000, or to the control container 2000. For example, a temperature sensor, a smoke sensor, an H2 sensor, and / or a CO sensor may be included inside the battery container 1000. In this case, the operation of the air conditioning module 600 and / or the vent module 700 may be controlled based on information sensed by such sensors.

[0180] Fig. 22 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a portion of an energy storage system including a battery container 1000 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 23 is an enlarged view of a portion of a battery container 1000 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. In particular, Fig. 23 may be an enlarged view of the lower right portion of the battery container 1000. Fig. 24 is a diagram schematically illustrating a connection form of a fire protection module 800 to two battery containers 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0181] 22 to 24, a battery container 1000 according to the present invention may include a fire protection module 800.

[0182] The firefighting module 800 may be configured to receive a supply of fire extinguishing liquid from the outside. Here, the fire extinguishing liquid may be water. For example, referring to FIGS. 19 and 22, an external firefighting device 3000 may be provided outside the battery container 1000 to supply fire extinguishing liquid (water) to the battery container 1000. Such an external firefighting device 3000 may be included in the energy storage system according to the present invention. The external firefighting device 3000 may be referred to as a "Water Injection Unit (WIU)" or a "Water Injection System (WIS)." The external firefighting device 3000 may supply fire extinguishing liquid to the firefighting module 800 of the battery container 1000.

[0183] The firefighting module 800 may be configured to supply fire extinguishing liquid supplied from an external firefighting device 3000 to the battery rack 100. In particular, when a fire or the like occurs inside the battery container 1000, the firefighting module 800 may supply fire extinguishing liquid, for example, water, to prevent or extinguish the fire.

[0184] The firefighting module 800 may include a firefighting connector 810 , a firefighting pipe 820 and / or an injection nozzle 830 .

[0185] The fire connector 810 may be provided in an exposed form on the outer wall of the container housing 200, as shown in A5 of Fig. 1, A6 of Fig. 22, and A7 of Fig. 23. A supply pipe P1 connected to an external fire-fighting device 3000 may be connected to the fire connector 810, as shown in Fig. 22. Therefore, the fire extinguishing liquid supplied from the external fire-fighting device 3000 can be supplied to the inside of the container housing 200 through the fire connector 810 via the supply pipe P1. The fire connector 810 may be located at the bottom of the container housing 200. In this case, interference with the main connector 300 located at the top of the container housing 200 can be avoided or minimized.

[0186] The fire pipe 820 may be at least partially disposed in the interior space of the container housing 200, and one end thereof may be connected to the fire connector 810. The fire pipe 820 may then convey external fire extinguishing liquid supplied via the fire connector 810 to a specific space inside the container housing 200. In particular, the fire pipe 820 may be at least partially embedded inside a beam constituting the container housing 200, or attached or fixed to an inner wall of the container housing 200.

[0187] The fire fighting pipe 820 may include a main pipe 821 and a branch pipe 822 .

[0188] One end of the main pipe 821 is connected to the fire connector 810, and can supply fire-extinguishing liquid supplied from the outside to the branch pipe 822. Furthermore, the main pipe 821 can have a shape that extends elongatedly horizontally, for example, in the left-right direction, along the longitudinal direction of the battery container 1000.

[0189] The branch pipes 822 may be configured in a shape in which a single main pipe 821 branches into a plurality of pipes. In particular, the branch pipes 822 may be provided to correspond to each of a plurality of module stacks (formed by stacking a plurality of battery modules 110) arranged horizontally inside the battery container 1000. In this case, one or more module stacks may constitute the battery rack 100.

[0190] For example, if ten module stacks are included in the container housing 200 in the horizontal direction, ten branch pipes 822 may be included in the fire pipe 820. Each branch pipe 822 may supply fire-extinguishing fluid to the battery modules 110 included in each module stack. Furthermore, the branch pipes 822 may have a shape that extends elongatedly in the vertical direction to correspond to the stacked shape of the battery modules 110.

[0191] As shown in FIG. 22 , the main pipe 821 may be provided at a lower portion of the container housing 200, particularly at the bottom surface. The branch pipes 822 may extend in an elongated shape upward from the main pipe 821 disposed at the lower portion. In this case, the fire-extinguishing liquid may be supplied from each branch pipe 822 in an upward direction. According to this embodiment, the fire-extinguishing liquid may be packed evenly throughout the internal space of the branch pipes 822 extending in an elongated shape in the vertical direction, eliminating any empty space. Therefore, the fire-extinguishing liquid may be supplied sufficiently to any of the battery modules 110 stacked in the vertical direction.

[0192] In particular, even in a normal state, the main pipe 821 and / or the branch pipe 822 can be kept filled with fire extinguishing liquid, which allows for rapid supply of fire extinguishing liquid when a fire occurs.

[0193] The spray nozzle 830 may be located in the branch pipe 822 and configured to spray fire-extinguishing liquid toward the battery module 110. The spray nozzle 830 may include a glass bulb or may be realized by a glass bulb. In this case, when a fire occurs, the glass bulb breaks, allowing the fire-extinguishing liquid present inside the branch pipe 822 to be sprayed outward.

[0194] A plurality of spray nozzles 830 may be arranged along the vertical direction, which is the extension direction of the branch pipe 822. Furthermore, the spray nozzles 830 may be provided in one-to-one correspondence with each battery module 110. Furthermore, the spray nozzles 830, in particular the glass bulbs, may be configured to be inserted into the battery modules 110.

[0195] Therefore, when a fire breaks out in a specific battery module 110, fire extinguishing liquid can be quickly supplied to that battery module 110. Furthermore, in this case, fire extinguishing liquid is not supplied to other normal battery modules 110, and the fire extinguishing liquid can be concentrated on the battery module 110 where the problem has occurred. Therefore, damage to normal battery modules 110 included in the battery container 1000 can be minimized, while the battery container 1000 can be operated normally or in an emergency.

[0196] Meanwhile, the external fire-fighting device 3000 supplies fire-extinguishing fluid to the battery container 1000 under normal or abnormal conditions, but may also be configured to recover the supplied fire-extinguishing fluid. For example, as shown in FIG. 22, the external fire-fighting device 3000 may recover fire-extinguishing fluid from the battery container 1000 through a recovery pipe such as that indicated by P1'. For this purpose, the battery container 1000 may be provided with a separate fire connector 810 at a portion such as that indicated by A6'. In this case, the portion indicated by A6 is considered to function as a water inlet, and the portion indicated by A6' is considered to function as a water outlet.

[0197] In addition, the fire extinguishing module 800 may be configured to be able to supply fire extinguishing fluid supplied from the outside to other battery containers 1000.

[0198] For example, the battery container 1000 may have a fire connector 810 on the left side, as shown by A6 in Fig. 22. The battery container 1000 may also have a fire connector 810 on the right side, as shown by A7 in Fig. 23. That is, the battery container 1000 may have fire connectors 810 on at least different sides, for example, on opposite sides. A main pipe 821 and / or branch pipes 822 may be connected between the fire connectors 810 formed on different sides in this way.

[0199] 24, the fire connectors 810 provided on the two battery containers 1000 may be connected to each other via a separate connecting pipe P2. Here, the connecting pipe P2 may be made of a flexible material and have a flexible shape. The connecting pipe P2 may allow the fire extinguishing liquid to be transferred between the two battery containers 1000.

[0200] For example, the container on the left side of FIG. 24 is the first container B-LINK #1 and can be considered to represent the right portion of the container shown in FIG. 22. The right portion of the battery container 1000 in FIG. 23 can be applied to the right portion of the first container B-LINK #1 in FIG. 24. For example, the portion A7 in FIG. 23 where the fire connector 810 is provided can be considered to be a configuration similar to that of the portion indicated by A7 in FIG. 24. The container on the right side of FIG. 24 is the second container B-LINK #2 and can have the same fire module 800 configuration as the battery container 1000 in FIG. 22. For example, the portion indicated by A8 in the second container B-LINK #2 in FIG. 24 can be provided with a fire connector 810 with the same or similar shape as the portion indicated by A6 in FIG. 22. Thus, the two battery containers 1000 shown in FIG. 24 are battery containers according to one embodiment of the present invention and can be configured with the same shape as each other and may not be manufactured separately. Therefore, an energy storage system can be constructed using only the same type of battery container 1000, and the battery container 1000 is interchangeable no matter where it is positioned.

[0201] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 24 , the second container B-LINK #2 can receive a supply of fire-extinguishing fluid from the first container B-LINK #1 via the connecting pipe P2. More specifically, the fire-extinguishing fluid supplied from the external fire fighting device 3000 via the main pipe 821 of the first container B-LINK #1 can be transmitted to the main pipe 821 of the second container B-LINK #2 via the connecting pipe P2. The fire-extinguishing fluid transmitted to the main pipe 821 of the second container B-LINK #2 can then be supplied to the branch pipe 822 of the second container B-LINK #2. Although not shown, if another battery container 1000, for example, a third container, is located to the right of the second container B-LINK #2, fire-extinguishing fluid can be transmitted between the second container B-LINK #2 and the third container via the connecting pipe P2, in a manner substantially similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 24 .

[0202] According to this embodiment of the present invention, it is easy to supply fire extinguishing liquid to each battery container 1000 in an energy storage system including multiple battery containers 1000. In particular, according to the above embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a separate component for storing and supplying fire extinguishing liquid, such as water, to each battery container 1000. Furthermore, according to the above embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a separate, long supply pipe P1 from each battery container 1000 to an external fire extinguishing device 3000 such as a WIU in order to receive the supply of fire extinguishing liquid from the external fire extinguishing device 3000. Therefore, when constructing an energy storage system, the realization and installation of a fire extinguishing equipment structure is further simplified. In particular, according to the above embodiment, it is sufficient to connect the supply pipe P1 to the battery container 1000 closest to the external fire extinguishing device 3000, and it is not necessary to directly connect a separate supply pipe P1 to the external fire extinguishing device 3000 for each of the other battery containers 1000. Therefore, the length of the supply pipe P1 for supplying fire extinguishing liquid from the external fire extinguishing device 3000 to the battery container 1000 can be shortened.

[0203] Therefore, according to the above embodiment, not only is the fire safety of the battery container 1000 improved, but the convenience and processability of installation for realizing such an improved safety structure can also be improved. In this case, the cost and time required for installing fire protection equipment can also be reduced. Furthermore, with the above embodiment, when the battery container 1000 is installed in an energy storage system, the fire protection module 800 that is already installed in the battery container 1000 can be used. Therefore, when the scale of the energy storage system is expanded, fire safety facilities can be installed quickly and conveniently.

[0204] The battery container 1000 according to the present invention may further include a communication terminal. The communication terminal may be provided for transmitting and / or receiving various information and data to and from other external components. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 19, the communication terminal of the battery container 1000 may be connected to the control container 2000, other battery containers 1000, and / or the external firefighting device 3000 via a communication cable. Here, the communication cable may be the data cable described above in FIGS. 20 and 21.

[0205] The communication terminal may be provided on one side of the battery container 1000. For example, the communication terminal may be provided at the portion indicated by A9 in Fig. 1. The communication terminal may be exposed to the outside, or may be covered by a door E provided on the container housing 200, a separate lid, or the like.

[0206] To give a more specific example, the communication terminal may be connected to a DC / communication cable connected to the external fire fighting device 3000. In this case, operating power and / or signals may be exchanged with the external fire fighting device 3000 via the cable.

[0207] As another example, a DC / communication cable may be connected between two battery containers 1000 via the communication terminals. In this case, operating power and communication signals can be exchanged between the two battery containers 1000 via the connecting components between the communication terminals.

[0208] The battery container 1000 according to the present invention may include a self-fire extinguishing system in addition to the fire extinguishing module 800 described above with reference to Figures 22 to 24. For example, the battery container 1000 may include a built-in fire extinguishing module configured to inject a fire extinguishing material such as Novec-1230 after detecting an abnormal situation such as a fire via a temperature sensor or a smoke sensor.

[0209] Furthermore, the battery container 1000 according to the present invention may further include a display module for displaying information regarding the state of the battery container 1000. For example, the battery container 1000 according to the present invention may include an alarm sound generator, a display device, etc. as a display module for displaying a normal state or an abnormal state such as a malfunction, overheating, fire, overcharging, or over-discharging.

[0210] The battery container 1000 may further include a variety of other components that are already known at the time of filing of the present invention. For example, the battery container 1000 may further include an electrical component such as an AC / DC panel. The battery container 1000 may also include one or more control modules. Here, the control module may be configured to control the charging and discharging operations of the battery modules 110 included in the battery container 1000 and to exchange data with other components outside the battery container 1000. For example, the control module may be a rack BMS included in each battery rack 100. Alternatively, the battery container 1000 may include multiple battery systems and multiple control modules. In this case, the battery system may include one or more battery racks 100. Each battery system may include a separate control module to independently control the battery system.

[0211] The energy storage system according to the present invention includes the above-described battery container 1000 according to the present invention. Furthermore, the energy storage system according to the present invention may include two or more battery containers 1000. In this case, the battery containers 1000 included in the energy storage system according to the present invention and their connection configurations, etc., described above can be applied, and therefore a separate detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0212] In addition to the battery container 1000, the energy storage system according to the present invention may further include a control container 2000 for controlling various operations, such as charging and discharging operations, of one or more battery containers 1000.

[0213] In addition, the energy storage system according to the present invention may further include the external fire fighting device 3000, PCS, etc. described above.

[0214] Although the present invention has been described above using limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited to these, and it goes without saying that various modifications and variations can be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains within the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of equivalents of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0215] 100 Battery Rack 110 Battery Module 200 Container Housing 300 Main Connector 301 First Connector 302 Second Connector 310 Positive Connector 320 negative connector 400 Main Busbar 410 Positive bus bar 420 Negative bus bar 500 Connector Cover 510 Upper cover 520 Side Cover 600 Air Conditioning Module 700 Vent Module 800 Firefighting Module 810 Fire Connector 820 Fire Pipe 830 Injection Nozzle 821 Main Pipe 822 Branch Pipe 900 Link Cover 910 bottom cover 920 Top Cover 930 Guide cover 1000 Battery Container 2000 Control Container 3000 external fire apparatus L1 link busbar L2 link line R, R1, R2 connector housing F Connection reinforcement part C sealing material TB Terminal Busbar TC Terminal Cover TC1 Shroud Panel TC2 shroud cover E-door P1 supply pipe, P1' collection pipe P2 Connecting pipe

Claims

1. one or more battery racks each having a plurality of battery modules; a container housing having an interior space for accommodating the battery rack; a plurality of main connectors located on at least one side of the container housing, the main connectors being configured to be electrically connectable to an external device; a main bus bar connected between the plurality of main connectors to transmit power; a fire-fighting module configured to supply fire-extinguishing fluid supplied from an external source to the battery rack; Including, a battery container.

2. The battery container of claim 1 , wherein the main bus bar is configured to transmit DC power.

3. The battery container according to claim 1 , wherein the main bus bar is disposed in the interior space of the container housing.

4. The battery container according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of main connectors are configured to be exposed to the outside of the container housing.

5. The battery container according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of main connectors are located on an upper side of the container housing.

6. 2. The battery container according to claim 1, wherein the container housing has a recessed connector accommodating portion formed on at least the one side of the container housing, and the main connector is located in the connector accommodating portion of the container housing.

7. The battery container according to claim 6 , wherein the connector accommodating portion is formed at an edge portion of the upper end of the container housing so as to be open upward and laterally.

8. The battery container according to claim 6 , further comprising a connector cover that covers the outside of the connector accommodating portion.

9. The battery container according to claim 6 , further comprising a link cover configured to be connectable to a side of the connector accommodating portion and configured to surround a link bus bar connected to the main connector.

10. The battery container of claim 1 , further comprising an air conditioning module configured to condition the atmosphere inside the container housing.

11. The battery container according to claim 1 , further comprising a vent module configured to allow gas inside the container housing to be vented to the outside.

12. The battery container according to claim 1 , wherein the fire extinguishing module is configured to be able to supply the fire extinguishing liquid supplied from the outside to other battery containers.

13. 13. An energy storage system comprising a battery container according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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