Power conversion devices and energy storage systems

Abstract

To provide a power conversion device and energy storage system that facilitates wiring work after installation. [Solution] The power conversion device includes a housing having an opening, a power conversion circuit housed in the housing, and a cover member covering the opening, the opening being formed continuously on the front surface of the housing and on at least one of the first and second sides of the housing.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power conversion device and a power storage system.

Background Art

[0002] Power conversion devices included in power storage systems and solar power generation systems are installed near the outer walls of houses, etc. For example, in the case of a power storage system in which a storage battery and a power conversion device are integrally formed, it is installed on the ground near the outer wall of the house. In the case of a power storage system in which the storage battery and the power conversion device are separated, for example, the storage battery is arranged on the ground and the power conversion device is installed on the outer wall of the house by wall mounting. Regarding a solar power generation system, the solar power generation panel is arranged on the roof, and the power conversion device for converting the generated power is installed on the ground near the outer wall of the house or on the outer wall of the house. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a power conversion device that converts DC power into AC power and supplies it to the system. This power conversion device has an opening with an entirely open front surface and a door for opening and closing the opening, and the back surface can be installed on an outdoor wall surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] After the power conversion device is installed, operations such as connecting electrical wiring (hereinafter simply referred to as wiring) using tools by manual labor are performed. When installing a power conversion device near the outer wall of a house, there may not be enough working space due to boundary walls with neighboring houses, etc. For example, even if the power conversion device of Patent Document 1 can be installed, if there is not enough working space in front of the power conversion device, there is a problem that it is difficult to connect wiring from the outside to the circuit inside the power conversion device.

[0005] Therefore, this disclosure aims to provide a power conversion device and energy storage system that facilitates wiring work after installation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A power conversion device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing having an opening, a power conversion circuit housed in the housing, and a cover member covering the opening, wherein the opening is formed continuously on the front surface of the housing and on at least one of the first and second sides of the housing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a power conversion device and an energy storage system that facilitate wiring work after installation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an energy storage system according to an embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a side view showing the energy storage system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the first housing with the cover member removed. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a rear view showing the energy storage system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a side view showing the first housing with the cover member removed. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the first housing according to the first modified example. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the energy storage system according to the second modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] [Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure] The embodiments of this disclosure are listed and described below. At least some of the embodiments described below may be combined in any way.

[0010] (1) A power converter according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing having an opening, a power conversion circuit housed in the housing, and a cover member covering the opening, wherein the opening is formed continuously on the front surface of the housing and on at least one of the first and second sides of the housing. This makes it easier to perform tasks such as wiring inside the housing after the power converter has been installed by removing the cover member. In addition, the volume can be increased when the cover member is attached to the housing, air circulation inside the housing can be promoted, and the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat generated by the power conversion circuit can be improved.

[0011] (2) In (1) above, the opening may be formed continuously on the front, first side and second side. This allows access to the inside of the housing from either the left or right side when the cover member is removed, improving work efficiency inside the housing.

[0012] (3) In (1) or (2) above, the distance from the bottom surface of the housing to the lower end of the opening may be 1 / 10 or less of the height of the housing. This makes it easier to attach the cover member to the housing and improves the mechanical strength of the housing when the cover member is removed. It also allows a space to pass wiring through at the bottom of the housing.

[0013] (4) In any one of (1) to (3) above, the distance from the top surface of the housing to the upper edge of the opening may be 1 / 10 or less of the height of the housing. This makes it easier to attach the cover member to the housing and improves the mechanical strength of the housing when the cover member is removed.

[0014] (5) In any one of (1) to (4) above, the distance from the front to the right edge of the opening and the distance from the front to the left edge of the opening may each be 1 / 2 or more of the depth of the enclosure. This will further improve work efficiency inside the enclosure.

[0015] (6) In any one of (1) to (4) above, each of the distance from the front surface to the right end of the opening and the distance from the front surface to the left end of the opening may be less than 1 / 2 of the depth of the housing. Thereby, the mechanical strength of the housing in a state where the cover member is removed can be improved.

[0016] (7) In any one of (1) to (6) above, further including a wiring connection part for connecting wiring inserted into the housing from the outside to the power conversion circuit, the wiring connection part may be arranged at the central part of the housing inside the housing. Thereby, the wiring work inside the housing becomes easier.

[0017] (8) In any one of (1) to (7) above, the bottom surface of the housing may have a hole for passing wiring. Thereby, while preventing foreign matters such as rainwater from entering the housing, the wiring can be inserted into the housing.

[0018] (9) The power storage system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure includes any one of the power conversion devices (1) to (8) above and a storage battery. Thereby, after installing the power storage system, when the cover member is removed, work such as wiring work inside the housing becomes easier.

[0019] (10) In (9) above, it may further include a control part for managing the state of the storage battery. Thereby, the power storage system can operate safely.

[0020] [Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] In the following embodiments, the same parts are given the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions thereof will not be repeated.

[0021] Referring to Figure 1, the energy storage system 100 according to the embodiment of this disclosure includes a first housing 102, a second housing 104, a third housing 106, legs 108, and a cover member 110. The first housing 102, the second housing 104, and the third housing 106 are stacked vertically and fixed to each other by fastening members (not shown), such as screws, to form a single unit. The legs 108 are fixed to the bottom of the third housing 106 by fastening members. The energy storage system 100 is installed, for example, on the ground near the exterior wall of a house. The energy storage system 100 is stably installed by fixing the legs 108 to a concrete base or the like formed on the outdoor ground by fastening members.

[0022] Each of the first enclosure 102, the second enclosure 104, and the third enclosure 106 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped with equal width W and equal depth D1. Figure 1 shows the orthogonal axes set relative to the energy storage system 100. The X-axis is set perpendicular to the front and back of the energy storage system 100, with the positive direction being from the back to the front. The Y-axis is set perpendicular to the left and right sides of the energy storage system 100, with the positive direction being from the left side to the right side of the energy storage system 100. The Z-axis is set perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces of the energy storage system 100, with the positive direction being from the bottom to the top. The orthogonal axes shown in Figures 2 and later are set in the same way as in Figure 1.

[0023] The first housing 102 houses a power converter 114 including electrical components and has an opening that is covered by a cover member 110, as will be described later. The horizontal cross-section (cross-section in the XY plane) of the cover member 110 is U-shaped. The power converter 114 includes a power conversion circuit and is, for example, a PCS (Power Conditioning System). The cover member 110 is fixed to the first housing 102 by a plurality of screws 112. As will be described later, in order to access the inside of the first housing 102, the cover member 110 is removed by unscrewing the plurality of screws 112.

[0024] The second housing 104 has a recess 150 on its rear surface. The second housing 104 houses a BMS (Battery Management System) 152. The third housing 106 houses a storage battery 170. The storage battery 170 is a rechargeable secondary battery (such as a lithium-ion secondary battery). The BMS 152 and the storage battery 170 are connected by wiring. The BMS 152 functions as a control unit that controls the storage battery 170. Specifically, the BMS 152 has functions to prevent overcharging and over-discharging of the storage battery 170, a function to calculate the remaining battery charge, and a function to balance the voltages of the multiple cells that make up the storage battery 170.

[0025] The power converter 114 and the battery 170 are connected by wiring, which runs inside the second enclosure 104. The power converter 114 converts AC power (such as commercial power) supplied from an external power source via wiring into DC power to charge the battery 170. Furthermore, when DC power is supplied from a solar power generation system or the like, the power converter 114 converts its voltage into a DC voltage suitable for charging the battery 170, thereby charging the battery 170. During battery 170 discharge, the power converter 114 converts the DC power output from the battery 170 into AC power and supplies it to an external load via wiring.

[0026] Referring to Figure 2, the energy storage system 100 is installed near the exterior wall 220 of the house as described above. When installing the energy storage system 100, the third housing 106, the second housing 104, and the first housing 102 are stacked in order and fixed to each other. Then, as will be described later, the connector 202 and wiring conduit 200 are installed in a hole formed at the rear of the bottom surface of the first housing 102, and the wiring 204 is inserted into the interior of the first housing 102 through them. The wiring 204 includes power supply wiring and communication wiring. The wiring 204 is passed through the lower part 116 of the first housing and pulled up to near the front of the first housing 102, where it is connected to the power converter 114.

[0027] Referring to Figure 3, as described above, the interior of the first housing 102 can be accessed by removing the cover member 110. The first housing 102 has a terminal block 140 as a wiring connection section for connecting wiring to the power converter 114. The terminal block 140 is placed on a plate 148 located near the power converter 114. The plate 148 is, for example, a metal sheet. In Figure 3, the terminal block 140 is located in the center of the first housing 102 with respect to the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). The position of the terminal block 140 is arbitrary, and it may be located, for example, below the center of the first housing 102 with respect to the vertical direction. The wiring connection section is not limited to a terminal block, but may also be a circuit breaker or the like. Wiring 204 (see Figure 2), inserted from outside the energy storage system 100 through the conduit 200 and connector 202 into the first housing 102, is connected to the terminal block 140 through a hole 144 formed in the partition plate 142. The hole 144 penetrates the partition plate 142. As described above, the power converter 114 can charge the battery 170 by receiving AC or DC power from an external power source via the wiring 204. The power converter 114 can also supply the discharge power of the battery 170 to an external load via the wiring 204. If the wiring 204 includes a communication line, the power converter 114 can communicate with an external device via the communication line.

[0028] The first housing 102 has an opening 120 which is closed when a cover member 110 is attached. The opening 120 is formed by an upper end 122, a lower end 124, a left end 126, and a right end 128. The upper end 122 and the lower end 124 are formed across the front 130, left side 132, and right side 134 of the first housing, respectively. The upper end 122 is located at a distance H1 from the top surface 136 of the first housing. Note that the distance from the plane refers to the perpendicular distance (shortest distance) to the plane. The lower end 124 is located at a distance H2 from the bottom surface 138 of the first housing. The left end 126 is formed in a straight line on the left side 132 of the first housing. The left end 126 is located at a distance D2 from the front 130 of the first housing. Similarly, the right end of the opening 128 is formed linearly on the right side surface 134 of the first housing and is spaced D2 away from the front surface 130 of the first housing.

[0029] Referring to Figure 4, the second housing 104 has a second housing rear surface 154, two first support parts 156, and a second support part 158. The recess 150 is mainly formed by the second housing rear surface 154, the top surface 160 of the second support part, and the bottom surface 138 of the first housing. The bottom surface 138 of the first housing 102 is located at the upper end 162 of the recess 150. Multiple holes 146 are formed in the bottom surface 138 of the first housing. The holes 146 penetrate the bottom surface 138 of the first housing. As described above, a connector 202 for attaching a wiring conduit 200 to the first housing 102 can be fixed to the holes 146. The wiring conduit 200 is for protecting the wiring and is, for example, a PF conduit. As described above, the wiring is passed through the inside of the wiring conduit 200, inserted into the inside of the first housing 102, and connected to the terminal block 140 through the holes 144 (see Figure 3). A hole 146 is formed in the bottom surface 138 of the first housing, and the wiring conduit 200 is attached vertically below the horizontal bottom surface 138 of the first housing. Therefore, the wiring 204 can be inserted into the first housing 102 while preventing foreign matter such as rainwater from entering the inside of the first housing 102.

[0030] Referring to Figure 5, when the first housing 102 is installed near the exterior wall 220 of a house, it may not be possible to install the first housing 102 at a sufficient distance from the boundary wall 222 between it and the neighboring house. Even in such cases, a workspace 206 is formed by removing the cover member 110 after the first housing 102 has been installed. The workspace 206 is larger than the workspace 208 formed when the first housing 102 is installed with the cover member 110 attached. If the first housing had a flat door instead of a cover member 110, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the workspace 208 would remain even when the door is opened, making it difficult to perform tasks such as wiring work inside the first housing. In contrast, with the first housing 102, the workspace 206 allows access to the inside of the first housing 102 from the side, making it easy to perform tasks such as wiring work inside the first housing 102 using tools by hand. Furthermore, if no opening is provided on the side of the enclosure, reducing the depth of the enclosure to secure the working space 206 will reduce the volume of the enclosure. In contrast, with the first enclosure 102, attaching the cover member 110 will increase the volume. Therefore, air circulation inside the first enclosure 102 can be promoted, and the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat generated inside the first enclosure 102 by the power converter 114 and the like can be improved.

[0031] In particular, since the first housing 102 has an opening 120 formed across the front 130, left side 132, and right side 134 of the first housing, when the cover member 110 is removed, the inside of the first housing 102 can be accessed from both sides. Therefore, wiring work and other tasks inside the first housing 102 are easier, and work efficiency is improved. It is also possible for multiple people to work on it.

[0032] The distance D2 from the front surface 130 of the first housing to the left end 126 and the right end 128 of the opening may be 1 / 2 or more of the depth D1 of the first housing 102. This further improves work efficiency inside the first housing 102.

[0033] The distance D2 from the front surface 130 of the first housing to the left end 126 and the right end 128 of the opening may be less than half the depth D1 of the first housing 102. This improves the mechanical strength of the first housing 102 when the cover member 110 is removed. Note that the distance from the front surface 130 of the first housing to the left end 126 of the opening and the distance from the front surface 130 of the first housing to the right end 128 of the opening may be different.

[0034] Referring to Figure 3, the distance H1 from the top surface 136 of the first housing to the upper end of the opening 122 may be 1 / 10 or less of the height H of the first housing 102. This makes it easier to attach the cover member 110 to the first housing 102 and improves the mechanical strength of the first housing 102 when the cover member 110 is removed.

[0035] The distance H2 from the bottom surface 138 of the first housing to the lower end of the opening 124 may be 1 / 10 or less of the height H of the first housing 102. This makes it easier to attach the cover member 110 to the first housing 102 and improves the mechanical strength of the first housing 102 when the cover member 110 is removed. In addition, a space for passing wiring 204 can be formed in the lower part 116 of the first housing (see Figure 2).

[0036] As described above, the first housing 102 includes a terminal block 140 (see Figure 3) as a wiring connection section for connecting wiring 204 inserted into the first housing 102 from the outside. The terminal block 140, which is the wiring connection section, may be located in the center of the first housing 102 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). By positioning the terminal block 140 at a certain distance from the hole 144, wiring work inside the first housing 102 becomes easier. In particular, with thick wiring of about 10 mm in diameter, it is not easy to handle such as bending, but the length of wiring that can be pulled out from the hole 144 becomes longer than when the terminal block 140 is located close to the hole 144. Therefore, wiring work becomes easier, such as attaching crimp terminals to the wiring using a crimping tool and connecting them to the terminal block 140 using a screwdriver.

[0037] As described above, the energy storage system 100 includes a first enclosure 102, a second enclosure 104, and a third enclosure 106, and these components are stacked vertically to realize a stack-type energy storage system. Therefore, the installation space of the energy storage system 100 can be reduced. The energy storage system 100 can be transported by separating it into multiple components, making transportation easy.

[0038] In the above description, the case in which the energy storage system 100 is formed by three housings, a first housing 102, a second housing 104, and a third housing 106, was explained, but it is not limited to this. The energy storage system may be formed by a single housing. In that case, as described above, the single housing may be provided with openings extending from the front and sides, and cover members that cover these openings. This makes it easier to perform tasks such as wiring work inside the housing, even when installing the energy storage system in a confined space.

[0039] The energy storage system may be formed by two enclosures. For example, the first enclosure 102 and the second enclosure 104 may be a single enclosure. The enclosure includes a power converter 114 and a BMS 152, forming a power conversion unit. The enclosure of the power conversion unit may be provided with openings extending from its front and sides, and a cover member may be provided to cover these openings. This makes it easier to perform tasks such as wiring inside the enclosure, even when the power conversion unit is installed in a confined space.

[0040] Alternatively, the second housing 104 and the third housing 106 may be a single housing. The housing includes a storage battery 170 and a BMS 152, forming a storage battery unit. A first housing 102, including a power converter 114 as a power conversion unit, is placed on top of the housing of the storage battery unit. Even with this configuration, wiring work and other tasks inside the first housing 102 become easier when installing the power conversion unit in a confined space.

[0041] The above describes a case in which the wiring 204 is inserted into the first housing 102 through the wiring conduit 200 and connector 202, but is not limited to this. The wiring 204 may also be inserted directly into the first housing 102 through the hole 146 without providing the wiring conduit 200 and connector 202.

[0042] (First variation) The above describes a case in which openings 120 are formed to allow access to the interior of the first housing 102 from both sides of the first housing 102, but the invention is not limited to this. The openings may be formed to allow access to the interior of the first housing 102 from only one side of the first housing 102.

[0043] Referring to Figure 6, the first housing 300 according to the first modification has an opening 310 that is closed when a cover member 302 is attached. The cover member 302 has an L-shaped horizontal cross-section (cross-section in the XY plane). The shape of the cover member and the opening of the first housing 300 differs from that of the first housing 102 shown in Figure 3, but the other configurations are the same as those of the first housing 102. Therefore, in the following, we will mainly explain the differences without repeating explanations.

[0044] The opening 310 is formed by an upper end 312, a lower end 314, a left end 316, and a right end 318. The upper end 312 and the lower end 314 are formed across the front 304 and right side 306 of the first housing, respectively. The upper end 312 is located at a distance H1 from the top surface of the first housing 300. The lower end 314 is located at a distance H2 from the bottom surface of the first housing 300. The left end 316 is formed linearly on the front 304 of the first housing. The right end 318 is formed linearly on the right side 306 of the first housing and is located at a distance D2 from the front 304 of the first housing. The terminal block 140 is placed on a plate 148 and is located in the center of the first housing 300 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) within the first housing 102. Since the opening 310 is formed on the right side of the first housing 300, the position of the terminal block 140 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) is eccentric to the right within the first housing 300, in order to facilitate access to the terminal block 140 from outside the first housing 300. For example, the position of the terminal block 140 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) is at the center of the width (left-right direction) of the opening 310 when the first housing 300 is viewed from the front.

[0045] When the first enclosure 300 is installed near the exterior wall 220 of the house, as in Figure 5, removing the cover member 302 from the first enclosure 300 creates a workspace similar to the workspace 206, allowing access to the interior of the first enclosure 300 from the right side 306 of the first enclosure. Therefore, wiring and other work inside the first enclosure 300 becomes easier.

[0046] In the first housing 300, an opening 310 is formed across its front and right side, but it is not limited to this. An opening may also be formed across the front and left side of the first housing. In that case, removing the cover member creates a workspace for accessing the inside of the first housing from the left side. Therefore, wiring and other work inside the first housing becomes easier. If the terminal block is positioned eccentrically to the left side inside the first housing, it becomes easier to access the terminal block from outside the first housing.

[0047] (Second variation) The above describes a case where the energy storage system is integrated, but it is not limited to this. Referring to Figure 7, the energy storage system 330 according to the second modified example is of the separate type and includes a first housing 102, a cover member 110 (not shown), and a battery unit 332. The battery unit 332 includes a second housing 104 and a third housing 106 and is formed integrally. When the energy storage system 330 is installed near the exterior wall of a house, for example, the first housing 102 is mounted on the wall as a wall mount, and the battery unit 332 is installed on the ground. The first housing 102, the second housing 104, and the third housing 106 are the same as those shown in Figure 1. A wiring conduit 200 is attached to the first housing 102, similar to the energy storage system 100. A wiring conduit 334 is positioned between the first housing 102 and the battery unit 332. Inside the wiring conduit 334, wiring is arranged to connect the power converter 114 housed in the first housing 102, the BMS 152 housed in the second housing 104, and the storage battery 170 housed in the third housing 106.

[0048] As described above, when the energy storage system 330 is installed near the exterior wall 220 of the house, a workspace 206 is formed by removing the cover member 110 from the first housing 102, as shown in Figure 5. Therefore, the inside of the first housing 102 can be accessed from the right side of the first housing 102, making it easier to perform tasks such as wiring work inside the first housing 102.

[0049] The present disclosure has been described above by describing embodiments, but the embodiments described above are illustrative and the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. The scope of the present disclosure is given with reference to the description in the detailed description of the invention and is indicated by each claim, including all changes within the meaning and scope of the wording and equivalents contained herein. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 100, 330 energy storage systems 102,300 First cabinet 104 Second cabinet 106 Third cabinet 108 Legs 110, 302 Cover member 112 screws 114 Power Converters 116 Lower part of the first cabinet 120, 310 opening 122, 312 Opening top end 124, 314 Opening bottom end 126, 316 Left end of opening 128, 318 Opening right end 130, 304 Front of the first enclosure 132 Left side of the first enclosure 134, 306 Right side of the first enclosure 136 Top surface of the first enclosure 138 Bottom of the first enclosure 140 Terminal block 142 Partition Plate 144, 146 holes 148 Plates 150 recesses 152 BMS 154 Rear view of the second cabinet 156 1st support part 158 Second support part 160 Top surface of the second support section 162 Upper end 170 Battery 200, 334 Raceway 202 Connector 204 Wiring 206, 208 workspace 220 House exterior wall 222 Boundary Wall 332 Battery Unit D1 Depth D2, H1, H2 distance H Height W width

Claims

1. A housing with an opening, A power conversion circuit housed in the aforementioned enclosure, Includes a cover member that covers the opening, The opening is formed continuously on the front surface of the housing and on at least one of the first and second sides of the housing, in a power conversion device.

2. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the opening is formed continuously on the front surface, the first side surface, and the second side surface.

3. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the distance from the bottom surface of the housing to the lower end of the opening is 1 / 10 or less of the height of the housing.

4. The power conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the distance from the top surface of the housing to the upper end of the opening is 1 / 10 or less of the height of the housing.

5. The power conversion device according to claim 4, wherein the distance from the front surface to the right end of the opening, and the distance from the front surface to the left end of the opening, are each 1 / 2 or more of the depth of the housing.

6. The power conversion device according to claim 4, wherein the distance from the front surface to the right end of the opening, and the distance from the front surface to the left end of the opening, are each less than half the depth of the housing.

7. It further includes a wiring connection section for connecting wiring inserted into the housing from the outside to the power conversion circuit, The power conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the wiring connection portion is located in the central part of the housing.

8. The power conversion device according to claim 7, wherein the bottom surface of the housing has a hole for passing the wiring through.

9. A power conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, Energy storage systems, including batteries.

10. The energy storage system according to claim 9, further comprising a control unit for managing the state of the battery.

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