Electrical units and energy storage equipment

Abstract

To provide an electrical unit, etc., that can suppress malfunctions when installing protective components. [Solution] The electrical unit 100 is an electrical unit electrically connected to a plurality of energy storage module groups 10, each having an energy storage module 1. The electrical unit 100 comprises a protective component 350 electrically connected to the energy storage module group 10 and protecting the energy storage module group 10, a base 330 having an installation portion 332 to which the protective component 350 is attached, and a housing 200 that houses the protective component 350 and the base 330. The base 330 and the protective component 350 are provided for each of the plurality of energy storage module groups 10. The base 330 is fixed to the housing 200.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical unit and an electrical storage facility.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a storage battery unit (electrical storage facility) that includes a plurality of battery modules (electrical storage modules), a unit circuit (electrical unit) connected to and protecting the plurality of battery modules, and a housing that accommodates these components.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For example, during use of an electrical storage facility having a plurality of electrical storage modules, it is necessary to interrupt the circuit to protect the electrical storage modules in the event of an abnormality such as an external short circuit. Here, in an electrical storage facility in which a plurality of electrical storage module groups each composed of a plurality of electrical storage modules are connected in parallel, protective components (electromagnetic contactors, fuses, etc.) for protecting the electrical storage modules are required to be installed in each electrical storage module group. When there are a plurality of electrical storage module groups, the number of installed protective components increases, so that when attaching the protective components, the housing to which the protective components are attached may be deflected, which may cause a malfunction.

[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical unit and an electrical storage facility that can suppress malfunctions when attaching protective components.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An electrical unit according to one aspect of the present invention is an electrical unit electrically connected to a plurality of groups of energy storage modules, each having an energy storage module, comprising: a protective component electrically connected to the group of energy storage modules and protecting the group of energy storage modules; a base having an installation portion to which the protective component is attached; and a housing that houses the protective component and the base, wherein the base and the protective component are provided for each of the plurality of groups of energy storage modules, and the base is fixed to the housing.

[0007] Another embodiment of the present invention provides an energy storage system comprising: a plurality of energy storage module groups, each having an energy storage module; an electrical unit electrically connected to the plurality of energy storage module groups; and a cabinet housing the plurality of energy storage module groups and the electrical unit, wherein the electrical unit comprises a protective component electrically connected to the energy storage module group to protect the energy storage module group; a base having an installation portion to which the protective component is attached; and a housing housing the protective component and the base, wherein the base and the protective component are provided for each of the plurality of energy storage module groups, and the base is fixed to the housing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the electrical unit and energy storage equipment of the present invention, problems when installing protective components can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the energy storage equipment according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of an electrical unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing an electrical unit according to an embodiment with the panel removed. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing an assembly according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing the housing body and each assembly according to the embodiment with protective components removed. [Figure 6] This is a side view showing the assembly according to the embodiment with the protective parts removed. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing the electrical connection structure between the electrical unit and the group of energy storage modules according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the circuitry around the first connection section and switching section according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing an electrical unit related to a modified example. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view showing the base and pedestal according to a modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] (1) An electrical unit according to one aspect of the present invention is an electrical unit electrically connected to a plurality of groups of energy storage modules, each having an energy storage module, comprising: a protective component electrically connected to the group of energy storage modules and protecting the group of energy storage modules; a base having an installation portion to which the protective component is attached; and a housing that houses the protective component and the base, wherein the base and the protective component are provided for each of the plurality of groups of energy storage modules, and the base is fixed to the housing.

[0011] According to this design, each base holding protective components for each group of energy storage modules is attached to the housing, thus increasing the strength of the housing. Consequently, deflection of the housing can be suppressed, and installation problems can be reduced.

[0012] (2) The electrical unit described in (1) above has legs formed at the end of the installation part, and the legs may be fixed to the bottom plate of the housing.

[0013] According to this, the base is provided with leg portions formed at the end of the mounting portion, and the leg portions are fixed to the bottom plate of the housing. For this reason, the mounting portion is separated from the bottom plate, and a space is formed between the mounting portion and the bottom plate. Using this space, a protective component can also be mounted on the mounting portion, and the workability during assembly can be improved.

[0014] (3) In the electric unit according to the above (2), the base is formed of a plate material, and by bending an end portion of the plate material, the leg portion protruding from the mounting portion is formed, and a boundary between the leg portion and the mounting portion may extend along the alignment direction of the plurality of bases.

[0015] According to this, in each base, the boundary between the leg portion and the mounting portion extends along the alignment direction of the plurality of bases, so that deflection of the housing in the alignment direction can be more reliably suppressed.

[0016] (4) In the electric unit according to any one of the above (1) to (3), a board electrically connected to the protective component may be mounted on the plurality of bases or the housing.

[0017] According to this, since deflection of the housing is suppressed by the plurality of bases, the board can be mounted on the housing or the base in a stable state. Therefore, deformation of the board can be suppressed.

[0018] (5) In the electric unit according to any one of the above (1) to (4), the protective component of each set includes a first component and a second component having a height different from that of the first component, the mounting portion has a first mounting surface that is the upper surface of the base, and a pedestal that is mounted on the first mounting surface and has a second mounting surface, the first component may be attached to the first mounting surface, and the second component may be attached to the second mounting surface.

[0019] According to this design, the first component is attached to the first mounting surface, and the second component is attached to the second mounting surface of a base that protrudes from the first mounting surface. Therefore, the mounting heights of the first and second components, which are of different heights, can be adjusted, and their connection can be easily made.

[0020] (6) In the electrical unit described in any one of (1) to (5) above, the base may be detachably attached to the housing.

[0021] According to this design, since each base has its respective set of protective components attached to its mounting section, it is possible to attach all the protective components to the housing at once by simply attaching each base to the housing. This improves the ease of assembly of the electrical unit.

[0022] Another embodiment of the present invention provides an energy storage system comprising: a plurality of energy storage module groups, each having an energy storage module; an electrical unit electrically connected to the plurality of energy storage module groups; and a cabinet housing the plurality of energy storage module groups and the electrical unit, wherein the electrical unit comprises a protective component electrically connected to the energy storage module group to protect the energy storage module group; a base having an installation portion to which the protective component is attached; and a housing housing the protective component and the base, wherein the base and the protective component are provided for each of the plurality of energy storage module groups, and the base is fixed to the housing.

[0023] According to this design, each base holding protective components for each group of energy storage modules is attached to the housing, thus increasing the strength of the housing. Consequently, deflection of the housing can be suppressed, and installation problems can be reduced.

[0024] The above-described energy storage device may have legs formed at the end of the installation section, and these legs may be fixed to the bottom plate of the housing.

[0025] According to this design, the base is provided with legs formed at the ends of the mounting section, and these legs are fixed to the bottom plate of the housing. As a result, the mounting section is spaced apart from the bottom plate, creating a space between the mounting section and the bottom plate. This space can be used to install protective components on the mounting section, improving workability during assembly.

[0026] (Embodiment) The following description will explain an electrical unit, etc., according to an embodiment of the present invention (including its modifications), with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all general or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection configurations of components, manufacturing processes, and the order of manufacturing processes shown in the following embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the present invention. Dimensions are not precisely illustrated in each figure. The same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals in each figure.

[0027] In the following description and drawings, the direction in which multiple energy storage modules are arranged on one shelf of the energy storage equipment is defined as the X-axis direction. The direction in which the front cover and rear cover of the energy storage equipment face each other, and the insertion direction in which the energy storage modules are inserted into the shelf, is defined as the Y-axis direction. The direction in which multiple shelves are arranged, or the vertical direction, is defined as the Z-axis direction. These X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions intersect (orthogonal in this embodiment) with each other. Depending on the usage, the Z-axis direction may not be the vertical direction, but for the sake of explanation below, the Z-axis direction will be described as the vertical direction.

[0028] In the following explanation, the X-axis positive direction refers to the direction of the X-axis arrow, and the X-axis negative direction refers to the opposite direction. When simply referred to as the X-axis direction, it refers to either the X-axis positive direction or the X-axis negative direction, or either direction. The same applies to the Y-axis and Z-axis directions. Expressions indicating relative directions or orientations, such as parallel and orthogonal, include cases where they are not strictly those directions or orientations. For example, two directions being parallel means not only that the two directions are perfectly parallel, but also that they are substantially parallel, i.e., they may have a difference of a few percent. Furthermore, in the following explanation, when the term "insulation" is used, it means "electrical insulation."

[0029] [Energy storage equipment] First, the configuration of the energy storage system 900 in this embodiment will be described. The energy storage system 900 is a stationary energy storage system that stores electricity generated by, for example, wind power generation or solar power generation, and supplies power stably to external equipment.

[0030] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of an energy storage system 900 according to an embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the energy storage system 900 has a metal cabinet 901, a plurality of energy storage modules 1, and an electrical unit 100. The cabinet 901 comprises a cabinet body 910, a pair of front covers 920, a pair of rear covers 930, and a plurality of shelves 940. In Figure 1, one of the pair of front covers 920 is omitted from the illustration. In this embodiment, the electrical unit 100 is installed on the topmost shelf 940, and a plurality of energy storage modules 1 are installed on the second to ninth shelves 940 from the top in an 8x8 arrangement. In Figure 1, only the two rightmost rows of energy storage modules 1 are shown, and the other rows are omitted from the illustration. In this embodiment, a plurality of energy storage modules 1 in two rows form one energy storage module group 10. In the energy storage system 900, the plurality of energy storage module groups 10 are connected in parallel. The energy storage module group 10 is connected to the electrical unit 100 via a cable. Each energy storage module group 10 only needs to have at least one energy storage module 1, and the number of modules installed can be anything.

[0031] The cabinet body 910 is, for example, a rectangular metal box, and has openings on its front and back. The front opening of the cabinet body 910 is covered by a pair of front covers 920. The pair of front covers 920 are arranged side by side in the X-axis direction and are attached to the front of the cabinet body 910 to open and close the front opening of the cabinet body 910. The rear opening of the cabinet body 910 is covered by a pair of rear covers 930. The pair of rear covers 930 are arranged side by side in the X-axis direction and are attached to the back of the cabinet body 910 to open and close the rear opening of the cabinet body 910.

[0032] Inside the cabinet body 910, multiple shelves 940 are arranged in the Z-axis direction at predetermined intervals. The shelves 940 are members that support the electrical unit 100 or multiple energy storage modules 1. Specifically, the shelves 940 are metal plates parallel to the XY plane, and one shelf 940 can accommodate the electrical unit 100 or multiple energy storage modules 1 arranged in the X-axis direction.

[0033] Each front cover 920 is provided with multiple groups of ventilation slits 925. Specifically, the multiple groups of slits 925 are arranged in the Z-axis direction on the front cover 920. Each group of slits 925 has multiple elongated slits in the Z-axis direction arranged along the X-axis direction. Although not shown in the illustration, each rear cover 930 is also provided with a similar number of slits. The multiple groups of slits 925 on each front cover 920 and the multiple groups of slits on each rear cover 930 ventilate the inside of the cabinet body 910, preventing heat or gases discharged from the energy storage elements of the energy storage module 1 from accumulating inside the cabinet body 910.

[0034] [Energy storage module] The energy storage module 1 is a device that can charge electricity from an external source and discharge electricity to the outside, and in this embodiment, it has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. For example, the energy storage module 1 is an energy storage module (battery pack, energy storage device) used for power storage or power supply purposes. In this embodiment, the energy storage module 1 is housed in an energy storage facility 900 and used for commercial or household purposes.

[0035] The energy storage module 1 comprises a plurality of energy storage elements arranged in the Y-axis direction, a control unit capable of monitoring the state of each energy storage element and controlling the energy storage elements, and a housing that holds these together. The energy storage module 1 is provided with a pair of external terminals, either a positive or negative electrode, through which electricity from an external source can be used to charge each energy storage element or discharge electricity from each energy storage element to the outside.

[0036] The energy storage element is a secondary battery (single cell) that can charge and discharge electricity, and more specifically, a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. The energy storage element has a flattened rectangular parallelepiped shape (angular). The size, shape, and number of energy storage elements arranged are not limited; for example, only one energy storage element may be arranged. The energy storage element is not limited to a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, but may be a secondary battery other than a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, or it may be a capacitor. The energy storage element may be a battery using a solid electrolyte. The energy storage element may be a pouch-type energy storage element.

[0037] [Energy storage module group 10] The energy storage module group 10 is a group in which multiple energy storage modules 1 are electrically connected in series. The total voltage of the energy storage module group 10 becomes the output voltage of the energy storage equipment 900. One unit of the energy storage module group 10 is also called a bank. Referring to Figure 1, the energy storage module group 10 consists of 16 energy storage modules 1 arranged in 8 rows x 2 columns. The 16 energy storage modules 1 are connected in series.

[0038] In this embodiment, the energy storage module group 10 is configured by dividing 16 series connections into two series groups (subgroups). Specifically, it is composed of two subgroups of 8 series connections. In Figure 1, one row of 8 energy storage elements 1 arranged in the Z-axis direction corresponds to one subgroup. The energy storage module group 10 is completed by connecting the two subgroups in series. Of the two subgroups that make up the energy storage module group 10, the subgroup on the positive side of the series connection is called the first energy storage module group 10a, and the subgroup on the negative side of the series connection is called the second energy storage module group 10b.

[0039] The cables connected to both ends of the first energy storage module group 10a in series are connected to the electrical unit 100. Similarly, the cables connected to both ends of the second energy storage module group 10b in series are connected to the electrical unit 100. The cables connected to the first energy storage module group 10b and the cables connected to the second energy storage module group 10b are electrically connected inside the electrical unit 100, thereby connecting the first energy storage module group 10a and the second energy storage module group 10b in series. Details of the connection will be described later.

[0040] [Electrical Unit] The electrical unit 100 is electrically connected to each group of energy storage modules 10 and is a unit for protecting each energy storage module 1 provided in each group of energy storage modules 10. As shown in Figure 1, the electrical unit 100 is positioned above the group of energy storage modules 10 (in the positive Z-axis direction). Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the electrical unit 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the electrical unit 100 according to the embodiment with the panel 220 removed.

[0041] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the electrical unit 100 has a housing 200 and multiple sets of protective parts 300. The housing 200 is the part that holds each protective part 300. The housing 200 has a housing body 210 and a panel 220 that is detachably attached to the housing body 210.

[0042] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the housing body 210 has a rectangular bottom plate 211 that is parallel to the XY plane and elongated in the X-axis direction, a front wall portion 212 that is continuous with the Y-axis negative edge of the bottom plate 211 and parallel to the XZ plane, and a rear wall portion 213 that is continuous with the Y-axis positive edge of the bottom plate 211 and parallel to the XZ plane. Furthermore, the housing body 210 has a pair of side wall portions 214 that are continuous with both edges in the X-axis direction of the bottom plate 211 and parallel to the YZ plane.

[0043] The base plate 211 is the part that supports the multiple protective parts 300. Multiple protective parts 300 are arranged on the base plate 211 in the X-axis direction. One protective part 300 corresponds to one group of energy storage modules 10. In this embodiment, since four protective parts 300 are provided, it is possible to support up to four groups of energy storage modules 10.

[0044] As shown in Figure 3, the front wall portion 212 has an opening 215 that is open at the top. Specifically, the front wall portion 212 has a shape based on a rectangle extending in the X-axis direction when viewed in the Y-axis direction, and a rectangular opening 215 that is open at the top and extends in the X-axis direction is formed in its center. Multiple mounting holes 216 for attaching the panel 220 are formed in the front wall portion 212 on both sides in the X-axis direction of the opening 215.

[0045] The front wall portion 212 is provided with a second connection portion 230 to which the energy storage module group 10 is electrically connected. Specifically, in the front wall portion 212, below the opening 215, multiple second connection portions 230 are arranged at positions corresponding to each protective portion 300. In other words, each second connection portion 230 corresponds to each protective portion 300. The second connection portion 230 consists of two 1-pole connectors and has a second negative electrode connection portion 231 and a second positive electrode connection portion 232. A cable 400 (see Figure 7) is connected to the second connection portion 230.

[0046] The front wall portion 212 is provided with multiple output connectors 240 from which power is output from the energy storage module group 10. Specifically, the multiple output connectors 240 are arranged in the front wall portion 212 in the negative X-axis direction of the opening 215. Each output connector 240 corresponds to each protection unit 300.

[0047] Panel 220 is a component that closes the opening 215 when attached to the housing body 210. In this embodiment, the case in which panel 220 closes the entire opening 215 is illustrated, but it is sufficient for panel 220 to close at least a part of the opening 215. Panel 220 is formed from sheet metal extending in the X-axis direction, and handles 221 protruding in the Y-axis negative direction are provided at both ends in the X-axis direction. Above and below each handle 221 on panel 220 are mounting holes 222 for attaching panel 220 to the housing body 210. Each mounting hole 222 on panel 220 is paired with each mounting hole 216 on the housing body 210. Therefore, with the opening 215 covered by panel 220 from the Y-axis negative direction, panel 220 is attached to the housing body 210 by screwing panel 220 to the housing body 210 through the mounting holes 216 and 222. By removing panel 220, the opening 215 is exposed to the outside, allowing access to the inside of the housing 200 through the opening 215. In other words, panel 220 is provided so that the opening 215 can be opened and closed relative to the housing body 210.

[0048] In panel 220, an opening 223 is formed at the end in the negative X-axis direction to expose each output connector 240. The opening 223 is open at the bottom.

[0049] In panel 220, the portion in the X-axis positive direction beyond the opening 223 is a closing portion 224 that covers and closes the opening 215 of the housing body 210. The closing portion 224 has a plurality of first connection portions 250 and a plurality of switching portions 260. When the closing portion 224 covers the opening 215, each second connection portion 230 is positioned below the closing portion 224, and each first connection portion 250 and each switching portion 260 is positioned above each second connection portion 230. In other words, each first connection portion 250 and each switching portion 260 are positioned to correspond to each protective portion 300.

[0050] The first connection section 250 is located below the switching section 260 and is electrically connected to the corresponding protective section 300. The first connection section 250 is a connector to which the cable 400 (see Figure 7) is connected. Specifically, the first connection section 250 is a single connector with two poles, comprising a first positive terminal connection section 252 and a first negative terminal connection section 251. Since the first connection section 250 has a different shape from the second connection section, it is possible to prevent incorrect cable connection.

[0051] The switching unit 260 is a part that switches between an electrical connection state and a disconnected state between a pair of first cables 410a and 410b connected to the first connection unit 250. The switching unit 260 forms an electrical circuit together with the first connection unit 250. The switching unit 260 is a service plug or switch that turns the conductivity state of this electrical circuit ON / OFF. When the operator operates the switching unit 260 to turn the conductivity state ON, the pair of first cables 410a and 410b connected to the first connection unit 250 are connected. When the operator operates the switching unit 260 to turn the conductivity state OFF, the pair of first cables 410a and 410b connected to the first connection unit 250 are disconnected (open circuit state).

[0052] When used for commercial purposes, the energy storage system 900 may be used with high voltages ranging from several hundred volts to over 1000 volts. During assembly or maintenance of the energy storage system 900, the main circuit can be interrupted by operating the switching unit 260, for example, to divide a system with a total voltage of 1200V into two 600V sections. This improves safety during the assembly and maintenance of the energy storage system 900.

[0053] Next, the protection unit 300 will be described. Since the multiple sets of protection units 300 all have generally similar structures, only one protection unit 300 will be described here. The protection unit 300 is a group of components that electrically protect the energy storage module group 10.

[0054] As shown in Figure 3, the protective unit 300 includes a circuit board 310 and an assembly 320. The circuit board 310 and the assembly 320 are arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction on the bottom plate 211 of the housing body 210. The circuit board 310 is positioned closer to the opening 215 than the assembly 320. The circuit board 310 is electrically connected to the corresponding energy storage module group 10 and is a circuit board that monitors and controls the energy storage module group 10.

[0055] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the assembly 320 according to the embodiment. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the housing body 210 and each assembly 320 with the protective parts 350 removed. Figure 6 is a side view showing the assembly 320 according to the embodiment with the protective parts 350 removed.

[0056] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the assembly 320 includes a base 330, a pedestal 340, and protective parts 350. The base 330 is formed from a plate material, for example, metal or resin. Specifically, the base 330 has a pair of legs 331 that are bent at both ends in the Y-axis direction of the plate material and protrude in an L-shape in the negative Z-axis direction, and a mounting portion 332 which is the part between the pair of legs 331. In other words, the pair of legs 331 protrude from the mounting portion 332 in the negative Z-axis direction. The pair of legs 331 are detachably fixed to the bottom plate 211 of the housing body 210 by a mechanical joining structure, for example, screws or a snap-fit ​​structure. Since multiple bases 330 are fixed to the bottom plate 211 of the housing body 210, the strength of the bottom plate 211 is increased by each base 330, making the housing body 210 less prone to bending. The pair of legs 331 may be fixed to the bottom plate 211 of the housing body 210 by welding or adhesive.

[0057] The mounting section 332 is parallel to the XY plane, and its upper surface is the first mounting surface 333 on which the protective component 350 and the base 340 are mounted.

[0058] The base 340 is formed from a plate made of, for example, metal or resin. Specifically, the base 340 has a pair of legs 341 that are bent at both ends in the Y-axis direction of the plate and protrude in an L-shape in the Z-axis negative direction, and a mounting portion 342 which is the portion between the pair of legs 341. In other words, the pair of legs 341 protrude from the mounting portion 342 in the Z-axis negative direction. The pair of legs 341 are fixed to the mounting portion 332 of the base 330. The mounting portion 342 is parallel to the XY plane, and its upper surface is a second mounting surface 343 on which the protective component 350 is installed. The second mounting surface 343 protrudes from the first mounting surface 333 of the base 330 in the Z-axis positive direction.

[0059] As shown in Figure 5, the multiple bases 330 are arranged in the X-axis direction, and the boundaries L1 and L2 between the mounting portion 332 of each base 330 and each leg portion 331 extend along the direction in which the multiple bases 330 are arranged. More specifically, the multiple boundaries L1 arranged in the negative Y-axis direction are aligned linearly along the X-direction, and the multiple boundaries L2 arranged in the positive Y-axis direction are aligned linearly along the X-direction. In this way, since the boundaries L1 and L2 of each base 330 extend along the direction in which the multiple bases 330 are arranged, deflection of the housing body 210 in the direction of arrangement can be suppressed more reliably.

[0060] As shown in Figure 4, the protective component 350 is an example of an electrical component that protects the corresponding group of energy storage modules 10. Specifically, the protective component 350 includes a pair of electromagnetic contactors 351, three insulating supports 352, a pair of fuses 353, and a current sensor (not shown).

[0061] The pair of electromagnetic contactors 351 are magnetic contactors and are installed on the first mounting surface 333 of the base 330. The pair of electromagnetic contactors 351 are arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction in a region in the positive X-axis direction relative to the base 340 on the first mounting surface 333. The pair of electromagnetic contactors 351 are components that open and close the main circuit to which the energy storage module group 10 is connected, with electromagnetic contactor 351a located on the positive side of the main circuit and electromagnetic contactor 351b located on the negative side of the main circuit. The electromagnetic contactors 351 can also be described as the opening and closing components of the main circuit.

[0062] The insulating supporter 352 is a component that provides insulation and supports electrical components while electrically insulating them from their mounting location. The portion that connects to the electrical component has a conductive part. In this embodiment, the insulating supporter 352 supports the fuse 353. Three insulating supporters 352 are installed on the second mounting surface 343 of the base 340. Two of the three insulating supporters 352 are arranged in the X-axis direction in a region closer to the negative Y-axis direction on the second mounting surface 343, and the remaining one is arranged in a region closer to the positive Y-axis direction on the second mounting surface 343.

[0063] The pair of fuses 353 are components located in the main circuit to which the energy storage module group 10 is connected. Fuse 353a is located in the positive main circuit, and fuse 353b is located in the negative main circuit. Fuse 353a is positioned along the X-axis direction, with one end supported by an insulating supporter 352 on the positive side in the Y-axis direction and the other end connected to an electromagnetic contactor 351a. Fuse 353b is positioned along the X-axis direction, supported by two insulating supporters 352 on the negative side in the Y-axis direction. An electromagnetic contactor 351b is electrically connected to fuse 353b.

[0064] Here, the configuration of the main circuit of the electrical unit 100 will be described. The positive main circuit within the electrical unit 100 will be called the first electrical path, and the negative main circuit will be called the second electrical path. The positive main circuit of the energy storage module group 10 is connected to the first electrical path, and the negative main circuit of the energy storage module group 10 is connected to the second electrical path. The first electrical path and the second electrical path are electrically connected to the output connector 240 and the second connection part 230, respectively. Specifically, the second positive electrode connection part 232 is connected to the first electrical path, and the second negative electrode connection part 231 is connected to the second electrical path. Note that the main circuit cables within the electrical unit 100 are not shown in the diagram. An electromagnetic contactor 351a and a fuse 353a are arranged in series in the first electrical path. An electromagnetic contactor 351b and a fuse 353b are arranged in series in the second electrical path. A current sensor (not shown) is placed in the second electrical path, allowing the current value flowing through the main circuit of the energy storage module group 10 to be detected by the current sensor.

[0065] A pair of electromagnetic contactors 351 open and close the main circuit of the energy storage module group 10 in response to electrical signals from the circuit board 310. The pair of electromagnetic contactors 351 function as on / off switches when operating or stopping the energy storage equipment 900. Specifically, a signal based on the operator's operation is transmitted to a higher-level control circuit. Then, a control signal is sent from the control circuit to the circuit board 310. In response to this control signal, the circuit board 310 sends an electrical signal to open and close the electromagnetic contactors 351. This eliminates the need for the operator to manually turn on the switches, resulting in a reduction in labor costs.

[0066] The protection function of the protection unit 300 will now be described. The circuit board 310 is connected to the energy storage module group 10 by control lines (not shown). The circuit board 310 collects voltage information or temperature information from each of the energy storage module group via the control lines. In addition, a current sensor measures the current value flowing through the energy storage module 10. When the circuit board 310 detects an abnormal voltage or excessive current in the energy storage module group 10, it sends an electrical signal to a pair of electromagnetic contactors 351, turning off the electromagnetic contactors 351. If an excessive current flows that exceeds the current interruption capacity of the electromagnetic contactors, the circuit is interrupted by the fuse 353. In this embodiment, since electromagnetic contactors 351 and fuses 353 are arranged on the positive side (first electrical path) and the negative side (second electrical path) of the main circuit, the first electrical path and the second electrical path can be interrupted individually, and the energy storage module group 10 can be reliably protected.

[0067] In Figure 6, one electromagnetic contactor 351 and one insulating supporter 352 are shown by dashed lines. As shown in Figure 6, the height h1 of the electromagnetic contactor 351 is higher than the height h2 of the insulating supporter 352. In other words, if the electromagnetic contactor 351 is an example of a first component, the insulating supporter 352 is an example of a second component with a different height from the first component. Since the taller electromagnetic contactor 351 is installed on the first mounting surface 333 of the base 330, and the shorter insulating supporter 352 is installed on the second mounting surface 343 of the pedestal 340, the heights of the electromagnetic contactor 351 and the insulating supporter 352 can be matched after installation. For this reason, the electromagnetic contactor 351 and the insulating supporter 352 can be easily connected with a fuse 353.

[0068] [Electrical connection structure between the electrical unit and the energy storage module] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the electrical connection structure between the electrical unit 100 and the energy storage module group 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, the first energy storage module group 10a and the second energy storage module group 10b are electrically connected to one first connection part 250 and one second connection part 230 by a plurality of cables 400. In the first energy storage module group 10a, a plurality of energy storage modules 1 are connected in series by a plurality of inter-module cables 451. In the second energy storage module group 10b, a plurality of energy storage modules 1 are connected in series by a plurality of inter-module cables 452.

[0069] The first energy storage module group 10a and the second energy storage module group 10b are connected in series by an electrical unit 100 and a cable 400. This connects the first energy storage module group 10a and the second energy storage module group 10b to the protective component 350 of the electrical unit 100 via the cable 400. Specifically, the cable 400 includes a pair of first cables 410a and 410b and a pair of second cables 420a and 420b.

[0070] A pair of first cables 410a and 410b connect the first energy storage module group 10a and the second energy storage module group 10b in series. Specifically, one end of the first cable 410a is connected to the negative series terminal of the first energy storage module group 10a (the lowest energy storage module 1 in Figure 7), and the other end is connected to the first negative electrode connection part 251 of the first connection part 250. One end of the first cable 410b is connected to the positive series terminal of the second energy storage module group 10b (the uppermost energy storage module 1 in Figure 7), and the other end is connected to the first positive electrode connection part 252 of the first connection part 250. Figure 8 shows the first connection part 250 and the circuit around the switching part 260 according to the embodiment. In this way, the ends of each first cable 410a and 410b that are not connected to the first energy storage module group 10a and the second energy storage module group 10b are connected to the first connection part 250, thereby electrically connecting the first cables 410a and 410b to each other.

[0071] A pair of second cables 420a and 420b are connected to the series ends of the first energy storage module group 10a and the second energy storage module group 10b. Specifically, one end of the second cable 420a is connected to the positive series end of the first energy storage module group 10a (the uppermost energy storage module 1 in Figure 7), and the other end is connected to the second positive electrode connection part 232 of the second connection part 230. One end of the second cable 420b is connected to the negative series end of the second energy storage module group 10b (the lowermost energy storage module 1 in Figure 7), and the other end is connected to the second negative electrode connection part 231 of the second connection part 230. In other words, the second connection part 230 is connected to the ends of each second cable 420a and 420b that are not connected to the series ends.

[0072] In the electrical unit 100 having such an electrical connection structure, the panel 220 is detachable from the housing body 210. Therefore, by removing the panel 220 from the housing body 210, the opening 215 of the housing body 210 can be exposed. For this reason, for example, during maintenance, a worker can access the inside of the housing 200 through the opening 215 without having to remove the electrical unit 100 from the energy storage equipment 900. At this time, if the worker operates the switching unit 260 to the disconnected state, the electrical connection between the first energy storage module group 10a and the second energy storage module group 10b and the electrical unit 100 is also disconnected, making it possible to perform the work safely.

[0073] [Explanation of effects] As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, each base 330 holding the protective component 350 for each group of energy storage modules 10 is attached to the housing 200, so that the strength of the housing 200 can be increased by each base 330. Therefore, deflection of the housing 200 can be suppressed, and problems during installation can be reduced.

[0074] The base 330 is provided with legs 331 formed at the ends of the mounting section 332, and the legs 331 are fixed to the bottom plate 211 of the housing 200. As a result, the mounting section 332 is spaced apart from the bottom plate 211, and a space is formed between the mounting section 332 and the bottom plate 211. In other words, when attaching the protective component 350 to the mounting section 332 after installing the base 330 to the housing 200, this space can be used to install the protective component 350 to the mounting section 332, thereby improving workability during assembly.

[0075] Furthermore, since the legs 331 protrude from the mounting section 332, these legs 331 reinforce the mounting section 332. This increases the overall strength of the base 330, thereby further increasing the strength of the housing 200.

[0076] In each base 330, the boundaries L1 and L2 between the leg portion 331 and the mounting portion 332 extend along the direction in which the multiple bases 330 are aligned, thus more reliably suppressing the deflection of the housing 200 in the direction of alignment.

[0077] Since the deflection of the housing 200 is suppressed by the multiple bases 330, the circuit board 310 can be placed on the housing 200 in a stable state. Therefore, deformation of the circuit board 310 can be suppressed.

[0078] The electromagnetic contactor 351 (first component) is mounted on the first mounting surface 333, while the insulating supporter 352 (second component) is mounted on the second mounting surface 343 of a base 340 that protrudes from the first mounting surface 333. Therefore, the mounting heights of the electromagnetic contactor 351 and the insulating supporter 352, which are of different heights, can be adjusted, and their connection can be easily made. Thus, the heights of the electromagnetic contactor 351 and the insulating supporter 352 can be matched using the base 340. Consequently, the upper parts of the electromagnetic contactor 351 and the insulating supporter 352 can be easily connected with a fuse 353.

[0079] Since each base 330 has its mounting section 332 fitted with a set of protective components 350, it is possible to attach all the protective components 350 to the housing 200 at once by simply attaching each base 330 with the protective components 350 already fitted to it to the housing 200. This improves the ease of assembly of the electrical unit 100.

[0080] Traditionally, when using a miniature circuit breaker (MCCB) as an electrical component, the circuit breaker has a manual switch and is therefore placed on the front of the panel. Since the circuit breaker and the internal components of the electrical unit are connected inside the electrical unit, it was necessary to remove the entire electrical unit for operation from the front only.

[0081] In this embodiment, the panel 220 that closes the opening 215 of the housing body 210 has a first connection portion 250 to which the cable 400 connected to the energy storage module 1 is connected. Since such a panel 220 is provided so as to be able to open and close the opening 215 relative to the housing body 210, when the panel 220 is opened the opening 215 of the housing body 210 is exposed, and the inside of the housing 200 can be accessed from the opening 215. In other words, maintenance inside the housing body 210 can be performed from the opening 215 without removing the electrical unit 100 from the energy storage equipment 900. Therefore, the workability during maintenance is improved.

[0082] Even in an electrical unit 100 having a first group of energy storage modules 10a and a second group of energy storage modules 10b connected in series to a second connection part 230 of the housing body 210 via first cables 410a and 410b, second cables 420a and 420b, and a first connection part 250, opening the panel 220 allows access to the inside of the housing 200 through the opening 215 of the housing body 210. Therefore, even with an electrical unit 100 of this configuration, the ease of maintenance can be improved.

[0083] The switching unit 260 can switch between the electrical connection state and the disconnected state between the pair of first cables 410a and 410b connected to the first connection unit 250, allowing the connection to be disconnected during maintenance. Therefore, safety during maintenance can be enhanced.

[0084] Since the panel 220 is detachably attached to the main body 210 of the enclosure, the panel 220 can be removed from the main body 210 during maintenance. Therefore, the panel 220 is less likely to get in the way during maintenance.

[0085] Since the output connector 240 is provided on the main body 210 of the enclosure, the wiring connected to the output connector 240 can be routed away from the panel 220. Therefore, the wiring is less likely to get in the way when opening and closing the panel 220, improving workability during maintenance.

[0086] (others) Although the electrical unit 100 and energy storage equipment 900 according to this embodiment have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects, and the scope of the present invention includes all modifications in the sense and scope equivalent to the claims. In the following description, parts identical to those in the above embodiment may be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0087] For example, in the above embodiment, an electrical unit 100 is provided with a second connection portion 230 on the housing body 210. However, an electrical unit without a second connection portion may also be provided.

[0088] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing an electrical unit 100c according to a modified example. As shown in Figure 9, the electrical unit 100c does not have a second connection part on the housing body 210c, and a first connection part 250c is provided on the panel 220c. Specifically, the first connection part 250c is a relay terminal block or the like. The first connection part 250c may be composed of a connector. One group of energy storage modules 10c is connected to the first connection part 250c via a cable 400. Although Figure 9 shows the case where the group of energy storage modules 10c has two energy storage modules 1, the number of energy storage modules 1 in the group of energy storage modules 10c can be anything. The group of energy storage modules 10c is electrically connected to the protective component 350 (electrical component) of the protective unit 300 via the first connection part 250c and the cable 400. The configuration of the protective component 350 is the same as in the embodiment, so a description is omitted. In Figure 9, the illustration of the protective component 350 is also omitted. In Modification 1, the connection between the cable 400 and the protective component 350 is the same as the connection between the second connection part 230 and the protective component 350 in the embodiment. In such an electrical unit 100c, if the panel 220c is removed from the housing body 210c, the opening 215c of the housing body 210c can be exposed, and the inside of the housing body 210c can be accessed from the opening 215c.

[0089] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the base 340 is provided on the first mounting surface 333 of the base 330. However, the base may be provided on the bottom plate of the housing body as long as the second mounting surface of the base protrudes from the first mounting surface.

[0090] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified base 330d and a pedestal 340d. As shown in Figure 10, a through hole 335d is formed in the mounting portion 332d of the base 330d. The pedestal 340d is positioned within the through hole 335d of the mounting portion 332d, with each leg portion 341d fixed to the bottom plate 211 of the housing body 210. As a result, the second mounting surface 343d of the mounting portion 342d of the pedestal 340d protrudes from the first mounting surface 333d of the base 330d in the positive Z-axis direction. Note that the pedestal does not necessarily have to be provided on the electrical unit.

[0091] In the above embodiment, a base 330 formed from a plate material was illustrated. However, the components of the base can be anything; for example, it may be a base formed from a block.

[0092] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the circuit board 310 is installed on the bottom plate 211 of the housing 200. However, the circuit board may also be installed on the base. In this case, since the deflection of the housing is suppressed by multiple bases, the state of the bases is also stabilized. In other words, the circuit board can be installed on a stable base, and deformation of the circuit board 310 can be suppressed.

[0093] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the second component installed on the base 340 is shorter in height than the first component installed on the base 330. However, the second component installed on the base may be taller than the first component installed on the base.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the panel 220 is detachably attached to the housing body 210, and the panel 220 is shown as being able to open and close the opening 215 of the housing body 210. However, as long as the panel is able to open and close the opening, the connection method between the panel and the housing body can be anything. For example, the panel may be rotatably connected to the housing body, and the opening may be opened and closed by the rotation of the panel, or the panel may be slidably connected to the housing body, and the opening may be opened and closed by the sliding of the panel.

[0095] The first cables 410a and 410b may each consist of multiple cables instead of just one cable. The same applies to the second cables 420a and 420b.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the energy storage module group 10 is composed of two subgroups (first energy storage module group 10a and second energy storage module group 10b), but it is not necessary to have subgroups. For example, one row inside the cabinet 901 may be designated as the energy storage module group 10.

[0097] In the above embodiment, the electrical unit 100 has a switching section 260, but the electrical unit 100 does not need to have a switching section 260. For example, if the total voltage of the energy storage module group belongs to the low-voltage category of 750V or less, the electrical unit 100 does not need to be provided with a switching section 260. In this case, the first cable 410a and the first cable 410b can be connected at the location corresponding to the switching section in the electrical unit 100.

[0098] In the above embodiment, the electrical unit 100 has an output connector 240, but the electrical unit 100 does not necessarily have to have an output connector 240. The output cable of the electrical unit 100 may be directly connected to the main circuit at a higher level.

[0099] The present invention also includes forms constructed by arbitrarily combining the components included in the above embodiments and their modified examples. [Industrial applicability]

[0100] The present invention can be applied to an electrical unit electrically connected to a power storage module and to power storage equipment equipped with said electrical unit. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0101] 1. Energy storage module 10, 10c Energy Storage Module Group 10a First Energy Storage Module Group 10b Second Energy Storage Module Group 100, 100c Electrical Unit 200 cabinets 210, 210c main unit 211 Bottom plate 212 Front wall 213 Rear wall 214 Side wall section 215, 215c, 223 aperture 216, 222 mounting holes 220, 220c panel 221 Handle 224 Occlusion 230 Second connection section 231 Second negative electrode connection section 232 Second positive electrode connection section 240 output connectors 250, 250c First connection section 251 First negative electrode connection section 252 First positive electrode connection 260 Switching section 300 Protection Department 310 circuit board 320 assembly 330, 330d base 331, 341, 341d Legs 332, 332d, 342, 342d installation part 333, 333d First installation surface 335d through hole 340, 340d base 343, 343d Second installation surface 350 Protective components (electrical components) 351 Magnetic contactor 352 Insulation Supporter 353 fuses 400 Cable 410a, 410b First Cable 420a, 420b Second Cable 451, 452 Intermodal Cable 900 Energy storage equipment 901 Cabinet 910 Cabinet Body 920 Front cover 925 Slit Group 930 Back cover 940 shelf board L1, L2 boundary

Claims

1. An electrical unit electrically connected to a group of energy storage modules, each having an energy storage module, A protective component electrically connected to the aforementioned group of energy storage modules and protecting the group of energy storage modules, A base having an installation portion to which the protective component is attached, The system comprises a housing that accommodates the protective component and the base, The base and protective components are provided for each of the multiple energy storage module groups. The base is fixed to the housing. Electrical unit.

2. The installation portion has legs formed at its ends, The aforementioned legs are fixed to the bottom plate of the housing. The electrical unit according to claim 1.

3. The base is formed from a plate, and the ends of the plate are bent to form the legs that protrude from the installation area. The boundary between the leg portion and the installation portion extends along the direction in which the multiple bases are aligned. The electrical unit according to claim 2.

4. Multiple of the bases or housings are equipped with circuit boards that are electrically connected to the protective components. An electrical unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. Each set of the aforementioned protective component comprises a first component and a second component that is of a different height from the first component. The aforementioned mounting section has a first mounting surface which is the upper surface of the base and a base having a second mounting surface that protrudes from the first mounting surface. The first component is attached to the first mounting surface. The second component is attached to the second mounting surface. An electrical unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The base is detachably attached to the housing. An electrical unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. A group of multiple energy storage modules, each having an energy storage module, An electrical unit electrically connected to the aforementioned group of multiple energy storage modules, The system comprises a cabinet housing the plurality of energy storage modules and the electrical unit, The aforementioned electrical unit is A protective component electrically connected to the aforementioned group of energy storage modules and protecting the group of energy storage modules, A base having an installation portion to which the protective component is attached, The system comprises a housing that accommodates the protective component and the base, The base and protective components are provided for each of the multiple energy storage module groups. The base is fixed to the housing. Energy storage equipment.

8. The installation portion has legs formed at its ends, The aforementioned legs are fixed to the bottom plate of the housing. The energy storage equipment according to claim 7.

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