Water injection unit and energy storage system including the same

Abstract

The water injection unit according to the present invention includes an outer box having a connection port on at least one outer wall thereof that can be connected to a hose or cable extending from a battery container; a water tank connected to the connection port and disposed inside the outer box; a gas storage tank connected to the water tank so as to provide gas to the inside of the water tank; and a control unit connected to the connection port and the gas storage tank, which detects the presence or absence of a fire in the battery container and controls the gas to be injected from the gas storage tank into the water tank and the fire extinguishing water in the water tank to be released by the gas pressure.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water injection unit and an energy storage system including the same, and more particularly to a water injection unit capable of supplying fire extinguishing water to a plurality of energy storage containers and an energy storage system including the same.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0008104 filed on January 19, 2022 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0006974 filed on January 17, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in their specifications and drawings. [Background technology]

[0003] Generally, smart grids are considered a type of future power grid that optimizes the operational efficiency of the power grid by integrating information and communication technology into existing power systems to monitor and control the grid in real time and enable two-way communication between suppliers and consumers. Smart grids can be integrated with new power generation systems, such as renewable energy generation systems and electric vehicle charging systems, which have been steadily increasing in recent years. Furthermore, by providing consumers with real-time information on their power usage, they can improve power utilization efficiency, thereby reducing investment in unnecessary power generation facilities and potentially reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Recently, with the rise of power grid modernization plans and the expansion of renewable energy, interest in smart grids has been growing, and active research and development efforts are underway.

[0004] One of the core technologies related to smart grids is the energy storage system. This system stores electricity during off-peak hours and uses the stored electrical energy during peak hours to level the load. Such energy storage systems help to make efficient use of power facilities.

[0005] In the past, pumped storage power generation, which converts excess electricity generated at night into potential energy of water and stores it, and chemical energy storage methods that combine multiple lead-acid batteries in series or parallel have been mainly used. However, recently, coupled with the development of lithium-ion batteries with high energy storage density, it has become possible to build high-voltage, large-capacity energy storage systems using chemical energy storage methods.

[0006] Meanwhile, the biggest social issue surrounding energy storage systems is fire safety. Because energy storage systems contain a large number of batteries, there is a high risk that an incident in one battery could cause a chain reaction, leading to the spread of the fire and resulting in a major fire.

[0007] Currently, energy storage systems are typically configured to include multiple battery containers to ensure a large charging and discharging capacity, with each battery container including multiple battery racks, and each battery rack including multiple battery modules.

[0008] Therefore, in order to ensure the fire safety of the above-mentioned energy storage system, there is a need for a water injection device that can effectively inject water into the multiple battery containers that make up the energy storage system and extinguish fires. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a water injection unit that can effectively inject water into a battery container and is easy to install, and an energy storage system including the same.

[0010] 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]

[0011] According to the present invention, there may be provided a water injection unit including: an outer casing having a connection port on at least one outer wall thereof that can be connected to a hose or cable extending from a battery container; a water tank connected to the connection port and disposed inside the outer casing; a gas storage tank connected to the water tank so as to provide gas to the inside of the water tank; and a control unit connected to the connection port and the gas storage tank, which detects the presence or absence of a fire in the battery container, controls the gas storage tank to inject gas into the water tank, and controls the fire extinguishing water in the water tank to be released by the pressure of the gas.

[0012] The outer box may include an outer box main body that forms side and ceiling portions, and a base frame assembly that is disposed under the outer box main body to support the outer box main body and is configured to be transportable by a forklift.

[0013] The gas storage tank may be a nitrogen tank.

[0014] The connection port may be provided in a lower end area of ​​one side wall of the outer casing and may include a water filling port connected to a fire connection hose connected to the battery container, a drain / fill port for refilling or discharging fire extinguishing water to the water tank, and a communication port for connecting the communication cable to the control unit.

[0015] Piping members arranged inside the outer box may include a water filling pipeline connecting the water tank and the water filling port, a drain / fill pipeline connecting the water tank and the drain / fill port, and a communication conduit line connecting the control unit and the communication port.

[0016] The outer box may further have an external water source port on the outer wall that can be connected to an external water source (such as a fire hydrant or a fire truck), and the piping member may further include an external water source connection line that connects the external water source port and the water injection pipeline.

[0017] The water injection unit may further include an air conditioner fixed to an outer wall of the outer box to adjust the temperature and humidity inside the outer box.

[0018] The water injection unit may further include a manual operation unit disposed on an outer wall of the outer box and connected to the gas storage tank so as to inject the gas stored in the gas storage tank.

[0019] The water injection unit may further include a horn that emits an alarm sound or a warning light that emits light, the horn being disposed on the outer wall of the outer box and connected to the control unit under an event condition.

[0020] The base frame assembly includes an outer frame having four beams forming a square frame edge, and a bottom panel portion covering the area inside the square frame edge of the outer frame, and the outer frame may have fork insertion holes in two beams that are aligned with each other.

[0021] The base frame assembly may include an outer frame made of four beams that form a square frame edge, a bottom panel portion that covers the empty area inside the outer frame, and an anchor unit that is fitted with the beams and can be repositioned along the extension direction of the beams and fixed to the ground.

[0022] At least two of the four beams have anchor insertion portions with sides that are recessed from the outside to the inside, and the anchor unit is interposed in the anchor insertion portions and has a height corresponding to the height of the internal space of the anchor insertion portions, and can include a beam support plate made up of a first part portion that is press-fitted into the anchor insertion portions and a second part portion that protrudes outward from the anchor insertion portions, and an anchor plate that is disposed at the lower end of the second part portion.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present invention, there can be provided an energy storage system including the above-mentioned water injection unit, a battery rack, and a plurality of battery containers each equipped with a fire detector and a fire prevention pipeline therein, wherein the water injection unit and the battery containers, or the battery containers themselves, are connected by a fire prevention hose.

[0024] The battery container includes a fire connector arranged on an outer wall and connected to the fire pipeline, and the fire connector of either one of the battery containers can be connected to the fire connector of the other battery container by the fire connection hose.

[0025] The fire connector includes a first fire connector arranged on one side wall of the battery container and a second fire connector arranged on the other side wall of the battery container, and the fire pipeline includes a main pipe having one end connected to the first fire connector and the other end connected to the second fire connector, a plurality of branch pipes branching off from the main pipe, and a rack pipe connected to each of the branch pipes and fixed to the battery rack, and the rack pipe may have a spray nozzle connected to each battery module arranged on the battery rack. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a water injection unit that is capable of effectively injecting water into multiple battery containers and that is easy to install, and an energy storage system including the same.

[0027] In particular, the water injection unit according to the present invention is capable of detecting a fire, issuing an alarm, and quickly injecting water into multiple battery containers, thereby enabling early fire suppression and preventing the fire from spreading or spreading.

[0028] Furthermore, the water injection unit according to the present invention is easy to transport and install, which reduces the personnel and material costs required for constructing on-site facilities.

[0029] In addition to these, the technical effects obtained through the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a water injection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partial exploded perspective view of the water injection unit in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base frame assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a base frame assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a view showing the anchor unit removed from the outer frame in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of fixing the water injection unit to the ground. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which the position of the anchor unit is changed in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the water injection unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a connection port portion of the water injection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a front view of a water injection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a side view of a water injection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a water injection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a water injection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an energy storage system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a water injection unit and a portion of a battery container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a battery rack and a fire protection pipeline disposed inside a battery container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a connection configuration of two battery containers according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a fire connector portion of a battery container according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted in a limited way to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a way that corresponds to the technical idea of ​​the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventor himself can appropriately define the concept of the terms in order to best explain the invention.

[0032] Throughout this specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only "directly connected" but also "indirectly connected" via another element in between. Furthermore, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, this does not mean that it excludes the other component, but that it may further include the other component, unless otherwise specified.

[0033] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. However, when describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention, if it is recognized that a detailed description of related known techniques or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0034] The water injection unit described below is preferably a firefighting device for outdoor installation, and is a firefighting device for ensuring the fire safety of an energy storage system. However, the water injection unit according to the present invention is not necessarily an item that should be used exclusively for constructing an energy storage system. In other words, the water injection unit can be used as a firefighting device for ordinary buildings, buildings, warehouses, etc. in addition to energy storage systems.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a water injection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the water injection unit of FIG.

[0036] Referring to the figure, the water injection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an outer casing 100 having a connection port 130 provided on at least one outer wall thereof that can be connected to a fire connection hose or a communication cable extending from a battery container 20, a water tank 200 that stores a certain amount of fire extinguishing water, a gas storage tank 300 that stores gas, and a control unit 400.

[0037] As will be described in more detail later, the water injection unit 10 according to the present invention is configured such that the water tank 200, the gas storage tank 300, the control unit 400, and other piping are housed in the outer box 100, and a connection port 130 is provided on one wall of the outer box 100, making it easy to transport to a desired installation location and also allowing for simple and easy connection to the battery container 20.

[0038] In addition, the water injection unit 10 according to the present invention is configured to communicate with the battery container 20 to determine whether or not there is a fire in the battery container 20, and to immediately supply fire-extinguishing water to the battery container 20 as soon as a fire is detected, thereby enabling the early extinguishing of a fire in the battery container 20 and preventing the fire from spreading or spreading.

[0039] The outer box 100 is a main component of the water injection unit 10, and can protect components such as the water tank 200, the gas storage tank 300, and the control unit 400 from the outside, and can be configured to be easily transported and installed outdoors.

[0040] The outer box 100 may be realized in the shape of a box that is easy to transport and has an internal space capable of accommodating the water tank 200, the gas storage tank 300, the control unit 400, and other piping. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, the outer box 100 includes an outer box body 110 that forms side and ceiling portions, and a base frame assembly 120 that is disposed below the outer box body 110 and supports the outer box body 110. Here, the side portions refer to the portions surrounding the front, back, left, and right sides of the outer box 100 excluding the top and bottom, and the ceiling portion refers to the portion that covers the top of the outer box 100.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 2, the outer box body 110 includes an inner frame 111, a front door 112, a rear door 113, a first inner cover 114, a second inner cover 115, a first side panel assembly 116, a second side panel assembly 117, and a top cover 118.

[0042] The inner frame 111 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped structure formed by combining a plurality of angles and panels. The inner frame 111 may also have one or more bars arranged vertically or horizontally inside. The water tank 200, the gas storage tank 300, the control unit 400, and other piping may be fixed to the bars by fixing means such as brackets.

[0043] The open portion of the inner frame 111 shown in FIG. 2 can be covered by a front door 112, a rear door 113, a first inner cover 114, a second inner cover 115, a first side panel assembly 116, a second side panel assembly 117, etc. as shown in FIG. 1.

[0044] The front door 112, the rear door 113, the first inner cover 114, the second inner cover 115, the first side panel assembly 116, the second side panel assembly 117 and the top cover 118 may each include an insulator to provide heat insulation and vibration isolation.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 3, the base frame assembly 120 includes an outer frame 121 that forms a square frame edge using four beams, and a bottom panel portion 124 that covers the empty area inside the outer frame 121, and can be configured to support the outer box body 110 from below.

[0046] In addition, the base frame assembly 120 may be configured to be transportable by transportation equipment such as a forklift. Here, the forklift may refer to a material handling and transportation vehicle or material handling and transportation device having a post erected at the front of the vehicle body and forks that can be raised and lowered along the post.

[0047] Specifically, the outer frame 121 has fork insertion holes 122 on two beams that are aligned with each other. The fork insertion holes 122 provided on the two beams may be formed so that a portion of the side of the beam penetrates in the front-to-rear direction (±X direction). Forks of a forklift can be inserted into these fork insertion holes 122, and the water injection unit 10 can be lifted and transported by the forklift.

[0048] The water injection unit 10 according to the present invention allows the gas storage tank 300 to be replaced through the front door 112 of the outer casing 100, and is provided with a connection port 130 (described later) that allows the water tank 200 to be drained or filled with fire extinguishing water through a drain / fill port 132. In this case, when transporting the water injection unit 10, the gas storage tank 300 does not need to be installed inside the outer casing 100, and the water tank 200 can be emptied to minimize its weight before transport. After the outer casing 100 is placed in a desired location, the gas storage tank 300 can be placed inside the outer casing 100 through the front door 112 of the outer casing 100, and the water tank 200 can be filled with fire extinguishing water.

[0049] The base frame assembly 120 also includes anchor insertion portions 123 formed in at least two of the four beams forming the outer frame 121, and anchor units 125 interposed in the anchor insertion portions 123.

[0050] 3 to 5, the outer frame 121 may have anchor receiving portions 123 provided on two adjacent beams extending in the X-axis direction. The anchor receiving portions 123 have a shape in which the side surfaces of the beams are curved from the outside to the inside.

[0051] More specifically, referring primarily to FIG. 5, the anchor fitting portion 123 includes a first plate P1 and a second plate P2 that are spaced apart and face each other in the height direction (Z direction) of the base frame assembly 120, and a third plate P3 whose upper and lower ends intersect with the first and second plates P1 and P2. The third plate P3 is located in the inner peripheral region of the first and second plates P1 and P2 in the width direction (Y direction). The anchor fitting portion 123 has an inner space surrounded by the first to third plates P1, P2, and P3, and an open shape facing the third plate. This allows the anchor unit 125 to be partially fitted into the inner space of the anchor fitting portion 123.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 5, the anchor unit 125 includes a beam support plate 126 consisting of a first part 126a and a second part 126b, and an anchor plate 127 disposed at the lower end of the second part 126b.

[0053] The first part 126a of the beam support plate 126 has a height corresponding to the height of the inner space of the anchor fitting portion 123 and can be configured to be tightly fitted into the anchor fitting portion 123 and fixed to the beam. The second part 126b of the beam support plate 126 has a shape that protrudes further outward from the anchor fitting portion 123.

[0054] The beam support plates 126 are configured as a pair, and the two beam support plates 126 can be arranged to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the beam support plates 126 are configured as a pair, but the beam support plates 126 may be configured as one plate or three or more plates.

[0055] The anchor plate 127 is disposed at the lower end of the second part 126b of the beam support plate 126. The anchor plate 127 is configured as a horizontal plate at the lower end of the second part 126b so as to be aligned with the ground. That is, the beam support plate 126 and the anchor plate 127 are disposed so as to intersect with each other. The anchor plate 127 may have fastening holes H for fastening the anchor plate 127 to the ground using, for example, anchor bolts B.

[0056] The anchor unit 125 may be configured to be fitted with the at least two beams and be able to change its position along the extension direction of the beams and be fixed to the ground.

[0057] 3 to 5, the anchor fitting portion 123 has an inner space into which the anchor unit 125 can be fitted that has a shape that extends elongated along the extending direction of the beam. In this case, the range in which the anchor unit 125 can be arranged and the number of anchor units 125 into which the anchor unit 125 can be arranged can be increased.

[0058] For example, as shown in Fig. 6, the anchor units 125 may be disposed one on each side of the periphery of the beams forming the base frame assembly 120, or one on each side of the beams at a fixed distance from one end and the other end, as shown in Fig. 7. Although not shown, three or four anchor units 125 may be disposed per beam.

[0059] As an example, drilling work is performed in advance to make holes in the ground E where the water injection unit 10 will be installed, but there is a possibility that the position of the pre-drilled hole will not match the position of the fastening hole H of the anchor plate 127 due to an error in the drilling work. In such a case, the water injection unit 10 according to the present invention can easily change the installation position of the anchor unit 125, thereby making it possible to accommodate the positional error between the hole in the ground E and the fastening hole H of the anchor plate 127. Another advantage is that it is easy to move the position of the anchor plate 127 to a more suitable location depending on the condition of the ground E at the installation site.

[0060] As described above, the water injection unit 10 according to the present invention includes an outer frame 121 with an anchor insertion portion 123 and an anchor unit 125, and therefore can be easily installed outdoors by adjusting the position of the anchor unit 125 according to the condition of the ground and driving the anchor plate 127 into the ground.

[0061] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the outer box 100 includes a plurality of connection ports 130 .

[0062] The connection port 130 may be provided on at least one outer wall of the outer casing 100 so that a fire connection hose or a communication / power cable leading from an external facility (e.g., a battery container 20, an external water source) can be connected outside the outer casing 100.

[0063] The connection ports 130 may include a fill port 131 , a drain / fill port 132 and a communication port 133 .

[0064] The water fill port 131 and the water drain / fill port 132 may be located in the area below the rear door 113 of the outer casing 100 .

[0065] The water injection port 131 may be connected to a fire hose outside the outer casing 100 or may be connected to the water tank 200 inside the outer casing 100 .

[0066] The drain / fill port 132 is a connection port 130 for draining the fire extinguishing water in the water tank 200 to the outside of the outer case 100 or for refilling the fire extinguishing water into the water tank 200 from the outside of the outer case 100. The drain / fill port 132 is connected to the water tank 200 inside the outer case 100. The drain / fill port 132 is normally closed with a plug or the like, and can be connected to a drain hose or a fill hose outside the outer case 100 as needed.

[0067] The communication port 133 may be connected to a communication cable outside the outer case 100, or may be connected to the control unit 400 inside the outer case 100. The communication cable may be connected to, for example, a control unit and / or a fire detector disposed in the battery container 20.

[0068] The water filling port 131, the water drain / fill port 132, and the communication port 133 may be arranged as a set in the lower area of ​​the rear door 113. In this case, the layout of wiring between the water injection unit 10 and the battery container 20 can be easily simplified.

[0069] 10 to 13, the water injection unit 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include an external water source port 134. The external water source port 134 may be provided on the outer wall of the outer casing 100 so as to be connectable to an external water source (such as a fire hydrant or a fire engine).

[0070] That is, for example, when a fire hydrant is present around the location where the water injection unit 10 is installed, the external water source port 134 is a port to which a fire hose is connected that connects the fire hydrant to the external water source port 134 so that the fire hydrant can be used in place of the water tank 200. Such an external water source port 134 is provided on the outer wall of the outer casing 100, and when a fire breaks out, the fire water from the water tank 200 can be used primarily to fight the fire. When a fire engine arrives at the scene of the fire, the fire hose of the fire engine can be connected to the external water source port 134 so that the fire water from the fire engine can be immediately supplied to the battery container 20.

[0071] 12 and 13, the water tank 200 is a component for storing fire extinguishing water, and the storage capacity of the fire extinguishing water can be determined depending on, for example, the size and number of fire suppression facilities. For example, in this embodiment, the water tank 200 has a storage capacity of approximately 900 to 1000 L of fire extinguishing water to respond to fires in three battery containers 20.

[0072] The water reservoir tank 200 is connected to the water supply port 131 inside the outer casing 100 by a water supply pipeline 510. The water reservoir tank 200 may further include a pressure sensor PG and a water level sensor WG for monitoring the internal pressure and water level. The water reservoir tank 200 may be provided with an auxiliary pipe SP for adjusting the water level and pressure, and a valve for opening and closing the auxiliary pipe SP.

[0073] In particular, the water reservoir tank 200 may be connected to a gas storage tank 300. As shown in Fig. 12, the water reservoir tank 200 and the gas storage tank 300 may be connected by a gas supply pipe 310 that forms a gas transfer path.

[0074] The gas storage tank 300 supplies gas to the water tank 200 by opening and closing a valve under certain conditions under the control of the control unit 400. When gas is injected from the gas storage tank 300 to the water tank 200, the fire extinguishing water in the water tank 200 can be quickly and powerfully discharged to the outside of the water tank 200 due to the pressure of the gas.

[0075] Nitrogen gas can be used as the gas. Therefore, the gas storage tank 300 can be a nitrogen tank. However, the gas storage tank 300 is not necessarily a nitrogen tank. In other words, any gas can be used as long as it can perform the same function as nitrogen gas.

[0076] The gas storage tank 300 may include a tank body capable of storing gas, a valve disposed on one side of the tank body, and a mechanical / electromagnetic actuator 320 for opening and closing the valve. The actuator 320 may be connected to a control unit 400 and configured to operate based on a control signal from the control unit 400.

[0077] For example, when the control unit 400 detects a fire in the battery container 20, the control unit 400 may operate the actuator to open the valve of the gas storage tank 300, and gas may be injected into the water tank 200 through the gas supply pipe 310. Then, the fire extinguishing water in the fire extinguishing tank may be quickly released along the water injection pipeline 510 due to the pressure of the gas.

[0078] The control unit 400 is a component connected to the connection port 130 and the gas storage tank 300, and detects whether or not there is a fire in the battery container 20, and controls the gas storage tank 300 to inject gas into the water tank 200, thereby discharging the fire-extinguishing water in the water tank 200 due to the gas pressure.

[0079] That is, the control unit 400 may be configured to be able to transmit and receive data to and from the battery container 20, determine the fire status of the battery container 20, and, if certain conditions are met, control the gas storage tank 300 to inject gas from the gas storage tank 300. In addition, the control unit 400 may be configured to activate the horn / warning light 800 to notify the emergency status. The control unit 400 may selectively include a processor, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), logic circuit, register, communication modem, data processing device, etc., which are well known in the art.

[0080] In addition, the water injection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a piping member 500 for connecting the connection port 130, the external water source port 134, and internal components, i.e., the water tank 200, the gas storage tank 300, and the control unit 400, etc., inside the outer casing 100.

[0081] Referring to Figures 12 and 13, the piping member 500 includes a water injection pipeline 510 connecting the water tank 200 and the water injection port 131, a drain / fill pipeline 520 connecting the water tank 200 and the drain / fill port 132, and a communication conduit line 530 connecting the control unit 400 and the communication port 133.

[0082] The water injection pipeline 510 may include at least one metal conduit, a flexible hose, a connecting flange, an on-off valve, etc. The water injection pipeline 510 extends from the upper end of the water tank 200 to the water injection port 131 located on the outer wall at the rear of the outer casing 100, and functions as a flow path for the fire extinguishing water to move from the water tank 200 to the water injection port 131.

[0083] The drainage / filling pipeline 520 is composed of at least one metal conduit, a flexible hose, an on-off valve, etc., and extends from the lower end of the water tank 200 to the drainage / filling port 132 located on the outer wall at the rear of the outer box 100, and can be used as a path for fire extinguishing water when draining or refilling the water tank 200.

[0084] The communication conduit line 530 may be composed of a conduit made of an insulating material and at least one communication cable or power cable inserted into the conduit. The communication conduit line 530 serves as a passageway for connecting the control unit 400 and the communication port 133 within the outer casing 100, as well as for transmitting data and power necessary for the operation of the AC box, gas storage tank 300, water tank 200, air conditioner 600, manual operation unit 700, and horn / warning light 800.

[0085] 13, the water injection unit 10 according to the present invention further includes an external water source connection line 540 as the piping member 500. The external water source connection line 540 is made of a flexible hose or a metal conduit, and is the piping member 500 for moving the fire extinguishing water flowing into the external water source port 134 to the water injection port 131, and connects the external water source port 134 to the water injection pipeline 510. For example, the external water source connection line 540 and the water injection pipeline 510 can be connected by a T-flange 511 or a T-shaped tee. According to this piping configuration, an external water source such as a fire hydrant or a fire truck can be connected to the external water source port 134 provided on the outer wall of the outer casing 100 to draw fire extinguishing water from the external water source, and the fire extinguishing water can be supplied to the target facility where the fire has occurred, i.e., the battery container 20, via the external water source connection line 540, the water injection pipeline, the water injection port 131, and the fire connection hose connected to the water injection port 131.

[0086] In order to achieve a compact, lightweight, and easy-to-manage water injection unit 10 according to this embodiment, the water tank 200, gas storage tank 300, control unit 400, piping components 500, etc. are arranged inside the outer box 100 as shown in FIG. 12.

[0087] That is, in Figure 12, the water tank 200, which has the largest volume, is placed in the left corner area inside the outer box 100, the gas storage tank 300 and the control unit 400 are placed in the area facing the front door 112, and most of the piping components 500 and the manual switches for opening and closing the piping components 500 are placed in the area facing the rear door 113.

[0088] With this configuration, it is possible to manage and maintain the internal components by opening the front door 112 or the rear door 113. For example, it is possible to replace the gas storage tank 300 or manage the control unit 400 by opening the front door 112, and it is possible to manage the piping member 500 and the connection port 130 by opening the rear door 113. In this way, it is possible to manage and maintain the internal components inside the outer casing 100, and by arranging them in a space-intensive manner, it is possible to minimize the size and weight of the outer casing 100.

[0089] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 11 , the water injection unit 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include an air conditioner 600. The air conditioner 600 is fixed to the outer wall of the outer casing 100 and serves to adjust the temperature and humidity inside the outer casing 100. The operation of the air conditioner 600 may be controlled by the control unit 400. For example, the control unit 400 activates the heating function of the air conditioner 600 when the temperature inside the outer casing 100 drops, and conversely, activates the cooling function of the air conditioner 600 when the temperature inside the outer casing 100 rises. In this case, even if the temperature outside the outer casing 100 drops below zero, the fire extinguishing water in the water tank 200 can be prevented from freezing, and malfunction of electronic and electrical components can be prevented.

[0090] 10 and 13, the water injection unit 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a manual operation unit 700 (MPS: Manual Pull Station). The manual operation unit 700 may be disposed on an outer wall of the outer casing 100 and connected to the gas storage tank 300 inside the outer casing 100 so as to inject the gas stored in the gas storage tank 300. For example, the manual operation unit 700 may be configured as a lever. When the lever is pulled, a mechanical or electrical signal may be transmitted directly to the actuator 320 of the gas storage tank 300 or transmitted to the actuator of the gas storage tank 300 via the control unit 400, thereby opening the valve of the gas storage tank 300 and injecting the gas. In particular, in an emergency situation in which the fire detector does not activate, fire-extinguishing water can be quickly injected using the manual operation unit 700.

[0091] Furthermore, the water injection unit 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a horn / warning light 800, which is a component for audibly and visually informing the user of the status of an event, at the top of the front of the outer casing 100, as shown in Figures 10 and 13. The horn / warning light 800 may be connected to the control unit 400 and configured to emit an alarm sound and a warning light when a fire occurs based on a control signal from the control unit 400.

[0092] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an energy storage system according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a water injection unit 10 and a portion of a battery container 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a battery rack 21 and a fire pipeline 23 arranged inside a battery container 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a schematic connection form of two battery containers 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an enlarged portion of a battery container 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] Next, an energy storage system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 14, an energy storage system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the above-described water injection unit 10 and a plurality of battery containers 20A, 20B, and 20C.

[0095] The description of the water injection unit 10 will be replaced with the above description, and the battery container 20 will be described.

[0096] The battery container 20 includes a battery rack 21 and a container housing. The battery rack 21 may be configured to have a plurality of battery modules (not shown) stacked on top of one another. Here, each battery module may be configured to have a plurality of battery cells (secondary batteries) housed in a module case. Each battery module may be housed in a rack case and stacked in at least one direction. For example, each battery module may be stacked vertically via the rack case.

[0097] A plurality of battery racks 21 may be included in the battery container 20. The plurality of battery racks 21 may be arranged in at least one direction, for example, horizontally. For example, the battery container 20 according to the present invention may be configured so that eight battery racks 21 are housed inside the container housing.

[0098] The container housing may have an empty space therein to accommodate the battery rack 21. For example, the container housing may be made of a metal material such as steel.

[0099] Although not shown for ease of illustration, the battery containers 20 can be electrically connected to each other by connecting the main bus bars of each battery container 20. For example, the left battery container 20 and the right battery container 20 may each have a main bus bar. A main bus bar connector located at the upper right side of the left battery container 20 and a main bus bar connector located at the upper left side of the right battery container 20 may be connected to each other via a bus bar or a connecting cable. In this case, the main bus bar of the left battery container 20 and the main bus bar of the right battery container 20 may be electrically connected to each other. Therefore, the left battery container 20 and the right battery container 20 may be configured to connect and flow charging and discharging power to each other. In this case, the battery module included in the left battery container 20 and the battery module included in the right battery container 20 may be electrically connected to each other in parallel.

[0100] According to this embodiment, a charging / discharging power supply connection configuration between multiple battery containers 20 can be easily realized by simply connecting the main bus bar connectors provided in each of the multiple battery containers 20. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, it is only necessary to connect the main bus bar connectors located in adjacent portions between the multiple battery containers 20, so the connection configuration can be easily performed.

[0101] 15 to 18, the battery container 20 according to the present invention may be configured to receive fire extinguishing water from the water injection unit 10.

[0102] For example, referring to FIG. 15 , the battery container 20 may include a fire detector 22, a fire pipeline, and a fire connector 24. The fire detector 22 includes a gas sensor and / or a temperature sensor and is configured to detect the occurrence of gas or fire in the battery container. The fire detector 22 and the water injection unit 10 are connected via a communication cable 40 or wirelessly, and operation information of the fire detector 22 is transmitted to a control unit 400 of the water injection unit 10. Then, the control unit 400 injects gas from the gas storage tank 300, and the pressure of the injected gas allows the fire extinguishing water in the water tank 200 to be quickly supplied to the battery container 20.

[0103] 15 and 16, the battery container 20 has a fire connector 24 connected to the water injection port 131 of the water injection unit 10 via a fire connection hose 30, so that fire extinguishing water can be supplied from the water injection unit 10. The fire extinguishing water supplied to the battery container 20 can be supplied to the battery rack 21 inside the container housing.

[0104] Specifically, the battery container 20 includes a fire pipeline 23 connected to the fire connector 24, allowing fire extinguishing water to flow along a specific path inside the container housing. Here, the fire pipeline 23 may include a main pipe 25, a plurality of branch pipes 26, and a rack pipe 27.

[0105] The main pipe 25 has one end connected to a fire connector 24 disposed on one wall surface of the battery container inside the battery container 20, extends along the arrangement direction of the battery racks 21, and the other end connected to a fire connector 24 disposed on the other wall surface of the battery container 20. Hereinafter, the fire connector 24 disposed on one wall surface of the battery container 20 will be referred to as a first fire connector 24F, and the fire connector 24 disposed on the other wall surface of the battery container 20 will be referred to as a second fire connector 24R.

[0106] The branch pipes 26 may branch off from the main pipe 25 and be connected to rack pipes 27. The rack pipes 27 may include spray nozzles 28 connected to each battery module (not shown) installed in the battery rack 21, and may be connected to each of the branch pipes 26 and fixed to the battery rack 21. The spray nozzles 28 may be glass bulbs. In this case, if a fire breaks out in a specific battery module, fire-extinguishing water can be supplied to the interior of the specific battery module due to breakage of the glass bulb connected to the specific battery module.

[0107] Furthermore, the energy storage system according to the present invention may be configured to supply fire extinguishing water to multiple battery containers 20 using one water injection unit 10. For example, referring to Fig. 17, the fire connector 24 of one of the battery containers 20 may be connected to the fire connector 24 of the other battery container 20 by a fire connection hose 30. As a result, the main pipes 25 of the two battery containers 20A and 20B may be connected to each other.

[0108] 14 to 18, fire extinguishing water can be supplied from the water injection unit 10 to the first fire connector 24F of the first battery container 20. The fire extinguishing water can then be supplied to the first fire connector 24F of the second battery container 20B via the main pipe 25 of the first battery container 20A, the second fire connector 24R, and the fire connecting hose 30. This allows fire extinguishing water to be supplied from the first fire connector 24F of the second battery container 20B to the main pipe 25 of the second battery container 20B. The second fire connector 24R of the second battery container 20B and the first fire connector 24F of the third battery container 20C are also connected by the fire connecting hose 30, allowing fire extinguishing water to move from the main pipe 25 of the second battery container 20B to the main pipe 25 of the third battery container 20C. Therefore, the fire extinguishing water supplied from the water injection unit 10 can flow into all of the fire fighting pipelines 23 of the three battery containers 20A, 20B, and 20C.

[0109] The configuration of the energy storage system according to the present invention as described above has a simple installation configuration and allows a single water injection unit 10 to respond to a fire in multiple battery containers 20. Therefore, not only is the fire safety of the multiple battery containers 20 ensured, but the convenience of installation for realizing such a safety-enhancing structure can also be improved.

[0110] The above detailed description is merely illustrative of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-described content shows and describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention can be used in a wide variety of other combinations, modifications, and environments. That is, changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the inventive concept disclosed herein, the scope of equivalents to the disclosure in the description, and / or the skill or knowledge of those in the art. Therefore, the above detailed description of the invention is not intended to limit the present invention to the disclosed embodiments. Furthermore, the appended claims should be construed to include other embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 10 Water Injection Unit 20 Battery Container 21 Battery Rack 22 Fire detector 23 Fire Pipeline 24 Fire Pipeline / Fire Connector 25 Main Pipe 26 Branch pipe 27 Rack Pipe 28 Injection Nozzle 30 Fire Hose Connection 100 outer box 110 Outer box body 111 Inner frame 112 Front Door 113 rear door 114 First inner cover 115 Second inner cover 116 First side panel assembly 117 Second side panel assembly 118 Top cover 120 Base frame assembly 121 Outer frame 122 Fork insertion hole 123 Anchor insertion part 124 Bottom panel 125 anchor unit 126 Beam support plate 127 Anchor Plate 130 Connecting Port 131 Water injection port 132 Drain / fill port 134 External water source port 200 aquarium tank 300 Gas storage tank 310 Gas supply pipe 320 Actuator 400 control section 500 Piping components 510 Water Injection Pipeline 511 T flange 520 Drainage / filling pipeline 530 Communication Conduit Line 540 External water source connection line 600 Adjustment device 700 Manual operation section 800 Horn / warning light H fastening hole P1 First Plate P2 Second Plate P3 Third Plate

Claims

1. an outer box having a connection port on at least one outer wall thereof that can be connected to a hose or cable extending from the battery container; a water tank connected to the connection port and disposed inside the outer box; a gas storage tank connected to the water tank so as to provide gas to the water tank; a control unit connected to the connection port and the gas storage tank, detecting the presence or absence of a fire in the battery container, and controlling gas to be sprayed from the gas storage tank to the water tank so that fire extinguishing water in the water tank is discharged by the pressure of the gas; A water injection unit comprising: The connection port is provided in a lower end region of one side wall of the outer box, a water injection port to which a fire connection hose connected to the battery container is connected; and a water drain / fill port for refilling or discharging fire water into the water tank. a communication port for connecting a communication cable to the control unit; Including the water injection unit.

2. The outer box is an outer box body that forms a side portion and a ceiling portion; a base frame assembly disposed under the outer box body to support the outer box body and configured to be transportable by a forklift; The water injection unit of claim 1 , comprising:

3. The water injection unit according to claim 1 , wherein the gas storage tank is a nitrogen tank.

4. A piping member disposed inside the outer box, The piping member is a water injection pipeline connecting the water tank and the water injection port; a drain / fill pipeline connecting the water reservoir tank and the drain / fill port; a communication conduit line connecting the control unit and the communication port; The water injection unit of claim 3, comprising:

5. The outer box further includes an external water source port on an outer wall thereof, the external water source port being connectable to an external water source; The water injection unit according to claim 4 , wherein the piping member further includes an external water source connection line connecting the external water source port and the water injection pipeline.

6. The water injection unit according to claim 1 , further comprising an air conditioning device fixed to an outer wall of the outer box for adjusting the temperature and humidity inside the outer box.

7. The water injection unit according to claim 1 , further comprising a manual operation unit disposed on an outer wall of the outer box and connected to the gas storage tank so as to inject the gas stored in the gas storage tank.

8. The water injection unit according to claim 1, further comprising a horn that emits an alarm sound or a warning light that emits light, the horn being disposed on an outer wall of the outer box and connected to the control unit under an event condition.

9. An outer box having a connection port on at least one outer wall that can be connected to a hose or cable extending from the battery container; a water tank connected to the connection port and disposed inside the outer box; a gas storage tank connected to the water tank so as to provide gas to the water tank; a control unit connected to the connection port and the gas storage tank, detecting the presence or absence of a fire in the battery container, and controlling gas to be sprayed from the gas storage tank to the water tank so that fire extinguishing water in the water tank is discharged by the pressure of the gas; A water injection unit comprising: The outer box is an outer box body that forms a side portion and a ceiling portion; a base frame assembly disposed under the outer box body to support the outer box body and configured to be transportable by a forklift; Including, The base frame assembly includes: The device includes an outer frame having four beams forming a square frame edge, and a bottom panel portion covering an area inside the square frame edge of the outer frame, The outer frame has fork insertion holes in two beams that are aligned with each other.

10. The base frame assembly includes: An outer frame that forms a square frame edge with four beams; a bottom panel portion that covers an empty area inside the outer frame; An anchor unit that is fitted to the beam and can be fixed to the ground by changing its position along the extension direction of the beam; 10. The water injection unit of claim 9, comprising:

11. At least two of the four beams have anchor insertion portions each having a concave side surface extending from the outside to the inside, The anchor unit is interposed in the anchor fitting portion, a beam support plate having a height corresponding to the height of the inner space of the anchor fitting portion, the beam support plate including a first part portion that is tightly fitted into the anchor fitting portion, and a second part portion that protrudes outward from the anchor fitting portion; an anchor plate disposed at a lower end of the second part portion; 11. The water injection unit of claim 10, comprising:

12. A water injection unit according to any one of claims 1 to 11; a plurality of battery containers each having a battery rack, a fire detector, and a fire protection pipeline therein; Including, An energy storage system, wherein the water injection unit and the battery container are connected to each other, or the battery containers are connected to each other by a fire connection hose.

13. The battery container comprises: a fire connector disposed on the outer wall and connected to the fire pipeline; 13. The energy storage system according to claim 12, wherein the fire connector of one of the battery containers and the fire connector of the other remaining battery container are connected by the fire connection hose.

14. The fire connector includes a first fire connector disposed on one side wall of the battery container and a second fire connector disposed on the other side wall of the battery container, The fire fighting pipeline is a main pipe having one end connected to the first fire connector and the other end connected to the second fire connector; a plurality of branch pipes branching off from the main pipe; a rack pipe connected to each of the branch pipes and fixed to the battery rack; Including, The energy storage system according to claim 13 , wherein the rack pipe includes a spray nozzle connected to each battery module arranged in the battery rack.

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