Fire monitoring device and method

Abstract

To provide a fire monitoring device and method for monitoring a fire inside an energy storage device and enabling the fire to be extinguished early.SOLUTION: A fire monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a device for monitoring a fire in an energy storage device provided with a plurality of battery modules and includes: a fire level determination unit configured to receive smoke detection signals from smoke sensors provided inside the energy storage device and determine a level of the fire in accordance with the number of the smoke sensors having detected the smoke; and a control unit configured to control, as a fire extinguishing action corresponding to the determined level of the fire, an operation of at least one of an air conditioning unit, a hydrant unit, a water injection unit, and a ventilation unit for the energy storage device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0008139 filed on January 19, 2022, and all the contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of the application are incorporated into this application.

[0002] The present invention relates to a fire monitoring device and method, and more particularly, to a fire monitoring device and method that monitors the occurrence of a fire in a battery and can take related measures when a fire occurs.

Background Art

[0003] In recent years, the demand for portable electronic products such as notebook computers, video cameras, and mobile phones has rapidly increased. As the commercialization of robots, electric vehicles, etc. has become full-scale, research on high-performance secondary batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged has been actively conducted.

[0004] Currently, commercially available batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, etc. Among them, lithium secondary batteries have attracted attention because they can be freely charged and discharged because they hardly exhibit a memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, have a very low self-discharge rate, and have a high energy density.

[0005] On the other hand, such batteries have the drawback of being vulnerable to external surges and high temperatures. Therefore, an energy storage device (ESS, energy storage system) that aggregates batteries for storage has a problem that the risk of fire always exists.

[0006] Generally, fires in energy storage systems begin at the individual battery cell level, and can then progress to the battery rack level. In this case, there is a concern that the fire that started at the battery cell level could spread to the entire energy storage system, so it is necessary to monitor for the occurrence of fires and take prompt action to respond to them in the early stages. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a fire monitoring device and method that can monitor fires inside energy storage devices and suppress fires at an early stage.

[0008] Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood from the following description and will be more clearly demonstrated by the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is a fire monitoring device for monitoring a fire in an energy storage device equipped with multiple battery modules.

[0010] The fire monitoring device may include a fire level determination unit configured to receive at least one smoke detection signal from a plurality of smoke sensors installed inside the energy storage device and to determine the fire level according to the number of smoke sensors that have detected smoke, and a control unit configured to control the operation of at least one of an air conditioning unit, a fire extinguishing unit, a water injection unit, and a ventilation unit for the energy storage device as a fire suppression measure corresponding to the determined fire level.

[0011] The fire level determination unit may be configured to determine the fire level as a first level if smoke is detected by only one of the plurality of smoke sensors.

[0012] The fire level determination unit may be configured to determine the fire level as a second level when smoke is detected by multiple of the multiple smoke sensors.

[0013] The control unit may be configured to interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit located inside the energy storage device when the fire level is determined to be the first level or the second level.

[0014] The control unit may be configured to drive the fire extinguishing unit located inside the energy storage device when the fire level is determined to be the second level, thereby injecting the fire extinguishing agent contained inside the fire extinguishing unit into the energy storage device.

[0015] The water injection unit is configured to be connected to each battery module in the energy storage device via a pipeline equipped with a valve that can be broken depending on the temperature of the corresponding battery module, and the control unit may be configured to drive the water injection unit to cause the fire extinguishing liquid provided in the water injection unit to flow into the pipeline when the fire level is determined to be the second level.

[0016] The fire extinguishing liquid may be configured to flow into the pipeline by the water injection unit and into the battery module among the plurality of battery modules whose corresponding pipeline valve is damaged.

[0017] The control unit may be configured to determine the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid provided in the water injection unit, and if the determined water level is below a preset threshold water level, to drive the ventilation unit to ventilate the energy storage device using outside air.

[0018] The control unit may be configured to determine the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid provided in the water injection unit, and if the determined water level is below a preset threshold water level, it may determine that a battery fire has occurred in the energy storage device, and if the determined water level exceeds the threshold water level, it may determine that an electrical fire has occurred in the energy storage device.

[0019] The control unit may be configured to receive the gas concentration measured by a gas sensor provided in the energy storage device, and if the measured gas concentration is equal to or greater than a preset threshold concentration, to interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit provided inside the energy storage device and to drive the ventilation unit to ventilate the energy storage device using outside air.

[0020] A fire detection system according to another aspect of the present invention may include a fire monitoring device and an energy storage device according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0021] A fire monitoring method according to yet another aspect of the present invention may be a method for monitoring a fire in an energy storage device equipped with multiple battery modules.

[0022] The fire monitoring method may include: a smoke detection signal receiving step of receiving smoke detection signals from a plurality of smoke sensors installed inside the energy storage device; a fire level determination step of determining the fire level according to the number of smoke sensors that detected smoke when smoke is detected; and a fire control step of controlling the operation of at least one of an air conditioning unit, a fire extinguishing unit, a water injection unit, and a ventilation unit for the energy storage device as a fire suppression measure corresponding to the determined fire level.

[0023] The fire monitoring method may further include a ventilation control step of receiving the concentration of the gas measured from a gas sensor provided in the energy storage device in parallel with the smoke detection signal reception step, and controlling the operations of the air conditioning unit and the ventilation unit based on the result of comparing the measured gas concentration with a preset threshold concentration.

Advantages of the Invention

[0024] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is an advantage that the level of fire occurrence can be determined based on the smoke occurring inside the energy storage device, and appropriate fire suppression measures can be taken according to the determined level of fire occurrence. Therefore, even if a fire occurs inside the energy storage device, it is possible to suppress the fire at an early stage.

[0025] Also, according to one aspect of the present invention, it is also possible to take fire suppression measures based on the concentration of the gas contained inside the energy storage device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent accidents such as explosions of the energy storage device.

[0026] The effects of 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 claims.

[0027] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and are for the purpose of further understanding the technical idea of the present invention together with the content of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be construed as being limited only to the matters described in the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] [Figure 1] It is a diagram schematically showing a fire monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram schematically showing a fire monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3]This figure schematically illustrates a fire monitoring method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This diagram provides a more detailed explanation of the fire monitoring method shown in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This figure schematically illustrates a fire monitoring method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] The terms and words used in this specification and in the claims are not to be interpreted in a manner limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, but rather in a manner and concept corresponding to the technical idea of ​​the present invention, in accordance with the principle that the inventor himself may appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe the invention.

[0030] Therefore, the embodiments described herein and the configurations shown in the drawings represent only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical concept of the invention. It should be understood that there are various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted for these at the time of filing this application.

[0031] Furthermore, in explaining the present invention, if it is deemed that a specific explanation of known technologies related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0032] Phrases containing ordinal numbers such as "first," "second," etc., are used to distinguish one of the various constituent elements from the others, and these phrases do not limit the constituent elements.

[0033] When a part of the specification is said to "include" a certain component, unless otherwise specified, this means that it may include other components rather than excluding them.

[0034] Incidentally, when we say that a part of the specification is "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly connected," but also cases where it is "indirectly connected" with other elements in between.

[0035] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0036] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a fire monitoring device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a fire monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] A fire monitoring device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention may be a device for monitoring a fire in an energy storage device 200 equipped with a plurality of battery modules.

[0038] First, referring to Figure 2, the fire monitoring system may include a fire monitoring device 100, an energy storage device 200, and a water injection unit 300. In the non-restrictive embodiment of Figure 2, the water injection unit 300 is shown outside the fire monitoring device 100 and the energy storage device 200, but it should be noted that the water injection unit 300 may be located inside the energy storage device 200.

[0039] The energy storage device 200 may include a plurality of battery racks R1 to R5, a smoke sensor 210, a gas sensor 220, an air conditioning unit 230, a fire extinguishing unit 240, and a ventilation unit 250.

[0040] Multiple battery racks R1 to R5 may be cell assemblies provided in the energy storage device 200.

[0041] For example, a battery rack can be formed as a frame structure on which battery modules can be mounted. Each battery rack may contain multiple battery modules, and each battery module may contain multiple battery cells.

[0042] Here, a battery cell means a single, independent cell that has a negative terminal and a positive terminal and is physically separable. For example, a lithium-ion battery or a lithium polymer battery may be considered a battery cell. In the non-restrictive embodiment of Figure 2, an embodiment is shown in which the energy storage device 200 is provided with five battery racks R1 to R5, but it should be noted that the number of battery racks that may be included in the energy storage device 200 is not limited.

[0043] The smoke sensor 210 is a sensor capable of detecting smoke generated inside the energy storage device 200. Preferably, multiple smoke sensors 210 may be provided inside the energy storage device 200.

[0044] The gas sensor 220 is a sensor capable of detecting gases generated inside the energy storage device 200. For example, the gas sensor 220 can detect H2.

[0045] The air conditioning unit 230 may be installed inside the energy storage device 200. The air conditioning unit 230 may be configured to circulate the air inside the energy storage device 200. That is, the air conditioning unit 230 can lower the temperature of the air inside the energy storage device 200 by exchanging heat between the air inside and the outside air, and then circulate the cooled air inside. For example, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) may be applied to the air conditioning unit 230.

[0046] The fire extinguishing unit 240 may be installed inside the energy storage device 200. When the fire extinguishing unit 240 is activated, the fire extinguishing agent stored in the fire extinguishing unit 240 can be sprayed into the energy storage device 200. For example, NOVEC (trademark name) 1230 may be applied to the fire extinguishing unit 240.

[0047] The ventilation unit 250 may be installed in the energy storage device 200. When the ventilation unit 250 is activated, outside air can flow into the energy storage device 200. In other words, the ventilation unit 250 may be configured to ventilate the energy storage device 200. For example, an active ventilation system (AVS) may be applied to the ventilation unit 250.

[0048] The water injection unit 300 may be configured to store fire extinguishing fluid. The water injection unit 300 may be configured to be connected to each battery module in the energy storage device 200 via a pipeline PL equipped with a valve that can be broken depending on the temperature of the corresponding battery module. For example, the pipeline PL may be connected to each of the multiple battery modules contained in each battery rack.

[0049] A valve may be provided at the end of the pipeline PL connected to the battery module. The valve may be damaged if the temperature of the corresponding battery module rises above a certain temperature. That is, when the water injection unit 300 is activated and fire extinguishing fluid flows into the pipeline PL, the fire extinguishing fluid may be ejected into the corresponding battery module through the damaged valve in the pipeline PL. In other words, the fire extinguishing fluid may flow into the pipeline PL by the water injection unit 300 and into the battery module among several battery modules whose valve in the corresponding pipeline PL is damaged. For example, the fire extinguishing fluid can be applied without limitation as long as it is for suppressing a fire in the battery module. In one embodiment, the fire extinguishing fluid may be water.

[0050] Referring to Figure 1, the fire monitoring device 100 may include a fire level determination unit 110 and a control unit 120.

[0051] The fire level determination unit 110 may be configured to receive a smoke detection signal from a smoke sensor 210 located inside the energy storage device 200.

[0052] Specifically, the fire level determination unit 110 may be connected to a smoke sensor 210 located inside the energy storage device 200 via wired and / or wireless communication.

[0053] In the following explanation, we will assume that multiple smoke sensors 210 are installed inside the energy storage device 200. The fire level determination unit 110 is connected to each of the multiple smoke sensors 210 and can receive smoke detection signals from each smoke sensor 210.

[0054] The fire level determination unit 110 may be configured to determine the fire level according to the number of smoke sensors 210 that have detected smoke.

[0055] Specifically, if smoke is detected in only one of the multiple smoke sensors 210, the fire level determination unit 110 may be configured to determine the fire level as a first level. Conversely, if smoke is detected in multiple of the multiple smoke sensors 210, the fire level determination unit 110 may be configured to determine the fire level as a second level.

[0056] For example, the fire level determination unit 110 can receive smoke detection signals from smoke sensors 210 that detect smoke generated inside the energy storage device 200. Since the fire level determination unit 110 is connected to each of the multiple smoke sensors 210, it can determine the number of smoke detection signals to receive from each smoke sensor 210. Therefore, the fire level determination unit 110 can determine the fire level as a first level or a second level according to the number of smoke detection signals received.

[0057] The control unit 120 may be configured to control the operation of at least one of the following for the energy storage device 200: the air conditioning unit 230, the fire suppression unit 240, the water injection unit 300, and the ventilation unit 250, as a fire suppression measure corresponding to the determined fire level.

[0058] Specifically, the control unit 120 can take fire suppression measures corresponding to the determined fire level. That is, the fire suppression measures taken when the fire level is at the first level may differ in part from the fire suppression measures taken when the fire level is at the second level.

[0059] The fire suppression measures, which vary depending on the level of the fire, may depend on the number of smoke sensors 210 that detect smoke. If fire extinguishing agents are sprayed or extinguishing liquid flows into the battery modules, the battery modules and / or the battery modules installed in the energy storage device 200 may become unusable. Therefore, it is preferable that fire suppression measures be taken only after accurately determining whether or not a fire has actually occurred in the energy storage device 200.

[0060] For example, generally, the energy storage device 200 is sealed from the outside, and internal air circulation is promoted by an air conditioning unit 230. In this case, if smoke is detected by only one smoke sensor 210, it is more likely that the smoke sensor 210 that detected the smoke is malfunctioning than that the smoke was caused by a fire. Conversely, if smoke is detected by multiple smoke sensors 210, it is more likely that the smoke was caused by a fire than that the multiple smoke sensors 210 are malfunctioning. Therefore, the control unit 120 may be configured to take fire suppression measures according to the level of the fire, which is determined based on the number of smoke sensors 210 that detected smoke.

[0061] Therefore, the fire monitoring device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention can monitor whether a fire has occurred in the energy storage device 200, taking into account the possibility of sensing errors in the smoke sensor 210, and can take appropriate fire suppression measures in response to the monitoring results. For example, in the case of a sensing error in the smoke sensor 210, it has the advantage that only minimal measures can be taken to protect the energy storage device 200. Conversely, if a fire does occur, it has the advantage that fire suppression measures can be taken early and the fire can be quickly brought under control.

[0062] On the other hand, the control unit 120 provided in the fire monitoring device 100 may selectively include, in order to activate the various control logics performed in the present invention, processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), other chipsets, logic circuits, registers, communication modems, data processing devices, etc., that are known in the industry. Furthermore, when the control logic is implemented by software, the control unit 120 may be implemented by a collection of program modules. In this case, the program modules are stored in memory and can be activated by the control unit 120. The memory may be located inside or outside the control unit 120 and may be connected to the control unit 120 by various well-known means.

[0063] Furthermore, the fire monitoring device 100 may further include a storage unit 130. The storage unit 130 may store data and programs necessary for each component of the fire monitoring device 100 to operate and function, or data generated during the process of operation and functioning. The storage unit 130 is not particularly limited in type, as long as it is a known information storage means capable of recording, erasing, updating, and reading data. For example, information storage means may include random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and registers. The storage unit 130 may also store program code that defines processes that can be started by the control unit 120.

[0064] The following sections will detail the fire suppression measures required according to the determined fire level.

[0065] If the fire level is determined to be the first or second level, the control unit 120 may be configured to interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 located inside the energy storage device 200.

[0066] Specifically, the control unit 120 may be connected to an air conditioning unit 230 provided in the energy storage device 200. The control unit 120 can then control the operation of the air conditioning unit 230.

[0067] Generally, under normal conditions where there is no fire in the energy storage device 200, the air conditioning unit 230 can be operated continuously to circulate the air inside the energy storage device 200.

[0068] However, if the fire level is determined to be the first or second level, that is, if smoke is detected by one or more smoke sensors 210, the smoke or fire is likely to spread or ignite inside the energy storage device 200 if the air conditioning unit 230 remains activated.

[0069] If the fire level is at the first level, there is a possibility of a sensing error by the smoke sensor 210, but we cannot rule out the possibility that smoke was actually detected by only one smoke sensor 210. If smoke was actually detected by one smoke sensor 210, the air conditioning unit 230 would continue to operate, posing a risk of smoke and / or fire spreading to or igniting the energy storage device 200. Therefore, the control unit 120 may be configured to interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 even if the fire level is at the first level.

[0070] Furthermore, if the fire level is at the second level, there is a very high probability that smoke has been generated inside the energy storage device 200, so the control unit 120 may be configured to interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit 230.

[0071] Therefore, if the fire level is determined to be the first or second level, the control unit 120 can interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit 230, thereby interrupting the circulation of air inside the energy storage device 200.

[0072] Furthermore, if the fire level is determined to be the second level, the control unit 120 may be configured to drive a fire extinguishing unit 240 located inside the energy storage device 200. When the fire extinguishing unit 240 is driven by the control unit 120, the fire extinguishing agent contained inside the fire extinguishing unit 240 can be sprayed into the energy storage device 200.

[0073] Specifically, the control unit 120 may be connected to a fire extinguishing unit 240 located inside the energy storage device 200. The operation of the fire extinguishing unit 240 may then be controlled by the control unit 120.

[0074] For example, if the fire level is determined to be the second level, the control unit 120 may first interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 to prevent smoke and / or fire from circulating inside the energy storage device 200. The control unit 120 may then drive the fire extinguishing unit 240 to inject fire extinguishing agent into the energy storage device 200.

[0075] Fires that can occur in the energy storage device 200 can be broadly classified into electrical fires and battery fires.

[0076] An electrical fire refers to a fire that can occur due to electrical causes, such as an overcurrent flowing through the energy storage device 200.

[0077] A battery fire refers to a fire that can occur due to internal problems within the battery cell, such as contact between the positive and negative electrode active materials due to lithium plating (internal short circuit) and venting of the battery cell due to swelling.

[0078] To extinguish an electrical fire, the spraying of fire extinguishing agents is required, and to extinguish a battery fire, water must be injected into the battery module. However, it is not possible to accurately distinguish between an electrical fire and a battery fire based solely on the detected smoke.

[0079] Therefore, if the fire level is determined to be the second level, the control unit 120 may first drive the fire extinguishing unit 240 to suppress the electrical fire by injecting fire extinguishing agent into the energy storage device 200.

[0080] Furthermore, if the fire level is determined to be the second level, the control unit 120 may be configured to drive the water injection unit 300 to inject the fire extinguishing liquid provided in the water injection unit 300 into the pipeline PL.

[0081] Specifically, the control unit 120 is connected to the water injection unit 300 and can control the operation of the water injection unit 300.

[0082] If the fire level is determined to be the second level, the control unit 120 may drive the fire extinguishing unit 240 to inject fire extinguishing agent into the energy storage device 200 and drive the water injection unit 300 to inject fire extinguishing liquid into the pipeline PL.

[0083] For example, if the fire in the energy storage device 200 is an electrical fire, the temperature of the battery modules contained in the battery rack may not rise. Therefore, even if the fire extinguishing liquid flows into the pipeline PL, the valves in the pipeline PL may not be damaged, and the fire extinguishing liquid may not flow into the inside of the battery modules. In contrast, electrical fires can be suppressed by the sprayed fire extinguishing agent.

[0084] To give another example, if a fire occurs in the energy storage device 200 and it is a battery fire, the temperature of the battery module where the fire occurred may rise rapidly. In this case, the valve corresponding to the battery module may be damaged, and fire extinguishing fluid may flow into the battery module through pipeline PL. Therefore, the battery fire can be extinguished by the fire extinguishing fluid.

[0085] Thus, if the determined fire level is the second level, the control unit 120 can control the operation of the fire extinguishing unit 240 and the water injection unit 300 to suppress both the electrical fire and the battery fire. Therefore, it becomes possible to effectively suppress fires that may be caused by different factors.

[0086] The control unit 120 may be configured to determine the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid provided in the water injection unit 300.

[0087] Specifically, the control unit 120 can drive the water injection unit 300 to inject the fire extinguishing liquid into the pipeline PL, and then determine the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid stored in the water injection unit 300.

[0088] For example, the water injection unit 300 may include a water level sensor for measuring the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid. The water level sensor is communicatively connected to the control unit 120 and can transmit information about the water level measured at a preset interval to the control unit 120. The control unit 120 can then determine the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid based on the information received from the water level sensor.

[0089] The control unit 120 may be configured to drive the ventilation unit 250 to ventilate the energy storage device 200 using outside air if the determined water level is below a preset threshold water level.

[0090] Specifically, if the water level of the fire extinguishing fluid is below the threshold level, it may be because the fire extinguishing fluid contained in the water injection unit 300 has flowed into at least one battery module. As mentioned above, even if the fire extinguishing fluid flows into the pipeline PL, it cannot flow into the inside of the battery module unless the valve is damaged. Therefore, a decrease in the water level of the fire extinguishing fluid to below the threshold level means that at least one of the multiple valves provided in the pipeline PL has been damaged, which may indicate that the fire extinguishing fluid has flowed into one or more battery modules.

[0091] If the fire extinguishing liquid flows directly into the battery module and extinguishes the battery fire, the energy storage device 200 may contain large amounts of fire extinguishing agent (sprayed by the fire extinguishing unit 240), water vapor, and H2. Therefore, the control unit 120 can prevent the energy storage device 200 from exploding by driving the ventilation unit 250 to ventilate the energy storage device 200.

[0092] The fire monitoring device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention has the advantage of being able to take appropriate fire suppression measures in each case, taking into account a wide variety of conditions under which electrical fires, battery fires, and explosions may occur. Therefore, even if a fire occurs in the energy storage device 200, it can be suppressed quickly, and it is also possible to prevent it from becoming a larger accident.

[0093] On the other hand, the control unit 120 may be configured to determine that a battery fire has occurred in the energy storage device 200 if the determined water level is below a preset threshold water level. Conversely, the control unit 120 may be configured to determine that an electrical fire has occurred in the energy storage device 200 if the determined water level exceeds a threshold water level.

[0094] Specifically, if the determined fire level is Level 2, it may indicate that a fire has occurred inside the energy storage device 200. However, it is not easy to determine whether the cause of the fire is an electrical fire or a battery fire based solely on the smoke detection signal from the smoke sensor 210.

[0095] As mentioned above, in the case of a battery fire, the temperature of the battery module rises rapidly, which can cause the corresponding valve to break and allow the fire extinguishing fluid that has flowed into the pipeline to enter the inside of the battery module. Therefore, in the case of a battery fire, the water level of the fire extinguishing fluid contained in the water injection unit 300 will fall below the threshold level.

[0096] In contrast, in the case of an electrical fire, the valve is not damaged, so although smoke is detected, the water level of the fire extinguishing agent does not drop below the threshold level.

[0097] In other words, after the control unit 120 drives the fire extinguishing unit 240 and the water injection unit 300, it can compare the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid with a preset threshold water level and then specifically distinguish and diagnose the cause of the fire as either an electrical fire or a battery fire.

[0098] Therefore, the fire monitoring device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention can not only suppress a fire occurring in the energy storage device 200 at an early stage, but also analyze the cause of the fire in detail. Furthermore, the fire monitoring device 100 has the advantage of providing information necessary for analyzing the cause of the fire by notifying the user or external parties of the specific cause of the fire.

[0099] The control unit 120 may be configured to receive the gas concentration measured by the gas sensor 220 provided in the energy storage device 200.

[0100] Specifically, the control unit 120 may be communicatively connected to a gas sensor 220 provided in the energy storage device 200. The control unit 120 may then receive information regarding the gas concentration measured by the gas sensor 220.

[0101] For example, the gas measured by the gas sensor 220 may be a flammable or explosive gas. More specifically, the gas measured by the gas sensor 220 may be H2. That is, the gas sensor 220 may be configured to measure the concentration of H2.

[0102] The control unit 120 may be configured to interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 located inside the energy storage device 200 if the measured gas concentration is above a preset threshold concentration.

[0103] For example, if the gas concentration exceeds a threshold concentration, there is a risk of explosion in the energy storage device 200, so the control unit 120 may interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 for circulating the internal air of the energy storage device 200.

[0104] Furthermore, the control unit 120 may be configured to drive the ventilation unit 250 to ventilate the energy storage device 200 using outside air. That is, the control unit 120 may drive the ventilation unit 250 to expel gas contained inside the sealed interior of the energy storage device 200 to the outside. As a result, the concentration of gas contained inside the energy storage device 200 gradually decreases, reducing the risk of explosion of the energy storage device 200.

[0105] A fire monitoring device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention can take fire suppression measures by considering not only the smoke generated inside the energy storage device 200, but also the concentration of gas contained inside the energy storage device 200.

[0106] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a fire monitoring method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0107] Preferably, each step of the fire monitoring method can be performed by the fire monitoring device 100. In the following, for the sake of clarity, any content that overlaps with what has been described above will be omitted or explained in a simplified manner.

[0108] The fire monitoring method may be a method for monitoring a fire in an energy storage device 200 equipped with multiple battery modules.

[0109] Referring to Figure 3, the fire monitoring method may include a smoke detection signal reception step (S100), a fire level determination step (S200), and a fire control step (S300).

[0110] The smoke detection signal receiving step (S100) is a step in which a smoke detection signal is received from a smoke sensor 210 located inside the energy storage device 200, and can be performed by the fire level determination unit 110.

[0111] For example, the fire level determination unit 110 is connected to multiple smoke sensors 210 and can receive smoke detection signals from each of the smoke sensors 210.

[0112] The fire level determination step (S200) is a step in which, when smoke is detected, the fire level is determined according to the number of smoke sensors 210 that have detected smoke, and this step may be performed by the fire level determination unit 110.

[0113] For example, if the fire level determination unit 110 receives a smoke detection signal from one smoke sensor 210, it may determine the fire level as a first level. In another example, if the fire level determination unit 110 receives smoke detection signals from multiple smoke sensors 210, it may determine the fire level as a second level. If the fire level determination unit 110 fails to receive a smoke detection signal, the fire level may be determined as a zero level or NULL.

[0114] The fire control step (S300) is a step that controls the operation of at least one of the air conditioning unit 230, fire extinguishing unit 240, water injection unit 300, and ventilation unit 250 to the energy storage device 200 as a fire suppression measure corresponding to the determined fire level, and can be performed by the control unit 120.

[0115] The fire control step (S300) will be explained in detail with reference to Figure 4.

[0116] Figure 4 is a diagram that shows the fire monitoring method in Figure 3 in more detail.

[0117] Referring to Figure 4, the fire control step (S300) may include steps (S310) to (S370).

[0118] In step (S310), it may be determined whether the fire level determined in the fire level determination step (S200) is the first level or the second level. If the determined fire level is the first level or the second level, step (S320) may be performed; otherwise, the smoke detection signal reception step (S100) may be performed.

[0119] In step (S320), the control unit 120 may interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 provided in the energy storage device 200. Therefore, the circulation of internal air in the energy storage device 200 can be interrupted.

[0120] In step (S330), it can be determined whether the fire level determined in the fire level determination step (S200) is the second level. If the determined fire level is the second level, step (S330) is performed; otherwise, the smoke detection signal reception step (S100) may be performed.

[0121] In step (S340), the control unit 120 may drive the fire extinguishing unit 240. Specifically, the control unit 120 may drive the fire extinguishing unit 240 to suppress an electrical fire that may occur at the second fire level. In this case, the fire extinguishing agent stored in the fire extinguishing unit 240 may be sprayed into the energy storage device 200.

[0122] In step (S350), the control unit 120 may drive the water injection unit 300. Specifically, the control unit 120 may drive the water injection unit 300 to suppress a battery fire that may occur at the second fire level. In this case, the fire extinguishing liquid stored in the water injection unit 300 may flow into the pipeline PL.

[0123] In step (S360), it can be determined whether the water level in the water injection unit 300 (the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid contained in the water injection unit 300) is below a threshold level. If the water level in the water injection unit 300 is below the threshold level, step (S370) is performed; otherwise, step (S350) may be performed.

[0124] Here, the fact that the water level in the water injection unit 300 is below the threshold level means that at least one of the multiple valves installed in the pipeline PL has failed. And because the fire extinguishing fluid flowed into the battery module through the failed valve, the water level in the water injection unit 300 dropped below the threshold level.

[0125] On the other hand, if a predetermined amount of time has passed since step (S350) was performed, but the water level in the water injection unit 300 has not fallen below the threshold level, it means that none of the valves provided in the pipeline PL have been damaged. In this case, the smoke detected by the multiple smoke sensors 210 is likely due to an electrical fire, and the electrical fire may have been suppressed by the operation of the fire extinguishing unit 240 in step (S340). Therefore, because the valves were not damaged, it is possible that the water level in the water injection unit 300 will not fall below the threshold level. Although not shown in Figures 5 and 6, the control unit 120 may repeat the start step if the water level in the water injection unit 300 does not fall below the threshold level after a predetermined amount of time has passed since step (S350) was first performed.

[0126] In step (S370), the control unit 120 may drive the ventilation unit 250. Specifically, if the fire extinguishing liquid flows into the battery module and the battery fire is suppressed, the control unit 120 may drive the ventilation unit 250 to process the fire extinguishing agent, water vapor, and H2 contained in the energy storage device 200. In this case, outside air flows into the energy storage device 200, and the energy storage device 200 can be ventilated. Therefore, the gas contained inside the energy storage device 200 can escape, thus reducing the possibility of the energy storage device 200 exploding.

[0127] A fire monitoring method according to one embodiment of the present invention can take fire suppression measures while appropriately controlling the air conditioning unit 230, the fire extinguishing unit 240, the water injection unit 300, and the ventilation unit 250 based on the number of sensors that detect smoke. Therefore, the fire monitoring method has the advantage that it can detect when the smoke sensor 210 malfunctions, and even if a fire occurs, it can take appropriate fire suppression measures corresponding to the type of fire (electrical fire or battery fire).

[0128] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a fire monitoring method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0129] Referring to Figure 5, the fire monitoring method may further include a ventilation control step (S400).

[0130] The ventilation control step (S400) is a step that may be performed in parallel with the smoke detection signal reception step (S100).

[0131] The ventilation control step (S400) is a step in which the control unit 120 receives the gas concentration measured from the gas sensor 220 provided in the energy storage device 200, compares the measured gas concentration with a preset threshold concentration, and controls the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 and the ventilation unit 250, and this step can be performed by the control unit 120.

[0132] Specifically, in step (S410), the control unit 120 may receive information regarding the gas concentration from the gas sensor 220 provided in the energy storage device 200.

[0133] In step (S420), it can be determined whether the gas concentration is above a preset threshold concentration. If the gas concentration is above a preset threshold concentration, step (S430) is performed; otherwise, step (S410) may be performed.

[0134] In step (S430), the control unit 120 may interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit 230 provided in the energy storage device 200. Therefore, the circulation of internal air in the energy storage device 200 can be interrupted.

[0135] In step (S440), the control unit 120 may drive the ventilation unit 250. Specifically, if the energy storage device 200 contains gas at a threshold concentration or higher, the control unit 120 may drive the ventilation unit 250 to prevent the energy storage device 200 from exploding.

[0136] For example, the gas whose concentration is measured by the gas sensor 220 may be a flammable or explosive gas. More specifically, the gas may be H2.

[0137] If H2 is distributed above a threshold concentration within the sealed energy storage device 200, an explosion may occur if H2 comes into contact with a spark or other object. Therefore, if the gas concentration exceeds the threshold concentration, the control unit 120 can significantly reduce the possibility of explosion in the energy storage device 200 by driving the ventilation unit 250 to discharge the gas to the outside of the energy storage device 200.

[0138] The embodiments of the present invention described above are not limited to devices and methods, but may also be realized through a program that implements the functions corresponding to the configuration of the embodiments of the present invention, or through a recording medium on which such a program is recorded. Such implementation can be easily achieved by experts in the art to which the present invention belongs, based on the above description of embodiments.

[0139] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited thereto, and that various modifications and variations can be made by persons with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, within the equivalent scope of the technical concept and claims of the present invention.

[0140] Furthermore, the present invention described above can be modified and altered in various ways by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs, without departing from the technical spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is not limited by the embodiments described above and the accompanying drawings, but rather can be constructed by selectively combining all or part of each embodiment for various modifications. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0141] 100 Fire monitoring equipment 110 Fire Level Determination Unit 120 Control Unit 130 Storage section 200 Energy storage devices 210 Smoke Sensor 220 Gas Sensor 230 Air Conditioning Units 240 Firefighting Units 250 Ventilation Unit 300 Water Injection Unit

Claims

1. In an energy storage device equipped with multiple battery modules, and comprising an air conditioning unit, a fire extinguishing unit, a water injection unit, and a ventilation unit, a device for monitoring a fire in the energy storage device, A fire level determination unit is configured to receive at least one smoke detection signal from a plurality of smoke sensors installed inside the energy storage device and to determine the fire level according to the number of smoke sensors that have detected smoke. A control unit configured to control the operation of at least one of the following for the energy storage device: the air conditioning unit, the fire extinguishing unit, the water injection unit, and the ventilation unit, as a fire suppression measure corresponding to the determined fire level, Includes, The aforementioned fire level determination unit, If the fire level determination unit fails to receive the smoke detection signal, the fire level is determined to be level 0. If smoke is detected by only one of the aforementioned smoke sensors, the fire level is determined to be a first level. The system is configured to determine the fire level as a second level when smoke is detected by multiple of the aforementioned smoke sensors. The control unit, Determine the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid provided in the water injection unit, If the determined water level is below a predetermined threshold water level, it is determined that a battery fire has occurred in the energy storage device. A fire monitoring device configured to determine that an electrical fire has occurred in the energy storage device when the determined water level exceeds the threshold water level.

2. The aforementioned fire level determination unit, If smoke is detected by only one of the aforementioned smoke sensors, the fire level is determined to be a first level. The fire monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein when smoke is detected by multiple of the multiple smoke sensors, the fire level is determined to be a second level.

3. The control unit, The fire monitoring device according to claim 2, configured to interrupt the operation of the air conditioning unit located inside the energy storage device when the fire level is determined to be the first level or the second level.

4. The control unit, The fire monitoring device according to claim 2, configured to drive the fire extinguishing unit located inside the energy storage device when the fire level is determined to be the second level, by spraying the fire extinguishing agent contained inside the fire extinguishing unit into the energy storage device.

5. The water injection unit is It is configured to be connected to each battery module in the energy storage device via a pipeline equipped with a valve that can be deactivated depending on the temperature of the corresponding battery module, The control unit, The fire monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein when the fire level is determined to be the second level, the water injection unit is driven to cause the fire extinguishing liquid provided in the water injection unit to flow into the pipeline.

6. The aforementioned fire extinguishing liquid, The fire monitoring device according to claim 5, wherein the water injection unit is configured to flow into the pipeline and into the interior of the battery module among the plurality of battery modules in which the valve of the corresponding pipeline is damaged.

7. The control unit, Determine the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid provided in the water injection unit, The fire monitoring device according to claim 5, wherein if the determined water level is below a preset threshold water level, the ventilation unit is driven to ventilate the energy storage device using outside air.

8. The control unit, The fire monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the device receives the concentration of gas measured from a gas sensor provided in the energy storage device, and if the measured gas concentration is equal to or greater than a preset threshold concentration, it interrupts the operation of the air conditioning unit provided inside the energy storage device and drives the ventilation unit to ventilate the energy storage device using outside air.

9. A fire monitoring system comprising a fire monitoring device and an energy storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A method for monitoring a fire in an energy storage device equipped with multiple battery modules, which includes an air conditioning unit, a fire extinguishing unit, a water injection unit, and a ventilation unit, A smoke detection signal receiving step, which involves receiving at least one smoke detection signal from a plurality of smoke sensors installed inside the energy storage device, A fire level determination step in which the level of the fire is determined according to the number of smoke sensors that have detected smoke, A fire control step that controls the operation of at least one of the following for the energy storage device: the air conditioning unit, the fire extinguishing unit, the water injection unit, and the ventilation unit, as a fire suppression measure corresponding to the determined fire level; Includes, The aforementioned fire level determination step is: If the smoke detection signal cannot be received, the fire level is determined to be level 0, which indicates that no fire has occurred. If smoke is detected by only one of the aforementioned smoke sensors, the fire level is determined to be a first level. If smoke is detected by multiple of the aforementioned smoke sensors, the fire level is determined to be a second level. The aforementioned fire control step is: Determine the water level of the fire extinguishing liquid provided in the water injection unit, If the determined water level is below a predetermined threshold water level, it is determined that a battery fire has occurred in the energy storage device. A fire monitoring method comprising the step of determining that an electrical fire has occurred in the energy storage device when the determined water level exceeds the threshold water level.

11. The fire monitoring method according to claim 10, further comprising, in parallel with the smoke detection signal receiving step, a ventilation control step of receiving the gas concentration measured from a gas sensor provided in the energy storage device, and controlling the operation of the air conditioning unit and the ventilation unit based on the result of comparing the measured gas concentration with a preset threshold concentration.

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