Battery storage body and battery pack

Abstract

A battery storage body 1 comprises: a housing 11 that has an intake port 11a and an exhaust port 11b and stores at least one battery cell 2; a blower unit 14 that generates a flow of air inside the housing 11 from the intake port 11a to the exhaust port 11b; and an oxygen removal unit 15 that removes oxygen from the air flowing into the housing 11 through the intake port 11a.

Description

Battery container and battery pack

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery containing body and a battery pack.

[0002] In recent years, sulfide-based solid electrolytes exhibiting high ionic conductivity have been developed as solid electrolytes for use in all-solid-state batteries. However, sulfide-based solid electrolytes may react with water to generate hydrogen sulfide, and therefore, measures to combat this hydrogen sulfide are an issue for practical application of all-solid-state batteries using sulfide-based solid electrolytes. Patent Literature 1 describes a technology for efficiently removing hydrogen sulfide that may be generated inside a housing that houses a battery cell, without increasing the thickness or volume of the battery cell, by providing a hydrogen sulfide removal unit at a communication port between the housing and the outside.

[0003] JP 2018-73802 A

[0004] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 does not take into consideration the impact of continued generation of hydrogen sulfide. In other words, it does not take into consideration the possibility that, if the hydrogen sulfide concentration inside the housing rises to a certain level, hydrogen sulfide, which is a flammable gas, may react with oxygen and burn.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a battery containing body and a battery pack that prevent flammable gas from burning even if it is generated inside.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the battery housing of the present invention has a housing having an air intake port and an exhaust port and housing at least one battery cell, a blower section that generates an air flow from the air intake port toward the exhaust port inside the housing, and an oxygen removal section that removes oxygen from the air that flows into the housing through the air intake port.

[0007] A battery pack of the present invention includes at least one battery cell, the battery containing body, and a control unit that controls the at least one battery cell.

[0008] With this battery containing body and battery pack, the oxygen concentration inside the housing can be reduced by the action of the air blower and oxygen remover, which reduces the possibility that the combustible gas will react with the oxygen inside the housing and burn, even if the battery cell generates combustible gas and the concentration of the combustible gas inside the housing increases to a certain extent.

[0009] As described above, according to the present invention, even if flammable gas is generated inside the battery containing body and the battery pack, it is possible to prevent the gas from burning.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a battery pack according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a battery pack according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Configurations common to each embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, as may be mentioned again below, characteristic configurations and modifications of each embodiment can also be applied to other embodiments as long as they are not mutually inconsistent.

[0012] In the following embodiments, an all-solid-state battery containing a sulfide-based solid electrolyte is exemplified as a battery cell that can generate a flammable gas, and hydrogen sulfide is exemplified as a flammable gas targeted by the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the flammable gas targeted by the present invention may be a flammable gas other than hydrogen sulfide generated by an all-solid-state battery containing a sulfide-based solid electrolyte, for example, sulfur (S, S ２ , S ８The flammable gas may be a gas generated by other types of batteries, such as hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene, or carbon monoxide generated by lithium-ion batteries, or hydrogen generated by aqueous batteries such as aqueous lithium-ion batteries or zinc-negative battery batteries. On the other hand, the flammable gas targeted by the present invention may be a vaporized gas of an organic solvent used in the nonaqueous electrolyte of a lithium-ion battery. Examples of such organic solvents include ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, fluoroethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, γ-butyrolactone, and propyl propionate.

[0013] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] The battery pack 1 includes a plurality of battery cells 2 and at least one pair of electrode terminals (not shown). The battery cells 2 are electrically connected to one another. The connection configuration is not particularly limited and may be serial or parallel, or a combination thereof. At least a portion of the battery cells 2 may be restrained by a restraining member. At least one pair of electrode terminals is electrically connected to the battery cells 2 by an electrical circuit (not shown) so that power can be extracted from the battery cells 2. While FIG. 1 shows four battery cells 2, the number of battery cells 2 included in the battery pack 1 is not limited to this. The battery pack 1 may include a plurality of battery modules (battery assemblies), each including a plurality of battery cells 2. That is, the battery cells 2 may be modularized to form a battery module, and the battery pack 1 may be composed of a plurality of battery modules combined together.

[0015] The battery cell 2 is an all-solid-state battery and includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a solid electrolyte layer disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. For example, the positive electrode includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer, and the negative electrode includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer. The positive electrode current collector, the positive electrode active material layer, the solid electrolyte layer, the negative electrode active material layer, and the negative electrode current collector are stacked in this order to form a laminate, which is housed in a battery case of a laminate type, a cylindrical type, a prismatic type, or the like. A reinforcing layer made of a curable resin may be provided around the laminate, if necessary.

[0016] The positive electrode current collector and the negative electrode current collector can be made of known materials commonly used in all-solid-state batteries. The positive electrode current collector can be made of metal materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium, and can be in the form of, for example, foil, film, sheet, or mesh. The negative electrode current collector can be made of metal materials such as stainless steel, nickel, and copper, and can be in the form of, for example, foil, film, or sheet.

[0017] The positive electrode active material layer contains at least a positive electrode active material, and the negative electrode active material layer contains at least a negative electrode active material. The positive electrode active material is not particularly limited as long as it is a material that absorbs and releases metal ions such as lithium ions, and examples thereof include sulfur, lithium-containing transition metal oxides, transition metal fluorides, polyanion compounds, and transition metal sulfides. The negative electrode active material is not particularly limited as long as it is a material that absorbs and releases metal ions such as lithium ions, and examples thereof include metallic lithium, metals or alloys that can be alloyed with lithium, carbon materials such as graphite and hard carbon, transition metal oxides, transition metal sulfides, and silicon. The positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer may each contain a solid electrolyte, a binder, or the like, as appropriate.

[0018] The solid electrolyte layer contains at least a sulfide-based solid electrolyte. The sulfide solid electrolyte may be, for example, Li ２ S-SiS ２ system, Li ２ S-B ２ S ３system, Li ２ S-P ２ S ３ system, Li ２ S-P ２ S ５ system, Li ２ S-GeS ２ system, Li ２ S-B ２ S ３ system, Li ３ P.O. ４ -P ２ S ５ system, Li ４ SiO ４ -Li ２ S-SiS ２ Glasses or glass ceramics such as Li-based ３．２５ Ge ０．２５ P ０．７５ S ４ , Li １０ GeP ２ S １２ In addition, LiCl, LiBr, LiI, Li ｘ MO ｙ (wherein M is any of P, Si, Ge, B, Al, Ga, and In, and x and y are natural numbers) may be added, and a material that has been further heat-treated may also be used. The solid electrolyte layer may contain a binder or the like as appropriate, and may contain a type of solid electrolyte different from the sulfide-based solid electrolyte. Examples of such solid electrolytes include halide-based solid electrolytes, oxide-based solid electrolytes, polymer-based solid electrolytes, hydride-based solid electrolytes, and nitride-based solid electrolytes.

[0019] The battery pack 1 also has a battery containing body 3 that contains a plurality of battery cells 2. The battery containing body 3 is composed of a housing 11, an intake pipe 12, an exhaust pipe 13, a blower 14, and an oxygen remover 15.

[0020] The housing 11 functions to accommodate multiple battery cells 2 while extending at least one pair of electrode terminals (not shown) to the outside. The housing 11 is provided with an air intake 11a for introducing air into the housing 11 and an air exhaust 11b for expelling air from the housing 11. Fillers such as elastic materials, heat transfer materials, and insulating materials may be appropriately disposed inside the housing 11 in gaps between the battery cells 2 or between the battery cells 2 and the restraining members. While FIG. 1 shows a simplified view, considering heat dissipation from the battery cells 2, it is preferable that the multiple battery cells 2 are accommodated in the housing 11 with at least a portion of the battery cells 2 in direct or indirect contact with the housing 11 (e.g., via the restraining members). The shape of the housing 11 is not particularly limited and can be arbitrarily set depending on the shape and arrangement of the battery cells 2 to be accommodated. As described above, the housing 11 may accommodate multiple battery modules, each of which includes multiple battery cells 2.

[0021] One end (downstream end) of the intake pipe 12 is connected to the intake port 11a of the housing 11 via an on-off valve (not shown). One end (upstream end) of the exhaust pipe 13 is connected to the exhaust port 11b of the housing 11 via an on-off valve (not shown). The connection positions of the intake pipe 12 and the exhaust pipe 13 to the housing 11 (i.e., the positions of the intake port 11a and the exhaust port 11b in the housing 11) are not particularly limited, but are preferably positioned opposite each other to ensure uniform air circulation inside the housing 11. The intake pipe 12 may be provided with a filtering means such as an air filter to prevent foreign matter from entering from the outside.

[0022] The blower 14 is provided in the exhaust pipe 13 and has the function of generating an air flow inside the housing 11. The blower 14 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a fan, a blower, a pump, or a compressor. In this case, the output of the blower 14 is controlled by the control unit 4, which will be described later, and the blower 14 may have the function of adjusting the flow rate of air flowing into the housing 11. Note that, in order to drive the blower 14, power may be supplied to the blower 14 from the battery cells 2. Alternatively, a separate, independent power source may be provided, which allows the blower 14 to be reliably driven even in a situation where the output of the battery cells 2 must be limited or stopped, as will be described later.

[0023] The oxygen remover 15 is provided in the intake pipe 12 and has the function of removing oxygen from the air flowing into the housing 11. There are no particular limitations on the oxygen remover 15, and a known oxygen remover that is generally used to remove oxygen can be used. Examples of such removers include metal-based oxygen adsorbents containing iron, copper, nickel, etc., and organic oxygen adsorbents containing vitamin C, etc.

[0024] With this configuration, oxygen within the housing 11 is discharged to the outside by the action of the air blower 14, and oxygen in the air flowing into the housing 11 is simultaneously removed by the action of the oxygen remover 15, thereby reducing the oxygen concentration within the housing 11. As a result, even if the sulfide-based solid electrolyte contained in the battery cells 2 reacts with moisture to generate hydrogen sulfide, and even if the hydrogen sulfide concentration increases to a certain level within the housing 11, the possibility of the flammable hydrogen sulfide reacting with oxygen within the housing 11 and combusting can be reduced. Furthermore, because the air blower 14 generates an air flow within the housing 11 from the intake pipe 12 toward the exhaust pipe 13, even if hydrogen sulfide is generated from the battery cells 2, it can also be prevented from accumulating within the housing 11. This further reduces the possibility of hydrogen sulfide reacting with oxygen within the housing 11 and combusting.

[0025] Regardless of the concentration of hydrogen sulfide, combustion of hydrogen sulfide will not occur unless the oxygen concentration within the housing 11 exceeds the limit oxygen concentration of hydrogen sulfide. From this perspective, it is preferable to monitor the oxygen concentration within the housing 11, and for this purpose, the battery pack 1 has an oxygen sensor 16 that detects the oxygen concentration within the housing 11. The oxygen sensor 16 is not particularly limited, and known oxygen sensors such as zirconia, electrochemical, magnetic, optical, laser spectroscopy, and yellow phosphorus luminescence can be used. Note that the location of the oxygen sensor 16 is not limited to the location shown in the figure, as long as it can detect the oxygen concentration within the housing 11. For example, the location of the oxygen sensor 16 may be on the intake pipe 12 (specifically, downstream of the oxygen remover 15) or on the exhaust pipe 13.

[0026] The battery pack 1 further includes a control unit 4 that controls the blower 14 based on the detection result of the oxygen sensor 16. The control unit 4 controls the output of the blower 14 to adjust the flow rate of air (specifically, oxygen-removed air) flowing into the housing 11 so that the oxygen concentration detected by the oxygen sensor 16 is less than the limiting oxygen concentration of hydrogen sulfide. This reliably suppresses combustion of hydrogen sulfide regardless of the hydrogen sulfide concentration in the housing 11. The control unit 4 may also have a function to control the output of the battery cells 2 based on the detection result of the oxygen sensor 16. For example, if the oxygen concentration detected by the oxygen sensor 16 is equal to or greater than the limiting oxygen concentration of hydrogen sulfide or there is a possibility of this (e.g., if the oxygen concentration is equal to or greater than an arbitrarily set predetermined value below the limiting oxygen concentration), the output of at least some of the battery cells 2 may be limited or stopped for safety reasons. The control unit 4 may also store the detection result of the oxygen sensor 16 for immediate or future use, or transmit it to a server or a blockchain network.

[0027] From the viewpoint of reducing power consumption, the blower 14 does not have to be constantly operated. That is, the air flow by the blower 14 does not have to be constantly performed. For example, when the oxygen concentration in the housing 11 falls sufficiently below the limit oxygen concentration of hydrogen sulfide, the on-off valves (not shown) of the intake pipe 12 and the exhaust pipe 13 may be closed and the operation of the blower 14 may be stopped. Then, when the oxygen sensor 16 detects that the oxygen concentration in the housing 11 has reached or is likely to reach the limit oxygen concentration of hydrogen sulfide or higher, the air flow by the blower 14 may be resumed. That is, the on-off valves of the intake pipe 12 and the exhaust pipe 13 may be opened and the blower 14 may be operated, thereby reducing the oxygen concentration in the housing 11. Alternatively, regardless of the detection result of the oxygen sensor 16, the on-off valves of the intake pipe 12 and the exhaust pipe 13 may be opened and the blower 14 may be operated periodically or steadily to a degree that maintains the oxygen concentration in the housing 11 low. On the other hand, when the battery cells 2 are stopped for an extended period of time, the air flow by the blower 14 may be stopped, but if hydrogen sulfide accumulates in the housing 11 for some reason during that time, sparks or heat generated when the battery cells 2 are started may become an ignition source and cause the hydrogen sulfide to burn. In consideration of this possibility, it is preferable that the air flow by the blower 14 be started at the latest before the battery cells 2 are started, and from this perspective, it is also preferable to provide a separate, independent power source for driving the blower 14, as described above.

[0028] Furthermore, as described above, when air is not constantly circulated by the blower 14, from the viewpoint of reducing the number of parts, the other members (gas flow members) 12-15 of the battery containing body 3, excluding the housing 11, may be detachably attached to the housing 11. As a result, the gas flow members 12-15 may be normally detached and attached to the housing 11 to start air circulation by the blower 14 when an increase in oxygen concentration is detected by the oxygen sensor 16, specifically, when an alarm informing the same is issued by the control unit 4. For example, when the battery pack 1 is used in an electric vehicle or a stationary storage battery, the gas flow members 12-15 may be attached only when an alarm is issued by the control unit 4. This eliminates the need to attach the gas flow members 12-15 to all storage batteries, such as those for electric vehicles and stationary storage batteries, thereby further reducing the number of parts and simplifying the manufacturing process.

[0029] Furthermore, oxygen concentration detection by oxygen sensor 16 does not have to be performed constantly. Therefore, for example, oxygen sensor 16 may also be detachable from housing 11, or an on-off valve may be provided between oxygen sensor 16 and housing 11. That is, to detect the oxygen concentration in housing 11 periodically or as needed, oxygen sensor 16 may be attached to housing 11 each time, or an on-off valve between oxygen sensor 16 and housing 11 may be opened. Furthermore, control unit 4 may be physically separated from housing 11 as shown in the figure, or may be directly attached to housing 11, in which case it may be detachable. This also reduces the number of parts in battery pack 1 during normal use.

[0030] Problems related to the combustion of hydrogen sulfide would not arise if hydrogen sulfide were not generated in the first place. To prevent this generation, it is preferable to keep the moisture concentration in the housing 11 low. To this end, in addition to the oxygen remover 15, the intake pipe 12 may be provided with a filtering means for removing moisture from the air introduced into the housing 11. Examples of such filtering means include a moisture removal column, a moisture removal filter, and a breathable waterproof sheet. For the same reason, the air in the housing 11 may be replaced in advance with a non-reactive gas by filling the housing 11 with the non-reactive gas while or after the battery cells 2 are housed in the housing 11. The non-reactive gas used in this case is not particularly limited as long as it does not contain moisture or oxygen, and may be, for example, an inert gas (nitrogen, argon, helium, etc.).

[0031] In the illustrated example, the blower 14 is provided in the exhaust pipe 13, but its location is not particularly limited as long as it can generate an air flow inside the housing 11, and it may be, for example, in the intake pipe 12 or inside the housing 11. When the blower 14 is provided in the intake pipe 12, the on-off valve (not shown) of the exhaust pipe 13 may be adjustable to any opening degree. In this way, when hydrogen sulfide is generated from the battery cell 2, the opening degree can be reduced to increase the pressure inside the housing 11 and reduce the amount of hydrogen sulfide released from the battery cell 2.

[0032] In addition, the location of the blower 14 is not limited to the above-described location and may be, for example, on the housing 11. That is, the blower 14 may be directly attached to the exhaust port 11b of the housing 11, in which case the oxygen remover 15 may be directly connected to the intake port 11a of the housing 11. Alternatively, the blower 14 may be directly attached to the intake port 11a of the housing 11, in which case the oxygen remover 15 may be directly connected to the inlet of the blower 14. Alternatively, the blower 14 may be directly attached to the intake port 11a of the housing 11 via the oxygen remover 15. In other words, the blower 14 may be directly attached to the inlet of the oxygen remover 15 that is directly connected to the intake port 11a of the housing 11. Therefore, in such a case, one or both of the intake piping 12 and the exhaust piping 13 may be omitted from the viewpoint of reducing the number of parts.

[0033] However, providing the intake pipe 12 and the exhaust pipe 13 has the advantage that the intake position and the exhaust position relative to the housing 11 can be adjusted as desired. That is, it is possible to select the optimal intake position and the exhaust position according to the surrounding environment in which the battery pack 1 is installed. For example, by setting the intake position at a position that minimizes the intake of air containing a large amount of moisture and foreign matter, the risk of the battery pack 1 malfunctioning can be reduced. Furthermore, by positioning the exhaust position as far away as possible from other devices and people in the vicinity, the risk of the exhausted air adversely affecting them can be reduced. Thus, providing the intake pipe 12 and the exhaust pipe 13 is preferable in that it can reduce the risk of the battery pack 1 malfunctioning and the risk of adversely affecting the surrounding environment.

[0034] Second Embodiment Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, and differs from the first embodiment in that several additional components are provided. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0035] In the first embodiment, as described above, the air flow generated inside the housing 11 by the air blower 14 can prevent hydrogen sulfide generated from the battery cells 2 from accumulating inside the housing 11 and increasing the hydrogen sulfide concentration inside the housing 11. However, it is undesirable, not only from a safety perspective but also from an environmental perspective, for hydrogen sulfide generated inside the housing 11 to be directly discharged to the outside of the battery pack 1 through the exhaust pipe 13. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the exhaust pipe 13 is provided with a hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 that removes hydrogen sulfide generated from the battery cells 2. This makes it possible to prevent hydrogen sulfide generated inside the housing 11 from leaking to the outside.

[0036] The hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a cylindrical container made of a metal such as stainless steel filled with a hydrogen sulfide remover. Examples of such removers include known removers commonly used for removing hydrogen sulfide, such as ion exchange resins, activated carbon (particularly activated carbon impregnated with a basic compound such as sodium hydroxide or potassium carbonate), activated alumina (particularly activated alumina impregnated with potassium permanganate), zeolites, basic solids such as calcium oxide or calcium carbonate, basic liquids such as aqueous sodium hydroxide or aqueous sodium carbonate, and ionic liquids having a reactive site with acids such as amino groups. Because hydrogen sulfide may reach a temperature higher than room temperature due to heat generation in the battery cell 2, a hydrogen sulfide remover that can maintain its hydrogen sulfide removal performance even at high temperatures is preferred, and a remover whose removal mechanism is based on an irreversible reaction is more preferred. This allows hydrogen sulfide to be reliably removed even at high temperatures and prevents the removed hydrogen sulfide from being re-released. Note that some removers may generate powder depending on the usage environment of the battery pack 1 (for example, when the battery pack 1 is used in an electric vehicle and is subjected to vibrations). In such cases, a filtering means such as an air filter may be installed downstream of the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21, which can prevent the powder from leaking to the outside and also prevent the powder from blocking the air flow or causing a dust explosion.

[0037] Note that exhaust pipe 13 may branch into two (via a three-way valve) downstream of blower 14, with hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 provided on one of the branches, thereby enabling selection of the hydrogen sulfide discharge route. As a result, if discharging hydrogen sulfide to the outside would have little impact on the surrounding area, hydrogen sulfide can be discharged without passing through hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21, thereby suppressing deterioration of hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21. Alternatively, if blower 14 is provided inside intake pipe 12 or housing 11, a similar effect can be achieved by connecting an exhaust pipe separate from exhaust pipe 13 to housing 11 (via an on-off valve).

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 is provided to detect the presence or concentration of hydrogen sulfide within the housing 11, and the control unit 4 may control the blower 14 based on the detection result. For example, when hydrogen sulfide is detected by the hydrogen sulfide sensor 22, the on-off valves (not shown) of the intake pipe 12 and the exhaust pipe 13 may be opened and the blower 14 may be activated to generate an air flow within the housing 11. That is, the air flow by the blower 14 may be normally stopped to reduce power consumption and may be started in response to the generation of hydrogen sulfide from the battery cell 2. Even if the flammable hydrogen sulfide gas is generated within the housing 11, combustion of the hydrogen sulfide will not occur unless its concentration reaches the flammable range. Therefore, the blower 14 may be controlled to adjust the flow rate of air flowing into the housing 11 so that the hydrogen sulfide concentration detected by the hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 is below the lower flammable limit, i.e., the amount of gas containing hydrogen sulfide flowing out of the housing 11 may be adjusted. Furthermore, the output of the battery cells 2 may be controlled based on the detection result of the hydrogen sulfide sensor 22. For example, when hydrogen sulfide is detected by the hydrogen sulfide sensor 22, the output of at least some of the battery cells 2 may be limited or stopped for safety reasons. Furthermore, the detection result of the hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 may be stored in the control unit 4 or transmitted to a server or a blockchain network via the control unit 4 for immediate or future use.

[0039] The hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 is not particularly limited, and known hydrogen sulfide sensors such as those of the constant-potential electrolysis type, semiconductor type, thermal conduction type, and electrical resistance type can be used. The location of the hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 is not limited to the location shown in the figure, as long as it can detect the presence or concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the housing 11. In the example shown in the figure, only one hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 is installed in the housing 11, but multiple hydrogen sulfide sensors 22 may be installed. In this case, a hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 may be installed near each battery cell 2. One of the multiple hydrogen sulfide sensors 22 may be installed downstream of the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 to detect whether the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 has broken through. If the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 has broken through, a notification to the user may be output from the control unit 4.

[0040] Furthermore, when multiple hydrogen sulfide sensors 22 are used, they may be of the same type, but preferably of different types. This allows the validity of the detection result of one hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 to be evaluated using another hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 of a different type, making it possible, for example, to diagnose whether the hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 is malfunctioning due to the influence of coexisting gases. Alternatively, when two or more hydrogen sulfide sensors 22 are used, one hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 may perform detection at all times, and the other hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 may perform detection only when the other hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 detects hydrogen sulfide. This allows the other hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 to provide a correct detection result even if the detection result of one hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 is erroneous.

[0041] Note that hydrogen sulfide is generated due to an abnormality in the battery cells 2. While the amount of hydrogen sulfide generated may be small in the early stages of the abnormality, it may increase rapidly over time. Therefore, hydrogen sulfide generated from the early stages of the abnormality may cause the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 to deteriorate. Even if a large amount of hydrogen sulfide is generated, it may not be completely removed and leak to the outside. To prepare for such a situation, multiple hydrogen sulfide removal units 21 may be provided, each functioning as a backup for the other. For example, as described above, if the exhaust pipe 13 branches into two downstream of the blower 14 and a hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 is provided in one of the two branches, a hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 may also be provided in the other branch. Alternatively, if an exhaust pipe other than the exhaust pipe 13 is connected to the housing 11, a hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 may also be provided in the other exhaust pipe. As a result, for example, when the hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 detects that the hydrogen sulfide concentration inside the housing 11 has suddenly increased and exceeded the threshold value, it becomes possible to switch the air flow from the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 that had been in use to an unused hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 in order to reliably remove hydrogen sulfide. On the other hand, even if hydrogen sulfide is generated due to an abnormality in the battery cell 2, the conditions inside the housing 11 (presence or absence of coexisting gases, temperature, humidity, etc.) are not always the same. For this reason, it is preferable that the multiple hydrogen sulfide removal units 21 be of different types (i.e., characteristics), which makes it possible to select and use a hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 with optimal characteristics depending on the situation at the time.

[0042] To suppress the generation of hydrogen sulfide, it is preferable to reduce the moisture concentration inside the casing 11 as described above, but it is also preferable to reduce the temperature inside the casing 11. However, an excessively low temperature inside the casing 11 is undesirable because it may degrade the performance of the battery cells 2. Therefore, the battery pack 1 may include a temperature sensor 23 that detects the temperature inside the casing 11 and a temperature adjustment unit 24 that is controlled by the control unit 4 based on the detection result of the temperature sensor 23 and adjusts the temperature of the air flowing into the casing 11. This makes it possible to suppress the generation of hydrogen sulfide due to an increase in the temperature inside the casing 11 even when the battery cells 2 generate heat, and to suppress the performance of the battery cells 2 from deteriorating as the temperature inside the casing 11 decreases even when the outside air temperature decreases. Furthermore, the output of at least some of the battery cells 2 may be adjusted based on the detection result of the temperature sensor 23. For example, the output of at least some of the battery cells 2 may be limited or stopped when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 23 falls outside a predetermined range.

[0043] The temperature sensor 23 is not particularly limited, and can be, for example, a known temperature sensor, such as a contact or non-contact type. Examples of contact temperature sensors include thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors, and thermistors. Examples of non-contact temperature sensors include radiation thermometers. The location of the temperature sensor 23 is not limited to the location shown in the figure, as long as it can detect the temperature inside the housing 11. In the example shown, only one temperature sensor 23 is installed in the housing 11, but multiple temperature sensors 23 may be installed. In this case, a temperature sensor 23 may be installed near each battery cell 2. The detection results of the temperature sensor 23 may be stored in the control unit 4 for immediate or future use, or transmitted to a server or a blockchain network via the control unit 4. The temperature adjustment unit 24 is not particularly limited, and can be, for example, a combination of a known cooling device, such as an air-cooled, water-cooled, or refrigerant-type device, and a known heating device, such as an electric heating device or a heat pump-type device. The location of the temperature adjustment unit 24 is not limited to the location shown in the figure, as long as it can adjust the temperature of the battery cell 2. For example, the temperature adjustment unit 24 may be provided inside the housing 11 to directly adjust the temperature of the battery cell 2, or may be provided outside the housing 11 to indirectly adjust the temperature of the battery cell 2 via the housing 11.

[0044] The hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 may be detachable from the housing 11 together with the exhaust pipe 13, and the temperature adjustment unit 24 may be detachable from the housing 11 together with the intake pipe 12. The hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 and the temperature sensor 23 may also be detachable from the housing 11, similar to the oxygen sensor 16.

[0045] It is preferable that the oxygen remover 15 is replaced with a new one periodically or according to the usage conditions, and when a predetermined replacement time comes or replacement becomes necessary, a notification to notify the user is preferably output from the control unit 4. In this case, when the battery pack 1 is used in an electric vehicle or a stationary storage battery, for example, the notification is preferably converted into a signal that appeals to the user's five senses, such as sight and hearing, and output.

[0046] Furthermore, when replacing the oxygen remover 15, it is preferable that the oxygen remover 15 be provided with an identifier 25 containing its own identification information so that it can be confirmed whether the replaced oxygen remover 15 satisfies predetermined usage conditions, such as being genuine and having not expired. The identifier 25 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, an information storage medium such as a wireless tag or a code such as a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code. However, it is preferably a code, and more preferably a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark). Accordingly, the control unit 4 preferably has a function for communicating with a reader (not shown) that reads the identification information from the identifier 25 and acquiring the reading results, and the information necessary for identifying the genuine product is preferably recorded therein. This allows the control unit 4 to determine whether the oxygen remover 15 satisfies predetermined usage conditions based on the acquired identification information. If the control unit 4 determines that the replaced oxygen remover 15 does not satisfy the predetermined usage conditions, it can notify the user of this and disable output from at least some of the battery cells 2. The control unit 4 may transmit the acquired identification information of the oxygen removal unit 15, the determination result thereof, the usage status of the oxygen removal unit 15, etc. to a server or a blockchain network. Also, the reading result of the identifier 25 by the reading device may be transmitted to a server or a blockchain network instead of to the control unit 4, where the above-mentioned determination is made, and the determination result may be transmitted to the control unit 4.

[0047] The control unit 4 preferably has a function to directly acquire the usage status (e.g., usage time) of all communication target devices (e.g., air blower 14, sensors 16, 22, 23, etc.) and, thereby, indirectly acquire the usage status of devices that are not communication targets (e.g., oxygen remover 15, hydrogen sulfide remover 21, etc.). Furthermore, the control unit 4 may have a function to predict the lifespan of the oxygen remover 15 based on the acquired usage status in order to appropriately determine when the oxygen remover 15 needs to be replaced (its lifespan). Alternatively, in addition to this, the control unit 4 may have a function to transmit the acquired usage status to a server or a blockchain network to enable an external management device to predict the lifespan of the oxygen remover 15. The acquired usage status and the lifespan prediction results are preferably notified to the user by the control unit 4 or an external management device as needed, thereby enabling planned replacement of the oxygen remover 15 according to the lifespan prediction. As a result, the possibility of increased maintenance costs due to unnecessary early replacement or serious malfunctions due to unnecessary failure can be reduced. Furthermore, such a lifespan prediction is advantageous in that it eliminates the need to carry out inspection work to determine when to replace the oxygen remover 15, thereby reducing inspection costs, including labor costs. A program or artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to predict the lifespan of the oxygen remover 15, but from the viewpoint of prediction accuracy, it is preferable to use AI.

[0048] The timing at which the control unit 4 acquires and transmits data regarding the usage status of each device is not particularly limited. For example, the acquisition and transmission may be periodic, automatic according to predetermined conditions, or irregular, such as by remote control from an external device. This allows for more accurate understanding of the usage status of each device. However, if similar data transmission is also performed from multiple other battery packs, it is preferable that the control unit 4 transmits data at a different timing from those other battery packs. This allows for reliable data transmission without congesting communication lines or servers. It is preferable that the control unit 4 be powered by a power source independent of the battery cells 2 so that data transmission can be reliably performed even if the output of the battery cells 2 must be stopped.

[0049] The above-described lifespan prediction enables planned replacement of the oxygen remover 15. However, depending on the usage environment (region) of the battery pack 1 and the manufacturing status of the oxygen remover 15, new or unused oxygen removers 15 may not be available at the time when the lifespan is predicted to end. In other words, if demand for oxygen removers 15 is concentrated in a particular region and a supply shortage occurs as a result, new or unused oxygen removers 15 may not be available in a planned manner. To avoid this, the control unit 4 preferably has a function for acquiring location information and transmitting the location information, along with the usage status of each device, to a server or blockchain network. This allows an external management device to predict in advance the number and timing of oxygen removers 15 required in each region, and based on this, it is possible to secure an optimal number of oxygen removers 15 in stock for each region. Furthermore, the external management device may notify the user of the optimal source for obtaining oxygen removers 15. As a result, oxygen removers 15 can be obtained when and where they are needed, enabling planned replacement of oxygen removers 15.

[0050] The above description regarding the lifespan prediction of the oxygen removal unit 15 applies to all communication target devices whose usage status is directly acquired by the control unit 4, as well as other devices whose usage status is indirectly acquired (such as the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21). After replacing components, including the oxygen removal unit 15, it is preferable to collect the replaced components and analyze their deterioration status, thereby improving the accuracy of the lifespan prediction for each component. For example, by collecting and analyzing the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21, the amount of hydrogen sulfide generated during use can be determined. Then, by comparing the amount of hydrogen sulfide generated with previously acquired usage status, data on the conditions and frequency of abnormalities in the battery cell 2 can be obtained. Based on the obtained data, the accuracy of the lifespan prediction for the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 can be improved. Such data may also be used to anticipate potential problems when commercializing new types of batteries.

[0051] (Third embodiment) Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, and differs from the first embodiment in that the configurations of the intake piping and the exhaust piping are changed. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0052] In the first embodiment, the upstream end (the other end) of the intake pipe 12 and the downstream end (the other end) of the exhaust pipe 13 are both open to the outside, whereas in the present embodiment, they are connected to each other to form a circulation pipe 31 that circulates the air inside the housing 11 without discharging it to the outside. This prevents the battery cells 2 from coming into contact with outside air containing moisture, thereby reducing the possibility of generating hydrogen sulfide, compared to the first embodiment.

[0053] In this embodiment, the circulation pipe 31 forms a closed circuit, which virtually eliminates the possibility of contact between the battery cells 2 and the outside air as described above. However, there is a concern that the internal pressure of the casing 11 may increase or decrease in some cases. An increase in internal pressure may occur, for example, when the temperature inside the casing 11 increases due to heat generation from the battery cells 2 or an increase in the outside air temperature, or when gases such as hydrogen sulfide are generated from the battery cells 2. A decrease in internal pressure may occur, for example, when the temperature inside the casing 11 decreases due to a decrease in the outside air temperature. Therefore, the battery pack 1 preferably includes a pressure sensor 32 that detects the pressure inside the casing 11 and a pressure adjustment unit 33 that is controlled by the control unit 4 based on the detection result of the pressure sensor 32 and adjusts the pressure inside the casing 11. This makes it possible to prevent excessive increases or decreases in the internal pressure of the casing 11. Furthermore, the output of at least some of the battery cells 2 may be adjusted based on the detection result of the pressure sensor 32. For example, the output of at least some of the battery cells 2 may be limited or stopped when the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 32 falls outside a predetermined range.

[0054] The pressure sensor 32 is not particularly limited, and any known pressure sensor such as a resistive film type, a capacitance type, a piezoelectric element type, a photoelectric type, or a MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) type can be used. The position of the pressure sensor 32 is not limited to the position shown in the figure, as long as it can detect the pressure inside the housing 11. The detection result of the pressure sensor 32 may be stored in the control unit 4 for immediate or future use, or may be transmitted to a server or a blockchain network via the control unit 4.

[0055] The pressure adjustment unit 33 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include an electric valve, a solenoid valve, a relief valve, a compressor, a gas cylinder, and an accumulator. The pressure adjustment unit 33 can be either a type that releases the internal pressure of the housing 11 or a type that pressurizes the housing 11. These two types (e.g., an electric valve and a compressor) can be combined or integrated. This allows the pressure inside the housing 11 to be adjusted to an appropriate pressure depending on the situation. However, in this embodiment, when oxygen is removed from the housing 11 by the oxygen remover 15, the volume of air inside the housing 11 decreases, resulting in a decrease in the pressure inside the housing 11. Therefore, it is preferable to use a pressure adjustment unit 33 that pressurizes the housing 11, thereby adjusting the pressure inside the housing 11 to an appropriate pressure. That is, for example, the pressure inside the housing 11 can be adjusted to an appropriate pressure by compensating for the reduced air volume using a compressor or a gas cylinder filled with an inert gas. On the other hand, a pressure adjustment unit 33 of the type that releases the internal pressure of the housing 11 is suitable when gas such as hydrogen sulfide is generated from the battery cell 2 and the internal pressure of the housing 11 rises, but there is a concern that the hydrogen sulfide inside the housing 11 may leak to the outside when the pressure is released. Therefore, when using a pressure adjustment unit 33 of the type that releases the internal pressure of the housing 11, it is preferable to provide a hydrogen sulfide removal unit similar to the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 of the second embodiment at its pressure outlet.

[0056] Although the location of the pressure adjuster 33 is not limited to the location shown in the figure, a pressure adjuster 33 that pressurizes the interior of the housing 11 is preferably provided in the housing 11. This allows, for example, when hydrogen sulfide is generated from the battery cell 2, the amount of hydrogen sulfide released from the battery cell 2 to be reduced by increasing the pressure within the housing 11. Furthermore, to increase the pressure within the housing 11 and thereby further reduce the amount of hydrogen sulfide released from the battery cell 2, outside air may be introduced into the interior of the housing 11 via the pressure adjuster 33. In this case, the pressure adjuster 33 is preferably provided with a filtering means for removing components (e.g., moisture, oxygen, etc.) contained in the outside air other than non-reactive gases. Examples of such filtering means include a moisture removal column, a moisture removal filter, a breathable waterproof sheet, an oxygen removal column, and a nitrogen permeable membrane. The number of pressure adjusters 33 is not limited to one as shown in the figure, and may be multiple.

[0057] The circulation pipe 31 is preferably unitized as a gas flow unit together with the blower 14 and the oxygen remover 15. This allows the circulation pipe 31, including the blower 14 and the oxygen remover 15, to be handled as a single component when assembling the battery pack 1, thereby reducing the number of components and simplifying the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the gas flow units 14, 15, and 31 may be detachably attached to the housing 11, similar to the gas flow members 12 to 15 of the first embodiment, and the pressure adjustment unit 33 may also be detachably attached to the housing 11. Furthermore, the pressure sensor 32 may also be detachable from the housing 11, similar to the oxygen sensor 16.

[0058] Needless to say, the configurations described in the second embodiment can also be applied to this embodiment. In this case, the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 may be provided in a position of the circulation pipe 31 corresponding to the intake pipe 12 (specifically, downstream of the oxygen removal unit 15) rather than in a position corresponding to the exhaust pipe 13 (specifically, upstream of the oxygen removal unit 15). In either case, the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 may be structurally and functionally integrated with the oxygen removal unit 15, thereby reducing the number of parts and facilitating replacement due to deterioration. The temperature adjustment unit 24 may also be provided in a position of the circulation pipe 31 corresponding to the exhaust pipe 13 (specifically, upstream of the oxygen removal unit 15) rather than in a position corresponding to the intake pipe 12 (specifically, downstream of the oxygen removal unit 15). Meanwhile, the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 and the oxygen removal unit 15 may be arranged in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel. That is, for example, a bypass pipe that bypasses the oxygen removal unit 15 may be provided in the circulation pipe 31, and the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 may be provided in this bypass pipe. This allows air to flow only through the oxygen removal unit 15 when removing only oxygen, and air to flow only through the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 when removing only hydrogen sulfide, making it possible to respond according to the state of the battery cells 2. Alternatively, a bypass pipe that bypasses the oxygen removal unit 15 and the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 that are arranged in series may be provided in the circulation pipe 31, and the hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 may be provided in this bypass pipe.

[0059] (Fourth embodiment) Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a battery pack according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is a modification of the third embodiment, and differs from the third embodiment in that the circulation piping is omitted. The following description will focus on the differences from the third embodiment.

[0060] In this embodiment, the circulation piping 31 of the third embodiment is omitted. Accordingly, the blower 14 is provided inside the housing 11, and the oxygen remover 15 is provided on the housing 11. Specifically, the blower 14 is provided at the exhaust port 11b inside the housing 11, and the oxygen remover 15 is provided on the housing 11 so that its inlet and outlet are directly connected to the exhaust port 11b and the intake port 11a of the housing 11, respectively. This allows the air inside the housing 11 to be circulated without being discharged to the outside, even without a circulation piping, thereby achieving the same effect as in the third embodiment. Here, "directly connected" means, for example, that the inlet of the oxygen remover 15 and the exhaust port 11b of the housing 11 are connected without a piping, and also includes the case where they are connected via the blower 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, the location of the blower 14 is not limited to inside the housing 11 and may be on the housing 11. That is, the blower 14 may be directly attached to the exhaust port 11b outside the housing 11. Alternatively, the blower 14 may be directly attached to the intake port 11a outside the housing 11, in which case the outlet of the oxygen remover 15 and the intake port 11a of the housing 11 may be in communication with each other via the blower 14. Needless to say, the position of the blower 14 within the housing 11 is not particularly limited.

[0061] Fifth Embodiment Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a battery pack according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, and differs from the first embodiment in that the configuration of the housing has been changed, and the configurations of the intake and exhaust pipes have been changed accordingly. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0062] In this embodiment, the housing 11 includes multiple storage chambers 41, each housing a battery cell 2. Accordingly, the downstream end of the intake pipe 12 branches into multiple sections, each connected to the multiple storage chambers 41 (specifically, the intake ports 41 a) via an on-off valve (not shown). The upstream end of the exhaust pipe 13 also branches into multiple sections, each connected to the multiple storage chambers 41 (specifically, the exhaust ports 41 b) via an on-off valve (not shown). While FIG. 4 shows four storage chambers 41, the number of storage chambers 41 constituting the housing 11 is not limited to this. Furthermore, the number of battery cells 2 housed in each storage chamber 41 is not limited to one, as shown in the figure, and may be multiple, and these may form a battery module (battery pack). Additionally, the oxygen sensor 16 is provided downstream of the portion of the exhaust pipe 13 where the multiple branch pipes converge. Furthermore, the control unit 4 periodically or as needed executes a determination process to determine which of the multiple storage chambers 41 has an elevated oxygen concentration.

[0063] In this determination process, the air blower 14 operates as the on-off valves of the intake pipe 12 and the exhaust pipe 13 are sequentially opened. This sequentially generates air flows from each accommodation chamber 41 to the oxygen sensor 16, and the oxygen concentration in each accommodation chamber 41 is sequentially detected by the oxygen sensor 16. This detection method is advantageous in that it can forcibly introduce air from each accommodation chamber 41 into the oxygen sensor 16, making it possible to detect even a slight increase in oxygen concentration. Then, based on the detection results obtained in this manner, it is determined in which of the multiple accommodation chambers 41 the oxygen concentration is increasing.

[0064] When an increase in the oxygen concentration in a specific storage chamber 41 is confirmed, the control unit 4 opens the on-off valves of the intake pipe 12 and the exhaust pipe 13 connected to that storage chamber 41 and activates the air blower 14. This allows air (specifically, air from which oxygen has been removed) to be introduced only into the storage chamber 41 where an increase in the oxygen concentration has been confirmed, thereby lowering the oxygen concentration and more efficiently reducing the possibility of hydrogen sulfide combustion. The control unit 4 may also limit or stop the output of the battery cells 2 in the storage chamber 41 where an increase in the oxygen concentration has been confirmed (specifically, where the oxygen concentration has reached or is likely to reach the limit oxygen concentration for hydrogen sulfide), thereby minimizing the impact on the output of the entire battery pack 1.

[0065] If cost and design constraints permit, an oxygen sensor 16 may be provided for each accommodation chamber 41. Although not shown, a temperature sensor 23 may be provided for each accommodation chamber 41, and based on the results of the temperature sensor, the output of the battery cell 2 in the accommodation chamber 41 in which an excessive temperature rise is detected may be limited or stopped. Also, a circulation pipe may be configured by connecting the upstream end of the intake pipe 12 and the downstream end of the exhaust pipe 13, as in the third embodiment.

[0066] Furthermore, instead of the oxygen sensor 16, the hydrogen sulfide sensor 22 of the second embodiment may be provided in the exhaust pipe 13. This allows a determination to be made as to which of the multiple storage chambers 41 hydrogen sulfide is being generated in a procedure similar to the determination process described above. When it is confirmed that hydrogen sulfide has been generated in a specific storage chamber 41, air (specifically, air from which oxygen has been removed) can be selectively or intensively introduced into that storage chamber 41. In this way, combustion of hydrogen sulfide can be efficiently suppressed, similar to when the oxygen sensor 16 is provided. Note that, in this case, too, the output of the battery cell 2 in the storage chamber 41 in which hydrogen sulfide generation has been confirmed may be limited or stopped, as necessary. Additionally, in this case, a hydrogen sulfide removal unit 21 may be provided in the exhaust pipe 13, similar to the second embodiment.

[0067] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 battery pack 2 battery cell 3 battery containing body 4 control unit 11 housing 11a intake port 11b exhaust port 12 intake pipe 13 exhaust pipe 14 blower unit 15 oxygen removal unit 16 oxygen sensor 21 hydrogen sulfide removal unit (flammable gas removal unit) 22 hydrogen sulfide sensor (gas sensor) 23 temperature sensor 24 temperature adjustment unit 25 identifier 31 circulation pipe 32 pressure sensor 33 pressure adjustment unit 41 accommodation chamber 41a intake port 41b exhaust port

Claims

1. A battery container having a housing having an air intake port and an exhaust port and housing at least one battery cell; a blower section that generates an air flow from the air intake port toward the exhaust port inside the housing; and an oxygen removal section that removes oxygen from the air flowing into the housing through the air intake port.

2. The battery housing as described in claim 1, comprising an intake pipe having one end connected to the intake port, and an exhaust pipe having one end connected to the exhaust port, wherein the blower is provided inside the housing, in the intake pipe, or in the exhaust pipe, and the oxygen removal unit is provided in the intake pipe.

3. The battery containing body according to claim 2, further comprising a circulation pipe for circulating air within the housing, the circulation pipe being made up of the intake pipe and the exhaust pipe whose other end is connected to the intake pipe.

4. The battery container according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen removal section is provided on the housing and has an inlet and an outlet that directly communicate with the exhaust port and the intake port, respectively, to circulate air within the housing.

5. The battery container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a control unit that controls the air blowing unit.

6. A battery container as described in claim 5, further comprising an oxygen sensor for detecting an oxygen concentration within the housing, wherein the control unit controls the blower unit to adjust the flow rate of the air flowing into the housing so that the oxygen concentration detected by the oxygen sensor is less than the limit oxygen concentration of the combustible gas generated from the at least one battery cell.

7. A battery container as described in claim 5, further comprising a gas sensor for detecting the presence or concentration of flammable gas within the housing, wherein the control unit controls the blower unit to adjust the flow rate of the air flowing into the housing so that the concentration of the flammable gas detected by the gas sensor is below a lower flammable limit value.

8. A battery container as described in claim 5, further comprising an oxygen sensor for detecting an oxygen concentration within the housing, wherein the control unit operates the blower to generate the air flow when the oxygen concentration detected by the oxygen sensor is equal to or greater than the limit oxygen concentration of combustible gas generated from at least one battery cell, or when there is a possibility that this will occur.

9. The battery containing body according to claim 5, further comprising: a pressure sensor that detects the pressure inside the housing; and a pressure adjustment unit that is controlled by the control unit based on the detection result of the pressure sensor and adjusts the pressure inside the housing.

10. The battery container described in claim 5, wherein the oxygen removal section is assigned an identifier including identification information of the oxygen removal section, and the control section determines whether the oxygen removal section satisfies a predetermined condition based on the identification information read from the identifier.

11. The battery containing body according to claim 5, further comprising: a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature inside the housing; and a temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature inside the housing, controlled by the control unit based on the detection result of the temperature sensor.

12. The battery containing body according to claim 5, wherein the control unit predicts the life of the oxygen removing unit based at least on the usage status of the air blowing unit.

13. The battery container according to claim 5, wherein the control unit acquires location information and transmits the acquired location information and at least the usage status of the blower unit to the outside.

14. A battery container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a flammable gas removal section that removes flammable gas generated from at least one battery cell and discharged from the exhaust port by the air flow.

15. The battery container according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the intake pipe, the exhaust pipe, the air blower and the oxygen remover are detachably attached to the housing.

16. A battery container as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein the housing has a plurality of storage chambers each for accommodating a battery cell, and the one ends of the intake pipe and the exhaust pipe each branch into a plurality of pipes and are connected to the plurality of storage chambers.

17. The battery container according to claim 16, comprising: at least one oxygen sensor that detects an oxygen concentration in the plurality of storage chambers; and a control unit that switches which of the plurality of storage chambers the air flow is to be generated in based on the detection result of the at least one oxygen sensor.

18. A battery pack comprising: at least one battery cell; a battery container according to any one of claims 1 to 4; and a control unit that controls the at least one battery cell.

19. A battery pack as described in claim 18, wherein the battery container has an oxygen sensor that detects an oxygen concentration within the housing, and the control unit limits or stops the output of the at least one battery cell when the oxygen concentration detected by the oxygen sensor becomes equal to or exceeds the limit oxygen concentration of the combustible gas generated from the at least one battery cell or there is a possibility that the oxygen concentration becomes equal to or exceeds the limit oxygen concentration of the combustible gas generated from the at least one battery cell.

20. A battery pack as described in claim 18, wherein the battery container has at least one of a temperature sensor that detects the temperature inside the housing and a gas sensor that detects the presence of flammable gas inside the housing, and the control unit adjusts the output of the at least one battery cell based on the detection result of at least one of the temperature sensor and the gas sensor.

21. A battery pack as described in claim 18, wherein the oxygen removal unit is assigned an identifier including identification information of the oxygen removal unit, and the control unit determines whether or not the oxygen removal unit satisfies a predetermined condition based on the identification information read from the identifier, and does not output from the at least one battery cell if it determines that the oxygen removal unit does not satisfy the predetermined condition.

22. A battery pack as described in claim 18, wherein the battery container comprises an intake pipe having one end connected to the intake port and an exhaust pipe having one end connected to the exhaust port and the other end connected to the intake pipe, a circulation pipe for circulating air within the housing, and a pressure sensor for detecting pressure within the housing, and the control unit adjusts the output of the at least one battery based on the detection result of the pressure sensor.

23. A battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery cells; a battery container according to claim 16; and a control unit that controls the plurality of battery cells.

24. A battery pack as described in claim 23, wherein the battery container has at least one oxygen sensor that detects the oxygen concentration in the multiple storage chambers, and the control unit switches between limiting or stopping the output of one of the multiple battery cells based on the detection result of the at least one oxygen sensor.

25. A gas circulation unit that circulates gas inside a housing that contains at least one battery cell, the gas circulation unit having: a circulation pipe that is connected to the housing at both ends and circulates air inside the housing; a blower section that is provided in the circulation pipe and generates an air flow inside the housing; and an oxygen removal section that is provided in the circulation pipe and removes oxygen from the air flowing through the circulation pipe.