Secondary battery test chamber capable of actively handling fire while having uniform temperature distribution

Abstract

The present invention relates to a secondary battery test chamber capable of actively handling a fire while having a uniform temperature distribution. Particularly, the secondary battery test chamber comprises: a housing in which is installed a door for opening and closing an open surface; at least one shelf which is installed inside the housing and on which a secondary battery is disposed, wherein the shelf normally maintains a planar form in which all of the edges are open, and when a fire is detected, the height of all of the edges changes so that the shelf changes into a container shape having an open top surface so that the inside of the container shape can be filled with a fire extinguishing agent; a fire extinguishing agent supply unit which supplies the shelf with the fire extinguishing agent so that the secondary battery becomes submerged in the fire extinguishing agent when a fire is detected; and a control unit which operates the fire extinguishing agent supply unit to supply or cut off the supply of the fire extinguishing agent to the shelf. Therefore, the present invention can quickly extinguish a fire that occurs in the secondary battery, and has the effect of improving the temperature distribution inside the test chamber.

Description

A secondary battery test chamber capable of actively responding to fire while maintaining a uniform temperature distribution.

[0001] The present invention relates to a test chamber for testing the performance and stability of a secondary battery, and more particularly, to a secondary battery test chamber capable of maintaining a uniform temperature distribution within the chamber and actively responding to fire during a performance and safety test of a secondary battery.

[0002]

[0003] Secondary batteries are used in a wide range of industries, including automotive, computer, telecommunications, defense, and alternative energy markets, and are widely used in mobile systems such as smartphones and laptops.

[0004] Recently, with the rise of environmental awareness and alternative energy supply, demand for electric vehicles has also increased significantly. Secondary batteries used in electric vehicles are capable of storing high-density energy, and therefore require various evaluations in performance and safety tests.

[0005] Performance tests for secondary batteries include temperature characteristics, storage life tests, and cycle life tests. Temperature characteristics tests are used to verify the input and output capacities of secondary batteries under various temperature conditions, and temperature-dependent discharge and charge characteristics are also measured. Storage life tests measure the state-of-charge loss of secondary batteries after long-term storage under a given temperature. The test secondary batteries are stored in a constant-temperature chamber at a constant temperature, and the remaining capacity and recovery rate are measured before and after storage. Cycle life tests are performed to determine the number of consecutive uses. Typically, a charger / discharger is used to repeatedly charge and discharge a secondary battery, evaluating it until its performance deteriorates.

[0006] Meanwhile, secondary battery safety testing involves electrical, mechanical, and environmental tests to ensure the safety of secondary batteries under normal conditions and in the event of a fault. Because secondary battery charging involves chemical reactions and is affected by temperature, thermal runaway can occur when secondary batteries are charged at temperatures higher than the standard temperature due to a deterioration in the stability of the battery's internal crystal structure. Therefore, the ultimate safety test requirement is to design the battery to prevent leakage, fire, or explosion.

[0007] As described above, it is very important for the test chamber for testing the performance and stability of secondary batteries to maintain a uniform temperature condition throughout the chamber during the secondary battery test.

[0008] To this end, the conventional secondary battery test chamber is placed on a flat shelf rather than a deep drawer to allow for uniform air flow, i.e., to ensure that there is no obstruction to the air flow to the secondary battery, and various tests are conducted.

[0009] However, when testing secondary batteries on a flat shelf as in the conventional technology, a uniform temperature distribution can be maintained, but there is a problem in that it is not possible to actively respond when a fire occurs or when a fire occurs due to thermal runaway of the secondary battery.

[0010]

[0011] The present invention has been devised to solve the problems of the above-mentioned prior art, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a secondary battery test chamber that can maintain a uniform temperature distribution inside the chamber by testing the secondary battery while placing it on a flat shelf in normal times, and can actively respond to a secondary battery fire by deforming the periphery of the shelf into a deep shape in the event of a secondary battery fire or fire, thereby injecting a fire extinguishing agent onto the shelf and allowing the fire extinguishing agent to penetrate inside the secondary battery.

[0012]

[0013] In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a secondary battery test chamber capable of actively responding to fire while having a uniform temperature distribution, comprising: a housing having a door that opens and closes an open surface; at least one shelf installed in the housing, in which a secondary battery is placed, and which normally maintains a flat shape with an open edge, but when a fire is detected, the entire height of the edge is deformed to form a container shape with an open top so that an extinguishing agent can be filled inside; an extinguishing agent supply unit that supplies the extinguishing agent to the shelf when a fire is detected so that the secondary battery is immersed in the extinguishing agent; and a control unit that operates the extinguishing agent supply unit to supply or cut off the supply of the extinguishing agent to the shelf.

[0014] Here, the shelf includes a tubular tank having a bottom portion fixed to the upper surface of the shelf and a wall portion connected to the edge of the bottom portion, and when a fire is detected, the tubular tank is filled with air and expands, thereby transforming into a container shape with an open upper surface.

[0015] Meanwhile, the present invention includes a curtain-type tank including a wall portion having a lower portion connected to an upper surface of the shelf, and a cylinder connected to the wall portion, so that when a fire is detected, the cylinder is operated to change the height of the wall portion, thereby changing the shape of a container with an open upper surface.

[0016] Here, the wall of the curtain-type tank is made of heat-resistant waterproof fabric, and the cylinder is made of an air cylinder.

[0017] And, the wall of the curtain-type tank is made of a heat-resistant waterproof cloth, and the cylinder is made of a gas cylinder, and a lower frame is provided to which a lower part of the wall is connected to the upper edge of the shelf, and an upper frame is provided to which an upper part of the wall is connected, and the cylinder has both ends connected to the lower frame and the upper frame, so that in normal times, the lower frame and the upper frame are interlocked and attached to each other, and in the event of a fire, the interlock is released by the control unit, the lower frame and the upper frame are separated, and then the upper frame is raised by the force of the cylinder to form a wall, thereby being capable of being transformed into a container shape with an open upper surface.

[0018] In addition, the extinguishing agent supply unit is configured to include: a extinguishing agent tank in which extinguishing agent is stored; a main pipe connected to the extinguishing agent tank; one or more branch pipes branching from the main pipe and guiding the extinguishing agent toward the shelf; a valve opening and closing the branch pipes according to a signal from the control unit; and a nozzle provided in the branch pipe and spraying the extinguishing agent provided from the extinguishing agent tank toward the secondary battery when the valve is opened.

[0019] In addition, the present invention further comprises a fire and water level detector that detects a fire in the secondary battery and transmits a fire detection signal to the control unit, and transmits the level of the fire extinguishing agent supplied to the secondary battery to the control unit.

[0020] In addition, the present invention locks the valve through the control unit when the entire secondary battery is immersed in the fire extinguishing agent.

[0021] Meanwhile, the apparatus further includes an air supply unit for supplying air to the tubular tank; the air supply unit comprises: an air pump operated by an operation signal of a control unit that receives a fire detection signal from the fire and water level detector; a main tube through which air generated from the air pump flows; and one or more branch tubes branched from the main tube and having an inlet at the end for supplying air to the tubular tank.

[0022] In addition, a number of temperature sensors are installed in the internal space of the housing to measure the temperature at the corresponding point, and the temperature value obtained by the temperature sensors is transmitted to a mobile terminal via a wired or wireless communication network, and the fire extinguishing agent supply unit can be operated via the mobile terminal.

[0023]

[0024] The secondary battery test chamber of the present invention, which has a uniform temperature distribution and can actively respond to fire, can quickly extinguish a fire by spraying the fire extinguishing agent stored in the fire extinguishing agent tank into the tubular tank in which the secondary battery is placed, so that the secondary battery is immersed in the fire extinguishing agent. In a normal state (i.e., a state in which no fire has occurred), the tubular tank or the curtain tank is not deformed into a container shape but is in a contracted state, so that the air flow inside the housing is not affected (disturbed) by the tubular tank or the curtain tank, and the secondary battery can be tested while placed on a flat shelf, so that the temperature distribution inside the test chamber can be improved. By exhibiting such a uniform temperature distribution, the temperature inside the housing can be ensured to be within the test tolerance of the secondary battery.

[0025] In addition, since the temperature value measured by the temperature sensor can be transmitted to a mobile terminal, there is an advantage in that, when the risk of fire in the secondary battery increases, the fire extinguishing agent supply unit can be operated from the outside via a mobile terminal to spray the fire extinguishing agent, thereby enabling rapid fire extinguishing.

[0026]

[0027] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 is a drawing showing a shelf and a tubular water tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 is a drawing showing the extinguishing agent supply unit of the secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.

[0030] Figures 4 and 5 are drawings showing the air supply section of the secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.

[0031] Figures 6 and 7 are drawings showing one embodiment of a curtain-type water tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.

[0032] Figures 8 and 9 are drawings showing a branch pipe of an extinguishing agent supply unit embedded in a shelf in a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.

[0033] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing another embodiment of a curtain-type water tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.

[0034] Figure 11 is a diagram showing the relationship of components centered on the control unit of the secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.

[0035]

[0036] A secondary battery test chamber capable of actively responding to fire while having a uniform temperature distribution according to the present invention comprises: a housing having a door that opens and closes an open surface; at least one shelf installed in the housing, in which a secondary battery is placed, and which normally maintains a flat shape with an open edge, but when a fire is detected, the entire height of the edge is deformed to form a container shape with an open top so that an extinguishing agent can be filled inside; an extinguishing agent supply unit that supplies the extinguishing agent to the shelf when a fire is detected so that the secondary battery is immersed in the extinguishing agent; and a control unit that operates the extinguishing agent supply unit to supply or cut off the supply of the extinguishing agent to the shelf.

[0037]

[0038] An embodiment of a secondary battery test chamber capable of actively responding to fire while having a uniform temperature distribution according to the present invention is described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a shelf and a tubular water tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an extinguishing agent supply unit of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are drawings showing an air supply unit of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.

[0040] And, FIGS. 6 and 7 are drawings showing an embodiment of a curtain-type water tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are drawings showing a branch pipe of an extinguishing agent supply unit in a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention embedded in a shelf.

[0041] In addition, FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another embodiment of a curtain-type water tank of a secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationship of components centered on the control unit of the secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention.

[0042]

[0043] A secondary battery test chamber according to the present invention is configured to include a housing (10), one or more shelves (20) installed inside the housing (10), a fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) for supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the shelf (20), a control unit (40) for operating the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) to supply or cut off the supply of the fire extinguishing agent to the shelf (20), a tubular water tank (50) or a curtain water tank (60) provided on the shelf (20), a fire and water level detector (70) for detecting the occurrence of a fire in a secondary battery (A) and the water level of the fire extinguishing agent, and an air supply unit (80) for supplying air to the tubular water tank (50).

[0044]

[0045] The above housing (10) forms an internal receiving space and has one side open. A refractory insulating material may be installed on the inside of the housing (10) to a certain thickness. As the refractory insulating material, a material such as carbon fiber or silicone, which has heat resistance and a high melting point and mechanical strength to prevent thermal deformation due to high flames, etc., may be used.

[0046] In addition, a vacuum insulation layer maintained in a vacuum state can be formed inside the wall forming the housing (10) to minimize heat transfer. Since heat transfer through conduction or convection by air does not occur in a vacuum state, high insulation can be provided.

[0047] This housing (10) is equipped with a rotatably opened and closed door (11) on the front side.

[0048]

[0049] The above shelves (20) are installed horizontally one by one at regular intervals in the vertical direction inside the housing (10) so that the secondary batteries (A) are arranged thereon. They may be installed so as to be able to slide in and out of the housing (10) through an open side of the housing (10), or they may be installed in a horizontally fixed form inside the housing (10) without sliding in and out. Since these shelves (20) are configured in the form of horizontal flat plates, there is no space for storing fire extinguishing agents, etc., on the shelf (20) itself.

[0050] In addition, the shelf (20) normally maintains a flat shape with the entire edge open, and when a fire is detected, the entire height of the edge is changed to a container shape with the upper surface open so that the inside can be filled with a fire extinguishing agent.

[0051] To explain in more detail, the shelf (20) includes a tubular tank (50) composed of a bottom portion (51) fixed to the upper surface of the shelf (20) and a wall portion (52) connected to the edge of the bottom portion (51), and when a fire is detected, the tubular tank (50) is filled with air and expands, thereby transforming into a container shape with an open upper surface.

[0052] The above tubular tank (50) contracts when air escapes from inside and expands when air is filled inside. When air is filled inside, it takes the form of a container with an open top surface, and when there is no air inside, it takes a flat, pressed state.

[0053] To elaborate, the tubular tank (50) is composed of a square bottom portion (51) fixed to the upper surface of the shelf (20) and a wall portion (52) standing upright upward from the edge of the bottom portion (51). Before air is supplied, the bottom portion (51) and the wall portion (52) are in a contracted state and are placed flat on the upper surface of the shelf (20). However, when air is supplied, the bottom portion (51) and the wall portion (52) expand tightly, forming a space capable of accommodating a secondary battery (A) therein.

[0054] A tubular tank (50) like this is made of a fire-resistant material that can withstand fire.

[0055]

[0056] Meanwhile, the shelf (20) may include a curtain-shaped tank (60) instead of a tubular tank (50).

[0057] The above curtain-type tank (60) is composed of a wall portion (61) whose lower part is connected to the upper surface of the shelf (20), and a cylinder (62) connected to the wall portion (61).

[0058] This curtain-type tank (60) changes into a container shape with an open top by changing the height of the wall (61) by operating the cylinder (62) when a fire is detected.

[0059] To explain in more detail, the lower part of the wall (61) is firmly attached to the upper edge of the shelf (20) so that the extinguishing agent does not leak even if it is supplied to the inside of the wall (61), and the material is made of heat-resistant waterproof cloth so that it can withstand flames or high temperature in the event of a fire. In addition, the cylinder (62) can be made of an air cylinder. Here, the air cylinder means a cylinder in which the piston rod moves forward and backward as air is introduced or discharged.

[0060] At this time, a square frame-shaped lifting frame (61a) is fixed to the upper part of the wall (61) of the curtain-type tank (60). When a fire is detected, the cylinder (62) is operated so that the rod of the cylinder (62) moves upward, and the lifting frame (61a) connected to the end of the rod moves upward, thereby pulling up the wall (61) so that it changes into the form of an upper-surface open container in which a space capable of containing a fire extinguishing agent is formed inside.

[0061]

[0062] Meanwhile, the curtain-type tank (60) may be composed of a wall portion (61) whose lower part is connected to the upper surface of the shelf (20), a cylinder (62) connected to the wall portion (61), a lower frame (63), and an upper frame (64).

[0063] The above wall portion (61) is made of heat-resistant waterproof fabric, and the lower portion is connected to the lower frame (63).

[0064] The above lower frame (63) is formed in a square frame shape by being connected to the wall (61) and being in close contact with the upper edge of the shelf (20).

[0065] The upper frame (64) is connected to the upper part of the wall (61) and is formed in a square frame shape. The upper frame (64) and the lower frame (63) are normally interlocked and attached to each other.

[0066] Meanwhile, when the curtain-type tank (60) includes a wall (61), a lower frame (63), and an upper frame (64), the cylinder (62) adopts a gas cylinder. This gas cylinder is installed so that the gas cylinders facing each other are crossed in an X shape while both ends are connected to the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64). The gas cylinder is a cylinder in which gas is filled inside a sealed cylinder with a constant pressure difference from the external pressure, and when the piston rod is released from restraint, the piston rod is naturally advanced (withdrawn) by the pressure difference.

[0067] Accordingly, in normal times, the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64) are interlocked and attached to each other, but in the event of a fire, the interlock is released by the control unit (40) and the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64) are separated. When the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64) are separated, the upper frame (64) rises by the force of the cylinder (62) itself, which is composed of a gas cylinder, to form a wall, thereby transforming into a container shape with an open upper surface, so that the inside can be filled with a fire extinguishing agent.

[0068] That is, when the fire detector detects that a fire has occurred in the secondary battery (A), the control unit (40) releases the interlock between the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64), which are attached to each other by an electromagnetic method or other various mechanisms, so that the upper frame (64) can move freely in the up-and-down direction, and when this state is reached, a load extending from the cylinder (62) pushes the upper frame (64) upward, and accordingly, the heat-resistant waterproof cloth stands vertically with respect to the shelf (20) to form a wall.

[0069]

[0070] The above-mentioned fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) is intended to supply fire extinguishing agent to an expanded tube-shaped tank (50) or a curtain-shaped tank (60) with a wall (61) erected when a fire occurs in a secondary battery (A), thereby submerging the secondary battery (A) in the fire extinguishing agent, thereby quickly extinguishing the fire.

[0071] This fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) is configured to include a fire extinguishing agent tank (31), a main pipe (32) connected to the fire extinguishing agent tank (31), a plurality of branch pipes (33) branching from the main pipe (32), a valve (34) for opening and closing the branch pipes (33), and a plurality of nozzles (35) provided in each of the plurality of branch pipes (33).

[0072] The above-mentioned fire extinguishing agent tank (31) is installed at the top inside the housing (10) while the fire extinguishing agent is stored, and supplies the fire extinguishing agent through a branch pipe (33) into the inside of a tube-shaped tank (50) or curtain-shaped tank (60) on the upper surface of a shelf (20) installed vertically apart from each other.

[0073] Here, the fire extinguishing agent tank (31) is said to be installed at the top inside the housing (10), but it is not limited to being installed only inside the housing (10) and may be installed outside the housing (10).

[0074] The above main pipe (32) has one end connected to the extinguishing agent tank (31) and the other end extends downwards of the housing (10).

[0075] The above branch pipe (33) branches off from the main pipe (32) and guides the extinguishing agent toward the plurality of tubular tanks (50) or the curtain-shaped tank (60), and is respectively located on the upper side of the plurality of shelves (20) provided in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the branch pipe (33) is located on the upper side of the tubular tank (50) or the curtain-shaped tank (60) fixed to the upper surface of the shelf (20).

[0076] Here, the branch pipe (33) may be installed on the upper side of the shelf (20), but may also be installed in a form embedded within the shelf (20). That is, if the shelf (20) does not slide in and out but has a structure that is horizontally fixed within the housing (10), it is also possible to configure the branch pipe (33) in a form embedded within the shelf (20).

[0077] The above valve (34) is installed at the connection point between the main pipe (32) and the branch pipe (33) and opens and closes the branch pipe (33) according to a signal from the control unit (40). Therefore, when the valve (34) is opened, the fire extinguishing agent stored in the fire extinguishing agent tank (31) flows into the branch pipe (33) through the main pipe (32), and when the valve (34) is closed, the fire extinguishing agent is prevented from flowing into the branch pipe (33).

[0078] The above nozzle (35) is provided at least once in the branch pipe (33) and, when the valve (34) is opened, sprays the fire extinguishing agent provided from the fire extinguishing agent tank (31) toward the secondary battery (A) of the tube-shaped tank (50) or curtain-shaped tank (60) located below. The secondary battery (A) stored in the tube-shaped tank (50) or curtain-shaped tank (60) is immersed in the fire extinguishing agent by the fire extinguishing agent sprayed in this way.

[0079] As described above, if the shelf (20) does not slide in and out but is horizontally fixed inside the housing (10), the extinguishing agent sprayed from the lower nozzle (35) is filled in the tube-shaped tank (50) or curtain-shaped tank (60).

[0080] When the entire secondary battery (A) is immersed in the extinguishing agent filled in the tubular tank (50) or curtain tank (60) and the secondary battery is not exposed outside the extinguishing agent, the control unit (40) receives a signal at this time from the fire and water level detector (70) and locks the valve (34) so ​​that the extinguishing agent is no longer supplied to the tubular tank (50) or curtain tank (60). That is, the control unit (40) receives the water level of the extinguishing agent filled in the tubular tank (50) or curtain tank (60) from the fire and water level detector (70) and locks the valve (34) when the entire secondary battery (A) is immersed in the extinguishing agent.

[0081]

[0082] The above fire and water level detector (70) detects a fire in the secondary battery (A) using a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, a flame sensor, etc., and transmits a fire detection signal to the control unit (40) and also transmits the water level of the fire extinguishing agent supplied to the secondary battery (A) to the control unit (40).

[0083] Therefore, it is preferable that the fire and water level detector (70) be installed in a place where fire detection and water level measurement are easy, such as the edge right next to the shelf (20) where the tubular tank (50) or curtain tank (60) is installed, the upper surface of the bottom (51) of the tubular tank (50), or the inside of the curtain tank (40).

[0084] Meanwhile, the fire and water level detector (70) of the present invention includes a fire detection sensor and a water level detection sensor, which are composed of a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, a flame sensor, etc., and the fire detection sensor and the water level detection sensor can be installed separately in separate locations, but the fire detection sensor and the water level detection sensor can also be manufactured as a single unit product and installed in the same location.

[0085] In addition, the fire and water level detector (70) is manufactured to be the same height as or longer than the wall (52) of the tubular tank (50) and the wall (61) of the curtain tank (60) so that sensing is not obstructed by the wall (52, 61).

[0086]

[0087] The above air supply unit (80) supplies air to the bottom (51) and wall (52) of the tubular tank (50).

[0088] This air supply unit (80) is fixed to the upper surface of the shelf (20) in a contracted state and supplies air to the tubular tank (50) in which the secondary battery (A) is placed on the upper side, thereby expanding the bottom (51) and the wall (52) of the tubular tank (50).

[0089] Here, if the cylinder (62) of the curtain-type tank (60) is configured as an air cylinder and the lifting frame (61a) provided on the rod of the cylinder (62) is raised to lift the heat-resistant waterproof cloth to form the wall portion (61), the rod of the cylinder (62) may be advanced by air provided from the air supply unit (80) to lift the heat-resistant waterproof cloth, thereby forming the wall portion (61).

[0090] In detail, the air supply unit (80) is configured to supply air to the tubular tank (50) when a fire occurs so that it has a shape like a square-shaped container with an open top, and includes an air pump (81), a main tube (82) through which air generated from the air pump (81) flows, and a plurality of branch tubes (83) branching from the main tube (82).

[0091] The above air pump (81) is installed on the lower part of the inside of the housing (10) and generates a high-pressure air flow. This air pump (81) is operated by the control unit (40) that receives a fire detection signal from the fire and water level detector (70).

[0092] To explain in more detail, the control unit (40) can send a signal to the air supply unit (80) and the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) to operate the air supply unit (80) and the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30). In particular, the control unit (40) operates the air pump (81) of the air supply unit (80) and the valve (34) of the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) to quickly take action when a fire occurs in the secondary battery (A).

[0093] The above main tube (82) is made into a tube shape using a hard or soft material through which high-pressure air generated from an air pump (81) flows.

[0094] The above branch tube (83) may be made of a hard material, or may be made in the form of a tube that is freely bendable or flexible and is connected to the main tube (82), and high-pressure air provided from the main tube (82) flows inside. The branch tube (83) is provided with an injection port (83a) at the end for injecting air into a tube-shaped tank (50).

[0095] The above injection port (83a) is provided at the end of the branch tube (83) when the water tank in the present invention is a tubular water tank (50) and is provided at the bottom (51) of the tubular water tank (50), so that the high-pressure air flowing through the branch tube (83) is quickly filled into the entire tubular water tank (50) through the bottom (51), thereby rapidly expanding the tubular water tank (50).

[0096] Meanwhile, the branch tube (83) may be installed on the shelf (20) in a form embedded in the bottom plate of the shelf (20), or may be installed in a form provided on the bottom surface of the shelf (20) without being embedded in the shelf (20).

[0097]

[0098] Meanwhile, the present invention can measure the temperature of a corresponding point by installing a plurality of temperature sensors (12) at regular intervals inside the housing (10). This makes it possible to know the temperature of each section inside the housing (10), thereby making it possible to know the overall flow of temperature changes inside the housing (10), and more easily determine whether a fire has occurred in the secondary battery or whether a fire is imminent.

[0099] And, the temperature value acquired by the temperature sensor (12) is transmitted to the control unit (40), and then the control unit (40) transmits the corresponding information to a mobile terminal (90) connected through a wired or wireless communication network, and remote operation of the air supply unit (80) and the extinguishing agent supply unit (30) is possible through this mobile terminal (90).

[0100] That is, even if there are no people inside the laboratory where the secondary battery test chamber is installed and there are only people outside the laboratory, those people can check whether a fire has occurred in the secondary battery or whether a fire is imminent through their mobile terminal (90), and if a fire has occurred or a fire is imminent, they can control the application installed in the mobile terminal (90) to send an operation signal of the air pump (81) of the air supply unit (80) and an opening signal of the valve (34) of the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) to the control unit (40), thereby supplying air to the tubular water tank (50) and causing the fire extinguishing agent to be sprayed from the nozzle (35).

[0101]

[0102] Meanwhile, the present invention can lock the door (11) so that it does not open from the housing (10) even when an external force is applied to the door (11), when the average value of the temperature measured by a plurality of temperature sensors (12) reaches a certain temperature while the door (11) is closed.

[0103] As described above, the present invention applies a tank capable of contracting and expanding around a shelf on which a secondary battery is placed, or a tank capable of erecting or lying down a wall, so that the secondary battery can undergo various performance and safety tests on a flat shelf while the tank is contracted under normal circumstances, thereby maintaining a uniform temperature distribution within the chamber and improving the reliability of the test. In addition, during a test of a secondary battery, when a fire occurs or a fire occurs due to thermal runaway of the secondary battery, the tank expands and the area around the shelf is transformed into a deep drawer shape so that water or a fire extinguishing agent can be stored in the shelf on which the secondary battery is placed, thereby preventing a fire or quickly extinguishing a fire.

[0104] Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below.

[0105]

[0106] The present invention relates to a secondary battery test chamber capable of actively responding to fire while having a uniform temperature distribution, and can be widely used in industries such as those manufacturing electronic products and those manufacturing electric vehicles, as the demand for secondary batteries is explosively increasing due to the increase in sales of wireless terminals and electric vehicles.

Claims

1. A housing (10) having a door (11) for opening and closing the opening surface; A secondary battery (A) is installed inside the housing (10), and at least one shelf (20) is provided that normally maintains a flat shape with the entire edge open, and when a fire is detected, the entire height of the edge is transformed to form a container with an open top so that a fire extinguishing agent can be filled inside; A fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) that supplies the fire extinguishing agent to the shelf (20) when a fire is detected, thereby submerging the secondary battery (A) in the fire extinguishing agent; A secondary battery test chamber characterized by comprising a control unit (40) for supplying or blocking the supply of extinguishing agent to the shelf (20) by operating the extinguishing agent supply unit (30).

2. In claim 1, A secondary battery test chamber characterized in that the shelf (20) includes a tubular water tank (50) composed of a bottom portion (51) fixed to the upper surface of the shelf (20) and a wall portion (52) connected to the edge of the bottom portion (51), and when a fire is detected, the tubular water tank (50) is filled with air and expands, thereby transforming into a container shape with an open upper surface.

3. In claim 1, A secondary battery test chamber characterized in that the shelf (20) includes a curtain-type water tank (60) including a wall portion (61) whose lower part is connected to the upper surface of the shelf (20) and a cylinder (62) connected to the wall portion (61), and when a fire is detected, the cylinder (62) is operated to change the height of the wall portion (61) so that the upper surface is changed into an open container shape.

4. In claim 3, A secondary battery test chamber characterized in that the wall (61) of the curtain-type tank (60) is made of heat-resistant waterproof fabric, and the cylinder (62) is made of an air cylinder.

5. In claim 3, The wall (61) of the above curtain-type tank (60) is made of heat-resistant waterproof fabric, and the cylinder (62) is made of a gas cylinder. A lower frame (63) is provided on the upper edge of the shelf (20) to which the lower part of the wall (61) is connected, and an upper frame (64) is provided to which the upper part of the wall (61) is connected, and the cylinder (62) is connected at both ends to the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64), respectively. A secondary battery test chamber characterized in that in normal times, the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64) are interlocked and attached to each other, but in the event of a fire, the interlock is released by the control unit (40), the lower frame (63) and the upper frame (64) are separated, and then the upper frame (64) is raised by the force of the cylinder (62) to form a wall, thereby transforming into a container shape with an open upper surface.

6. In claim 2 or claim 3, The above-mentioned fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) includes a fire extinguishing agent tank (31) in which the fire extinguishing agent is stored; A main pipe (32) connected to the above-mentioned extinguishing agent tank (31); One or more branch pipes (33) branching from the main pipe (32) and guiding the extinguishing agent toward the shelf (20); A valve (34) that opens and closes the branch pipe (33) according to the signal of the above control unit (40); A secondary battery test chamber characterized by comprising a nozzle (35) provided in the branch pipe (33) and configured to spray the extinguishing agent provided from the extinguishing agent tank (31) toward the secondary battery (A) when the valve (34) is opened.

7. In claim 6, A secondary battery test chamber characterized by further comprising a fire and water level detector (70) that detects a fire in the secondary battery (A) and transmits a fire detection signal to the control unit (40) and transmits the water level of the fire extinguishing agent supplied to the secondary battery (A) to the control unit (40).

8. In claim 7, A secondary battery test chamber characterized in that the control unit (40) locks the valve (34) when the entire secondary battery (A) is immersed in the extinguishing agent.

9. In claim 6, It further includes an air supply unit (80) that supplies air to the above tubular tank (50), The above air supply unit (80) includes an air pump (81) that is operated by an operation signal of a control unit (40) that receives a fire detection signal from the fire and water level detector (70); A main tube (82) through which air generated from the above air pump (81) flows; A secondary battery test chamber characterized by comprising at least one branch tube (83) branched from the main tube (82) and having an inlet (83a) at the end thereof for supplying air to the tubular water tank (50).

10. In claim 6, A secondary battery test chamber characterized in that a plurality of temperature sensors (12) are installed in the internal space of the housing (10) to measure the temperature of the corresponding point, the temperature value obtained by the temperature sensors (12) is transmitted to a mobile terminal (90) through a wired or wireless communication network, and the fire extinguishing agent supply unit (30) can be operated through the mobile terminal (90).

Images