Energy storage device having cooling liquid

Abstract

The present invention relates to an energy storage device having a cooling liquid and, more specifically, to an energy storage device having a cooling liquid for effectively cooling heat generated from a battery module, the cooling liquid being filled in a housing in which the battery module is embedded.

Description

Energy storage device with coolant

[0001] The present invention relates to an energy storage device having a coolant, and more particularly, to an energy storage device having a coolant that effectively cools heat generated in a battery module by filling the interior of a housing in which a battery module is built with the coolant.

[0002] In general, an energy storage system (ESS) refers to a device that stores electric energy internally and supplies it externally when needed.

[0003] Recently, interest in renewable energy has increased rapidly due to imbalances in power supply and demand, and technology to store electricity produced from renewable energy through ESS and utilize it when needed is continuously being developed.

[0004] Energy storage devices can be composed of battery modules in which dozens or hundreds or more battery cells in shapes such as cylindrical, coin-shaped, or square are assembled according to the required capacity.

[0005] Battery modules can improve energy storage characteristics by driving battery cells, but reliability and stability may be reduced as the heat generated during operation also increases rapidly.

[0006] Accordingly, the number of battery cells that can be equipped in a battery module and the usage environment of the battery module are inevitably limited.

[0007] If the heat generated in the battery cell during the charging and discharging process is not effectively removed, heat accumulation occurs, which accelerates the deterioration of the battery cell and, in some cases, may cause fire or explosion.

[0008] Therefore, high-power, large-capacity battery modules require a cooling system to cool the built-in battery cells.

[0009] Prior art document - Republic of Korea Utility Model Registration No. 20-0493401 (March 23, 2021) 'Battery Cooling Device for Energy Storage Device'

[0010] The present invention was created to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an energy storage device having a cooling liquid so that heat generated in a battery module can be effectively cooled when the cooling liquid is filled into the interior of a housing in which a battery module is built.

[0011] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0012] In order to achieve the above-described purpose, the present invention provides an energy storage device having a cooling liquid, characterized by including a housing; a battery module built into the housing; and a cooling liquid that is non-conductive and is accommodated inside the housing to cool the battery module.

[0013] The housing according to the present invention is characterized in that it is provided with a plurality of connecting rings on the upper surface, a terminal electrically connected to the battery module, and an inlet for introducing a coolant into the interior of the housing, and has first and second inlet and outlet pipes that are connected to the interior while having an opening / closing valve provided on one surface.

[0014] In addition, it further includes a fixing means for supporting the battery module from the inner bottom surface of the housing; and a support part for supporting the housing from the installation target surface, wherein the fixing means includes a plurality of fixing bars that extend upward from the inner bottom surface of the housing and fix the battery module in multiple layers in the vertical direction, and the support part includes a pair of supporters that extend left and right and have upper portions fixed to the front and rear of the lower surface of the housing and have a pair of transport holes formed through the front and rear surfaces; and a support means for connecting the pair of supporters, wherein the support means includes a pair of support frames that form a 'ㅁ' shape that is open at both sides or a 'ㄷ' shape that is open at both sides and the upper portion, and have upper portions fixed to both sides of the lower surface of the housing and front and rear surfaces fixed to opposite surfaces of the pair of supporters; and a plurality of reinforcing bars that are located on the outer side of the pair of transport holes and connect upper and lower portions of the pair of supporters.

[0015] In addition, it is characterized by further including a cooling unit that cools the coolant received in the housing while connecting the first and second entrances and exits.

[0016] In addition, it is characterized by further including a circulation pump connected to one of the first and second entrances and exits.

[0017] The cooling unit according to the present invention is characterized in that it is formed of a heat exchange tube and allows the heat of the cooling liquid passing through the inside to be radiated to the outside by contact with the air.

[0018] The housing according to the present invention is composed of a plurality of housings, and the cooling unit is characterized by including a cooling pipe including a first connecting pipe connecting the other end of each of the first inlet and outlet pipes of the plurality of housings, a second connecting pipe connecting the other end of each of the second inlet and outlet pipes of the plurality of housings, and a third connecting pipe connecting the first and second connecting pipes; and a cooling device for cooling a coolant passing through the cooling pipe.

[0019] The cooling device according to the present invention is characterized in that it is installed on the outside of the third connecting pipe and cools the cooling liquid passing through the third connecting pipe.

[0020] According to the present invention, there is an effect that cooling of heat generated from a battery module can be effectively achieved by filling the interior of a housing in which a battery module is built with a coolant.

[0021] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an energy storage device having a cooling liquid according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the front and one side of the housing in Figure 1 with the front and one side open.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a battery cell forming a battery module is cooled by a coolant in an energy storage device having a coolant according to the present invention.

[0025] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a fixing means in an energy storage device having a cooling liquid according to the present invention.

[0026] Fig. 5 is a front view showing a cooling unit in an energy storage device having a cooling liquid according to the present invention.

[0027] Fig. 6 is a front view showing another example of the cooling unit in Fig. 5.

[0028] and

[0029] Fig. 7 is a front view showing another example of a cooling unit in an energy storage device having a cooling liquid according to the present invention.

[0030] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0031] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an energy storage device (hereinafter referred to as “energy storage device”) (100) having a coolant according to the present invention may include a housing (110), a battery module (120) built into the housing (110), and a coolant (130) accommodated inside the housing (110).

[0032] The housing (110) can have various shapes in which an empty space is formed on the inside, and can have a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0033] The battery module (120) may have a rectangular shape in which battery cells in a cylindrical or square shape are assembled, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Since such a battery module is already known and in use, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0034] The battery module (120) may be composed of multiple pieces and arranged in multiple layers inside the housing (110).

[0035] The housing (110) may have a terminal (111) formed on one surface that is electrically connected to the battery module (120). For example, the terminal (111) may be formed on the upper surface of the housing (110).

[0036] The terminal (111) can be composed of two poles, a positive pole and a negative pole, and can be used to supply electricity to an object requiring electricity, i.e., to supply electricity.

[0037] The coolant (130) can cool the battery module (120) while being non-conductive.

[0038] The coolant (130) may be composed of insulating oil or a non-conductive liquid. For example, the coolant (130) may be a non-conductive liquid such as a fluorocarbon-based refrigerant, including a non-conductive material such as liquid paraffin, and may be composed of one or more combinations selected from Novec 7000 (1-methoxyheptafluoropropane).

[0039] The coolant (130) is accommodated inside the housing (110) and, as shown in FIG. 3, comes into contact with the battery module (120) and flows between the battery cells to evenly cool the temperature.

[0040] That is, the energy storage device (130) may not generate local heat generation as the heat flow is evenly distributed by the cooling liquid (130) without being limited to some battery cells.

[0041] Accordingly, the energy storage device (130) can effectively improve efficiency reduction due to heat generation, and secondary damage such as fire can be prevented in advance by preventing condensation due to temperature difference.

[0042] In addition, the energy storage device (130) can be expected to be economical as the charging and discharging time can be shortened as each battery cell of the battery module (120) increases efficiency due to the cooling effect, and power consumption can be reduced.

[0043] The housing (110) may be provided with an inlet (112) on one side for supplying coolant (130) into the interior of the housing (110).

[0044] The inlet port (112) can be installed so that the inlet pipe (113) is connected to the upper part of the housing (110), thereby forming the interior of the inlet pipe (113).

[0045] A valve (not shown) for opening and closing the inlet port (112) may be installed in the inlet pipe (113).

[0046] The energy storage device (100) may further include a fixing means (140) for supporting the battery module (120) as illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0047] The fixing means (140) may include a plurality of fixing bars (141) that extend upward from the inner bottom surface of the housing (110) and fix the battery module (120) in a multi-layered manner in the vertical direction.

[0048] The fixed bar (141) is composed of four pieces and is fixed in a square shape on the inner bottom surface of the housing (110) so that the edges of the battery module (120), for example, the four corners, are fixed and supported.

[0049] Control equipment (not shown) including electronic circuits or devices necessary for the operation of the battery module (120) may be installed in the housing (110). For example, the control equipment may include an integrated control system (DCU), a battery management system (BMS), a circuit breaker, etc.

[0050] The control equipment may be installed inside the housing (110) if cooling is required, or outside the housing (110) if cooling is not required, depending on whether high heat is generated.

[0051] The energy storage device (100) may further include a support member (150) that supports the housing (110) as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0052] The support member (150) can support the housing (110) from an installation target surface including an outdoor ground or an indoor floor surface.

[0053] The support member (150) may include a pair of supports (151) fixed to the front and rear of the lower surface of the housing (110) and a support means (152) connecting the pair of supports (151).

[0054] The support (151) can be formed to extend in the left and right directions and its upper surface can be fixed to the front and rear of the lower surface of the housing (110).

[0055] The support (151) can be formed with a pair of transport holes (151a) penetrating the front and rear surfaces, enabling movement by a separate forklift, etc.

[0056] The support means (152) may include a pair of support frames (153) having an upper portion fixed to both sides of the lower surface of the housing (110) and a front and rear portion fixed to opposite surfaces of a pair of supports (151), with the upper portion forming a 'ㅁ' shape with both sides open or a 'ㄷ' shape with both sides and the upper portion open.

[0057] A pair of support frames (153) can be positioned on the outside of a pair of transport holes (151a) and connect a pair of support members (151).

[0058] The housing (110) is spaced from the installation target surface by the support member (150), and air can be smoothly ventilated between the lower surface and the installation target surface, thereby inducing natural cooling of the cooling liquid (130).

[0059] Accordingly, the housing (110) can be in smooth contact with the outside air, allowing natural cooling of the cooling liquid (130) contained inside.

[0060] The support means (152) may further include a plurality of reinforcing bars (154) positioned on the outside of a pair of support frames (153) and connecting the upper and lower sides of a pair of support members (151).

[0061] The reinforcing bar (154) can prevent a pair of supports (151) from being pressed in opposing directions by external force, etc., and can provide more stable support for the housing (110).

[0062] The housing (110) may be provided with a plurality of connecting rings (114) on the upper surface.

[0063] The connecting ring (114) can be fixed to the four corners of the upper surface of the housing (110) to enable movement or transportation of the energy storage device (100) using a wire or crane.

[0064] The housing (110) can have first and second entrances (115, 116) installed on one side.

[0065] The first entrance / exit pipe (115) can be fixed so that one end is connected to the front of the housing (110).

[0066] The second entrance / exit pipe (162) can be fixed to be connected to the front of the housing (110) so that one end is positioned below the first entrance / exit pipe (161).

[0067] An opening / closing valve can be connected to each of the first and second entrances (115, 116).

[0068] The first and second entrances (115, 116) can be connected to a separate configuration with a housing (110).

[0069] The energy storage device (100) may further include a cooling unit (160) that cools the cooling liquid (130) while connecting the first and second inlet and outlet pipes (115, 116) as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7.

[0070] The cooling unit (160) may be formed of a heat exchange pipe (161) connecting the other ends of the first and second inlet and outlet pipes (115, 116) as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0071] The heat exchange tube (161) can have various shapes that can increase the contact area with air. For example, the heat exchange tube (161) can have a grid shape, a coil shape, a zigzag shape, etc.

[0072] The heat exchange tube (161) can radiate the heat of the cooling liquid (130) passing through the inside to the outside by contact with the air.

[0073] A heat sink (not shown) that extends outward may be formed in the heat exchange tube (161).

[0074] A circulation pump (162) may be connected to either of the first and second entrances (115, 116) as shown in Fig. 6.

[0075] For example, the circulation pump (162) may be connected to the second inlet / outlet pipe (116). When the circulation pump (162) is driven, the coolant (130) received in the housing (110) may be introduced into the heat exchange pipe (161) through the first inlet / outlet pipe (115) and passed therethrough, and then introduced into the housing (110) through the second inlet / outlet pipe (116).

[0076] The coolant (130) is discharged to the outside of the housing (110) through the first inlet / outlet pipe (115), is cooled by dissipating heat as it passes through the heat exchange pipe (161), and can be re-introduced into the housing (110) through the second inlet / outlet pipe (116).

[0077] Accordingly, the heat exchange tube (161) can cool the cooling liquid (130) passing through the inside by contact with air.

[0078] Meanwhile, the housing (110) may be composed of multiple units as shown in FIG. 7.

[0079] That is, a plurality of housings (110) can be arranged in parallel or series.

[0080] The cooling unit (160) may include a cooling pipe (163) including a first connecting pipe (163a) connecting the other end of each of the first inlet and outlet pipes (115) of the plurality of housings (110), a second connecting pipe (163b) connecting the other end of each of the second inlet and outlet pipes (116) of the plurality of housings (110), and a third connecting pipe (163c) connecting the first and second connecting pipes (163a, 163b), and a cooling device (164) for cooling the cooling liquid (130) passing through the cooling pipe (163).

[0081] The cooling device (164) is installed on the outside of the third connecting pipe (163c) and can cool the cooling liquid (130) passing through the third connecting pipe (163c).

[0082] The cooling device (164) can have various forms to cool the cooling liquid (130) passing through the third connecting pipe (163c).

[0083] For example, the cooling device (164) may include a cooling tank (not shown) that lowers the temperature of the internal air using a refrigerant.

[0084] Alternatively, the cooling device (164) may be a cooling water tank (not shown) in which cooling water is stored internally.

[0085] The coolant tank is supplied with coolant from the outside, and the temperature of the coolant can be controlled by a temperature control means.

[0086] Since such a cooling device (169) can take various known forms, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0087] The cooling pipe (163) is connected to the first, second, and third connecting pipes (163a, 163b, 163c) as one piece, so that the cooling liquid (130) discharged to the outside of the housing (110) through the first inlet / outlet pipe (115) passes through the cooling device (164) and is cooled, and then re-introduced into the housing (110) through the second inlet / outlet pipe (116).

[0088] Due to this, the energy storage device (100) can effectively cool the heat generated in the battery module (120) through cooling of the coolant (130) contained inside the housing (110).

[0089] The above description is merely an embodiment for implementing an energy storage device having a coolant according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and as claimed in the following claims, it will be understood that the technical spirit of the present invention encompasses a range in which various modifications can be implemented without departing from the gist of the present invention by anyone having ordinary skill in the art.

Claims

1. Housing; A battery module built into the above housing; and An energy storage device having a cooling liquid, characterized in that it includes a cooling liquid that is accommodated inside the housing and cools the battery module while having non-conductivity.

2. In paragraph 1, An energy storage device having a coolant, characterized in that the housing is provided with a plurality of connecting rings on the upper surface, a terminal electrically connected to the battery module, and an inlet for introducing coolant into the interior of the housing, and has first and second inlet and outlet pipes communicating with the interior while an opening / closing valve is provided on one surface.

3. In paragraph 1 or 2, A fixing means for supporting the battery module from the inner bottom surface of the housing; and Further comprising a support member that supports the housing from the installation target surface, The above fixing means includes a plurality of fixing bars that extend upward from the inner bottom surface of the housing and fix the battery modules in multiple layers in the vertical direction. The above support A pair of supports formed to extend in the left and right directions, the upper part of which is fixed to the front and rear of the lower surface of the housing, and a pair of transport holes formed through the front and rear surfaces; and Including a supporting means connecting the above pair of supports, The above support means A pair of support frames having a 'ㅁ' shape with both sides open or a 'ㄷ' shape with both sides and the top open, the upper part of which is fixed to both sides of the lower surface of the housing and the front and rear sides are fixed to opposite surfaces of the pair of supports; and An energy storage device having a coolant, characterized in that it includes a plurality of reinforcing bars connecting the upper and lower sides of the pair of supports while being positioned on the outside of the pair of transport holes.

4. In paragraph 2, An energy storage device having a coolant, characterized in that it further includes a cooling unit that cools the coolant received in the housing while connecting the first and second inlets and outlets.

5. In paragraph 4, An energy storage device having a coolant, characterized in that it further includes a circulation pump connected to one of the first and second entrances and exits.

6. In paragraph 4 or 5, An energy storage device having a cooling liquid, wherein the cooling unit is formed of a heat exchange tube and the heat of the cooling liquid passing through the inside is radiated to the outside by contact with the air.

7. In paragraph 4 or 5, The above housing is composed of multiple parts, The above cooling unit A cooling pipe including a first connecting pipe connecting the other end of each of the first inlet and outlet pipes of the plurality of housings, a second connecting pipe connecting the other end of each of the second inlet and outlet pipes of the plurality of housings, and a third connecting pipe connecting the first and second connecting pipes; and An energy storage device having a cooling liquid, characterized by including a cooling device that cools the cooling liquid passing through the cooling pipe.

8. In paragraph 7, An energy storage device having a cooling liquid, characterized in that the cooling device is installed on the outside of the third connecting pipe and cools the cooling liquid passing through the third connecting pipe.

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