Energy storage device and fire extinguishing method therefor

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an energy storage device and a fire extinguishing method therefor. The energy storage device comprises an energy storage cabinet and a fire extinguishing system. The energy storage cabinet comprises a cabinet body. The cabinet body is configured to withstand a flame at a temperature equal to or higher than about 150°C and has compressive strength greater than about 60 MPa, and the cabinet body is provided with an accommodating space used for accommodating at least one battery system. The fire extinguishing system comprises liquid injection devices and a liquid guide structure. The liquid injection devices are configured to inject liquid to the liquid guide structure, and the liquid guide structure is configured to disperse the liquid so that the liquid flows into the accommodating space of the cabinet body and immerses at least one battery system to extinguish a fire.

Description

Energy storage equipment and fire extinguishing method thereof Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure is generally directed to an energy storage device and a fire extinguishing method thereof. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to an energy storage device including a fire extinguishing system and a fire extinguishing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] To improve energy efficiency and flexibility, the development of energy storage devices has become a trend in recent years. With the development and maturity of battery technology (such as lithium-ion batteries), battery energy storage devices have become one of the mainstream energy storage devices.

[0003] However, various factors (e.g., overcharging, electronic control system errors, operating environment, or manufacturing process defects) can cause the positive and negative electrodes in the battery to short-circuit, triggering a highly heated chemical reaction that can ignite flammable organic components within the battery. Thermal runaway can generate high temperatures that can damage adjacent equipment and cause fires.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one or more embodiments, an energy storage device includes an energy storage cabinet and a fire extinguishing system. The energy storage cabinet includes a cabinet body configured to withstand flames at temperatures equal to or greater than approximately 150°C and having a compressive strength greater than approximately 60 MPa. The cabinet body also includes a storage space for accommodating at least one battery system. The fire extinguishing system includes a liquid injection device and a liquid guiding structure configured to disperse and flow liquid into the storage space of the cabinet body and flood the at least one battery system to extinguish the fire.

[0006] In one or more embodiments, a fire extinguishing method for an energy storage device includes providing an energy storage device comprising an energy storage cabinet and a fire extinguishing system, wherein the energy storage cabinet comprises a cabinet body configured to withstand flames at temperatures equal to or greater than approximately 150° C. and having a compressive strength greater than approximately 60 MPa, and the cabinet body having a storage space for accommodating at least one battery system; the fire extinguishing system comprises a liquid injection device, a liquid guiding structure, and a fire sensor, wherein the liquid injection device is configured to inject liquid into the storage space of the cabinet body and flood the at least one battery system to extinguish the fire; and performing a flooding step comprising: in response to a first fire signal generated by the fire sensor, injecting liquid into the liquid guiding structure using the liquid injection device, wherein the liquid guiding structure is configured to disperse and flow the liquid into the storage space of the cabinet body and flood the at least one battery system to extinguish the fire.

[0007] In one or more embodiments, an energy storage device includes an energy storage cabinet and a fire extinguishing system. The energy storage cabinet includes a cabinet body having a storage space for accommodating at least one battery system. The cabinet body further includes a pressure relief valve configured to open when the pressure within the storage space exceeds a threshold. The fire extinguishing system includes a liquid injection device and a liquid guiding structure. The liquid injection device is configured to inject liquid into the liquid guiding structure. The liquid guiding structure is configured to disperse and flow the liquid into the storage space of the cabinet body and flood the at least one battery system to extinguish a fire. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] When reading this disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the aspects of the disclosure can be better understood according to the following embodiments. It should be noted that various features may not be drawn to scale, and the sizes of various features may be arbitrarily enlarged or reduced to clearly describe the content of this disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG1B is a flow chart showing a method for extinguishing a fire of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG3A is a partial schematic diagram of a cabinet of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG3B is a partial exploded view of a door of a cabinet of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG4 is a perspective view of a cabinet of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 6B is a partial enlarged view of the side surface of FIG. 6A .

[0018] FIG. 6C is a top view of the liquid injection device and the liquid guiding structure of FIG. 6A .

[0019] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] In the drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] FIG1A is a schematic diagram of an energy storage device 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1A , energy storage device 1 may include one or more energy storage cabinets (e.g., energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B), one or more battery systems 20, a fire extinguishing system, and a control system 80. It should be noted that the following description uses an energy storage device including three energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B as an example. However, the number of energy storage cabinets that may be included in the energy storage device 1 of the present disclosure is not limited to this number and may be adjusted based on actual applications.

[0023] In some embodiments, the energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B may each include a cabinet 110, each cabinet 110 having a storage space S1 for accommodating at least one battery system 20. In some embodiments, the energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B may each further include a pressure relief valve 170, 170A, and 170B. In some embodiments, the pressure relief valves 170, 170A, and 170B are each configured to open when the pressure in their corresponding storage space S1 exceeds a threshold. In some embodiments, this threshold is less than the compressive strength of the cabinet 110. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, opening the pressure relief valve can release the pressure in the storage space S1 (for example, the pressure generated by the gas in the storage space S1) to the outside of the cabinet 110. In some embodiments, the pressure relief valves 170, 170A, and 170B are located at the top of the cabinet 110. In some embodiments, the pressure relief valves 170, 170A, and 170B are located above the battery system 20.

[0024] In some embodiments, the battery system 20 of each energy storage cabinet may include multiple battery packs 210, a battery management system (BMS) 230, and an integrated energy management system (EMS). The BMS 230 is located above the battery packs 210 and electrically connected to the corresponding plurality of battery packs 210 connected in series. In some embodiments, each battery pack 210 has a temperature sensor for sensing its temperature. In some embodiments, the BMS 230 is configured to reduce or shut down the output current or input current of the corresponding battery pack 210 based on the temperature signal received from the battery pack 210. In some embodiments, the BMS 230 is configured to reduce or shut down the output current or input current of the corresponding battery pack 210 when the temperature of the battery pack 210 exceeds a threshold (e.g., approximately 50°C or 55°C). By reducing or shutting down the output current or input current of the corresponding battery pack 210, the temperature of the battery pack 210 can be lowered, thereby reducing the risk of fire or extinguishing a fire. In some embodiments, the energy management system (EMS) is configured to transfer energy from the batteries in a battery system 20 in one energy storage cabinet to the battery systems 20 in other energy storage cabinets. Through the integrated energy management system design, energy from the batteries in a battery system 20 in an energy storage cabinet that is at risk of fire or has already caught fire can be transferred to the battery systems 20 in other energy storage cabinets, thereby reducing the risk of fire or achieving the purpose of extinguishing the fire. In some embodiments, the pressure relief valves 170, 170A, and 170B are each located above the corresponding battery package 210.

[0025] In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing system may include a liquid injection device (e.g., liquid injection devices 40, 40A, and 40B). In some embodiments, the liquid injection device is configured to inject liquid into the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 of its corresponding energy storage cabinet and flood the battery system 20 therein to extinguish the fire. In some embodiments, the liquid injected by the liquid injection device 40 may include a liquid with high specific heat, rapid cooling properties, and / or chemical inertness, or other liquids that can be used for fire extinguishing, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device is configured to activate in response to at least one fire signal. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device is configured to activate in response to at least one fire signal from its corresponding energy storage cabinet. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40 is configured to activate in response to at least one fire signal from the energy storage cabinet 10. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40 is configured to inject liquid into the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 of the energy storage cabinet 10 and flood the battery system 20 therein to extinguish the fire. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40A is configured to activate in response to at least one fire signal from the energy storage cabinet 10A. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40A is configured to inject liquid into the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 of the energy storage cabinet 10A, flooding the battery system 20 to extinguish the fire. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40B is configured to activate in response to at least one fire signal from the energy storage cabinet 10B. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40B is configured to inject liquid into the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 of the energy storage cabinet 10B, flooding the battery system 20 to extinguish the fire. Once a fire occurs in the battery system 20, the batteries have a sufficiently high temperature to continue to burn without oxygen until their energy is exhausted. Therefore, traditional fire extinguishing methods that exclude oxygen are ineffective in extinguishing the fire in the battery system 20. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, injecting liquid to flood the battery system 20 can reduce the temperature of the battery packaging 210 of the battery system 20, thereby achieving the purpose of extinguishing the fire. Furthermore, through the integrated energy management system, the energy of other battery systems 20 in the energy storage cabinet where the battery system 20 that has caught fire is located can be further transferred to the battery systems in other energy storage cabinets, thereby speeding up the fire extinguishing process.

[0026] In some embodiments, the injection device 40 is configured to flood the battery system 20 within the energy storage cabinet 10 before the battery system 20 is completely burned. In some embodiments, the injection device 40 is configured to flood the battery system 20 before a fire spreads. In some embodiments, the injection device 40 is configured to activate in response to at least one fire signal from the energy storage cabinet 10 and flood the battery system 20 within the energy storage cabinet 10 before the fire spreads. In some embodiments, the injection device 40 is configured to flood the battery system 20 within a injection time of less than about 10 minutes (e.g., about 10 minutes, 9 minutes, 7 minutes, 5 minutes, 3 minutes, 2.5 minutes, 2 minutes, or other injection times between 2 and 10 minutes).

[0027] In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40 includes a solenoid valve 410, an outlet 420, and a pipe 430. In some embodiments, liquid provided by the liquid supply system 400 is supplied to the liquid injection device 40 through the pipe 430. When the liquid injection device 40 receives a fire signal, the solenoid valve 410 opens, and the liquid provided by the liquid supply system 400 is injected into the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 of the energy storage cabinet 10 through the outlet 420, flooding the battery system 20 to extinguish the fire. In some embodiments, the outlet 420 may be located above the battery packaging 210. In other embodiments, the outlet 420 may also be located at the bottom of the cabinet 110. The outlet 420 disclosed herein is not limited to a specific location; as long as it can be used to inject liquid and flood the battery system 20 to extinguish the fire. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40 may include one or more solenoid valves 410, one or more outlets 420, and one or more pipes 430.

[0028] In some embodiments, each of the liquid injection devices 40, 40A, and 40B includes a solenoid valve 410, 410A, and 410B, and can be opened in response to a fire signal from each energy storage cabinet 10, 10A, and 10B, respectively. This allows liquid provided by the liquid supply system 400 to be injected into the storage space S1 of the cabinet body 110 of the corresponding energy storage cabinet 10, 10A, and 10B through the corresponding outlet 420, flooding the battery system 20 to extinguish the fire. In some embodiments, the liquid supply system 400 can include a liquid storage tank, a fire water supply system (e.g., a fire water tank), or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the pipelines 430 of the liquid injection devices 40, 40A, and 40B are all connected to the same liquid supply system 400. In some embodiments, the pipelines 430 of the liquid injection devices 40, 40A, and 40B can be connected to different liquid supply systems. For example, the pipelines 430 of the liquid injection devices 40 and 40A can be connected to the liquid storage tank, while the pipeline 430 of the liquid injection device 40B can be connected to the fire water supply system. In some embodiments, the liquid supply system 400 may include a water tank and a fire-fighting liquid supply system. The pipes 430 of the liquid injection devices 40, 40A and 40B are all connected to the water tank, and the water tank is further connected to the fire-fighting water supply system. The fire-fighting water supply system can continuously supply water to the water tank, so that the water tank can continuously provide water to the liquid injection devices 40, 40A and 40B.

[0029] In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40 is configured to inject liquid into the storage space S1 of the cabinet at a flow rate greater than or equal to at least approximately 6 liters / second (L / s). In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40 is configured to inject liquid into the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 at a flow rate greater than or equal to 6 L / s, 20 L / s, 35 L / s, 50 L / s, 70 L / s, 80 L / s, or other flow rates between 6 and 80 L / s. In some embodiments, the height of the cabinet 110 is less than 3 meters (e.g., approximately 2.9 meters, 2.5 meters, 2 meters, or other heights between 2 and 2.9 meters). In some embodiments, the liquid storage tank is located above the cabinet 110, with the bottom of the liquid storage tank and the bottom of the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 approximately 3 meters apart. The diameter of the pipe 430 is approximately 3 inches or 4 inches. Using a 3-inch diameter pipe, the flow rate of the liquid injection device 40 is approximately 6.38 L / s. The flow rate can be further increased using a larger diameter pipe. In some embodiments, the liquid is injected into the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 at a flow rate of approximately 6.38 L / s, and the battery system 20 can be flooded after approximately 30 to 60 minutes of injection time. In some embodiments, the liquid storage tank is located above the cabinet 110, with the bottom of the liquid storage tank and the bottom of the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 approximately 6 meters apart. The diameter of the pipe 430 is approximately 3 inches or 4 inches. The flow rate of the liquid injection device 40 is approximately 35.52 L / s. The flow rate can be further increased using a larger diameter pipe. In some embodiments, the liquid is poured into the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 at a flow rate of approximately 35.52 L / s, and the battery system 20 can be flooded within a filling time of approximately 30 minutes. In some embodiments, the liquid storage tank is located above the cabinet 110, with the bottom of the liquid storage tank and the bottom of the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 approximately 15 meters apart. The pipe 430 has a diameter of approximately 3 inches or 4 inches. The flow rate of the liquid in the liquid filling device 40 is approximately 70.19 L / s, and the flow rate can be further increased by using a larger pipe diameter. In some embodiments, the liquid is poured into the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 at a flow rate of approximately 70.19 L / s, and the battery system 20 can be flooded within a filling time of approximately 5 minutes. In some embodiments, the flow rate of the liquid can be increased by placing the liquid storage tanks at different heights in combination with a pressure pump, so as to achieve the effect of flooding the battery system 20 after different filling times.

[0030] In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing system may include a liquid guiding structure disposed below the outlet 420 of the liquid injection device 40. In some embodiments, the liquid guiding structure is configured to disperse and guide the cooling liquid flowing out of the outlet 420 toward the battery package 210, so that the battery package 210 can be initially cooled at the beginning of thermal runaway to prevent heat from spreading to adjacent battery packages 210, thereby achieving an early cooling effect, and further cooling when the liquid floods the battery system 20, thereby achieving the purpose of extinguishing the fire. In some embodiments, the liquid guiding structure is any structure that is configured to disperse and guide the liquid to flow toward the battery package 210, and the size can be adjusted as needed. In some embodiments, the liquid guiding structure is a plate. In some embodiments, the size of the liquid guiding structure is a cross-section that fills the accommodating space S1 of the cabinet 110.

[0031] As shown in Figures 6A to 6C and Figure 7, in some embodiments, the liquid-guiding structure is a plate 30, which is secured to a pre-set hole in the top wall of the cabinet 110 via fasteners. In some embodiments, a nut 110D can be disposed in the pre-set hole in the top wall of the cabinet 110, and the plate 30 can be secured to the nut 110D using a screw 90, so that the plate 30 is suspended in the cabinet 110 and positioned below the outlet 420 of the liquid injection device 40. In some embodiments, the liquid-guiding structure can also be disposed on the pipe 430 of the liquid injection device 40 and connected to the side of the outlet 420 closest to the screw 90.

[0032] As shown in FIG6A , the plate 30 has an expanded portion with a gradually increasing area as it moves away from the outlet 420 of the liquid injection device 40. The expanded portion disperses the liquid flowing out of the outlet 420 and sprays it toward the battery package 210. In some embodiments, the plate 30 can be triangular, trapezoidal, rectangular, circular, or any other shape.

[0033] As shown in FIG6B , in some embodiments, the expanded portion of the plate 30 has a depression angle θ relative to the horizontal plane. The magnitude of the depression angle θ can be adjusted according to the position of the outlet 420, the position of the battery package 210, or the flow rate or flow of the liquid. In some embodiments, the depression angle θ of the expanded portion of the plate 30 relative to the horizontal plane is approximately 5° to 60°. In some embodiments, the depression angle θ of the expanded portion of the plate 30 relative to the horizontal plane may be approximately 10° to 50°, 20° to 40°, or 20° to 30°. In some embodiments, the plate 30 may be a curved surface so that different areas on the plate 30 have different depression angles θ relative to the horizontal plane. In some embodiments, the area or surface curvature of the plate 30 can be adjusted as needed so that the liquid is sprayed onto the battery package 210 in thermal runaway condition in a manner that achieves maximum cooling efficiency.

[0034] As shown in Figures 6B to 6C, in some embodiments, the fire suppression system may further include a motor (not shown) electrically connected to the panel 30. In some embodiments, the motor communicates with an energy management system (EMS), allowing an operator to control the direction and / or pitch angle θ of the panel 30 via the EMS.

[0035] As shown in FIG7 , in some embodiments, the plate 30 is rectangular and has a plurality of holes 310. In some embodiments, the plate 30 is substantially suspended horizontally below the outlet 420 of the liquid injection device 40, so that the liquid injected into the plate 30 flows out through the plurality of holes 310. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the plurality of holes 310 of the plate 30 is circular, rectangular, polygonal, irregular, axial (e.g., elliptical, rectangular), or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the plurality of holes 310 of the plate 30 have a plurality of different cross-sectional shapes. In some embodiments, the plurality of holes 310 of the plate 30 are arranged in a matrix. In some embodiments, the distance between the plate 30 and the outlet 420 is greater than the diameter of the outlet 420 to prevent the liquid from being blocked and affecting the flow rate.

[0036] In some embodiments, the density and cross-sectional area of ​​the plurality of holes 310 in the plate 30 are a function of the distance from the outlet 420. In some embodiments, the density of the plurality of holes 310 in the plate 30 is proportional to the distance between the holes 310 and the outlet 420 of the liquid injection device 40 (i.e., the closer the holes 310 are to the outlet 420, the lower the density of the holes 310; the farther the holes 310 are from the outlet 420, the higher the density of the holes 310). In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of ​​the plurality of holes 310 in the plate 30 is proportional to the distance between the holes 310 and the outlet 420 of the liquid injection device 40 (i.e., the closer the holes 310 are to the outlet 420, the smaller the cross-sectional area; the farther the holes 310 are from the outlet 420, the larger the cross-sectional area). In some embodiments, to ensure that the liquid is evenly distributed throughout the battery package 210, the cross-sectional area and density of the plurality of holes 310 in the plate 30 are determined based on the distribution of the battery package 210. In some embodiments, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of holes 310 of the plate 30 is approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet 420 of the liquid injection device 40, so as to prevent the liquid flowing out of the outlet 420 from accumulating on the plate 30 due to the inability to flow out of the hole 310 in time, or the cross-sectional area of ​​the hole 310 is too large so that the liquid flows out in the area near the outlet 420, resulting in the inability to flow evenly to the battery package 210 that is in thermal runaway.

[0037] In some embodiments, the liquid-guiding structure is made of any material that is non-degradable, stable, maintains mechanical strength, and does not affect the internal environment of cabinet 110. The material may be selected from one or more of the following groups: single-component metals, alloys of multiple metals, single or multiple-component petrochemical materials, composite materials composed of multiple substances, and ultra-high performance concrete. In some embodiments, the liquid-guiding structure may be coated to prevent corrosion or aging.

[0038] In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing system may further include a spray fire extinguishing device (e.g., spray fire extinguishing devices 50, 50A, and 50B). In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing device is configured to spray atomized droplets onto the battery system 20 of its corresponding energy storage cabinet. In some embodiments, the particle size of the atomized droplets is less than 0.1 cm. In some embodiments, the liquid source of the atomized droplets may include a liquid with high specific heat, rapid cooling, and / or chemical inertness, an aqueous solution, an electrolyte (e.g., sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), or the like), or other liquids that can be used to extinguish a fire, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing device is configured to activate in response to at least one fire signal. In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing device 50 is configured to spray atomized droplets onto the battery system 20 of the energy storage cabinet 10. In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing device 50 is configured to activate in response to at least one fire signal of the energy storage cabinet 10. In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing device 50A is configured to spray atomized droplets onto the battery system 20 of the energy storage cabinet 10A. In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing device 50A is configured to activate in response to at least one fire signal from the energy storage cabinet 10A. In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing device 50B is configured to spray atomized droplets onto the battery system 20 of the energy storage cabinet 10B. In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing device 50B is configured to activate in response to at least one fire signal from the energy storage cabinet 10B. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, spraying atomized droplets onto the battery system 20 can reduce the temperature of the battery packaging 210 of the battery system 20, thereby facilitating fire extinguishing.

[0039] In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing device 50 includes a solenoid valve 510, an outlet 520, and a pipe 530. In some embodiments, the liquid provided by the liquid supply system 400 is supplied to the spray fire extinguishing device 50 through the pipe 530. When the spray fire extinguishing device 50 receives a fire signal, the solenoid valve 510 opens, and the liquid provided by the liquid supply system 400 is sprayed through the outlet 520 to spray atomized droplets onto the battery system 20 of the energy storage cabinet 10. In some embodiments, the outlet 520 may be located above the battery package 210. In some embodiments, the aperture of the outlet 520 of the spray fire extinguishing device is smaller than the aperture of the outlet 420 of the liquid injection device. In some embodiments, the diameter of the pipe 530 of the spray fire extinguishing device is smaller than the diameter of the pipe 430 of the liquid injection device. In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing device 50 may include one or more solenoid valves 510, one or more outlets 520, and one or more pipes 530.

[0040] In some embodiments, each of the spray fire extinguishing devices 50, 50A, and 50B includes a solenoid valve 510, 510A, and 510B, and can be opened in response to a fire signal from each energy storage cabinet 10, 10A, and 10B to spray atomized droplets of liquid provided by the liquid supply system 400 through the corresponding outlet 520 onto the battery system 20 of the corresponding energy storage cabinet 10, 10A, and 10B. In some embodiments, the pipes 530 of the spray fire extinguishing devices 50, 50A, and 50B are all connected to the same liquid supply system 400. In some embodiments, the pipes 530 of the spray fire extinguishing devices 50, 50A, and 50B can be connected to different liquid supply systems. For example, the pipes 530 of the spray fire extinguishing devices 50 and 50A can be connected to a liquid storage tank, while the pipe 530 of the spray fire extinguishing device 50B can be connected to a fire water supply system. In some embodiments, the liquid supply system 400 may include a water tank and a fire water supply system. The pipes 530 of the spray fire extinguishing devices 50, 50A and 50B are all connected to the water tank, and the water tank is further connected to the fire water supply system. The fire water supply system can continuously supply water to the water tank, so that the water tank can continuously provide water to the spray fire extinguishing devices 50, 50A and 50B.

[0041] In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing system may further include a gas fire extinguishing device (not shown in the figures). In some embodiments, the gas fire extinguishing device is configured to inject fire extinguishing gas into the battery system 20. In some embodiments, the gas fire extinguishing device may be disposed in the battery system 20. The gas fire extinguishing device may include a plurality of sealed containers filled with concentrated fire extinguishing gas or solid fire extinguishing gas, each sealed container having its opening sealed by a colloid, and these sealed containers are respectively disposed in each battery package 210. When the temperature of the battery package 210 rises to a predetermined temperature (for example, above about 80°C), the colloid on the sealed container in the battery package 210 melts to open the opening, and the fire extinguishing gas is released from the sealed container and injected into the battery package 210 to extinguish the fire. In some other embodiments, the gas fire extinguishing device may include a gas transmission pipeline and a gas outlet control valve. Each gas outlet control valve is provided corresponding to each battery package 210 of the battery system 20. The gas outlet control valve is configured to open in response to at least one fire signal from its corresponding battery package 210. The fire extinguishing gas supply system can provide fire extinguishing gas to the corresponding gas outlet control valve through the gas supply pipeline, and inject the fire extinguishing gas into the battery package 210 to extinguish the fire. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, by injecting the fire extinguishing gas into the battery package 210, the fire can be directly extinguished in the area where the fire occurs, which helps to achieve the effect of extinguishing the battery fire in the early stage.

[0042] In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing system may further include fire sensors (e.g., fire sensors 60, 60A, and 60B). In some embodiments, the fire sensors 60, 60A, and 60B are configured to sense fire conditions within the energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B, respectively, and generate at least one fire signal. In some embodiments, the fire sensors 60, 60A, and 60B may each include a smoke sensor, a temperature sensor, a combustible gas sensor, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the fire sensors 60, 60A, and 60B may each be disposed within the cabinet 110 and located outside the battery package 210 and the battery management system 230. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, compared to the sensors configured inside the battery package 210, the fire sensors 60, 60A and 60B configured outside the battery package 210 and the battery management system 230 can operate independently, and can quickly detect the smoke, gas and / or temperature conditions in the storage space S1. The required detection functions can be selected according to the functions of the energy storage cabinet and the requirements of the matching site. They are also easy to replace and repair, and therefore have the advantages of high design flexibility and low rework / repair costs.

[0043] In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing system may further include a plurality of fire sensors located in the battery package 210, each of which is located in each battery package 210. The plurality of fire sensors in the battery package 210 may each include a smoke sensor, a temperature sensor, a combustible gas sensor, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the gas outlet control valve of the gas fire extinguishing device is configured to open in response to at least one fire signal S100 generated by a fire sensor in its corresponding battery package 210. The fire signal S100 may include the temperature of the battery package 210 exceeding a threshold (e.g., above approximately 80°C). In some other embodiments, the gas outlet control valve of the gas fire extinguishing device is configured to open in response to at least one fire signal S100 generated by a fire sensor outside its corresponding battery package 210 (e.g., at least one fire signal generated by fire sensors 60, 60A, and / or 60B).

[0044] In some embodiments, the fire sensor 60 is configured to sense a fire condition in the energy storage cabinet 10 and generate a fire signal S101. The spray fire extinguishing device 50 is configured to spray atomized liquid droplets onto the battery system 20 of the energy storage cabinet 10 in response to the fire signal S101. In some embodiments, the fire sensor 60 is configured to sense a fire condition in the energy storage cabinet 10 and generate a fire signal S102. The liquid injection device 40 is configured to inject liquid into the accommodating space S1 of the cabinet body 110 of the energy storage cabinet 10 in response to the fire signal S102, flooding the battery system 20 to extinguish the fire. In some embodiments, similar to the fire sensor 60 , the fire sensor 60A is configured to sense a fire condition in the energy storage cabinet 10A to generate fire signals S101 and S102 . The spray fire extinguishing device 50A and the liquid injection device 40A are configured to activate in response to the fire signals S101 and S102 , respectively. The fire sensor 60B is configured to sense a fire condition in the energy storage cabinet 10B to generate fire signals S101 and S102 . The spray fire extinguishing device 50B and the liquid injection device 40B are configured to activate in response to the fire signals S101 and S102 , respectively.

[0045] In some embodiments, the fire extinguishing system may further include a liquid level sensor (e.g., liquid level sensors 70, 70A, and 70B). In some embodiments, the liquid level sensor is configured to sense the liquid level within the storage space S1. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40 is configured to inject liquid in response to the liquid level signal generated by the liquid level sensor 70 to submerge the battery packages 210 of the energy storage cabinet 10 without submerging the battery management system 230. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40A is configured to inject liquid in response to the liquid level signal generated by the liquid level sensor 70A to submerge the battery packages 210 of the energy storage cabinet 10A without submerging the battery management system 230. In some embodiments, the liquid injection device 40B is configured to inject liquid in response to the liquid level signal generated by the liquid level sensor 70B to submerge the battery packages 210 of the energy storage cabinet 10B without submerging the battery management system 230. In some embodiments, the liquid level sensors 70, 70A, and 70B may each be disposed within the cabinet 110 and located outside the battery packages 210 and the battery management system 230. In some embodiments, the liquid level sensors 70, 70A, and 70B may each include a liquid level meter (e.g., a water level meter). In some embodiments, the liquid level sensors 70, 70A, and 70B may each include a flow meter, and the liquid level is calculated by combining the size of the accommodating space S1 with the flow meter. In some embodiments, the liquid level sensors 70, 70A, and 70B may each include an image sensor (e.g., a CCD), and the distance between the image sensor and the liquid surface is detected by the image sensor disposed in the cabinet 110 to thereby calculate the liquid level. In some embodiments, the liquid level sensors 70, 70A, and 70B may each include multiple liquid level sensors, and the multiple liquid level sensors are respectively disposed at different liquid level height positions in a cabinet 110 (e.g., disposed on the inner wall of the cabinet 110, or disposed on the outside of the battery package 210 at different heights) to detect the real-time liquid level.

[0046] In some embodiments, the control system 80 may be configured to activate the gas fire extinguishing device of the energy storage cabinet 10 upon receiving a fire signal S100 from the fire sensor 60 or a fire signal S100 in the battery package 210. In some embodiments, the control system 80 may be configured to further activate the spray fire extinguishing device 50 of the energy storage cabinet 10 upon receiving a fire signal S101 from the fire sensor 60 after activating the gas fire extinguishing device. In some embodiments, the control system 80 may be configured to further activate the liquid injection device 40 of the energy storage cabinet 10 upon receiving a fire signal S102 from the fire sensor 60 after activating the spray fire extinguishing device 50.

[0047] In some embodiments, the control system 80 may be configured to activate the gas fire extinguishing device of the energy storage cabinet 10A upon receiving a fire signal S100 from the fire sensor 60A or a fire signal S100 in the battery package 210. In some embodiments, the control system 80 may be configured to further activate the spray fire extinguishing device 50A of the energy storage cabinet 10A upon receiving a fire signal S101 from the fire sensor 60A after activating the gas fire extinguishing device. In some embodiments, the control system 80 may be configured to further activate the liquid injection device 40A of the energy storage cabinet 10A upon receiving a fire signal S102 from the fire sensor 60A after activating the spray fire extinguishing device 50A.

[0048] In some embodiments, the control system 80 may be configured to activate the gas fire extinguishing device of the energy storage cabinet 10B upon receiving a fire signal S100 from the fire sensor 60B or a fire signal S100 in the battery package 210. In some embodiments, the control system 80 may be configured to further activate the spray fire extinguishing device 50B of the energy storage cabinet 10B upon receiving a fire signal S101 from the fire sensor 60B after activating the gas fire extinguishing device. In some embodiments, the control system 80 may be configured to further activate the liquid injection device 40B of the energy storage cabinet 10B upon receiving a fire signal S102 from the fire sensor 60B after activating the spray fire extinguishing device 50B.

[0049] FIG1B is a flow chart of a fire extinguishing method for an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the steps shown in FIG1B can be performed by the energy storage device 1 shown in FIG1A or other suitable energy storage devices.

[0050] Step S11 determines whether the temperature of one or more battery packages 210 of the battery system 20 in the energy storage device exceeds a threshold value T1. In some embodiments, step S11 determines whether the temperature of one or more battery packages 210 in the energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B exceeds the threshold value T1. In some embodiments, step S11 may sense the temperature of the battery package 210 using a fire sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor) within the battery package 210. In some embodiments, the threshold value T1 may be 50°C, 55°C, 60°C, 65°C, or another temperature between 50°C and 65°C.

[0051] If it is determined that the temperature of one or more battery packs 210 in the energy storage device exceeds the aforementioned threshold T1, step S12 is executed. Step S12 reduces or shuts off the output current or input current of the one or more battery packs 210 whose temperature exceeds the threshold T1. In some embodiments, the battery management system 230 is configured to reduce or shut off the output current or input current of the battery pack 210 when the temperature exceeds the threshold T1.

[0052] If it is determined that the temperature of the battery packs 210 in the energy storage device does not exceed the aforementioned threshold value T1, then the energy storage device is determined to be safe from fire, and step S20 is executed, which includes continuing to charge the energy storage device or continuing to charge an external device with the energy storage device. In some embodiments, the energy storage device can be continuously charged via a power supply device (e.g., a power transmission network, a power generation device, etc.), or the energy storage device can be continuously charged to an external device (e.g., a motor, an electric scooter, a charging device for a portable electronic product, etc.).

[0053] Step S13 executes to determine whether the fire sensor generates a fire signal S100. In some embodiments, step S13 executes to determine whether the temperature of one or more battery packages 210 in the energy storage device exceeds the threshold T2. In some embodiments, this threshold T2 may be 80°C, 90°C, 100°C, 200°C, or other temperatures between 80°C and 200°C%. In some embodiments, step S13 determines whether the temperature of one or more battery packages 210 in the energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B exceeds the threshold T2 through a fire sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor inside or outside the battery package 210). In some embodiments, step S13 is performed after step S12. In some embodiments, threshold T2 is equal to or greater than threshold T1. In some embodiments, after step S12 is performed, step S13 is used to determine whether the temperature of the battery package 210 has dropped to determine whether there is still a fire concern in the energy storage device.

[0054] If it is determined that the temperature of any one or more of the battery packages 210 in the energy storage device exceeds the threshold value T2, step S14 is executed. Step S14 executes a gas fire extinguishing step. In some embodiments, the gas fire extinguishing step includes injecting fire extinguishing gas into the battery system 20 having the battery package 210 whose temperature exceeds the aforementioned threshold value T2. In some embodiments, the gas fire extinguishing step includes injecting fire extinguishing gas into the battery system 20 corresponding to the battery package 210 that generates the fire signal S100 in response to the fire signal S100 generated by the fire sensor. If it is determined that the temperature of none of the battery packages 210 in the energy storage device exceeds the aforementioned threshold value T2, or that no fire signal S100 is generated, it is determined that there is no suspicion of fire in the energy storage device, and step S20 is executed.

[0055] Step S15 determines whether a fire sensor corresponding to one or more energy storage cabinets has generated a fire signal S101. In some embodiments, fire signal S101 includes whether the smoke concentration within one or more storage spaces S1 of energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B exceeds a threshold, whether the temperature exceeds a threshold (e.g., approximately 300°C, 400°C, 500°C, 600°C, or other temperatures between 300°C and 600°C), whether the combustible gas concentration exceeds a threshold (e.g., 25% of the LFL of the combustible gas, such as a methane concentration greater than 0.714% or a propane concentration greater than 0.300%), or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, step S15 determines whether fire sensors 60, 60A, and / or 60B corresponding to energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and / or 10B have generated a fire signal S101. In some embodiments, step S15 is performed after step S14. In some embodiments, after step S14 , step S15 is performed to determine whether the fire sensor generates a fire signal S101 after the gas fire extinguishing step is performed, so as to determine whether there is still a fire risk in the energy storage device.

[0056] If it is determined that the fire sensor has generated a fire signal S101, step S16 is executed. Step S16 executes a spray fire extinguishing step in response to the fire sensor generating the fire signal S101. In some embodiments, the spray fire extinguishing step includes spraying atomized droplets onto the battery system 20 of the energy storage cabinet corresponding to the energy storage cabinet generating the fire signal S101. If it is determined that the fire sensor has not generated a fire signal S101, it is determined that there is no fire in the energy storage equipment, and step S20 is executed.

[0057] Step S17 determines whether a fire sensor corresponding to one or more energy storage cabinets has generated a fire signal S102. In some embodiments, fire signal S102 includes whether the smoke concentration within one or more storage spaces S1 of energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B exceeds a threshold, whether the temperature exceeds a threshold (e.g., approximately 300°C, 400°C, 500°C, 600°C, or other temperatures between 300°C and 600°C), whether the combustible gas concentration exceeds a threshold (e.g., 25% of the LFL of the combustible gas, such as a methane concentration greater than 0.714% or a propane concentration greater than 0.300%), or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, step S17 determines whether fire sensors 60, 60A, and / or 60B corresponding to energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and / or 10B have generated a fire signal S102. In some embodiments, step S17 is performed after step S16. In some embodiments, after step S16 , step S17 is performed to determine whether the fire sensor generates a fire signal S102 after the fire is extinguished by spraying atomized droplets, so as to determine whether there is still a fire risk in the energy storage device.

[0058] If it is determined that the fire sensor generates a fire signal S102, step S18 is executed. Step S18 executes a flooding step in response to the fire sensor generating the fire signal S102. In some embodiments, the flooding step includes using a liquid injection device to inject liquid into the storage space S1 of the cabinet 110 and flood the battery system 20 to extinguish the fire.

[0059] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the fire extinguishing method includes multiple, progressive steps. Once the fire extinguishing effect is achieved at any stage, the method can be stopped. This results in highly efficient fire extinguishing while reducing costs or losses. Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, fire extinguishing is performed gradually through multiple, progressive steps. Each step contributes to battery cooling. Therefore, even if complete battery cooling and fire extinguishing are not achieved at a particular step, all the executed steps will produce a cumulative cooling effect, thereby achieving the desired effect of fire extinguishing in a more efficient manner.

[0060] In addition, compared to the fire extinguishing method of pouring water columns on the energy storage equipment with water supplied by a fire water tank in an open space, a large amount of water will flow directly through the periphery of the energy storage equipment and flow to the ground, and the cooling water cannot directly contact the large amount of hot battery packaging, so the cooling effect is very limited. In contrast, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the last step of the fire extinguishing method is to immerse the battery packaging 210 of the battery system 20 in liquid, and the liquid used for immersion is covered by the cabinet 110, so that the liquid in the accommodating space S1 has an effect similar to being sealed, and the liquid in the accommodating space S1 can be efficiently used to cool the battery system 20. For example, the heat of vaporization required for the liquid (e.g., water) to heat up and / or evaporate can all come from the heat released by the battery system 20, thereby achieving a good cooling and fire extinguishing effect. Furthermore, the flammable or toxic gases generated by the batteries in the battery system 20 due to a fire will be contained in the space not occupied by the liquid in space S1. A portion of the gases can be discharged through the pressure relief valve, while the other portion can be covered by the liquid (when the gas is soluble in the liquid). This can isolate the toxic gases and reduce the concentration of the flammable gases, thereby reducing other hazards that may arise from a fire in the battery system. In this way, the energy storage device of some embodiments of the present disclosure can successfully cool down and extinguish the fire by itself through the above-mentioned fire extinguishing method, without having to wait for firefighters to arrive at the scene before extinguishing the fire. Therefore, it has high safety and can be applied to a variety of places requiring high safety, such as charging stations for electric vehicles and installed in areas near buildings or homes.

[0061] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the liquid injection device 40 is configured to inject liquid in response to a liquid level signal generated by the liquid level sensor 70 to submerge the battery packaging 210 of the energy storage cabinet 10 without submerging the battery management system 230. This can prevent the liquid from submerging the battery management system 230 with a higher voltage terminal and causing dangerous accidents such as electric shock, leakage, or even electric shock.

[0062] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0063] Referring to Figure 2 , the energy storage cabinet 10 may include a cabinet 110, a battery system 20, a liquid injection device 40, a spray fire extinguishing device 50, a gas fire extinguishing device (not shown), a fire sensor 60, a liquid level sensor 70, and a pressure relief valve 170. In some embodiments, the battery system 20 may include four battery packages 210 and four corresponding battery management systems 230, but the number of battery packages 210 and battery management systems 230 is not limited to this. In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 has openings 117 and 118 corresponding to two battery packages 210, respectively. The door 130 may be pivotally connected to the side edges of the openings 117 and 118 of the cabinet 110.

[0064] In some embodiments, the pressure relief valve 170 is configured to open when the pressure within the storage space S1 exceeds a threshold value that is lower than the compressive strength of the cabinet 110. In some embodiments, the liquid injected into the storage space S1 may evaporate due to the high temperature of the battery system 20. When the vapor pressure is excessive, it can be discharged through the pressure relief valve 170. In some embodiments, the pressure relief valve 170 can also be configured to open in response to a signal from a fire sensor to discharge smoke, combustible gases (e.g., methane, propane, or the like), or toxic gases (e.g., carbon monoxide).

[0065] In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 may include an outlet control valve 440. In some embodiments, the outlet control valve 440 is configured to open and release the liquid in the storage space S1 to the outside of the cabinet 110. In some embodiments, the outlet control valve 440 is configured to control the flow rate of liquid injection to be greater than the flow rate of liquid discharge, so that the battery system 20 can remain continuously submerged in the liquid. In some embodiments, the control system 80 is configured to control the flow rate of liquid injection from the liquid injection device 40 and the flow rate of liquid discharge from the outlet control valve 440.

[0066] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the design of the outlet control valve 440 allows the liquid flooding the battery package 210 to be cooled again by the incoming liquid before evaporating, thereby improving the cooling effect of the liquid in the accommodating space S1 on the battery system 20, and further improving the cooling and fire extinguishing effect of the energy storage device.

[0067] In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 includes a concrete body 110A and a flame-resistant material layer 120. In some embodiments, the concrete body 110A is formed of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), and the flame-resistant material layer 120 directly contacts one or more inner surfaces of a plurality of walls of the concrete body 110A and is exposed to the storage space S1. In some embodiments, the walls of the concrete body 110A have a thickness of less than or equal to approximately 5 centimeters. In some embodiments, the walls of the concrete body 110A have a thickness of less than or equal to approximately 2.5 centimeters. In some embodiments, the size of the storage space S1 allows an operator to enter therein to repair and / or operate the functional components or equipment installed in the storage space S1.

[0068] In some embodiments, the concrete body 110A may include synthetic fibers, steel fibers, combinations thereof, or the like. In some embodiments, the length of the synthetic fibers is from about 4 mm to about 20 mm, and the diameter of the synthetic fibers is from about 0.1 mm to about 0.2 mm. In some embodiments, the content of the synthetic fibers in the concrete body 110A is about 20 kg / m 3 About 60kg / m 3 In some embodiments, the length of the steel fiber is about 5 mm to about 15 mm, and the diameter of the steel fiber is about 0.2 mm. In some embodiments, the steel fiber content in the concrete body 110A is about 120 kg / m 3 About 200kg / m 3。 Synthetic fibers and / or steel fibers can enhance the bending strength of the concrete body 110. Because the concrete body 110A contains the aforementioned synthetic fibers and / or steel fibers and is formed from ultra-high performance concrete, there is no need to install a steel reinforcement structure (e.g., a steel cage and / or a steel reinforcement assembly consisting of multiple stirrups) within the walls of the concrete body 110A. The concrete body 110A itself can have a bending resistance similar to that of conventional reinforced concrete, allowing the concrete body 110A to have a smaller wall thickness, thereby reducing the overall weight of the cabinet 110 and facilitating the handling and movement of the cabinet 110.

[0069] In some embodiments, the concrete body 110A may contain about 400 kg / m 3 About 500kg / m 3 One of Portland Type I cement, Portland Type II cement, Portland Type III cement, Portland Type IV cement and Portland Type V cement and about 400 kg / m 3 About 500kg / m 3In some embodiments, the concrete body 110A may contain about 120 kg / m 3 About 180kg / m 3 In some embodiments, the concrete body 110A may contain about 900 kg / m 3 About 1000kg / m 3 In some embodiments, the concrete body 110A may contain about 30 kg / m 3 About 150kg / m 3 In some embodiments, due to the combination of silica fume and quartz powder, the concrete body 110A has higher compressive strength than general concrete.

[0070] In some embodiments, the unit structural weight of the concrete body 110A is equal to or greater than about 2300 kg / m 3 In some embodiments, the unit structural weight of the concrete body 110A is about 2300 kg / m 3 About 2700kg / m 3 . In some embodiments, the compressive strength of the concrete body 110A is equal to or greater than about 120 MPa. In some embodiments, the compressive strength of the concrete body 110A is about 120 MPa to about 180 MPa. In some embodiments, the ultimate flexural strength of the concrete body 110A is greater than about 15 MPa. In this way, the concrete body 110A does not need to be provided with a steel cage and / or a steel bar assembly consisting of multiple stirrups for improving the flexural strength, so that the concrete body 110A can have a smaller wall thickness, thereby reducing the overall weight of the cabinet 110. In addition, the concrete body 110A can provide the cabinet 110 with high compressive strength and high flexural strength, so that it can be used in more extreme environments (for example, an environment with high temperature flames) while still maintaining the integrity of the overall structure.

[0071] In some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the concrete body 110A is equal to or less than approximately 1.8 W / m·K. In some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the concrete body 110A is approximately 1.6 W / m·K to approximately 1.8 W / m·K. Compared to metal materials or conventional concrete (whose thermal conductivity ranges from approximately 1.9 W / m·K to approximately 2.1 W / m·K), the concrete body 110A of the present disclosure has a superior thermal insulation effect, which helps to slow down heat conduction between the interior of the accommodation space S1 and the exterior of the concrete body 110A. When devices or components in the accommodation space S1 need to be maintained at a specific high or low temperature, the excellent thermal insulation effect of the concrete body 110A helps reduce the energy required for air conditioning equipment, thereby lowering operating costs and having the additional benefits of environmental protection, energy saving and carbon reduction.

[0072] In some embodiments, the flame retardant material layer 120 comprises ceramic fiberboard, ceramic fiber blanket, refractory mud, insulating refractory bricks, lightweight aggregate refractory materials, insulating materials, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the flame retardant material layer 120 has a thickness of less than or equal to about 5 centimeters. In some embodiments, the flame retardant material layer 120 has a thickness of less than or equal to about 2.5 centimeters. In some embodiments, the mixed concrete slurry can be poured into a mold with a predetermined shape, and before the concrete slurry hardens, the flame retardant material layer 120 is bonded to the semi-finished concrete slurry, and then cured. In this way, the hardened concrete can be firmly bonded to the flame retardant material layer 120, so that the bonding interface between the concrete body 110A and the flame retardant material layer 120 has a high bonding strength, so that the flame retardant material layer 120 will not fall off due to high heat.

[0073] In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 is configured to withstand flames at temperatures equal to or greater than at least about 150° C. In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 is configured to withstand flames at temperatures equal to or greater than about 150° C., 200° C., 300° C., 400° C., 500° C., 600° C., 700° C., 800° C., 900° C., 1000° C., 1100° C., 1200° C., or other temperatures between 150° C. and 1200° C. In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 is configured to have a compressive strength greater than at least about 60 MPa. In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 is configured to have a compressive strength greater than approximately 60 MPa, 70 MPa, 80 MPa, 90 MPa, 100 MPa, 110 MPa, 120 MPa, 130 MPa, 140 MPa, 150 MPa, 160 MPa, 170 MPa, 180 MPa, or other values ​​between 60 MPa and 180 MPa. In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 is configured to withstand flames at temperatures equal to or greater than approximately 600°C and has a compressive strength greater than approximately 120 MPa. In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 is configured to withstand flames at temperatures equal to or greater than approximately 900°C. In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 is configured to withstand flames at temperatures equal to or greater than approximately 900°C to approximately 1200°C. In some embodiments, the entirety of the concrete body 110A and the flame-resistant material layer 120 is configured to withstand flames at temperatures equal to or greater than approximately 900°C. In some embodiments, the entirety of the concrete body 110A and the flame resistant material layer 120 is configured to withstand a flame at a temperature equal to or higher than about 900° C. to about 1200° C.

[0074] In some other embodiments, the cabinet 110 may also include a steel material, such as a thick metal plate. In some embodiments, the cabinet 110 composed of the steel material is configured to withstand a flame at a temperature equal to or greater than about 150° C. (e.g., a flame at a temperature equal to or greater than about 150° C., 200° C., 300° C., 400° C., 500° C., 600° C., 700° C., 800° C., 900° C., 1000° C., 1100° C., 1200° C., or other temperatures between 150° C. and 1200° C.) and have a compressive strength greater than about 60 MPa (e.g., greater than about 60 MPa, 70 MPa, 80 MPa, 90 MPa, 100 MPa, 110 MPa, 120 MPa, 130 MPa, 140 MPa, 150 MPa, 160 MPa, 170 MPa, 180 MPa, or other compressive strengths between 60 MPa and 180 MPa).

[0075] FIG3A is a partial schematic diagram of a cabinet 110 of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0076] 2 and 3A , the energy storage cabinet 10 further includes a door 130 and buffers 140 and 240 . In some embodiments, the door 130 can be pivotally connected to the side edges of the opening 117 of the cabinet 110 . In some embodiments, the door 130 can be pivotally connected to the side edges 1171 and 1172 of the opening 117 of the cabinet 110 through a door frame 130A. In some embodiments, the door 130 includes two door panels, which open left and right and are each pivotally connected to the side edges 1171 and 1172 of the opening 117 of the cabinet 110 . In some embodiments, the buffer 140 is used to seal the gap between the door 130 and the side edges (e.g., side edges 1171, 1172, 1173, and 1174) of the opening 117 of the cabinet 110 . In some embodiments, referring to FIG2 , the energy storage cabinet 10 may further include another door 130 pivotally connected to side edges 1181 and 1182 of the opening 118 of the cabinet 110 via a door frame 130A. In some embodiments, the door frame 130A is disposed on the cabinet 110, and a buffer member 140 is used to seal the gap between the door frame 130A and the side edges (e.g., side edges 1171 , 1172 , 1173 , and 1174 ) of the opening 117 of the cabinet 110. In some embodiments, referring to FIG2 , the buffer member 140 is used to seal the gap between the door frame 130A and the side edges (e.g., side edges 1181 , 1182 , 1183 , and 1184 ) of the opening 118 of the cabinet 110.

[0077] In some embodiments, the door 130 includes a concrete layer 131 and a door frame 133 , wherein the concrete layer 131 is installed in the door frame 133 . In some embodiments, the buffer member 240 is used to seal a gap between the concrete layer 131 and the door frame 133 .

[0078] In some embodiments, buffer member 140 is configured to deform or rupture to create a pressure relief buffer mechanism when the pressure within storage space S1 exceeds a threshold, and this threshold is less than the compressive strength of cabinet 110. In some embodiments, buffer member 240 is configured to deform or rupture to create a pressure relief buffer mechanism when the pressure within storage space S1 exceeds a threshold, and this threshold is less than the compressive strength of cabinet 110. In some embodiments, liquid injection device 40 injects liquid into storage space S1 of cabinet 110 at a first flow rate, and the liquid in storage space S1 overflows from cabinet 110 through the pressure relief buffer mechanism at a second flow rate, and the first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate. In some embodiments, buffer members 140 and 240 comprise silicon carbide.

[0079] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the design of buffers 140 and 240 allows some liquid to flow out of cabinet 110, maintaining a higher flow rate for liquid injection than for liquid discharge. This allows the battery system 20 to remain continuously submerged in liquid, eliminating the need for additional pressure sensors and control systems to control liquid discharge. This simplifies operation and reduces costs. Furthermore, the design of buffers 140 and 240 allows the liquid flooding the battery package 210 to be cooled again by the incoming liquid before evaporating, thereby enhancing the cooling effect of the liquid in storage space S1 on the battery system 20 and, in turn, improving the cooling and fire-extinguishing effectiveness of the energy storage device.

[0080] FIG3B is a partial exploded view of the door 130 of the cabinet 110 of the energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0081] In some embodiments, the door 130 includes a concrete layer 131 and a flame retardant material layer 120 disposed on the concrete layer 131. In some embodiments, the concrete layer 131 and the flame retardant material layer 120 together form a door panel, and the buffer 240 is used to seal the gap between the door panel and the door panel frame 133.

[0082] FIG4 is a perspective view of a cabinet 110 of an energy storage device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0083] In some embodiments, the concrete body 110A of the cabinet 110 further includes a plurality of ribs 110B that protrude from the wall 110C of the concrete body 110A. In some embodiments, the protruding height H1 of the ribs 110B is greater than the thickness of the wall 110C. In some embodiments, the protruding height H1 of the ribs 110B is approximately 2 to 5 times the thickness of the wall 110C. In some embodiments, the wall 110C of the concrete body 110A has a thickness of less than or equal to approximately 2.5 centimeters, and the protruding height H1 of the ribs 110B is approximately 10 to 13 centimeters.

[0084] In some embodiments, the concrete body 110A is integrally formed. In some embodiments, the integrally formed concrete body 110A can be manufactured by pouring a mixed concrete slurry into a mold having a predetermined shape, followed by curing and demolding.

[0085] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an energy storage device 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0086] In some embodiments, the energy storage device 1 includes multiple energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B, and the fire extinguishing system further includes multiple liquid injection devices 40, 40A, and 40B. In some embodiments, two or more of the multiple energy storage cabinets can be arranged completely close to each other, for example, they can be arranged close to each other in pairs, or they can be arranged close to each other in a group of multiple energy storage cabinets. The multiple energy storage cabinets arranged close to each other can form a container-type multi-unit combined energy storage device. In some other embodiments, the multiple energy storage cabinets 10, 10A, and 10B can also be arranged separately from each other. As shown in Figure 5, in some embodiments, when a fire occurs in the energy storage cabinet 10, after the energy storage cabinet 10 is flooded, the liquid overflowing from the energy storage cabinet 10 through the pressure relief buffer mechanism 140S of the buffer member 140 can pass through the cabinet body 110 of the energy storage cabinet 10A and be isolated from the battery system 20 of the energy storage cabinet 10A. Furthermore, in some embodiments, because the cabinet 110 is configured to withstand relatively high-temperature flames (e.g., flames at a temperature equal to or greater than approximately 600° C.) and has relatively high compressive strength (e.g., a compressive strength greater than approximately 120 MPa), even if a fire occurs in an adjacent energy storage cabinet, generating high heat or liquid overflowing due to the flooding step, the energy storage cabinets that are not on fire (e.g., energy storage cabinets 10A and 10B) can still maintain good operation without being affected.

[0087] As used herein, the terms "approximately," "substantially," "substantially," and "about" are used to describe and take into account small variations. When used in conjunction with an event or circumstance, the terms may refer to instances where the event or circumstance definitely occurs as well as instances where the event or circumstance closely approximates to occurring. For example, when used in conjunction with a numerical value, the terms may refer to a range of variation of less than or equal to ±10% of the numerical value, such as less than or equal to ±5%, less than or equal to ±4%, less than or equal to ±3%, less than or equal to ±2%, less than or equal to ±1%, less than or equal to ±0.5%, less than or equal to ±0.1%, or less than or equal to ±0.05%. For example, two values ​​may be considered "substantially" or "approximately" the same if the difference between the two values ​​is less than or equal to ±10% of the mean of the values, such as less than or equal to ±5%, less than or equal to ±4%, less than or equal to ±3%, less than or equal to ±2%, less than or equal to ±1%, less than or equal to ±0.5%, less than or equal to ±0.1%, or less than or equal to ±0.05%. For example, "substantially" parallel can refer to an angular variation of less than or equal to ±10° relative to 0°, such as less than or equal to ±5°, less than or equal to ±4°, less than or equal to ±3°, less than or equal to ±2°, less than or equal to ±1°, less than or equal to ±0.5°, less than or equal to ±0.1°, or less than or equal to ±0.05°. For example, "substantially" vertical may refer to an angular variation range of less than or equal to ±10° relative to 90°, such as less than or equal to ±5°, less than or equal to ±4°, less than or equal to ±3°, less than or equal to ±2°, less than or equal to ±1°, less than or equal to ±0.5°, less than or equal to ±0.1°, or less than or equal to ±0.05°.

[0088] Two surfaces may be considered coplanar or substantially coplanar if the displacement between the two surfaces is no greater than 5 μm, no greater than 2 μm, no greater than 1 μm, or no greater than 0.5 μm.

[0089] As used herein, the terms "conductive," "electrically conductive," and "conductivity" refer to the ability to carry an electric current. Conductive materials generally refer to those materials that exhibit little or no resistance to the flow of electric current. One measure of conductivity is Siemens per meter (S / m). Typically, conductive materials have a conductivity greater than about 10 4 S / m (such as at least 10 5 S / m or at least 10 6 The conductivity of a material can sometimes vary with temperature. Unless otherwise specified, the conductivity of a material is measured at room temperature.

[0090] As used herein, the singular terms "a," "an," and "the" may include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the description of some embodiments, a component disposed "on" or "over" another component may encompass both the case where the former component is directly on (e.g., in physical contact with) the latter component and the case where one or more intervening components are located between the former and latter components.

[0091] Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments of the present disclosure, such description and illustration do not limit the present disclosure. It will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalent components may be substituted within the embodiments without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The drawings may not necessarily be drawn to scale. Due to variables in the manufacturing process, etc., there may be differences between the process reproduction in the present disclosure and the actual equipment. There may be other embodiments of the present disclosure that are not specifically shown. The description and drawings should be regarded as illustrative, not restrictive. Modifications may be made to adapt specific circumstances, materials, compositions of matter, methods or procedures to the objectives, spirit and scope of the present disclosure. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims. Although the methods disclosed herein have been described with reference to specific operations performed in a specific order, it will be understood that such operations may be combined, subdivided or reordered to form equivalent methods without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. Therefore, unless specifically indicated herein, the order and grouping of operations are not limitations of the present disclosure.

[0092] [Description of Symbols] 1: Energy storage device 10: Energy storage cabinet 10A: Energy storage cabinet 10B: Energy storage cabinet 110: Cabinet body 20: Battery system 30: Plate 40: Liquid injection device 40A: Liquid injection device 40B: Liquid injection device 50: Spray fire extinguishing device 50A: Spray fire extinguishing device 50B: Spray fire extinguishing device 60: Fire sensor 60A: Fire sensor 60B: Fire sensor 70: Liquid level sensor 70A: Liquid level sensor 70B: Liquid level sensor 80: Control system 90: Screw 110A: Concrete body 110B: Rib 110C: Wall 110D: Nut 117: Opening 118: Opening 120: Flame-resistant material layer 130: Door 131: Concrete layer 133: Door frame 140: Buffer 140S: Pressure relief buffer mechanism 170: Pressure relief valve 17 0A: pressure relief valve 170B: pressure relief valve 210: battery package 230: battery management system 240: buffer 310: hole 400: liquid supply system 410: solenoid valve 410A: solenoid valve 410B: solenoid valve 420: outlet 430: pipeline 440: outlet control valve 510: solenoid valve 510A: solenoid valve 510B: solenoid valve 520: outlet 530: pipeline 1171: side edge 1172: side edge 1173: side edge 1174: side edge 1181: side edge 1182: side edge 1183: side edge 1184: side edge H1: height θ: depression angle S1: accommodation space S11: step S12: step S13: step S14: step S15: step S16: step S17: step S18: step S20: step

Claims

1. An energy storage device, comprising: An energy storage cabinet, comprising a cabinet body, the cabinet body comprising a concrete body and a fire-resistant material layer and configured to withstand a flame at a temperature equal to or higher than about 400 °C and having a compressive strength greater than about 60 MPa, and the cabinet body having an accommodation space for accommodating at least one battery system, wherein the cabinet body further comprises a pressure relief valve configured to open when the pressure in the accommodation space is greater than a threshold value; and A fire extinguishing system, comprising a liquid injection device and a liquid guiding structure, the liquid injection device configured to inject a liquid into the liquid guiding structure, the liquid guiding structure configured to disperse the liquid and flow it into the accommodation space of the cabinet body and immerse the at least one battery system for fire extinguishing.

2. The energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid guiding structure is a plate.

3. The energy storage device according to claim 2, wherein the plate has an unfolded portion in a direction away from the liquid injection device, and the unfolded portion has a depression angle relative to the horizontal plane.

4. The energy storage device according to claim 3, further comprising: An Energy Management System (EMS); A motor connected to the plate; wherein the Energy Management System (EMS) controls the depression angle and / or a direction of the unfolded portion of the plate via the motor.

5. The energy storage device according to claim 4, wherein the depression angle is approximately 5 to 60 degrees.

6. The energy storage device according to claim 2, wherein the plate has a plurality of holes.

7. The energy storage device according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of holes are arranged in a matrix.

8. The energy storage device according to claim 6, wherein the density of the plurality of holes is proportional to the distance between the holes and the liquid injection device.

9. The energy storage device according to claim 6, wherein the cross-sectional area of the plurality of holes is proportional to the distance between the holes and the liquid injection device.

10. The energy storage device according to claim 6, wherein the total cross-sectional area of the plurality of holes is approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of the outlet of the liquid injection device.

11. The energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage cabinet further comprises: A door pivotally connected to an open side edge of the cabinet body; and A buffer member for sealing a gap between the door and the open side edge of the cabinet body, wherein the buffer member is configured to deform or rupture when the pressure in the accommodation space is greater than a threshold value to generate a pressure relief buffer mechanism, the threshold value being less than the compressive strength of the cabinet body.

12. The energy storage device according to claim 11, wherein the liquid injection device injects the liquid into the accommodation space of the cabinet body at a first flow rate, and the liquid in the accommodation space overflows outside the cabinet body through the pressure relief buffer mechanism at a second flow rate, and the first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate.

13. The energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The fire extinguishing system further includes a liquid level sensor configured to sense the liquid level within the accommodation space; and The at least one battery system includes a plurality of battery packs and a battery management system (BMS) located above the plurality of battery packs. The liquid injection device is configured to pour the liquid in response to a liquid level signal from the liquid level sensor to submerge the battery packs without submerging the battery management system.

14. The energy storage device according to claim 1, wherein the concrete body is formed of an ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), and the fire-resistant material layer directly contacts one or more inner surfaces of a plurality of walls of the concrete body and is exposed to the accommodation space.

15. The energy storage device according to claim 14, wherein the concrete body further includes a plurality of ribs protruding from the plurality of walls, and a protruding height of the plurality of ribs is greater than a thickness of the plurality of walls.

16. The energy storage device according to any one of claims 2 to 10, further including a plurality of the energy storage cabinets. The fire extinguishing system further includes a plurality of the liquid injection devices and a plurality of the liquid guiding structures corresponding to each of the plurality of liquid injection devices. Each liquid injection device is configured to pour the liquid into each liquid guiding structure, and each liquid guiding structure is configured to disperse the liquid and flow it into the accommodation space of each cabinet to submerge each of the at least one battery systems for fire extinguishing.

17. The energy storage device according to claim 16, wherein the energy storage cabinets further include an energy management system (EMS) configured to transfer the energy of the batteries of the at least one battery system of one of the energy storage cabinets to the at least one battery system of another one of the energy storage cabinets.

18. A method for extinguishing fire in an energy storage device, comprising: Providing an energy storage device, including: An energy storage cabinet including a cabinet body, the cabinet body including a concrete body and a fire-resistant material layer and configured to withstand a flame at a temperature equal to or higher than about 400 °C and having a compressive strength greater than about 60 MPa, and the cabinet body having an accommodation space for accommodating at least one battery system, wherein the cabinet body further includes a pressure relief valve; and A fire extinguishing system including a liquid injection device, a liquid guiding structure, and a fire sensor configured to sense a fire condition of the energy storage cabinet and generate at least one fire signal; Performing a flooding step, including: in response to a first fire signal generated by the fire sensor, pouring a liquid into the liquid guiding structure with the liquid injection device, the liquid guiding structure being configured to disperse the liquid and flow it into the accommodation space of the cabinet body to submerge the at least one battery system for fire extinguishing; and When the pressure within the accommodation space is greater than a threshold value, the pressure relief valve is opened.

19. The fire extinguishing method according to claim 18, wherein the liquid guiding structure is a plate.

20. The fire extinguishing method according to claim 19, wherein the plate has an unfolded portion in a direction away from the liquid injection device, and the unfolded portion has a depression angle relative to the horizontal plane.

21. The fire extinguishing method according to claim 20, further comprising: An energy management system (EMS); A motor connected to the plate; Wherein the energy management system (EMS) controls the depression angle and / or a direction of the unfolded portion of the plate via the motor.

22. The fire extinguishing method according to claim 21, wherein the depression angle is approximately 5 to 60 degrees.

23. The fire extinguishing method according to claim 19, wherein the plate has a plurality of holes.

24. The fire extinguishing method according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of holes are arranged in a matrix.

25. The energy storage device according to claim 23, wherein the density of the plurality of holes is proportional to the distance between the holes and the liquid injection device.

26. The fire extinguishing method according to claim 23, wherein the cross-sectional area of the plurality of holes is proportional to the distance between the holes and the liquid injection device.

27. The fire extinguishing method according to claim 23, wherein the total cross-sectional area of the plurality of holes is approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of the outlet of the liquid injection device.

28. An energy storage device, comprising: An energy storage cabinet, comprising a cabinet body, the cabinet body comprising a concrete body and a fire-resistant material layer and configured to withstand a flame at a temperature equal to or higher than about 400 °C, and the cabinet body having an accommodation space for accommodating at least one battery system, wherein the cabinet body further comprises a pressure relief valve configured to open when the pressure within the accommodation space is greater than a threshold value; and A fire extinguishing system, comprising a liquid injection device and a liquid guiding structure, the liquid injection device configured to inject liquid into the liquid guiding structure, the liquid guiding structure configured to disperse the liquid and flow it into the accommodation space of the cabinet body and immerse the at least one battery system to extinguish a fire.

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