Thermal runaway suppression device and method for energy storage container

Abstract

A thermal runaway suppression device and method for an energy storage container. The device comprises a fire extinguishing agent storage tank (2) arranged on the inner side or the outer side of a container body (1); a plurality of batteries (3) are arranged in the container body; an output end of the fire extinguishing agent storage tank is respectively connected to one end of a fire detection pipe (5) and one end of a release pipe (6) by means of a cylinder valve (4); a detection box (8) is arranged above a pressure relief valve (7) of each battery; the plurality of detection boxes are connected to each other, and one of the detection boxes is communicated with the other end of the fire detection pipe; the detection boxes and the fire detection pipe are filled with inert gas; the other end of the release pipe extends and surrounds the batteries; and a plurality of nozzles (9) are arranged on the surface of the release pipe. The present device has a simple structure, does not require a corresponding electric control mechanism to maintain normal operation of a fire extinguishing device, has low costs, and is favorable for application and popularization in the field of energy storage.

Description

Device for inhibiting thermal runaway of energy storage box and method thereof TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of inhibiting thermal runaway of an energy storage box, and in particular to a device for inhibiting thermal runaway of an energy storage box and a method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] Energy storage is a key supporting technology for energy structure adjustment and power system transformation under the new energy wave. Lithium ion batteries, as new energy batteries, are not only more environmentally friendly but also have superior performance, and are widely used in energy storage power stations. Lithium battery assembly energy storage box solutions are widely used in new energy power generation access and consumption, realizing distributed power generation and microgrid energy storage, power system frequency and voltage regulation, and providing reliable power supply and power quality in distribution system upgrading and reconstruction.

[0003] However, lithium ion batteries may experience thermal runaway during storage due to heat accumulation from chemical reactions or external heat sources, which can severely affect the safety performance of the energy storage box. Lithium battery thermal runaway refers to the rapid temperature rise of a lithium battery during charging or discharging due to abnormal reactions within the battery, resulting in uncontrolled chemical reactions within the battery that generate a large amount of heat and gas, which can cause battery explosions or fires and other serious consequences.

[0004] Most current energy storage boxes are equipped with corresponding fire extinguishing devices (or devices for inhibiting thermal runaway) to address the problem of battery thermal runaway. However, these devices have complex structures and require corresponding electronic control mechanisms to maintain normal operation, which is relatively expensive. Moreover, current fire extinguishing devices can only be activated to release extinguishing agents for the fire extinguishing process when the battery thermal runaway in the energy storage box reaches an advanced stage or flames have already appeared. However, at this point, the fire extinguishing process is already too late, and the fire cannot be completely suppressed, resulting in poor fire extinguishing effectiveness. The root cause of this problem is that the current fire extinguishing devices for batteries mainly use fire detection tubes or sensors to detect thermal runaway. The fire detection tube melts its wall when high-temperature flames appear, then releases the extinguishing agent inside. The sensor also triggers the sensor's sensing action when the temperature or smoke reaches a certain level. These methods are passive and lagging, resulting in low efficiency in inhibiting battery thermal runaway. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application aims to overcome the above-mentioned deficiencies and provide a device for inhibiting thermal runaway of an energy storage box and a fire extinguishing method thereof to address the problems presented in the background art.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the technical scheme adopted by the present application is: a device for inhibiting thermal runaway of an energy storage box, comprising a fire extinguishing agent storage tank arranged on the inner side or outer side of a box body, a plurality of batteries arranged in the box body, a bottle head valve arranged on the output end of the fire extinguishing agent storage tank, and an exploration pipe and a spray pipe connected to the bottle head valve, respectively, a detection box arranged above the pressure relief valve of each battery, the detection boxes being connected to each other, one of the detection boxes being connected to the other end of the exploration pipe, and the detection boxes and the exploration pipe being filled with inert gas, and the other end of the spray pipe extending around the batteries and being provided with a plurality of spray heads.

[0007] Preferably, the fire extinguishing agent storage tank is filled with perfluorohexanone fire extinguishing agent and inert gas, and a siphon pipe is arranged in the fire extinguishing agent storage tank and connected to the input end of the bottle head valve.

[0008] Preferably, the bottle head valve comprises a valve body, an upper through hole arranged on the upper side of the channel in the valve body and connected to the exploration pipe, a lower through hole arranged on the lower side of the channel in the valve body and connected to the spray pipe, and a movable valve core arranged in the channel in the valve body and in frictional contact with the side wall of the channel; before the bottle head valve is opened, the movable valve core blocks the lower through hole, and after the bottle head valve is opened, the movable valve core moves upward and blocks the upper through hole and releases the lower through hole.

[0009] Preferably, the detection box is fixed to the top of the battery by a support lining.

[0010] Preferably, the bottom of the box body is further provided with an exhaust hole.

[0011] Preferably, the upper surface of the pressure relief valve of each battery is in contact with the bottom of the detection box, a pressure relief diaphragm is arranged in the pressure relief valve, and the bottom of the detection box is also a pressure relief diaphragm structure.

[0012] Preferably, the two detection boxes on the front and rear sides are in contact with each other, and a communication valve is arranged at the contact position, and the two detection boxes on the left and right sides are connected by a connecting pipe.

[0013] In addition, the present application also discloses a method for inhibiting thermal runaway of an energy storage box, which uses the device for inhibiting thermal runaway of an energy storage box described above and comprises the following steps:

[0014] S1. When the battery is in thermal runaway, the pressure relief valve of the battery is automatically opened to timely release the combustible gas generated in the battery, and the bottom of the detection box is broken due to impact;

[0015] S2. When the bottom of the detection box is broken, the inert gas in the detection box escapes, so that the pressure in the detection box and the exploration pipe is reduced, and the bottle head valve is opened;

[0016] S3, after the bottle head valve is opened, the perfluorohexanone fire extinguishing agent in the fire extinguishing agent storage tank is sprayed out from the spray pipe, and finally reaches the battery around from the multiple spray heads on the surface, so as to reduce the temperature near the battery and prevent heat diffusion;

[0017] S4, the combustible gas and the fire extinguishing agent vapor of the battery are discharged from the exhaust hole at the bottom of the box body, so as to prevent the combustible gas from gathering in the box body and causing the heat runaway degree of the battery to be intensified.

[0018] The present application has the following advantages:

[0019] 1, the structure of the device is relatively simple, and no corresponding electric control mechanism is needed to maintain the normal operation of the fire extinguishing device, and the cost is also low, which is beneficial to application and promotion in the energy storage field.

[0020] 2, the application process of the traditional fire detection pipe is to melt the pipe wall after the appearance of high temperature flame, and then release the fire extinguishing agent therein, but in the present application, when the battery occurs heat runaway, the pressure relief valve will be automatically opened to cause the bottom of the detection box to be impacted and broken, so that the pressure in the detection box and the fire detection pipe is reduced, and then the bottle head valve is opened to release the fire extinguishing agent from the spray pipe; compared with the traditional fire extinguishing method, the present application can intervene and inhibit at the initial stage of heat runaway, and effectively prevent the heat runaway degree from being intensified. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Fig. 1 is a perspective structural schematic view of a kind of energy storage box inhibiting heat runaway device in box (remove box cover) installation;

[0022] Fig. 2 is the structural schematic view of the connection of multiple detection boxes and connecting pipes in Fig. 1;

[0023] Fig. 3 is the structural schematic view of one of the batteries in the energy storage box;

[0024] Fig. 4 is the structural schematic view of one of the batteries and the connection of the detection box and the support lining;

[0025] Fig. 5 is the structural schematic view of the connection of fire extinguishing agent storage tank and bottle head valve, fire detection pipe and spray pipe;

[0026] Fig. 6 is the structural schematic view before the bottle head valve is opened;

[0027] Fig. 7 is the structural schematic view after the bottle head valve is opened. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The present application will be further described in detail below in combination with the drawings and specific embodiments.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1-6, a device for suppressing thermal runaway of an energy storage box comprises a fire extinguishing agent storage tank 2 arranged on the inside or outside of a box body 1, a plurality of batteries 3 arranged in the box body 1, an output end of the fire extinguishing agent storage tank 2 connected with one end of a fire detection tube 5 and one end of a spray pipe 6 through a bottle head valve 4, a detection box 8 arranged above a pressure relief valve 7 of each battery 3, a plurality of detection boxes 8 communicated with each other, and one of the detection boxes 8 communicated with the other end of the fire detection tube 5, the detection box 8 and the fire detection tube 5 filled with inert gas, and the other end of the spray pipe 6 extended and arranged around the battery 3, and a plurality of spray heads 9 arranged on the surface of the spray pipe 6.

[0030] Preferably, as shown in FIG. 5, the fire extinguishing agent storage tank 2 is filled with perfluorocyclohexanone fire extinguishing agent and inert gas, and a siphon 2.1 is arranged in the fire extinguishing agent storage tank 2 and connected with an input end of the bottle head valve 4. After such design, when the bottom of the detection box 8 is broken, the inert gas in the detection box 8 escapes, so that the pressure in the detection box 8 and the fire detection tube 5 is reduced, and then the bottle head valve 4 is opened. After the bottle head valve 4 is opened, the perfluorocyclohexanone fire extinguishing agent in the fire extinguishing agent storage tank 2 is pressed out from the siphon 2.1 under the pressure of the inert gas, and then sprayed out from the spray pipe 6.

[0031] The bottle head valve 4 itself is a common valve component in the market, and the embodiment of the present application is, for example, as follows:

[0032] The bottle head valve 4 comprises a valve body 4.1, an upper through hole 4.2 arranged on the upper side of the channel in the valve body 4.1 and communicated with the fire detection tube 5, a lower through hole 4.3 arranged on the lower side of the channel in the valve body 4.1 and communicated with the spray pipe 6, and a movable valve core 4.4 arranged in the channel in the valve body 4.1 and in frictional contact with the side wall of the channel. Before the bottle head valve 4 is opened, the movable valve core 4.4 blocks the lower through hole 4.3, and after the bottle head valve 4 is opened, the movable valve core 4.4 moves upward, blocks the upper through hole 4.2, and releases the lower through hole 4.3. Before the bottle head valve 4 is opened (as shown in FIG. 6), the movable valve core 4.4 blocks the lower through hole 4.3 (does not block the upper through hole 4.2), and at this time, the inside and outside of the movable valve core 4.4 are both filled with inert gas, so that the pressure is balanced and the movable valve core 4.4 does not move. When the pressure in the detection box 8 and the fire detection tube 5 is reduced, the movable valve core 4.4 moves upward under the pressure of the inert gas on the inside, overcomes the friction with the side wall of the channel, blocks the upper through hole 4.2 (as shown in FIG. 7), and releases the lower through hole 4.3, so that the perfluorocyclohexanone fire extinguishing agent in the fire extinguishing agent storage tank 2 is pressed out from the siphon 2.1 under the pressure of the inert gas, and then sprayed out from the spray pipe 6 through the lower through hole 4.3.

[0033] Preferably, as shown in FIG. 4, the detection box 8 is fixed on the top of the battery 3 through a supporting inner liner 10. The detection box 8 can be stably fixed on the top of the battery 3 through the supporting inner liner 10.

[0034] Preferably, the bottom of the box 1 is also provided with an exhaust hole. In this way, the combustible gas and extinguishing agent vapor inside the box 1 can be discharged in time from the exhaust hole, preventing the combustible gas and extinguishing agent vapor from accumulating inside the box 1.

[0035] Preferably, the upper surface of the pressure relief valve 7 of each battery 3 is in contact with the bottom of the detection box 8, and the pressure relief valve 7 is internally provided with a pressure relief diaphragm, and the bottom of the detection box 8 is also a pressure relief diaphragm structure. In this embodiment, the pressure relief valve 7 is a pressure relief diaphragm structure, and once the abnormal reaction inside the battery 3 causes the battery temperature to rise rapidly, resulting in uncontrolled chemical reaction inside the battery to generate a large amount of heat and gas, which can quickly break through the diaphragm structure under pressure, thereby being able to timely relieve pressure; in addition, the bottom of the detection box 8 contacts the pressure relief valve 7, so that when the pressure relief valve 7 is broken, since the bottom of the detection box 8 is also a pressure relief diaphragm structure, it is easy to be broken together, effectively avoiding the phenomenon that the bottom of the detection box 8 cannot be broken when the pressure relief valve 7 is broken.

[0036] Preferably, as shown in Figure 2, the front and rear two detection boxes 8 are in contact with each other, and the contact position is provided with a communication valve, and the left and right two detection boxes 8 are communicated through the connecting pipe 11. The environment inside the box 1 is relatively narrow, and through the front and rear contact communication and the left and right communication through the connecting pipe 11, the space can be effectively saved, and in addition, the communication valve of the detection box 8 can be a cooperation structure of sleeve and pipe, that is, the front side of the detection box 8 is provided with a pipe, and the rear side is provided with a sleeve, so that it can be directly installed through the plug-in mode, which is convenient to install.

[0037] In addition, the application also discloses a method for inhibiting thermal runaway of an energy storage box, which uses the device for inhibiting thermal runaway of the energy storage box, and comprises the following steps:

[0038] S1, when the battery 2 occurs thermal runaway, the pressure relief valve 7 thereof will automatically open to timely discharge the combustible gas generated inside the battery, and the bottom of the detection box 8 is broken by the impact;

[0039] S2, when the bottom of the detection box 8 is broken, the inert gas inside the detection box 8 escapes, so that the pressure inside the detection box 8 and the fire detection pipe 5 is reduced, and then the bottle head valve 4 is opened;

[0040] S3, after the bottle head valve 4 is opened, the perfluorohexone extinguishing agent inside the extinguishing agent storage tank 2 is sprayed out from the spray pipe 6, and finally reaches the surrounding of the battery 2 from the plurality of nozzles 9 on the surface, so as to reduce the temperature near the battery 2 and prevent heat diffusion;

[0041] S4, the combustible gas and extinguishing agent vapor of the battery 2 are discharged from the exhaust hole at the bottom of the box 1, preventing the combustible gas from accumulating inside the box 1 to cause the degree of thermal runaway of the battery 2 to be aggravated.

[0042] The above embodiments are only preferred technical solutions of the present application, and should not be regarded as a limitation of the present application. The protection scope of the present application should be the technical solutions recited in the claims, including equivalent replacement solutions of the technical features recited in the claims. That is, equivalent replacement improvements within this scope are also within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A device for inhibiting thermal runaway of an energy storage tank, comprising a fire extinguishing agent storage tank (2) arranged on the inside or outside of a tank body (1), a plurality of batteries (3) being arranged in the tank body (1), and an output end of the fire extinguishing agent storage tank (2) being connected to one end of a fire detection tube (5) and one end of a spray tube (6) through a bottle head valve (4), characterized in that: A detection box (8) is arranged above the pressure relief valve (7) of each battery (3), the detection boxes (8) are communicated with each other, one of the detection boxes (8) is communicated with the other end of the fire detection tube (5), the detection box (8) and the fire detection tube (5) are filled with inert gas, and the other end of the spray pipe (6) extends around the battery (3). ​ 2. The device for suppressing thermal runaway of an energy storage tank of claim 1, wherein: The fire extinguishing agent storage tank (2) is filled with perfluorocyclohexanone fire extinguishing agent and inert gas, and a siphon pipe (2.1) is arranged in the fire extinguishing agent storage tank (2).

3. The device of claim 2, wherein: The bottle head valve (4) comprises a valve body (4.1), an upper through hole (4.2) in communication with the fire detection tube (5) is arranged on the upper side of the channel in the valve body (4.1), a lower through hole (4.3) in communication with the spray pipe (6) is arranged on the lower side of the channel in the valve body (4.1), and a movable valve core (4.4) in frictional contact with the side wall of the channel is arranged in the valve body (4.1); before the bottle head valve (4) is opened, the movable valve core (4.4) blocks the lower through hole (4.3), after the bottle head valve (4) is opened, the movable valve core (4.4) moves upwards and blocks the upper through hole (4.2), and the lower through hole (4.3) is released.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein: The detection box (8) is fixed to the top of the battery (3) through a supporting inner liner (10).

5. The device of claim 1, wherein: An exhaust hole is further arranged on the bottom of the box (1).

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The upper surface of the pressure relief valve (7) of each battery (3) is in contact with the bottom of the detection box (8), a pressure relief diaphragm is arranged in the pressure relief valve (7), and the bottom of the detection box (8) is also a pressure relief diaphragm structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The two detection boxes (8) on the front and back sides are in contact with each other, and a communication valve is arranged at the contact position, and the two detection boxes (8) on the left and right sides are communicated through a connecting pipe (11).

8. A method for suppressing thermal runaway of an energy storage tank using the device for suppressing thermal runaway of an energy storage tank according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: It comprises the following steps: S1, when the battery (2) is in thermal runaway, the pressure relief valve (7) of the battery (2) is automatically opened to timely release the combustible gas generated in the battery, and the bottom of the detection box (8) is broken due to impact; S2, when the bottom of the detection box (8) is broken, the inert gas in the detection box (8) escapes, so that the pressure in the detection box (8) and the fire detection tube (5) is reduced, and the bottle head valve (4) is opened; S3, after the bottle head valve (4) is opened, the perfluorocyclohexanone fire extinguishing agent in the fire extinguishing agent storage tank (2) is sprayed out of the spray pipe (6), and finally reaches the surrounding of the battery (2) from the multiple spray heads (9) on the surface, so as to reduce the temperature around the battery (2) and prevent heat diffusion; S4, the combustible gas of the battery (2) and the fire extinguishing agent vapor are discharged from the exhaust hole on the bottom of the box (1), so as to prevent the combustible gas from gathering in the box (1) and causing the thermal runaway degree of the battery (2) to be aggravated.

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