Power storage board

Abstract

This power storage board comprises: a power storage device provided with a power storage element; and a rack accommodating the power storage device. The rack is provided with an upper wall, side walls, and a bottom wall. The bottom wall is provided with a valve part for releasing gas from the power storage element.

Description

Battery tray

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery tray.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a power storage device including a battery module, a rack that houses the battery module, and a cover that covers the rack. The cover is provided with an exhaust valve portion that opens outward without coming off the cover to release pressure when the pressure inside the cover exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The cover has a side cover that covers the side portion of the rack, and the exhaust valve portion is provided on the side cover.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-125401

[0004] In Patent Document 1 described above, the exhaust valve portion is provided on the side cover that covers the side portion of the rack, and the exhaust valve portion is configured to be exposed to rain, snow, or the like. Therefore, the inventor of the present application has found that in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the exhaust valve portion may be affected by the weather (rain, snow, etc.). In a configuration in which a power storage device such as a battery module is housed in a rack, a highly reliable configuration that can suppress being affected by the weather while including a valve portion that releases the pressure inside the rack is desired.

[0005] The present invention has been made by the inventor of the present application newly paying attention to the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a battery tray capable of improving reliability in a configuration in which a power storage device is housed in a rack.

[0006] A battery tray according to an aspect of the present invention includes a power storage device including a power storage element, and a rack that houses the power storage device. The rack includes an upper wall, a side wall, and a bottom wall, and the bottom wall includes a valve portion that discharges gas from the power storage element.

[0007] According to the battery tray and the like in the present invention, reliability can be improved in a configuration in which a power storage device is housed in a rack.

[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an energy storage system according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of four energy storage panels and four air conditioning units provided in the energy storage system according to an embodiment. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an energy storage device provided in an energy storage panel according to an embodiment. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the valve section of the bottom wall of a rack according to an embodiment. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the valve section of the bottom wall (before opening) and the base member according to an embodiment. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the valve section of the bottom wall (after opening) and the base member according to an embodiment. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the valve section of the bottom wall of a rack provided in an energy storage panel according to a modified example 1 of the embodiment.

[0009] (1) A power storage panel according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a power storage device equipped with a power storage element and a rack housing the power storage device, wherein the rack comprises an upper wall, a side wall and a bottom wall, and the bottom wall comprises a valve portion for releasing gas from the power storage element.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, the bottom wall of the rack housing the energy storage device is equipped with a valve that releases gas from the energy storage element. By providing the valve in the rack of the energy storage device in this way, the pressure inside the rack can be released when the pressure inside the rack rises, such as during thermal runaway of the energy storage element. Furthermore, since the valve is provided in the bottom wall of the rack, exposure of the valve to rain or snow can be suppressed, thus reducing the impact of weather conditions (rain or snow, etc.) on the valve. As a result, reliability can be improved in an energy storage device where the energy storage device is housed in a rack.

[0011] (2) In the power storage panel described in (1) above, the valve section may be provided with a door member that closes the through hole that penetrates the bottom wall.

[0012] According to the power storage panel described in (2) above, the valve section is equipped with a door member that closes a through hole that penetrates the bottom wall of the rack. As a result, the door member opens when the pressure inside the rack rises, which prevents the components of the valve section from breaking and scattering when the valve section is operated.

[0013] (3) The power storage panel described in (1) or (2) above may further include wiring positioned above the bottom wall and electrically connected to the power storage device.

[0014] According to the power storage panel described in (3) above, the wiring is positioned above the bottom wall of the rack, allowing for effective use of the space above the bottom wall.

[0015] (4) In the power storage panel described in (3) above, the side wall may be provided with a door, and the wiring may be located closer to the door than to the valve.

[0016] According to the power storage panel described in (4) above, the wiring is positioned closer to the door on the side wall of the rack than to the valve section, which allows wiring that may require manual work to be placed closer to the door of the rack, thus making wiring work easier.

[0017] (5) The power storage panel described in any one of (1) to (4) above may further include a base member located below the bottom wall, and the valve portion may face the internal space of the base member.

[0018] According to the power storage panel described in (5) above, the valve faces the internal space of the base member, so that the gas discharged from the valve is exhausted into the internal space of the base member. This allows the internal space of the base member to be used as an exhaust space for the gas discharged from the valve.

[0019] (6) In the power storage panel described in (5) above, the base member may be provided with an exhaust port for exhausting the gas.

[0020] According to the power storage panel described in (6) above, the base member is equipped with an exhaust port for exhausting the gas discharged from the valve, so that the gas can be easily exhausted from the base member.

[0021] The following description of a power storage panel according to an embodiment (including its modifications) of the present invention will be given with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all general or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection configurations of components, manufacturing processes, and the order of manufacturing processes shown in the following embodiments are examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Dimensions and other specifications are not strictly illustrated in each figure. In each figure, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0022] In the following description and drawings, the direction in which the left and right sides of the power storage panel face, the width direction of the power storage panel rack (left-right direction), or the direction in which the left and right side walls of the rack face each other is defined as the X-axis direction. The direction in which the front or back of the power storage panel face, the depth direction of the power storage panel rack (front-back direction), or the direction in which the front and rear side walls of the rack face each other (front wall and rear wall) is defined as the Y-axis direction. The direction in which the power storage panel and the air conditioning unit are aligned, the direction in which the bottom wall of the power storage panel rack is aligned with the base member, the direction in which the top or bottom surface of the power storage panel faces, the height direction of the power storage panel rack, the direction in which the top and bottom walls of the rack face each other, the vertical direction, or the up and down direction is defined as the Z-axis direction. These X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions intersect each other (orthogonal in this embodiment).

[0023] In the following explanation, the X-axis positive direction refers to the direction of the X-axis arrow, and the X-axis negative direction refers to the direction opposite to the X-axis positive direction. When simply referred to as the X-axis direction, it refers to either the X-axis positive direction or the X-axis negative direction, or either direction. Unless otherwise specified, the center and ends of a member in the X-axis direction refer to the parts located in the center and ends when the member is divided into three parts in the X-axis direction. The same applies to the Y-axis and Z-axis directions. Expressions indicating relative directions or orientations, such as parallel and orthogonal, include cases where they are not strictly those directions or orientations. When two directions are parallel (or orthogonal), it means not only that the two directions are perfectly parallel (or orthogonal), but also that they are substantially parallel (or orthogonal), that is, that they include a difference of a few percent. In the following explanation, when "insulation" is used, it means "electrical insulation". The volume resistivity of an insulating material is 1 × 10⁻⁶ ６ Preferably Ωm or more, 1 × 10 ７ Ωm or greater is more preferable, 1 × 10 １０ A value of Ωm or greater is even more preferable.

[0024] (Embodiment) [1. General Description of the Power Storage Panel 100 and Energy Storage Equipment 1] First, a general description of the power storage panel 100 and the energy storage equipment 1 equipped with the power storage panel 100 in this embodiment will be given. Multiple power storage panels 100 can also be used as a single energy storage equipment 1. Therefore, the energy storage equipment 1 equipped with the power storage panel 100 will also be described below. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the energy storage equipment 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the four power storage panels 100 and four air conditioning units 200 provided in the energy storage equipment 1. In Figure 2, the side wall 113 has been removed from the rack 110 of one power storage panel 100 (101), and the internal configuration of the rack 110 is shown with solid and dashed lines. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the energy storage device 120 provided in the power storage panel 100 according to this embodiment. In Figure 3, the external casing 121 of the energy storage device 120 is viewed through, and the internal configuration of the external casing 121 is shown with dashed lines.

[0025] The energy storage device 1 is a device that charges and discharges electricity to supply power to an external power load. The energy storage device 1 is a stationary battery used for commercial or household purposes, and is used for power storage or power supply purposes. In this embodiment, the energy storage device 1 is an outdoor-specification device that is installed outdoors (or can be installed outdoors) and has the necessary dustproof and waterproof properties for outdoor installation. The energy storage device 1 can also be installed on a large mobile vehicle such as a ship or a railway vehicle for an electric railway, and can be used as a battery for the large mobile vehicle. Examples of railway vehicles for electric railways include electric trains, monorails, linear motor cars, and hybrid trains equipped with both diesel engines and electric motors.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the energy storage system 1 comprises a power storage panel 100 and an air conditioning unit 200 positioned above the power storage panel 100. The power storage panel 100 has a base member 300 at its bottom. The energy storage system 1 comprises a plurality of power storage panels 100 and a plurality of air conditioning units 200 positioned above the plurality of power storage panels 100 (in the positive Z-axis direction). In each power storage panel 100, one air conditioning unit 200 is positioned above one power storage panel 100. The energy storage system 1 may also include a power conversion panel (PCS panel, power conditioner) equipped with a power converter inside.

[0027] In this embodiment, 10 power storage panels 100 are arranged, each consisting of 5 sets of two power storage panels 100 aligned in the Y-axis direction, arranged in the X-axis direction. These power storage panels 100 are arranged adjacent to each other in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Arranged adjacent to each other in the X-axis direction means that they are arranged in relatively close positions in the X-axis direction, and includes cases where they are in contact in the X-axis direction, and cases where they are in close proximity but not in contact in the X-axis direction. The same applies when they are arranged adjacent to each other in the Y-axis direction. In this embodiment, the multiple power storage panels 100 are arranged with predetermined intervals between them in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Specifically, the multiple power storage panels 100 are arranged such that the distance between the racks 110 is interval S1 in the X-axis direction and interval S2 in the Y-axis direction. The multiple base members 300 are also arranged adjacent to each other in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. In this embodiment, the multiple base members 300 are arranged in contact in the X-axis direction and with predetermined intervals between them in the Y-axis direction. The placement and number of the power storage panel 100 and the air conditioning unit 200 are not limited to those described above.

[0028] [1.1 Explanation of the power storage panel 100] First, the configuration of the power storage panel 100 will be explained in detail. Since all of the power storage panels 100 provided in the power storage equipment 1 have the same configuration, the configuration of one power storage panel 100 will be explained in detail below.

[0029] The power storage panel 100 is a device that can charge electricity from an external source and discharge electricity to the outside, and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The power storage panel 100 is a stationary electrical panel (battery panel) that stores various types of electricity, such as electricity from the commercial power grid, electricity generated by generators, wind power generation or solar power generation, and regenerative power from railway systems, and supplies power stably to external equipment. As described above, the power storage panel 100 is an outdoor-specification device that is installed outdoors (or can be installed outdoors) and has the necessary level of dustproof and waterproof properties for outdoor installation. Specifically, the power storage panel 100 has IP2X, IP3X, IP4X, IP5X or IP6X for dustproofness and IPX3, IPX4, IPX5, IPX6, IPX7 or IPX8 for waterproofness, according to the protection class (IP code) defined by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards.

[0030] As shown in Figure 2, the power storage panel 100 comprises a rack 110, a plurality of power storage devices 120 arranged inside the rack 110, and a base member 300. In addition to these components, the power storage panel 100 also includes wires and the like for connecting the plurality of power storage devices 120, but these are not shown in the illustration and detailed explanation is omitted. In this embodiment, a plurality (six) of power storage devices 120 arranged in the X-axis direction are arranged in multiple rows in the Z-axis direction within the rack 110. The number of power storage devices 120 arranged in the X-axis direction and the number of rows in the Z-axis direction are not particularly limited. The plurality of power storage devices 120 may all be connected in series, a combination of series and parallel connections may be used, or all may be connected in parallel.

[0031] [1.1.1 Description of Rack 110] Rack 110 is a rectangular parallelepiped (box-shaped) enclosure (container, shelf) that houses the energy storage devices 120. Rack 110 has a sealed structure. "Having a sealed structure" means that it has a degree of airtightness that provides dustproof and waterproof properties as described above, and small gaps are permitted. The internal space of rack 110 is divided into multiple levels, and multiple energy storage devices 120 are housed in the divided spaces. Rack 110 is made of metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, iron, or plated steel sheet. Rack 110 may be made of materials other than metal (such as resin), but it is preferable that it be made of a material with high strength, heat resistance and flame retardancy. Rack 110 comprises side walls 111 to 114, a bottom wall 115, a top wall 116, a first shelf 117, and a second shelf 118.

[0032] The side walls 111-114, the bottom wall 115, and the top wall 116 are flat, rectangular walls that cover the entire surface of the six sides of the rack 110. Side walls 111 and 112 are the left and right side walls of the rack 110, and side walls 113 and 114 are the front and rear side walls (front wall and rear wall) of the rack 110. Specifically, side wall 111 is the wall (side wall, side plate) of the rack 110 in the negative X-axis direction, and side wall 112 is the wall (side wall, side plate) of the rack 110 in the positive X-axis direction. Side wall 113 is the wall (front wall, front plate) of the rack 110 in the negative Y-axis direction. Side wall 113 is equipped with a door 113a. The door 113a is a door member that can open and close (open and close freely) the opening on the Y-axis negative side (front) of the rack 110. The side wall 114 is the wall of the rack 110 in the positive Y-axis direction (rear wall, rear plate). The bottom wall 115 is the wall of the rack 110 in the negative Z-axis direction (bottom wall, bottom plate, bottom plate). In other words, the bottom wall 115 is the lower wall in the vertical direction. The top wall 116 is the wall of the rack 110 in the positive Z-axis direction (top wall, top plate, top plate). In other words, the top wall 116 is the upper wall in the vertical direction. The bottom wall 115 faces the top wall 116 in the vertical direction.

[0033] A through-hole is formed in one of the side walls 111 to 114. In this embodiment, the through-hole is formed in the lower part of either side wall 111 or 112. As shown in Figure 2, of the four power storage panels 100, the power storage panel 100 located in the positive X-axis direction and the negative Y-axis direction is also referred to as power storage panel 101, and the power storage panel 100 located in the negative X-axis direction and the negative Y-axis direction is also referred to as power storage panel 102. Power storage panels 101 and 102 are adjacent in the X-axis direction. In this case, a through-hole 111a is formed in the lower part of the side wall 111 of the rack 110 of power storage panel 101, and a through-hole 112a is formed in the lower part of the side wall 112 of the rack 110 of power storage panel 102.

[0034] As a result, the through-hole 111a of the power storage panel 101 and the through-hole 112a of the power storage panel 102 are arranged opposite each other, and the through-hole member 30, which is wiring or piping, passes through the through-holes 111a and 112a. The through-hole member 30 includes at least one of the following: main circuit wiring, signal lines, grounding lines, commercial AC wiring, control power lines, cooling piping, heating piping, and fire extinguishing piping. In this embodiment, the through-hole member 30 is the wiring 30 for the main circuit. The through-holes 111a and 112a are sealed by a cover member 40 that surrounds the through-hole member 30, thereby maintaining the dustproof and waterproof properties described above. Through-holes may also be formed in side walls other than the side wall 111 of the rack 110 of the power storage panel 101, and through-holes may also be formed in side walls other than the side wall 112 of the rack 110 of the power storage panel 102.

[0035] In Figure 2, although not shown as it is hidden by the first shelf 117 and the energy storage device 120, the bottom wall 115 is equipped with a valve section (the valve section 130 described later) for releasing gas from the energy storage device 120 (see Figure 4, etc.). A detailed explanation of the configuration of the valve section 130 provided in this bottom wall 115 will be given later.

[0036] A vent (not shown) is formed in the upper wall 116 at a position opposite the air conditioning unit 200 for intake and exhaust of air by the air conditioning unit 200. Through this vent, the air conditioning unit 200, located above the upper wall 116, circulates the air in the internal space of the power storage panel 100. In other words, the air conditioning unit 200 exhausts temperature-controlled air into the internal space of the power storage panel 100, which then circulates within the internal space of the power storage panel 100 before being drawn into the air conditioning unit 200. The aforementioned dustproof and waterproof properties are maintained by sealing the vent between it and the air conditioning unit 200.

[0037] The first shelf 117 and the second shelf 118 are walls that partition the internal space of the rack 110. Each energy storage device 120 is placed in the space partitioned by the first shelf 117 and the second shelf 118, supported by the first shelf 117 and the second shelf 118, and arranged within the rack 110. Multiple energy storage devices 120 are arranged in the X-axis direction on the first shelf 117, and multiple energy storage devices 120 are arranged in the X-axis direction on the second shelf 118. In the negative Z-axis direction of the first shelf 117, a space is formed where no energy storage devices 120 are placed, and an electrical unit (electrical components) that controls all the energy storage devices 120 is placed there. In this embodiment, the first shelf 117 and the second shelf 118 are flat and rectangular walls. The first shelf 117 and the second shelf 118 have openings (not shown), and are configured to allow air to pass through these openings. The shapes of the first shelf board 117 and the second shelf board 118 are not particularly limited, and they may be narrow plate-shaped or rod-shaped members such as beams.

[0038] [1.1.2 Description of the Energy Storage Device 120] The energy storage device 120 is a battery module (battery pack) that is elongated in the Y-axis direction and has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. As shown in Figure 3, the energy storage device 120 comprises an outer casing 121, a plurality of energy storage elements 122, and a circuit board unit 123. In this embodiment, the plurality of energy storage elements 122 are arranged in line in the Y-axis direction, but the direction of arrangement and the number of energy storage elements 122 are not particularly limited, and only one energy storage element 122 may be arranged. In addition to these components, the energy storage device 120 also includes busbars and the like that connect the terminals of the plurality of energy storage elements 122, but these are not shown in the illustration and their detailed explanation is also omitted. The energy storage device 120 may also include a pair of external terminals (positive and negative) for connecting to the outside, spacers placed between the energy storage elements 122, restraining members (end plates, side plates, etc.) for restraining the energy storage elements 122, and a busbar frame for positioning the busbars, but these are not shown or described.

[0039] The outer casing 121 is a box-shaped (rectangular parallelepiped) container (module case) that is elongated in the Y-axis direction and constitutes the outer shell of the energy storage device 120. The outer casing 121 houses a plurality of energy storage elements 122 and fixes the plurality of energy storage elements 122 in predetermined positions, protecting them from impacts and the like. The outer casing 121 is made of an insulating material such as resin to prevent the energy storage elements 122 from coming into contact with external metal members or the like. The outer casing 121 may be made of a conductive material such as metal, as long as the insulating properties of the energy storage elements 122 are maintained.

[0040] The energy storage element 122 is a secondary battery (single cell) capable of charging and discharging electricity, and more specifically, a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. In this embodiment, the energy storage element 122 has a flattened rectangular parallelepiped shape (square), but the shape of the energy storage element 122 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and may be a polygonal prism shape, cylindrical shape, oblong cylindrical shape, elliptical prism shape, etc. The energy storage element 122 may be a secondary battery other than a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, or it may be a capacitor. The energy storage element 122 may be a primary battery. The energy storage element 122 may be a battery using a solid electrolyte. The energy storage element 122 may be a pouch-type energy storage element.

[0041] The energy storage element 122 includes a container 122a and a pair of terminals (a positive electrode and a negative electrode) 122b. Inside the container 122a, an electrode body, a pair of current collectors (a positive electrode and a negative electrode), an electrolytic solution (non-aqueous electrolyte), etc. are accommodated, but illustrations thereof are omitted. As the electrolytic solution, there is no particular limitation on its type as long as it does not impair the performance of the energy storage element 122, and various types can be selected. Between the container 122a, the terminals 122b, and the current collectors, gaskets, etc. are arranged to enhance insulation and airtightness, but illustrations thereof are also omitted.

[0042] The container 122a is a rectangular parallelepiped (square-shaped) container and has a configuration in which an opening in the +Z-axis direction of the container body is closed by a lid portion. Between the pair of terminals 122b in the lid portion of the container 122a, a gas discharge valve 122c is arranged to discharge the gas inside the container 122a and release the pressure when the pressure inside the container 122a rises. The material of the container 122a is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a weldable metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, iron, or plated steel sheet.

[0043] The terminals 122b are electrode terminals (positive electrode terminal and negative electrode terminal) electrically connected to the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate of the electrode body via current collectors, and are formed of a metal (conductive) member such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper, or copper alloy. The electrode body is an energy storage element (power generation element) formed by laminating a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator. The positive electrode plate has a positive electrode active material layer formed on a current collector foil made of a metal such as aluminum or aluminum alloy. The negative electrode plate has a negative electrode active material layer formed on a current collector foil made of a metal such as copper or copper alloy. The current collectors are conductive members (positive electrode current collector and negative electrode current collector) electrically connected to the terminals 122b and the electrode body. The positive electrode current collector is formed of aluminum or aluminum alloy, etc., similar to the current collector foil of the positive electrode plate, and the negative electrode current collector is formed of copper or copper alloy, etc., similar to the current collector foil of the negative electrode plate.

[0044] The circuit board unit 123 is a device capable of monitoring the state of the energy storage element 122, such as its charge and discharge states, and controlling the energy storage element 122. The circuit board unit 123 is equipped with electrical equipment such as a circuit board (CMU: Cell Monitoring Unit) inside. In this embodiment, the circuit board unit 123 is a flat rectangular member that is attached to the end of the outer casing 121 in the negative Y-axis direction and positioned at the end of the energy storage device 120 in the negative Y-axis direction.

[0045] [1.2 Description of the air conditioning unit 200 and base member 300] The air conditioning unit 200 is a device having at least one of the functions of cooling and heating. The air conditioning unit 200 cools or heats the energy storage device 120 (especially the energy storage element 122) inside the energy storage unit 100 by cooling or heating the internal space of the energy storage unit 100. As shown in Figure 2, the air conditioning unit 200 is positioned outside (above) the upper wall 116 of the rack 110 of the energy storage unit 100. The air conditioning unit 200 circulates the air in the internal space of the energy storage unit 100 through vents (not shown) formed in the upper wall 116. In this embodiment, the air conditioning unit 200 is positioned above the upper wall 116, in contact with (resting on) the upper wall 116. The air conditioning unit 200 may be positioned above the upper wall 116, separated from it by other components being placed between it and the upper wall 116. All of the air conditioning units 200 provided in the energy storage facility 1 have the same configuration.

[0046] The base member 300 is a part (member) that serves as a base for installing the power storage panel 100 on the installation surface. The power storage panel 100 includes the base member 300 and the rack 110, and the rack 110 is disposed on the base member 300. The base member 300 is also called a channel base. The base member 300 is a rectangular member when viewed from the Z-axis direction, which is flat in the Z-axis direction. The shape, size, etc. of the base member 300 are not particularly limited, but in the present embodiment, the base member 300 is a frame-shaped member having an outer frame that surrounds the outer periphery with a plurality of members (such as H-beams). The base member 300 is disposed below (in the negative Z-axis direction) the bottom wall 115 provided in the rack 110. The base member 300 faces the bottom wall 115 in the Z-axis direction and supports the rack 110 in which the power storage device 120 and the like are accommodated from below by contacting the bottom wall 115 in the Z-axis direction. The base member 300 may include a positioning portion (such as a positioning pin) for positioning the rack 110 on the base member 300. A detailed description of the configuration of the base member 300 will be given later.

[0047] [2. Description of the valve portion 130 of the bottom wall 115 and the base member 300] Next, the valve portion 130 of the bottom wall 115 provided in the rack 110 and the base member 300 in the present embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the valve portion 130 of the bottom wall 115 provided in the rack 110 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the valve portion 130 provided in the bottom wall 115 by omitting the illustration of the walls other than the bottom wall 115 among the walls provided in the rack 110. FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views showing the configuration of the valve portion 130 of the bottom wall 115 and the base member 300 according to the present embodiment. FIGS. 5 and 6 show a cross-section when one power storage panel 100, one air conditioner 200, and one base member 300 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are cut by a plane parallel to the YZ plane passing through the valve portion 130. FIG. 5 shows the state before the valve portion 130 opens, and FIG. 6 shows the state after the valve portion 130 opens.

[0048] [2.1 Description of the valve portion 130 of the bottom wall 115] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the bottom wall 115 of the rack 110 is equipped with a valve portion 130. In this embodiment, the valve portion 130 is located at the center of the bottom wall 115 in the X-axis direction and at the end in the positive Y-axis direction. The valve portion 130 is a valve (gas release valve, gas exhaust valve, safety valve) that releases gas from the energy storage element 122 of the energy storage device 120. In other words, when the energy storage element 122 experiences thermal runaway, etc., and gas is released from the gas discharge valve 122c of the energy storage element 122, causing the pressure inside the rack 110 to rise, the valve portion 130 releases the gas inside the rack 110 to the outside of the rack 110, thereby releasing the pressure inside the rack 110. The valve portion 130 is formed from any material that can be used for the rack 110 (bottom wall 115). The valve portion 130 may be made of the same material as the rack 110 (bottom wall 115), or it may be made of a different material than the rack 110 (bottom wall 115). The position, shape, size, number, etc., of the valve portion 130 on the bottom wall 115 are not particularly limited.

[0049] The valve portion 130 comprises a door support portion 131, a door member 132, and a hinge portion 133. The door support portion 131 is fixed to the Z-axis positive surface of the bottom wall 115 and supports the door member 132. The door support portion 131 is a rectangular annular portion when viewed from the Z-axis direction and protrudes from the bottom wall 115 in the Z-axis positive direction. A through hole 115a is formed in the bottom wall 115 at the position surrounded by the door support portion 131. The through hole 115a is a rectangular through hole when viewed from the Z-axis direction that penetrates the bottom wall 115 in the Z-axis direction. In other words, the door support portion 131 is attached and fixed around the through hole 115a in the bottom wall 115 so as to surround the through hole 115a.

[0050] The door member 132 is a member that closes the through hole 115a that penetrates the bottom wall 115. The door member 132 is supported by the door support portion 131 at its Z-axis positive end, and is positioned to close the opening of the door member 132, thereby closing the through hole 115a. The door member 132 is a flat, rectangular member and, when closing the through hole 115a, is positioned parallel to the XY plane. The door member 132 is connected to the Y-axis negative end of the door support portion 131 by a hinge portion 133 and is also hooked onto the Y-axis positive end of the door support portion 131, thereby being supported by the door support portion 131. The door member 132 is hooked onto the door support portion 131 so that it opens downward (Z-axis negative direction) from the door support portion 131, and is configured not to open upward (Z-axis positive direction) from the door support portion 131.

[0051] The hinge portion 133 is positioned at the Y-axis negative end of the door support portion 131 and is a hinge that rotatably supports the door member 132. By rotating the Y-axis positive end of the door member 132 around the hinge portion 133 in the Z-axis negative direction, the door member 132 opens downward (Z-axis negative direction) from the door support portion 131 (see Figure 6). In other words, when the pressure inside the rack 110 rises, the door member 132 disengages from the door support portion 131 at the Y-axis positive end and opens downward around the hinge portion 133, thereby releasing the pressure inside the rack 110. Thus, the valve portion 130 is a single-opening valve equipped with one hinge portion 133 on one side (Y-axis negative end) of the door support portion 131, and opening one door member 132.

[0052] [2.2 Explanation of the structure of the base member 300 and its positional relationship with the valve section 130, etc.] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the base member 300 is a hollow member with an internal space S3. The base member 300 has an opening 301 on the Z-axis positive side and an exhaust port 302 on the Y-axis positive side. The opening 301 is a through hole that penetrates the Z-axis positive wall of the base member 300 in the Z-axis direction and is positioned opposite the valve section 130 and the through hole 115a of the bottom wall 115. The shape and size of the opening 301 are not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the opening 301 is the same size as the through hole 115a of the bottom wall 115, or larger than the through hole 115a, when viewed from the Z-axis direction.

[0053] The valve section 130 faces the internal space S3 of the base member 300. In other words, the valve section 130 is connected to (in communication with) the internal space S3 through the through hole 115a in the bottom wall 115 and the opening 301 in the base member 300. As a result, when the door member 132 of the valve section 130 opens downward from the door support section 131, the door member 132 enters the internal space S3 through the through hole 115a and the opening 301. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the door member 132 is positioned at an angle (fixed in an oblique position) with its tip (the end in the positive Y-axis direction) in contact with the bottom surface of the base member 300. In this embodiment, the door member 132 is positioned so that it is inclined in the negative Z-axis direction as it moves toward the positive Y-axis direction.

[0054] The exhaust port 302 is a through-hole that penetrates the wall of the base member 300 in the Y-axis positive direction in the Y-axis direction, and functions as an exhaust port for exhausting gas. In other words, the exhaust port 302 is an exhaust port that discharges the gas in the internal space S3 of the base member 300 to the outside when gas is released from the valve 130 into the internal space S3. The shape, size, and number of exhaust ports 302 are not particularly limited. As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, the door member 132 is arranged so that it is inclined in the Z-axis negative direction as it approaches the Y-axis positive direction, so the gas released from the valve 130 moves in the Y-axis positive direction within the internal space S3. In this way, by arranging the door member 132 at an angle within the internal space S3 (fixed in an oblique position), the direction of gas flow can be controlled by the door member 132. Since the gas released from the valve 130 travels in the positive Y-axis direction within the internal space S3, the gas can be discharged from the side wall 114 (rear wall) of the rack 110 in the positive Y-axis direction via the exhaust port 302. The discharged gas is then discharged to the outside of the energy storage equipment 1 using the gap S1 or S2 between the power storage panels 100, etc.

[0055] As shown in Figures 2 and 5, wiring 30 is located above the bottom wall 115. Specifically, the wiring 30 is located between the bottom wall 115 and the first shelf 117 (energy storage device 120). The wiring 30 is the main circuit wiring through which current flows to the multiple energy storage devices 120 provided by the energy storage panel 100. The wiring 30 is not the main circuit wiring; it could also be a control line or a signal line. The energy storage panel 100 may have only one energy storage device 120. The wiring 30 is electrically connected to the energy storage devices 120 via electric wires, etc. Although electric wires, etc. are connected to the wiring 30, they are not shown in the illustration. The wiring 30 is electrically connected to at least one energy storage device 120. The wiring 30 is also wiring that is electrically connected to the outside of the energy storage panel 100. In Figure 2, the wiring 30 of energy storage panel 101 is electrically connected to the adjacent energy storage panel 102. In other words, the wiring 30 (through member) is positioned above the bottom wall 115 and passes through the through hole 111a. The valve 130 is positioned on the bottom wall 115 towards the positive Y-axis direction, and the wiring 30 is positioned on the bottom wall 115 towards the negative Y-axis direction. Therefore, the wiring 30 is positioned further in the negative Y-axis direction than the valve 130. Since a door 113a is positioned on the side wall 113 (front wall) of the rack 110 in the negative Y-axis direction, the wiring 30 is positioned closer to the door 113a than to the valve 130.

[0056] [3. Explanation of Effects] As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the bottom wall 115 of the rack 110 housing the energy storage device 120 is equipped with a valve 130 that releases gas from the energy storage element 122. By providing the valve 130 in the rack 110 of the power storage unit 100, the pressure inside the rack 110 can be released when the pressure inside the rack 110 rises, such as during thermal runaway of the energy storage element 122. Furthermore, since the valve 130 is provided in the bottom wall 115 of the rack 110, exposure of the valve 130 to rain or snow can be suppressed, thus suppressing the valve 130 from being affected by weather (rain or snow, etc.). As a result, reliability can be improved in the power storage unit 100 in which the energy storage device 120 is housed in the rack 110. Since the valve 130 is suppressed from being affected by weather (rain or snow, etc.), there is no need to protect the valve 130 by providing a cover or anything like that. Since the valve section 130 is provided on the bottom wall 115 of the rack 110, it does not get in the way when arranging the air conditioning unit 200 on the top wall 116 or side walls 111 to 114 (top wall 116 in this embodiment), and the space on the top wall 116 or side walls 111 to 114 can be utilized, thus saving space.

[0057] The valve section 130 is equipped with a door member 132 that closes a through hole 115a that penetrates the bottom wall 115 of the rack 110. This prevents components of the valve section 130 from breaking and scattering when the valve section 130 is activated, as the door member 132 opens when the pressure inside the rack 110 rises. The door member 132 can control the direction of gas flow discharged from the valve section 130 (in this embodiment, it is controlled to discharge from the rear side of the rack 110). After the door member 132 opens, it can be configured to close the through hole 115a again. Since the valve section 130 is provided in the bottom wall 115, the door member 132 does not protrude from the top wall 116.

[0058] The valve section 130 has a single hinge section 133 on one side of the door support section 131, and is a single-opening valve that opens one door member 132, resulting in a simple configuration. This reduces the number of parts, simplifies manufacturing, and contributes to cost reduction.

[0059] In the valve section 130, the door support portion 131 protrudes from the bottom wall 115 in the positive Z-axis direction, so the door member 132 is positioned in the positive Z-axis direction of the bottom wall 115. This ensures space for the door member 132 to open in the negative Z-axis direction, thus allowing the height of the base member 300 in the Z-axis direction to be reduced. The protrusion of the door support portion 131 from the bottom wall 115 in the positive Z-axis direction also facilitates the attachment and detachment of the valve section 130 to the bottom wall 115.

[0060] By arranging the wiring 30, which is electrically connected to the energy storage device 120, above the bottom wall 115 of the rack 110, the space above the bottom wall 115 can be effectively utilized.

[0061] Since the wiring 30 is positioned closer to the door 113a of the side wall 113 of the rack 110 than the valve unit 130, the wiring 30, which may require manual handling, can be placed closer to the door 113a of the rack 110, thus making wiring work easier. Since the valve unit 130 is positioned on the opposite side of the door 113a of the rack 110, it is easy to configure the system to exhaust gas from the opposite side of the door 113a (the rear side of the rack 110).

[0062] According to the power storage panel 100 of the present invention, the valve portion 130 faces the internal space S3 of the base member 300, so that the gas discharged from the valve portion 130 is exhausted into the internal space S3 of the base member 300. As a result, the internal space S3 of the base member 300 can be used as an exhaust space for the gas discharged from the valve portion 130.

[0063] The base member 300 is equipped with an exhaust port 302 for exhausting the gas discharged from the valve 130, thereby allowing the gas to be easily exhausted from the base member 300.

[0064] [4. Description of Modifications] The power storage panel 100 and power storage equipment 1 according to embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects, and the scope of the present invention includes all modifications in the sense and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0065] (Modification 1) In the above embodiment, the valve portion 130 is a single-opening valve with one hinge portion 133 on one side of the door support portion 131, and one door member 132 opening. However, a double-opening valve is also acceptable. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the valve portion 130a of the bottom wall 115 of the rack 110 provided in Modification 1 of this embodiment. Figure 7 corresponds to Figure 5 or Figure 6. In Figure 7, the state before the valve portion 130a (two door members 132a) opens is shown by a solid line, and the state after the valve portion 130a (two door members 132a) opens is shown by a dashed line.

[0066] As shown in Figure 7, the power storage panel 100a in this modified example is equipped with a valve portion 130a instead of the valve portion 130 of the bottom wall 115 of the rack 110 in the power storage panel 100 in the above embodiment. The valve portion 130a is equipped with two door members 132a and two hinge portions 133a instead of the one door member 132 and one hinge portion 133 that the valve portion 130 in the above embodiment has. The other configurations of this modified example are the same as in the above embodiment, so their description is omitted.

[0067] The two door members 132a are members that close the through hole 115a that penetrates the bottom wall 115. The two door members 132a are flat and rectangular in shape, and when they are closing the through hole 115a, they are arranged parallel to the XY plane. The two door members 132a are connected to both ends of the door support 131 in the Y-axis direction by two hinge parts 133a and are supported by the door support 131. The two door members 132a are hooked onto the door support 131 so that they open downward (in the negative Z-axis direction) from the door support 131, and are configured not to open upward (in the positive Z-axis direction) from the door support 131.

[0068] The two hinge portions 133a are hinges positioned at both ends of the door support portion 131 in the Y-axis direction, rotatably supporting the two door members 132a. By rotating the ends of the two door members 132a that are opposite each other in the Y-axis direction around the two hinge portions 133a in the negative Z-axis direction, the two door members 132a open downward (in the negative Z-axis direction) from the door support portion 131. In other words, when the pressure inside the rack 110 rises, the two door members 132a release their engagement with the door support portion 131 and open downward around the two hinge portions 133a, thereby releasing the pressure inside the rack 110. Thus, the valve portion 130a is a double-opening valve equipped with two hinge portions 133a on both sides (both ends in the Y-axis direction) of the door support portion 131, allowing the two door members 132a to open.

[0069] This modified version achieves the same effects as the above embodiment. In particular, in this modified version, the valve portion 130a is double-opening, and the length of one door member 132a in the Y-axis direction is short, so even if the height of the base member 300 in the Z-axis direction is low, the door member 132a can be opened wide.

[0070] (Other Modifications) In the above embodiment, one power storage panel 100 is provided with one base member 300, but it is not limited to this. The power storage panel 100 does not have to be provided with a base member 300. One power storage panel 100 may have multiple base members 300. One base member 300 may be placed below multiple racks 110. When one base member 300 is placed below multiple racks 110, there is a risk that gas from one rack 110 may flow through the one base member 300 and reach the other racks 110. However, even in this case, since the valve section 130 is configured such that the door member 132 does not open upward (check valve), it is possible to suppress the backflow of gas from the valve section 130 of the other rack into the rack 110 of the other power storage panel 100.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the air conditioning unit 200 is positioned outside (above) the upper wall 116 of the rack 110 of the power storage panel 100. However, the air conditioning unit 200 may also be positioned outside (to the side) any of the side walls 111 to 114 of the rack 110.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the rack 110 of the power storage panel 100 was assumed to have a first shelf 117 and a plurality of second shelves 118, but it is not limited to this. The rack 110 may have only one second shelf 118, or it may not have any second shelves 118 at all. The rack 110 may not have either the first shelf 117 or the second shelf 118, and the power storage device 120 may be placed on the bottom wall 115. In this case, the bottom wall 115 on which the power storage device 120 is placed can be said to be a shelf of the rack 110. In other words, the rack 110 has at least a shelf on which the power storage device 120 is placed.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the valve section 130 is configured such that the door member 132 opens from the door support section 131 by a hinge section 133, but it may be opened by any configuration. The valve section 130 may not have a hinge section 133, and may open when the door member 132 detaches from the door support section 131. The valve section 130 may also be a spring-type configuration in which the door member 132 is supported by the force of a spring compressing, and the door member 132 opens when the spring extends as the pressure inside the rack 110 increases. If the size of the valve section 130 becomes small, such as when the valve section 130 is a spring type, multiple valve sections 130 may be arranged. The door support section 131 of the valve section 130 may or may not protrude from the bottom wall 115 in the negative Z-axis direction. The valve portion 130 may include a membrane member or the like that closes the through hole 115a in the bottom wall 115, instead of the door member 132.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the valve portion 130 is positioned facing the internal space S3 of the base member 300. However, the valve portion 130 may release gas to the outside of the base member 300 without facing the internal space S3 of the base member 300. In this case, the base member 300 does not need to have an opening 301 and an exhaust port 302.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the side wall 113 of the rack 110 is provided with a door 113a, and the wiring 30 (through member) is positioned closer to the door 113a than the valve section 130, but this is not limited to this. The valve section 130 may be positioned closer to the door 113a than the wiring 30 (through member). The side wall 113 does not have to be provided with a door 113a.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the wiring 30 (through member) is positioned above the bottom wall 115 of the rack 110 (between the bottom wall 115 and the first shelf 117). However, the wiring 30 (through member) may also be positioned above the first shelf 117 or above the second shelf 118.

[0077] In the above embodiment, all power storage panels 100 are assumed to have the above configuration, but this is not limited to this. It is not necessary for any of the power storage panels 100 to have the above configuration.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the rack 110 and the base member 300 are separate components, but the rack 110 and the base member 300 may be integrally formed (integrated).

[0079] Embodiments constructed by arbitrarily combining the above embodiments and modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0080] The present invention can be applied to a power storage panel equipped with a power storage device, or to a power storage facility equipped with a power storage panel.

[0081] 1 Energy storage equipment 30 Wiring (through members) 100, 100a, 101, 102 Energy storage panel 110 Rack 111, 112, 113, 114 Side wall 111a, 112a, 115a Through hole 113a Door 115 Bottom wall 116 Top wall 117 First shelf 118 Second shelf 120 Energy storage device 122 Energy storage element 122c Gas exhaust valve 130, 130a Valve part 131 Door support part 132, 132a Door member 133, 133a Hinge part 200 Air conditioning equipment 300 Base member 301 Opening 302 Exhaust port

Claims

1. A power storage panel comprising: a power storage device equipped with a power storage element; and a rack housing the power storage device, wherein the rack comprises an upper wall, side walls, and a bottom wall, and the bottom wall comprises a valve portion for releasing gas from the power storage element.

2. The power storage panel according to claim 1, wherein the valve portion includes a door member that closes a through hole that penetrates the bottom wall.

3. The power storage panel according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising wiring positioned above the bottom wall and electrically connected to the power storage device.

4. The power storage panel according to claim 3, wherein the side wall is provided with a door, and the wiring is located closer to the door than to the valve.

5. The power storage panel according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a base member disposed below the bottom wall, wherein the valve portion faces the internal space of the base member.

6. The power storage panel according to claim 5, wherein the base member is provided with an exhaust port for exhausting the gas.

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