WO2017157709A1

WO2017157709A1 - Container for storing at least one electrical energy storage unit, provided with a vent hatch

Info

Publication number: WO2017157709A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/055177
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arnaud Jourdren
Original assignee: Blue Solutions
Priority date: 2016-03-15
Filing date: 2017-03-06
Publication date: 2017-09-21
Also published as: FR3049112A1; SG11201805972QA; TW201806213A; KR20180123535A; BR112018014373A2; EP3430657A1; FR3049112B1; AU2017233604A1

Abstract

The invention (1) relates to a container for storing at least one electrical energy storage unit, characterised in that at least one of the walls thereof is provided with at least one vent hatch (3) which is movable between a closed, so-called normal position, in which it closes said wall, and an open, so-called safety position in which it allows the inner space (E) of said container to communicate with the outside; and in that it comprises: at least one smoke detector (D) which, when activated, is designed to trigger the automatic movement of said hatch (3) from said normal position to said safety position; and/or management means designed to measure an operating parameter of said storage unit (4) and to trigger the automatic movement of said hatch (3) from said normal position to said safety position as soon as the measurement carried out reaches a pre-determined set value.

Description

STORAGE CONTAINER OF AT LEAST ONE ELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE UNIT HAVING AN EVENT TRAPPER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is in the field of autonomous and stationary electrical installations, that is to say fixed installations, which couple energy production means, such as solar panels or wind turbines for example, with units storing the electrical energy thus produced.

The invention relates more particularly to a stationary container for storing at least one such electrical energy storage unit, this container containing at least one receiving element of said unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The aforementioned electrical installations are intended to be installed in remote areas, difficult to access, for example but not exclusively in Africa.

Containers, known by the English name "shelters", allow to house not only a set of energy storage units, but also various devices ensuring the electronic management of their operation and their security.

There are thus known stationary shelters for storing at least one electrical energy storage unit, which comprise at least one location for receiving said unit, preferably several superimposed and / or juxtaposed.

Although the operation of these units is regularly monitored, the risk of at least one unit failing and causing a fire to start can not be ruled out.

Even if the container is equipped with a smoke detector, the intervention of personnel able to fight a fire is problematic insofar as, as indicated above, this type of container is intended to be installed in areas remote. Beyond this risk, there is a second linked to the fact that the container is of course closed. In this case, the fire departure will generate a gas overpressure that must be evacuated.

The present invention aims to provide a solution to this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the present invention relates to a storage container of at least one electrical energy storage unit, characterized in that at least one of its walls is provided with at least one vent hatch which is movable between a closed position called said normal position, in which it closes said wall, and an open position said safe position, in which it communicates the interior space of said box with the outside, and in that it comprises:

at least one smoke detector which, when activated, is configured to automatically pass said hatch from said normal position to said safety position;

and / or management means configured to measure an operating parameter of said storage unit and to automatically move said hatch from said normal position to said safety position as soon as the measurement made reaches a predetermined set value.

Under these conditions, as soon as the detector is activated, the vent hatches automatically open and put themselves in the safety position, so that fumes and gases can escape to the outside, thus avoiding any risk. overpressure.

In addition, when said management means are present, it prevents or limits the damage caused by an impending fire.

According to other nonlimiting and advantageous features of the invention, taken alone or in combination:

the container has the shape of a rectangular or square parallelepiped and said hatch is present on a vertical peripheral face thereof;

- The container has the shape of a rectangular or square parallelepiped and said hatch is present on a roof thereof;

said hatch is pivotally mounted relative to said wall; said hatch is integrated into an access door to said interior space or is merged with this door;

said hatch is provided with return means which tend to keep it in the safety position as long as these return means are not constrained;

said return means are chosen from the group formed by: an inverted spring hinge, one or more cylinders, in particular pneumatic or electric, an elastomer material, at least one spring such as a torsion spring or a compression spring, or a combination of at least two thereof;

the container comprises means for retaining said hatch in the normal position which become inoperative as soon as they receive information related to the detection of smoke, via said detector, or information related to the operation of said at least one storage unit, via said management means;

said retaining means are chosen from the group formed by at least one electromagnetic pad, at least one remote control pneumatic kit, at least one electromagnetic or electropneumatic lock, at least one electromagnetic or electropneumatic striker;

the container comprises at least one position sensor of said trap;

the container comprises several hatches as well as several detectors, these detectors being configured to selectively or simultaneously trigger said traps;

the container comprises several hatches and said management means are configured to trigger selectively or simultaneously the opening of said hatches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a storage container according to the invention; Figure 2 is a detail view of the front wall of the container of Figure 1, one of the hatches is open, which makes visible storage units of electrical energy stored therein;

Figure 3 is a detail view of one of the doors of the container of Figure 1 on which is visible a vent hatch which is shown in the closed position, said normal position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, which shows the hatch in the open position, said safety position;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a hatch and the frame on which it is pivotally mounted;

Figures 6 and 7 are partial views in perspective and in section of a door and the door on which it is mounted, views on which are visible means for retaining the door in the closed position and means that allow to inform the user on the position of the hatch; Figure 8 is a detail view of the inner face of the door and the associated door, intended more particularly to show the aforementioned means;

Figure 9 is a detail view which shows the arrangement of Figure 8, the hatch being this time shown in the open security position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As indicated above, is visible in Figure 1 a storage container according to the present invention, configured to house at least one electrical energy storage unit.

As a purely indicative indication, the electrical energy storage unit considered may be an electric energy storage battery, of the LMP® type (for Lithium Metal Polymer) or of the Lithium Ion type.

This container has a general configuration known per se. In this case, it is a metal container that has the shape of a rectangular or square parallelepiped. This container 1 has a wall upper roof and ceiling 10, a bottom wall 11 forming a floor, and four peripheral walls and vertical referenced 12 to 15.

The lower wall 11 is provided, as is known per se, means for introducing the forks of a forklift, so as to be able to move the container 1. On the other hand, this lower wall 11 , as well as preferably the upper wall 10, has at its four corners means for positioning and wedging several containers of this type stacked on each other.

The four aforementioned peripheral walls are more precisely a front wall 12, a rear wall 13 and two right and left side walls 14, 15.

In the example shown here, the front wall 12 is provided with two swinging doors 2, namely a right swing door 2a and a left swing door 2b. Together, they occupy substantially the entire surface of the front wall 12.

These doors naturally include a vertical hinge pin 21 placed closer to the vertical edges of the front wall 12. They are also provided with a locking device that keeps them in the closed position. This locking device 20, of known type, will not be explained more precisely.

According to the invention, this container 1 comprises a wall which is provided with at least one vent hatch 3.

More precisely, in the specific case represented here, the hatches 3 visible in FIG. 1 are three in number. A hatch 3a equips the door 2a above, while a hatch 3b equips the door 2b. Furthermore, the wall which forms the right side wall 14 of the container 1 is also provided with a hatch 3c.

Of course, this embodiment is absolutely not limiting. In other words, it can be envisaged that there exists on the rear wall 13 as well as on the second peripheral wall 15 at least one hatch of the same type as those visible here. One can even consider that the upper wall 10, that is to say, the roof, is also equipped.

Furthermore, in other embodiments not shown, the hatches could be absent on the front wall and be present only, for example, on the other peripheral walls and / or on the upper wall. Another alternative could be to have a hatch 3 confused with one and / or the other of the doors 2a and 2b.

The hatch 3a which is shown in the open position in FIG. 2 makes visible the electric energy storage units 4 as mentioned above, which are stored inside the interior space E of the container 1, storage made possible. through, for example, support racks, not described in more detail in the following description.

In a manner not shown in the figures, the container comprises, within its interior space E, for example near the top wall 10, a smoke detector referenced D. More particularly, the smoke detector D is arranged against the upper wall 10 and above and in line with all the stacked storage units.

According to the invention, the vent hatches 3 are movable between a closed position called normal position, in which they close the wall they equip, and an open position called security position, in which they communicate the space inside E of container 1 with the outside.

Reference will now be made more specifically to FIGS. 3 and following to explain the structure and operation of these vent hatches, as well as the nature and function of the means which make it possible to automatically switch them from one position to the other.

Thus, with reference to FIG. 5, the hatch 3 represented can be the hatch 3a of FIG. The description that will be made also applies to the other hatches that equip the container, unless otherwise specified.

This hatch 3, formed here of an insulating plane panel, is associated with a rectangular metal frame 30 which forms a frame, which is provided with a peripheral seal 300, shown more particularly in FIGS. 6 and 7. 3 is articulated on this frame by hinges 31, so that its pivoting from a closed position to an open position is around a vertical axis passing through the longitudinal axis of these hinges.

These hinges 31 incorporate means for returning the hatch 3 in the open position, known as the safety position.

In this case, it is preferably inverted spring hinges. This means that, by default, the hatch 3 occupies an open position, or in other words that the rest position of the springs of the hinge corresponds to an open position of the hatch 3.

Other return means which also tend to maintain the hatch 3 in the safety position may be considered, instead of the inverted spring hinges mentioned above.

Thus, these return means can be chosen from the following list: one or more cylinders, in particular pneumatic or electric, a prestressed elastomer material, at least one spring such as a torsion spring or a compression spring, or a combination of at least two of these return means.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the container also comprises means for retaining the hatch 3 which are shaped to hold it in the normal position, ie in the closed position, and which become inoperative as soon as they receive information related to the detection of smoke, via the detector D, or information related to the operation of the storage units, via management means, as described below.

In the case presented here, these retaining means 5 consist of an electromagnetic sucker 51 integral with a plate 50, itself fixed on a corresponding part of the inner wall of the door 2, so that the suction cup is arranged such that so that it returns at least partially in a recess 32 provided in the thickness of the hatch 3 (see in particular Figure 6).

In the case where the hatch 3 is not mounted on a door, but directly on a wall of the container 1, it is then on this wall that the plate 50 is mounted.

These retaining means 5 which here consist of an electromagnetic pad can be replaced by any type of means for retaining the hatch in the closed position. This may be for example one or more remote control pneumatic kits usually used in the context of fire escape hatches. It can also be an electromagnetic or electropneumatic lock, or an electromagnetic or electropneumatic strike.

Furthermore, the hatch 3 is also provided with a position sensor 6, which allows to automatically check if the latter is in the closed position. This sensor 6 is for example composed of a roller (or a shoe) mounted to rotate, and a compression spring which moves the roller / shoe from a position constrained against the hatch 3 to a released position when the hatch 3 is open.

When the smoke detector is activated, the latter sends the corresponding information to a central computer controlled, which triggers, inter alia, the opening of all hatches 3, namely that it cuts off the power of the electromagnetic suction cups described above. In doing so, the hatches 3 all pass into the open position, called "security", because of the presence of the return means 31.

Independently or in combination with the foregoing, the container 1 may contain management means, such as an automaton (otherwise called Programmable Logic Controller), which perform among other things one or more measurements of at least one operating parameter of the storage units 4 and which are configured to automatically, selectively or simultaneously pass said traps from said normal position to said safety position, as soon as the measurement made reaches a predetermined set value.

The parameter in question can be the temperature, the intensity, the voltage, etc., the set value then corresponding to an abnormal value of this parameter, which value can also be parameterizable according to the applications.

In this way, we prevent or limit the damage caused by an impending fire.

In alternative embodiments, the container could comprise several detectors connected to one another and / or to the aforementioned central unit to trigger simultaneously or independently the opening of several traps.

As shown in the accompanying figures, the hatches can be integrated in a wall of the container or in a door. Each hatch 3 can be thermally insulated if necessary and can support members of the type of ventilation grilles, or fans, air conditioning equipment, registers, etc.

In the particular case where the container 1 is equipped with several hatches 3, it is possible to envisage a combination of opening these traps according to the direction of the wind to allow better evacuation of the fumes. In this case, there will be adequate sensors connected to the central intelligence of the container to optimize the opening of these traps.

Additionally, the container may be provided with a blower device to evacuate the smoke more quickly.

One can also consider the presence of a system of protection of the interior of the container against the weather, when the hatches pass in open safety position inadvertently, for example due to electrical or magnetic disturbances. In such a case, it is indeed important to protect the elements contained inside the container, elements which are, a priori, in perfect working order.

Finally, a sound alarm device can be connected to the smoke detector and the central intelligence, so as to prevent the nearby environment in case of fire.

In all of the foregoing description, the hatches were considered as being formed of a plane and occulting material. However, it could be envisaged that these traps have a slightly convex shape, in the manner of what is called by anglicism "skydome". Moreover, these traps could be made of a translucent or transparent material.

Claims

Container (1) for storing at least one storage unit (4) for electrical energy, characterized in that at least one of its walls is provided with at least one vent hatch (3) which is movable between a closed position called normal position, in which it closes said wall, and an open position called safety position, in which it communicates the interior space (E) of said container with the outside, and thereby that it comprises:

at least one smoke detector (D) which, when activated, is configured to automatically pass said hatch (3) from said normal position to said safety position;

and / or management means configured to perform a measurement of at least one operating parameter of said at least one storage unit (4) and to automatically move said hatch (3) from said normal position to said position of safety when said measurement made reaches a predetermined set value.

2. Container (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it has the shape of a rectangular or square parallelepiped and said hatch (3) is present on a vertical peripheral face (12, 13, 14, 15 ) of it.

3. Container according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it has the shape of a rectangular or square parallelepiped and said hatch (3) is present on a roof (10) thereof.

4. Container (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said flap (3) is pivotally mounted relative to said wall.

5. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flap (3) is integrated in a door (2) for access to said inner space (E) or is merged with this door (2) .

6. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flap (3) is provided with biasing means (31) which tend to maintain it in the safety position when these means of return do not are not forced.

7. Container (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said biasing means are selected from the group consisting of: an inverted spring hinge (31), one or more cylinders, in particular pneumatic or electric, an elastomeric material, at least one spring such as a torsion spring or a compression spring, or a combination of at least two thereof.

8. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises retaining means (5) of said trap (3) in the normal position which become inoperative as soon as they receive information related to the detection of smoke, via said detector (D), or information related to the operation of said at least one storage unit (4), via said management means.

9. Container (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that said retaining means are selected from the group formed by at least one electromagnetic pad (5), at least one remote control pneumatic kit, at least one electromagnetic lock or electropneumatic, at least one electromagnetic or electropneumatic strike.

10. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one sensor (6) position of said trap (3).

1 1. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of traps (3) and several detectors (D), these detectors (D) being configured to trigger selectively or simultaneously the opening said hatches (3).

12. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises several traps (3) and that said management means are configured to selectively or simultaneously trigger the opening of said hatches (3).