CN117652053A - Water injection unit and energy storage system comprising same - Google Patents

Abstract

The water injection unit according to the present invention includes: an enclosure having a connection port provided on at least one outer wall thereof through which a fire hose connector or a communication cable can be connected; a water tank connected to the connection port and disposed in the enclosure; a gas tank connected to the water tank to supply gas to the inside of the water tank, and a control unit connected to the connection port and the gas tank and configured to detect whether a fire occurs in the battery container and to control such that gas is injected from the gas tank into the water tank, whereby fire extinguishing water in the water tank is discharged due to gas pressure.

Description

Water injection unit and energy storage system comprising same

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a water injection unit and an energy storage system including the same, and more particularly, to a water injection unit capable of supplying fire extinguishing water to a plurality of energy storage containers and an energy storage system including the same.

The present application claims priority from korean patent application nos. 10-2022-0008104 and 10-2023-0006974, filed in korea on 1 month 19 in 2022 and 1 month 17 in 2023, respectively, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Background

In general, a smart grid, which is a future power grid, optimizes the operation efficiency of the power grid through two-way communication between suppliers and consumers, while observing and controlling the power grid in real time by applying information and communication technology to an existing power system. This may be associated with new electric power devices such as a charging system of an electric car or recently added new renewable energy sources to generate electricity, and may improve the efficiency of electric power use by providing electric power use information of consumers in real time, thereby reducing unnecessary investment in power generation facilities and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Recently, interest in smart grids has increased due to problems such as modernization planning of the grids and expansion of new renewable energy sources, and research on smart grids is actively underway.

One of the key technologies associated with smart grids is energy storage. The energy storage device is used to store electrical power during off-peak hours and to use the stored electrical energy during peak hours to facilitate load balancing. Such energy storage devices may facilitate efficient use of the electrical utility.

Previously, a pump water energy storage power generation method for converting night residual power into potential energy of water and storing energy or a chemical energy storage method for combining a plurality of lead-acid batteries in series or in parallel has been mainly adopted. Recently, however, with the development of lithium ion batteries having high energy storage density, it has become possible to construct high-voltage, high-capacity power storage devices using a chemical energy storage method.

One of the biggest social problems associated with energy storage devices is fire safety. Because the energy storage device includes an extremely large number of batteries, there is a high risk of sequential combustion and fire spread even if an accident occurs in one battery.

Current energy storage systems may include a large number of battery containers to ensure extremely high charge/discharge capacities. A plurality of battery racks may be included in each battery container, and a plurality of battery modules may be included in each battery rack.

Accordingly, in order to secure fire safety of the energy storage system, there is a need for a water injection unit capable of effectively performing a water injection function on a large number of battery containers included in the energy storage system and suppressing a fire.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

The present disclosure is designed to solve the problems of the related art, and therefore, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a water injection unit capable of effectively injecting water into a battery container and having good installation convenience, and an energy storage system including the same.

However, technical objects to be achieved by the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and other technical objects not mentioned will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of the present disclosure.

Technical proposal

In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a water injection unit including: an enclosure comprising a connection port on at least one outer wall, said connection port being connectable to a fire connection hose or a communication cable connected from a battery container; a water tank connected to the connection port and located in the enclosure; a gas tank connected to the water tank to supply gas into the water tank; and a controller connected to the connection port and the gas tank and configured to detect whether a fire occurs in the battery container, and to allow gas in the gas tank to be injected into the water tank and to allow fire extinguishing water in the water tank to be discharged due to gas pressure.

The enclosure may include: an enclosure body forming sides and a top; and a chassis assembly positioned below and supporting the enclosure body and configured to be transportable by a forklift.

The air storage tank may be a nitrogen tank.

The connection port may be provided at a lower end of one sidewall of the envelope, and include: a water injection port connected with a fire connection hose connected to the battery container; a discharge/fill port for filling or discharging fire-extinguishing water into or from the water tank; and a communication port for connecting a communication cable to the controller.

The water injection unit may further comprise a pipe member disposed within the enclosure, wherein the pipe member comprises: a water injection line for connecting the water tank to the water injection port; a drain/fill line for connecting the tank to the drain/fill port; and a communication pipeline for connecting the controller to the communication port.

The enclosure may further include an external water source port provided on the outer wall to be connectable to an external water source (e.g., a hydrant or fire engine), and the pipe member may further include an external water source connection line for connecting the external water source port to the water injection line.

The water injection unit may further include an air conditioner fixedly provided on an outer wall of the enclosure to adjust temperature and humidity in the enclosure.

The water injection unit may further include a manual operation unit provided on an outer wall of the envelope and connected to the gas container to inject the gas stored in the gas container.

The water injection unit may further include a horn or warning light provided on an outer wall of the enclosure and connected to the controller and configured to emit a warning sound or a warning light in case of an accident.

The chassis assembly may include: an outer frame forming a quadrilateral edge having four beams; and a bottom plate portion covering an inner area of the quadrangular edge of the outer frame; wherein the outer frame includes fork insertion holes in two beams parallel to each other.

The chassis assembly may include: an outer frame forming a quadrilateral edge having four beams; a bottom plate portion covering an inner hollow region of the outer frame; and anchor units inserted into the beam and configured to be fixed to the ground by changing positions along an extending direction of the beam.

Each of at least two of the four beams may include an anchor insertion portion formed by recessing a side surface of the beam from an outer side to an inner side, wherein the anchor unit is inserted into the anchor insertion portion and includes: a beam supporting plate including a first portion having a height corresponding to a height of an inner space of the anchor insertion portion and forcibly fitted into the anchor insertion portion, and a second portion protruding outwardly from the anchor insertion portion; and an anchor plate disposed at a lower end of the second portion.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an energy storage system comprising: a water injection unit; and a plurality of battery containers, each battery container including a battery rack, a fire detector, and a fire fighting line, wherein the water injection unit and the battery container, or the plurality of battery containers, are connected through a fire fighting connection hose.

The battery containers may further include a fire-fighting connector provided on the outer wall surface and connected to the fire-fighting line, wherein the fire-fighting connector of any one battery container and the fire-fighting connector of another battery container are connected by a fire-fighting connection hose.

The fire connector may include a first fire connector disposed on one sidewall surface of the battery container and a second fire connector disposed on the other sidewall surface of the battery container, wherein the fire line includes: a main pipe having one end connected to the first fire connector and the other end connected to the second fire connector; a plurality of branch pipes branching from the main pipe; and a battery rack duct connected to each of the plurality of branch ducts and fixedly provided on the battery rack, wherein the battery rack duct includes injection nozzles connected to battery modules provided in the battery rack, respectively.

Advantageous effects

According to aspects of the present invention, it is possible to provide a water injection unit capable of effectively injecting water into a plurality of battery containers and having good installation convenience, and an energy storage system including the same.

In particular, since the water injection unit according to the present invention can perform fire judgment, warning, and rapid water injection to a plurality of battery containers, early fire suppression can be achieved and fire spread can be prevented.

In addition, since the water injection unit according to the present invention has good transportation and installation convenience, labor and material costs required for constructing field facilities can be reduced.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the detailed description of the present invention.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a water injection unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view illustrating the water injection unit of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a chassis assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating a chassis assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating an anchor unit separated from the outer frame of fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating one example in which the water injection unit is fixed to the ground.

Fig. 7 is a view illustrating one example of a change in the position of the anchor unit of fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a rear view illustrating a water injection unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view illustrating a connection port of a water injection unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 10 is a front view illustrating a water injection unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 11 is a side view illustrating a water injection unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a water injection unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a water injection unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 14 is a view schematically illustrating the construction of an energy storage system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 15 is a view schematically illustrating some elements of a water injection unit and a battery container according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 16 is a view schematically illustrating a battery rack and fire suppression lines disposed in a battery container according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 17 is a view schematically illustrating a connection type between two battery containers according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 18 is an enlarged view illustrating a fire connector of a battery container according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Before the description, it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be construed as limited to general and dictionary meanings, but interpreted based on the meanings and concepts corresponding to technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of the principle that the inventor is allowed to define terms appropriately for the best explanation.

Throughout the specification, where one portion is expressed as being connected to another portion, the one portion may be not only directly connected to the other portion but also indirectly connected to the other portion via the other portion. Furthermore, when a component "comprises" an element, the component may further comprise another element, without excluding the other element, unless otherwise specified.

The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure may be readily implemented by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. In describing the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, descriptions of related well-known techniques or constructions that may obscure the gist of the present disclosure are omitted.

The water injection unit described below is a fire protection device for preferably outdoor installation and for ensuring fire safety of the energy storage system. However, the water injection unit according to the present disclosure is not necessarily an item that should be used restrictively for building an energy storage system. That is, the water injection unit may be used as a fire-fighting device for general buildings or warehouses as well as a fire-fighting device for energy storage systems.

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a water injection unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view illustrating the water injection unit of fig. 1.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, a water injection unit 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: an enclosure 100 including a connection port 130 on at least one outer wall, the connection port being connectable to a fire connection hose or a communication cable connected from the battery container 20; a water tank 200 in which a certain amount of fire-extinguishing water is stored; a gas container 300 in which gas is stored in the gas container 300; and a controller 400.

As described in detail below, since the water tank 200, the air tank 300, the controller 400, and other pipe members are accommodated in the enclosure 100, and the enclosure 100 includes the connection port 130 on the side wall, the water injection unit 10 can be easily transported to a desired installation location, and can be simply and easily connected to the battery container 20.

Further, since the water injection unit 10 according to the present disclosure is configured to determine whether a fire exists in the battery container 20 by communicating with the battery container 20 and to supply fire extinguishing water to the battery container 20 when a fire is detected, early fire suppression of the battery container 20 can be achieved and fire spread can be prevented.

As a main element of the water injection unit 10, the enclosure 100 may protect components such as the water tank 200, the air tank 300, and the controller 400 from the outside, and may be configured to be easily transported and installed outdoors.

The envelope 100 may be implemented in a box shape, which is easy to transport, and has an inner space in which the water tank 200, the air tank 300, the controller 400, and other pipe members may be accommodated. In detail, as shown in fig. 1, the enclosure 100 includes an enclosure body 110 forming sides and a top, and a chassis assembly 120 located under the enclosure body 110 and supporting the enclosure body 110. The side refers to portions surrounding the front, rear, left, and right sides of the envelope 100 (excluding the upper and lower sides of the envelope 100), and the top refers to portions covering the upper side of the envelope 100.

As shown in fig. 2, the enclosure body 110 includes an inner frame 111, a front door 112, a rear door 113, a first inner cover 114, a second inner cover 115, a first side plate assembly 116, a second side plate assembly 117, and a top cover 118.

The inner frame 111 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped structure by combining various corner pieces and panels. Further, the inner frame 111 may include one or more bars vertically or horizontally disposed therein. The water tank 200, the air tank 300, the controller 400, and other pipe members may be fixed to the pole by using a fixing device (e.g., a bracket).

The open portion of the inner frame 111 of fig. 2 may be covered by the front door 112, the rear door 113, the first inner cover 114, the second inner cover 115, the first side panel assembly 116, and the second side panel assembly 117, as shown in fig. 1.

The front door 112, the rear door 113, the first inner cover 114, the second inner cover 115, the first side panel assembly 116, the second side panel assembly 117, and the top cover 118 may each include a heat insulating member, thereby having heat insulating and dust preventing properties.

Referring to fig. 3, the chassis assembly 120 may include an outer frame 121 forming a quadrangular edge having four beams, and a bottom plate portion 124 covering an inner hollow area of the outer frame 121 and configured to support the enclosure body 110 from the bottom.

Further, the undercarriage assembly 120 may be configured to be transportable by a transport device such as a forklift. The forklift may refer to such a transport vehicle or transport device: which includes a pillar portion erected at a front portion of a vehicle and a fork portion liftable along the pillar portion.

In detail, the outer frame 121 includes fork insertion holes 122 in two beams parallel to each other. The fork insertion holes 122 formed in the two beams may be formed such that the side portions of the beams are penetrated in the front-rear direction (±x direction). The fork of the forklift may be inserted into the fork insertion hole 122, and the water injection unit 10 may be lifted and transported by the forklift.

In the water injection unit 10 according to the present disclosure, the air tank 300 may be replaced through the front door 112 of the envelope 100, and the fire-extinguishing water of the water tank 200 may be discharged or filled through the discharge/filling port 132, which is the connection port 130 described below. In this case, when transporting the water injection unit 10, the water injection unit 10 may be transported as lightly as possible by not placing the air tank 300 in the envelope 100 and evacuating the water tank 200. After the envelope 100 is installed at a desired position, the air tank 300 may be inserted into the envelope 100 through the front door 112 of the envelope 100, and the water tank 200 may be filled with fire-extinguishing water.

In addition, the chassis assembly 120 further includes an anchor insertion portion 123 formed in at least two of the four beams of the outer frame 121, and an anchor unit 125 inserted into the anchor insertion portion 123.

Referring to fig. 3 to 5, in the outer frame 121, the anchor insertion portion 123 may be provided in two beams extending in the X-axis direction and parallel to each other. The anchor insertion portion 123 is formed by recessing a side surface of the beam from the outside inwards.

In more detail, referring mainly to fig. 5, the anchor insertion portion 123 includes a first plate P1, a second plate P2, which are spaced apart from each other in a height direction (Z direction) of the chassis assembly 120, and a third plate P3, the upper and lower ends of which are vertically connected to the first and second plates P1 and P2. The third plate P3 is located in an inner edge portion in the width direction (Y direction) of the first and second plates P1 and P2. The anchor insertion portion 123 has an inner space surrounded by the first to third plates P1, P2, P3, the inner space being open in a direction facing the third plate. Accordingly, the anchor unit 125 may be partially inserted into the inner space of the anchor insertion part 123.

The anchor unit 125 includes a beam support plate 126 including a first portion 126a and a second portion 126b, and an anchor plate 127 provided at a lower end of the second portion 126 b.

In the beam support plate 126, a height of the first portion 126a may correspond to a height of an inner space of the anchor insertion portion 123, and may be forcibly fitted into the anchor insertion portion 123. In the beam support plate 126, the second portion 126b may further protrude outward from the anchor insertion portion 123.

A pair of beam support plates 126 may be provided, and two beam support plates 126 may be spaced apart from each other at a certain interval in the horizontal direction. Although a pair of beam support plates 126 is provided in the present embodiment, one, or three or more beam support plates 126 may be provided.

The anchor plate 127 is provided at the lower end of the second portion 126b of the beam support plate 126. The anchor plate 127 is formed in a plate shape transverse to the lower end of the second portion 126b so as to be parallel to the ground. That is, the beam support plate 126 and the anchor plate 127 are disposed to cross each other. The anchor plate 127 may include fastening holes H for securing the anchor plate 127 to the ground by, for example, using anchor bolts B.

The anchor unit 125 may be inserted into the at least two beams, and may be configured to be fixed to the ground by changing a position along an extending direction of the beams.

Referring back to fig. 3 to 5, the anchor unit 125 may be inserted into the inner space of the anchor insertion unit 123, and the inner space of the anchor insertion unit 123 is extended long in the extension direction of the beam. In this case, the setting range of the anchor units 125 and the setting number of the anchor units 125 may be increased.

For example, the anchor units 125 may be disposed on both edges of the beam of the chassis assembly 120 as shown in fig. 6, or the anchor units 125 may be disposed at positions spaced apart from one end and the other end of the beam at intervals as shown in fig. 7. Although not shown, three or four anchor units 125 may be provided for each beam.

For example, a drilling operation is performed in advance to open a hole in the ground E where the water injection unit 10 is to be installed. The positions of the holes formed in advance and the fastening holes H of the anchor plate 127 may not match due to errors of the drilling operation. In this case, since the water injection unit 10 according to the present disclosure can simply change the installation position of the anchor unit 125, it is possible to cope with a positional error between the position of the hole of the ground E and the position of the fastening hole H of the anchor plate 127. Further, by checking the state of the installation position of the ground E, the anchor plate 127 can be easily moved to a better position.

In this way, since the water injection unit 10 according to the present disclosure includes the anchor unit 125 and the outer frame 121 including the anchor insertion part 123, by adjusting the position of the anchor unit 125 according to the state of the ground and inserting the anchor plate 127 into the ground, the field installation can be easily performed even outdoors.

Referring to fig. 8 and 9, the enclosure 100 includes a plurality of connection ports 130.

The connection port 130 may be provided on at least one outer wall of the enclosure 100 to connect fire connection hoses or communication/power cables from external devices (e.g., battery container 20 or an external water source) located at the exterior of the enclosure 100.

The connection ports 130 may include a water injection port 131, a drain/fill port 132, and a communication port 133.

The water injection port 131 and the drain/fill port 132 may be disposed below the rear door 113 of the enclosure 100.

The water injection port 131 may be connected to a fire-fighting connection hose at the outside of the enclosure 100, and may be connected to the water tank 200 in the enclosure 100.

The drain/fill port 132 is a connection port 130 that: for discharging the fire-extinguishing water in the water tank 200 to the outside of the envelope 100 or filling the fire-extinguishing water into the water tank 200 from the outside of the envelope 100. The drain/fill port 132 is connected to a water tank 200 in the enclosure 100. The drain/fill port 132 may be normally closed with a plug or the like and may be connected to a drain hose or fill hose at the exterior of the enclosure 100, if desired.

The communication port 133 may be connected to a communication cable at the exterior of the enclosure 100 and may be connected to a controller 400 within the enclosure 100. The communication cable may be connected to a control unit and/or a fire detector provided in the battery container 20.

The water injection port 131, the drain/fill port 132, and the communication port 133 may be provided as a set below the rear door 113. In this case, the wiring layout between the water injection unit 10 and the battery container 20 can be easily simplified.

Referring to fig. 10 to 13, the water injection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may further include an external water source port 134. The external water source port 134 may be provided on an outer wall of the enclosure 100 to enable connection to an external water source (e.g., a hydrant or fire engine).

That is, the external water source port 134 is such that: when a hydrant is present around the site where the water injection unit 10 is installed, a fire hose for connecting the hydrant to the external water source port 134 is connected to the external water source port to use the hydrant instead of the water tank 200. Since the external water source port 134 is provided on the outer wall of the enclosure 100, the fire extinguishing water of the water tank 200 can be mainly used to cope with a fire when the fire occurs, and when the fire engine arrives at the fire scene, a fire hose of the fire engine can be connected to the external water source port 134 and the fire extinguishing water of the fire engine can be directly supplied to the battery container 20.

Referring to fig. 12 and 13, the water tank 200 is an element storing fire extinguishing water therein, and for example, the fire extinguishing water storage capacity may be determined according to the size or number of fire extinguishing apparatuses. For example, in the present embodiment, the water tank 200 has a fire extinguishing water storage capacity of about 900L to about 1000L to cope with fire in three battery containers 20.

The water tank 200 is connected to the water injection port 131 through a water injection line 510 in the enclosure 100. In addition, the water tank 200 may further include a pressure sensor PG and a water level sensor WG for monitoring an internal pressure and a water level. An auxiliary pipe SP and a valve for opening/closing the auxiliary pipe SP may be provided in the water tank 200 to adjust a water level or pressure.

In particular, the water tank 200 may be connected to the air tank 300. As shown in fig. 12, the water tank 200 and the gas tank 300 may be connected by a gas supply pipe 310 through which gas moves through the gas supply pipe 310.

The valve of the air tank 300 is opened/closed by the controller 400 under a certain condition to supply air to the water tank 200. When gas is injected from the gas tank 300 to the water tank 200, the fire-extinguishing water in the water tank 200 can be rapidly and strongly discharged to the outside of the water tank 200 due to the pressure of the gas.

The gas may be nitrogen. Thus, the air tank 300 may be a nitrogen tank. However, the air tank 300 need not be a nitrogen tank. That is, any gas may be used as long as the gas can function like nitrogen.

The air tank 300 may include: a tank in which a gas can be stored; a valve disposed on one side of the tank; and a mechanical/electrical actuator 320 for closing/opening the valve. The actuator 320 may be connected to the controller 400 and may be configured to operate according to a control signal of the controller 400.

For example, when the controller 400 detects a fire in the battery container 20, the actuator may be operated by the controller 400 to open a valve of the air tank 300 and inject air into the water tank 200 through the air supply pipe 310. The fire extinguishing water in the fire extinguishing tank may then be rapidly discharged along the water injection line 510 under the pressure of the gas.

The controller 400 is an element connected to the connection port 130 and the air tank 300, and is configured to detect whether a fire occurs in the battery container 20, and to allow the air in the air tank 300 to be injected into the water tank 200, and to allow the fire extinguishing water in the water tank 200 to be discharged due to the air pressure.

That is, the controller 400 may be configured to transmit data to the battery container 20 to determine a fire situation of the battery container 20, and to control the gas container 300 to spray gas from the gas container 300 when certain conditions are satisfied. In addition, the controller 400 may be configured to operate the horn/warning light 800 to notify an emergency. The controller 400 may optionally include a processor, application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), logic circuit, register, communications modem, data processing unit, etc., as known in the art.

Furthermore, the water injection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a pipe member 500 in the envelope 100 for connecting the connection port 130, the external water source port 134, and the internal components, namely, the water tank 200, the air tank 300, and the controller 400.

Referring to fig. 12 and 13, the pipe member 500 includes: a water injection line 510 for connecting the water tank 200 to the water injection port 131; a drain/fill line 520 for connecting the tank 200 to the drain/fill port 132; and a communication pipeline 530 for connecting the controller 400 to the communication port 133.

The water injection line 510 may include at least one metal conduit, a flexible hose, a connection flange, and an open/close valve. The water injection line 510 extends from the upper end of the water tank 200 to a water injection port 131 located on the rear outer wall of the enclosure 100, and serves as a passage through which fire-extinguishing water can move from the water tank 200 to the water injection port 131.

The discharge/fill line 520 may include at least one metal pipe, a flexible hose, and an open/close valve, and may extend from a lower end of the water tank 200 to the discharge/fill port 132 located on a rear outer wall of the enclosure 100, and may serve as a moving path of fire-extinguishing water when the fire-extinguishing water is discharged from the water tank 200 or filled in the water tank 200.

The communication line 530 may include a conduit formed of an insulating material and at least one communication cable or power cable inserted into the conduit. The communication line 530 serves as a moving path of data or power required to operate an Alternating Current (AC) tank, the air tank 300, the water tank 200, the air conditioner 600, the manual operation unit 700, and the horn/warning lamp 800, and is located between the controller 400 and the communication port 133 in the enclosure 100.

As shown in fig. 13, the water injection unit 10 according to the present disclosure further includes an external water source connection line 540 as a pipe member 500. The external water source connection line 540 includes a flexible hose and a metal pipe. The external water source connection line 540 is a piping member 500 for moving the fire extinguishing water introduced into the external water source port 134 to the water injection port 131, and the external water source connection line 540 connects the external water source port 134 to the water injection line 510. For example, the external water source connection line 540 and the water injection line 510 may be connected by a T-shaped flange 511 or a T-shaped tee. According to this piping configuration, it is possible to connect an external water source such as a hydrant or a fire engine to the external water source port 134 provided on the outer wall of the enclosure 100, suck fire-extinguishing water from the external water source, and supply the fire-extinguishing water to a target object where a fire occurs, i.e., the battery container 20, through the external water source connection line 540, the water injection line, the water injection port 131, and the fire-extinguishing connection hose connected to the water injection port 131.

In the water injection unit 10 according to the present disclosure, the water tank 200, the air tank 300, the controller 400, and the pipe member 500 are arranged in the enclosure 100 as shown in fig. 12, to achieve miniaturization, light weight, and convenient management.

That is, in fig. 12, the water tank 200 having the largest volume is located at the left corner of the envelope 100, the air tank 300 and the controller 400 are positioned to face the front door 112, and most of the duct member 500 and the manual switch for opening/closing the duct member 500 are positioned to face the rear door 113.

According to this configuration, most of the internal components can be managed and maintained by opening the front door 112 or the rear door 113. For example, the air tank 300 or the management controller 400 may be replaced by opening the front door 112, and the duct member 500 and the connection port 130 may be managed by opening the rear door 113. In this way, the enclosure 100 may be as small and light as possible, since the internal components in the enclosure 100 may be managed, maintained, and densely arranged in space.

The water injection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may further include an air conditioner 600. The air conditioner 600 is fixedly provided on the outer wall of the enclosure 100 to adjust the temperature and humidity in the enclosure 100. The operation of the air conditioner 600 may be controlled by the controller 400. For example, the controller 400 activates the heating function of the air conditioner 600 when the temperature in the enclosure 100 is lowered, and the controller 400 activates the cooling function of the air conditioner 600 when the temperature in the enclosure 100 is raised. In this case, even if the temperature of the outside of the envelope 100 drops below zero, the fire-extinguishing water in the water tank 200 can be prevented from freezing, and the electronic and electric components can be prevented from malfunctioning.

Further, the water injection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a manual operation unit 700 (e.g., a Manual Pulling Station (MPS)). The manual operation unit 700 may be provided on an outer wall of the envelope 100 and may be connected to the gas container 300 in the envelope 100 to spray the gas stored in the gas container 300. For example, the manual operation unit 700 may be provided in the form of a lever. When the lever is pulled, a mechanical or electrical signal may be directly transmitted to the actuator 320 of the gas tank 300, or may be transmitted to the actuator of the gas tank 300 through the controller 400 to open a valve of the gas tank 300 to spray gas. In case of emergency in which the fire detector is not operated, the fire extinguishing water can be rapidly injected by using the manual operation unit 700 in particular.

Further, as shown in fig. 10 and 13, the water injection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a horn/warning lamp 800 at an upper end of a front surface of the envelope 100 to inform an accident situation acoustically and visually. The horn/warning lamp 800 may be connected to the controller 400, and may be configured to emit a warning sound or light based on a control signal of the controller 400 when a fire occurs.

Fig. 14 is a view schematically illustrating the construction of an energy storage system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 15 is a view schematically illustrating some elements of the water injection unit 10 and the battery container 20 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 16 is a view schematically illustrating a battery rack 21 and a fire line 23 provided in a battery container 20 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 17 is a view schematically illustrating the type of connection between two battery containers 20 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 18 is an enlarged view illustrating a portion of a battery container 20 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

An energy storage system according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to fig. 14 to 18.

As shown in fig. 14, the energy storage system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a water injection unit 10 and a plurality of battery containers 20A, 20B, 20C.

The water injection unit 10 has been described above, and thus, the battery container 20 will be mainly described.

The battery container 20 includes a battery rack 21 and a container housing. The battery rack 21 may have a structure in which a plurality of modules (not shown) are stacked. In each battery module, a plurality of battery cells (secondary batteries) may be accommodated in the module case. Each of the battery modules may be accommodated in a battery rack housing, and may be stacked in at least one direction. For example, each battery module may be vertically stacked in a battery rack housing.

The battery container 20 may include a plurality of battery racks 21 therein. The plurality of battery holders 21 may be arranged in at least one direction, for example, a horizontal direction. For example, in the battery container 20 according to the present disclosure, eight battery racks 21 may be accommodated in a container case.

The container housing may have an inner hollow space in which the battery rack 21 may be accommodated. For example, the container housing may comprise a metallic material, such as steel.

Although not shown for convenience of explanation, the battery containers 20 may be electrically connected to each other through a connection between the main bus bars of the battery containers 20. For example, each of the left battery container 20 and the right battery container 20 may include a main bus bar. The main bus bar connector located on the upper right portion of the left battery container 20 and the main bus bar connector located on the upper left portion of the right battery container 20 may be connected to each other by a connection bus bar or a connection cable. In this case, the main bus bar of the left battery container 20 and the main bus bar of the right battery container 20 may be electrically connected to each other. Accordingly, the left battery container 20 and the right battery connector 20 may be configured such that charge/discharge power flows therebetween. In this case, the battery module included in the left battery container 20 and the battery module included in the right battery container 20 may be electrically connected to each other in parallel.

According to the present embodiment, the charge/discharge power connection between the plurality of battery containers 20 can be easily achieved by connecting only the main bus bar connectors provided in the plurality of battery containers 20. Further, in the present embodiment, since the main bus bar connectors located in the adjacent portions between the plurality of battery containers 20 need to be connected to each other, the connection can be easily achieved.

Referring to fig. 15 to 18, the battery container 20 according to the present disclosure may be configured to receive fire extinguishing water from the water injection unit 10.

For example, referring to fig. 15, the battery container 20 may include a fire detector 22, fire lines, and fire connectors 24. The fire detector 22 includes a gas sensor and/or a temperature sensor and is configured to detect a gas or flame when the gas or flame is generated in the battery module. The fire detector 22 and the water injection unit 10 are connected through a communication cable 40 or wirelessly, and operation information of the fire detector 22 is transmitted to the controller 400 of the water injection unit 10. Then, the gas of the gas container 300 may be sprayed from the controller 400, and the fire-extinguishing water in the water tank 200 may be rapidly supplied to the battery container 20 due to the pressure of the sprayed gas.

As shown in fig. 15 and 16, the fire-fighting connector 24 may be connected to the water injection port 131 of the water injection unit 10 through a fire-fighting connection hose 30, and thus, the battery container 20 may receive fire-extinguishing water from the water injection unit 10. The fire extinguishing water supplied to the battery container 20 may be supplied to the battery rack 21 in the container housing.

In detail, the battery container 20 may include a fire line 23 connected to a fire connector 24 to allow fire extinguishing water to flow through a specific path in the container housing. The fire suppression line 23 may include a main conduit 25, a plurality of branch conduits 26, and a battery rack conduit 27.

One end of the main pipe 25 extending in the arrangement direction of the battery rack 21 may be connected to a fire-fighting connector 24 provided on one side wall surface of the battery container, and the other end may be connected to a fire-fighting connector 24 provided on the other side wall surface of the battery container 20. The fire-fighting connector 24 provided on one side wall surface of the battery container 20 is referred to as a first fire-fighting connector 24F, and the fire-fighting connector 24 provided on the other side wall surface of the battery container 20 is referred to as a second fire-fighting connector 24R.

The branch pipe 26 may branch from the main pipe 25, and may be connected to a battery rack pipe 27. The battery rack duct 27 may include injection nozzles 28 respectively connected to battery modules (not shown) provided in the battery rack 21, and may be connected to each of the branch ducts 26, and may be fixedly provided on the battery rack 21. The injection nozzle 28 may be a glass bulb. In this case, when a fire occurs in a specific battery module, glass bubbles connected to the specific battery module may be damaged, and thus, fire extinguishing water may be supplied into the specific battery module.

Further, the energy storage system according to the present disclosure may be configured to supply fire extinguishing water to the plurality of battery containers 20 by using one water injection unit 10. For example, referring to fig. 17, the fire connector 24 of any one battery container 20 and the fire connector 24 of another battery container 20 may be connected by a fire connection hose 30. Thus, the main pipes 25 of the two battery containers 20A, 20B can be connected to each other.

In more detail, referring to fig. 14 to 18 together, fire extinguishing water may be supplied from the water injection unit 10 to the first fire extinguishing connector 24F of the first battery container 20A. Fire extinguishing water can be supplied to the first fire extinguishing connector 24F of the second battery container 20B through the main pipe 25 and the second fire extinguishing connector 24R of the first battery container 20A and the fire extinguishing connection hose 30. The fire extinguishing water may then be supplied from the first fire extinguishing connector 24F of the second battery container 20B to the main conduit 25 of the second battery container 20B. Since the second fire extinguishing connector 24R of the second battery container 20B and the first fire extinguishing connector 24F of the third battery container 20C are also connected by the fire extinguishing connection hose 30, fire extinguishing water can move from the main pipe 25 of the second battery container 20B to the main pipe 25 of the third battery container 20C. Accordingly, the fire extinguishing water supplied from the water injection unit 10 can flow through all fire fighting lines 23 of the three battery containers 20A, 20B, 20C.

According to this simple construction of the energy storage system according to the present disclosure, it is possible to cope with a fire of several battery containers 20 using only one water injection unit 10. Accordingly, the fire safety of the plurality of battery containers 20 can be improved, and the installation convenience of the safety improvement structure can be improved.

The present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments. Furthermore, the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and describe the preferred embodiments, and the present disclosure may be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments. That is, changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the present disclosure, within the scope equivalent to the present disclosure, or within the skill or knowledge of the art. Accordingly, the detailed description of the present disclosure is not intended to limit the disclosure to the embodiments described above. Furthermore, other embodiments are also to be understood as covered by the appended claims.

Claims (15)

1. A water injection unit comprising:

an enclosure comprising a connection port on at least one outer wall, the connection port being connectable to a fire connection hose or a communication cable connected from a battery container;

a water tank connected to the connection port and located in the enclosure;

A gas tank connected to the water tank to supply gas into the water tank; and

a controller connected to the connection port and the gas tank and configured to detect whether a fire occurs in the battery container, and to allow gas in the gas tank to be injected into the water tank and to allow fire extinguishing water in the water tank to be discharged due to gas pressure.

2. The water injection unit of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises:

an enclosure body forming sides and a top of the enclosure; and

a chassis assembly located below and supporting the enclosure body and configured to be transportable by a forklift.

3. The water injection unit of claim 1, wherein the air reservoir is a nitrogen reservoir.

4. The water injection unit of claim 1, wherein the connection port is provided at a lower end of one sidewall of the capsule, and comprises:

a water injection port connected with the fire connection hose connected to the battery container;

a discharge/fill port for filling or discharging fire-extinguishing water into or from the water tank; and

And a communication port for connecting the communication cable to the controller.

5. The water injection unit of claim 4, further comprising a tubing member disposed in the enclosure,

wherein the piping structure includes:

a water injection line for connecting the water tank to the water injection port;

a drain/fill line for connecting the tank to the drain/fill port; and

a communication pipeline for connecting the controller to the communication port.

6. The water injection unit of claim 5, wherein,

the enclosure further includes an external water source port provided on an outer wall of the enclosure to enable connection to an external water source (e.g., a hydrant or fire truck); and is also provided with

The piping structure further includes an external water source connection line for connecting the external water source port to the water injection line.

7. The water injection unit of claim 1, further comprising an air conditioning device fixedly disposed on an outer wall of the enclosure to regulate temperature and humidity in the enclosure.

8. The water injection unit according to claim 1, further comprising a manual operation unit provided on an outer wall of the envelope and connected to the gas tank to inject the gas stored in the gas tank.

9. The water injection unit of claim 1, further comprising a horn or warning light disposed on an outer wall of the enclosure and connected to the controller and configured to emit a warning sound or warning light in the event of an accident.

10. The water injection unit of claim 2, wherein the chassis assembly comprises:

an outer frame forming a quadrilateral edge having four beams; and

a bottom plate portion covering an inner area of a quadrangular edge of the outer frame;

wherein the outer frame includes fork insertion holes in two beams parallel to each other.

11. The water injection unit of claim 10, wherein the chassis assembly comprises:

an outer frame forming a quadrilateral edge having four beams;

a bottom plate portion covering an inner hollow region of the outer frame; and

An anchor unit inserted into the beam and configured to be fixed to the ground by changing a position along an extending direction of the beam.

12. The water injection unit of claim 11, wherein each of at least two of the four beams includes an anchor insertion portion formed by recessing a side surface of the beam from an outside to an inside,

wherein the anchor unit is inserted into the anchor insertion section, and includes:

a beam support plate including a first portion having a height corresponding to a height of an inner space of the anchor insertion portion and forcibly fitted into the anchor insertion portion, and a second portion protruding outwardly from the anchor insertion portion; and

an anchor plate disposed at a lower end of the second portion.

13. An energy storage system, comprising:

the water injection unit according to any one of claims 1 to 12; and

a plurality of battery containers, each of said battery containers comprising: a battery holder; a fire detector; the fire-fighting pipeline is provided with a fire-fighting pipeline,

The water injection unit is connected with the battery containers through fire-fighting connecting hoses, or a plurality of battery containers are connected through fire-fighting connecting hoses.

14. The energy storage system of claim 13, wherein the battery container further comprises a fire connector disposed on an outer wall surface of the battery container and connected to the fire line,

wherein the fire-fighting connector of any one battery container is connected with the fire-fighting connector of another battery container through the fire-fighting connection hose.

15. The energy storage system of claim 14, wherein the fire connector comprises a first fire connector and a second fire connector, the first fire connector disposed on one sidewall surface of the battery container and the second fire connector disposed on the other sidewall surface of the battery container,

wherein, the fire line includes:

a main pipe, one end of which is connected to the first fire connector, and the other end of which is connected to the second fire connector;

a plurality of branch pipes branching from the main pipe; and

A battery rack pipe connected to each of the plurality of branch pipes and fixedly provided on the battery rack,

wherein the battery rack duct includes injection nozzles respectively connected to battery modules provided in the battery rack.