FR3057287A1 - CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT HAVING A BATTERY - Google Patents

Abstract

A building element (1) of a building, which element comprises an envelope (27) defining an interior volume (3), this interior volume being at least partially occupied by one or more electrochemical elements (5) and / or one or several supercapacitors.

Description

(54) CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT HAVING A BATTERY.

(57) A construction element (1) of a building, which element comprises an envelope (27) defining an interior volume (3), this interior volume being at least partially occupied by one or more electrochemical elements (5) and / or one or more supercapacitors.

FR 3 057 287 - A1

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BUILDING ELEMENT CONTAINING A BATTERY

PRIOR ART

The installation of batteries in a residential building is relatively recent, of the order of ten years. Indeed, it was not allowed to store electrical energy, it had to be reinjected directly into the electrical network.

It has become possible for individuals to acquire an autonomous system for producing electrical energy, such as a mini photovoltaic power plant or a wind turbine. Battery systems for storing the energy collected by these electrical energy production systems are commercially available. These battery systems are most often placed on the ground or attached to a wall. They can also be placed in a false ceiling or in a crawl space. The volume occupied by these battery systems is lost for the occupant of the dwelling. For example, document JP 2010-180548 describes a building in which a "half-story" was created in the space originally intended for the garage. The half-story is located above the garage and serves as a storage room for a battery. In this example, the building occupant loses about half the ceiling height. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the volume occupied by a battery system in a building.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention lies in the integration of one or more electrochemical cells or supercapacitors in a common building element. The invention provides a construction element for a building, which element comprises an envelope defining an interior volume, this interior volume being at least partially occupied by one or more electrochemical elements and / or by one or more supercapacitors.

The building element can be chosen from the group consisting of a brick, a slab, a resistant formwork interjoist, a beam, a window frame, a door, a roofing element and an electrical cable tray. Preferably, it is a hollow brick.

The building element may comprise a device for evacuating gases from the envelope, these gases being liable to be emitted by the electrochemical elements or by the supercapacitors. The building element may also include several gas evacuation devices, which are linked together to channel the gases to a predetermined location.

The building element can comprise a plurality of electrochemical elements and / or supercapacitors linked electrically and mechanically to form a module or a battery. A power circuit can electrically connect the electrochemical cells to each other and / or the supercapacitors to each other.

The building element may include at least one electronic circuit for controlling and managing electrochemical elements or supercapacitors to control their state of charge and / or their state of health.

The building element can house electrotechnical components for protecting the battery or module against abusive conditions detected in the electronic circuit for controlling and managing electrochemical elements or supercapacitors.

According to one embodiment, the surface of the envelope has an opening comprising a means of connection of the electrochemical cells or of the supercapacitors to an electricity production unit or to an electric consumer. The electricity production unit can be a photovoltaic cell panel, a wind turbine or a geothermal electricity production unit.

According to one embodiment, the construction element is a brick, at least one of the faces of which has a hatch for access to electrochemical elements or to supercapacitors.

According to one embodiment, the electrochemical elements are chosen:

- in the group of secondary electrochemical generators of lead-acid, nickel / cadmium, nickel metal hydride or lithium-ion type, or

- in the group of primary electrochemical lithium generators.

The interior volume of the envelope may include means for thermally insulating the electrochemical elements or the supercapacitors from the envelope and for thermally insulating the electrochemical elements from each other or the supercapacitors from each other.

The invention also relates to a building comprising a wall or a pillar comprising the building element as defined above. The wall may be a wall, a floor, a ceiling or a roof.

According to one embodiment, the wall is a floor or a ceiling and:

- the electrochemical cells or the supercapacitors are subdivided into a plurality of modules or batteries,

- the modules or the batteries are spaced from each other by rails and are supported on these rails,

a thermal insulating material is placed between and / or on the modules or the batteries, and

- a concrete slab is poured on the thermal insulating material.

According to one embodiment, the wall is a floor or a ceiling and:

- the construction element is a resistant formwork interjoist comprising one or more cells in which one or more electrochemical elements or one or more supercapacitors are housed,

- the interjoists are spaced from each other by rails and are supported on these rails,

- a concrete slab is poured on and between the interjoists.

According to one embodiment, the wall or the pillar is provided with a thermal regulation device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a building element in which is disposed a battery.

Figure 2 shows an exterior view of a building element, one of the side faces of which comprises a battery access door.

FIG. 3a represents a perspective view of a first embodiment of the construction element for the manufacture of a floor or a ceiling.

Figure 3b shows a sectional view of a first embodiment of the building element for the manufacture of a floor or a ceiling.

FIG. 4 represents a sectional view of a second embodiment in which the construction element is a resistant formwork interjoist used for the creation of a floor.

EXPLANATION OF EMBODIMENTS

The description of the invention in what follows is made with reference to the figures which represent electrochemical elements housed in the construction element. It is understood, however, that this description also applies to the case where the construction element houses supercapacitors in place of or in addition to the electrochemical elements. The energy storage system called "supercapacitor", also called "supercapacitor", or "electrochemical double layer capacitor", in English "Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitor (EDLC)", or "ultracapacitor", in English "ultracapacitor Is a device for storing energy by accumulation of ions on two electrodes serving as ion collectors when a potential difference is imposed between them. The storage of energy in a supercapacitor is, in fact, of electrostatic origin, and not electrochemical as in the case of an electrochemical element. Different types of supercapacitors exist. They can be so-called symmetrical or asymmetrical supercapacitors. A description of these different types is given in document FR-A-3 003 077 from page 1, line 24 to page 2, line 23.

The building element according to the invention comprises an envelope defining an interior volume. This internal volume is at least partially occupied by one or more electrochemical cells and / or by one or more supercapacitors. The envelope is the outer envelope of the building element, i.e. the one that defines the volume of the building element. The building element can have various shapes. It can be a brick, a slab, a strong formwork interjoist, a beam, a window frame, a door, a roofing element or a electrical cable tray. A preferred building element is hollow brick. In the case of a door, the electrochemical cells and / or the supercapacitors are housed in the thickness of the door or in the thickness of the door frame. In the case of a slab, the electrochemical cells and / or the supercapacitors are housed in the thickness of the slab.

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a building element (1) of parallelepiped shape. This building element has an upper face (7), four lateral faces and a lower face. These six faces constitute an envelope which delimits an interior volume (3) of which at least a portion is occupied by a plurality of electrochemical elements (5). Figure 1 shows that the interior volume houses six elements. However, it could house a different number, or even a single element. The format of the elements is not limited. It can be of the cylindrical, prismatic or pouch type.

The internal volume can be devoid of internal partitions or on the contrary comprise one or more internal partitions subdividing the internal volume into several cells. Each cell can contain one or more electrochemical cells.

The building element has a face for introducing electrochemical elements into the interior volume. This element introduction face can for example be the upper face of the building element or one of the side faces. In the first case, a cover is arranged on the upper face of the building element. It is removable and allows access to electrochemical cells during maintenance operations. In the second case, shown in Figure 2, it can be provided that a part of one or more lateral faces of the construction element is cut out and that a hatch (9) is placed on the cutting area. The hatch and the cover may be made of the same material as that constituting the building element or be made of a material of a different nature.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the underside of the building element does not necessarily have a horizontal bottom to support the electrochemical elements. These can in fact be supported on a shoulder (11) located on a wall of the internal lateral face of the building element. This shoulder is obtained by modifying the thickness of the wall of the lateral face. The absence of a bottom on the underside allows easy access to the electrochemical cells. Preferably, a partition (13) secured to one of the walls of the building element reinforces the support function provided by the shoulder. This vertical partition creates two conduits (15, 17) allowing the evacuation of gases liable to be released by the electrochemical elements. It is advantageous to make one or more openings (19) through a wall of the brick. These openings serve as vents and allow the evacuation of gases out of the brick. Furthermore, it is known to use a gas evacuation device such as a valve or a device allowing the opening of the container of an electrochemical element in the event of overpressure inside it. Such a device may have the form of a thinning (21) of the wall of the container of the electrochemical element. Preferably, these devices will be arranged near the openings of the building element.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment of Figure 1 in which the walls of the building element support the electrochemical elements. Indeed, these can also be supported directly on a horizontal background but this embodiment is less advantageous because it does not allow an empty volume to be created under the electrochemical elements.

The electrochemical elements of the battery can be electrically connected to each other in series or in parallel. It is advantageous to have the two current output terminals of the electrochemical cells on the upper face of the cells in order to facilitate the operations of electrical connection of the cells as well as the maintenance operations. On the one hand, for power applications, an inter-element connection having a large section is necessary. Metal connection bars ("bus bars") connecting the elements together are provided for this purpose. On the other hand, an electronic circuit is generally provided for controlling and managing the electrochemical elements in order to control their state of charge and / or their state of health, in particular by means of individual voltage or current measurements or measurements at level d 'a group of electrochemical cells. A printed circuit (23) comprises electronic components which allow the control of these parameters. The connection bars are generally assembled by soldering or riveting on the printed circuit on the one hand, and by screwing, soldering or welding on the terminals of the electrochemical elements on the other hand. The assembly formed by the electrical connection of the electrochemical elements, and provided with the printed circuit comprising the electronic components and the connection bars constitutes a module. FIG. 1 represents an embodiment in which the building element contains a single module. However, it is possible to electrically connect several modules together to form a battery. The battery can also consist of only one module.

The side wall of the building element has an opening comprising means (25) for connecting the battery to an electricity production unit and / or to an electric consumer, not shown.

The technology of the electrochemical cells making up the battery is not limited. The elements can be secondary electrochemical generators of lead-acid, alkaline or lithium-ion type, or be primary electrochemical generators of lithium type.

In Figure 1, the battery is in direct contact with the walls of the side faces of the building element, but it is possible to reduce the thickness of the wall of the side faces over at least a portion of their height so as to form an air layer between the side wall and the battery. This layer of air acts as an insulator. It is also possible to provide, instead of the air layer or in addition to the air layer, a layer of a thermally insulating material. This prevents overheating of the wall of the building element. Conversely, the interior of the building element can be provided with a system for heating the battery or regulating its temperature.

This system can be in the form of a coil, arranged around the battery, through which a heat transfer fluid circulates.

One of the advantages of the construction element is that it is not necessary to provide a tray or a trunk grouping the electrochemical elements. In fact, it is the walls of the construction element which hold the electrochemical elements together and which provide electrical insulation from neighboring objects.

The building element can be a brick or a block for the construction of a wall. A brick or concrete block generally comprises a plurality of cells. According to the invention, at least part of the plurality of cells is occupied by one or more electrochemical cells and / or by one or more supercapacitors. The material of the building element is not limited to clay soil for brick or cement for concrete block. Other materials are possible as long as they offer sufficient mechanical and compressive strength.

The building element can also be used to build floors or ceilings.

A first embodiment suitable for the construction of floors or ceilings will now be described in relation to FIGS. 3a and 3b. Several electrochemical cells (5) are connected together to form a battery and they are held together within a trunk (27). Their format is cylindrical in Figures 3a and 3b but it is understood that this embodiment is not limited to this particular format. The trunk generally contains a printed circuit comprising the electronic control circuit for managing the electrochemical elements and metal connection bars ("bus bars") constituting the power circuit. Each chest thus constitutes a unitary construction element. Joining several boxes side by side creates an essentially flat horizontal surface. In FIG. 3b, all the boxes (27) house a battery. However, it is of course possible to use only some of the boxes to accommodate a battery.

In order to impart mechanical rigidity to such a surface, the boxes are made to rest on load-bearing elements, such as beams (29), typically of reinforced concrete. These beams can have a cross-sectional profile similar to that of a railway rail and, thanks to this profile, serve as a support surface for each trunk (27). The two end beams are embedded in a load-bearing wall (31).

As shown in Figure 3b, the upper surface of the boxes can be at least partially covered with a thermal insulating material (35), such as polystyrene. The thermal insulating material can in turn be covered with concrete (33) or any other material which gives mechanical strength to the horizontal surface created. Cutouts are generally made through the concrete and / or the thermal insulating material. These cutouts constitute hatches (37) which give access to the chests. Maintenance, recycling and changing of electrochemical cells are thus possible.

In the case where the surface created is located above a crawl space (41), the boxes can be provided with pipes (43) used for the evacuation of gases liable to be released by the electrochemical elements. The end of the pipes opens into the crawl space, which protects the occupants of the dwelling from contact with these gases.

A second embodiment suitable for the construction of floors or ceilings will now be described in relation to FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the unitary construction element which is the subject of the invention is a block (1), c 'is to say a prefabricated building element, generally made of polystyrene or concrete, which ensures the formwork of a poured concrete slab and the insulation of a floor. The interjoist has three internal partitions (46) which divide the internal volume of the interjoist into four cells (47). Each cell contains an electrochemical element (5). Of course, the number of cells per interjoist as well as the number of electrochemical cell per cell is not limited. In Figure 4, each interjoist houses electrochemical cells. However, it is of course possible to use only some of the interjoists to house electrochemical cells there.

Each interjoist is supported on two beams (29), generally made of reinforced concrete. The use of a non-flammable material such as reinforced concrete helps limit the spread of a fire from one interjoist to adjacent interjoists. These beams are parallel to each other and each of their ends is supported on a horizontal surface (45) of a bearing wall (31). The interjoists are placed over the entire length of the beams and between two beams. Placing the interjoists thus creates an essentially flat horizontal surface. Then preferably a trellis (49) is placed on the created surface. The trellis is then generally covered with a layer of concrete (33) thus allowing the creation of a reinforced concrete slab.

A temperature control device (not shown) can also be envisaged for controlling the temperature of the electrochemical elements arranged in the floor or the ceiling.

We will generally make cuts through the concrete and / or the mesh. The parts thus cut constitute hatches giving access to the electrochemical elements.

In the two embodiments described above, the presence of hatches has the effect of reducing the solidity of the horizontal surface created. Therefore, we prefer to use only some of the boxes to accommodate electrochemical elements, so as to minimize the area occupied by these doors.

The building element according to the invention has been described by taking the example of an element of parallelepipedal shape and of an interjoist. However, it can take various forms. It can be a gutter used for the passage of electric cables. The volume not occupied by the passage of electric cables can be used to implant one or more electrochemical cells.

The dimensions of the building element are not limited. Advantageously, these correspond to the standard dimensions of the construction elements (bricks, concrete blocks, interjoists) used for the construction of buildings.

The building element according to the invention fulfills the function of a building element while taking advantage of the volume it occupies to store electrical energy therein. The invention therefore saves space for the occupant of the dwelling, because there is no more volume lost by the storage of the battery. The invention therefore excludes having the battery in a false ceiling or in a crawl space because it is in these two situations of volume lost for the occupant.

The building element also has the following advantages:

- The aesthetics are improved because the battery is placed in the structure of the house, so it is invisible;

- The risk of fire spreading in the event of an anomaly in one of the elements is reduced. Indeed, terracotta and cement, which are the materials commonly used to make a brick, are non-flammable.

- Thermal management is easy due to the fact that the battery structure is in intimate contact with the thermal mass given by the wall. In particular, the wall has a great capacity for absorbing the heat likely to be released by the battery.

- In the event of thermal runaway, gases and fumes are easily channelable. For example, a pipe collecting the gases and fumes emitted by the vents can be connected to the outside of the house so as to evacuate the gases and fumes out of the house.

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Of course, the use of the construction element according to the invention is not limited to the manufacture of residential buildings but also relates to industrial or commercial buildings.

Claims (19)

1. Construction element (1) of a building, which element comprises an envelope defining an interior volume (3), this interior volume being at least partially occupied by one or more electrochemical elements (5) and / or by one or more supercapacitors. 2. Building element according to claim 1, selected from the group consisting of a brick, a slab, a resistant formwork interjoist, a beam, a window frame, a door, a roofing element and an electrical cable tray 3. Building element according to claim 2, which is a hollow brick. 4. Construction element according to one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a device for discharging (19, 43) of gas from the envelope (27), these gases being capable of being emitted by the electrochemical elements or by supercapacitors. 5. Building element according to claim 4, comprising several gas evacuation devices, which are interconnected to channel the gases to a predetermined location. 6. Construction element according to one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a plurality of electrochemical elements and / or supercapacitors electrically and mechanically connected to form a module or a battery. 7. Construction element according to claim 6, wherein a power circuit electrically connects the electrochemical elements to each other and / or the supercapacitors to each other. 8. Construction element according to claim 7, comprising at least one electronic circuit for controlling and managing electrochemical elements or supercapacitors controlling their state of charge and / or their state of health. 9. Construction element according to claim 8, comprising electrotechnical components for protecting the battery or the module against abusive conditions detected in the electronic circuit for controlling and managing electrochemical elements or supercapacitors. 10. Construction element according to one of the preceding claims, in which the surface of the envelope has an opening comprising a connection means (25) of the electrochemical elements or of the supercapacitors to an electricity production unit or to an electric consumer. 11. A building element according to claim 10, in which the electricity production unit is a photovoltaic cell panel, a wind turbine or a geothermal electricity production unit. 12. Building element according to claim 2, which is a brick of which at least one of the faces has a hatch (9) for access to electrochemical elements or to supercapacitors. 13. Construction element according to one of the preceding claims, in which the electrochemical elements are chosen: - in the group of secondary electrochemical generators of lead-acid, nickel / cadmium, nickel metal hydride or lithium-ion type, or - in the group of primary electrochemical lithium generators. 14. Construction element according to one of the preceding claims, in which the interior volume of the envelope comprises means for thermally insulating the electrochemical elements or the supercapacitors from the envelope and for thermally insulating the electrochemical elements from each other. or the supercapacitors between them. 15. Building comprising a wall or a pillar comprising the building element as defined according to any one of claims 1 to 14. 16. Building according to claim 15, wherein the wall is a wall, a floor, a ceiling or a roof. 17. Building according to claim 16, in which the wall is a floor or a ceiling and: - the electrochemical cells or the supercapacitors are subdivided into a plurality of modules or batteries, - the modules or the batteries are spaced from each other by rails (29) and are supported on these rails, - a thermal insulating material (35) is placed between and / or on the modules or the batteries, and - A concrete slab (33) is poured on the thermal insulating material. 18. Building according to claim 16, in which the wall is a floor or a ceiling and: - the construction element is a resistant formwork interjoist comprising one or more cells (47) in which one or more electrochemical elements or one or more supercapacitors are housed, - the interjoists are spaced from each other by rails (29) and are supported on these rails, - a concrete slab (33) is poured on and between the interjoists. 19. Building according to one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the wall or the pillar is provided with a thermal regulation device. 1/2