BATTERY APPARATUS
In order to solve at least one of the drawbacks that result from a state in which a plurality of secondary batteries are integrated, a battery apparatus having a plurality of flat secondary batteries 70 includes housing 1 with opening 30, and lid 31 capable of opening and closing opening 30 of housing 1, wherein the plurality of secondary batteries 70 are disposed in a vertical orientation in parallel with each other in housing 1 and are capable of being singly inserted into and taken out of housing 1 through opening 30.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/818,031, filed Feb. 20, 2013, which is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/JP2012/065487, filed on Jun. 18, 2012, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-156889, filed on Jul. 15, 2011, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates to a battery apparatus having a plurality of secondary batteries.
BACKGROUND ARTA battery apparatus includes a plurality of secondary batteries and when necessary discharges electricity charged in the secondary batteries. For example, the battery apparatus discharges, in the daytime, electricity charged during nighttime when the power rates are low, or discharges, in the nighttime, electricity charged by solar power generation during the daytime. Also, the battery apparatus discharges, at the time of power stoppage, electricity charged before the power stoppage.
Conventionally, in ordinary cases, a battery apparatus such as described above is installed in a factory, a business company's office or the like. In recent years, such a battery apparatus has come to be installed in ordinary houses.
As secondary batteries, film-sheathed batteries are ordinarily provided in a battery apparatus. A film-sheathed battery includes battery elements: positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates alternately stacked via separators. These battery elements are enclosed together with an electrolyte in a sheath film such as a laminated film.
In Patent Literature 1, a battery apparatus including a lithium-ion battery as a film-sheathed battery is described. The battery apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 includes a casing in rectangular block form made of metal plates. The internal space of the casing is partitioned into left and right spaces by a wall. In the right space, a lithium-ion battery having a plurality of cells integrally packed in a box and a lithium-ion battery filling unit are disposed. In the left space, an alternate current power supply controller for supplying alternating current power from the lithium-ion battery is disposed.
CITATION LIST Patent LiteraturePatent Literature 1: JP2010-182541A (paragraphs 0013 and 0014)
SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical ProblemIn the battery apparatus described in Patent Literature 1, a lithium-ion battery integrally constructed by packing a plurality of cells in a box is housed in a casing. In other words, a battery unit integrally constructed by packing a plurality of film-sheathed batteries in a box is housed in a casing. Therefore, it is not possible to insert or remove each individual film-sheathed battery into or from the casing. For this reason, it is necessary to insert the entire battery unit into the casing or to remove the entire battery unit from the casing when an installation operation or a maintenance/inspection operation after the installation operation is performed. Also, even in the case where some of the film-sheathed batteries are suspected of malfunctioning, it is necessary to take the entire battery unit out of the casing in order to check whether or not a malfunction has occurred. As clearly described in Patent Literature 1, however, the battery unit has a large weight, and inserting the battery unit into the casing or removing the battery unit from the casing requires a heavy effort. In some cases a plurality of workers are needed to perform this kind of insertion/removal operation. Furthermore, even if the malfunctioning film-sheathed battery is identified after taking the battery unit out of the casing, the film-sheathed battery alone cannot be replaced; the entire battery unit needs to be replaced.
An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the above-described problems.
Solution to ProblemAccording to the present invention, a battery apparatus including a plurality of flat secondary batteries is provided, the apparatus including a housing with an opening, and a lid capable of opening and closing the opening of the housing, wherein the plurality of secondary batteries are disposed in a vertical orientation in parallel with each other in the housing and are capable of being singly inserted into and removed from the housing through the opening.
Advantageous Effects of InventionAccording to the present invention, at least one of the above-described problems can be solved.
- 1 Housing
- 2 Inner housing
- 27 Space
- 28 Space
- 30 Opening
- 50 PCS unit
- 60 BMU
- 70 Battery pack
- 72 Film-sheathed battery
- 80 Upper plate
- 84 Rail member
- 85 Guide slot
- 90 Lower plate
- 94 Rail member
- 95 Guide slot
Hereinafter, an example of a battery apparatus of the present invention in an exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The battery apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment comprises a metal housing, a plurality of secondary batteries, a battery management unit (BMU), a power conditioner system (PCS) unit and a control system.
The BMU intermediates between each secondary battery, the PCS unit and the control system, collects information about the condition of each secondary battery and determines the condition of each secondary battery based on the collected information. Furthermore, the BMU outputs information indicating the condition of each secondary battery to the PCS unit and the control system based on the results of the determination. The PCS unit converts an alternating current voltage supplied from an external power source (a commercial power source or a solar battery) into a direct current voltage and outputs the direct current voltage to each secondary battery. The PCS unit also converts a direct current voltage supplied from each secondary battery into an alternating current voltage and outputs the alternating current voltage to the outside (load). The control system mainly consists of an arithmetic processing unit, a memory and a program stored in the memory, and performs overall control of the battery apparatus. For example, the control system manages and controls transmission of information between the BMU and the PCS unit in accordance with the above-described program, manages and controls the amount of charge in and the amount of discharge from the secondary batteries, and changes the operation mode (charge mode, discharge mode) of the battery apparatus. In the battery apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment, the control system consists of a notebook-type personal computer (PC), a memory incorporated in the PC, a program stored in the memory, and so on. The main functions of the BMU, the PCS unit and the control system have been described. The BMU, the PCS unit and the control system also have functions other than the functions described above.
As shown in
Left and right sides 11, 12 of inner housing 2 are covered with side panels 21, 22, respectively. Also, back side 13 of inner housing 2 is covered with back panel 23, and ceiling side 14 is covered with ceiling panel 24. Furthermore, front panel 25 is provided at the front side of inner housing 2. The panels are fixed to each other or fixed on inner housing 2 by riveting or welding as required. However, only front panel 25 is rotatably attached to the front side of inner housing 2. That is, front panel 25 forms a lid 31 which opens or closes opening 30 of housing 1. Heat radiating members described below are disposed between back side 13 (
As shown in
Heat radiating member 40 includes heat absorbing side 41 and heat radiating side 42 on which a multiplicity of fins are formed, and is disposed in such an orientation that heat absorbing side 41 is opposite to back side 13. Also, the outer peripheral surface of heat radiating member 40 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of flange 13c. Furthermore, rubber packing 41 is provided between the end surface of flange 13c and back panel 23 to secure predetermined airtightness and watertightness.
The internal space of housing 1 is partitioned into three spaces by a pair of members in plate form (upper plate 80, lower plate 90), as shown in
PCS unit 50 is housed in the first space in a state of being fixed on chassis 51. When PCS unit 50 is housed in the first space, chassis 51 on which PCS unit 50 is fixed is inserted into the first space by being slid along the upper surface of upper plate 80, as shown in
As shown in
As most clearly shown in
Reference is again made to
As shown in
As shown in
Reference is again made to
The upper ends (upper edges) of battery packs 70 disposed in parallel with each other as described above are inserted in guide slots 85 through their entire length, while the lower ends (lower edges) are inserted in guide slots 95 through their entire length. In short, slots in which battery packs 70 can be inserted and from which battery packs 70 can be removed are provided in housing 1. Each of the end portions (entry/exit portions) of guide slots 85 and 95 is slightly larger in width than the other portion. Therefore the end portions of battery packs 70 can be easily inserted into guide slots 85 and 95 through the end portions of guide slots 85 and 95. While a plurality of battery packs 70 are shown integrally with each other in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
A cooling structure for the battery apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment will next be described. The performance of each film-sheathed battery housed in housing 1 changes depending on the ambient temperature. It is, therefore, desirable to maintain the temperature in housing 1 within a predetermined temperature range. In consideration of this, making the internal space of housing 1 communicate with the outside air can limit the increase in temperature in the internal space. However, if an opening or a through hole for communication between the internal space of housing 1 and the outside air is provided, there is concern that rain water or dust may penetrate to the inside via the opening or through hole. Therefore, housing 1 constituting the battery apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment is provided in such a structure so as to be hermetically closed when opening 30 is closed by lid 31, thereby securing predetermined airtightness and watertightness. In other words, no opening or through hole for communication between the internal space of housing 1 and the outside air is provided. Slits 23a (
Furthermore, an airflow that is created in housing 1, as schematically shown by using arrows in
When an airflow (air) circulating as described above passes (descends) through space 27, it is cooled by heat exchange with the outside air through heat radiating member 40. The cooled air cools battery packs 70 by heat exchange with the battery packs 70 mainly in the process of passing (ascending) through space 28. That is, spaces 27, 28 form passages for circulating air (cooling wind) in housing 1. In other words, back side 13 of inner housing 2 and heat absorbing side 41 of heat radiating member 40 that is opposite to back side 13 form a first passage therebetween. Also, the end surfaces of battery packs 70 and the inner surface of housing 1 (the inner surface of lid 31) that is opposite to the end surfaces form a second passage therebetween.
By forming an airflow as described above in housing 1, the plurality of battery packs 70 can be cooled more uniformly in comparison with the case of locally cooling by directly supplying cooling wind to battery packs 70.
In the exemplary embodiment, the fan incorporated in PCS unit 50 is used to form the above-described airflow. In the case where an electronic device incorporating a fan is housed as well as PCS unit 50, however, the fan incorporated in the electronic device may also be used. Furthermore, a fan different from that incorporated in the electronic device may be provided to be used. Air outlet 52 of PCS unit 50 and upper opening 13a may be connected by a duct. A temperature sensor may be provided and one or both of the above-described two fans may be controlled based on the detection result from this sensor. For example, a temperature sensor may be provided in the housing and the operations of the above-described two fans may be controlled based on the internal temperature in housing 1 that is detected by this sensor. Also, a temperature sensor may be provided outside the housing and the operations of the above-described two sensors may be controlled based on the environmental temperature that is detected by this sensor.
The present invention has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiment. However, the invention of the present application is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiment. Various changes understandable by those skilled in the art within the scope of the invention of the present application can be made in the constitution and details of the invention of the present application.
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Application No. 2011-156889, filed on Jul. 15, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
1. A battery apparatus comprising:
- a secondary battery;
- a housing whose internal space is partitioned, said secondary battery being housed in said internal space; and
- a first receiving member which mounts an electronic device which has at least a function for converting direct current voltage into alternating current voltage and converting alternating current voltage into direct current voltage,
- wherein said first receiving member is slid into said internal space and thereby said electronic device can be housed in said housing.
2. The battery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said internal space is partitioned into upper side and lower side by a rack member, and
- wherein said first receiving member is slid along said rack member and thereby said first receiving member can be housed in said housing.
3. The battery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an opening is formed in a side surface of said housing, and
- wherein said first receiving member can be housed in said housing via said opening.
4. The battery apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a pair of second receiving members is provided in an upper surface of said rack member, and
- wherein said first receiving member is slid on said pair of second receiving members and thereby said first receiving member can be housed in said housing.
5. The battery apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an opening—side end portion of said pair of second receiving members and a end portion of said first receiving member are fixed by a fixture and thereby said first receiving member is fixed in said housing.
6. The battery apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second receiving members are brackets.
7. The battery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device converts alternating current voltage supplied from an external power source into direct current voltage and outputs direct current voltage to said secondary battery, or said electronic device converts direct current voltage supplied from said secondary battery into alternating current voltage and outputs alternating current voltage to outside.
8. The battery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said secondary battery is housed in a lower section of said partitioned internal space.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 30, 2014
Publication Date: Apr 23, 2015
Applicants: NEC CORPORATION (Tokyo), NEC ENERGY DEVICES, LTD. (Sagamihara-shi)
Inventors: Youjirou NOMURA (Tokyo), Kuniatsu HACHIYA (Tokyo), Toru SUZUKI (Kanagawa)
Application Number: 14/585,430
International Classification: H01M 2/10 (20060101); H01M 10/42 (20060101);