Patent Application
20230138106
The present disclosure relates generally to a containerized battery system, and more particularly to controlling access to a containerized battery system to limit condensation on batteries and related components.
Containerized power modules are increasingly in use throughout the world. Providing power generation and power storage equipment in a containerized form offers many advantages respecting availability of electrical power for primary as well as backup power requirements at construction sites, industrial and data center facilities, and at a great many other locations such as mine or well sites, disaster zones, hospitals, et cetera.
In a typical containerized battery system electrical batteries are stored within a container such as an ISO (International Organization For Standardization) container. Many such containers can be readily transported on a truck, by rail, or on a marine vessel. In most applications, such containerized systems can be readily dispatched, redeployed, and serviced in the field.
Many modern electrical batteries, notably lithium-ion batteries, are optimally maintained in a relatively tight temperature range of 20° to 30° C. to extract better cycle performance and to minimize degradation of the batteries over time. For inspection and maintenance purposes, doors are typically installed on the containers where personnel may enter to service batteries or other equipment. In certain climates, particularly relatively hot and humid climates, when the service doors are opened humid air can enter the container with water condensing on the surface of the batteries and other electrical components given that the batteries are maintained at temperatures often colder than ambient. This can lead to performance degradation or failure of the system due to short circuits, and potentially cause other problems. One known power generation system is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 7,221,061. In the '061 patent a containerized power generation system employs an engine having an external process module.
In one aspect, a containerized battery system includes a container having a container door, and batteries within the container, and an electronically controlled container heater. The system further includes an anti-condensation control system having inside sensors structured to monitor a temperature and a humidity inside the container, outside sensors structured to monitor a temperature and a humidity outside the container, a door access device adjustable among a plurality of states including an unrestricted-access state and a restricted-access state, and an access control unit. The access control unit is coupled with each of the electronically controlled container heater, the inside sensors, the outside sensors, and the door access device. The access control unit is structured to determine an inside dewpoint value based on the monitored temperature and humidity inside the container, and to determine an outside dewpoint value based on the monitored temperature and humidity outside the container. The access control unit is further structured to operate the electronically controlled heater to increase an inside temperature of a container to an anti-condensation target temperature based on a difference between the inside dewpoint value and the outside dewpoint value. The containerized battery system is further structured to adjust the door access device to the unrestricted-access state based on the increase to the inside temperature of the container.
In another aspect, a method of operating a containerized battery system includes receiving a user access request to open a door to a container having batteries therein, and determining an inside dewpoint value of the container and determining an outside dewpoint value, responsive to the user access request. The method further includes comparing the inside dewpoint value to the outside dewpoint value, and increasing an inside temperature of the container from a working temperature to an anti-condensation target temperature based on a difference between the inside dewpoint value and the outside dewpoint value. The method still further includes enabling access to the container via the door based on the increase in the inside temperature to the anti-condensation target temperature.
In still another aspect, an anti-condensation control system for a containerized battery system includes a door access device adjustable among a plurality of states including an unrestricted-access state and a restricted-access state. The control system further includes an access control unit coupled with the door access device and structured to receive a user access request produced by the door access device, receive data indicative of an inside dewpoint temperature of a container, and receive data indicative of an outside dewpoint temperature. The access control unit is further structured to compare the inside dewpoint temperature to the outside dewpoint temperature, and adjust the door access device from the unrestricted-access state to the restricted-access state based on the user access request. The access control unit is still further structured to output a heater control signal to an electronically controlled container heater to increase an inside temperature of the container from a working temperature to an anti-condensation target temperature that is greater than the outside dewpoint temperature. The access control unit is still further structured to adjust the door access device from the restricted-access state to the unrestricted-access state based on the increase to the inside temperature of the container.
Referring to
Referring also now to
Control system 30 may further include a door access device 40 adjustable among a plurality of states including an unrestricted-access state and a restricted-access state. The door access device can include a device that prevents physical opening of container door 14, such as an electronically controlled lock. In a practical implementation, door access device 40 may perform an access control function without physically locking or unlocking container door 14. In one embodiment, door access device 40 includes an illuminable indicator and the unrestricted-access state and the restricted-access state include a first illumination state meaning access is allowed and a second illumination state meaning access is not allowed, respectively. For instance, door access device 40 may include a light 41 that is turned on, turned off, varied in intensity or color of illumination, or varied amongst a flashing mode, a non-flashing mode, or still others, as further described herein.
Control system 30 further includes an access control unit 50. Access control unit 50 may be in control communication with container heater 26 and container cooler 28 to send control signals to either and structured to receive a user access request produced by door access device 40. Access control unit 50 may also be structured to receive temperature data and humidity data (a temperature signal, a humidity signal, or a dewpoint temperature signal, for instance) indicative of an inside dewpoint value, such as a dewpoint temperature, of container 12, and to receive temperature data and humidity data indicative of an outside dewpoint value, such as a dewpoint temperature. Access control unit 50 may also be structured to determine an inside dewpoint value based on the monitored temperature and humidity inside container 12, and to determine an outside dewpoint value based on the monitored temperature and humidity outside container 12.
Access control unit 50 may also be structured to compare the inside dewpoint temperature or temperature value to the outside dewpoint temperature or temperature value based on the user access request received. In an implementation, access control unit 50 is structured to adjust door access device 40 from the unrestricted-access state to the restricted-access state based on a difference between the inside dewpoint temperature value or temperature and the outside dewpoint temperature or value. Access control unit 50 may also be structured to output a heater control signal to electronically controlled heater 26, to increase an inside temperature of container 12 from a working temperature to an anti-condensation target temperature. The anti-condensation target temperature may be greater than the outside dewpoint temperature. Based on the increase to the inside temperature of container 12 access control unit 50 can adjust door access device 40 from the restricted-access state to the unrestricted-access state. This functionality can generally be understood as access control unit 50 varying the state of door access device 40 when a difference between the outside dewpoint temperature and the inside dewpoint temperature is determined, namely, where the inside dewpoint temperature is lower than, or sufficiently lower than, the outside dewpoint temperature, to indicate that a risk of condensation exists. If such risk exists, electronically controlled heater 26 can be operated to increase inside temperature of container 12 to a level sufficient to mitigate the risk of condensation. The anti-condensation target temperature to which the inside temperature of container 12 is increased may be not only greater than the outside dewpoint temperature but also less than or equal to a battery safe temperature. In other words, there may be an upper threshold in temperature above which it is undesirable to heat the inside of container 12. Access control unit 50 can include a data processor 52, such as a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or any other suitable programmable logic controller, and a computer readable memory 54. Computer readable memory 54 can include any suitable memory type such as RAM, ROM, DRAM, SDRAM, EEPROM, FLASH, or still another, and stores program control instructions executed by processor 52 to limit condensation upon batteries 22, racks 24, or other equipment inside container 12.
As noted above, door access device 40 can include an illuminable indicator 41, such as an LED light or the like. Indicator 41 may be an illuminable push-button in some instances functioning as a user access switch structured to produce the user access request. The user access switch and illuminable indicator 41 may be integrated, such that the illuminable indicator 41 is resident on the user access switch.
Moreover, once servicing of battery system 10 is complete control system 30 can operate electronically controlled container cooler 28 to decrease the inside temperature of container 12 to a working temperature less than an outside dewpoint temperature, thus after the operating of electronically controlled heater 26 to increase the inside temperature to the anti-condensation target temperature. In an embodiment, access control unit 50 way receive an access completed signal, such as from door access device 40 or another device indicating container door 40 has been closed, for example, and that personnel have exited after completing servicing, and conditions are appropriate for returning container 12 to a standard working temperature. During servicing battery system 10 power can be provided by way of shore power connection 18.
With continued reference to the drawings, but also now to
From block 125 flowchart 100 advances to a block 130 to query are battery temperatures greater than outside dewpoint? Determining whether battery temperatures are greater than the outside dewpoint can include performing an arithmetic comparison and calculating a difference between the respective temperatures, for instance. If yes, flowchart 100 can advance to a block 150 to adjust the indicator light to green to enable container access.
If, at block 130, battery temperatures are not greater than the outside dewpoint, flowchart 100 can advance to a block 140 to operate container heater 26 to increase the inside temperature of container 12 by initiating operating container heater 26 as described herein. From block 140, flowchart 100 can advance to a block 145 to monitor the inside temperature of container 12 as heater 26 operates. At block 145 access control unit 50 can be monitoring inside temperature in a closed-loop fashion to determine when the anti-condensation target temperature is reached. At a block 150 the indicator light is adjusted to green to enable container access as discussed herein. At a block 155 inside temperature of container 12 is decreased to the working temperature, if needed. At a block 160 the logic exits.
The present description is for illustrative purposes only, and should not be construed to narrow the breadth of the present disclosure in any way. Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications might be made to the presently disclosed embodiments without departing from the full and fair scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Other aspects, features and advantages will be apparent upon an examination of the attached drawings and appended claims. As used herein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items, and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.
