DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TRANSPORTING GALVANIC CELLS

Abstract

An apparatus and method for transporting used, damaged, or defective galvanic cells while impeding and combating safety-critical states of the galvanic cells, in particular lithium-ion-based cells and/or lithium-ion polymer cells, includes an outer container, which defines a space, an inner container being arranged in the space. The inner container has spacers in order to maintain a distance from the bottom and inner faces of the outer container, an accommodating container for accommodating at least on galvanic cell being arranged in the inner container, free intermediate spaces being filled with a fire protection agent composed of inert, non-conductive, non-flammable, absorbent hollow glass granular material.

Claims

1. Apparatus for transporting used, damaged or defective galvanic cells, comprising: an outer container which defines a space, wherein an inner container is arranged in the space wherein the inner container has spacers in order to maintain a distance from the base and inner sides of the outer container; at least one receiving container that is adapted to receive at least one galvanic cell is arranged in the inner container, wherein free intermediate spaces between inner container and outer container as well as receiving container are filled with a flame retardant as a loose filling consisting of inert, non-conductive and non-combustible and absorbent hollow glass granulate and free intermediate spaces between the inner container and the receiving container are filled with flame retardant pads, consisting of inert, non-conductive and non-combustible and absorbent hollow glass granulate and that the outer container is a container for the transport of hazardous goods.

2. (canceled)

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inner container is divided into at least two compartments.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the compartments are separated by means of a vertically extending wall.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base of the inner container is provided with openings or is a lattice base.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inner container has a vertically extending rail on the inner sides of the side walls for receiving and guiding the receiving containers.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hollow glass granulate is a hollow round granulate or a round granulate provided with hollow regions, which is resistant to a temperature up to at least 750 C.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outer container comprising at least one pressure relief valve.

9. Storage and transport method for used, damaged or defective galvanic cells, said method comprising: embedding the galvanic cells in a hollow glass granulate serving as a flame retardant for storage/transport for preventing safety critical conditions in an apparatus comprising an outer container which defines a space, wherein an inner container is arranged in the space wherein the inner container has spacers in order to maintain a distance from the base and inner sides of the outer container, wherein at least one receiving container that is adapted to receive at least one galvanic cell is arranged in the inner container, wherein free intermediate spaces between inner container and outer container as well as receiving container are filled with a flame retardant as a loose filling consisting of inert, non-conductive and non-combustible and absorbent hollow glass granulate and free intermediate spaces between the inner container and the receiving container are filled with flame retardant pads consisting of inert, non-conductive and non-combustible and absorbent hollow glass granulate and that the outer container is a container for the transport of hazardous goods.

10. Flame retardant pad comprising a cover and a filling, wherein the filling consists of a flame retardant consisting of inert, non-conductive and non-combustible and absorbent hollow glass granulate which is resistant to a temperature up to at least 750, a hollow round granulate or a round granulate provided with hollow regions, and the cover consists of a temperature-resistant, dust-impermeable, moisture-permeable and flexible fabric.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the hollow glass granulate has a mean diameter between 0.1 mm and 10 mm.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the hollow glass granulate has a mean diameter between 0.1 mm and 5 mm.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the round grandulate has a mean diameter between 0.1 mm and 10 mm.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the round grandulate has a mean diameter between 0.1 mm and 5 mm.

15. Method as claimed in claim 9 used with lithium ion-based cells.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the base of the inner container is provided with openings or is a lattice base.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the inner container has a vertically extending rail on the inner sides of the side walls for receiving and guiding the receiving containers.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the hollow glass granulate is a hollow round granulate or a round granulate provided with hollow regions, which is resistant to a temperature up to at least 750 C.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the outer container comprising at least one pressure relief valve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Further features and details of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the drawing, in which:

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a schematic lateral sectional view of a container in accordance with the invention for collecting, storing and transporting lithium ion batteries, and

[0049] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0050] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a closable outer container consisting of fireproof material and designated in its entirety by the reference sign 100. For improved clarity, the lid provided has been left out of FIGS. 1 and 2. On the inside, the outer container 100 has initially an inner container 101 in which, in turn, four receiving containers 1 are placed, two next to each other and two on top of each other.

[0051] The outer container 100 is a safety container for the transport of hazardous goods and has a pressure relief valve (not shown). The outer container 100 has an outer wall 102 and a base 103 (as well as the lid, not illustrated) and has feet 104 on the bottom four corners.

[0052] Arranged spaced apart from the inner sides of the outer wall 102 and the base 103 is the inner container 101 which for this purpose is provided with lateral, outwardly protruding spacers 106 and feet 105. Its walls 107 are designed as double walls. Again, the inner space thus created is divided into two by means of a further vertical wall 108 so that two compartments 110 are produced in which in each case two receiving containers 1 are arranged one above the other.

[0053] The intermediate space 109 between the outer container 100 and the inner container 101 is filled with hollow glass granulate 5, as are the receiving containers 1 also. The receiving containers 1 are positioned in the compartments 110 by means of rails 111 so that they cannot slip. The rails 111 extend vertically on the inner sides of the walls 107 and 108 at a suitable distance. The inner container 101 or its compartments 110 are stuffed with flame retardant pads 112 which are arranged underneath the first receiving container 1 and between the receiving containers 1 and to the sides thereof.

[0054] The flame retardant pads 112 are filled with hollow glass granulate 5 and have a cover 113 in the form of a temperature-resistant, dust-impermeable, moisture-permeable flexible fabric consisting of synthetic material. The receiving container 1 defines by means of an outer wall 2 and a base 3 (and the lid which is not illustrated) in the interior a space 4 which is filled with a filling of hollow glass granulate 5. The hollow glass granulate 5 is inert, non-conductive and non-combustible and absorbent and only melts at a temperature above at least 1000 C. It has a mean diameter between 0.1 and 5 mm or 10 mm (as per screen analysis).

[0055] Inserted into the space 4 is a basket 6 consisting of powder coated wire mesh, of which the mesh width is configured such that the hollow glass granulate 5 can penetrate or flow unhindered through the mesh. Alternatively, a basket can be used, of which the side walls consist of impermeable walls, i.e. they are not perforated, and of which only the base is permeable.

[0056] In the present case, a defective battery B is placed in the basket 6. It is understood that a plurality of batteries could also be placed therein. Since the hollow glass granulate 5 can flow freely through the mesh of the basket, the battery B is surrounded on all sides by hollow glass granulate 5 or is embedded therein and the risk of uncontrolled occurrence of a critical condition is minimised or prevented. In order to ensure that the basket 6 can be introduced into and removed from the container 1, it has in each case two bracket handles 7 which protrude inwardly from the upper edge 6B of the basket 6. Furthermore, the basket is provided on the underside with two spacers 8 which each consist of a wire bracket and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the basket.

[0057] The brackets 8 extend initially with a limb 8A from the basket base 6C downwards to the base 3 of the container and thus determine the distance of the basket 6 or the battery B arranged therein from the base. Then, the brackets 8 extend laterally outwards to the side wall 6A of the container 1, for which reason a further limb 8B bends. Therefore, the basket 6 is also positioned laterally in the container 1 and cannot slip, and so the distance from the side wall 6A is likewise fixed. The distance of the basket 6 in the remaining container dimension (viewing direction of FIG. 1) is similarly fixed either by the basket 6 itself or further brackets 9 (see FIG. 2, illustrated by broken lines).

[0058] The battery B can thus be placed into the basket 6 and the basket can then be introduced into the container 1, wherein already partially introduced hollow glass granulate 5 flows through the mesh at least of the base of the basket and thus surrounds the battery B. Subsequently, further hollow glass granulate 5 can be added (as a loose filling), in order to fill the space 4 in the container 1 completely or up to the desired fill level and cover the battery B. It is understood that fire retardant pads can also be used in a similar manner

[0059] However, if a critical safety event should occur, then gases, electrolyte etc. can leak out but are captured by the flame retardant pads 112 which also prevent the spread of fire, explosion etc.

[0060] As a precaution, the intermediate space between the inner container 101 and the outer container 100 is also filled with hollow glass granulate 5 so that, in this case, a further effective barrier is provided for preventing an environmental hazard. Therefore, manifold redundant safety is achieved by the inventive apparatus for transporting used, damaged or defective batteries B.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0061] 1 hazardous goods container [0062] 2 wall [0063] 3 base [0064] 4 space [0065] 5 hollow glass granulate [0066] 6 basket [0067] 6A side wall of the basket [0068] 6B edge of the basket [0069] 6C basket base [0070] 7 bracket handle [0071] 8 bracket [0072] 8A limb [0073] 8B limb [0074] 9 bracket [0075] 100 outer container [0076] 101 inner container [0077] 102 wall [0078] 103 base [0079] 104 foot [0080] 105 foot [0081] 106 spacer [0082] 107 wall [0083] 108 wall [0084] 109 intermediate space [0085] 110 compartment [0086] 111 rail [0087] 112 fire retardant pad [0088] 113 cover [0089] B lithium ion polymer battery module