Liquid cooling unit, operation method, control device, and computer-readable storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses a liquid cooling unit, an operation method, a control device and a computer readable storage medium. The liquid cooling unit comprises a liquid circulating mechanism and an exhaust mechanism. The liquid circulating mechanism comprises a circulating pump and a circulating pipeline. The exhaust mechanism is installed on the circulating pipeline. The exhaust mechanism comprises a gas collecting tank, an expansion tank and a first automatic exhaust valve. The gas collecting tank is installed on the circulating pipeline and is in fluid communication with the circulating pipeline. A first outflow port of the gas collecting tank is in communication with a first inflow port of the expansion tank. A second outflow port of the expansion tank is in communication with the circulating pipeline. The first automatic exhaust valve is installed on the expansion tank. When the air pressure value in the expansion tank is greater than a first preset air pressure value of the first automatic exhaust valve, the first automatic exhaust valve can automatically exhaust part of the gas entering the expansion tank through the gas collecting tank, so that the air pressure value in the expansion tank is not higher than the first preset air pressure value. The application solves the technical problem that air is difficult to exhaust in the existing liquid cooling unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid cooling technology, and more particularly to a liquid cooling unit, operating method, control device, and computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, battery energy storage systems have increasingly developed towards higher energy density and lower operating temperature differences. However, this has led to problems such as increasing battery heat generation and more stringent requirements for battery temperature uniformity. Faced with such huge battery heat dissipation demands and significant temperature uniformity requirements, traditional air-cooled air conditioners are no longer sufficient for battery energy storage systems. Against this backdrop, liquid cooling units, which can be used for liquid-cooled batteries, have emerged.

[0003] During the use of existing liquid cooling units, the inventors discovered at least the following problems: when liquid cooling units currently used for liquid-cooled batteries are filled with refrigerant, there will be gas in the pipeline. The gas is prone to forming gas cavities at the corners or bends of the pipeline, and the residual gas will cause a series of adverse effects, such as corrosion of pipelines and liquid pumps, and fluctuating liquid flow, resulting in low reliability of the unit. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a liquid-cooled unit, an operating method, a control device, and a computer-readable storage medium, which can effectively remove gas from the pipeline of the liquid-cooled unit and improve the reliability of the unit.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the first technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A liquid cooling unit,

[0007] It includes a liquid circulation mechanism and an exhaust mechanism. The liquid circulation mechanism includes a circulation pump and a circulation pipeline. The circulation pump is installed in the circulation pipeline and is used to drive the coolant to flow in the circulation pipeline so as to dissipate heat from the object to be cooled connected to the circulation pipeline.

[0008] The exhaust mechanism includes a gas collecting tank, an expansion tank, and a first automatic exhaust valve. The gas collecting tank and the expansion tank are sequentially connected to the circulation pipeline along the flow direction of the coolant. The first outlet of the gas collecting tank is connected to the first inlet of the expansion tank through a pipeline. The first automatic exhaust valve is installed in the expansion tank. When the gas pressure in the expansion tank is greater than the first preset gas pressure value of the first automatic exhaust valve, the first automatic exhaust valve can automatically discharge part of the gas that enters the expansion tank through the first outlet of the gas collecting tank, so that the gas pressure in the expansion tank is not higher than the first preset gas pressure value.

[0009] In some embodiments of the liquid cooling unit, the liquid circulation mechanism further includes at least one of the following:

[0010] A shut-off valve is installed in the circulation pipeline and positioned after the exhaust mechanism according to the flow direction of the coolant. After the shut-off valve is closed, the fluid in the circulation pipeline can enter the expansion tank through the outlet of the gas collection tank.

[0011] An electric heater is installed in the circulation pipeline and located between the object to be cooled and the circulation pump. The electric heater is capable of heating the coolant.

[0012] A filter is installed in the circulation pipeline and located between the object to be cooled and the exhaust assembly. The filter is used to filter the coolant.

[0013] In some embodiments of the liquid-cooled unit, the liquid-cooled unit includes a refrigeration mechanism, which includes an evaporator, a compressor, an expansion valve, a condenser, and a refrigeration circuit. The evaporator includes a liquid-cooled side and a refrigerant side. The liquid-cooled side is connected to the liquid circulation mechanism. The inlet and outlet of the refrigerant side are both in fluid communication with the refrigeration circuit. The compressor, the condenser, and the expansion valve are all installed in the refrigeration circuit. The refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit flows sequentially through the refrigerant side, the compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve, and the refrigerant side.

[0014] In some embodiments of the liquid cooling unit, the liquid cooling unit further includes a natural cooling mechanism and a three-way valve. The first outlet of the three-way valve is connected to the inlet of the natural cooling mechanism, the valve inlet and the second outlet of the three-way valve are connected to the liquid circulation mechanism, and the outlet of the natural cooling mechanism is in fluid communication with the circulation pipeline, so that the coolant in the circulation pipeline can be guided into the natural cooling mechanism and flow back into the circulation pipeline through the three-way valve.

[0015] In some embodiments of the liquid-cooled unit, the natural cooling mechanism includes a dry cooler, a cooling circuit, and a second automatic exhaust valve. The dry cooler is installed in the cooling circuit, which includes a cooling inlet and a cooling outlet. The cooling inlet is connected to the first outlet, and the cooling outlet is connected to the circulation pipeline. The second automatic exhaust valve is installed in the cooling circuit to discharge gas from the cooling circuit.

[0016] In some embodiments of the liquid cooling unit, the liquid cooling unit further includes at least one of the following:

[0017] A fan, the airflow generated by the fan can pass through the condenser and the dry cooler, the dry cooler being arranged side by side with the condenser;

[0018] A liquid level sensor is installed in the expansion tank and is used to monitor the liquid level in the expansion tank. The liquid level sensor is communicatively connected to the valve on the circulation pipeline that controls water replenishment, so that water can be replenished to the circulation pipeline through the water inlet when the liquid level in the expansion tank is lower than a set value.

[0019] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the second technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0020] An operating method for a liquid-cooled unit as described in the above embodiments, wherein the liquid-cooled unit further includes a refrigeration mechanism, a natural cooling mechanism, and a three-way valve, comprising the following steps:

[0021] Turn the three-way valve to connect the circulation line to either the liquid cooling side of the refrigeration unit or the natural cooling unit;

[0022] Start the circulation pump to drive the coolant in the circulation pipeline to circulate multiple times until the water level in the expansion tank no longer drops, then turn off the circulation pump.

[0023] Rotate the three-way valve to connect the circulation pipeline to the liquid-cooled side of the refrigeration mechanism and the other of the natural cooling mechanism;

[0024] Start the circulation pump to drive the coolant in the circulation pipeline to circulate repeatedly until the water level in the expansion tank no longer drops. Then, turn off the circulation pump to complete the exhaust of the liquid-cooled unit.

[0025] In some embodiments of the operating method, the liquid-cooled unit further includes a liquid level sensor and a shut-off valve; the operating method further includes:

[0026] The liquid level in the expansion tank is monitored by a liquid level sensor;

[0027] When the liquid level in the expansion tank is lower than the set value, the shut-off valve is closed, and liquid is replenished through the replenishment port of the expansion tank until the liquid level in the expansion tank reaches the preset liquid level.

[0028] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the fourth technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0029] A control device includes a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of the operating method described in the above embodiments.

[0030] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the fifth technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0031] A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of the running method as described in the above embodiments.

[0032] Implementing the embodiments of the present invention will have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0033] The aforementioned liquid-cooled unit relies on multiple cycles of exhaust from the exhaust assembly to remove gas from the circulation pipeline. Specifically, the exhaust assembly includes a gas collection tank, an expansion tank, and a first automatic exhaust valve. The gas collection tank can separate the gas in the circulation pipeline from the coolant during the coolant circulation process and transfer it to the expansion tank. When the gas pressure in the expansion tank exceeds the first preset gas pressure value of the first automatic exhaust valve, it can be discharged through the first automatic exhaust valve, thereby effectively removing the gas from the circulation pipeline and solving the technical problem of difficult air removal in existing liquid-cooled units.

[0034] The above-mentioned operating method for liquid-cooled units only requires turning the three-way valve to connect the circulation pipeline to the liquid-cooled side of the refrigeration unit and the natural cooling mechanism respectively. Under the action of multiple circulations and the exhaust component, the exhaust of the liquid-cooled unit can be realized, and the operation is simple.

[0035] The control device and computer-readable storage medium provided in the above embodiments belong to the same concept as the corresponding liquid cooling unit and the liquid cooling unit operation method embodiments, and thus have the same technical effects as the corresponding liquid cooling unit and its operation method embodiments, which will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the liquid cooling unit in one embodiment;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the liquid injection and venting method of the present invention.

[0039] The components are as follows: 1. Liquid circulation mechanism; 11. Circulation pipeline; 12. Circulation pump; 13. Three-way valve; 14. Shut-off valve; 15. Electric heater; 16. Filter; 17. Water inlet; 2. Refrigeration mechanism; 21. Evaporator; 22. Compressor; 23. Condenser; 24. Expansion valve; 25. Refrigeration circuit; 3. Natural cooling mechanism; 31. Cooling circuit; 32. Dry cooler; 33. Second automatic exhaust valve; 4. Fan; 5. Exhaust mechanism; 51. Gas-liquid collection tank; 52. Expansion tank; 53. First automatic exhaust valve; 100. Object to be cooled. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many other different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention.

[0041] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0042] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0043] Currently, liquid cooling units used for liquid-cooled batteries have the problem of difficulty in removing air from the pipelines. The residual air can cause a series of adverse effects, such as corrosion of pipelines and liquid pumps, fluctuating liquid flow rates that seriously affect the energy efficiency of end users, and noise.

[0044] like Figure 1As shown, in one embodiment of a liquid cooling unit, the liquid cooling unit includes a liquid circulation mechanism 1 and an exhaust mechanism 5. The liquid circulation mechanism 1 includes a circulation pump 12 and a circulation pipeline 11. The circulation pump 12 is installed in the circulation pipeline 11 and is used to drive the coolant to flow in the circulation pipeline 11 so as to dissipate heat from the object 100 connected to the circulation pipeline 11. The exhaust mechanism 5 includes a gas collecting tank 51, an expansion tank 52, and a first automatic exhaust valve 53. The gas collecting tank 51 and the expansion tank 52 are connected to the circulation pipeline 11 in sequence along the cooling flow direction. The first outlet of the gas collecting tank 51 is connected to the first inlet of the expansion tank 52 through a pipeline. The first automatic exhaust valve 53 is installed on the upper part of the expansion tank 52. When the gas pressure in the expansion tank 52 is greater than the first preset gas pressure value of the first automatic exhaust valve 53, the first automatic exhaust valve 53 can automatically discharge part of the gas that enters the expansion tank 52 through the gas collecting tank 51, so that the gas pressure in the expansion tank 52 is not higher than the first preset gas pressure value.

[0045] In this embodiment, the exhaust mechanism 5, consisting of a gas collecting tank 51, an expansion tank 52, and a first automatic exhaust valve 53, can separate the gas in the circulation pipe 11 from the coolant through multiple circulations of the coolant in the circulation pipe 11 and transfer it to the expansion tank 52. When the gas pressure in the expansion tank 52 exceeds the first preset gas pressure value of the first automatic exhaust valve 53, it can be discharged through the first automatic exhaust valve 53, thereby effectively removing the gas in the circulation pipe 11 and solving the technical problem of difficult air removal in existing liquid cooling units.

[0046] Specifically, the gas-liquid tank 51 is provided with a first outlet, and the expansion tank 52 is provided with a first inlet and a second outlet. The first inlet is connected to the first outlet through a pipeline, and the gas-liquid tank 51 and the second outlet are connected to the circulation pipeline 11 in sequence along the flow direction of the coolant.

[0047] It is understandable that the gas collecting tank 51 can be a box structure with an internal space. The gas collecting tank 51 has three interfaces. The two interfaces on the left and right are used to connect to the circulation pipe 11, and the first outlet at the top is connected to the expansion tank 52. The coolant does not completely fill the gas collecting tank 51. Therefore, after the coolant flows into the gas collecting tank 51, the gas will float on the coolant and enter the expansion tank 52 through the first outlet. The gas will be automatically discharged through the first automatic exhaust valve 53 when the gas pressure in the expansion tank 52 exceeds the first preset gas pressure value.

[0048] The object to be cooled, 100, can be a battery pack.

[0049] In one embodiment of the liquid cooling unit, the liquid circulation mechanism 1 further includes a shut-off valve 14, which is installed in the circulation pipeline 11 and located after the exhaust mechanism 5 in accordance with the flow direction of the coolant. After the shut-off valve 14 is closed, the fluid in the circulation pipeline 11 can enter the expansion tank 52 through the first outlet.

[0050] In this embodiment, by setting a shut-off valve 14 after the exhaust mechanism 5, coolant can be added to the gas collecting tank 51 and the expansion tank 52 before starting the exhaust. The specific operation steps are as follows: turn the shut-off valve 14 to block the circulation pipeline 11, so the coolant will fill the gas collecting tank 51 and enter the expansion tank 52 through the first outlet until the preset liquid level in the expansion tank 52 is reached. Then, open the shut-off valve 14, and the coolant in both the gas collecting tank 51 and the expansion tank 52 will drop.

[0051] In one embodiment of a liquid cooling unit, the liquid circulation mechanism 1 further includes an electric heater 15, which is installed in the circulation pipeline 11 and located between the object to be cooled 100 and the circulating water pump. The electric heater 15 is capable of heating the coolant.

[0052] In this embodiment, by setting an electric heater 15, it can be used to assist in low-temperature cooling. It is understood that when the ambient temperature is very low, the battery pack will not be turned on for a long time, and the temperature of the coolant will be the same as the ambient temperature. At this time, the charging and discharging of the battery pack in the low-temperature environment will seriously affect the service life of the battery pack. By heating the coolant with the electric heater 15, the battery pack is heated by the coolant before the battery pack is started, so that the temperature of the battery pack is raised to 10-30°C, thus avoiding damage to the battery pack.

[0053] In one embodiment of the liquid cooling unit, the liquid circulation mechanism 1 further includes a filter 16, which is installed in the circulation pipeline 11 and located between the object to be cooled 100 and the exhaust mechanism 5. The filter 16 is used for the coolant. In this embodiment, by providing the filter 16, impurities in the coolant can be filtered out.

[0054] In one embodiment of the liquid cooling unit, at least one of the three components—stop valve 14, electric heater 15, and filter 16—is installed in the circulation pipeline 11. In this embodiment, it is understood that only one of the three components—stop valve 14, electric heater 15, and filter 16—can be installed, or any two of them can be installed, or all of them can be installed, resulting in six possible arrangements. Preferably, the stop valve 14, electric heater 15, and filter 16 are all installed on the circulation pipeline 11 simultaneously.

[0055] In one embodiment of a liquid-cooled unit, the liquid-cooled unit includes a refrigeration mechanism 2, which includes an evaporator 21, a compressor 22, an expansion valve 24, a condenser 23, and a refrigeration circuit 25. The evaporator 21 includes a liquid-cooled side and a refrigerant side. The liquid-cooled side is connected to the liquid circulation mechanism 1, and the inlet and outlet of the refrigerant side are in fluid communication with the refrigeration circuit 25. The compressor 22, the condenser 23, and the expansion valve 24 are all installed in the refrigeration circuit 25. The refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit 25 flows sequentially through the refrigerant side, the compressor 22, the condenser 23, the expansion valve 24, and the refrigerant side.

[0056] In one embodiment of the liquid cooling unit, the liquid cooling unit further includes a natural cooling mechanism 3 and a three-way valve 13, which is installed in the circulation pipeline 11. The three-way valve 13 includes a valve inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. The first outlet is connected to the natural cooling mechanism 3, and the valve inlet and the second outlet are connected to the liquid circulation mechanism 1. The outlet of the natural cooling mechanism 3 is in fluid communication with the circulation pipeline 11. The three-way valve 13 is used to allow the coolant in the circulation pipeline 11 to flow into the natural cooling mechanism 3 and back into the circulation pipeline 11.

[0057] In one embodiment of a liquid-cooled unit, the natural cooling mechanism 3 includes a dry cooler 32, a cooling circuit 31, and a second automatic exhaust valve 33. The dry cooler 32 is installed in the cooling circuit 31, which includes a cooling inlet and a cooling outlet. The cooling inlet is connected to the second outlet, and the cooling outlet is connected to the circulation pipe 11. The cooling outlet is connected to the circulation pipe 11 after the three-way valve 13 in the direction of coolant flow. The second automatic exhaust valve 33 is installed in the cooling circuit 31 to discharge gas from the cooling circuit 31.

[0058] The liquid-cooled side is located between the three-way valve 13 and the electric heater 15.

[0059] In the above embodiments, the circulation pipeline 11 is connected to the natural cooling mechanism 3 through the three-way valve 13 in the entire liquid cooling unit, so that the gas in the natural cooling mechanism 3 can be discharged to the outside of the entire liquid cooling unit through the first automatic exhaust valve 53, thereby realizing the liquid injection and exhaust of the entire liquid cooling unit. Specifically, the evaporator 21 can be a plate heat exchanger, as shown in the figure. The left side of the plate heat exchanger is the liquid cooling side, and the right side is the refrigerant side. It can perform liquid-liquid heat exchange, liquid-gas heat exchange, or liquid-vapor heat exchange. It can be understood that during the use of the plate heat exchanger, the internal pipes on the liquid cooling side also need to be filled with coolant, so it also needs to be vented. When venting is required or when it is connected for the first time, turn the three-way valve 13 to connect the circulation pipe 11 with the inlet of the liquid cooling side. The coolant enters the liquid cooling side through the inlet of the liquid cooling side and then flows out from the outlet of the liquid cooling side back to the circulation pipe 11, that is, it connects to the refrigeration mechanism 2. Through multiple cycles of venting by the venting mechanism 5, the gas in the liquid cooling side and the circulation pipe 11 is discharged, thus completing the liquid injection and venting of the liquid cooling side. The condenser 23 and compressor 22 work together to maintain the temperature of the refrigerant. The evaporator 21 allows the refrigerant to exchange heat with the coolant. The expansion valve 24 is used to throttle the refrigerant to form a vapor-liquid two-phase mixture. The expansion valve 24 can control the valve flow rate to prevent insufficient utilization of the evaporator 21 area and knocking.

[0060] In conjunction with the previous embodiments, after the cooling outlet is connected to the liquid cooling side according to the flow direction of the coolant, that is, the liquid cooling side is located between the three-way valve 13 and the connection between the cooling outlet and the circulation pipe 11, the circulation pipe 11 can be connected to the cooling circuit 31 and the internal pipe of the liquid cooling side respectively through the control of the three-way valve 13, forming two different circuits.

[0061] It is understandable that when the three-way valve 13 is connected to the liquid cooling side, the gas in the cooling circuit 31 will prevent the coolant from entering because the cooling inlet is blocked by the three-way valve 13. Therefore, under the action of the circulation pump 12 and the exhaust mechanism 5, the gas in the liquid cooling side and the circulation pipe 11 can be discharged. After turning the three-way valve 13, there is coolant in the liquid cooling side and the circulation pipe 11 between the liquid cooling side and the cooling outlet, so there is no need to worry about the coolant in the cooling circuit 31 flowing into the liquid cooling side.

[0062] By setting up a cooling mechanism 2 and a natural cooling mechanism 3, the cooling mechanism 2 and the liquid circulation mechanism 1 can be used to dissipate heat from the battery pack when the ambient temperature is high, while the cooling mechanism 2 can be stopped when the ambient temperature is low, and the battery pack can be dissipated by the natural cooling mechanism 3 and the liquid circulation mechanism 1. It also has multiple working modes, which can reduce power loss.

[0063] In addition, by setting a second automatic exhaust valve 33, the integrated liquid-cooled unit of the present invention only needs to connect the three-way valve 13 to the evaporator 21 during the first start-up. The coolant can enter the cooling circuit 31 through the cooling outlet, and the gas in the cooling circuit 31 can be discharged through the second automatic exhaust valve 33. Thus, the entire liquid-cooled unit can be connected in one go without switching the three-way valve 13, and the entire liquid-cooled unit can be filled and vented.

[0064] Understandably, the principle of the second automatic exhaust valve 33 is that gas accumulates at the bottom of the second automatic exhaust valve 33. Initially, the exhaust passage of the second automatic exhaust valve 33 is closed. When the gas accumulates at the bottom of the second automatic exhaust valve 33, the exhaust passage of the second automatic exhaust valve 33 will open, thereby enabling the cooling circuit 31 to connect with the outside world and thus allowing the gas to be discharged. After the gas is discharged, the float of the second automatic exhaust valve 33 can be supported by the liquid, thereby causing the valve stem corresponding to the float to move and close the exhaust passage.

[0065] In one embodiment of the liquid cooling unit, the liquid cooling unit further includes a fan 4, the airflow generated by the fan 4 can pass through the condenser 23 and the dry cooler 32 of the refrigeration mechanism 2, the dry cooler 32 and the condenser 23 are arranged side by side.

[0066] In this embodiment, the dry cooler 32 can be placed above or below the condenser 23, that is, the dry cooler 32 and the condenser 23 are stacked one on top of the other. It should be noted that stacking one on top of the other is only for illustration. In practice, it can be set according to the airflow direction of the fan 4, or it can be set at intervals. In this way, the airflow of one fan 4 can pass through the dry cooler 32 and the condenser 23, thereby dissipating heat from the condenser 23 and the dry cooler 32.

[0067] In one embodiment of the liquid cooling unit, the exhaust mechanism 5 further includes an automatic intake valve, which is installed in the expansion tank 52. When the air pressure in the expansion tank 52 is lower than the second preset air pressure value of the automatic intake valve, the automatic intake valve can automatically draw outside air into the expansion tank 52 so that the air pressure in the expansion tank 52 is maintained at the second preset air pressure value.

[0068] In this embodiment, it is understood that the gas entering the expansion tank 52 can also play a role in stabilizing the overall pressure value of the liquid chiller unit. During the operation of the liquid chiller unit after the exhaust and liquid injection are completed, when the temperature of the coolant in the expansion tank 52 rises, the liquid volume increases, which will compress the gas in the expansion tank 52, causing it to exceed the first preset pressure value, and then be discharged through the first automatic exhaust valve 53. When the coolant temperature decreases, the liquid volume shrinks, the volume of the gas in the expansion tank 52 increases, and the pressure value decreases. When it is lower than the second preset gas pressure value, the automatic suction valve draws in gas to maintain the gas pressure value in the expansion tank 52 at the second preset gas pressure value, preventing it from continuing to drop. Through the setting of the first automatic exhaust valve 53 and the automatic suction valve, the gas pressure balance during the operation of the liquid chiller unit can be further maintained.

[0069] The water inlet 17 on the circulation pipeline 11 of this invention is located between the circulation pump 12 and the shut-off valve 14. Following the flow direction of the coolant, it enters from the water inlet 17 and passes sequentially through the circulation pump 12, the three-way valve 13, the liquid-cooled side of the evaporator 21, the electric heater 15, the object to be cooled 100, the filter 16, the exhaust mechanism 5, the shut-off valve 14, and the circulation pump 12, thus forming a cycle. In the refrigeration circuit 25, the refrigerant flows sequentially through the refrigerant side of the evaporator 21, the compressor 22, the condenser 23, the expansion valve 24, and the refrigerant side of the evaporator 21.

[0070] After turning the three-way valve 13 to connect the cooling circuit 31, the coolant passes through the circulation pump 12, the three-way valve 13, the dry cooler 32, the electric heater 15, the object to be cooled 100, the filter 16, the exhaust mechanism 5, the shut-off valve 14 and the circulation pump 12 in sequence, thus forming a cycle, which is equivalent to the dry cooler 32 and the liquid-cooled side of the evaporator 21 being connected in parallel.

[0071] It is also understandable that, under the action of the circulating pump 12, the flow rate of the coolant can reach a certain speed, thereby bringing air from some corners and bends in the circulating pipeline 11 into the air collection tank 51.

[0072] Preferably, in one embodiment of the liquid-cooled unit, the liquid-cooled unit further includes a liquid level sensor, which is installed in the expansion tank 52 and used to monitor the liquid level in the expansion tank 52. The liquid level sensor is communicatively connected to the valve that controls the opening and closing of the water inlet 17, so that when the liquid level in the expansion tank 52 is lower than the set value during the liquid drainage and gas injection process, the water inlet 17 can be opened to replenish water, ensuring the smooth operation of the liquid-cooled unit's liquid drainage and gas injection.

[0073] Specifically, the first preset air pressure value ranges from 0.6 bar to 0.8 bar. The second preset air pressure value ranges from 0.98 to 11.8 kPa.

[0074] In one embodiment of a liquid-cooled unit, the liquid-cooled unit includes at least one of a fan 4 and a liquid level sensor, which is the same as the previous configuration and will not be described again.

[0075] The present invention also relates to a liquid injection and venting method for the liquid-cooled unit applied in the above embodiments, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0076] Rotate the three-way valve 13 to connect the circulation pipe 11 to one of the liquid cooling side of the refrigeration mechanism 2 and the natural cooling mechanism 3;

[0077] Start the circulation pump 12 to drive the coolant in the circulation pipe 11 to circulate multiple times until the water level in the expansion tank 52 no longer drops, then turn off the circulation pump 12.

[0078] Rotate the three-way valve 13 to connect the circulation pipe 11 to the other of the liquid cooling side of the refrigeration mechanism 2 and the natural cooling mechanism 3;

[0079] Start the circulation pump 12 to drive the coolant in the circulation pipeline 11 to circulate repeatedly until the water level in the expansion tank 52 no longer drops. Then turn off the circulation pump 12 to complete the exhaust of the liquid-cooled unit.

[0080] This embodiment describes the operation method of the liquid-cooled unit applied in the above embodiment. It only requires switching between the three-way valve 13 and either the refrigeration mechanism 2 or the natural cooling mechanism 3, and then cooperating with the multiple cycles of the exhaust mechanism 5 to discharge the gas from the refrigeration mechanism 2 and the natural cooling mechanism 3. The operation is simple and convenient for operators.

[0081] Furthermore, after the liquid-cooled unit exhausts, the water inlet 17 on the circulation pipe 11 is closed, and the three-way valve 13 is turned to connect the circulation pipe 11 with one of the refrigeration mechanism 2 and the natural cooling mechanism 3. Then, the circulation pump 12 is started to enter the working mode of the liquid-cooled unit.

[0082] It is understandable that the liquid cooling unit has two operating modes: the first mode in which the refrigeration mechanism 2 operates, and the second mode in which the natural cooling mechanism 3 operates.

[0083] Furthermore, in an embodiment of the operating method, the liquid-cooled unit further includes a liquid level sensor and a shut-off valve 14; the operating method further includes:

[0084] The liquid level in the expansion tank 52 is monitored by a liquid level sensor;

[0085] When the liquid level in the expansion tank 52 is lower than the set value, the shut-off valve 14 is closed, and liquid is replenished through the replenishment port of the expansion tank 52 until the liquid level in the expansion tank 52 reaches the preset liquid level.

[0086] The above operating method can be used to replenish the expansion tank 52.

[0087] Furthermore, specifically, a valve is installed on the water inlet 17, therefore, the further operating methods include:

[0088] The liquid level in the expansion tank 52 is monitored by a liquid level sensor;

[0089] The water supply to and from the water inlet 17 is controlled by a valve;

[0090] The on / off state of the circulation pipeline 11 is controlled by the shut-off valve 14 located between the expansion tank 52 and the water inlet 17.

[0091] When the liquid level in the expansion tank 52 is lower than the set value, the shut-off valve 14 is closed and the valve is opened to allow the liquid to enter the circulation pipeline 11 through the water inlet 17 and be replenished through the liquid inlet of the expansion tank 52 until the liquid level in the expansion tank 52 reaches the preset level under the operation of the circulation pump 12.

[0092] In this embodiment, it is understood that the liquid level setting value of the expansion tank 52 is not the same as the preset liquid level. The liquid level setting value is lower than the preset liquid level, that is, the preset liquid level is a high value and the liquid level setting value is a low value. It should be emphasized that the liquid replenishment mode is not only activated when the working mode is running. It can also be triggered when the exhaust mode is running. As long as the liquid level in the expansion tank 52 is lower than the set value, the liquid replenishment mode will be triggered. By setting the liquid replenishment mode, and the liquid replenishment mode can be interspersed in various modes of the liquid cooling unit, the automatic liquid replenishment of the entire liquid cooling unit can be achieved.

[0093] Understandably, in the working mode, the coolant in the circulation pipe 11 is also circulating. During the operation, gas is generated and enters the liquid cooling unit. Considering the evaporation of coolant, after this part of the gas is discharged through the expansion tank 52, the liquid level in the expansion tank 52 will decrease. Therefore, in the working mode, it will also drop to the set value, triggering the start of the liquid replenishment mode.

[0094] In this embodiment, the second automatic vent valve 33 can be opened first. At this time, the coolant can pass through the circulation pump 12, the three-way valve 13, the liquid-cooled side of the evaporator 21, the electric heater 15, the battery pack, the filter 16, the venting mechanism 5, the shut-off valve 14, and the circulation pump 12 in sequence. Among them, the coolant will be diverted between the liquid-cooled side of the evaporator 21 and the electric heater 15 into the cooling circuit 31, thereby venting the gas in the cooling circuit 31 through the second automatic vent valve 33. Subsequently, the three-way valve 13 does not need to be operated, and the liquid injection and venting process of the refrigeration mechanism 2 and the natural cooling mechanism 3 can be completed in one go.

[0095] The present invention also relates to a control device, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, the processor performs the steps of the operating method described in the above embodiments.

[0096] The present invention also relates to a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of the running method as described in the above embodiments.

[0097] The control device and computer-readable storage medium provided in the above embodiments belong to the same concept as the corresponding liquid cooling unit and the liquid cooling unit operation method embodiments, and thus have the same technical effects as the corresponding liquid cooling unit and its operation method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0098] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0099] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of operating a liquid chiller unit, comprising: The liquid cooling unit comprises a liquid circulating mechanism and an exhaust mechanism, the liquid circulating mechanism comprises a circulating pump and a circulating pipeline, the circulating pump is installed on the circulating pipeline and is used to drive the cooling liquid to flow in the circulating pipeline to cool the object to be cooled connected to the circulating pipeline; The exhaust mechanism comprises a gas collecting tank, an expansion tank and a first automatic exhaust valve, the gas collecting tank and the expansion tank are sequentially communicated with the circulating pipeline along the flow direction of the cooling liquid, a first outflow port of the gas collecting tank is communicated with a first inflow port of the expansion tank through a pipeline, the first automatic exhaust valve is installed on the expansion tank, when the air pressure value in the expansion tank is greater than a first preset air pressure value of the first automatic exhaust valve, the first automatic exhaust valve can automatically exhaust part of the gas entering the expansion tank through the first outflow port of the gas collecting tank to make the air pressure value in the expansion tank not higher than the first preset air pressure value. The liquid cooling unit further comprises a refrigeration mechanism, a natural cooling mechanism and a three-way valve, comprising the following steps: rotating the three-way valve to make the circulating pipeline communicate with one of the liquid cooling side of the refrigeration mechanism and the natural cooling mechanism; starting the circulating pump to drive the cooling liquid in the circulating pipeline to flow multiple times until the water level in the expansion tank no longer decreases, and then closing the circulating pump; rotating the three-way valve to make the circulating pipeline communicate with the other one of the liquid cooling side of the refrigeration mechanism and the natural cooling mechanism; starting the circulating pump to drive the cooling liquid in the circulating pipeline to flow multiple times again until the water level in the expansion tank no longer decreases, and then closing the circulating pump to complete the exhaust of the liquid cooling unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid cooling unit is operated in the cooling mode when the temperature of the liquid cooling unit is higher than the temperature of the liquid cooling unit in the heating mode. The liquid circulating mechanism further comprises at least one of the following: a stop valve installed on the circulating pipeline and arranged behind the exhaust mechanism along the flow direction of the cooling liquid, when the stop valve is closed, the fluid in the circulating pipeline can enter the expansion tank through the gas outlet of the gas collecting tank; an electric heater installed on the circulating pipeline and located between the object to be cooled and the circulating pump, the electric heater can heat the cooling liquid; a filter installed on the circulating pipeline and arranged between the object to be cooled and the exhaust assembly, the filter is used to filter the cooling liquid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid cooling unit is operated in a cooling mode when the temperature of the liquid cooling unit is higher than the temperature of the liquid cooling unit in the cooling mode. The liquid cooling unit comprises a refrigeration mechanism, the refrigeration mechanism comprises an evaporator, a compressor, an expansion valve, a condenser and a refrigeration circuit, the evaporator comprises a liquid cooling side and a refrigerant side, the liquid cooling side is communicated with the liquid circulating mechanism, the inlet and outlet of the refrigerant side are both communicated with the refrigeration circuit, the compressor, the condenser and the expansion valve are all installed on the refrigeration circuit, and the refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit flows through the refrigerant side, the compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve and the refrigerant side in sequence.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the liquid cooling unit is operated in the cooling mode when the temperature of the liquid cooling unit is higher than the temperature of the liquid cooling unit in the heating mode. The liquid cooling unit further comprises a natural cooling mechanism and a three-way valve, a first outlet of the three-way valve and an inlet of the natural cooling mechanism are communicated, a valve inlet and a second outlet of the three-way valve are communicated with the liquid circulating mechanism, and an outlet of the natural cooling mechanism is in fluid communication with the circulating pipeline, so that the cooling liquid in the circulating pipeline can be guided into the natural cooling mechanism and flow back into the circulating pipeline through the three-way valve.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the liquid cooling unit is operated in the cooling mode when the temperature of the liquid cooling unit is higher than the temperature of the liquid cooling unit in the heating mode. The natural cooling mechanism comprises a dry cooler, a cooling circuit, and a second automatic exhaust valve, the dry cooler is installed in the cooling circuit, the cooling circuit comprises a cooling inlet and a cooling outlet, the cooling inlet is communicated with the first outlet, the cooling outlet is communicated with the circulating pipeline, and the second automatic exhaust valve is installed in the cooling circuit to exhaust the gas in the cooling circuit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the liquid cooling unit is operated in the cooling mode when the temperature of the liquid cooling unit is higher than the temperature of the liquid cooling unit in the heating mode. The liquid cooling unit further comprises at least one of the following: a fan, an air flow formed by the fan can pass through the condenser and the dry cooler, and the dry cooler is arranged side by side with the condenser; a liquid level sensor installed in the expansion liquid tank and used for monitoring the liquid level height in the expansion liquid tank, the liquid level sensor is in communication connection with a valve on the circulating pipeline for controlling water replenishment, so that the circulating pipeline can be replenished with water through a water replenishment port when the liquid level in the expansion liquid tank is lower than a set value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, The liquid cooling unit further comprises a liquid level sensor and a stop valve, and the operation method further comprises: monitoring the liquid level height in the expansion liquid tank by the liquid level sensor; when the liquid level height in the expansion liquid tank is lower than a set value, closing the stop valve and replenishing the expansion liquid tank through a liquid replenishment port of the expansion liquid tank until the liquid level in the expansion liquid tank reaches a preset liquid level.

8. Control device, characterized in that The computer readable storage medium stores a computer program, and the computer program is executed by the processor to make the processor execute the steps of the operation method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A computer readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer readable storage medium stores a computer program, and the computer program is executed by the processor to make the processor execute the steps of the operation method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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