Coolant leak identification method, device and system

Abstract

The present application provides a coolant leakage identification method, device and system, which relates to the field of battery technology. The coolant leakage identification method includes: obtaining the current liquid level information of the coolant of the cooling device, and the filling time information of the cooling device filling the cooling structure of the battery pack; determining the liquid level change of the coolant according to the current liquid level information, and identifying whether there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure according to the liquid level change when the filling time information is greater than the time threshold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a coolant leakage identification method, device and system. Background Art

[0002] During the test of water cooling of power lithium batteries, a water cooling unit is usually used to transport liquid to the water cooling plate of the power lithium battery to cool the battery. If there is a leak in the water cooling liquid in the water cooling plate, the most direct manifestation inside the battery is insulation abnormality. In related technologies, after the upper computer reports an insulation fault, the operator performs troubleshooting and needs to disassemble the battery to determine whether there is a water cooling liquid leak.

[0003] The above statements are only used to provide background information related to the present application and do not necessarily constitute prior art. Summary of the invention

[0004] A technical problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to provide a coolant leakage identification method, device and system, which can timely identify whether there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure of the battery pack.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application proposes a method for identifying coolant leakage, comprising: obtaining current liquid level information of the coolant of a cooling device; determining the liquid level change of the coolant based on the current liquid level information; obtaining filling time information of the cooling device filling the cooling structure of a battery pack with liquid; when the filling time information is greater than a time threshold, identifying whether there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure based on the liquid level change, wherein the time threshold is greater than the time it takes for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with coolant when there is no coolant leakage.

[0006] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, the filling time information is used as the preliminary judgment parameter. If the filling time information meets the preset conditions, it means that the time for the coolant to fill the cooling structure has been met, and the change in the coolant level is used to judge whether the cooling structure of the battery pack has leaked coolant. The coolant level information is used to characterize the state information of the cooling structure. Since no manual investigation is required, the safety risk is reduced. In addition, since the liquid level information can be obtained in real time, it is also possible to more quickly identify whether the cooling structure has leaked coolant, thereby improving the recognition efficiency.

[0007] In some embodiments, the liquid level change includes the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information. According to the liquid level change, identifying whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure includes: according to the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information, identifying the amount of liquid filled into the cooling structure by the cooling device; when the liquid filling amount is greater than the liquid filling threshold, determining that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure, and the liquid filling threshold is greater than the volume of the cooling structure. If the liquid filling time information is greater than the time threshold, it means that the time for filling the cooling structure has been met, and if the liquid filling amount is greater than the liquid filling threshold, it means that there is a leak in the cooling structure. By judging the liquid filling time information and the liquid filling amount, it can be quickly identified whether the cooling structure is leaking.

[0008] In some embodiments, the liquid level change also includes the difference between the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold and the current liquid level information. According to the liquid level change, the identification of whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure also includes: when the filling amount is less than or equal to the filling threshold, if the coolant volume corresponding to the difference between the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold and the current liquid level information is greater than the leakage threshold, it is determined that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure. If the filling time information is greater than the time threshold, it means that the time for filling the cooling structure has been met. If the filling amount is less than or equal to the filling threshold, it cannot be determined whether the cooling structure is leaking at this time, and further judgment is required. If the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold, that is, the liquid level data after the coolant surface is stable, and the coolant volume corresponding to the liquid level difference with the current liquid level information is greater than the leakage threshold, it means that after the cooling device is filled with coolant, the coolant in the cooling device continues to decrease, and then it can be identified that there is a leak in the cooling structure.

[0009] In some embodiments, the liquid level change includes the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information. According to the liquid level change, identifying whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure includes: when the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information is greater than a preset liquid level height, identifying that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure. If the filling time information is greater than the time threshold, it means that the time for filling the cooling structure has been met. At this time, by comparing the liquid level drop value, it can be quickly determined whether there is a leak in the cooling structure of the battery pack.

[0010] In some embodiments, the preset liquid level height is determined based on the liquid level height of the coolant in the cooling device corresponding to the liquid filling amount that fills the cooling structure. In this embodiment, if the liquid level drop value is greater than the liquid level height of the coolant in the cooling device corresponding to the liquid filling amount that fills the cooling structure, it means that the coolant is consumed too much and there is leakage in the cooling structure.

[0011] In some embodiments, when it is determined that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure, an alarm message is output, so that the inspection personnel can be reminded in time to take certain measures to reduce damage to the battery pack.

[0012] In some embodiments, when it is determined that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure, the cooling device is controlled to shut down, so that the cooling device does not further inject liquid into the cooling structure of the battery pack, thereby reducing further damage to the battery pack and reducing safety risks.

[0013] In a second aspect, the present application proposes a coolant leakage identification device, comprising: a first module, configured to obtain current liquid level information of the coolant of the cooling device, and determine the liquid level change of the coolant based on the current liquid level information; a second module, configured to obtain filling time information of the cooling device filling the cooling structure of the battery pack with liquid; an identification module, configured to identify whether there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure based on the liquid level change when the filling time information is greater than a time threshold, wherein the time threshold is greater than the time it takes for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with coolant when there is no coolant leakage.

[0014] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, the filling time information is used as the preliminary judgment parameter, and the liquid level change is obtained through the liquid level information of the coolant to judge whether the cooling structure of the battery pack has leaked the coolant. The coolant level information is used to characterize the state information of the cooling structure. Since no manual investigation is required, the safety risk is reduced. In addition, since the liquid level information can be obtained in real time, it is also possible to more quickly identify whether the cooling structure has leaked the coolant, thereby improving the recognition efficiency.

[0015] In a third aspect, the present application proposes a coolant leakage identification device, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the coolant leakage identification method as described above based on instructions stored in the memory.

[0016] In a fourth aspect, the present application proposes a coolant leakage identification system, comprising: the above-mentioned coolant leakage identification device; a liquid level sensor, configured to detect the current liquid level information of the coolant of the cooling device; and a timer, configured to calculate the filling time information of the cooling device filling the cooling structure of the battery pack with liquid.

[0017] In some embodiments, the coolant leakage identification system further includes: an alarm device configured to output an alarm message when the coolant leakage identification device identifies that there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure.

[0018] In some embodiments, the coolant leakage identification system further includes: a display configured to display current liquid level information and coolant leakage status.

[0019] In a fifth aspect, the present application proposes a whole vehicle cooling system, comprising: the above-mentioned coolant leakage identification device.

[0020] In a sixth aspect, the present application proposes a whole vehicle cooling system, including: the above-mentioned coolant leakage identification system.

[0021] In a seventh aspect, the present application proposes a computer-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the coolant leakage identification method as described above.

[0022] In an eighth aspect, the present application proposes a computer program product, including a computer program or instructions, which implement the above-mentioned coolant leakage identification method when executed by a processor.

[0023] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without paying creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a coolant leak identification method according to one or more embodiments. Figure 1 ;

[0026] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a cooling stand according to one or more embodiments;

[0027] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a coolant leak identification method according to one or more embodiments. Figure 2 ;

[0028] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a coolant leak identification method according to one or more embodiments. Figure 3 ;

[0029] Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant leakage identification device according to one or more embodiments. Figure 1 ;

[0030] Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant leakage identification device according to one or more embodiments. Figure 2 ;

[0031] Figure 7FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant leakage identification device according to one or more embodiments. Figure 3 ;

[0032] Figure 8 is a circuit diagram of a coolant leakage identification device according to one or more embodiments;

[0033] Fig. 9 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant leakage identification system according to one or more embodiments. Figure 1 ;

[0034] Fig.10 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant leakage identification system according to one or more embodiments. Figure 2 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The following detailed description and drawings of the embodiments of the present application are used to illustrate the principles of the present application, but cannot be used to limit the scope of the present application, that is, the present application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0036] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means more than two; the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. "Vertical" is not strictly vertical, but is within the allowable error range. "Parallel" is not strictly parallel, but is within the allowable error range.

[0037] At the same time, it should be understood that for the convenience of description, the sizes of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn according to the actual proportional relationship.

[0038] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or uses.

[0039] Technologies, methods, and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the technologies, methods, and equipment should be considered as part of the specification.

[0040] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0041] It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters refer to similar items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0042] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure more clearly understood, the present disclosure is further described in detail below in combination with specific embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] In the related art, the battery is disassembled to determine whether the water-cooling liquid has leaked. On the one hand, this poses a threat to the safety of the operator. On the other hand, because the water-cooling liquid leaks to a certain extent, it will cause insulation abnormalities in the battery. Therefore, the related art cannot identify whether the water-cooling liquid has leaked in time, which can easily cause battery damage.

[0044] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, by real-time detection of the coolant level information and using time as a preliminary judgment parameter, it is possible to timely identify whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure before insulation abnormalities occur in the battery, thereby improving recognition efficiency and improving the safety of personnel and products.

[0045] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a coolant leak identification method according to one or more embodiments. Figure 1 This embodiment can be executed by a coolant leakage identification device, such as a controller. This embodiment includes steps S11-S13.

[0046] In step S11, the current liquid level information of the coolant of the cooling device is obtained.

[0047] In some embodiments, the liquid level of the coolant of the cooling device is detected by a liquid level sensor. The liquid level sensor may be a contact sensor or a non-contact sensor. The type may be an optical liquid level sensor, a capacitive liquid level sensor, a conductive liquid level sensor, a vibration liquid level sensor, an ultrasonic liquid level sensor, a microwave liquid level sensor, etc. This embodiment does not limit the type of the liquid level sensor.

[0048] The liquid level sensor detects the liquid level information and converts the sensed data into electrical signals and sends them to the controller so that the controller can perform subsequent judgment steps.

[0049] The liquid level sensor can record the liquid level information of the coolant in the cooling equipment in real time, which is also convenient for data retrieval.

[0050] During the battery test, the cooling device is, for example, a water cooling unit; during the battery operation, the cooling device is, for example, a water cooling pump. The coolant is, for example, water, and those skilled in the art should understand that the coolant may also be other cooling media, such as cooling oil.

[0051] In step S12, the change in the coolant level is determined based on the current liquid level information.

[0052] The liquid level change includes, for example, the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information. For another example, the liquid level change also includes the difference between the liquid level data after the coolant liquid level stabilizes and the current liquid level information, where the liquid level data after the coolant liquid level stabilizes is, for example, the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches a time threshold.

[0053] In step S13, the filling time information of the cooling device filling the cooling structure of the battery pack with liquid is obtained.

[0054] In some embodiments, a timer is used to calculate the time it takes for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with coolant.

[0055] The battery pack is, for example, a lithium-ion battery, a lithium metal battery, a lead-acid battery, a nickel-ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, a lithium-air battery or a sodium-ion battery, etc., which is not limited here. The battery pack in this embodiment can be used in power devices such as automobiles and ships. The cooling structure is, for example, a water-cooling structure, specifically, a cooling plate, through which the coolant in the cooling plate takes away the excess heat generated by the battery pack, thereby reducing the overheating of the battery pack.

[0056] For example, Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a cooling stand according to one or more embodiments, a cooling pipeline is provided between the water cooling unit 1 and the battery pack 2, the water cooling unit 1 includes a water outlet 11 and a water inlet 12, the water cooling plate of the battery pack 2 also includes a water inlet 21 and a water outlet 22, the water outlet 11 of the water cooling unit is connected to the water inlet 21 of the water cooling plate, and the water outlet 22 of the water cooling plate is connected to the water inlet 12 of the water cooling unit. The water cooling unit 1 supplies water cooling liquid to the water cooling plate of the battery pack 2 to cool the battery pack 2.

[0057] In some embodiments, when there is no leakage in the cooling structure, the time for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with liquid is determined according to the volume of the cooling structure and the flow rate of the coolant, for example, the ratio of the volume of the cooling structure to the flow rate of the coolant.

[0058] In step S14, when the filling time information is greater than the time threshold, it is identified whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure based on the liquid level change, wherein the time threshold is greater than the time it takes for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with coolant when there is no coolant leakage.

[0059] For example, the filling time information is used as the preliminary judgment parameter. If the filling time information meets the preset conditions, it means that the time for the coolant to fill the cooling structure has been met, and the liquid level change is obtained through the coolant level information to determine whether the cooling structure of the battery pack has leaked coolant. The coolant level information is used to characterize the status information of the cooling structure. Since there is no need for manual investigation, the safety risk is reduced. In addition, since the liquid level information can be obtained in real time, it is also possible to more quickly identify whether the cooling structure has leaked coolant, thereby improving the recognition efficiency.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in step S14, the liquid level change includes the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information, and identifying whether there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure includes: identifying the amount of liquid filled into the cooling structure by the cooling device based on the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information; when the filling time information is greater than the time threshold and the filling amount is greater than the filling threshold, determining that there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure, wherein the filling threshold is greater than the volume of the cooling structure.

[0061] For example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the cooling device is known, and the amount of liquid filled into the cooling structure by the cooling device can be obtained according to the difference between the initial liquid level information of the coolant and the liquid level information detected in real time.

[0062] When the cooling structure does not leak, the time it takes for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with liquid is determined according to the volume of the cooling structure and the coolant flow rate. For example, it is the ratio of the volume V of the cooling structure to the coolant flow rate v. When the coolant does not leak, the time it takes for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with coolant is t=V / v.

[0063] In some embodiments, the time threshold is a first predetermined multiple of the time it takes for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with coolant when the coolant does not leak, and the first predetermined multiple is a value greater than 1, for example, 1.2. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the value of the first predetermined multiple is only for example, and may also be set to other values. The purpose of setting the time threshold is to ensure that the time condition for the cooling structure to be filled with coolant has been met.

[0064] In some embodiments, the filling threshold is, for example, a second predetermined multiple of the volume of the cooling structure, and the second predetermined multiple is a value greater than 1, for example, 1.05. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the value of the second predetermined multiple is only for example, and can also be set to other values, which can be set according to actual experience. The purpose of setting the filling threshold is to reduce the influence of the acquisition accuracy of the liquid level sensor or the fluctuation of the acquired data.

[0065] In the above embodiment, if the filling time information is greater than the time threshold, it means that the time for filling the cooling structure has been met, and if the filling amount is greater than the filling threshold, it means that the cooling structure has leaked. By judging the filling time information and the filling amount, it is possible to quickly identify whether the cooling structure is leaking.

[0066] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, in step S14, the liquid level change also includes the difference between the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold and the current liquid level information, and the identification of whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure also includes: when the filling time information is greater than the time threshold, and the filling amount is less than or equal to the filling threshold, if the coolant volume corresponding to the difference between the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold and the current liquid level information is greater than the leakage threshold, it is determined that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure. The liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold is the liquid level information after the coolant surface stabilizes.

[0067] The leakage threshold is set to 0.5 L, for example. Those skilled in the art should understand that 0.5 L is only used as an example, and the leakage threshold can be set according to actual conditions. The purpose of setting the leakage threshold is to determine whether the coolant in the cooling device continues to decrease after the cooling device is filled with coolant, so as to identify whether the cooling structure has a coolant leakage.

[0068] In the above embodiment, if the filling time information is greater than the time threshold, it means that the time for filling the cooling structure has been met. If the filling amount is less than or equal to the filling threshold, it cannot be determined whether the cooling structure is leaking at this time, and further judgment is required. If the coolant volume corresponding to the difference between the liquid level data after the coolant level is stabilized and the current liquid level information is greater than the leakage threshold, it means that after the cooling device is filled with coolant, the coolant in the cooling device continues to decrease, and it can be identified that the cooling structure has leaked.

[0069] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when it is determined that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure, an alarm message is output.

[0070] For example, by setting up an alarm, in the event of a cooling structure leak, an alarm will be sounded, promptly reminding the inspection personnel to take certain measures to reduce damage to the battery pack.

[0071] The alarm device is, for example, a buzzer, an audible and visual alarm, etc. This embodiment does not limit the type of the alarm device.

[0072] In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, when it is determined that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure, the cooling device is controlled to shut down.

[0073] In this embodiment, after the cooling structure leaks, the cooling device is controlled to shut down, so that the cooling device no longer further injects liquid into the cooling structure of the battery pack, thereby reducing further damage to the battery pack and lowering safety risks.

[0074] The following is an introduction to the solution of the present disclosure by taking a specific embodiment as an example. Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a coolant leak identification method according to one or more embodiments. Figure 2 , including steps S31-S35.

[0075] In step S31, the volume V and the water-cooling liquid flow rate v of the battery pack water-cooling structure are input.

[0076] Start the water cooling cycle and enter the liquid filling and abnormality judgment stage.

[0077] In step S32, it is determined whether the filling time T is greater than 1.2t, where t=V / v, and t is the estimated time for the water-cooling liquid to fill the water-cooling structure. If T>1.2t, then step S33 is executed, otherwise, continue to wait until the filling time T>1.2t.

[0078] In step S33, it is determined whether the injection volume L is greater than the water cooling structure volume V+0.5 liters. If so, step S34 is executed; otherwise, step S35 is continued.

[0079] In step S34, leakage of the water cooling structure is identified, an alarm is given and the machine is shut down.

[0080] At this time, it indicates that the water-cooling structure is damaged and there is a water-cooling liquid leakage. The alarm is promptly sounded to remind the operator, and the machine is shut down in time, and the liquid is no longer supplied to the water-cooling structure, reducing the risk of insulation abnormalities in the battery pack due to leakage.

[0081] In step S35, the difference △V between the data after the liquid level stabilizes and the current liquid level data is monitored, and it is determined whether △V is greater than 0.5 liters. If △V is greater than 0.5 liters, step S34 is executed, otherwise, the loop continues to wait. When the end condition is met, the judgment process ends.

[0082] When T>1.2t, but L≤V+0.5L, it means that the liquid level is stable. Record the liquid level information at that moment and jump to step S35.

[0083] In the above embodiment, by recording the liquid level information in real time and executing the leakage judgment logic, it is possible to quickly judge whether the water cooling liquid is leaking, thereby improving the troubleshooting efficiency and safety.

[0084] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in step S14, the liquid level change includes the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information, and identifying whether there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure includes: when the filling time information is greater than or equal to the time threshold, comparing the current liquid level information with the initial liquid surface information of the coolant, and when the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information is greater than a preset liquid level height, identifying that there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure.

[0085] For example, if the difference between the initial liquid level information of the coolant and the current liquid level information is greater than a threshold, it means that the coolant has dropped significantly, which means that part of the liquid has flowed out of the cooling structure and the cooling structure is damaged and leaking.

[0086] In this embodiment, if the filling time information is greater than the time threshold, it means that the time for filling the cooling structure has been met. At this time, by comparing the liquid level drop value, it is possible to quickly determine whether there is leakage in the cooling structure of the battery pack.

[0087] In some embodiments, the preset liquid level height is determined according to the liquid level height of the coolant in the cooling device corresponding to the liquid filling amount that fills the cooling structure.

[0088] For example, when the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information is greater than the liquid level height of the coolant of the cooling device corresponding to the volume of the cooling structure, it is determined that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure.

[0089] For example, the volume of the cooling structure is V, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the cooling device is known. Based on the volume of the cooling structure V and the cross-sectional area of ​​the cooling device, the liquid level height of the coolant in the cooling device corresponding to the volume of the cooling structure can be determined. If the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information is greater than the liquid level height, it means that too much coolant has been consumed and there is leakage in the cooling structure.

[0090] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a coolant leak identification method according to one or more embodiments. Figure 3 , this embodiment includes steps S41-S44.

[0091] In step S41, the volume V of the battery pack water cooling structure is input.

[0092] In step S42, it is determined whether the filling time T is greater than 1.2t, where t=V / v, and t is the estimated time for the water-cooling liquid to fill the water-cooling structure. If T>1.2t, then step S43 is executed, otherwise, continue to wait until the filling time T>1.2t.

[0093] In step S43, the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information is compared to see whether it is greater than the liquid level height corresponding to the coolant filling the water-cooling structure in the cooling device. If so, step S44 is executed, otherwise, the judgment cycle continues.

[0094] In step S44, leakage of the water cooling structure is identified, an alarm is given and the machine is shut down.

[0095] At this time, it indicates that the water-cooling structure is damaged and there is a water-cooling liquid leakage. The alarm is promptly sounded to remind the operator, and the machine is shut down in time, and the liquid is no longer supplied to the water-cooling structure, reducing the risk of insulation abnormalities in the battery pack due to leakage.

[0096] In the above embodiment, by comparing the liquid level drop value, it is possible to quickly determine whether the battery pack has a water cooling liquid leakage problem during the test process.

[0097] Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant leakage identification device according to one or more embodiments. Figure 1 The coolant leakage identification device is, for example, a controller, and includes a first module 510 , a second module 520 and an identification module 530 .

[0098] The first module 510 is configured to obtain current liquid level information of the coolant of the cooling device, and determine a liquid level change of the coolant according to the current liquid level information.

[0099] For example, the first module 510 obtains the liquid level information of the water-cooling liquid of the water-cooling unit through the liquid level sensor, and then compares the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information to obtain the liquid level change. Alternatively, the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold is compared with the difference between the current liquid level information to obtain the liquid level change.

[0100] The second module 520 is configured to obtain the filling time information of the cooling device filling the cooling structure of the battery pack with liquid.

[0101] For example, the second module 520 obtains the time information of the water cooling unit filling the water cooling structure with liquid through a timer.

[0102] The identification module 530 is configured to identify whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure based on the liquid level change when the filling time information is greater than a time threshold, wherein the time threshold is greater than the time it takes for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with coolant when there is no coolant leakage.

[0103] In the above embodiment, time is used as the preliminary judgment parameter, and according to the change in liquid level, it is possible to timely identify whether there is leakage in the cooling structure of the battery pack, and then timely measures can be taken to reduce damage to the battery pack.

[0104] In some embodiments, the identification module 530 is configured to identify the amount of liquid filled into the cooling structure by the cooling device based on the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information; when the filling time information is greater than the time threshold and the filling amount is greater than the filling threshold, it is determined that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure and the filling threshold is greater than the volume of the cooling structure.

[0105] In the above embodiment, if the filling time information is greater than the time threshold, it means that the time for filling the cooling structure has been met, and if the filling amount is greater than the filling threshold, it means that the cooling structure has leaked. By judging the filling time information and the filling amount, it is possible to quickly identify whether the cooling structure is leaking.

[0106] In some embodiments, the liquid level change also includes the difference between the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold and the current liquid level information. The identification module 530 is configured to determine that there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure when the filling amount is less than or equal to the filling threshold and if the coolant volume corresponding to the difference between the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold and the current liquid level information is greater than the leakage threshold.

[0107] In the above embodiment, if the filling time information is greater than the time threshold, it means that the time for filling the cooling structure has been met. If the filling amount is less than or equal to the filling threshold, it cannot be determined whether the cooling structure is leaking at this time, and further judgment is required. If the coolant volume corresponding to the difference between the liquid level data after the coolant level is stabilized and the current liquid level information is greater than the leakage threshold, it means that after the cooling device is filled with coolant, the coolant in the cooling device continues to decrease, and it can be identified that the cooling structure has leaked.

[0108] In some embodiments, the liquid level change includes the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information. The identification module 530 is configured to identify that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure when the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information is greater than a preset liquid level height.

[0109] In this embodiment, if the filling time information is greater than the time threshold, it means that the time for filling the cooling structure has been met. At this time, by comparing the liquid level drop value, it is possible to quickly determine whether there is leakage in the cooling structure of the battery pack.

[0110] In some embodiments, the preset liquid level height is determined according to the liquid level height of the coolant in the cooling device corresponding to the liquid filling amount that fills the cooling structure.

[0111] In this embodiment, if the liquid level drop value is greater than the liquid level height of the coolant in the cooling device corresponding to the liquid filling amount that fills the cooling structure, it means that the coolant is consumed too much and there is leakage in the cooling structure.

[0112] Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant leakage identification device according to one or more embodiments. Figure 2 The coolant leakage identification device also includes an alarm module 610, which is configured to output an alarm message when it is determined that there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure.

[0113] By outputting alarm information, the operator can be reminded in time to take measures to reduce further damage to the battery pack.

[0114] In some embodiments, Figure 6 As shown, the coolant leakage identification device further includes a control module 620, which is configured to control the cooling device to shut down when it is determined that there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure.

[0115] In this embodiment, after the cooling structure leaks, the cooling device is controlled to shut down, so that the cooling device no longer further injects liquid into the cooling structure of the battery pack, thereby reducing further damage to the battery pack and lowering safety risks.

[0116] Figure 7 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant leakage identification device according to one or more embodiments. Figure 3 The coolant leakage identification device includes a memory 710 and a processor 720. The memory 710 may be a disk, a flash memory or any other non-volatile storage medium. The memory is used to store the instructions in the above embodiments. The processor 720 is coupled to the memory 710 and may be implemented as one or more integrated circuits, such as a microprocessor or a microcontroller. The processor 720 is used to execute the instructions stored in the memory.

[0117] In some embodiments, the processor 720 is coupled to the memory 710 via the BUS bus 70. The coolant leakage identification device can also be connected to an external storage device 750 via a storage interface 740 to call external data, and can also be connected to a network or another computer system (not shown) via a network interface 760. No further detailed description will be given here.

[0118] In this embodiment, the welding defect detection device stores data instructions in a memory, and then processes the instructions through a processor, thereby timely identifying whether the cooling structure leaks coolant, thereby improving identification efficiency.

[0119] Figure 8The circuit diagram of the coolant leakage identification device according to one or more embodiments is, for example, a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). A main start-stop button SB1 is provided on the power supply side of the water cooler, and an auxiliary start-stop button SB2, a normally closed point of the third relay K3, and a motor water pump M1 are provided on the first branch where the water cooler is located. The coil of the second relay K2 and the coil of the time relay KT1 are connected in parallel with the motor water pump M1, and the contact point of the second relay K2 is connected to the auxiliary start-stop button SB2. The second branch is connected in parallel with the first branch, wherein the contact point of the time relay KT1 and the coil of the second relay K2 are provided on the second branch, and the first group of contact points of the second relay K2 are connected in parallel with the contact points of the time relay KT1. The third branch is connected in parallel with the second branch, and the second group of contact points of the second relay K2 and the coil of the third relay K3 are provided on the third branch. The fourth branch is connected in parallel with the third branch, and the normally open point of the third relay K3 and an audible and visual alarm are provided on the fourth branch.

[0120] After the buttons SB1 and SB2 are pressed, the normally closed point of the third relay K3 is in a closed state, the motor water pump M1 of the water cooler can run, the coil of the first relay K1 is energized, and the contact points of the first relay K1 are closed. After the time conditions are met, for example, after the time for the water cooler to fill the water cooling structure of the battery pack is greater than 1.2t, the coil of the time relay KT1 is energized, and the abnormality judgment procedure is entered. The contact points of the time relay KT1 are closed, so that the coil of the second relay K2 is energized, and the first group of contact points and the second group of contact points of the second relay K2 are closed. If there is an abnormality in the water cooling structure, the coil of the third relay K3 is energized, and then the normally closed point of the third relay K3 is disconnected, and the normally open point is closed, so that the buzzer alarms.

[0121] Fig. 9 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant leakage identification system according to one or more embodiments. Figure 1 The coolant leakage identification system includes a coolant leakage identification device 910, a liquid level sensor 920 and a timer 930.

[0122] The coolant leakage identification device 910 has been described in detail in the above embodiment and will not be further elaborated here. The liquid level sensor 920 is configured to detect the current liquid level information of the coolant of the cooling device. The liquid level sensor can be a contact sensor or a non-contact sensor. The type can be an optical liquid level sensor, a capacitive liquid level sensor, a conductive liquid level sensor, a vibration liquid level sensor, an ultrasonic liquid level sensor, a microwave liquid level sensor, etc. This embodiment does not limit the type of the liquid level sensor.

[0123] The liquid level information of the coolant in the cooling device is recorded in real time by the liquid level sensor 920, which is also convenient for data review.

[0124] The timer 930 is configured to calculate the filling time information of the cooling device filling the cooling structure of the battery pack with liquid.

[0125] The information acquired by the liquid level sensor 920 and the timer 930 are sent to the coolant leakage identification device 910, so that the coolant leakage identification device 910 can identify whether there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure.

[0126] In some embodiments, Fig.10 As shown, the coolant leakage identification system further includes an alarm device 1010, which is configured to output an alarm message when the coolant leakage identification device identifies that there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure. The alarm device is, for example, an audible and visual alarm, which is convenient for timely reminding the operator.

[0127] In some embodiments, Fig.10 As shown, the coolant leakage identification system further includes a display 1020 configured to display current liquid level information and coolant leakage status.

[0128] Through the display 1020, the operator can be informed of the condition of the coolant in the cooling unit in a timely manner.

[0129] If the water cooling unit includes an upper water tank and a lower water tank, the display 1020 can also display the liquid level of the upper water tank and the liquid level of the lower water tank. The display 1020 can also display the volume of the water cooling structure, and the volume information can be information input by the operator. The display 1020 can also display the liquid level drop value, the water cooling liquid rate, the water outlet temperature and the return water temperature, etc. This makes it easier for the operator to obtain relevant information about the water cooling unit more conveniently and comprehensively.

[0130] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, a whole vehicle cooling system is protected, and the whole vehicle cooling system includes the coolant leakage identification device in the above embodiment, so that it can automatically determine whether there is a coolant leakage in the battery pack during operation in the whole vehicle environment. In addition, it can also achieve the effect of timely alarm and shutdown.

[0131] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, a whole vehicle cooling system is protected, and the whole vehicle cooling system includes the coolant leakage identification system in the above-mentioned embodiment, so that it can automatically determine whether there is a coolant leakage in the battery pack during operation in the whole vehicle environment. In addition, it can also achieve the effect of timely alarm and shutdown.

[0132] In other embodiments, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, which implement the steps of the method in the above-mentioned embodiment when the instructions are executed by the processor. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the present application may be provided as methods, devices, or computer program products. Therefore, the present application may take the form of a complete hardware embodiment, a complete software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware. Moreover, the present application may take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable non-transient storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program codes.

[0133] In some embodiments of the application, a computer program product is also provided, including computer program instructions, which implement the method of any of the above embodiments when executed by a processor.

[0134] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in the above method of the specific embodiment, the writing order of the steps does not imply a strict execution order and does not constitute any limitation on the real-time process. The specific execution order of the steps should be determined by their functions and possible internal logic.

[0135] The above description of various embodiments tends to emphasize the differences between the various embodiments. The same or similar aspects can be referenced to each other, and for the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated herein.

[0136] So far, the present application has been described in detail. In order to avoid obscuring the concept of the present application, some details known in the art are not described. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solution disclosed herein.

[0137] The method and system of the present application may be implemented in many ways. For example, the method and system of the present application may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above order of steps for the method is only for illustration, and the steps of the method of the present application are not limited to the order specifically described above, unless otherwise specifically stated. In addition, in some embodiments, the present application may also be implemented as a program recorded in a recording medium, which includes machine-readable instructions for implementing the method according to the present application. Therefore, the present application also covers a recording medium storing a program for executing the method according to the present application.

[0138] Although some specific embodiments of the present application have been described in detail by way of example, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above examples are only for illustration, not for limiting the scope of the present application. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above embodiments may be modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the present application. The scope of the present application is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A coolant leakage identification method, comprising: Get the current liquid level information of the coolant of the cooling equipment; Determining a liquid level change of the coolant according to the current liquid level information; Acquire the filling time information of the cooling device filling the cooling structure of the battery pack with liquid; Taking the filling time information as a preliminary judgment parameter, when the filling time information is greater than a time threshold, identifying whether the cooling structure has a coolant leak according to the liquid level change, wherein the time threshold is greater than the time for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with coolant when there is no coolant leakage, wherein, In a case where the liquid level change includes the difference between the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches a time threshold and the current liquid level information, identifying whether there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure includes: identifying the amount of liquid filled by the cooling device into the cooling structure, and when the filling amount is less than or equal to the filling threshold, if the coolant volume corresponding to the difference between the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold and the current liquid level information is greater than the leakage threshold, it is determined that there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure, wherein the filling threshold is greater than the volume of the cooling structure.

2. The coolant leakage identification method according to claim 1, wherein: The liquid level change also includes a difference between initial liquid level information and current liquid level information. The identifying whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure according to the liquid level change also includes: identifying the amount of liquid filled by the cooling device into the cooling structure according to a difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information; When the filling amount is greater than the filling threshold, it is determined that there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure.

3. The coolant leakage identification method according to claim 1, wherein: The liquid level change also includes a difference between initial liquid level information and current liquid level information. The identifying whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure according to the liquid level change also includes: When the difference between the initial liquid level information and the current liquid level information is greater than a preset liquid level height, it is identified that there is a coolant leakage in the cooling structure.

4. The coolant leakage identification method according to claim 3, wherein: The preset liquid level height is determined according to the liquid level height of the coolant of the cooling device corresponding to the liquid filling amount that fills the cooling structure.

5. The coolant leakage identification method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: When it is determined that the cooling structure has a coolant leak, an alarm message is output.

6. The coolant leakage identification method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: When it is determined that the cooling structure has a coolant leak, the cooling device is controlled to shut down.

7. A coolant leakage identification device, comprising: The first module is configured to obtain current liquid level information of the coolant of the cooling device, and determine a liquid level change of the coolant according to the current liquid level information; The second module is configured to obtain the filling time information of the cooling device filling the cooling structure of the battery pack with liquid; An identification module is configured to use the filling time information as a preliminary judgment parameter, and when the filling time information is greater than a time threshold, identify whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure based on the liquid level change, wherein the time threshold is greater than the time for the cooling device to fill the cooling structure with coolant when the coolant is not leaking, and wherein, when the liquid level change includes the difference between the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold and the current liquid level information, identifying whether there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure includes: identifying the amount of liquid filled by the cooling device to the cooling structure, and when the filling amount is less than or equal to the filling threshold, if the coolant volume corresponding to the difference between the liquid level information when the filling time information reaches the time threshold and the current liquid level information is greater than the leakage threshold, it is determined that there is a coolant leak in the cooling structure, wherein the filling threshold is greater than the volume of the cooling structure.

8. A coolant leakage identification device, comprising: Memory; as well as A processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the coolant leak identification method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 based on instructions stored in the memory.

9. A coolant leakage identification system, comprising: The coolant leakage identification device according to claim 7 or 8; A liquid level sensor configured to detect current liquid level information of the coolant of the cooling device; The timer is configured to calculate the filling time information of the cooling device filling the cooling structure of the battery pack with liquid.

10. The coolant leak identification system according to claim 9, further comprising: The alarm device is configured to output an alarm message when the coolant leakage identification device identifies that the cooling structure has a coolant leakage.

11. The coolant leakage identification system according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising: The display is configured to display the current liquid level information and coolant leakage status.

12. A vehicle cooling system, comprising: The coolant leakage identification device according to claim 7 or 8.

13. A vehicle cooling system, comprising: A coolant leakage identification system as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11.

14. A computer-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, implement the coolant leakage identification method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

15. A computer program product, comprising a computer program or an instruction, wherein when the computer program or the instruction is executed by a processor, the coolant leakage identification method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is implemented.

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