Energy storage system and thermal management system

Abstract

The present application provides an energy storage system and a thermal management system. The thermal management system includes: a shell having a housing cavity; a cooling circuit, which is arranged in the housing cavity and is used to provide cooling for the energy storage cabinet; and an air cooler, which is arranged on the outside of the shell. In the thermal management system, at least the cooling circuit is arranged in the housing cavity of the shell. Under the protection of the shell, the degree to which the structure in the housing cavity is affected by the external environment can be reduced, thereby reducing the protection level of the structure in the housing cavity and reducing the cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of energy storage, and specifically to an energy storage system and a thermal management system. Background Art

[0002] At present, with the development of the energy storage industry, the demand for energy density in the energy storage system cabin is getting higher and higher, and the requirements for thermal management systems are also getting higher and higher. With the increase in cooling capacity demand, the volume of the thermal management system is also larger, resulting in a lower energy density in the cabinet. Traditionally, in order to reduce the low energy density of the cabinet cabin, the thermal management system is set outside the cabinet. However, in order to avoid the influence of the surrounding environment of the energy storage system, the cooling circuit in the thermal management system needs to have a higher protection level, which is more expensive. Summary of the invention

[0003] Multiple embodiments of the present application provide an energy storage system and a thermal management system that can reduce costs.

[0004] In one aspect, the present application provides a thermal management system, the thermal management system comprising:

[0005] A housing having a receiving cavity;

[0006] A cooling circuit, which is arranged in the accommodating cavity and is used to provide cooling for the energy storage cabinet;

[0007] The air cooler is arranged on the outside of the shell.

[0008] In some embodiments, the thermal management system includes a cooling medium flow channel plate disposed in the accommodating cavity.

[0009] In some embodiments, the thermal management system includes a compression refrigeration circuit; the cooling medium flow channel plate includes a refrigerant flow channel plate arranged in the compression refrigeration circuit.

[0010] In some embodiments, the thermal management system includes an evaporative heat exchanger and a condensing heat exchanger; the evaporative heat exchanger includes a first evaporation unit; the condensing heat exchanger includes a condensing plate exchanger; the compression refrigeration circuit also includes a compressor, the condensing plate exchanger and the first evaporation unit connected in series in sequence; among the compressor, the condensing plate exchanger and the first evaporation unit, two adjacent ones are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the condensation plate is overlapped with the refrigerant flow channel plate.

[0012] In some embodiments, the thermal management system includes an evaporative heat exchanger; the evaporative heat exchanger includes a first evaporation unit; the thermal management system includes a compression refrigeration circuit; the compression refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser and the first evaporation unit connected in series in sequence; two adjacent ones of the compressor, the condenser and the first evaporation unit are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate.

[0013] In some embodiments, the cooling medium flow channel plate includes a cooling liquid flow channel plate provided in the cooling circuit.

[0014] In some embodiments, the evaporative heat exchanger also includes a first heat exchange unit; the cooling circuit has a coolant supply port and a coolant recovery port; the cooling circuit includes the first heat exchange unit; the first heat exchange unit is located between the coolant supply port and the coolant recovery port, and the first heat exchange unit is connected to the coolant supply port through the flow channel in the coolant flow channel plate; the first heat exchange unit is connected to the coolant recovery port through the flow channel in the coolant flow channel plate.

[0015] In some embodiments, the condensing heat exchanger also includes a second heat exchange unit; the thermal management system includes an air cooling circuit; the air cooler is arranged in the air cooling circuit; the air cooling circuit is also provided with the second heat exchange unit; the second heat exchange unit is arranged in the accommodating cavity and is in heat exchange contact with the condensing plate.

[0016] In some embodiments, the thermal management system further includes an air cooling circuit; the air cooler is disposed in the air cooling circuit; and the condenser is disposed on an air outlet side of the air cooler.

[0017] In some embodiments, the thermal management system also includes an air cooling circuit and a coupling device, the coupling device includes a first coupling mode and a second coupling mode; the first coupling mode is configured so that the cooling circuit independently forms a closed circuit; the second coupling mode is configured so that the air cooling circuit is connected in series with the cooling circuit.

[0018] In some embodiments, the cooling medium flow channel plate includes a cooling liquid flow channel plate arranged in the cooling circuit; the coupling device is placed in the accommodating cavity and on the top side of the cooling liquid flow channel plate.

[0019] In some embodiments, the thermal management system further includes a dehumidification device connected in parallel with the first evaporation unit; the dehumidification device is disposed in the accommodating cavity.

[0020] On the other hand, the present application also provides an energy storage system, the energy storage system comprising:

[0021] a cabinet having a top side; and

[0022] The thermal management system provided in the present application is arranged on the top side of the cabinet.

[0023] In some embodiments, the energy storage system further includes at least one explosion relief device disposed on the top side of the cabinet; the at least one explosion relief device is arranged side by side with the thermal management system; the arrangement direction of the at least one explosion relief device and the thermal management system is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the shell and the air cooler.

[0024] In the multiple embodiments provided by the present application, in the thermal management system, at least the cooling circuit is arranged in the housing cavity of the shell. Under the protection of the shell, the degree to which the structure in the housing cavity is affected by the external environment can be reduced, thereby reducing the protection level of the structure in the housing cavity and reducing costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system provided for one embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the thermal management system from another perspective is shown.

[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the shell of the thermal management system.

[0028] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the thermal management system.

[0029] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A top view of part of the structure of the air cooler.

[0030] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Front view of the structure shown.

[0031] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system provided in another embodiment of the present application.

[0032] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the shell of the thermal management system.

[0033] Fig. 9 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the thermal management system.

[0034] Fig.10 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of the air cooler part and the condenser.

[0035] Fig.11A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a shell of a thermal management system provided in another embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Fig.12 for Fig.11 Schematic diagram of the thermal management system shown.

[0037] Fig.13 A schematic diagram of the structure of an energy storage system provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0038] Fig.14 for Fig.13 A structural schematic diagram of the energy storage system shown in another perspective.

[0039] Description of Reference Numerals

[0040] 400, energy storage system; 110, cabinet;

[0041] 100 / 200 / 300, thermal management system; 121, shell; 122, accommodating chamber; 130, compression refrigeration circuit; 131, refrigerant flow channel plate; 132, compressor; 133a, condensing plate exchange; 133b, condenser; 134, first evaporation unit; 140, cooling circuit; 141, coolant flow channel plate; 142, coolant supply port; 143, coolant recovery port; 144, first heat exchange unit; 145, water pump; 150, air cooling circuit; 151, air cooler; 1511, fan; 1512, heat dissipation component; 152, second heat exchange unit; 160, coupling device; 170, dehumidification device; 180, explosion relief device; 101, cooling medium flow channel plate; 102, evaporation heat exchanger; 103, condensation heat exchanger. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments.

[0043] In the present application, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and local features may be enlarged or reduced to more clearly show details of the local features.

[0044] Unless otherwise stated, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art of the technical field of this application. The terms used in this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. The term "and / or" used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items. The singular forms of "a", "above", and "the" used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates other meanings.

[0045] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0046] In the description of the present application, terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "height", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of simplified description of the present application, and do not indicate that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0047] In the description of this application, unless otherwise clearly defined, the terms "install", "connect", "connect", "fix", "set", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0048] In the description of the present application, unless otherwise clearly defined, a first feature being “on”, “above”, “above”, “below”, “below”, “below” or “below” a second feature may mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or the first feature and the second feature are in indirect contact with each other through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being “on”, “above” or “above” a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than the horizontal height of the second feature. A first feature being “below”, “below” or “below” a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than the horizontal height of the second feature.

[0049] The researchers proposed an energy storage system and a thermal management system, in which a shell is provided in the thermal management system, and at least a cooling circuit is provided in a housing chamber of the shell. Under the protection of the shell, the degree to which the structure in the housing chamber is affected by the external environment can be reduced, thereby reducing the protection level of the structure in the housing chamber and reducing costs.

[0050] See also Figures 1 to 6 The thermal management system 100 provided in one embodiment of the present application includes a housing 121, a cooling circuit 140 and an air cooler 151. The housing 121 has a receiving cavity 122; the cooling circuit 140 is disposed in the receiving cavity 122 to provide cooling for the energy storage cabinet; and the air cooler 151 is disposed outside the housing 121.

[0051] In the above-mentioned thermal management system 100, at least the cooling circuit 140 is disposed in the accommodating chamber 122 of the shell 121. Under the protection of the shell 121, the degree to which the structure in the accommodating chamber 122 is affected by the external environment can be reduced, thereby reducing the protection level of the structure in the accommodating chamber 122 and reducing costs, including but not limited to protection costs and anti-corrosion costs.

[0052] In addition, due to the protective effect of the shell 121, the thermal management system 100 can be applied to more environments.

[0053] Furthermore, the thermal management system 100 is an integrated structure, which can reduce the path of the pipeline between the air cooler and the structure in the accommodating cavity in the thermal management system, and facilitate the miniaturization of the thermal management system.

[0054] In this embodiment, the thermal management system 100 includes a cooling medium flow channel plate 101 disposed in the accommodating cavity 122. It is understandable that a flow channel for the cooling medium to flow through is provided in the cooling medium flow channel plate 101. In other words, part of the flow channels in the thermal management system 100 are realized by the flow channels provided in the cooling medium flow channel plate 101. Replace at least part of the pipeline in the traditional thermal management system. The cooling medium flow channel plate 101 has a compact structure, which reduces the contact area between the cooling medium and the external environment, thereby reducing the heat exchange between the cooling medium and the external environment when flowing through the cooling medium flow channel plate 101, reducing heat loss, and thus improving the cooling effect of the thermal management system 100; the structure is simple and easy to install and maintain; it is convenient for the compact setting of the structure, saving installation space, and meeting the increasingly sought-after miniaturization needs; in addition, compared with the pipeline structure, the cooling medium flow channel plate 101 is easy to fix, which improves the stability of the installation.

[0055] In this embodiment, the thermal management system 100 includes a compression refrigeration circuit 130; the cooling medium flow channel plate 101 includes a refrigerant flow channel plate 131 disposed in the compression refrigeration circuit 130. It can be understood that the cooling medium flowing through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131 is the refrigerant in the compression refrigeration circuit.

[0056] In this embodiment, the thermal management system 100 includes an evaporative heat exchanger 102 and a condensing heat exchanger 103; the evaporative heat exchanger 102 includes a first evaporation unit 134; the condensing heat exchanger 103 includes a condensing plate exchanger 133a. The compression refrigeration circuit 130 also includes a compressor 132, a condensing plate exchanger 133a and a first evaporation unit 134 connected in series. Among them, the compressor 132 compresses the refrigerant from a low-pressure and low-temperature gas state to a high-pressure and high-temperature gas state. After being compressed, the refrigerant is in a high-pressure state, which provides the necessary pressure conditions for the subsequent condensation process and provides power for the circulation of the refrigerant in the compression refrigeration circuit 130 to achieve a continuous refrigeration effect. When the high-temperature refrigerant passes through the condensing plate exchanger 133a, it exchanges heat with the external cooling medium to cool the high-pressure and high-temperature gas to a liquid state. In this process, the refrigerant releases a large amount of heat, that is, the cooling of the refrigerant is achieved. When the cooled refrigerant passes through the first evaporation unit 134, it exchanges heat with the medium to be cooled to achieve a cooling effect.

[0057] Specifically, the two adjacent ones of the compressor 132, the condensing plate 133a and the first evaporating unit 134 are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131. In other words, the compressor 132 and the condensing plate 133a are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131; the condensing plate 133a and the first evaporating unit 134 are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131; the first evaporating unit 134 and the compressor 132 are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131. It is understandable that a plurality of flow channels are provided in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131 to replace the pipelines in the traditional compression refrigeration circuit. It is understandable that in some other embodiments, part of the flow channels in the compression refrigeration circuit can also be realized by pipelines, that is, in the compression refrigeration circuit, part of the flow channels are realized by the flow channels in the refrigerant flow channel plate.

[0058] It can be understood that the adjacency here refers to adjacency along the series path rather than adjacency in physical location.

[0059] In this embodiment, the evaporation heat exchanger 102 and the condensation heat exchanger 103 are both disposed in the accommodating cavity 122 .

[0060] In this embodiment, the compressor 132 is also disposed in the accommodating chamber 122 .

[0061] It is understandable that, in this embodiment, the refrigerant flow channel plate 131 is provided with a plurality of openings, which are respectively used to dock with the compressor 132, the condensing plate 133a and the first evaporation unit 134. It is understandable that the refrigerant flow channel plate 131 has two openings for docking with the compressor 132, two openings for docking with the condensing plate 133a, and two openings for docking with the first evaporation unit 134. Different openings are connected to corresponding flow channels in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131.

[0062] Optionally, the compressor 132 is directly connected to the opening of the refrigerant flow channel plate 131, so as to further simplify the structure of the compression refrigeration circuit 130; and reduce the flow path of the refrigerant in the compression refrigeration circuit 130, thereby reducing heat loss.

[0063] Optionally, the condensing plate 133a is directly connected to the opening of the refrigerant flow channel plate 131, so as to further simplify the structure of the compression refrigeration circuit 130; and reduce the flow path of the refrigerant in the compression refrigeration circuit 130, thereby reducing heat loss.

[0064] Optionally, the first evaporation unit 134 is directly connected to the opening of the refrigerant flow channel plate 131, so as to further simplify the structure of the compression refrigeration circuit 130; and reduce the flow path of the refrigerant in the compression refrigeration circuit 130, thereby reducing heat loss.

[0065] In this embodiment, the condensing plate 133a is overlapped with the refrigerant flow channel plate 131. Thus, the distance between the condensing plate 133a and the refrigerant flow channel plate 131 is reduced, which facilitates the compact setting of the compression refrigeration circuit 130, saves installation space, and meets the increasingly pursued miniaturization demand. In addition, the condensing plate 133a is overlapped with the refrigerant flow channel plate 131, which reduces the space occupied by the compression refrigeration circuit 130 in the direction perpendicular to the height of the cabinet 110, that is, reduces the area of ​​the top side of the cabinet 110 occupied.

[0066] In this embodiment, the condensation plate 133a is placed on the top side of the refrigerant flow channel plate 131. This facilitates direct contact between the condensation plate 133a and the external cooling medium to improve heat exchange.

[0067] In addition, the condensation plate 133a is in the shape of a plate, and the condensation plate 133a is placed on the top side of the refrigerant flow channel plate 131. The large surface of the condensation plate 133a can be selected to fit with the refrigerant flow channel plate 131. It can be understood that the large surface of the condensation plate 133a refers to the surface with the largest surface area among the multiple surfaces of the condensation plate 133a. On the one hand, the stability of the condensation plate 133a is increased; on the other hand, the top surface of the condensation plate 133a, that is, the surface away from the refrigerant flow channel plate 131, is also a large surface, and heat exchange with the external cooling medium can be set through the top surface of the condensation plate 133a, so the heat exchange area is large and the heat exchange efficiency is high.

[0068] In this embodiment, the thermal management system 100 also includes a coolant flow plate 141 arranged in the cooling circuit 140; the setting of the coolant flow plate 141 replaces at least part of the pipeline in the traditional cooling circuit, and the coolant flow plate 141 has a compact structure, which reduces the contact area between the coolant and the external environment, thereby reducing the heat exchange between the coolant and the external environment when flowing through the coolant flow plate 141, reducing heat loss, and thus improving the temperature control effect of the cooling circuit 140; the structure is simple and easy to install and maintain; the compact setting of the structure saves installation space and meets the increasingly sought-after miniaturization needs; in addition, compared with the pipeline structure, the coolant flow plate 141 is easier to fix, thereby improving the stability of the installation.

[0069] In this embodiment, the evaporative heat exchanger 102 further includes a first heat exchange unit 144. The cooling circuit 140 has a coolant supply port 142 and a coolant recovery port 143; the cooling circuit 140 includes the first heat exchange unit 144; the first heat exchange unit 144 is located between the coolant supply port 142 and the coolant recovery port 143. It can be understood that the coolant flowing into the coolant recovery port 143 is cooled when passing through the first heat exchange unit 144, and then flows out through the coolant supply port 142 to cool the internal cabin structure of the cabinet.

[0070] In this embodiment, the cooling circuit 140 is used to provide cooling and heat dissipation for the battery cells in the inner compartment of the cabinet of the energy storage system. Generally, a liquid cooling plate is provided in the inner compartment of the cabinet, and the liquid cooling plate is in thermal contact with the battery cells. Therefore, when the cooling medium flowing out of the coolant supply port 142 flows to the liquid cooling plate, it exchanges heat with the battery cells to cool the battery cells. It is understandable that in some other embodiments, the cooling circuit 140 can also be used to provide cooling and heat dissipation for the PCS (Power Conversion System, energy storage converter) in the inner compartment of the cabinet.

[0071] It can be understood that the first heat exchange unit 144 is in thermal contact with the first evaporation unit 134. Therefore, when the coolant passes through the first heat exchange unit 144, it exchanges heat with the first evaporation unit 134 and is cooled.

[0072] In this embodiment, the first heat exchange unit 144 and the first evaporation unit 134 are designed as an integrated unit. It is understandable that in other embodiments, the first heat exchange unit 144 and the first evaporation unit 134 can also be provided separately and then be in thermal contact by bonding or other methods.

[0073] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first heat exchange unit 144 is connected to the coolant supply port 142 through the flow channel in the coolant flow channel plate 141; the first heat exchange unit 144 is connected to the coolant recovery port 143 through the flow channel in the coolant flow channel plate 141. It can be understood that in other embodiments, part of the flow channels in the cooling circuit can also be realized by pipelines, that is, in the cooling circuit, part of the flow channels are realized by the flow channels in the coolant flow channel plate.

[0074] It is understandable that in this embodiment, the coolant flow channel plate 141 is provided with a plurality of openings, which are respectively used to connect with the coolant supply port 142, the coolant recovery port 143 and the first heat exchange unit 144. It is understandable that the coolant flow channel plate 141 has two openings for connecting with the first heat exchange unit 144, one opening for connecting with the coolant supply port 142, and one opening for connecting with the coolant recovery port 143. Different openings are connected to corresponding flow channels in the coolant flow channel plate 141.

[0075] Optionally, the first heat exchange unit 144 is directly connected to the opening of the coolant flow channel plate 141, so as to further simplify the structure of the cooling circuit 140; and reduce the flow path of the coolant in the cooling circuit 140, thereby reducing heat loss.

[0076] Optionally, the coolant supply port 142 is disposed on the coolant flow channel plate 141 , so as to further simplify the structure of the cooling circuit 140 ; ​​and reduce the flow path of the coolant in the cooling circuit 140 , thereby reducing heat loss.

[0077] Optionally, the coolant recovery port 143 is disposed on the coolant flow channel plate 141 to further simplify the structure of the cooling circuit 140 ; ​​and to reduce the flow path of the coolant in the cooling circuit 140 , thereby reducing heat loss.

[0078] In this embodiment, the first heat exchange unit 144 and the first evaporation unit 134 are stacked and in thermal contact, thereby reducing the space occupied by the cooling circuit 140 in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the first heat exchange unit 144 and the first evaporation unit 134 .

[0079] In this embodiment, the coolant flow plate 141 is stacked with the refrigerant flow plate 131, which facilitates the compact setting of the thermal management system 100, saves installation space, and meets the increasingly sought-after miniaturization requirements. In addition, the coolant flow plate 141 is stacked with the refrigerant flow plate 131, which reduces the space occupied by the thermal management system 100 in the direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the first heat exchange unit 144 and the first evaporation unit 134.

[0080] In this embodiment, the condensing heat exchanger 103 further includes a second heat exchange unit 152. The thermal management system 100 further includes an air cooling circuit 150; an air cooler 151 is disposed in the air cooling circuit 150; a second heat exchange unit 152 is also disposed on the air cooling circuit 150; the second heat exchange unit 152 is disposed in the accommodating chamber 122 and is in thermal contact with the condensing plate exchanger 133a to provide cooling for the condensing plate exchanger 133a. It can be understood that the air cooler 151 is used to promote the circulation of the cooling medium in the air cooling circuit 150, thereby cooling the cooling medium flowing through the position of the air cooler 151. The cooling medium flowing out of the position of the air cooler 151 has a lower temperature, so that when it flows to the second heat exchange unit 152, it can exchange heat with the refrigerant in the condensing plate exchanger 133a to achieve cooling of the refrigerant.

[0081] In addition, in the present embodiment, the air cooler 151 is arranged close to one side of the shell 121, and therefore, the distance between the second heat exchange unit 152 and the air cooler 151 can be shortened, thereby reducing the flow distance of the cooling medium in the air cooling circuit 150, thereby reducing the contact area between the cooling medium in the air cooling circuit 150 and the external environment, thereby reducing the heat exchange between the cooling medium and the external environment in the process of flowing from the air cooler 151 to the second heat exchange unit 152, reducing heat loss, and thereby improving the cooling effect of the air cooling circuit 150.

[0082] In this embodiment, the thermal management system 100 also includes a coupling device 160, which includes a first coupling mode and a second coupling mode; the first coupling mode is configured so that the air cooling circuit 150 independently forms a closed circuit; the second coupling mode is configured so that the air cooling circuit 150 is connected in series with the coolant flow channel plate 141.

[0083] It can be understood that in the first coupling mode, the air cooling circuit 150 independently forms a closed circuit. When the air cooling circuit 150 is in operation, the refrigerant in the condensing plate 133a is cooled by the second heat exchange unit 152, that is, the fluid in the cooling circuit 140 dissipates heat through the compression refrigeration and heat exchange mode. In the second coupling mode, the cooled fluid in the air cooling circuit 150 flows to the cooling circuit 140 and flows out through the coolant supply port 142, that is, the fluid in the cooling circuit 140 dissipates heat through air cooling.

[0084] It is understandable that the cooling effect of the thermal management system 100 is different in the first coupling mode and the second coupling mode, so the corresponding coupling mode can be selected according to the specific environment. For example, when the ambient temperature is lower than the preset temperature, the second coupling mode is selected; when the ambient temperature is higher than the preset temperature, the first coupling mode is selected.

[0085] In this embodiment, the coupling device 160 is placed in the accommodating cavity 122, and is closely spaced from the air cooling circuit 150 and the cooling circuit 140, thereby shortening the flow path of the air cooling circuit 150 and the flow path of the cooling circuit 140, simplifying the structure of the thermal management system 100, and further facilitating the miniaturization of the thermal management system 100.

[0086] In this embodiment, the coupling device 160 is placed on the top side of the cooling liquid flow channel plate 141 to reduce the space occupied in the direction perpendicular to the height of the cabinet 110, that is, to reduce the area of ​​the top side of the cabinet 110 occupied.

[0087] In addition, the coupling device 160 is placed on the top side of the coolant flow channel plate 141, which reduces the distance between the coupling device 160 and the cooling circuit 140, thereby shortening the flow path of the cooling circuit 140, simplifying the structure of the cooling circuit 140, and further facilitating the miniaturization of the thermal management system 100.

[0088] In this embodiment, the number of the air cooling circuit 150 is one. In other embodiments, the number of the air cooling circuit is not limited to one, but may be more than one. Accordingly, the coupling mode may also be adjusted accordingly.

[0089] In this embodiment, the thermal management system 100 further includes a dehumidification device 170 connected in parallel with the first evaporation unit 134; the dehumidification device 170 is disposed in the accommodating cavity 122. Thus, the energy storage system cabinet can be dehumidified and the occupancy of the energy storage system cabinet can be reduced.

[0090] Optionally, the dehumidification device 170 is a fluorine-cooled evaporator.

[0091] It is understandable that the dehumidifier 170 is connected in parallel with the first evaporation unit 134, so the position of the dehumidifier 170 is not affected by the position of the first evaporation unit 134, that is, the position of the dehumidifier 170 is relatively free. Therefore, the position of the dehumidifier 170 can be set according to the structure of the thermal management system 100 to meet the requirements of miniaturization of the thermal management system 100.

[0092] In this embodiment, the cooling circuit 140 also includes a drive unit 145, which is located in the accommodating cavity 122 and is placed on the coolant flow channel plate 141. Thus, the distance between the drive unit 145 and the coolant flow channel plate 141 is reduced, which facilitates the compact setting of the thermal management system 100, saves installation space, and meets the increasingly sought-after miniaturization requirements. In addition, the drive unit 145 is placed on the coolant flow channel plate 141, which reduces the space occupied by the thermal management system 100 in the direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the drive unit 145 and the coolant flow channel plate 141.

[0093] Optionally, the driving unit 145 is a water pump.

[0094] It can be understood that in the present embodiment, the air cooler 151 in the air cooling circuit 150 is located outside the accommodating chamber 122, and the second heat exchange unit is located inside the accommodating chamber 122, so part of the pipelines in the air cooling circuit 150 are located between the air cooler 151 and the accommodating chamber 122.

[0095] In this embodiment, the air cooler 151 includes a fan 1511 and a heat dissipation component 1512. It is understandable that the heat dissipation component 1512 can dissipate heat under the action of the fan 1511, so that the temperature of the cooling medium flowing through the heat dissipation component is reduced.

[0096] Specifically, in the present embodiment, the air cooler 151 includes two heat dissipation components 1512 connected in series, and the two heat dissipation components 1512 are roughly arranged in an eight-shape. The airflow generated by the fan 1511 can flow to the two heat dissipation components 1512 at the same time, that is, the heat can be dissipated through the two heat dissipation components 1512 at the same time, thereby making full use of the airflow generated by the fan 1511 and improving the heat dissipation effect of the air cooler 151.

[0097] In some embodiments, the thermal management system 100 may further include a controller, which is used to control the coupling device 160 to execute a corresponding coupling mode according to the operating conditions of the energy storage system. Specifically, the valve body configured for each coupling mode can be designed as an electrically controlled valve, and the controller can control the opening and closing of the valve body to achieve different coupling modes. Of course, it is also possible to manually open and close each valve body to achieve the switching of the coupling mode. In actual application, specific configuration can be performed according to actual needs, and no more specific limitations are made here.

[0098] See also Figures 7 to 10 , the thermal management system 200 provided in another embodiment of the present application is different from the thermal management system 100 in that the cooling medium flow channel plate 101 includes a coolant flow channel plate 141 provided in the cooling circuit 140. The setting of the coolant flow channel plate 141 replaces at least part of the pipeline in the traditional cooling circuit. The coolant flow channel plate 141 has a compact structure, which reduces the contact area between the coolant and the external environment, thereby reducing the heat exchange between the coolant and the external environment when flowing through the coolant flow channel plate 141, reducing heat loss, and thus improving the temperature regulation effect of the cooling circuit 140; the structure is simple and easy to install and maintain; the compact setting of the structure saves installation space and meets the increasingly sought-after miniaturization needs; in addition, compared with the pipeline structure, the coolant flow channel plate 141 is easier to fix, which improves the stability of the installation.

[0099] In this embodiment, the first evaporation unit 134 is disposed on the top side of the coolant flow channel plate 141 , thereby reducing the occupied area of ​​the thermal management system 200 in the stacking direction of the first evaporation unit 134 and the coolant flow channel plate 141 .

[0100] In this embodiment, the compression refrigeration circuit 130 includes a compressor 132, a condenser 133b and a first evaporation unit 134 which are connected in series in sequence. Similarly, the compressor 132 compresses the refrigerant from a low-pressure and low-temperature gas state to a high-pressure and high-temperature gas state. After being compressed, the refrigerant is in a high-pressure state, which provides the necessary pressure conditions for the subsequent condensation process, and provides power for the circulation of the refrigerant in the compression refrigeration circuit 130 to achieve a continuous refrigeration effect. The refrigerant in a high-temperature state is cooled when passing through the condenser 133b. The cooled refrigerant exchanges heat with the medium to be cooled when passing through the first evaporation unit 134 to achieve a cooling effect.

[0101] In this embodiment, the thermal management system 100 further includes an air cooling circuit 150; an air cooler 151 is disposed in the air cooling circuit 150; and a condenser 133b is disposed on the air outlet side of the air cooler 151. After the air cooler 151 drives the airflow to cool the medium in the air cooling circuit 150, the airflow can continue to flow to the condenser 133b to continue to cool the refrigerant in the condenser 133b, thereby improving the cooling effect of the thermal management system 100, so as to better cool the energy storage system and reduce energy consumption.

[0102] More specifically, the condenser 133b is disposed on the air outlet side of the heat dissipation component 1512. The airflow driven by the fan 1511 flows through the heat dissipation component 1512 and then flows to the condenser 133b to continue to dissipate heat for the condenser 133b.

[0103] Specifically, the condenser 133b may be, but is not limited to, a fluorine-cooled condenser.

[0104] In this embodiment, the condenser 133b in the compression refrigeration circuit 130 is located outside the accommodating chamber 122, the compressor 132 and other structures are located inside the accommodating chamber 122, and some pipelines in the compression refrigeration circuit 130 are located between the air cooler 151 and the accommodating chamber 122.

[0105] See also Fig.11 and Fig.12, the thermal management system 300 provided in another embodiment of the present application is different from the thermal management system 200 in that, in the thermal management system 300, the cooling medium flow channel plate 101 also includes a refrigerant flow channel plate 131 provided in the compression refrigeration circuit 130. The compressor 132, the condenser 133b and the first evaporation unit 134, two adjacent ones are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131. In other words, the compressor 132 and the condenser 133b are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131; the condenser 133b and the first evaporation unit 134 are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131; the first evaporation unit 134 and the compressor 132 are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131. It can be understood that a plurality of flow channels are provided in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131 to replace the pipelines in the traditional compression refrigeration circuit. It is understandable that, in some other embodiments, part of the flow paths in the compression refrigeration circuit may also be realized through pipelines, that is, in the compression refrigeration circuit, part of the flow paths are realized through the flow paths in the refrigerant flow channel plate.

[0106] It is also understandable that the adjacency here refers to adjacency along the series path rather than adjacency in physical location.

[0107] It is understandable that, in this embodiment, the refrigerant flow channel plate 131 is provided with a plurality of openings, which are respectively used to dock with the compressor 132, the condenser 133b and the first evaporation unit 134. It is understandable that the refrigerant flow channel plate 131 has two openings for docking with the compressor 132, two openings for docking with the condenser 133b, and two openings for docking with the first evaporation unit 134. Different openings are connected to corresponding flow channels in the refrigerant flow channel plate 131.

[0108] Optionally, the compressor 132 is directly connected to the opening of the refrigerant flow channel plate 131, so as to further simplify the structure of the compression refrigeration circuit 130; and reduce the flow path of the refrigerant in the compression refrigeration circuit 130, thereby reducing heat loss.

[0109] Optionally, the condenser 133b is directly connected to the opening of the refrigerant flow channel plate 131, so as to further simplify the structure of the compression refrigeration circuit 130; and reduce the flow path of the refrigerant in the compression refrigeration circuit 130, thereby reducing heat loss.

[0110] Optionally, the first evaporation unit 134 is directly connected to the opening of the refrigerant flow channel plate 131, so as to further simplify the structure of the compression refrigeration circuit 130; and reduce the flow path of the refrigerant in the compression refrigeration circuit 130, thereby reducing heat loss.

[0111] See also Fig.13 and Fig.14The energy storage system 400 provided in one embodiment of the present application includes a cabinet 110 and a thermal management system 100 . The cabinet 110 has a top side; the thermal management system 100 is disposed on the top side of the cabinet 110 .

[0112] In the above energy storage system 400 and thermal management system 100, at least the cooling circuit 140 is disposed in the accommodating chamber 122 of the shell 121. Under the protection of the shell 121, the degree to which the structure in the accommodating chamber 122 is affected by the external environment can be reduced, thereby reducing the protection level of the structure in the accommodating chamber 122 and reducing costs, including but not limited to protection costs and anti-corrosion costs.

[0113] In addition, by placing the thermal management system 100 on the top side of the cabinet 110, the space occupied by the inner compartment of the cabinet 110 is reduced, so more battery cells can be placed in the inner compartment of the cabinet 110, thereby improving the energy density of the inner compartment of the cabinet 110. In addition, this configuration not only optimizes space utilization, but also improves the energy efficiency of the energy storage system 400.

[0114] Furthermore, when the type and number of battery cells remain unchanged, the inner cavity of the cabinet 110 can have a smaller volume. Compared with the conventional situation where the thermal management system is arranged in the inner compartment of the cabinet or on the outer wall of the cabinet, in the energy storage system 400 provided in this embodiment, the thermal management system 100 is placed on the top side of the cabinet 110, which reduces the space occupied by the thermal management system 100 in the direction perpendicular to its height.

[0115] In this embodiment, the energy storage system 400 further includes at least one explosion relief device 180 disposed on the top side of the cabinet 110; at least one explosion relief device 180 is disposed side by side with the thermal management system 100, which facilitates centralized management and maintenance and simplifies maintenance and repair work.

[0116] Furthermore, the arrangement direction of at least one explosion relief device 180 and the thermal management system 100 is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the shell 121 and the air cooler 151. Therefore, the air cooler 151 is located at the end of the thermal management system 100, which can reduce the shielding of the shell 121 and the explosion relief device 180 on the air cooler 151, so that the air cooler 151 can better utilize the surrounding airflow and have a better heat dissipation effect, thereby making the thermal management system 100 have a better cooling effect.

[0117] Specifically in this embodiment, the thermal management system 100 and the plurality of explosion relief devices 180 are arranged along the first direction aa, and the air cooler 151 is located at the end of the thermal management system 100 along the second direction bb. The first direction aa is perpendicular to the second direction bb. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the first direction aa and the second direction bb are limited to being perpendicular, and may also be parallel or intersecting.

[0118] Further, optionally, in some embodiments, the first direction aa is parallel to the second direction bb, and the air cooler 151 is located at an end of the thermal management system 100 that is away from the plurality of explosion relief devices 180 .

[0119] In addition, as mentioned above, in the thermal management system 100, by stacking the condensation plate 133a and the refrigerant flow channel plate 131, the space occupied by the thermal management system 100 in the direction perpendicular to the height of the cabinet 110 is reduced, and the area of ​​the area on the top side of the cabinet 110 is reduced, so that there is more area to set the explosion relief device 180, thereby improving the safety of the energy storage system 400.

[0120] It can be understood that, in other embodiments, the structure of the thermal management system is not limited thereto, and may also be the thermal management system provided by any other embodiment of the present application.

[0121] Optionally, the energy storage system 400 further includes a plurality of battery packs, a PCS and a switch. It is understandable that in other feasible embodiments, the arrangement and setting of the internal structure of the energy storage system 400 is not limited thereto and is not specifically limited here.

[0122] It can be understood that in the various embodiments of the present application, the size of the serial number of each process does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0123] It can be understood that the various implementation methods described in this application can be implemented individually or in combination, and the embodiments of this application are not limited to this.

[0124] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method implementation methods and will not be repeated here.

[0125] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art who is familiar with the present technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A thermal management system, characterized in that: The thermal management system comprises: A housing having a receiving cavity; A cooling circuit, which is arranged in the accommodating cavity and is used to provide cooling for the energy storage cabinet; The air cooler is arranged on the outside of the shell.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal management system includes a cooling medium flow channel plate arranged in the accommodating cavity.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The thermal management system includes a compression refrigeration circuit; the cooling medium flow channel plate includes a refrigerant flow channel plate arranged in the compression refrigeration circuit.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The thermal management system includes an evaporative heat exchanger and a condensing heat exchanger; the evaporative heat exchanger includes a first evaporation unit; the condensing heat exchanger includes a condensation plate exchanger; the compression refrigeration circuit also includes a compressor, the condensation plate exchanger and the first evaporation unit connected in series in sequence; among the compressor, the condensation plate exchanger and the first evaporation unit, two adjacent ones are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The condensation plate is overlapped with the refrigerant flow channel plate.

6. The thermal management system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The thermal management system includes an evaporative heat exchanger; the evaporative heat exchanger includes a first evaporation unit; the thermal management system includes a compression refrigeration circuit; the compression refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser and the first evaporation unit connected in series in sequence; two adjacent ones of the compressor, the condenser and the first evaporation unit are connected through the flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate.

7. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The cooling medium flow channel plate includes a cooling liquid flow channel plate arranged in the cooling circuit.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The evaporative heat exchanger also includes a first heat exchange unit; the cooling circuit has a coolant supply port and a coolant recovery port; the cooling circuit includes the first heat exchange unit; the first heat exchange unit is located between the coolant supply port and the coolant recovery port, and the first heat exchange unit is connected to the coolant supply port through the flow channel in the coolant flow channel plate; the first heat exchange unit is connected to the coolant recovery port through the flow channel in the coolant flow channel plate.

9. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that: The condensing heat exchanger also includes a second heat exchange unit; the thermal management system includes an air cooling circuit; the air cooler is arranged in the air cooling circuit; the air cooling circuit is also provided with the second heat exchange unit; the second heat exchange unit is arranged in the accommodating cavity and is in heat exchange contact with the condensing plate.

10. The thermal management system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The thermal management system further includes an air cooling circuit; the air cooler is arranged in the air cooling circuit; and the condenser is arranged on the air outlet side of the air cooler.

11. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The thermal management system also includes an air cooling circuit and a coupling device, the coupling device includes a first coupling mode and a second coupling mode; the first coupling mode is configured so that the cooling circuit independently forms a closed circuit; the second coupling mode is configured so that the air cooling circuit is connected in series with the cooling circuit.

12. The thermal management system according to claim 11, characterized in that: The cooling medium flow channel plate includes a cooling liquid flow channel plate arranged in the cooling circuit; the coupling device is placed in the accommodating cavity and on the top side of the cooling liquid flow channel plate.

13. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that: The thermal management system further includes a dehumidification device connected in parallel with the first evaporation unit; the dehumidification device is disposed in the accommodating cavity.

14. An energy storage system, characterized in that: The energy storage system comprises: a cabinet having a top side; and The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the thermal management system is arranged on the top side of the cabinet.

15. The energy storage system according to claim 14, characterized in that: The energy storage system also includes at least one explosion relief device arranged on the top side of the cabinet; the at least one explosion relief device is arranged side by side with the thermal management system; the arrangement direction of the at least one explosion relief device and the thermal management system is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the shell and the air cooler.

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