Flow battery temperature control device and method and flow battery

Abstract

The invention discloses a flow battery temperature control device and method and a flow battery. The flow battery comprises an electric pile and a liquid storage tank, wherein electrolyte is stored in the liquid storage tank; the device comprises a heating module, a temperature detection module and a control module. The heating module is located in the liquid storage tank, the heating module is in communication connection with the control module, and the heating module is used for heating the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank; the temperature detection module is arranged in the liquid storage tank and is in communication connection with the control module; the temperature detection module is used for detecting the temperature of a plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank and feeding back the temperature to the control module; the control module is used for controlling the heating module to work according to the temperatures of the multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank. According to the invention, the heating efficiency of the flow battery can be improved, the problem of non-uniform heating of the electrolyte can be solved, and the cost is relatively low.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of battery systems, and in particular to a liquid flow battery temperature control device, method, and liquid flow battery. Background Art

[0002] Since the performance of a battery system (e.g., a flow battery system) is easily affected by a variety of conditional parameters, among which temperature is an important parameter, temperature control is often required during the operation of the battery system. Temperature control includes heating and cooling to achieve higher energy conversion efficiency, so as to achieve the purpose of operating the battery system in the optimal operating state.

[0003] The positive and negative electrodes of the existing liquid flow battery system each use a liquid storage container to circulate and recycle the electrolyte. The heating device is located outside the liquid storage container, and the electrolyte in the liquid storage container is heated by the heating device. When heating the electrolyte, the heat must first pass through the heat-conducting medium to reach the electrolyte pipeline before entering the electrolyte. The heat transfer efficiency is too low, a lot of heat is lost in the middle, and the energy utilization rate is low. In addition, the existing liquid flow battery temperature control system has a complex structure and requires the construction of additional cooling medium containers and recovery channels, which has a high structural cost. In addition, during the process of heating the electrolyte, the temperature change rate of each position in the liquid storage container is different, resulting in uneven heating of the electrolyte. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention provides a liquid flow battery temperature control device, method and liquid flow battery, so as to improve the heating efficiency of the liquid flow battery and solve the problem of uneven heating of the electrolyte.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a temperature control device for a liquid flow battery, wherein the liquid flow battery comprises a battery stack and a liquid storage tank, wherein the liquid storage tank stores electrolyte; the device comprises a heating module, a temperature detection module and a control module;

[0006] The heating module is located in the liquid storage tank, and the heating module is in communication connection with the control module, and the heating module is used to heat the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank;

[0007] The temperature detection module is arranged in the liquid storage tank and is in communication connection with the control module; the temperature detection module is used to detect the temperature of a plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank and feed back to the control module;

[0008] The control module is used to control the operation of the heating module according to the temperatures of the plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank.

[0009] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a flow battery temperature control method, the flow battery temperature control method is applied to the flow battery temperature control device according to any embodiment of the present invention, the flow battery temperature control method comprises:

[0010] Acquiring temperatures of a plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank;

[0011] The heating module is controlled to operate according to the temperatures of the plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank.

[0012] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a liquid flow battery, wherein the liquid flow battery comprises the liquid flow battery temperature control device described in any embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] The present invention provides a flow battery temperature control device, method and flow battery, the flow battery includes a battery stack and a liquid storage tank, and the liquid storage tank stores electrolyte; the flow battery temperature control device includes a heating module, a temperature detection module and a control module; the heating module is located in the liquid storage tank, and the heating module is connected to the control module in communication, the heating module is used to heat the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank, and the heating module directly heats the electrolyte, thereby improving the heating speed of the electrolyte; the temperature detection module is arranged in the liquid storage tank, and is connected to the control module in communication; the temperature detection module is used to detect the temperature of multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank, and feed back to the control module; the control module is used to control the heating module to work according to the temperature of multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank, so that the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank is heated evenly. In addition, the flow battery temperature control device of the present invention eliminates the intermediate heat transfer medium and its circulation mechanism by heating the electrolyte, has a simple structure, can be flexibly arranged in flow batteries of different types and shapes, has an efficient heating method, and has a low cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a temperature control device for a liquid flow battery provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of another liquid flow battery temperature control device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of another liquid flow battery temperature control device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 4 Flow chart of a method for controlling temperature of a liquid flow battery in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only parts related to the present invention, rather than all structures, are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0019] The embodiment of the present invention provides a temperature control device for a liquid flow battery. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a temperature control device for a flow battery provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown, the liquid flow battery includes a battery stack 11 and a liquid storage tank 12 , in which electrolyte is stored; the liquid flow battery temperature control device includes a heating module 21 , a temperature detection module 22 and a control module 23 .

[0020] The heating module 21 is located in the liquid storage tank 12 , and the heating module 21 is in communication connection with the control module 23 . The heating module 21 is used to heat the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank 12 .

[0021] The temperature detection module 22 is disposed in the liquid storage tank 12 and is in communication connection with the control module 23 ; the temperature detection module 22 is used to detect the temperatures of a plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank 12 and feed back to the control module 23 .

[0022] The control module 23 is used to control the operation of the heating module 21 according to the temperatures of a plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank 12 .

[0023] Among them, there are two stacks 11 and two liquid storage tanks 12, the two stacks 11 are respectively the stack anode and the stack cathode, and the two liquid storage tanks 12 are respectively the liquid storage tanks for the stack anode and the liquid storage tanks for the stack cathode. The liquid storage tank 12 stores electrolyte, and the electrolyte is sent to the stack 11 through a liquid pump and a pipeline to react, and finally flows back to the liquid storage tank 12. Due to the inherent characteristics of the flow battery, the electrolyte needs to be kept within a specific temperature range to achieve optimal performance, and the temperature control of the electrolyte in the flow battery can be achieved through a flow battery temperature control device. Optionally, the flow battery can be a zinc-iron flow battery. Optionally, the heating module 21 is installed near the liquid pump in the liquid storage tank 12, where the electrolyte flows rapidly to take away the heat from the surface of the heating module 21, and the heated electrolyte passes through the stack 11 through a pipeline, and then returns to the liquid storage tank 12 through the return pipe from multiple different positions, which can effectively ensure that the electrolyte is heated evenly.

[0024] Specifically, the number and position of the heating modules 21 can be set according to the shape of the liquid storage tank 12, so as to heat the electrolyte more efficiently. Since the heating module 21 is located in the liquid storage tank 12, the heating module 21 can directly contact the electrolyte and directly heat the electrolyte, so that the heating speed of the electrolyte is fast, and it can achieve an efficient heating method with almost no energy loss, eliminating the intermediate heat transfer medium and its circulation mechanism. The overall heating structure is simple and the heat transfer efficiency is extremely high. The temperature detection module 22 is located in the liquid storage tank 12 and can also contact the electrolyte. The temperature detection module 22 detects the temperature of multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank 12, that is, the temperature detection module 22 can detect the temperature of the electrolyte at multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank 12, so that the control module 23 determines whether it is necessary to turn on the heating module 21 to heat the electrolyte. Multiple preset positions can be set at intervals, and the temperatures of the multiple preset positions can be used to determine whether the temperature of the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank 12 is uniform. Therefore, when the temperature at any preset position is low, the operation of the heating module 21 is controlled to heat the electrolyte and ensure that the electrolyte is heated evenly. The multiple preset positions can also be set according to the positions of the liquid outlet and the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank 12, so that the temperature of the electrolyte from the liquid outlet of the liquid storage tank 12, the temperature of the electrolyte at the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank 12, and the temperature of the electrolyte between the liquid outlet and the liquid inlet of the liquid storage tank 12 can be detected. Therefore, when the temperature at any preset position is low, the operation of the heating module 21 is controlled to heat the electrolyte and ensure that the electrolyte is heated evenly. In addition, the preset positions can also be set according to the position of the heating module 21 to ensure that the temperature of the heating module 21 can be detected, thereby monitoring the working temperature of the heating module 21.

[0025] In addition, the heating module 21 and the temperature detection module 22 are communicatively connected with the control module 23, and the control module 23 controls the working state of the heating module 21 according to the temperatures of multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank 12 detected by the temperature detection module 22. For example, when the temperature at a preset position is lower than the preset temperature, the heating module 21 can be controlled to start working and heat the electrolyte; when the temperatures of all preset positions are higher than the preset temperature, the heating module 21 can be controlled to stop working and stop heating the electrolyte. For another example, when the temperature at some preset positions is lower than the preset temperature, the heating module 21 can be controlled to start working to heat the electrolyte. When the surface temperature of the heating module 21 exceeds the safe temperature, the heating module 21 suspends heating to prevent the electrolyte from being burned out due to the excessively high surface temperature of the heating module 21. When the surface temperature of the heating module 21 is lower than the safe temperature of the heating module 21, the heating module 21 will automatically turn on again, over and over again, to achieve heating of the electrolyte, thereby achieving the purpose of uniformly heating the liquid flow battery, thereby achieving the technical effect of improving the safe and reliable operation of the liquid flow battery, and solving the technical problems of uneven heating and low efficiency of the liquid flow battery in the prior art.

[0026] The embodiment of the present invention provides a flow battery temperature control device, the flow battery includes a battery stack and a liquid storage tank, and the liquid storage tank stores electrolyte; the flow battery temperature control device includes a heating module, a temperature detection module and a control module; the heating module is located in the liquid storage tank, and the heating module is connected to the control module in communication, and the heating module is used to heat the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank, and the heating speed of the electrolyte is improved by directly heating the electrolyte by the heating module; the temperature detection module is arranged in the liquid storage tank and is connected to the control module in communication; the temperature detection module is used to detect the temperature of multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank and feed back to the control module; the control module is used to control the heating module to work according to the temperature of multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank, so that the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank is heated evenly. In addition, the flow battery temperature control device of the present invention eliminates the intermediate heat transfer medium and its circulation mechanism by heating the electrolyte, has a simple structure, can be flexibly arranged in flow batteries of different types and shapes, has an efficient heating method, and has a low cost.

[0027] Another embodiment of the present invention provides another flow battery temperature control device. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of another flow battery temperature control device provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown, further, the temperature detection module 22 includes a first temperature detection unit 221, a second temperature detection unit 222 and a third temperature detection unit 223; the preset position includes a first preset position and a second preset position, the first preset position is a first preset distance from the heating module, and the second preset position is a second preset distance from the heating module 21.

[0028] The first temperature detection unit 221 is located at a first preset position, and is used to detect a first temperature of the electrolyte at the position, and feed back the first temperature to the control module 23 .

[0029] The second temperature detection unit 222 is located at a second preset position, and is used to detect a second temperature of the electrolyte at the position, and feed back the second temperature to the control module 23 .

[0030] The third temperature detection unit 223 is closely attached to the heating module 21 . The third temperature detection unit 223 is used to detect the temperature of the heating module 21 and feed back the temperature to the control module 23 .

[0031] The control module 23 is specifically configured to control the heating module 21 to enter a working mode when at least one of the first temperature and the second temperature is lower than a preset liquid temperature, until both the first temperature and the second temperature are greater than or equal to the preset liquid temperature.

[0032] The control module 23 is also used to control the heating module 21 to suspend operation when the temperature of the heating module 21 is greater than or equal to the preset heating temperature when the heating module 21 enters the working mode, and to control the heating module 21 to continue working when the temperature of the heating module 21 is less than the preset heating temperature.

[0033] Specifically, when at least one of the first temperature and the second temperature is lower than the preset liquid temperature, the control module 23 controls the heating module 21 to enter the working mode, and the heating module 21 heats the electrolyte. The heating module 21 can be installed near the liquid pump in the liquid storage tank 12, where the electrolyte flows rapidly to take away the heat from the surface of the heating module 21. The heated electrolyte passes through the battery stack 11 through the pipeline and returns to the liquid storage tank 12 through the return pipe from multiple entrances at different positions, which can effectively ensure that the electrolyte is heated evenly. When the first temperature and the second temperature are both greater than or equal to the preset liquid temperature, the control module 23 controls the heating module 21 to exit the working mode, and the heating module 21 stops heating, thereby achieving rapid heating of the electrolyte.

[0034] During the process of the heating module 21 heating the electrolyte, the third temperature detection unit 223 located on the surface of the heating module 21 continuously monitors the temperature of the surface of the heating module 21. When the temperature of the heating module 21 is greater than or equal to the preset heating temperature, the control module 23 controls the heating module 21 to suspend operation. The heating module 21 suspends heating to prevent the electrolyte from being burned due to the excessively high surface temperature of the heating module 21. When the temperature of the heating module 21 is lower than the preset heating temperature, the heating module 21 is controlled to continue working, and the heating module 21 will automatically turn on again, and the cycle repeats to achieve heating of the electrolyte, thereby achieving the purpose of uniformly heating the flow battery and ensuring safety during the heating process.

[0035] It should be noted that the temperature detection module 22 is not limited to the first temperature detection unit 221, the second temperature detection unit 222 and the third temperature detection unit 223. More temperature detection units can be set in the liquid storage tank 12 to more accurately detect the temperature of each position in the liquid storage tank 12, and ensure that the electrolyte temperature in the liquid storage tank 12 is above the preset liquid temperature by heating the electrolyte. The liquid storage tank 12 is not limited to being provided with one heating module 21, and more heating modules 21 can be set to accurately heat the electrolyte at each position.

[0036] For further reference, Figure 2 The liquid storage tank 12 includes a first electrolyte tank 121 and a second electrolyte tank 122 ; there are two heating modules 21 and two temperature detection modules 22 , which are respectively arranged in the first electrolyte tank 121 and the second electrolyte tank 122 .

[0037] Specifically, the stack 11 also has two, namely, the stack anode and the stack cathode. The first electrolyte tank 121 is connected to the stack anode through a pipeline, and the first electrolyte tank 121 stores electrolyte, and the electrolyte is sent to the stack anode through a liquid pump and a pipeline to react, and finally flows back to the first electrolyte tank 121; the second electrolyte tank 122 is connected to the stack cathode through a pipeline, and the second electrolyte tank 122 stores electrolyte, and the electrolyte is sent to the stack cathode through a liquid pump and a pipeline to react, and finally flows back to the second electrolyte tank 122.

[0038] For further reference, Figure 2 The liquid output end of the liquid storage tank 12 is connected to the liquid input end of the battery stack 11 through a pipeline, and the liquid output end of the battery stack 11 is connected to the liquid input end of the liquid storage tank 12 through a pipeline.

[0039] The heating module 21 is located in the liquid storage tank 12 and at the liquid output end of the liquid storage tank 12; the first preset position is a first preset distance from the heating module 21, and the first preset position is located between the liquid output end of the liquid storage tank 12 and the liquid input end of the liquid storage tank 12; the second preset position is a second preset distance from the heating module 21, and the second preset position is located at the liquid input end of the liquid storage tank 12, and the first preset distance is smaller than the second preset distance.

[0040] Specifically, the first preset position is located between the liquid output end of the liquid storage tank 12 and the liquid input end of the liquid storage tank 12, and the first temperature detection unit 221 is located at the first preset position, so that the first temperature detection unit 221 can detect and monitor the temperature of the electrolyte near the heating module 21, and monitor the temperature of the electrolyte during the reflux process of the liquid storage tank 12. The second preset position is at a second preset distance from the heating module 21, and the second preset position is located at the liquid input end of the liquid storage tank 12. The second temperature detection unit 222 is located at the second preset position, so that the second temperature detection unit 222 can monitor the temperature of the electrolyte away from the heating module 21, and monitor the temperature of the electrolyte refluxed from the battery stack 11 to the liquid storage tank 12.

[0041] Optionally, the first temperature detection unit 221 , the second temperature detection unit 222 , and the third temperature detection unit 223 are all thermocouples.

[0042] The heating module 21 may be an electric heater. Electric heaters and thermocouples are both mature and cost-effective components, which can reduce the cost of temperature control and improve the reliability of the temperature control process.

[0043] For further reference, Figure 2 , also includes an alarm module 27.

[0044] The signal input end of the alarm module 27 is connected to the alarm signal output of the control module 23. The control module 23 is also used to obtain the predicted temperature of the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank 12 according to the time when the heating module 21 enters the working mode and the volume of the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank 12, and control the alarm module 27 to issue an alarm when the first temperature and the second temperature are both lower than the predicted temperature and the difference between the predicted temperature and the first temperature or the second temperature is greater than a preset value.

[0045] Specifically, when the heating module 21 is heating, the heating module 21 continues to work, and the control module 23 can predict the temperature rise curve of the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank 12 by calculating and comparing the time when the heating module 21 enters the working mode and the volume of the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank 12, as well as according to the external temperature and the working condition of the battery stack 11. When each first temperature or second temperature is lower than the predicted temperature and the difference is greater than the preset value, the control alarm module 27 sends out an alarm. In addition, the control module 23 can also determine that the heating module 21 is working abnormally, and alarm through the alarm module 27 and prompt to check the heating module 21 and its power supply circuit. When the readings of some temperature detection units are higher than expected, the readings of other temperature detection units are lower than expected, and the difference is higher than the alarm value, the alarm module 27 is used to alarm, and prompt the abnormal circulation in the liquid storage tank 12, prompting to check the pump and the circulation pipeline. The alarm module 27 can improve the safety of the liquid flow battery during operation, and can promptly discover problems during operation and eliminate them.

[0046] For further reference, Figure 2 The liquid storage tank 12 includes a first electrolyte tank 121 and a second electrolyte tank 122 ; there are two heating modules 21 and two temperature detection modules 22 , which are respectively arranged in the first electrolyte tank 121 and the second electrolyte tank 122 .

[0047] Furthermore, Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of another flow battery temperature control device provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown, the liquid flow battery temperature control device also includes a refrigeration module 24.

[0048] The cooling module 24 is in communication connection with the control module 26 . The cooling module 24 is located at one side of the fuel cell stack 11 . The cooling module 24 is used to dissipate heat for the fuel cell stack 11 .

[0049] The temperature detection module 22 is also used to detect the temperature of the battery stack 11 and feed it back to the control module 23; the control module 23 is also used to control the refrigeration module 24 to work when the temperature of the battery stack 11 is greater than or equal to the preset battery stack temperature, until the temperature of the battery stack 11 is lower than the preset battery stack temperature.

[0050] The refrigeration module 24 may be a refrigeration device such as a fan or an air conditioner to cool the fuel cell stack 11 .

[0051] Specifically, when the liquid flow battery is charged and discharged, the battery stack 11 generates heat, causing the temperature of the battery stack 11 to rise. The temperature of the battery stack 11 is monitored by the fourth temperature detection unit 224 in the temperature detection module 22 and fed back to the control module 26. When the temperature of the battery stack 11 exceeds the preset battery stack temperature, the control module 26 controls the refrigeration module 24 to work, so as to cool the battery stack until the temperature of the battery stack 11 is lower than the preset battery stack temperature, thereby achieving heat dissipation of the battery stack 11 and improving the safety of the liquid flow battery during operation.

[0052] Further, such as Figure 3 As shown, the temperature control device for the liquid flow battery further includes a heat preservation structure 25 and a partition 26; the refrigeration module 24 includes an exhaust fan.

[0053] The insulation structure 25 surrounds the battery stack 11 and the liquid storage tank 12, and the partition 26 is located between the battery stack 11 and the liquid storage tank 12; the exhaust fan is arranged on one side of the insulation structure 25, and a vent is arranged on the other side of the insulation structure 25; the exhaust fan is used to discharge the hot air in the space where the battery stack 11 is located to dissipate the heat of the battery stack 11.

[0054] It should be noted that the entire flow battery is composed of a power module (cell stack 11) and an energy module (liquid storage tank 12), both of which are wrapped by an outer insulation structure 25 and separated by a middle partition 26, wherein the power module (cell stack 11) is located in the upper box, and the energy module (liquid storage tank 12) is located in the lower box. Due to the inherent characteristics of the flow battery, the electrolyte needs to be maintained within a specific temperature range to achieve optimal performance, and the cell stack 11 has the characteristic of heating up during charging and discharging. In order to avoid mutual influence between the cell stack 11 and the liquid storage tank 12, they are separated by a partition 26, and the temperature of the space where the cell stack 11 and the space where the liquid storage tank 12 are located are controlled respectively.

[0055] Specifically, the refrigeration module 24 is an exhaust fan. When the refrigeration module 24 is turned on, the cold air outside the liquid flow battery enters the space where the battery stack 11 is located from the vent, and the hot air in the space where the battery stack 11 is located is discharged by the exhaust fan, thereby cooling the battery stack 11. When the external temperature drops, the insulation mechanism 25 on the outside of the battery stack 11 and the liquid storage tank 12 can effectively reduce the heat dissipation rate and keep the battery stack 11 and the liquid storage tank 12 warm. The space where the battery stack 11 is located and the space where the liquid storage tank 12 are located are separated by the partition 26, so that the temperature of the space where the battery stack 11 is located and the space where the liquid storage tank 12 is located can be controlled separately, and the temperature in the liquid flow battery can be finely controlled to ensure that the liquid flow battery is in the best working state. In addition, the liquid flow battery temperature control device in the embodiment of the present invention has a simple structure, does not require the construction of additional containers and recovery channels for the cooling medium, eliminates the intermediate heat transfer medium and its circulation mechanism, has a simple structure and extremely high heat transfer efficiency, and can achieve an efficient heating method with almost no energy loss.

[0056] An embodiment of the present invention provides a liquid flow battery temperature control device. The liquid flow battery temperature control device can effectively ensure that the electrolyte is heated evenly through direct electrolyte, and eliminates the intermediate heat transfer medium and its circulation mechanism. It has a simple structure and can be flexibly set in liquid flow batteries of different types and shapes. The heating method is efficient and the cost is low.

[0057] The embodiment of the present invention also provides a flow battery temperature control method, Figure 4 is a flow chart of a flow battery temperature control method in an embodiment of the present invention. The flow battery temperature control method in an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a flow battery temperature control device in any embodiment of the present invention. The flow battery temperature control method can be executed by the control module 23, such as Figure 4 As shown, the flow battery temperature control method includes:

[0058] S110, obtaining temperatures of multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank.

[0059] Specifically, refer to Figure 1The temperature detection module 22 can be used to obtain the temperatures of multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank. The temperature detection module 22 detects the temperatures of multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank 12, that is, the temperature detection module 22 can detect the temperatures of the electrolyte at multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank 12, thereby determining whether it is necessary to turn on the heating module 21 to heat the electrolyte.

[0060] S120, controlling the heating module to operate according to the temperatures of a plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank.

[0061] Specifically, the working state of the heating module 21 is controlled according to the temperature of multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank 12 detected by the temperature detection module 22. For example, when the temperature of a preset position is lower than the preset temperature, the heating module 21 can be controlled to start working and heat the electrolyte; when the temperature of all preset positions is higher than the preset temperature, the heating module 21 can be controlled to stop working and stop heating the electrolyte. For another example, when the temperature of some preset positions is lower than the preset temperature, the heating module 21 can be controlled to start working and heat the electrolyte. When the surface temperature of the heating module 21 exceeds the safe temperature, the heating module 21 suspends heating to prevent the electrolyte from being burned due to the excessively high surface temperature of the heating module 21. When the surface temperature of the heating module 21 is lower than the safe temperature of the heating module 21, the heating module 21 will automatically start again, and the cycle is repeated to achieve the heating of the electrolyte, thereby achieving the purpose of uniformly heating the flow battery, thereby achieving the technical effect of improving the safe and reliable operation of the flow battery, and solving the technical problems of uneven heating and low efficiency of the flow battery in the prior art.

[0062] It should be noted that the temperature control method for a liquid flow battery in an embodiment of the present invention includes but is not limited to the above processes. The temperature control method for a liquid flow battery in an embodiment of the present invention can adaptively set relevant processes according to the temperature control device for a liquid flow battery in any embodiment of the present invention to achieve the same function and technical effect as the temperature control device for a liquid flow battery in any embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] An embodiment of the present invention provides a flow battery temperature control method, which obtains the temperatures of multiple preset positions in a liquid storage tank, controls the operation of a heating module according to the temperatures of the multiple preset positions in the liquid storage tank, and heats the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank evenly.

[0064] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a liquid flow battery, and the liquid flow battery includes the liquid flow battery temperature control device of any embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] Specifically, the flow battery may be a zinc-iron flow battery. The performance of existing zinc-iron flow battery products needs to be maintained within a certain temperature range to maintain optimal performance. The flow battery temperature control device of any embodiment of the present invention can maintain the zinc-iron flow battery within the optimal temperature range so that the zinc-iron flow battery is in the optimal performance state and has the same function and technical effect as the flow battery temperature control device in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0066] Note that the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and the technical principles used. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments herein, and that various obvious changes, readjustments and substitutions can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in more detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include more other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A temperature control device for a liquid flow battery, characterized in that: The flow battery comprises a battery stack and a liquid storage tank, wherein the liquid storage tank stores electrolyte; the device comprises a heating module, a temperature detection module and a control module; The heating module is located in the liquid storage tank, and the heating module is in communication with the control module, and the heating module is used to heat the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank; The temperature detection module is arranged in the liquid storage tank and is in communication connection with the control module; the temperature detection module is used to detect the temperature of a plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank and feed back to the control module; The control module is used to control the operation of the heating module according to the temperatures of the plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank.

2. The temperature control device for a liquid flow battery according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature detection module includes a first temperature detection unit, a second temperature detection unit and a third temperature detection unit; the preset position includes a first preset position and a second preset position, the first preset position is a first preset distance from the heating module, and the second preset position is a second preset distance from the heating module; The first temperature detection unit is located at the first preset position, and is used to detect a first temperature of the electrolyte at the position and feed back to the control module; The second temperature detection unit is located at the second preset position, and is used to detect the second temperature of the electrolyte at the position and feed back to the control module; The third temperature detection unit is close to the heating module, and is used to detect the temperature of the heating module and feed back to the control module; The control module is specifically configured to control the heating module to enter a working mode when at least one of the first temperature and the second temperature is lower than a preset liquid temperature, until both the first temperature and the second temperature are greater than or equal to the preset liquid temperature; The control module is also used to control the heating module to suspend operation when the temperature of the heating module is greater than or equal to a preset heating temperature during the process of the heating module entering the working mode, and to control the heating module to continue working when the temperature of the heating module is less than the preset heating temperature.

3. The temperature control device for a liquid flow battery according to claim 2, characterized in that: The liquid output end of the liquid storage tank is connected to the liquid input end of the battery stack through a pipeline, and the liquid output end of the battery stack is connected to the liquid input end of the liquid storage tank through a pipeline; The heating module is located in the liquid storage tank and at the liquid output end of the liquid storage tank; the first preset position is a first preset distance from the heating module, and the first preset position is located between the liquid output end of the liquid storage tank and the liquid input end of the liquid storage tank; the second preset position is a second preset distance from the heating module, and the second preset position is located at the liquid input end of the liquid storage tank, and the first preset distance is smaller than the second preset distance.

4. The temperature control device for a liquid flow battery according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first temperature detection unit, the second temperature detection unit and the third temperature detection unit are all thermocouples.

5. The temperature control device for a liquid flow battery according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also includes an alarm module; The signal input end of the alarm module is connected to the alarm signal output of the control module. The control module is also used to obtain the predicted temperature of the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank according to the time when the heating module enters the working mode and the volume of the electrolyte in the liquid storage tank, and control the alarm module to issue an alarm when both the first temperature and the second temperature are lower than the predicted temperature and the difference between the predicted temperature and the first temperature or the second temperature is greater than a preset value.

6. The temperature control device for a liquid flow battery according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid storage tank includes a first electrolyte tank and a second electrolyte tank; There are two heating modules and two temperature detection modules, which are respectively arranged in the first electrolyte tank and the second electrolyte tank.

7. The temperature control device for a liquid flow battery according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also included is a refrigeration module; The refrigeration module is in communication with the control module, the refrigeration module is located at one side of the fuel cell stack, and the refrigeration module is used to dissipate heat from the fuel cell stack; The temperature detection module is also used to detect the temperature of the battery stack and feed it back to the control module; the control module is also used to control the refrigeration module to operate when the temperature of the battery stack is greater than or equal to a preset battery stack temperature, until the temperature of the battery stack is less than a preset battery stack temperature.

8. The temperature control device for a liquid flow battery according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes a heat preservation structure and a partition; the refrigeration module includes an exhaust fan; The thermal insulation structure surrounds the battery stack and the liquid storage tank, and the partition is located between the battery stack and the liquid storage tank; the exhaust fan is arranged on one side of the thermal insulation structure, and a vent is arranged on the other side of the thermal insulation structure; the exhaust fan is used to discharge hot air from the space where the battery stack is located to dissipate heat from the battery stack.

9. A flow battery temperature control method, characterized in that: The liquid flow battery temperature control method is applied to the liquid flow battery temperature control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and the liquid flow battery temperature control method comprises: Acquiring temperatures of a plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank; The heating module is controlled to operate according to the temperatures of the plurality of preset positions in the liquid storage tank.

10. A liquid flow battery, characterized in that: The liquid flow battery comprises the liquid flow battery temperature control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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