Direct cooling equipment, control method and device thereof, energy storage system and electric equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to the field of energy storage, and provides direct cooling equipment, a control method and device thereof, an energy storage system and electric equipment. The direct cooling equipment comprises a heat transfer component, the heat transfer component comprises a plurality of first pipelines, each first pipeline comprises a first pipe opening, a second pipe opening, an overheating section and a mixing section, the first pipe openings communicate with an air inlet of the compression refrigeration component, the overheating sections make contact with the first pipe openings, and the mixing sections are located on the sides, away from the first pipe openings, of the overheating sections; when the heat energy is not larger than a first threshold value or the refrigerating capacity is larger than a second threshold value, the refrigerant is in a gas state in the overheating section and is in a gas-liquid mixed state in the mixing section; otherwise, the refrigerant in the overheating section and the mixing section is in a gas state; the exhaust component comprises a second pipeline and a third pipeline, the second pipeline is communicated with the multiple first pipelines, the communication position is located at the mixing section, and the first end of the third pipeline is communicated with the second pipeline; the data acquisition part is positioned on the mixing section and is used for acquiring pressure and temperature; and the electric control valve is positioned on the second pipeline or the third pipeline.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of energy storage technology, and in particular to a direct cooling device for an energy storage device, its control method and apparatus, an energy storage system and electrical equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Energy storage systems contain battery packs, which generate heat during charging and discharging, causing the battery pack temperature to rise. If the battery pack temperature is not controlled, it may lead to reduced battery pack efficiency, reduced lifespan, or thermal runaway. The battery pack's natural heat dissipation cannot maintain the temperature within the operating range, so an external cooling system is necessary.

[0003] Direct cooling technology is a method of cooling battery packs directly with refrigerant. Liquid refrigerant flows through cold plates, absorbs phase change heat and turns into gas, thereby cooling the battery pack. Afterward, the gaseous refrigerant passes through a compressor and condenser, turns back into liquid, and flows back to the direct cooling cold plates. Since the heat transfer capacity of phase change is much greater than that of general convection heat transfer, and it does not require an intermediate heat exchanger, the heat exchange capacity of direct cooling technology is superior to that of general liquid cooling technology.

[0004] However, currently, when the heat dissipation of the battery pack is large or the cooling capacity of the direct cooling equipment is insufficient, there is a problem of overpressure in the pipeline at the end of the direct cooling equipment, and the pipeline is at risk of bursting, resulting in poor reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a direct cooling device for an energy storage device, its control method and apparatus, an energy storage system and electrical equipment, which at least solves the problem of overpressure in the terminal pipeline of the direct cooling device, which causes the pipeline to rupture.

[0006] According to some embodiments of this application, one aspect of this application provides a direct cooling device for an energy storage device, comprising: a compression refrigeration component including an air inlet; and a heat transfer component for exchanging heat with the energy storage device. The heat transfer component includes a plurality of first pipes, each first pipe including a first port, a second port, a superheated section and a mixing section located between the first port and the second port. The first port is connected to the air inlet, the superheated section is in contact with the first port, and the mixing section is located on the side of the superheated section away from the first port. When the thermal energy of the energy storage device is less than or equal to a first threshold or the cooling capacity of the compression refrigeration component is greater than a second threshold, the refrigerant in the superheated section is... The refrigerant in the mixing section is in a gaseous state and is a gas-liquid mixture; when the thermal energy is greater than the first threshold or the cooling capacity is less than or equal to the second threshold, the refrigerant in the superheating section and the mixing section is in a gaseous state; an exhaust component includes a second pipe and a third pipe, the second pipe is connected to a plurality of first pipes, the connection point between the second pipe and each of the first pipes is located in the mixing section, the first end of the third pipe is connected to the second pipe, and the second end of the third pipe is connected to the air inlet; a data acquisition component is located in the mixing section and is used to acquire the actual pressure and actual temperature of the mixing section; an electrically controlled valve is located on the second pipe or the third pipe.

[0007] In some embodiments, a plurality of the first pipes extend along a first direction and are arranged along a second direction, the second pipes extend along the second direction, and the first direction intersects the second direction.

[0008] In some embodiments, the energy storage device includes a plurality of battery cell assemblies that are in contact with at least one of the first pipes. Each battery cell assembly includes a plurality of battery cells arranged along the first direction. The distance from the mixing section to the first pipe opening is determined based on the number of target battery cells and the length of the target battery cells in the first direction. The number of target battery cells is determined based on the total heat generation of the battery cells and the actual heat generation of each target battery cell, provided that the thermal energy is greater than the first threshold or the cooling capacity is less than or equal to the second threshold. The total heat generation of the battery cells is determined based on the temperature change, which is determined based on a preset pressure threshold of the first pipe opening. The target battery cells are those located in the mixing section and those located between the mixing section and the first pipe opening.

[0009] In some embodiments, the compression refrigeration component further includes a liquid outlet, and the heat transfer component further includes a fourth pipe extending along the second direction, wherein a first end of the fourth pipe is connected to each of the second pipe openings, and a second end of the fourth pipe is connected to the liquid outlet.

[0010] In some embodiments, along a direction from the second end of the fourth pipe to the first end of the fourth pipe, the plurality of first pipes satisfy at least one of the following: the diameter of the plurality of first pipes increases sequentially; the length of the plurality of first pipes decreases sequentially.

[0011] In some embodiments, the heat transfer component further includes: a turbulence-disrupting structure located in a portion of the first pipe, wherein the distance between the first pipe with the turbulence-disrupting structure and the second end of the fourth pipe is a first distance, and the distance between the first pipe without the turbulence-disrupting structure and the second end of the fourth pipe is a second distance, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this application, another aspect of this application provides a control method for the aforementioned direct cooling equipment, comprising: acquiring actual pressure and actual temperature collected by a data acquisition component; and controlling the opening and closing state of the electrically controlled valve based on the actual pressure and the actual temperature.

[0013] In some embodiments, controlling the opening and closing state of the electrically controlled valve based on the actual pressure and the actual temperature includes: when the actual pressure is greater than a third threshold and the actual temperature is greater than a fourth threshold, determining that the refrigerant in the superheated section and the mixing section is in a gaseous state and the first pipeline is overpressurized, and controlling the electrically controlled valve to open; when the actual pressure is less than or equal to the third threshold, or when the actual temperature is less than or equal to the fourth threshold, controlling the electrically controlled valve to close.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this application, another aspect of this application provides an energy storage system, including: an energy storage device; a direct cooling device for any of the energy storage devices; and a control device for the direct cooling device, including: one or more processors, a memory, and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, and the one or more programs include methods for performing any of the methods described.

[0015] According to some embodiments of this application, another aspect of this application provides a control device for a direct cooling device, wherein the direct cooling device is any of the aforementioned direct cooling devices, and the control device includes: a first acquisition unit, used to acquire the actual pressure and actual temperature collected by a data acquisition component; and a control unit, used to control the opening and closing state of the electrically controlled valve according to the actual pressure and the actual temperature.

[0016] The technical solution provided in this application has at least the following advantages: In the direct cooling equipment, a second pipe is set to connect multiple first pipes at the end of the heat transfer component, so as to achieve pressure balance among the first pipes and avoid the problem of some first pipes bursting due to overpressure; In addition, by setting a third pipe and an electrically controlled valve connecting the second pipe and the compression refrigeration component, and monitoring the pressure and temperature of the mixing section of the first pipe, it can be determined whether the overheated area of ​​the first pipe has expanded from the overheated section to the mixing section and whether the expanded overheated area is overpressured. By controlling the opening and closing of the electrically controlled valve, pressure can be released when the overheated area expands from the overheated section to the mixing section and the expanded overheated area is overpressured, further ensuring the reliability of the first pipe. Attached Figure Description

[0017] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Unless otherwise stated, the drawings in the accompanying drawings do not constitute a limitation on scale. In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or in the conventional art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a direct cooling device provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a control method for a direct cooling device provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a control device for a direct cooling equipment provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an energy storage system provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a front view of an energy storage system provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a left view of an energy storage system provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0024] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0025] 10. First pipe; 11. First pipe opening; 12. Second pipe opening; 13. Superheated section; 14. Mixing section; 15. Connection position; 16. Refrigerant inlet; 20. Battery cell assembly; 21. Battery cell. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The inventors discovered that when the heat dissipation of the battery pack is large or the cooling capacity of the direct cooling equipment is insufficient, the overheated area at the end of the direct cooling plate will become larger. The heat dissipation of the battery in the overheated area increases significantly, causing the overheated area to be in a high-temperature state. This accelerates the evaporation process of the refrigerant in the overheated area, resulting in a significant increase in the proportion of gaseous refrigerant in the pipeline at the end of the direct cooling plate. Consequently, the pipeline pressure increases, leading to a risk of pipeline rupture.

[0027] Based on the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a direct cooling device for an energy storage device, comprising: a compression refrigeration component including an air inlet; and a heat transfer component for exchanging heat with the energy storage device. The heat transfer component includes a plurality of first pipes, each first pipe including a first port, a second port, a superheated section and a mixing section located between the first port and the second port. The first port is connected to the air inlet, the superheated section is in contact with the first port, and the mixing section is located on the side of the superheated section away from the first port. When the thermal energy of the energy storage device is less than or equal to a first threshold or the cooling capacity of the compression refrigeration component is greater than a second threshold, the refrigerant in the superheated section is gaseous and... The refrigerant in the mixing section is in a gas-liquid mixed state; when the thermal energy is greater than the first threshold or the cooling capacity is less than or equal to the second threshold, the refrigerant in the superheating section and the mixing section is in a gaseous state; the exhaust component includes a second pipe and a third pipe, the second pipe is connected to multiple first pipes, the connection point between the second pipe and each of the first pipes is located in the mixing section, the first end of the third pipe is connected to the second pipe, and the second end of the third pipe is connected to the air inlet; the data acquisition component is located in the mixing section and is used to acquire the actual pressure and actual temperature of the mixing section; the electrically controlled valve is located on the second pipe or the third pipe.

[0028] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0029] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0030] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects before and after it have an "or" relationship.

[0031] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0033] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] In the accompanying drawings corresponding to the embodiments of this application, the thickness and area of ​​the layers are enlarged for better understanding and ease of description. When describing a component (such as a layer, film, region, or substrate) on or on the surface of another component, the component may be "directly" located on the surface of the other component, or there may be a third component between the two components. Conversely, when describing a component on the surface of another component, or when another component is formed or disposed on the surface of a component, it indicates that there is no third component between the two components. Furthermore, when describing a component as being "generally" formed on another component, it means that the component is not formed on the entire surface (or front surface) of the other component, nor is it formed on a portion of the edge of the entire surface.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of this application, when a component "includes" another component, other components are not excluded unless otherwise stated, and other components may be further included. Furthermore, when a component such as a layer, film, region, or plate is referred to as being "on / located" on another component, it can be "directly on" the other component (i.e., located on the surface of the other component with no other components between them), or it can have another component present in between. Moreover, when a component such as a layer, film, region, or plate is "directly located" on another component, or when a component such as a layer, film, region, or plate is located on the surface of another component, it indicates that no other components are located in between.

[0036] The terminology used in the description of the various embodiments herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of the various embodiments and the appended claims, the term "part" is also intended to include the plural form unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Components include layers, films, regions, or plates, etc.

[0037] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that many technical details have been provided in the embodiments of this application to facilitate a better understanding of the application. However, the technical solutions claimed in this application can be implemented even without these technical details and various variations and modifications based on the following embodiments.

[0038] This application provides a direct cooling device for an energy storage device. Figure 1 A top view schematic diagram of a direct cooling device according to an embodiment of this application is shown as an example. Figure 1 As shown, the direct cooling device of the energy storage device includes:

[0039] A compression refrigeration component (not shown in the figure) includes an air inlet;

[0040] Optionally, the compression refrigeration component may include a compressor and a condenser, wherein the compressor is used to compress low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature, high-pressure gas, and the condenser is connected to the compressor outlet to cool the high-temperature, high-pressure gas from the compressor, turning it into a liquid. The air inlet may be the inlet of the compressor.

[0041] A heat transfer component for exchanging heat with the energy storage device includes a plurality of first pipes 10. Each first pipe 10 includes a first port 11, a second port 12, a superheated section 13 and a mixing section 14 located between the first port 11 and the second port 12. The first port 11 is connected to the air inlet. The superheated section 13 is in contact with the first port 11. The mixing section 14 is located on the side of the superheated section 13 away from the first port 11. When the thermal energy of the energy storage device is less than or equal to a first threshold or the cooling capacity of the compression refrigeration component is greater than a second threshold, the refrigerant in the superheated section 13 is gaseous and the refrigerant in the mixing section 14 is a gas-liquid mixture. When the thermal energy is greater than the first threshold or the cooling capacity is less than or equal to the second threshold, the refrigerant in both the superheated section 13 and the mixing section 14 is gaseous.

[0042] Specifically, the heat transfer component can be in direct contact with the energy storage device. The first port 11 of the first pipe 10 is connected to the air inlet, therefore the first port 11 is the outlet of the heat transfer component, and the superheated section 13 and the mixing section 14 near the outlet are the ends of the heat transfer component. The compression refrigeration component may also include a throttling structure located on the connecting pipe between the condenser and the heat transfer component, used to control the flow rate of the refrigerant from the condenser and reduce the pressure of the refrigerant, allowing it to evaporate and absorb heat in the heat transfer component. The cooled liquid refrigerant enters the heat transfer component, and the heat transfer component absorbs the heat generated by the energy storage device by utilizing the phase change of the refrigerant (liquid to gas).

[0043] The exhaust component includes a second pipe and a third pipe. The second pipe is connected to a plurality of first pipes 10. The connection point 15 between the second pipe and each of the first pipes 10 is located in the mixing section 14. The first end of the third pipe is connected to the second pipe, and the second end of the third pipe is connected to the air inlet.

[0044] Specifically, the second pipe connects multiple first pipes 10, making the pressure in the multiple first pipes 10 more balanced. The third pipe, as an exhaust pipe, connects the second pipe and the air inlet. When the pressure in the mixing section 14 is too high, the excess gas in the mixing section 14 is discharged to the air inlet of the compression refrigeration component through the third pipe.

[0045] A data acquisition unit, located in the mixing section 14, is used to acquire the actual pressure and actual temperature of the mixing section 14.

[0046] Optionally, the data acquisition component may include a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

[0047] An electrically controlled valve is located on the second or third pipeline.

[0048] In this embodiment, a second pipe is installed in the direct cooling equipment to connect multiple first pipes at the end of the heat transfer component, achieving pressure balance among the first pipes and preventing some first pipes from bursting due to overpressure. Furthermore, by installing a third pipe and an electrically controlled valve connecting the second pipe to the compression refrigeration component, and monitoring the pressure and temperature of the mixing section of the first pipe, it can be determined whether the overheated area of ​​the first pipe has expanded from the overheated section to the mixing section, and whether the expanded overheated area is overpressured. The opening and closing of the electrically controlled valve can release pressure when the overheated area expands from the overheated section to the mixing section and becomes overpressured, further ensuring the reliability of the first pipe.

[0049] Specifically, when the thermal energy of the energy storage device is less than or equal to the first threshold or the cooling capacity of the compression refrigeration component is greater than the second threshold, it indicates that the heat release of the energy storage device is not large, or the cooling capacity of the compression refrigeration component is large enough. In this case, the heat generated by the energy storage device is within the processing range of the direct cooling device, and the heat transfer component can effectively absorb and transfer this heat energy. Under such circumstances, when the refrigerant passes through the mixing section 14 of the heat transfer component, it will absorb heat and begin to evaporate, but will not completely become gaseous. Therefore, the refrigerant state in the mixing section 14 is a gas-liquid mixture. However, when the thermal energy is greater than the first threshold or the cooling capacity is less than or equal to the second threshold, it indicates that the heat release of the energy storage device is large, or the cooling capacity of the compression refrigeration component is insufficient. In this case, the heat generated by the energy storage device exceeds the processing range of the direct cooling device. Due to the absorption of too much heat at the end, the refrigerant completely evaporates into a gaseous state, and the proportion of gaseous refrigerant increases, causing the refrigerant in the mixing section 14 to also completely evaporate into a gaseous state due to excessive heat.

[0050] In one exemplary embodiment, those skilled in the art set the specific values ​​of the first threshold and the second threshold based on experience. In another exemplary embodiment, those skilled in the art can also determine the specific values ​​of the first threshold and the second threshold through a limited number of experiments. This application does not impose specific limitations herein.

[0051] In one optional embodiment, the heat transfer component can be a direct-cooling plate. The inlet of the direct-cooling plate is connected to the outlet of the condenser, and the outlet of the direct-cooling plate, namely the first pipe port 11, is connected to the air inlet of the compression refrigeration component. The direct-cooling plate can contact the bottom of the energy storage device or the top of the energy storage device, thereby dissipating heat from the energy storage device.

[0052] In some embodiments, in the direct cooling device, a plurality of first pipes 10 extend along a first direction and are arranged along a second direction, and the second pipe extends along the second direction, with the first direction intersecting the second direction. Compared to a single pipe design, this embodiment employs a structure of multiple first pipes 10, which ensures uniform distribution of refrigerant in the end region of the heat transfer component and increases the contact surface area between the first pipe 10 and the energy storage device, helping to absorb the heat released by the energy storage device more quickly and effectively, ensuring the cooling efficiency of the heat transfer component. Furthermore, the design of multiple first pipes 10 reduces the load on a single pipe, avoiding local pressure increases caused by excessive refrigerant evaporation in a single pipe. Combined with the connectivity of the second pipe, it helps maintain pressure balance inside the heat transfer component, reducing pressure fluctuations of the refrigerant in the pipe, thereby further reducing the risk of pipe bursting. In addition, by setting multiple first pipes 10, even if one first pipe 10 fails, the direct cooling device can still maintain a certain degree of cooling capacity through the other first pipes 10, enhancing the fault tolerance and reliability of the direct cooling device.

[0053] In one alternative embodiment, the first direction may be perpendicular to the second direction. In yet another alternative embodiment, the first direction is vertical and the second direction is horizontal.

[0054] To further ensure uniform refrigerant distribution and effectively avoid poor cooling in areas far from the heat transfer component inlet, thereby further improving the cooling uniformity and efficiency of the entire direct cooling equipment, according to some alternative solutions of this application, any two first pipes 10 have the same flow resistance. By setting multiple first pipes 10 with the same flow resistance, the flow velocity and flow rate of the refrigerant in each pipe are approximately equal. For the end area of ​​the heat transfer component, this ensures that cooling flows uniformly through each cell, avoiding differences in cooling effect caused by uneven refrigerant flow, and ensuring that each cell receives equal cooling capacity.

[0055] In practical applications, the flow resistance of multiple first pipes 10 can be made the same by adjusting the pipe diameter or length of multiple first pipes 10 or by setting internal turbulence structures in at least some of the first pipes 10.

[0056] In some embodiments, the compression refrigeration component further includes a liquid outlet, and the heat transfer component further includes a fourth pipe extending along the second direction, with a first end of the fourth pipe connected to each of the second pipe ports 12, and a second end of the fourth pipe connected to the liquid outlet. That is, multiple first pipes 10 are connected in parallel through the fourth pipe. This embodiment, through the flow channel design of the fourth pipe extending along the second direction and multiple first pipes 10 connected in parallel along the first direction, further ensures the uniform distribution of refrigerant in the end region of the heat transfer component, further improving the cooling uniformity and cooling efficiency of the entire direct cooling equipment.

[0057] In specific applications, the diameter of the fourth pipe can be set to be larger than the diameter of any of the first pipes 10.

[0058] In some further exemplary embodiments of this application, along the direction from the second end of the fourth pipe to the first end of the fourth pipe, the plurality of first pipes 10 satisfy at least one of the following: the diameter of the plurality of first pipes 10 increases sequentially; the length of the plurality of first pipes 10 decreases sequentially. Through this arrangement, the flow resistance of the plurality of first pipes 10 can be ensured to be substantially consistent, thereby further achieving optimized distribution of refrigerant flow.

[0059] For example, along the direction from the second end of the fourth pipe to the first end of the fourth pipe, the plurality of first pipes 10 include a first first pipe 10 and a second first pipe 10. The distances of the first first pipe 10 and the second first pipe 10 from the outlet are 1m and 1.44m, respectively. Then, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second first pipe 10 is 1.44 times that of the first first pipe 10, and therefore the diameter of the second first pipe 10 is 1.2 times that of the first first pipe 10. If the cross-sectional areas of the first first pipe 10 and the second first pipe 10 are to remain unchanged, the distance between the first first pipe 10 and the outlet needs to be extended by 0.44m to 1.44m.

[0060] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figures 4 to 6As shown, the energy storage device includes multiple battery cell assemblies 20, each battery cell assembly 20 corresponding to at least one of the first pipes 10. That is, one battery cell assembly 20 can correspond to one-to-one contact with the first pipe 10, or one battery cell assembly 20 can correspond to contact with multiple first pipes 10. Each battery cell assembly 20 includes multiple battery cells 21 arranged along the first direction. The distance from the mixing section 14 to the first pipe opening 11 is determined based on the number of target battery cells and the length of the target battery cells in the first direction. The number of target battery cells is determined based on the total heat generation of the battery cells and the actual heat generation of each target battery cell when the thermal energy is greater than the first threshold or the cooling capacity is less than or equal to the second threshold. The total heat generation of the battery cells is determined based on the temperature change, which is determined based on a preset pressure threshold of the first pipe opening 11. The target battery cells are the battery cells 21 located in the mixing section 14 and between the mixing section 14 and the first pipe opening 11.

[0061] In the embodiment, the temperature change is determined based on a preset pressure threshold of the first pipe opening, and the total heat generation of the battery cell is determined based on the temperature change. Then, if the heat energy is greater than the first threshold or the cooling capacity is less than or equal to the second threshold, the number of target battery cells is determined based on the total heat generation of the battery cells and the actual heat generation of each target battery cell. Finally, the distance from the mixing section to the first pipe opening is determined based on the number and the length of the target battery cells in the first direction. The calculation process fully considers the influence of battery cell temperature change on pipeline pressure, and realizes accurate calculation of distance based on the actual thermal characteristics of the battery cells. This allows for accurate determination of the position of the mixing section on the first pipeline, so that the overheated area expanding to the mixing section and the mixing section being overpressurized can be effectively identified and handled.

[0062] Specifically, the total heat generation of the battery cell refers to the total heat generation of the multiple target battery cells. The temperature change refers to the temperature change caused by the heating of the target battery cells. Each of the first pipes has m target battery cells corresponding to it.

[0063] In one optional embodiment, the specific process of determining the temperature change based on a preset pressure threshold at the first port can be as follows: Calculate the product of the pressure threshold and the volumetric flow rate of the refrigerant at the first port to obtain a first product; calculate the ratio of the first product to the product of the volumetric flow rate of the refrigerant at the first port and the ideal gas constant to obtain an intermediate temperature value. The temperature change is greater than or equal to the difference between the intermediate temperature value and the refrigerant vaporization temperature, thereby obtaining the minimum value of the temperature change. The specific process of determining the total heat generation of the battery cell based on the temperature change can be as follows: Ignoring heat loss, calculate the product of the temperature change, the specific heat capacity of the refrigerant, and the mass flow rate of the refrigerant at the first port to obtain the total heat generation; considering heat loss, calculate the product of the temperature change, the specific heat capacity of the refrigerant, and the mass flow rate of the refrigerant at the first port. The sum of this product and the heat loss is the total heat generation. The process of determining the quantity based on the total heat generation of the battery cell and the actual heat generation of each target battery cell is as follows: the quantity is equal to the ratio of the total heat generation of the battery cell to the actual heat generation. The process of determining the distance from the mixing section to the first nozzle based on the number of target cells and the length of the target cells in the first direction can be as follows: calculate the product of the number and the length to obtain the distance.

[0064] Optionally, the distance from the mixing section to the first port may include only the distance between the end of the mixing section furthest from the first port and the first port. Alternatively, the distance from the mixing section to the first port may include both the distance between the end of the mixing section closest to the first port and the first port, and the distance between the end of the mixing section furthest from the first port and the first port.

[0065] Optionally, the preset pressure threshold of the first port can be a single value or a range including values ​​at both endpoints.

[0066] For example, the specific calculation process of the distance can be as follows:

[0067] 1) Assuming the number of target cells is m, according to Joule's law, the actual heat generated by each target cell at the end of discharge is Qc. Then the total heat generated by the target cells is Qt = mQc.

[0068] 2) Convert the total heat generation into temperature change, and obtain the temperature change ΔT = (Qt - Qs) / (CM), where C is the specific heat capacity of the refrigerant, Qs is the heat loss, which is constant, and M is the refrigerant mass flow rate.

[0069] 3) Based on the temperature change, the gas pressure in the expanded superheated region is calculated using the ideal gas law, and the gas pressure is P = nr(ΔT + T1) / V, where n is the flow rate of the refrigerant at the first inlet, r is the ideal gas constant, V is the volumetric flow rate of the refrigerant at the first inlet, and T1 is the refrigerant vaporization temperature, which is a constant.

[0070] 4) The required number of target battery cells is calculated based on the condition that the gas pressure P is greater than or equal to the pressure threshold Pmax. The position of the mixing section in the first pipe can then be determined based on this number and the length of the target battery cells in the first direction. For example, if battery cells 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are arranged sequentially from the second pipe opening to the first pipe opening, and the calculated value of m = 2, then the end of the mixing section furthest from the overheated section is located at battery cell 3 or 4.

[0071] In some embodiments, the heat transfer component further includes: a flow-disrupting structure located in a portion of the first pipe 10, wherein the distance between the first pipe 10 with the flow-disrupting structure and the second end of the fourth pipe is a first distance, and the distance between the first pipe 10 without the flow-disrupting structure and the second end of the fourth pipe is a second distance, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance. This technical solution, by setting a flow-disrupting structure in a portion of the first pipe 10, can optimize the flow velocity distribution and guide the refrigerant to flow more evenly through each of the first pipes 10. Specifically, in this embodiment, a flow-disrupting structure is set in the first pipes 10 that are far from the refrigerant inlet, promoting turbulence formation in these first pipes 10, thereby reducing the thermal resistance of these first pipes 10, and further solving the problem that the flow resistance is greater in the first pipes 10 that are far from the refrigerant inlet, affecting the uniform flow of the refrigerant in multiple first pipes 10.

[0072] In some other embodiments of this application, the direct cooling device may further include a buffer tank, disposed on the second or third pipe, and located on the side of the electrically controlled valve near the air inlet. When the electrically controlled valve opens, the high-pressure gas generated in the overheated area first enters the buffer tank. The elastic element (e.g., a spring-loaded piston or flexible diaphragm) within the buffer tank compresses or expands according to pressure changes, thereby storing or releasing energy and smoothing pressure fluctuations. This arrangement helps extend the service life of the electrically controlled valve and compressor, and reduces mechanical stress caused by sudden pressure changes. Simultaneously, it can also reduce exhaust noise and improve the overall operating environment of the system.

[0073] This application also provides a control method for the aforementioned direct cooling equipment. Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a control method for a direct cooling device according to an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 2As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0074] Step S201: Obtain the actual pressure and actual temperature collected by the data acquisition component;

[0075] Specifically, the actual pressure and the actual temperature are the pressure and temperature of the mixing section.

[0076] Step S202: Control the opening and closing state of the electrically controlled valve according to the actual pressure and the actual temperature.

[0077] Through the aforementioned embodiment, the actual pressure and temperature of the mixing section are collected by the data acquisition component, and the opening and closing status of the electrically controlled valve is controlled according to the collected parameters. This can release pressure when the overheated area expands from the overheated section to the mixing section and the expanded overheated area becomes overpressured, thus avoiding the problem of the first pipeline bursting due to overpressure.

[0078] In one optional embodiment, controlling the opening and closing state of the electrically controlled valve based on the actual pressure and the actual temperature includes: when the actual pressure is greater than a third threshold and the actual temperature is greater than a fourth threshold, determining that the refrigerant in the superheated section and the mixing section is gaseous and the first pipeline is overpressurized, and controlling the electrically controlled valve to open; when the actual pressure is less than or equal to the third threshold, or the actual temperature is less than or equal to the fourth threshold, controlling the electrically controlled valve to close. This embodiment can automatically respond to changes in the heat load of the energy storage device. When it is determined that the actual pressure is greater than the third threshold and the actual temperature is greater than the fourth threshold, the electrically controlled valve is opened to release gas, alleviating the problem of increased pipeline pressure caused by the expansion of the overheated area, avoiding problems such as pipeline rupture due to excessive pressure, improving pipeline reliability, and further avoiding safety hazards caused by pipeline overpressure.

[0079] Specifically, the electrically controlled valve can be a normally closed valve, which is opened only when it is determined that the refrigerant in the superheated section and the mixing section is in a gaseous state and the first pipeline is under overpressure.

[0080] According to further embodiments of this application, controlling the opening of the electrically controlled valve includes: when the actual pressure is greater than a third threshold and less than or equal to a fifth threshold, and the actual temperature is greater than a fourth threshold and less than or equal to a sixth threshold, controlling the electrically controlled valve to open and controlling the opening degree of the electrically controlled valve to a first opening degree value; when the actual pressure is greater than the fifth threshold and the actual temperature is greater than the sixth threshold, controlling the electrically controlled valve to open and controlling the opening degree to a second opening degree value, the second opening degree value being greater than the first opening degree value. This technical solution, through graded control of the opening degree of the electrically controlled valve, can more precisely adjust and control the pipeline pressure, further ensuring the operational reliability of the direct cooling equipment.

[0081] In one exemplary embodiment, those skilled in the art set the specific values ​​of the third threshold, the fourth threshold, the fifth threshold, and the sixth threshold based on experience. In another exemplary embodiment, those skilled in the art can also determine the specific values ​​of the third threshold, the fourth threshold, the fifth threshold, and the sixth threshold through a limited number of experiments. This application does not impose specific limitations herein.

[0082] In addition to the control process described above, the method, by way of example, further includes: monitoring the charging and discharging current, voltage, and cell temperature of the battery cell using a built-in sensor; collecting current ambient temperature information using an external temperature sensor; acquiring the temperature, pressure, flow rate, and phase change state of the refrigerant; inputting the data into a preset thermodynamic model, predicting the heat generation and temperature changes of the battery cell under different charging and discharging states using the thermodynamic model, calculating the impact of ambient temperature changes on battery temperature and direct cooling equipment pressure, and calculating the cooling efficiency of the refrigerant and the pressure level of the direct cooling equipment under different ambient temperatures and different battery heat release conditions; calculating a pressure threshold adapted to the current conditions based on the predicted and calculated parameters, and replacing the third threshold with the pressure threshold.

[0083] Specifically, the process of calculating the pressure threshold adapted to the current conditions based on the predicted and calculated parameters may include: analyzing the heat exchange inside and outside the battery cell to determine the thermal balance point of the direct cooling device under the current charging and discharging state; predicting the dynamic change trend of the pressure in the first pipe of the direct cooling device based on the thermal balance analysis; and adjusting the pressure threshold according to the pressure prediction results to reflect the maximum pressure that the first pipe can withstand under the current operating conditions, while leaving a safety margin.

[0084] It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart in the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions, and although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases the steps shown or described may be executed in a different order than that shown here.

[0085] This application also provides a control device for a direct cooling device, wherein the direct cooling device is any of the direct cooling devices described above. It should be noted that the control device for the direct cooling device in this application can be used to execute the control method for the direct cooling device provided in this application. This device is used to implement the embodiments and preferred embodiments, and details already described will not be repeated. As used below, the term "module" can refer to a combination of software and / or hardware that performs a predetermined function. Although the device described in the following embodiments is preferably implemented in software, hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated.

[0086] The control device for the direct cooling equipment provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below.

[0087] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the control device for a direct cooling device according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 As shown, the device includes:

[0088] The first acquisition unit 100 is used to acquire the actual pressure and actual temperature collected by the data acquisition component.

[0089] Specifically, the actual pressure and the actual temperature are the pressure and temperature of the mixing section.

[0090] The control unit 200 is used to control the opening and closing state of the electrically controlled valve according to the actual pressure and the actual temperature.

[0091] In the embodiment described above, the first acquisition unit acquires the actual pressure and actual temperature of the mixing section collected by the data acquisition component, and the control unit controls the opening and closing state of the electronically controlled valve according to the acquired parameters. This can release pressure when the overheated area expands from the overheated section to the mixing section and the expanded overheated area becomes overpressured, thus avoiding the problem of the first pipeline bursting due to overpressure.

[0092] In one optional embodiment, the control unit includes: a determining module, configured to determine that the refrigerant in the superheated section and the mixing section is gaseous and the first pipeline is overpressurized when the actual pressure is greater than a third threshold and the actual temperature is greater than a fourth threshold, and to control the electrically controlled valve to open; and a control module, configured to control the electrically controlled valve to close when the actual pressure is less than or equal to the third threshold, or when the actual temperature is less than or equal to the fourth threshold. This embodiment can automatically respond to changes in the heat load of the energy storage device. When it is determined that the actual pressure is greater than the third threshold and the actual temperature is greater than the fourth threshold, the electrically controlled valve is opened to release gas, alleviating the problem of increased pipeline pressure caused by the expansion of the overheated area, avoiding pipeline rupture due to excessive pressure, improving pipeline reliability, and further avoiding safety hazards caused by pipeline overpressure.

[0093] Specifically, the electrically controlled valve can be a normally closed valve, which is opened only when it is determined that the refrigerant in the superheated section and the mixing section is in a gaseous state and the first pipeline is under overpressure.

[0094] In one exemplary embodiment, those skilled in the art set the specific values ​​of the third threshold and the fourth threshold based on experience. In another exemplary embodiment, those skilled in the art can also determine the specific values ​​of the third threshold and the fourth threshold through a limited number of experiments. This application does not impose specific limitations herein.

[0095] According to further embodiments of this application, the determining module includes: a first control submodule, configured to control the electrically controlled valve to open and control the opening degree of the electrically controlled valve to a first opening degree value when the actual pressure is greater than a third threshold and less than or equal to a fifth threshold, and the actual temperature is greater than a fourth threshold and less than or equal to a sixth threshold; and a second control submodule, configured to control the electrically controlled valve to open and control the opening degree to a second opening degree value when the actual pressure is greater than the fifth threshold and the actual temperature is greater than the sixth threshold, wherein the second opening degree value is greater than the first opening value. This technical solution, through graded control of the opening degree of the electrically controlled valve, can more precisely adjust and control the pipeline pressure, further ensuring the operational reliability of the direct cooling equipment.

[0096] In addition to the control process described above, the device, by way of example, further includes: a monitoring unit for monitoring the charging and discharging current, voltage, and temperature of the battery cell using a built-in sensor; a collection unit for collecting current ambient temperature information using an external temperature sensor; a second acquisition unit for acquiring the temperature, pressure, flow rate, and phase change state of the refrigerant; an input unit for inputting the data into a preset thermodynamic model, predicting the heat generation and temperature changes of the battery cell under different charging and discharging states using the thermodynamic model, calculating the impact of ambient temperature changes on battery temperature and direct cooling equipment pressure, and calculating the cooling efficiency of the refrigerant and the pressure level of the direct cooling equipment under different ambient temperatures and different battery heat release conditions; and a calculation unit for calculating a pressure threshold adapted to the current conditions based on the predicted and calculated parameters, and replacing the third threshold with the pressure threshold.

[0097] Specifically, the calculation unit may include: an analysis module for analyzing the heat exchange inside and outside the battery cell and determining the thermal balance point of the direct cooling device under the current charging and discharging state; a prediction module for predicting the dynamic change trend of the pressure in the first pipe of the direct cooling device based on the thermal balance analysis; and an adjustment module for adjusting the pressure threshold according to the pressure prediction results to reflect the maximum pressure that the first pipe can withstand under the current operating conditions, while leaving a safety margin.

[0098] This application embodiment also provides an electrical device, including: the control device for the direct cooling device.

[0099] The electrical equipment includes a control device for any of the direct cooling devices described above. The control device can release pressure when the overheated area expands from the overheated section to the mixing section and the expanded overheated area is overpressured, thereby preventing the first pipeline from bursting due to overpressure.

[0100] This application embodiment also provides a method such as Figures 4 to 6 The energy storage system shown, wherein, Figure 4A three-dimensional structural diagram of the energy storage system according to one embodiment of this application is shown as an example. Figure 5 for Figure 4 The front view of the structure. Figure 6 for Figure 4 A left view of the structure, the energy storage system includes:

[0101] Energy storage devices;

[0102] Direct cooling equipment for any of the aforementioned energy storage devices;

[0103] The control device of the direct cooling equipment includes: one or more processors, a memory, and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, and the one or more programs include methods for performing any one of the methods described.

[0104] In the aforementioned embodiment, the direct cooling equipment is equipped with a second pipe connecting multiple first pipes at the end of the heat transfer component, achieving pressure balance among the first pipes and preventing some first pipes from bursting due to overpressure. Furthermore, by setting up a third pipe and an electrically controlled valve connecting the second pipe to the compression refrigeration component, and by monitoring the pressure and temperature of the mixing section of the first pipe using control equipment, it is determined whether the overheated area of ​​the first pipe has expanded from the overheated section to the mixing section and whether the expanded overheated area is overpressured. Based on the determination results, the electrically controlled valve is opened and closed, thereby releasing pressure when the overheated area expands from the overheated section to the mixing section and the expanded overheated area is overpressured, further ensuring the reliability of the first pipe.

[0105] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0106] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the energy storage system includes multiple battery cell assemblies 20, each battery cell assembly 20 corresponding to at least one of the first pipes 10, and each battery cell assembly 20 includes multiple battery cells 21 arranged along the first direction and / or the second direction. The direct cooling device also includes a refrigerant inlet 16.

[0107] As can be seen from the above description, the embodiments described in this application achieve the following technical effects:

[0108] The direct cooling device of this application is equipped with a second pipe connecting multiple first pipes at the end of the heat transfer component to achieve pressure balance among the first pipes and avoid the problem of some first pipes bursting due to overpressure. In addition, by setting a third pipe and an electrically controlled valve connecting the second pipe and the compression refrigeration component, and monitoring the pressure and temperature of the mixing section of the first pipe, it is possible to determine whether the overheated area of ​​the first pipe has expanded from the overheated section to the mixing section and whether the expanded overheated area is overpressured. By controlling the opening and closing of the electrically controlled valve, pressure can be released when the overheated area expands from the overheated section to the mixing section and the expanded overheated area is overpressured, further ensuring the reliability of the first pipe.

[0109] Those skilled in the art will understand that the various embodiments described are specific examples of implementing this application, and in practical applications, various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Any person skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of this application; therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A direct cooling device for an energy storage device, characterized in that, include: Compression refrigeration components, including an air inlet; A heat transfer component for exchanging heat with the energy storage device includes multiple first pipes. Each first pipe includes a first port, a second port, a superheated section, and a mixing section located between the first port and the second port. The first port is connected to the air inlet. The superheated section is in contact with the first port. The mixing section is located on the side of the superheated section away from the first port. When the thermal energy of the energy storage device is less than or equal to a first threshold or the cooling capacity of the compression refrigeration component is greater than a second threshold, the refrigerant in the superheated section is gaseous and the refrigerant in the mixing section is a gas-liquid mixture. When the thermal energy is greater than the first threshold or the cooling capacity is less than or equal to the second threshold, the refrigerant in both the superheated section and the mixing section is gaseous. An exhaust component includes a second pipe and a third pipe. The second pipe is connected to a plurality of first pipes. The connection point between the second pipe and each of the first pipes is located in the mixing section. The first end of the third pipe is connected to the second pipe, and the second end of the third pipe is connected to the air inlet. A data acquisition unit, located in the mixing section, is used to acquire the actual pressure and actual temperature of the mixing section; An electrically controlled valve is located on the second or third pipeline.

2. The direct cooling device for the energy storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first pipes extend along a first direction and are arranged along a second direction, the second pipes extend along the second direction, and the first direction and the second direction intersect.

3. The direct cooling device for the energy storage equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The energy storage device includes multiple battery cell assemblies, each battery cell assembly being in contact with at least one of the first pipes. Each battery cell assembly includes multiple battery cells arranged along the first direction. The distance from the mixing section to the first pipe opening is determined based on the number of target battery cells and the length of the target battery cells in the first direction. The number of target battery cells is determined based on the total heat generation of the battery cells and the actual heat generation of each target battery cell, provided that the thermal energy is greater than the first threshold or the cooling capacity is less than or equal to the second threshold. The total heat generation of the battery cells is determined based on the temperature change, which is determined based on a preset pressure threshold of the first pipe opening. The target battery cells are those located in the mixing section and those located between the mixing section and the first pipe opening.

4. The direct cooling device for the energy storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The compression refrigeration component further includes a liquid outlet, and the heat transfer component further includes: A fourth pipe extends along the second direction, with its first end connected to each of the second pipe openings and its second end connected to the liquid outlet.

5. The direct cooling device for the energy storage device according to claim 4, characterized in that, Along a direction from the second end of the fourth conduit to the first end of the fourth conduit, the plurality of first conduits satisfy at least one of the following: The diameters of the multiple first pipes increase sequentially; The lengths of the multiple first pipes decrease sequentially.

6. The direct cooling device for the energy storage device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heat transfer component also includes: A flow-disrupting structure is located in a portion of the first pipe. The distance between the first pipe with the flow-disrupting structure and the second end of the fourth pipe is a first distance, and the distance between the first pipe without the flow-disrupting structure and the second end of the fourth pipe is a second distance. The first distance is greater than the second distance.

7. A control method for a direct cooling device, characterized in that, The direct cooling device is the direct cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and the control method includes: Acquire the actual pressure and actual temperature collected by the data acquisition component; The opening and closing state of the electrically controlled valve is controlled according to the actual pressure and the actual temperature.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Controlling the opening and closing state of the electrically controlled valve based on the actual pressure and the actual temperature includes: If the actual pressure is greater than the third threshold and the actual temperature is greater than the fourth threshold, it is determined that the refrigerant in the superheated section and the mixing section is in a gaseous state and the first pipeline is overpressurized, and the electrically controlled valve is controlled to open. When the actual pressure is less than or equal to the third threshold, or when the actual temperature is less than or equal to the fourth threshold, the electrically controlled valve is closed.

9. An energy storage system, characterized in that, include: Energy storage devices; The direct cooling device for the energy storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 6; The control device of the direct cooling equipment includes: one or more processors, a memory, and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, and the one or more programs include methods for performing the method of claim 7 or 8.

10. A control device for a direct cooling equipment, characterized in that, The direct cooling equipment is the direct cooling equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and the control device includes: The first acquisition unit is used to acquire the actual pressure and actual temperature collected by the data acquisition component. The control unit is used to control the opening and closing state of the electrically controlled valve based on the actual pressure and the actual temperature.

Images