Heat storage system, heat management system and vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a heat storage system, a heat management system and a vehicle, and relates to the technical field of automobile heat management. The heat storage system comprises a heat preservation and energy storage interlayer and a controller. The heat preservation and energy storage interlayer is communicated with the cooling medium storage layer; the controller is connected with the heat preservation and energy storage interlayer and the whole vehicle thermal management system and used for controlling the heat preservation and energy storage interlayer to absorb and store energy when the energy of the whole vehicle thermal management system exceeds a preset energy threshold value and controlling the heat preservation and energy storage interlayer to absorb and store energy when the temperature of a cooling medium stored in the cooling medium storage layer deviates from a preset temperature range. And controlling the heat preservation and energy storage interlayer to exchange heat with the cooling medium so as to adjust and maintain the temperature of the cooling medium within a preset temperature range. According to the invention, the energy consumption in the effective heat management process of the power battery is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive thermal management technology, and more particularly to a heat storage system, a thermal management system, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Thermal management technology for power batteries plays a crucial role in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, directly impacting their safety, performance, and cycle life. As the performance requirements for power batteries in electric vehicles and energy storage systems continue to increase, efficient and reliable thermal management solutions have become a focus of industry attention.

[0003] Currently, immersion cooling, as an advanced thermal management technology, effectively manages the thermal performance of power batteries by directly immersing them in an insulating cooling medium. This leverages the large contact area between the cooling medium and the battery surface, along with the medium's inherent high thermal conductivity. However, existing immersion liquid-cooled battery systems still face significant technical challenges under extreme environmental conditions. Specifically, under some extreme conditions, energy consumption increases significantly, thus limiting the wider application and effectiveness of immersion cooling technology. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a thermal storage system, a thermal management system, and a vehicle to reduce energy consumption during the effective thermal management of power batteries.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a thermal storage system, including: an insulated energy storage interlayer and a controller;

[0006] The thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer is connected to the cooling medium storage layer;

[0007] The controller is connected to the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer and to the vehicle thermal management system. It is used to control the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer to absorb and store energy when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system exceeds a preset energy threshold, and to control the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer to exchange heat with the cooling medium to regulate and maintain the temperature of the cooling medium within the preset temperature range when the temperature of the cooling medium stored in the cooling medium storage layer deviates from the preset temperature range.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer includes: a phase change material layer and a refrigerant channel, wherein the refrigerant channel penetrates the phase change material layer and communicates with the cooling medium storage layer; wherein the phase change material layer is used for:

[0009] When the energy of the vehicle's thermal management system exceeds the preset energy threshold, it exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant channel, absorbing and storing energy through a phase change process.

[0010] Furthermore, when the temperature of the cooling medium deviates from the preset temperature range, it exchanges heat with the cooling medium flowing in the cooling medium channel, absorbs or releases energy through a phase change process, and the cooling medium transfers the absorbed or released energy to the cooling medium storage layer to regulate and maintain the temperature of the cooling medium within the preset temperature range.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the phase change material layer is also used to: exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant channel when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system is less than a preset energy threshold, release the stored energy through the phase change process, and the refrigerant transfers the released energy to the vehicle thermal management system.

[0012] In one possible implementation, it further includes: an aerogel interlayer disposed between the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer and the external environment, used to isolate the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer from the external environment, so as to reduce heat exchange between the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer and the external environment.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the housing, the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer, and the controller are all disposed inside the housing.

[0014] Secondly, this application provides a thermal management system, including the first aspect and / or various possible implementations of the first aspect.

[0015] In one possible implementation, it further includes: a vehicle thermal management system, a first channel, and an expansion valve; the vehicle thermal management system is connected to the heat storage system through the first channel, and the expansion valve is installed in the first channel. The expansion valve is used to regulate the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the vehicle thermal management system so that the regulated refrigerant can exchange heat with the cooling medium stored in the heat storage system and the heat insulation and energy storage interlayer in the heat storage system to achieve energy storage.

[0016] In one possible implementation, it further includes: a first multi-way valve and a second channel, wherein the vehicle thermal management system and the heat storage system are connected through the second channel, the first multi-way valve is disposed in the second channel, and the first multi-way valve is used to open the second channel so that the refrigerant flowing out from the vehicle thermal management system can exchange heat with the cooling medium stored in the heat storage system and the heat storage insulation layer in the heat storage system to achieve energy storage.

[0017] In one possible implementation, it further includes: a second multi-way valve, a third channel, and a battery system. The battery system is connected to the thermal storage system through the third channel. The second multi-way valve is disposed in the third channel and is used to open the third channel to control the cooling medium stored in the thermal storage system to enter the battery system for heat exchange.

[0018] In one possible implementation, a pressure balancing component and a fourth channel are also included. The second multi-way valve is connected to the battery system through the fourth channel. The pressure balancing component is disposed on the fourth channel and is used to open the fourth channel to release or introduce gas in order to balance the pressure of the power battery and the pressure of the thermal storage system in the battery system.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the pressure balancing assembly includes a pressure balancing valve and an air pump, both of which are located on the fourth channel. The pressure balancing valve is used to open the fourth channel when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the fourth channel reaches a preset threshold. The air pump is used to regulate the gas flow rate in the fourth channel when it is open, so as to balance the pressure of the power battery and the pressure of the thermal storage system in the battery system.

[0020] Thirdly, this application provides a vehicle, including a vehicle body and various possible embodiments of the second aspect and / or the second aspect as described above.

[0021] This application provides a thermal storage system, a thermal management system, and a vehicle, relating to the field of automotive thermal management technology. The thermal storage system includes: an insulated energy storage interlayer and a controller; the insulated energy storage interlayer is connected to a cooling medium storage layer; the controller is connected to the insulated energy storage interlayer and to the vehicle's thermal management system, and is used to control the insulated energy storage interlayer to absorb and store energy when the energy of the vehicle's thermal management system exceeds a preset energy threshold, and to control the insulated energy storage interlayer to exchange heat with the cooling medium to regulate and maintain the temperature of the cooling medium within the preset temperature range when the temperature of the cooling medium stored in the cooling medium storage layer deviates from a preset temperature range. The thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer introduced in this application embodiment is closely connected to the cooling medium storage layer and has dual or combined functions: it can efficiently absorb and store energy when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system exceeds a preset threshold, and this recovered energy can be released when needed to heat the cooling medium; when the temperature of the cooling medium deviates from the preset range, the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer can regulate and maintain its temperature within the preset temperature range through precise heat exchange with the cooling medium. This active and precise temperature regulation function effectively avoids the battery performance degradation and additional cooling or heating energy consumption caused by the uncontrolled temperature of the cooling medium under extreme high or low temperature conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0023] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the thermal storage system provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 ;

[0024] Figure 2Schematic diagram of the thermal storage system provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 ;

[0025] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the operating principle of an immersion liquid-cooled battery based on a thermal storage system provided in this application embodiment;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the operation principle of a conventional liquid-cooled battery based on a thermal storage system, provided for an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0028] S10 - Vehicle Thermal Management System;

[0029] S101 - Heat exchanger (Chiller);

[0030] S102 - Drive motor;

[0031] S103 - Battery circuit water pump;

[0032] S104 - Drive motor circuit water pump;

[0033] S105-PTC heater;

[0034] S106 - Three-way valve;

[0035] S107 - Three-way valve;

[0036] S20-Five-way valve;

[0037] S30 - Three-way valve;

[0038] S40 - Water pump;

[0039] S50 - Power Battery;

[0040] S60 - Pressure-Value Valve;

[0041] S70 - Air Pump;

[0042] S80 - Thermal storage system;

[0043] S90 - Expansion valve;

[0044] S100 - Four-way valve;

[0045] S110 - Pressure balance interface;

[0046] S120-refrigerant inlet;

[0047] S130 - Refrigerant passage;

[0048] S140 - Cooling medium outlet;

[0049] S150 - Cooling medium inlet;

[0050] S160 - Refrigerant outlet;

[0051] S170 aerogel interlayer;

[0052] S180 - Housing;

[0053] S190 - Phase Change Thermal Insulation and Energy Storage Interlayer;

[0054] S200 - Cooling medium storage layer.

[0055] The accompanying drawings illustrate specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0056] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0057] Currently, the thermal management architecture of power batteries mainly adopts liquid cooling and liquid heating technologies. Meanwhile, immersion cooling technology, widely used in energy storage, has also become a hot research topic in recent years. Both immersion liquid cooling systems and traditional liquid-cooled battery systems can achieve precise temperature control of the battery system, thereby effectively improving the cycle life of power batteries.

[0058] Among them, immersion liquid cooling technology has attracted much attention due to its cooling efficiency being far higher than that of the current mainstream traditional liquid-cooled battery packs. Its high heat exchange efficiency can support high-rate fast charging and continuous high-rate discharging of power batteries, and it also has multiple advantages such as a wider passive cooling temperature threshold, smaller internal temperature difference, and excellent heat preservation effect.

[0059] However, both existing immersion liquid cooling and traditional liquid cooling battery thermal management methods suffer from the common drawbacks of significantly increased energy consumption and poor charge / discharge performance under extreme environmental conditions. Especially in high-temperature cooling and low-temperature heating scenarios, due to the large heat capacity of the cooling medium itself, heating or cooling it from ambient temperature to the target operating temperature often requires a significant amount of time and energy. For example, taking a 65kWh immersion liquid-cooled battery pack with a total volume of approximately 90L as an example, heating its cooling medium temperature from -20℃ to the target temperature of 40℃ requires approximately 3.26kWh of energy. Compared to a conventional liquid-cooled battery of the same capacity (using the same cells), this results in an increase of about 1 hour in low-temperature fast charging time. Similar problems exist in high-temperature fast charging scenarios. Furthermore, traditional liquid-cooled battery packs also experience approximately 5% power loss for cooling medium temperature regulation. Moreover, after the battery system reaches the target temperature or the vehicle stops, the heat contained in the cooling medium is rapidly transferred to the environment as waste heat, causing unnecessary energy loss.

[0060] Therefore, how to effectively reduce the energy consumption of immersion liquid-cooled and traditional liquid-cooled battery systems under extreme environmental conditions, and optimize their charge and discharge performance, is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in the field of power battery thermal management.

[0061] To address the aforementioned issues while fully utilizing the high heat capacity of the cooling medium, this application provides a thermal storage system that combines intelligent pre-storage of the cooling medium, efficient recovery and utilization of excess energy, and precise temperature regulation.

[0062] The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0063] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the thermal storage system provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 ,like Figure 1 As shown, the thermal storage system includes: an insulated energy storage interlayer 101 and a controller 102;

[0064] The thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer is connected to the cooling medium storage layer;

[0065] The controller is connected to the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer and to the vehicle thermal management system. It is used to control the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer to absorb and store energy when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system exceeds a preset energy threshold, and / or to control the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer to exchange heat with the cooling medium to regulate and maintain the temperature of the cooling medium within the preset temperature range when the temperature of the cooling medium stored in the cooling medium storage layer deviates from the preset temperature range.

[0066] In the above embodiments, it can be understood that when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system exceeds a preset energy threshold, the excess energy is absorbed and stored using an insulation and energy storage interlayer. The preset energy threshold can be adjusted according to actual conditions. Excess energy refers to the excess energy generated by the vehicle thermal management system beyond its current needs and the preset energy threshold set for those needs.

[0067] By utilizing an insulated energy storage interlayer to absorb and store excess energy, the thermal storage system provided in this application embodiment can efficiently recover and store excess energy generated by the vehicle. This excess energy can be released and utilized when subsequently heating the cooling medium of the power battery, thereby replacing or reducing the energy consumption of the external heater. Especially in low-temperature environments, this stored excess energy can be used to preheat the cooling medium, ensuring the start-up and operating performance of the power battery, significantly shortening the low-temperature fast charging time, and thus effectively solving the problems of poor charging and discharging performance and high energy consumption at low temperatures.

[0068] The connection between the thermal insulation energy storage interlayer and the cooling medium storage layer refers to their physical connection. When the temperature of the cooling medium deviates from the preset temperature range, heat exchange occurs between the thermal insulation energy storage interlayer and the cooling medium stored in the cooling medium storage layer to regulate and maintain the temperature of the cooling medium within the preset temperature range. This function of the thermal insulation energy storage interlayer ensures that the temperature of the cooling mechanism is always within the preset range that is beneficial to the thermal management of the power battery. By actively and precisely regulating the temperature of the cooling medium, it effectively avoids the performance degradation of the power battery and the additional cooling or heating energy consumption caused by excessively high or low cooling medium temperatures under extreme high or low temperature conditions. This directly improves the charge and discharge performance of the battery under various extreme conditions.

[0069] Furthermore, the cooling medium storage layer pre-stores cooling medium within the preset temperature range of the battery system, which can provide the power battery with immediate thermal management resources. This avoids the extra energy consumption caused by large-scale temperature adjustment of a large amount of cooling medium when needed, and lays the foundation for the power battery to quickly enter the optimal operating temperature range, effectively improving the performance problems during low-temperature start-up or fast charging.

[0070] It should be noted that the vehicle thermal management system, including the air conditioning system and the conventional cooling circuits and components of the three electric components (battery, motor, and electronic control system), is part of the pure electric vehicle thermal management system.

[0071] The thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer introduced in this application embodiment is tightly connected to the cooling medium storage layer and has dual or combined functions: when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system exceeds a preset threshold, it can efficiently absorb and store excess energy, which can be released when needed to heat the cooling medium; when the temperature of the cooling medium deviates from the preset range, the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer can regulate and maintain its temperature within the preset temperature range through precise heat exchange with the cooling medium. This active and precise temperature regulation function effectively avoids battery performance degradation and additional cooling or heating energy consumption caused by the uncontrolled temperature of the cooling medium under extreme high or low temperature conditions.

[0072] In summary, the thermal storage system provided in this application, through the combined application of efficient recovery and utilization of excess energy and precise temperature regulation, fundamentally solves the drawbacks of existing immersion liquid-cooled battery systems and existing traditional liquid-cooled battery systems under extreme environmental conditions, namely high energy consumption and limited battery performance. It provides a more efficient and reliable solution for the widespread application of immersion cooling technology and traditional liquid cooling technology in electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

[0073] Based on the above embodiments, in some embodiments, the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer includes: a phase change material layer and a refrigerant channel, wherein the refrigerant channel penetrates the phase change material layer and is connected to the cooling medium storage layer; wherein, the phase change material layer is used to: exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant channel when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system exceeds a preset energy threshold, and absorb and store energy through a phase change process; and, when the temperature of the cooling medium deviates from a preset temperature range, exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant channel, and absorb or release energy through a phase change process, wherein the refrigerant transfers the absorbed or released energy to the cooling medium storage layer to regulate and maintain the temperature of the cooling medium within the preset temperature range.

[0074] In the above embodiments, the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer includes a phase change material layer and a refrigerant channel, with the refrigerant channel penetrating through the phase change material layer. The purpose of incorporating the phase change material layer in the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer is to allow the phase change material (PCM) to exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing within the refrigerant channel when the energy of the vehicle's thermal management system exceeds a preset threshold, absorbing and storing energy through a phase change process. Furthermore, when the temperature of the cooling medium deviates from a preset temperature range, the refrigerant flowing within the refrigerant channel exchanges heat with the PCM, and the PCM absorbs or releases energy through this phase change process. The refrigerant then transfers the absorbed or released energy to the cooling medium storage layer to regulate and maintain the temperature of the cooling medium within the preset temperature range.

[0075] Furthermore, the phase change material in the phase change material layer can be a single-stage phase change material or a two-stage phase change material. It should be noted that this is merely an example, and the embodiments of this application do not impose any limitations on it.

[0076] Furthermore, the phase change material layer is also used to: exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant channel when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system is less than a preset energy threshold, release the stored energy through the phase change process, and the refrigerant transfers the released energy to the vehicle thermal management system.

[0077] The active and precise temperature regulation function of the aforementioned thermal storage system can effectively prevent battery performance degradation and additional cooling or heating energy consumption caused by uncontrolled cooling medium temperature under extreme high or low temperature conditions.

[0078] Based on the above embodiments, the thermal storage system provided in this application further includes: an insulated energy storage interlayer and a controller both disposed inside the shell. Furthermore, a cooling medium storage layer is also disposed inside the shell.

[0079] The thermal storage system proposed in this application integrates the cooling medium storage layer, the thermal insulation energy storage interlayer, and the controller into a single shell, forming a compact and efficient integrated thermal storage system. This integrated design not only optimizes the spatial layout of the overall system, but more importantly, by tightly coupling the cooling medium storage, energy recovery, and temperature regulation functions together, it achieves efficient heat transfer and management, minimizes heat loss, and further improves the energy efficiency of the entire thermal management system.

[0080] Based on the above embodiments, in some examples, the embodiments of this application further include: an aerogel interlayer disposed between the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer and the external environment, for isolating the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer from the external environment, so as to reduce heat exchange between the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer and the external environment.

[0081] In the above example, it can be understood that further introducing an aerogel interlayer isolates the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer from the external environment, thereby reducing heat exchange between the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer and the external environment. Optionally, an aerogel interlayer can be integrated into the thermal storage system to reduce heat exchange between the thermal insulation and energy storage interlayer and the external environment through the aerogel material with low thermal conductivity.

[0082] The embodiments of this application utilize the thermal insulation properties of the aerogel interlayer to reduce the heat conduction rate, thereby extending the heat preservation time of the cooling medium.

[0083] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the thermal storage system provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 .like Figure 2As shown, it consists of a cooling medium storage layer S200, a phase change thermal insulation energy storage interlayer S190, an aerogel interlayer S170, and a shell S180. The phase change thermal insulation energy storage interlayer is a high specific heat PCM phase change thermal insulation energy storage interlayer; the cooling medium storage layer is the power battery cooling medium layer. This thermal storage system mainly realizes the function of storing and releasing the vehicle's thermal energy.

[0084] Cooling medium storage layer: Under extreme ambient temperatures, the cooling medium at the target temperature is pumped into the cooling medium storage layer to prevent the loss of heat / cold energy from the cooling medium;

[0085] Phase change insulation and heat storage interlayer: On the one hand, it absorbs and stores excess heat / cold energy in the vehicle's thermal management system through phase change materials; on the other hand, it achieves ultra-long heat preservation time of the cooling medium in the storage layer by exchanging heat with the cooling medium.

[0086] Aerogel interlayer: Reduces heat exchange between the phase change insulation and thermal storage interlayer and the external environment;

[0087] Shell: Structural support.

[0088] Furthermore, Figure 2 It also includes a pressure balancing interface S110, a refrigerant inlet S120, a refrigerant passage S130, a cooling medium outlet S140, a cooling medium inlet S150, and a refrigerant outlet S160. The cooling medium outlet S140 is used for the output of the cooling medium; the cooling medium inlet S150 is used for the input of the cooling medium; the refrigerant outlet S160 is used for the output of the refrigerant; the refrigerant inlet S120 is used for the input of the refrigerant; the refrigerant passage S130 is used for the flow of the refrigerant; and the pressure balancing interface S110 is used to achieve pressure balancing.

[0089] In summary, the thermal storage system provided in this application can store and release vehicle heat / cold energy on demand according to vehicle scenarios. It is applicable to power batteries equipped with immersion cooling and traditional liquid cooling thermal management configurations, and can reduce vehicle energy consumption under extreme conditions. This means that the thermal storage system provided in this application can control the recovery and storage of vehicle heat energy, including the cooling medium of the power battery and waste heat from the motor, according to the vehicle's operating status, and release heat / cold energy to quickly regulate the temperature of the power battery according to battery thermal management needs.

[0090] Furthermore, the heat storage system provided in this application embodiment can achieve long-term storage of the vehicle's heat / cold energy, avoiding the drawback of energy consumption when the cooling medium of the liquid-cooled battery pack has a large heat capacity and the temperature rises to reduce energy consumption, thus reducing the system's energy consumption.

[0091] Based on the above embodiments, this application also provides a thermal management system, which includes a thermal storage system as described in the above embodiments.

[0092] Furthermore, the thermal management system described in the above embodiments also includes: a vehicle thermal management system, a first channel, and an expansion valve; the vehicle thermal management system is connected to the heat storage system through the first channel, and the expansion valve is disposed within the first channel. The expansion valve is used to regulate the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the vehicle thermal management system, so that the regulated refrigerant can exchange heat with the cooling medium stored in the heat storage system and the heat-insulating energy storage interlayer in the heat storage system to achieve energy storage. This means that the function of the expansion valve is to throttle the air conditioning refrigerant and input cooling capacity into the cooling medium inside the heat storage system.

[0093] Optionally, when the vehicle is in a cold storage condition under high summer temperatures and is in plug-in charging mode, and the vehicle's thermal management system has sufficient cooling capacity, the refrigerant circuit is opened. The refrigerant, after passing through the expansion valve, becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure state and exchanges heat with the cooling medium in the thermal storage system and the phase change material layer in the insulation and energy storage interlayer to achieve cold storage.

[0094] Furthermore, the aforementioned thermal management system also includes: a first multi-way valve and a second channel. The vehicle thermal management system and the heat storage system are connected through the second channel. The first multi-way valve is installed in the second channel and is used to open the second channel so that the refrigerant flowing out of the vehicle thermal management system can exchange heat with the cooling medium stored in the heat storage system and the heat storage insulation layer in the heat storage system to achieve energy storage.

[0095] In one implementation, when the vehicle is in a low-temperature winter environment and in a plug-in charging state, and the vehicle's thermal management system has sufficient heating capacity, the heating circuit is opened. The high-temperature coolant heated by the PTC heater is pumped through a five-way valve (in from port 2 and out from port 5) into the cooling medium stored in the heat storage system and the phase change material layer in the heat storage interlayer for heat exchange, thereby achieving heat storage.

[0096] In another implementation, when the vehicle is in a low-temperature winter environment and is in driving condition, and the vehicle's thermal management system has excess heating capacity, the heating circuit is opened, and the motor cooling circuit is pumped into the heat storage system through a five-way valve (in from port 2 and out from port 5) to exchange heat with the cooling medium and the phase change material layer in the insulation and energy storage interlayer, thereby realizing the storage of motor waste heat.

[0097] In some examples, the thermal management system also includes a second multi-way valve, a third channel, and a battery system. The battery system is connected to the thermal storage system through the third channel. The second multi-way valve is located in the third channel and is used to open the third channel to control the cooling medium stored in the thermal storage system to enter the battery system for heat exchange.

[0098] In one implementation, when the vehicle is in a high-temperature environment during summer and the battery is in a driving condition requiring cooling, the low-temperature cooling medium in the heat storage system is used to cool the power battery in the battery system via a three-way valve. This allows the compressor and heat exchanger to be turned on or delayed, thereby reducing energy consumption in the thermal management system.

[0099] In another implementation, when the vehicle is in a high-temperature summer environment and the battery is in a fast-charging state after a long period of inactivity, the cooling medium of the power battery has been pumped into the heat storage system before parking, saving the energy and time of cooling the cooling medium; at the same time, the low-temperature cooling medium in the heat storage system is used to cool the power battery in the battery system through a three-way valve, so as to achieve rapid cooling of the battery and shorten the cooling and charging time of the battery.

[0100] In another implementation, when the vehicle is in a low-temperature winter environment and the battery is heating, and the battery needs heating while driving, the high-temperature cooling medium in the heat storage system is used to cool the power battery in the power system through a three-way valve. This can prevent or delay the activation of the PTC heater, thereby reducing energy consumption in the thermal management system.

[0101] In the fourth implementation, when the vehicle is in a low-temperature environment in winter and is in a low-temperature fast charging condition after a long period of inactivity, the cooling medium in the battery has been pumped into the heat storage system before parking, saving the energy consumption and time of heating the cooling medium; at the same time, the high-temperature cooling medium in the heat storage system heats the power battery in the power system through a three-way valve, realizing rapid battery heating and shortening the battery heating and charging time.

[0102] Furthermore, when the vehicle is in a condition requiring active heat preservation of the power battery, a second multi-way valve is needed to achieve active heat preservation of the power battery. Specifically:

[0103] When a vehicle is parked outdoors in high temperatures during the summer and not plugged in for charging, the low-temperature cooling medium in the heat storage system should be passed through a three-way valve at a small flow rate. This can achieve active heat preservation without turning on the compressor, extending the heat preservation time and battery cycle life. When a vehicle is parked outdoors in low temperatures during the winter and not plugged in for charging, the high-temperature cooling medium in the heat storage system should be passed through a three-way valve at a small flow rate to heat the battery pack. This can achieve active heat preservation without turning on the PTC heater, extending the heat preservation time and battery cycle life.

[0104] Based on the above embodiments, when the power battery is large in size, resulting in an increase in the capacity of its internal cooling medium, the heat storage system provided in the above embodiments needs to be improved accordingly in order to achieve effective active heat preservation of the power battery.

[0105] The thermal storage system provided in this application embodiment further includes: a pressure balancing component and a fourth channel. The second multi-way valve is connected to the battery system through the fourth channel. The pressure balancing component is disposed on the fourth channel and is used to open the fourth channel to release or introduce gas in order to balance the pressure of the power battery in the battery system and the pressure of the thermal storage system.

[0106] Optionally, the pressure balancing assembly includes a pressure balancing valve and an air pump, both of which are located on the fourth channel. The pressure balancing valve activates the fourth channel when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the channel reaches a preset threshold. The air pump regulates the gas flow rate within the fourth channel when it is activated, thereby balancing the pressure of the power battery and the thermal storage system in the battery system. The pressure difference between the inside and outside of the fourth channel can be measured by the pressure balancing valve itself or by a dedicated device.

[0107] Furthermore, the pressure balancing valve achieves passive regulation of internal pressure through its internal one-way or two-way opening valve mechanism: when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the fourth channel reaches a preset value, the pressure balancing valve automatically opens to release excessive pressure or to allow external gas to enter, thereby maintaining pressure balance within a certain range.

[0108] In addition, an air pump is introduced to provide an active adjustment method for actively adjusting the gas flow in the fourth channel in order to actively balance the pressure of the power battery and the heat storage system in the battery system.

[0109] In summary, the air pump is used to adjust the internal air pressure of the thermal storage system and the power battery. The pressure balancing valve is used to sense and balance the internal pressure of the thermal storage system and the power battery.

[0110] For example, when a vehicle is in a cold storage condition under high summer temperatures and is not plugged in for charging after driving, the low-temperature cooling medium inside the power battery is pumped into the heat storage device through a five-way valve (in from port 3 and out from port 5). At the same time, the pressure is balanced by a pressure balancing valve and an air pump to balance the pressure inside the power battery and the heat storage system, thereby improving the heat preservation performance of the power battery and achieving cold storage.

[0111] In winter, when the vehicle is in a low-temperature environment and the charging has ended without being plugged in, the high-temperature cooling medium inside the power battery is pumped into the heat storage device through a five-way valve (inlet from port 3, outlet from port 5). Simultaneously, a pressure balancing valve and an air pump balance the pressure within the power battery and the heat storage system, improving the power battery's insulation performance while simultaneously storing heat. This operation, as described above, prevents the power battery from collapsing due to internal negative pressure.

[0112] Figure 3 This application provides a schematic diagram of the operating principle of an immersion liquid-cooled battery based on a thermal storage system, as shown in the embodiments of this application. Figure 4This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating principle of a conventional liquid-cooled battery based on a thermal storage system, provided for embodiments of this application. The heat exchanger is a heat exchanger between the refrigerant of the air conditioning system and the cooling medium of the battery circuit; the five-way valve S20 has three inlets 1, 2, and 3 and two outlets 4 and 5; the three-way valve S30 has two inlets 6 and 7 and one outlet 8, while the structures of the three-way valves S30, S106, and S107 may be the same or different; the water pump S40 is used to pump the cooling medium from the power battery S50 into the thermal storage system S80.

[0113] from Figure 3 and Figure 4 As can be seen from this, the difference between the operating principle of the submerged liquid-cooled battery based on the S80 thermal storage system and the operating principle of the traditional liquid-cooled battery based on the S80 thermal storage system lies in: Figure 3 The system adds a pressure balancing valve S60 and an air pump S70 to balance the power battery. The purpose of this operation is to prevent the power battery from collapsing due to internal negative pressure.

[0114] One point needs to be clarified: Figure 3 and Figure 4 It also includes a drive motor S102, a battery circuit water pump S103, a drive motor circuit water pump S104, a PTC heater S105, and an expansion valve S90. Furthermore, Figure 4 It also includes a four-way valve S100. The functions of the PTC heater S105 and the expansion valve S90 have been described in detail in the previous embodiments, and therefore will not be repeated here. Furthermore, Figure 3 and Figure 4 The vehicle thermal management system has been described in detail in the previous embodiments, so it will not be repeated here.

[0115] The thermal management system provided in this application embodiment stores excess heat / cold energy from the motor and battery in the thermal storage system through the coolant circuit when the vehicle is in motion or stopped, realizing the waste heat recovery and storage function; when charging, it converts electrical energy into heat energy through the refrigerant and coolant circuit and stores it in the thermal storage system, realizing the active heat storage function.

[0116] Furthermore, when the power battery of the battery system has cooling, heating and heat preservation requirements, the power battery can achieve cooling, heating and heat preservation functions by storing heat / cold energy through the battery circuit.

[0117] It should be noted that the channel described in the above embodiments is... Figure 3 and Figure 4 The circuit shown.

[0118] In summary, the thermal management system provided in this application embodiment can realize the cooling, heating, heat preservation, and heat storage functions of the power battery according to the vehicle's heat storage and the battery's cooling, heating, and heat preservation requirements. This means that the thermal management system provided in this application embodiment can quickly release the stored heat / cold energy on demand through a reasonable control strategy, as a power supplement to thermal management components such as PTC heaters / heat exchangers, thereby improving the thermal response speed of the power battery thermal management system.

[0119] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this disclosure. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0120] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be understood that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances. The terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise precisely specified.

[0121] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of the application described herein can be implemented, for example, in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0122] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A thermal storage system, characterized by, The heat storage system comprises: a heat storage and energy storage sandwich and a controller; the heat storage and energy storage sandwich is in communication with a cooling medium storage layer; the controller is connected with the heat storage and energy storage sandwich and a vehicle thermal management system, and is configured to control the heat storage and energy storage sandwich to absorb and store energy when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system exceeds a preset energy threshold, and control the heat storage and energy storage sandwich to exchange heat with the cooling medium to adjust and maintain the temperature of the cooling medium within a preset temperature range when the temperature of the cooling medium stored in the cooling medium storage layer deviates from the preset temperature range.

2. The thermal storage system of claim 1, wherein, The heat storage and energy storage sandwich comprises a phase change material layer and a refrigerant channel, the refrigerant channel penetrates through the phase change material layer and is in communication with the cooling medium storage layer; wherein the phase change material layer is configured to: exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant channel when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system exceeds the preset energy threshold, and absorb and store the energy through a phase change process; and exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant channel when the temperature of the cooling medium deviates from the preset temperature range, absorb or release energy through a phase change process, and the refrigerant transfers the absorbed or released energy to the cooling medium storage layer to adjust and maintain the temperature of the cooling medium within the preset temperature range.

3. The thermal storage system of claim 2, wherein, The phase change material layer is further configured to exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant channel when the energy of the vehicle thermal management system is less than the preset energy threshold, and release the stored energy through a phase change process, and the refrigerant transfers the released energy to the vehicle thermal management system.

4. The thermal storage system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, Further comprising: an aerogel sandwich arranged between the heat storage and energy storage sandwich and an external environment, configured to isolate the heat storage and energy storage sandwich from the external environment to reduce heat exchange between the heat storage and energy storage sandwich and the external environment.

5. The thermal storage system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, Further comprising: a shell, the heat storage and energy storage sandwich and the controller are arranged inside the shell.

6. A thermal management system characterized by, The heat storage system comprises the heat storage system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The thermal management system of claim 6, wherein, Further comprising: a vehicle thermal management system, a first channel and an expansion valve; the vehicle thermal management system is in communication with the heat storage system through the first channel, and the expansion valve is arranged in the first channel and is configured to adjust the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the vehicle thermal management system, so that the adjusted refrigerant exchanges heat with the cooling medium stored in the heat storage system and the heat storage and energy storage sandwich in the heat storage system to realize energy storage.

8. The thermal management system of claim 7, wherein, Further comprising: a first multi-way valve and a second channel, the vehicle thermal management system and the heat storage system are in communication through the second channel, and the first multi-way valve is arranged in the second channel and is configured to open the second channel to enable the refrigerant flowing out of the vehicle thermal management system to exchange heat with the cooling medium stored in the heat storage system and the heat storage and energy storage sandwich in the heat storage system to realize energy storage.

9. The thermal management system of claim 6, wherein, Further comprising: A second multi-way valve, a third passage, and a battery system, the battery system being in communication with the heat storage system through the third passage, the second multi-way valve being disposed in the third passage, the second multi-way valve being configured to open the third passage and control the cooling medium stored in the heat storage system to enter the battery system to perform heat exchange with the battery system.

10. The thermal management system of claim 9, wherein, Further comprising a pressure balance assembly and a fourth passage, the second multi-way valve being in communication with the battery system through the fourth passage, the pressure balance assembly being disposed on the fourth passage, the pressure balance assembly being configured to open the fourth passage and release or introduce gas to balance the pressure of the power battery in the battery system and the pressure of the heat storage system.

11. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein, The pressure balance assembly comprises a pressure balance valve and a gas pump, both of which are disposed on the fourth passage; wherein the pressure balance valve is configured to open the fourth passage when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the fourth passage reaches a preset threshold; and the gas pump is configured to adjust the gas flow in the fourth passage when the fourth passage is open to balance the pressure of the power battery in the battery system and the pressure of the heat storage system.

12. A vehicle characterized by comprising: A vehicle body and the thermal management system according to any one of claims 6 to 11.

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