Single-phase immersion liquid cooling system thermal runaway emergency isolation device and method

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of energy storage heat protection, and discloses a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system thermal runaway emergency isolation device and method. By detecting gas pressure and characteristic gas concentration, the abnormality can be identified immediately after thermal runaway occurs, the detection and response time is significantly shortened, the golden window for subsequent isolation and heat removal is obtained, and emergency failure caused by detection lag is avoided. The control unit can drive the flexible isolation component to expand to physically isolate the fault area and the normal area before the thermal runaway develops to high-temperature combustion, so that the heat, flame and conductive smoke gas are prevented from causing chain diffusion. At the same time, the heat removal unit is started in linkage before the hot cooling liquid is not raised to an extremely high temperature and does not cause large-scale pollution to the entire box, so that the high-temperature electrolyte and the hot cooling liquid are quickly and directionally guided to the external cooling bin for independent cooling, directional heat removal is realized, and the secondary harm of the existing scheme that the hot cooling liquid continues to circulate and heat the normal battery is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of energy storage thermal protection technology, specifically to an emergency isolation device and method for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system. Background Technology

[0002] With the acceleration of the global energy transition, electrochemical energy storage systems have become core equipment for new energy consumption, grid peak shaving, and distributed energy management. Among them, single-phase immersion liquid-cooled energy storage systems using lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and lead-acid batteries as energy storage media are gradually achieving large-scale application due to their advantages such as high heat dissipation efficiency, wide battery adaptability, and strong operational stability. However, under conditions such as high-rate charging and discharging and long-term continuous operation, the battery cells are prone to local overheating, leading to electrolyte decomposition and gas generation, which can trigger thermal runaway and seriously threaten the safe operation of the system.

[0003] Currently, thermal runaway protection for single-phase immersion liquid-cooled energy storage systems mainly employs temperature threshold-based triggering strategies, which enhance heat dissipation by strengthening coolant circulation or switching to independent cooling circuits. Some technologies attempt to install fixed partitions within the enclosure to separate the battery cell areas, or use flexible membranes to wrap the battery cells to improve normal heat dissipation.

[0004] However, while the above solutions improve the system's heat dissipation capacity to some extent, the overall protection logic still relies primarily on passive cooling. In actual use, it was found that since the core early characteristic of battery thermal runaway is gas production, and temperature rise typically lags behind gas production by 0.5 to 3 seconds, solutions based on temperature thresholds are prone to missing the golden emergency window, leading to rapid spread of thermal runaway. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides an emergency isolation device and method for thermal runaway in a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system, in order to solve the problem of delayed triggering that occurs when using a temperature threshold-triggered thermal runaway protection strategy.

[0006] In a first aspect, the single-phase immersion liquid cooling system thermal runaway emergency isolation device provided by the present invention includes an energy storage tank, a detection unit, a flexible isolation component, a drive unit, a heat dissipation unit, a cooling chamber, and a control unit. A detection unit is disposed within the energy storage tank to detect thermal runaway characteristic parameters, including gas pressure and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas. A flexible isolation component is disposed within the energy storage tank, having telescopic capability and exhibiting a retracted state and an deployed state. A drive unit is connected to the flexible isolation component to drive it to switch from the retracted state to the deployed state. A heat dissipation unit is disposed on the energy storage tank to drain coolant from the fault area. A cooling chamber is connected to the heat dissipation unit to cool the drained coolant. A control unit is electrically connected to the detection unit, the drive unit, and the heat dissipation unit. The control unit is configured to, when the gas pressure and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas detected by the detection unit both exceed their respective preset thresholds, control the drive unit to deploy the flexible isolation component, dividing the energy storage tank into a fault area and a normal area, and control the heat dissipation unit to drain coolant from the fault area to the cooling chamber.

[0007] Beneficial effects: By using gas pressure and characteristic gas concentration as direct detection indicators, anomalies can be identified immediately after thermal runaway occurs, significantly reducing the detection and response time. This provides crucial time for subsequent physical isolation and heat dissipation, fundamentally avoiding emergency response failures due to delayed detection. Furthermore, the early triggering of the detection process allows the device to shift from passive response to active intervention. For example, the control unit can activate the flexible isolation components before thermal runaway reaches the gas generation stage and develops into high-temperature combustion, physically isolating the faulty area from the normal area. This prevents the heat, flames, and conductive fumes released by the faulty cell from affecting adjacent normally functioning cells, effectively preventing the cascading spread of thermal runaway between cells. In addition, the heat dissipation unit can be activated by the control unit before the temperature of the hot coolant rises to an extreme high temperature and before it contaminates the entire energy storage tank on a large scale. This allows the high-temperature electrolyte and hot coolant to be quickly and directionally discharged from the energy storage tank and sent to an external cooling chamber for independent cooling. Simultaneously, directional heat dissipation is implemented, avoiding the secondary damage caused by the hot coolant still circulating in the energy storage tank and continuously heating the normal battery cells, as in the existing solution.

[0008] In one optional embodiment, the energy storage box is provided with at least two cell mounting areas, and a storage gap is provided between two adjacent cell mounting areas; the flexible isolation component includes a flexible isolation membrane, which is made of a fluororubber base layer and a polyimide insulating coating, and is folded and stored in the storage gap under normal conditions, and fits against the inner wall of the energy storage box when unfolded.

[0009] Beneficial effects: Under normal conditions, the flexible separator folds and is stored within the pre-reserved storage gap between adjacent cell installation areas. This eliminates the need for additional fixed partitions within the energy storage tank or to occupy the battery module's installation space. Because the separator is folded, it does not substantially obstruct the coolant flow path within the energy storage tank, ensuring uniform coolant circulation under normal operating conditions and preventing reduced heat dissipation efficiency due to additional flow resistance from the flexible separator. Secondly, in the event of thermal runaway, the flexible separator can quickly unfold and tightly adhere to the top, bottom, and side walls of the energy storage tank, forming a complete and continuous physical barrier between the faulty area and the normal area. This effectively prevents the high-temperature gases, flames, conductive fumes, and hot coolant released from the faulty cell from spreading to adjacent cell installation areas, thus achieving reliable area isolation. Secondly, the flexible separator is made of a composite material of fluororubber base and polyimide insulating coating. Fluororubber possesses excellent resistance to corrosion from coolants (such as fluorinated liquids and hydrocarbon oils), maintaining its mechanical properties even under long-term immersion conditions. The polyimide coating provides high electrical insulation strength, preventing short circuits caused by the separator contacting the battery cell tabs or connecting pieces. This combination of corrosion resistance, insulation, and high toughness makes the flexible separator suitable for immersion liquid-cooled environments. Furthermore, the design of pre-folding and storing the flexible separator within the storage gap makes the entire separator a standalone, pre-installable module. This allows for installation without significant structural modifications to existing energy storage tanks, facilitating transportation, installation, and subsequent maintenance and replacement, thus reducing the complexity of engineering implementation.

[0010] In one optional embodiment, the flexible isolation assembly further includes a sealing airbag disposed outside the flexible isolation membrane, the sealing airbag being used to press against the inner side wall, inner top wall and inner bottom wall of the energy storage tank after inflation.

[0011] Beneficial effects: By using sealing airbags placed outside the flexible isolation membrane, the sealing airbags expand after being inflated, which can actively press the side walls, top walls and bottom walls of the energy storage tank, filling and compacting the gap between the membrane and the wall surface, thereby forming an isolation barrier with higher airtightness and liquid tightness, effectively preventing high-temperature gas, flames, conductive fumes or hot coolant generated in the fault area from entering the normal area from the edge of the isolation membrane.

[0012] In one optional embodiment, the drive unit includes a gas delivery pipe, a gas storage device, and a first electromagnetic control valve. The outlet end of the gas delivery pipe is connected to the sealing airbag; the outlet end of the gas storage device is connected to the inlet end of the gas delivery pipe; the first electromagnetic control valve is installed in the gas delivery pipe and is electrically connected to the control unit for receiving instructions from the control unit and cutting off or connecting the internal airflow passage of the gas delivery pipe.

[0013] Beneficial effects: By setting up a gas supply pipeline, a gas storage unit, and a first solenoid control valve, the gas storage unit pre-stores compressed gas. The first solenoid control valve is directly driven by the control unit's electrical signal. When the control unit issues a command, the solenoid valve can open in a very short time, allowing the high-pressure gas in the gas storage unit to quickly fill the sealed gas bag through the gas supply pipeline, thus achieving a rapid response in the inflation action. Simultaneously, the first solenoid control valve is installed in the gas supply pipeline and is normally in a closed state, preventing accidental gas leakage from the gas storage unit from causing the isolation membrane to deploy incorrectly. After receiving a control command, the valve accurately connects the airflow path; after an emergency ends or during maintenance, the valve can cut off the gas supply again, ensuring the reliability of gas flow and disconnection. Furthermore, the structure is simple, eliminating the need for additional complex multi-way valve groups or external gas source interfaces, facilitating modular implementation.

[0014] In one alternative embodiment, the detection unit includes a gas sensor for detecting at least one characteristic gas among CO2, HF, alkanes, and H2.

[0015] Beneficial effects: Since characteristic gases such as CO2, HF, alkanes, and H2 begin to be released in the early gas production stage of battery thermal runaway, their concentration changes occur earlier than the stage of significant temperature rise. By adding gas sensors to detect at least one of these characteristic gases, the detection unit can obtain abnormal signals at a very early stage of thermal runaway, buying valuable time for subsequent emergency response and avoiding temperature trigger lag. Simultaneously, it allows for the use of a single gas sensor (e.g., detecting only H2) to meet the basic needs of specific scenarios, and also supports the integration of multiple gas sensors (simultaneously detecting CO2, HF, alkanes, and H2) within the same detection unit. This allows for flexible adaptation to energy storage systems with mixed lithium, sodium, and lead-acid batteries, eliminating the need to design separate detection schemes for different battery media. Furthermore, by detecting one or more of the multiple characteristic gases, misjudgments caused by a single non-fault-causing interfering gas (such as trace amounts of CO2 in the environment) can be avoided. For example, detecting only HF can accurately determine the electrolyte decomposition of lithium-ion batteries.

[0016] In one optional embodiment, the heat dissipation unit includes a flow guide pipe and a second electromagnetic control valve. The input end of the flow guide pipe is connected to the bottom of the energy storage tank, and the output end is connected to the cooling chamber. The second electromagnetic control valve is installed in the flow guide pipe and is electrically connected to the control unit for receiving instructions from the control unit and cutting off or connecting the internal heat dissipation passage of the flow guide pipe.

[0017] Beneficial effects: By setting up a guide pipe with its input end connected to the bottom of the energy storage tank and its output end connected to an external cooling chamber, when thermal runaway occurs, the high-temperature coolant accumulated at the bottom of the fault area can be guided to the cooling chamber through the guide pipe, achieving directional and controllable discharge of the hot coolant. Simultaneously, a second electromagnetic control valve is installed on the guide pipe and electrically connected to the control unit. During normal operation, the control unit instructs the valve to remain in the closed state, ensuring that the internal passage of the guide pipe is closed and preventing leakage through the pipe during normal charging, discharging, and coolant circulation of the energy storage tank. When the control unit determines that thermal runaway has occurred based on the detection signal and issues an emergency command, the second electromagnetic control valve can quickly receive the command and switch to the open state, instantly opening the internal heat dissipation passage of the guide pipe. This avoids delays caused by human factors during manual operation and ensures that the hot liquid discharge action and the isolation membrane deployment action are coordinated, i.e., heat dissipation is completed within the golden window period.

[0018] In one optional implementation, the control unit is equipped with a wireless communication module for uploading the fault location, trigger time, and heat dissipation parameters to a cloud monitoring platform.

[0019] Beneficial effects: The wireless communication module can automatically send key data of thermal runaway events (such as which cell installation area failed, when the emergency procedure was triggered, and parameters such as flow rate / temperature during heat dissipation) to the cloud monitoring platform. Maintenance personnel can obtain fault details immediately without going to the site, facilitating rapid decision-making on subsequent handling plans (such as scheduling maintenance and remote risk assessment), and significantly shortening the time from fault occurrence to manual intervention.

[0020] Secondly, the present invention also provides an emergency isolation method for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system, which is applied to the emergency isolation device for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system provided in the first aspect. The method includes the following steps: real-time acquisition of pressure data and concentration data of at least one characteristic gas in each region of the energy storage tank; comparison of the acquired pressure data with a preset pressure threshold and the characteristic gas concentration data with a preset gas concentration threshold; when the pressure exceeds the preset pressure threshold and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas exceeds its preset concentration threshold, driving the retractable flexible isolation component installed in the energy storage tank to switch from a retracted state to an extended state, dividing the energy storage tank into a fault area and a normal area; and activating the heat dissipation unit to export the hot coolant in the fault area to an external cooling chamber.

[0021] Beneficial effects: This method acquires pressure data and the concentration data of at least one characteristic gas in real time. These two parameters are used for the physical / chemical characterization of the gas generation stage of battery thermal runaway. Their changes occur much earlier than the stage of significant temperature rise. Compared with traditional triggering mechanisms that rely solely on temperature thresholds, this method can identify anomalies in the early stages of thermal runaway (when the electrolyte just begins to decompose and generate gas), thus providing a valuable golden emergency window for subsequent isolation and heat dissipation, and avoiding the spread of thermal runaway due to detection lag. Furthermore, by requiring both a pressure exceeding a preset pressure threshold and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas exceeding its preset concentration threshold to trigger the emergency procedure simultaneously, it effectively eliminates false triggering caused by environmental fluctuations or sensor noise (e.g., pressure fluctuations without gas generation, or only trace gas disturbances without pressure increase), making the triggering process more reliable and avoiding false triggering actions. In addition, by driving the retractable flexible isolation component to unfold from the stored state, the energy storage box is physically divided into a fault area and a normal area. At the same time, the heat dissipation unit is activated to export the high-temperature hot coolant in the fault area to the external cooling chamber, realizing a coordinated strategy of isolation and heat dissipation. This not only prevents the spread of high-temperature gas, flames and conductive fumes to the normal area, but also completely removes the high-temperature medium that continuously heats the normal cells from the energy storage box, achieving a dual blockade against the thermal runaway source.

[0022] In one alternative implementation, the emergency isolation method for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system further includes the step of cooling the coolant drained from the cooling chamber.

[0023] Beneficial effects: By cooling the drained coolant, its temperature can be actively reduced, gradually returning it to near-normal or safe temperatures, eliminating the thermal radiation impact of this hot liquid on the system and surrounding equipment. Simultaneously, draining and cooling the high-temperature coolant prevents it from continuing to evaporate and decompose within the energy storage tank, thus avoiding pressure buildup and making the energy storage tank safer.

[0024] In one optional implementation, the emergency isolation method for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system further includes the steps of: recording the fault location, trigger time, and heat dissipation parameters, and uploading them to a cloud monitoring platform via a wireless communication module, while simultaneously triggering an on-site alarm.

[0025] Beneficial effects: By clearly recording the fault location, trigger time, and heat dissipation parameters, objective and traceable evidence can be provided for subsequent accident investigations, liability determination, and equipment improvements. The recorded data is proactively transmitted to the cloud platform via wireless communication, allowing maintenance personnel to obtain real-time information on which energy storage device experienced thermal runaway, when it occurred, and whether the heat dissipation process was normal, without needing to be on-site. This enables unified centralized monitoring of all sites, facilitating centralized management. Furthermore, triggering on-site alarms ensures that even if network communication is interrupted or the cloud platform is temporarily unavailable, nearby operators or inspectors can still quickly locate the faulty equipment via alarm signals and take timely manual intervention or evacuation measures, avoiding response delays caused by relying on a single remote notification. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an emergency isolation device for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the flexible isolation membrane in a retracted state in the thermal runaway emergency isolation device for a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible isolation membrane in the thermal runaway emergency isolation device of the single-phase immersion liquid cooling system provided in an embodiment of the present invention, in the deployed state. Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the emergency isolation method for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Energy storage box; 101. Cell installation area; 102. Storage gap; 201. Gas sensor; 301. Flexible isolation membrane; 302. Sealing airbag; 401. Gas transmission pipeline; 402. Gas storage unit; 403. First solenoid control valve; 501. Flow guide pipe; 502. Second solenoid control valve; 6. Cooling chamber; 7. Control unit. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] The following is combined with Figures 1 to 4 The following describes embodiments of the present invention.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in one aspect, the provided single-phase immersion liquid cooling system thermal runaway emergency isolation device includes an energy storage tank 1, a detection unit, a flexible isolation component, a drive unit, a heat dissipation unit, a cooling chamber 6, and a control unit 7.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, a detection unit is installed inside the energy storage tank 1 to detect thermal runaway characteristic parameters, including gas pressure and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas. A flexible isolation component is installed inside the energy storage tank 1, and has telescopic capabilities, with a retracted state and an deployed state. A drive unit is connected to the flexible isolation component and is used to drive the flexible isolation component to switch from the retracted state to the deployed state. A heat dissipation unit is installed on the energy storage tank 1 and is used to discharge coolant from the fault area. A cooling chamber 6 is connected to the heat dissipation unit and is used to cool the discharged coolant. A control unit 7 is electrically connected to the detection unit, the drive unit, and the heat dissipation unit respectively. The control unit 7 is configured to control the drive unit to drive the flexible isolation component to deploy when the gas pressure and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas detected by the detection unit both exceed their respective preset thresholds, thereby dividing the energy storage tank 1 into a fault area and a normal area, and to control the heat dissipation unit to discharge the coolant in the fault area to the cooling chamber 6.

[0033] By using gas pressure and characteristic gas concentration as direct detection indicators, anomalies can be identified immediately after thermal runaway occurs, significantly reducing the detection and response time of thermal runaway. This provides crucial time for subsequent physical isolation and heat dissipation, fundamentally avoiding the problem of emergency response failure due to detection lag.

[0034] Meanwhile, because the detection process is triggered in advance, the device can shift from passive response to active intervention. For example, before thermal runaway develops into high-temperature combustion, the control unit 7 can drive the flexible isolation component to deploy, physically isolating the faulty area from the normal area, preventing the heat, flame and conductive smoke released by the faulty cell from affecting the adjacent normally operating cells, thereby effectively preventing the chain spread of thermal runaway between cells.

[0035] In addition, the heat dissipation unit can be activated by the control unit 7 before the temperature of the hot coolant rises to an extreme high temperature and before it pollutes the entire energy storage tank 1 on a large scale. This allows the high-temperature electrolyte and hot coolant to be quickly and directionally discharged from the energy storage tank 1 and sent to the external cooling chamber 6 for independent cooling. Simultaneously, directional heat dissipation is implemented, avoiding the secondary hazards caused by the hot coolant still circulating in the energy storage tank 1 and continuously heating the normal battery cells, as in the existing solution.

[0036] It can be noted that the inner wall of the energy storage box 1 is coated with an epoxy resin anti-corrosion coating with a thickness of 0.3mm to 0.5mm.

[0037] It can be noted that control unit 7 uses a PLC controller.

[0038] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the energy storage box 1 has at least two cell installation areas 101, and a storage gap 102 is provided between two adjacent cell installation areas 101; the flexible isolation component includes a flexible isolation membrane 301, which is made of a fluororubber base layer and a polyimide insulating coating. Under normal conditions, it is folded and stored in the storage gap 102, and when unfolded, it fits against the inner wall of the energy storage box 1.

[0039] The flexible separator 301 is folded and stored inside the storage gap 102 reserved between adjacent cell installation areas 101 under normal conditions. There is no need to set up additional fixed partitions in the energy storage box 1 or occupy the installation space of the battery module itself. Since the separator is in a folded state, it will not substantially obstruct the flow path of the coolant inside the energy storage box 1, thereby ensuring the uniform circulation of the coolant under normal operation and avoiding the reduction of heat dissipation efficiency due to the additional flow resistance brought by the flexible separator 301.

[0040] Secondly, when thermal runaway occurs, the flexible isolation membrane 301 can quickly expand and fit tightly against the top, bottom and side walls of the energy storage tank 1, so that a complete and continuous physical barrier is formed between the fault area and the normal area, effectively preventing the high temperature gas, flame, conductive smoke and hot coolant released by the faulty cell from spreading to the adjacent cell installation area 101, thereby achieving reliable area isolation.

[0041] Furthermore, the flexible separator 301 is made of a composite of fluororubber base layer and polyimide insulating coating. Because fluororubber has excellent resistance to corrosion by coolants (such as fluorinated liquids, hydrocarbon oils, etc.), it can maintain its mechanical properties without degradation under long-term immersion conditions. Meanwhile, the polyimide coating provides high electrical insulation strength to prevent short circuit risks caused by the separator contacting the battery core tabs or connecting pieces. This makes the flexible separator 301 both corrosion resistant, insulating and highly tough, suitable for immersion liquid cooling environments.

[0042] In addition, the design of pre-folding and storing the flexible isolation membrane 301 in the storage gap 102 makes the entire isolation component an independent, pre-installable module. It can be installed without making major structural modifications to the existing energy storage box 1, which also facilitates transportation, installation and later maintenance and replacement, reducing the difficulty of project implementation.

[0043] It can be noted that the distance between two adjacent battery cell mounting areas 101 (storage gap 102) is 50mm to 80mm.

[0044] It can be noted that the thickness of the fluororubber base layer is 0.8mm to 1.5mm, and the thickness of the polyimide insulating coating is 0.2mm to 0.3mm.

[0045] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the flexible isolation assembly also includes a sealing airbag 302 disposed outside the flexible isolation membrane 301. The sealing airbag 302 is used to press the inner side wall, inner top wall and inner bottom wall of the energy storage box 1 after inflation.

[0046] By using a sealing airbag 302 placed outside the flexible isolation membrane 301, the sealing airbag 302 expands after being inflated, which can actively press the side wall, top wall and bottom wall of the energy storage tank 1, filling and compacting the gap between the membrane and the wall surface, thereby forming an isolation barrier with higher airtightness and liquid tightness, effectively preventing high-temperature gas, flame, conductive smoke or hot coolant generated in the fault area from entering the normal area from the edge of the isolation membrane.

[0047] It can be noted that when the sealing airbag 302 is in contact with the inner side wall, inner top wall and inner bottom wall of the energy storage box 1, the sealing pressure is greater than or equal to 0.1 MPa.

[0048] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drive unit includes an air supply pipe 401, an air storage unit 402, and a first electromagnetic control valve 403. The outlet end of the air supply pipe 401 is connected to the sealing airbag 302; the outlet end of the air storage unit 402 is connected to the inlet end of the air supply pipe 401; the first electromagnetic control valve 403 is installed on the air supply pipe 401 and is electrically connected to the control unit 7, for receiving instructions from the control unit 7 and cutting off or connecting the internal airflow passage of the air supply pipe 401.

[0049] By setting up a gas supply pipe 401, a gas storage component 402, and a first electromagnetic control valve 403, compressed gas is pre-stored in the gas storage component 402. The first electromagnetic control valve 403 is directly driven by the electrical signal of the control unit 7. When the control unit 7 issues a command, the electromagnetic valve can open in a very short time, so that the high-pressure gas in the gas storage component 402 can be quickly filled into the sealed air bag 302 through the gas supply pipe 401, thereby realizing a rapid response of the inflation action.

[0050] Meanwhile, the first electromagnetic control valve 403 is installed in the gas pipeline 401 and is normally in the cut-off state, which can prevent the isolation membrane from being mistakenly deployed due to accidental gas leakage from the gas storage component 402. After receiving the control command, the valve accurately connects the gas flow path. After the emergency ends or during maintenance, the valve can cut off the gas source again to ensure the reliability of gas flow and cut-off.

[0051] In addition, the structure is simple and does not require additional complex multi-way valve groups or external air source interfaces, making it easy to implement in a modular manner.

[0052] It can be noted that the gas storage unit 402 is filled with an inert gas medium, and its working pressure range is 1.0 to 1.5 MPa.

[0053] It can be noted that the response time of the first solenoid control valve 403 is less than or equal to 30ms, and the diameter of the gas transmission pipeline 401 is 8mm to 12mm.

[0054] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the detection unit includes a gas sensor 201, which is used to detect at least one characteristic gas among CO2, HF, alkanes and H2.

[0055] Beneficial effects: Since characteristic gases such as CO2, HF, alkanes, and H2 begin to be released in the early gas production stage of battery thermal runaway, their concentration changes occur earlier than the stage of significant temperature rise. By adding a gas sensor 201 to detect at least one of these characteristic gases, the detection unit can obtain abnormal signals at a very early stage of thermal runaway, buying valuable time for subsequent emergency response and avoiding temperature trigger lag. Simultaneously, it allows for the use of a single gas sensor 201 (e.g., detecting only H2) to meet the basic needs of specific scenarios, and also supports the integration of multiple gas sensors 201 within the same detection unit (simultaneously detecting CO2, HF, alkanes, and H2), thus flexibly adapting to energy storage systems with mixed lithium, sodium, and lead-acid batteries, without the need to design different detection schemes for different battery media. Furthermore, by detecting one or more of the multiple characteristic gases, misjudgments caused by a single non-fault-causing interfering gas (such as trace amounts of CO2 in the environment) can be avoided. For example, detecting only HF can accurately determine the electrolyte decomposition of lithium-ion batteries.

[0056] It can be noted that the range of gas sensor 201 is 0 to 2000 ppm.

[0057] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, the heat dissipation unit includes a flow guide pipe 501 and a second electromagnetic control valve 502. The input end of the flow guide pipe 501 is connected to the bottom of the energy storage tank 1, and the output end is connected to the cooling chamber 6. The second electromagnetic control valve 502 is installed on the flow guide pipe 501 and is electrically connected to the control unit 7. It is used to receive instructions from the control unit 7 and cut off or connect the heat dissipation passage inside the flow guide pipe 501.

[0058] By setting up a guide pipe 501, with its input end connected to the bottom of the energy storage tank 1 and its output end connected to the external cooling chamber 6, when thermal runaway occurs, the high-temperature coolant accumulated at the bottom of the fault area can be guided to the cooling chamber 6 through the guide pipe 501, realizing the directional and controllable discharge of the hot coolant.

[0059] Simultaneously, the second electromagnetic control valve 502 is installed on the flow guide pipe 501 and electrically connected to the control unit 7. During normal operation, the control unit 7 instructs the valve to remain in the closed state, thereby closing the internal passage of the flow guide pipe 501 and ensuring that the energy storage tank 1 will not leak through the pipe during normal charging and discharging and coolant circulation. When the control unit 7 determines that thermal runaway has occurred based on the detection signal and issues an emergency command, the second electromagnetic control valve 502 can quickly receive the command and switch to the connected state, thereby instantly opening the internal heat dissipation passage of the flow guide pipe 501. This avoids delays caused by human factors during manual operation and ensures that the hot liquid discharge action and the isolation membrane deployment action are coordinated, that is, heat dissipation is completed within the golden window period.

[0060] It can be noted that the diameter of the second solenoid control valve 502 is DN50~DN80.

[0061] It can be noted that the inner wall of the diversion pipe 501 is coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene anti-corrosion coating with a coating thickness of 0.1mm to 0.2mm.

[0062] Furthermore, the diversion pipe 501 is laid with a slope of 3° to 5°.

[0063] It can be noted that the heat exchange area installed inside the cooling chamber 6 is greater than or equal to 2m². 2 The cooling coils are equipped with a flame retardant filling port, and the flame retardant is a fluorine-free environmentally friendly free radical scavenger.

[0064] It can be noted that the control unit 7 is equipped with a wireless communication module, which is used to upload the fault location, trigger time, and heat dissipation parameters to the cloud monitoring platform.

[0065] The wireless communication module can automatically send key data of thermal runaway events (such as which cell installation area 101 failed, when the emergency procedure was triggered, and parameters such as flow rate / temperature during the heat dissipation process) to the cloud monitoring platform. Maintenance personnel can obtain fault details immediately without going to the site, which facilitates rapid decision-making on subsequent handling plans (such as scheduling maintenance and remote risk assessment), significantly shortening the time from the occurrence of a fault to manual intervention.

[0066] The single-phase immersion liquid cooling system thermal runaway emergency isolation device provided in the above embodiments uses pressure threshold and characteristic gas concentration threshold as triggering criteria during use. It can immediately identify the anomaly after thermal runaway occurs, buy golden time for subsequent physical isolation and heat dissipation, and reduce the risk of thermal runaway spread from the source.

[0067] Secondly, by forming multiple protections such as physical isolation, directional heat dissipation, and external cooling, the fault area is completely isolated from the normal area, and the hot coolant is completely discharged from the tank for independent cooling, avoiding the circulation and diffusion of high-temperature media and greatly improving the system's safety redundancy.

[0068] Furthermore, the flexible isolation membrane 301 is normally folded for storage, taking up little space and not affecting the uniform circulation of coolant inside the enclosure.

[0069] In addition, it can set differentiated dual trigger thresholds for the thermal runaway gas generation characteristics of lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and lead-acid batteries to reduce the false trigger rate, thereby adapting to energy storage scenarios with mixed multi-cell media.

[0070] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in another aspect, a method for emergency isolation of thermal runaway in a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system is also provided, which is applied to the emergency isolation device for thermal runaway in a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system provided in the first aspect.

[0071] like Figure 4 As shown, the emergency isolation method for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system includes the following steps: real-time acquisition of pressure data and concentration data of at least one characteristic gas in each area of ​​the energy storage tank 1; comparison of the acquired pressure data with a preset pressure threshold and the characteristic gas concentration data with a preset gas concentration threshold; when the pressure exceeds the preset pressure threshold and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas exceeds its preset concentration threshold, driving the retractable flexible isolation component installed in the energy storage tank 1 to switch from the retracted state to the deployed state, dividing the energy storage tank 1 into a fault area and a normal area; and activating the heat dissipation unit to export the hot coolant in the fault area to the external cooling chamber 6.

[0072] This method collects pressure data and concentration data of at least one characteristic gas in real time. These two parameters are used for physical / chemical characterization of the gas generation stage of battery thermal runaway. Their changes occur much earlier than the stage of significant temperature rise. Compared with the traditional triggering mechanism that only relies on temperature threshold, it can identify anomalies in the early stage of thermal runaway (when the electrolyte just begins to decompose and generate gas), thus gaining a valuable golden emergency window for subsequent isolation and heat dissipation, and avoiding the phenomenon of thermal runaway spread due to detection lag.

[0073] Meanwhile, by requiring both conditions to be met simultaneously—that the pressure exceeds a preset pressure threshold and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas exceeds its preset concentration threshold—the emergency procedure is effectively eliminated from false triggering caused by environmental fluctuations or sensor noise due to a single parameter (e.g., only pressure fluctuations without gas production, or only a trace gas disturbance without pressure increase), making the triggering process more reliable and avoiding false triggering actions.

[0074] In addition, by driving the retractable flexible isolation component to unfold from the stored state, the energy storage box 1 is physically separated into a fault area and a normal area. At the same time, the heat dissipation unit is activated to export the high-temperature hot coolant in the fault area to the external cooling chamber 6, realizing a coordinated strategy of isolation and heat dissipation. This not only prevents the spread of high-temperature gas, flames and conductive fumes to the normal area, but also completely removes the high-temperature medium that continuously heats the normal cells from the energy storage box 1, achieving a dual blockade of the thermal runaway source.

[0075] It can be noted that when the single-phase immersion liquid cooling system thermal runaway emergency isolation method is applied to different types of batteries, the pressure threshold is set to 0.05-0.1 MPa. However, the types of characteristic gases and their trigger concentration thresholds vary depending on the battery chemical system.

[0076] Specifically: when applied to lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen fluoride (HF) is used as the characteristic gas, and its concentration threshold is set to be greater than or equal to 50 ppm; when applied to sodium-ion batteries, alkane gases are used as the characteristic gas, and their concentration threshold is set to be greater than or equal to 100 ppm; when applied to lead-acid batteries, hydrogen (H2) is used as the characteristic gas, and its concentration threshold is set to be greater than or equal to 200 ppm.

[0077] The pressure threshold and gas concentration threshold mentioned above are the trigger conditions for judging the initial stage of thermal runaway. The actual values ​​can be fine-tuned according to the battery capacity, the type of immersion liquid and the system response time, but should fall within the range of the values ​​mentioned above. When the actual detected concentration of the characteristic gas does not fall within the above range, normal monitoring should be performed.

[0078] It can be explained that during the process of switching the retractable flexible isolation component installed in the energy storage box 1 from the retracted state to the deployed state, the first electromagnetic control valve 403 needs to be opened to fill the flexible airbag with high-pressure inert gas medium and deploy the flexible isolation membrane 301 to divide the interior of the energy storage box 1 into a fault area and a normal working area, thereby achieving physical isolation.

[0079] It can be explained that after the flexible isolation membrane 301 is fully deployed, the second electromagnetic control valve 502 is opened, and the hot coolant in the fault area is discharged outward into the cooling chamber 6 through the guide pipe 501 with the assistance of gravity and the pump body.

[0080] In one embodiment, the emergency isolation method for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system further includes the step of cooling the coolant drained from the cooling chamber 6.

[0081] By cooling the discharged coolant, its temperature can be actively reduced, gradually returning it to near room temperature or a safe temperature range, thus eliminating the thermal radiation impact of this portion of the hot liquid on the system and surrounding equipment.

[0082] Meanwhile, drawing out and cooling the high-temperature coolant can prevent it from continuing to evaporate and decompose to produce gas inside the energy storage tank 1, thereby preventing pressure buildup inside the energy storage tank 1 and making the inside of the energy storage tank 1 safer.

[0083] Specifically, a low-temperature coolant is introduced into the cooling coil inside the cooling chamber 6 to cool the introduced hot coolant, with a cooling rate greater than or equal to 60℃ / h.

[0084] Furthermore, a flame retardant is added to the flame retardant inlet of the cooling chamber 6 to suppress electrolyte decomposition and gas production.

[0085] In one embodiment, the emergency isolation method for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system further includes the steps of: recording the fault location, trigger time, and heat dissipation parameters, and uploading them to the cloud monitoring platform via a wireless communication module, while simultaneously triggering an on-site alarm to remind maintenance personnel to handle the situation promptly.

[0086] By clearly recording the fault location, trigger time, and heat dissipation parameters, objective and traceable evidence can be provided for subsequent accident investigations, liability determination, and equipment improvement.

[0087] The recorded data is proactively sent to the cloud platform via a wireless communication module, enabling maintenance personnel to know in real time, without having to go to the site, which energy storage device has thermal runaway, when it occurred, and whether the heat dissipation process is normal, at a remote monitoring center or mobile terminal. This achieves unified and centralized monitoring of all sites, facilitating centralized management.

[0088] Triggering an on-site alarm ensures that even if network communication is interrupted or the cloud platform is temporarily unavailable, operators or inspectors near the site can still quickly locate the faulty equipment through the alarm signal and take timely manual intervention or evacuation measures, avoiding response delays caused by relying on a single remote notification.

[0089] It can be noted that an audible and visual alarm is used.

[0090] It can be noted that the heat dissipation parameters selected are the hydrothermal discharge flow rate, temperature, and cooling effect.

[0091] Although embodiments of the invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An emergency isolation device for thermal runaway in a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system, characterized in that, include: Energy storage box (1); A detection unit is installed inside the energy storage box (1) for detecting thermal runaway characteristic parameters, including gas pressure and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas; A flexible isolation component is disposed inside the energy storage box (1). The flexible isolation component has telescopic capability and has a retractable state and an unfolded state. A driving unit, connected to the flexible isolation component, is used to drive the flexible isolation component to switch from a retracted state to an unfolded state; A heat dissipation unit is installed on the energy storage tank (1) and is used to drain the coolant from the fault area; Cooling chamber (6), connected to the heat dissipation unit, is used to cool the discharged coolant; The control unit (7) is electrically connected to the detection unit, the drive unit, and the heat dissipation unit respectively. The control unit (7) is configured to control the drive unit to drive the flexible isolation component to unfold when the gas pressure and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas detected by the detection unit exceed their respective preset thresholds, thereby dividing the energy storage box (1) into a fault area and a normal area, and controlling the heat dissipation unit to export the coolant in the fault area to the cooling chamber (6).

2. The emergency isolation device for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy storage box (1) is provided with at least two cell installation areas (101), and a storage gap (102) is provided between two adjacent cell installation areas (101). The flexible isolation component includes a flexible isolation membrane (301), which is made of a fluororubber base layer and a polyimide insulating coating. Under normal conditions, it is folded and stored in the storage gap (102), and when unfolded, it fits against the inner wall of the energy storage box (1).

3. The emergency isolation device for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The flexible isolation component also includes a sealing airbag (302) disposed outside the flexible isolation membrane (301), the sealing airbag (302) being used to press the inner side wall, inner top wall and inner bottom wall of the energy storage box (1) after inflation.

4. The emergency isolation device for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The driving unit includes: Gas delivery pipe (401), the gas outlet end of the gas delivery pipe (401) is connected to the sealing airbag (302); Gas storage device (402), the gas outlet end of the gas storage device (402) is connected to the gas inlet end of the gas transmission pipe (401); The first electromagnetic control valve (403) is installed in the gas pipeline (401) and is electrically connected to the control unit (7) for receiving instructions from the control unit (7) and cutting off or connecting the internal airflow passage of the gas pipeline (401).

5. The emergency isolation device for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The detection unit includes: A gas sensor (201) is used to detect at least one characteristic gas among CO2, HF, alkanes and H2.

6. The emergency isolation device for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The heat dissipation unit includes: The flow guide pipe (501) has its input end connected to the bottom of the energy storage box (1) and its output end connected to the cooling chamber (6). The second electromagnetic control valve (502) is installed in the flow guide pipe (501) and is electrically connected to the control unit (7) for receiving instructions from the control unit (7) and cutting off or connecting the internal heat dissipation passage of the flow guide pipe (501).

7. The emergency isolation device for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The control unit (7) is equipped with a wireless communication module for uploading the fault location, trigger time, and heat dissipation parameters to the cloud monitoring platform.

8. A method for emergency isolation of thermal runaway in a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system, applied to the emergency isolation device for thermal runaway in a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Real-time acquisition of pressure data and concentration data of at least one characteristic gas in each area of ​​the energy storage tank (1); The collected pressure data is compared with the preset pressure threshold, and the characteristic gas concentration data is compared with the preset gas concentration threshold, respectively. When the pressure exceeds the preset pressure threshold and the concentration of at least one characteristic gas exceeds its preset concentration threshold, the retractable flexible isolation component installed in the energy storage box (1) is driven to switch from the stored state to the deployed state, dividing the energy storage box (1) into a fault area and a normal area. Start the heat dissipation unit to export the hot coolant in the fault area to the external cooling chamber (6).

9. The emergency isolation method for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: The coolant drained from the cooling chamber (6) is cooled.

10. The emergency isolation method for thermal runaway of a single-phase immersion liquid cooling system according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: The system records the fault location, trigger time, and heat dissipation parameters, and uploads them to the cloud monitoring platform via a wireless communication module, while simultaneously triggering an on-site alarm.

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