A thermal management system, energy storage device and method for protecting against leakage of refrigerant

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of thermal management system, energy storage equipment and its refrigerant leakage protection method, it is related to energy storage equipment technical field.The thermal management system includes thermal management device, waterside module and heat dissipation device;Thermal management device includes protective shell and is located in the refrigerant side assembly in the inner cavity of protective shell;Protective shell is equipped with the vent with the inner cavity of protective shell communication, vent includes air inlet and air outlet.Waterside module includes liquid cooling circuit, and liquid cooling circuit is thermally coupled with refrigerant side assembly.Heat dissipation device is thermally coupled with at least one of refrigerant side assembly and waterside module, and heat dissipation device has heat dissipation fan, and heat dissipation fan is heat dissipation for heat dissipation device, and at least part of the air inlet side of heat dissipation fan is communicated with air outlet.The thermal management system reduces the complexity and cost of thermal management system while achieving active protection for refrigerant leakage, and improves the response speed of refrigerant leakage protection, improves the fire extinguishing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of energy storage equipment technology, and in particular to a thermal management system, energy storage equipment and a method for preventing refrigerant leakage. Background Technology

[0002] With increasing global awareness of environmental protection, it is necessary to limit the global warming potential (GWP) of refrigerants. Refrigerants used in future temperature control systems will be gradually limited to those with GWP values ​​below 150, such as R290 (propane) and R600a (isobutane). However, among these low-GWP refrigerants, R290 and R600a are highly flammable. If a leak occurs during system operation and comes into contact with an ignition source, it can easily ignite or even explode, posing a serious safety hazard.

[0003] Energy storage systems, as large-scale electrical energy storage devices, typically integrate high-energy-density battery modules, and their internal space is compact with densely packed electrical components. In such applications, if the flammable refrigerant used in the thermal management device leaks, the leaked gas may rapidly spread to the area where the battery modules are located if there is insufficient protection. Once it encounters an electrical spark or high temperature, it may ignite a fire, which can quickly spread to the battery side, causing a thermal runaway chain reaction, leading to the overall loss of control of the energy storage system, and even causing a catastrophic safety accident.

[0004] Currently, the industry primarily relies on passive fire suppression measures to protect against leaks of flammable refrigerants. However, due to the compact internal space and complex environment of energy storage systems, the diffusion path of a leaked refrigerant is difficult to predict. Some existing technologies attempt to reduce risk by optimizing the refrigerant charge, but their protective effectiveness remains limited. For example, while reducing the refrigerant charge can decrease the severity of a single leak, it cannot completely prevent the diffusion of leaked refrigerant to sensitive areas from the system structure, making it difficult to effectively ensure the safe operation of energy storage systems under conditions involving highly flammable refrigerants. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a thermal management system, energy storage equipment and a refrigerant leakage protection method, so as to enable active protection operations in the early stage of refrigerant leakage, so as to ensure the safe operation of the energy storage equipment under the application conditions of highly flammable refrigerants.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the following technical solution is adopted in this application: A thermal management system, comprising: A thermal management device includes a protective housing and a refrigerant-side component disposed in the inner cavity of the protective housing; the protective housing is provided with a vent communicating with the inner cavity of the protective housing, the vent including an air inlet and an air outlet; The water-side module includes a liquid cooling circuit, which is thermally coupled to the refrigerant-side component. A heat dissipation device is thermally coupled to at least one of the refrigerant-side component and the water-side module. The heat dissipation device has a heat dissipation fan that dissipates heat from the heat dissipation device. At least a portion of the air inlet side of the heat dissipation fan is connected to the air outlet.

[0007] As an optional solution for the thermal management system, the heat dissipation device is located above the protective housing, the air inlet is located on the side wall of the protective housing, and the air outlet is located on the top wall of the protective housing.

[0008] As an optional feature of the thermal management system, the air inlet is provided with an opening and closing structure that can selectively open or close the air inlet.

[0009] As an optional embodiment of the thermal management system, the thermal management system further includes a liquid cooling plate, and the heat dissipation device includes a radiator; The refrigerant-side assembly includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, and a second heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger has a first heat exchange branch and a second heat exchange branch, and the second heat exchanger has a third heat exchange branch and a fourth heat exchange branch. The compressor is connected to the fourth heat exchange branch and the second heat exchange branch to form a refrigerant circulation loop. The first heat exchange branch is connected to the liquid cooling plate to form a first liquid cooling loop, and the radiator is connected to the third heat exchange branch to form a second liquid cooling loop.

[0010] As an optional embodiment of the thermal management system, the pipe of the first heat exchange branch passes through the protective shell and is connected to the liquid cooling plate; the pipe of the third heat exchange branch passes through the protective shell and is connected to the radiator.

[0011] As an optional solution for the thermal management system, the water-side module further includes a first bypass pipe, the first end of which is connected to the liquid cooling circuit, and the second end of which is connected to the inner cavity of the protective shell. And / or, the thermal management system further includes a second bypass pipe, the first end of which is connected to the inner cavity of the protective housing, and the second end of which is connected to the interior of the fire protection device; And / or, the protective housing is further provided with a detection component, which is used to detect the refrigerant concentration, temperature gradient and / or open flame information inside the protective housing; And / or, the protective housing is further provided with a catalytic purification device, which is used to catalytically decompose the residual refrigerant in the protective housing.

[0012] An energy storage device includes a housing, a thermal management compartment, and a thermal management system as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the thermal management device, the water-side module, and the heat dissipation device are disposed in the thermal management compartment.

[0013] As an optional solution for the energy storage device, it also includes a battery module and an energy storage converter. The battery module and the energy storage converter are both located inside the housing. The liquid cooling circuit is connected to the liquid cooling plate of the thermal management system. The battery module and the energy storage converter are both thermally coupled to the liquid cooling plate.

[0014] As an optional embodiment of the energy storage device, the thermal management compartment has a body, the thermal management device and the water-side module are both located inside the body, the heat dissipation device is located on the top of the body, and the heat dissipation device is connected to the interior of the body.

[0015] As an optional embodiment of the energy storage device, the energy storage device further includes a fire-prevention device for extinguishing fires, the fire-prevention device including a fire-extinguishing agent container containing a fire-extinguishing agent; the second bypass pipeline of the thermal management system is connected to the interior of the fire-extinguishing agent container.

[0016] As an alternative to the energy storage device, the thermal management compartment is located inside, outside, or partially embedded in the housing.

[0017] A refrigerant leakage protection method for an energy storage device, applied to the energy storage device described above, the refrigerant leakage protection method comprising: When the energy storage device is not in operation, or when the energy storage device is in operation and there is no refrigerant leakage, the vent is in a closed state. When the energy storage device is operating and a refrigerant leak is detected inside the protective housing, the vent is controlled to open.

[0018] As an optional solution for the refrigerant leakage protection method of the energy storage device, when the refrigerant concentration in the protective shell is higher than the first set refrigerant concentration, the speed of the cooling fan is increased, and the opening and closing structure of the air inlet is opened under the airflow of the cooling fan.

[0019] As an optional solution to the refrigerant leakage protection method for the energy storage device, the refrigerant leakage protection method further includes: If the refrigerant concentration inside the protective housing is higher than the second set refrigerant concentration, or the temperature gradient exceeds the preset temperature gradient, the first bypass pipe is controlled to connect and spray coolant into the inner cavity of the protective housing, wherein the second set refrigerant concentration is greater than the first set refrigerant concentration, and the coolant is a non-flammable coolant.

[0020] As an optional solution to the refrigerant leakage protection method for the energy storage device, the refrigerant leakage protection method further includes: If an open flame is detected inside the protective housing, or if the refrigerant concentration is higher than the third set refrigerant concentration, the second bypass pipeline is connected and fire extinguishing agent is injected into the inner cavity of the protective housing, wherein the third set refrigerant concentration is greater than the second set refrigerant concentration.

[0021] As an optional solution to the refrigerant leakage protection method for the energy storage device, the refrigerant leakage protection method further includes: If the refrigerant concentration inside the protective housing drops below the first set refrigerant concentration and there is no open flame, the fire situation is determined to be resolved, and the catalytic purification device is activated.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this application are: The thermal management system provided in this application houses all refrigerant-side components of the thermal management device within a protective housing. When a refrigerant leak occurs in the refrigerant-side components, the leaked refrigerant is first confined to the closed or semi-closed space of the protective housing, preventing direct or rapid spread to other areas. This spatially isolates the potential source of refrigerant leakage from other components, solving the problem of uncontrollable leakage spread in existing technologies and fundamentally reducing the risk of a chain fire caused by flammable refrigerant encountering an electrical spark. The heat dissipation device is thermally coupled to at least one of the refrigerant-side components and the water-side module. The protective housing has a vent communicating with its internal cavity, and at least a portion of the air inlet side of the heat dissipation fan is connected to the air outlet. Under normal operating conditions, the heat dissipation fan provides cooling airflow to the heat dissipation device. In the event of a refrigerant leak emergency, air from outside the protective housing enters through the air inlet and is drawn away by the heat dissipation fan through the air outlet, rapidly diluting the refrigerant concentration. Therefore, there is no need to configure a separate fan for the dilution function, reducing the number of components and the space occupied by the thermal management system. When a minor refrigerant leak is detected inside the protective enclosure and the concentration is controllable, the leaking refrigerant can be forcibly discharged and diluted to below a safe threshold by increasing the speed of the cooling fan. This thermal management system provides active protection against refrigerant leaks while reducing the complexity and cost of the thermal management system, and also improves the response speed of refrigerant leak protection and enhances fire suppression efficiency.

[0023] The energy storage device and its refrigerant leakage protection method provided in this application first physically isolate the refrigerant-side components from the battery modules and other electrical components inside the enclosure through a protective shell. When the energy storage device is not operating or is operating without refrigerant leakage, the vents are closed, preventing the spread of refrigerant leakage at its source. When the energy storage device is operating and refrigerant leakage is detected inside the protective shell, the vents are opened, and forced ventilation dilution is carried out under the suction force of the cooling fan, rather than waiting for a fire alarm signal to activate the external fire suppression system. This allows ventilation dilution to be initiated in the early stages of refrigerant leakage, before an open flame forms, extinguishing the accident in its infancy. This solves the problem of delayed fire response and missed optimal handling opportunities in existing technologies, thereby ensuring the safe operation of the energy storage device under conditions involving highly flammable refrigerants. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the thermal management system provided in Embodiment 1 of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the thermal management device provided in Embodiment 1 of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the energy storage device provided in Embodiment 2 of this application; Figure 4 This is the flow chart of the refrigerant leakage protection method for the energy storage system provided in Embodiment 2 of this application. Figure 1 ; Figure 5 This is the flow chart of the refrigerant leakage protection method for the energy storage system provided in Embodiment 2 of this application. Figure 2 .

[0025] In the picture: 1. Cabin; 2. Thermal management device; 21. Protective housing; 211. Drain bypass pipeline; 212. Air inlet; 213. Air outlet; 22. Refrigerant side assembly; 221. Refrigerant circulation loop; 222. Compressor; 223. First heat exchanger; 2231. First heat exchange branch; 2232. Second heat exchange branch; 224. Second heat exchanger; 2241. Third heat exchange branch; 2242. Fourth heat exchange branch; 3. Water-side module; 31. First liquid cooling circuit; 311. First liquid cooling pipeline; 312. First water pump; 32. Second liquid cooling circuit; 321. Second water pump; 322. Second liquid cooling pipeline; 33. First bypass pipeline; 34. Third water pump; 4. Liquid cooling plate; 5. Heat dissipation device; 51. Cooling fan; 52. Radiator; 6. Detection components; 61. Refrigerant concentration sensor; 62. Flame spectroscopy sensor; 7. Electrical control box; 8. Second bypass pipeline; 9. Battery module. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0027] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used solely for the convenience of describing this application and for simplification, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The terms "first position" and "second position" refer to two different positions.

[0028] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections or detachable connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and connections within two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" a second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of a second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" of a second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0030] The technical solution of this application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0031] Example 1: like Figure 1As shown, this application provides a thermal management system, including a thermal management device 2, a water-side module 3, a heat dissipation device 5, and a liquid cooling plate 4. The heat dissipation device 5 is thermally coupled to at least one of the refrigerant-side component 22 and the water-side module 3. The heat dissipation device 5 has a cooling fan 51, which dissipates heat from the heat dissipation device 5. The cooling fan 51 provides cooling airflow for the radiator 52. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation method of the cooling fan 51 is not limited; the cooling fan 51 can have its exhaust side facing the radiator 52 or its intake side facing the radiator 52.

[0032] The thermal management device 2 includes a refrigerant-side assembly 22, which includes a compressor 222, a first heat exchanger 223, and a second heat exchanger 224. The compressor 222, the first heat exchanger 223, and the second heat exchanger 224 are connected to form a refrigerant circulation loop 221. Specifically, the first heat exchanger 223 has a first heat exchange branch 2231 and a second heat exchange branch 2232, and the second heat exchanger 224 has a third heat exchange branch 2241 and a fourth heat exchange branch 2242. The inlet of the compressor 222 is connected to the second heat exchange branch 2232, and the outlet is connected to the fourth heat exchange branch 2242. The compressor 222, the second heat exchange branch 2232, and the fourth heat exchange branch 2242 are connected to form the refrigerant circulation loop 221.

[0033] The water-side module 3 includes a liquid cooling circuit, which is thermally coupled to the refrigerant-side component 22. The liquid cooling circuit includes a first liquid cooling circuit 31 and a second liquid cooling circuit 32.

[0034] The first liquid cooling circuit 31 includes a first liquid cooling pipe 311 and a first water pump 312 mounted on the first liquid cooling pipe 311. The first heat exchange branch 2231 is connected to the liquid cooling plate 4 to form the first liquid cooling circuit 31. Specifically, the first heat exchange branch 2231 of the first heat exchanger 223 is connected to the liquid cooling plate 4 through the first liquid cooling pipe 311. The liquid cooling plate 4 is used to cool heat-generating components (such as battery module 9, energy storage converter, inverter, or transformer). Driven by the first water pump 312, coolant enters the first heat exchange branch 2231 of the first heat exchanger 223 from the outlet of the liquid cooling plate 4, releases heat, and then flows back to the liquid cooling plate 4 through the inlet of the liquid cooling plate 4, thus circulating to dissipate heat from the heat-generating components.

[0035] The second liquid cooling circuit 32 includes a second liquid cooling pipe 322 and a second water pump 321 installed on the second liquid cooling pipe 322. The radiator 52 is connected to the third heat exchange branch 2241 to form the second liquid cooling circuit 32. Driven by the second water pump 321, the coolant circulates between the third heat exchange branch 2241 of the second heat exchanger 224 and the radiator 52.

[0036] The radiator 52 is a fan-liquid radiator. The first heat exchange branch 2231 of the first heat exchanger 223 provides coolant to the liquid cooling plate 4 through the first liquid cooling circuit 31. The third heat exchange branch 2241 of the second heat exchanger 224 provides coolant to the radiator 52 through the second liquid cooling circuit 32.

[0037] In this embodiment, the first heat exchange branch 2231 of the first heat exchanger 223 provides coolant to the liquid cooling plate 4 through the first liquid cooling circuit 31, and the third heat exchange branch 2241 of the second heat exchanger 224 provides coolant to the radiator 52 through the second liquid cooling circuit 32. The heat absorbed by the first heat exchanger 223 enters the compressor 222 through the second heat exchange branch 2232, and after being compressed by the compressor 222, it enters the fourth heat exchange branch 2242 of the second heat exchanger 224, thereby realizing that the liquid cooling circuit provides heat dissipation for the heat-generating components and the refrigerant-side assembly 22.

[0038] In addition, when the ambient temperature is low, the first liquid cooling circuit 31 and the second liquid cooling circuit 32 can be directly connected. At this time, the refrigerant side component 22 does not work, and the coolant flows from the liquid cooling plate 4 to the first water pump 312 and the radiator 52 in sequence and then returns to the liquid cooling plate 4. The liquid cooling plate 4 is cooled only by the heat dissipation device 5.

[0039] It should be noted that, for ease of understanding, the relevant circuits have been simplified in this application. The refrigerant circulation circuit 221 may also include conventional components such as filters, throttle valves, temperature sensors, gas-liquid separators, and four-way valves, which will not be described in detail in this application, but should not be construed as such components being unnecessary.

[0040] To address the issue of refrigerant leakage in refrigerant-side component 22 spreading to sensitive areas, with unpredictable diffusion paths leading to thermal runaway and even catastrophic safety accidents.

[0041] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the thermal management system provided in this application includes a thermal management device 2 comprising a protective housing 21 and a refrigerant-side assembly 22 disposed within the inner cavity of the protective housing 21. The protective housing 21 is provided with a vent communicating with the inner cavity of the protective housing 21, the vent including an air inlet 212 and an air outlet 213. At least a portion of the air inlet side of the cooling fan 51 is connected to the air outlet 213, so that the airflow inside the protective housing 21 is discharged under the negative pressure of the cooling fan 51.

[0042] When the air inlet side of the cooling fan 51 is directly opposite the air outlet 213, the air inlet side of the cooling fan 51 and the air outlet 213 are fully connected; when the air inlet side of the cooling fan 51 and the air outlet 213 are not directly opposite, it is necessary to ensure that the air inlet side of the cooling fan 51 is at least partially connected to the air outlet 213.

[0043] For example, there are two heat dissipation devices 5, and the air outlet 213 is located between the heat dissipation fans 51 of the two heat dissipation devices 5. Part of the air outlet 213 is at least partially connected to the air inlet side of one of the heat dissipation fans 51, and the other part of the air outlet 213 is at least partially connected to the air inlet side of the other heat dissipation fan 51; or, the air outlet 213 is only arranged opposite to one of the heat dissipation fans 51, and the air inlet side of the heat dissipation fan 51 is only partially connected to the air outlet 213.

[0044] Regarding the relative positions of the cooling fan 51 and the protective housing 21, this application provides various implementation methods.

[0045] In one optional embodiment, the cooling fan 51 is positioned above the protective housing 21, with its air inlet side facing the protective housing 21. This arrangement facilitates upward airflow along the direction of gravity, preventing backflow and improving heat dissipation. Furthermore, this layout fully utilizes vertical space, increasing space efficiency and ensuring a smooth airflow path between the protective housing 21 and the cooling device 5. Additionally, this layout is compatible with the installation position of the cooling device 5 in the applicant's previous generation product, facilitating upgrades to the existing product architecture, reducing modification costs, and improving the company's economic benefits.

[0046] In another embodiment, the exhaust side of the cooling fan 51 is positioned facing the protective housing 21. The cooling fan 51 can dilute the refrigerant inside the protective housing 21 by blowing air. The specific fan can be selected based on the actual airflow design and heat dissipation requirements.

[0047] In addition to the aforementioned orientation, the relative positions of the heat dissipation device 5 and the protective housing 21 can also be flexibly adjusted. For example, in some other embodiments, the heat dissipation device 5 can be disposed on one side or below the protective housing 21; or, the protective housing 21 can be disposed between the cooling fan 51 and the radiator 52, that is, the cooling fan 51 and the radiator 52 are respectively located on opposite sides of the protective housing 21, and the cooling fan 51 draws out the hot airflow inside the protective housing 21 and blows it toward the radiator 52. All of the above-mentioned layout methods are within the scope of the protection concept of this application.

[0048] The refrigerant-side components 22 of the thermal management device 2 are all housed within the protective housing 21. When a refrigerant leak occurs in the refrigerant-side components 22, the leaked refrigerant is first confined within the closed or semi-closed space of the protective housing 21, preventing it from directly or rapidly spreading to other areas. This spatially isolates the potential source of refrigerant leakage from other components, solving the problem of controlling the leakage spread in existing technologies and fundamentally reducing the risk of a chain fire caused by flammable refrigerant encountering an electrical spark. The heat dissipation device 5 is thermally coupled to the refrigerant-side components 22, and the protective housing 21 has a vent communicating with its internal cavity. At least a portion of the air inlet side of the heat dissipation fan 51 of the heat dissipation device 5 is connected to the air outlet 213. Under normal operating conditions, the cooling fan 51 provides cooling airflow to the heat dissipation device 5. In the event of a refrigerant leak, air from outside the protective housing 21 enters the housing through the inlet 212 and is drawn away by the cooling fan 51 through the outlet 213, rapidly diluting the refrigerant concentration. Therefore, there is no need to configure a separate fan for the dilution function, reducing the number of components and space occupied by the thermal management system. When a minor refrigerant leak is detected inside the protective housing 21 and the concentration is controllable, increasing the speed of the cooling fan 51 forces the leaked refrigerant out and dilutes it below the safe threshold. This thermal management system provides active protection against refrigerant leaks while reducing the complexity and cost of the thermal management system, and also improves the response speed of refrigerant leak protection and enhances fire extinguishing efficiency.

[0049] The protective housing 21 is made of flame-retardant material. For example, the flame-retardant material is a flame-retardant engineering plastic, such as glass fiber reinforced flame-retardant polyamide or flame-retardant polyphthalamide, which has the characteristics of good molding processability, light weight and chemical corrosion resistance, and is suitable for weight-sensitive energy storage devices.

[0050] Specifically, the protective housing 21 is rectangular in shape, and the air inlet 212 is located on the side wall of the protective housing 21, preferably near the bottom of the side wall. The air inlet 212 includes a plurality of honeycomb-shaped air inlets arranged in an array, which are used to uniformly guide external airflow into the bottom of the inner cavity. The air outlet 213 is located on the top wall of the protective housing 21, preferably at one end of the top wall along its length, and also includes a plurality of honeycomb-shaped air outlets. By placing the air inlet 212 at the bottom of the side wall and the air outlet 213 at the top wall, an upward flow path is formed in the inner cavity. The cross-sectional shape of the air inlet and outlet is not limited to a specific geometry and can be circular or polygonal to ensure the flow area while also taking into account the support strength of the opening area.

[0051] In other embodiments, the air inlet 212 and the air outlet 213 may also be respectively arranged on the opposite side walls of the protective housing 21, that is, air enters on one side and air exits on the other side, forming a horizontal ventilation path.

[0052] To ensure the sealing performance of the protective housing 21 when there is no refrigerant leakage and its responsiveness in the event of refrigerant leakage, in one embodiment, the air inlet 212 is provided with an opening and closing structure that can selectively open or close the air inlet 212. This opening and closing structure can selectively fully open or tightly close the air inlet 212 according to the operating conditions of the thermal management system, thereby achieving controllable management of gas exchange between the internal cavity and the external environment.

[0053] When the thermal management system is not in operation, or when the thermal management system is in operation and there is no leakage, the air inlet 212 is closed, and the cooling fan 51 prioritizes cooling the heat dissipation device 5. The air inlet 212 is only opened when a refrigerant leak is detected. The air outside the protective housing 21 enters the inner cavity evenly through the honeycomb-shaped air inlet 212 at the bottom of the side wall, which radially dilutes and entrains the leaked refrigerant that may accumulate around the refrigerant-side component 22, especially that has settled to the bottom of the inner cavity. Finally, under the suction force of the cooling fan 51, the refrigerant mixture is smoothly discharged to the outside from the air outlet 213 on the top wall, avoiding the risk of deflagration caused by excessive local concentration.

[0054] In one embodiment, the opening and closing structure includes louvers or an opening and closing plate rotatably connected to the protective housing 21.

[0055] The louver includes multiple parallel blades and a drive linkage. The blades rotate on the side wall of the protective housing 21 via the drive linkage. When the adjacent blades are closed, they overlap end to end to form an effective airtight barrier.

[0056] One side of the opening and closing plate is rotatably connected to the edge of the air inlet 212 via a pivot. When the opening and closing plate is rotated to be parallel to the side wall, it can close the air inlet 212. When the opening and closing plate is rotated to be at an angle to the side wall, it can open the air inlet 212.

[0057] The louvers and hinged plates can be driven by an active electronic control system, i.e., a drive motor connected to a drive linkage or shaft; or by a passive opening and closing system, where the blades or hinged plates are positioned inside the protective housing 21, and in their natural state, they are pressed tightly against the inner wall of the protective housing 21, maintaining a closed position. When the cooling fan 51 speed increases to the set speed, the generated air pressure creates a sufficient pressure difference between the outer and inner sides of the air inlet 212, which can push open the blades or hinged plates, thereby automatically opening the air inlet 212 and allowing external air to enter the inner cavity of the protective housing 21 for refrigerant dilution. When the speed of the cooling fan 51 drops back to the operating speed, the blades or hinged plates automatically reset, closing the air inlet 212.

[0058] In one embodiment, the pipe of the first heat exchange branch 2231 passes through the protective shell 21 and is connected to the liquid cooling plate 4, and the pipe of the third heat exchange branch 2241 passes through the protective shell 21 and is connected to the radiator 52.

[0059] Specifically, the pipe of the third heat exchange branch 2241 is connected to the liquid cooling pipe in the radiator 52 through the second liquid cooling pipe 322, and both ends of the second liquid cooling pipe 322 pass through the protective shell 21 and connect to both ends of the liquid cooling pipe in the radiator 52. The pipe of the first heat exchange branch 2231 is connected to the liquid cooling pipe in the liquid cooling plate 4 through the first liquid cooling pipe 311, and both ends of the first liquid cooling pipe 311 pass through the protective shell 21 and connect to both ends of the liquid cooling pipe in the liquid cooling plate 4.

[0060] By integrating the refrigerant-side component 22 inside the protective housing 21, allowing only the second liquid cooling pipe 322 and the first liquid cooling pipe 311 to pass through the wall of the protective housing 21 and connect to the radiator 52 and the liquid cooling plate 4 respectively, the modular pre-assembly of the thermal management device 2 is achieved. This facilitates rapid on-site installation and avoids on-site welding of the refrigerant pipes, thereby ensuring the sealing quality and process controllability of the refrigerant circulation loop 221. Furthermore, the wall of the protective housing 21 provides fixed support and limit for the pipes, effectively attenuating the transmission of compressor 222 vibration along the external pipes and reducing the risk of pipe fatigue fracture. At the same time, the pipe penetration location facilitates the centralized installation of sealing structures, which helps to improve the sealing and protection performance of the inner cavity of the protective housing 21, protecting the internal electrical and precision components from external moisture, dust and salt spray corrosion, while preventing the diffusion of leaked refrigerant.

[0061] In one embodiment, the water-side module 3 further includes a first bypass pipe 33, with one end connected to the liquid cooling circuit and the second end connected to the inner cavity of the protective housing 21. By adding the first bypass pipe 33, coolant can be sprayed into the protective housing 21 in an emergency, eliminating the need for a dedicated fire-fighting cooling device or independent piping system, thus reducing the structural complexity and manufacturing cost of the thermal management system. In cases where the refrigerant leakage concentration continues to rise and the temperature abnormally increases, but no open flame forms, introducing coolant into the protective housing 21 through the first bypass pipe 33 can absorb heat within the protective housing 21, lowering the ambient temperature and delaying or preventing the development of a fire.

[0062] Specifically, the first bypass pipe 33 is connected to the first liquid cooling pipe 311, and the first bypass pipe 33 is equipped with a first solenoid valve (not shown in the figure) and a third water pump 34. After the first solenoid valve is opened, under the drive of the third water pump 34, part of the coolant in the first liquid cooling pipe 311 enters the protective housing 21 through the first bypass pipe 33.

[0063] Furthermore, the bottom of the protective housing 21 is provided with a drain port, which is connected to a drain bypass pipe 211. A third solenoid valve is installed on the drain bypass pipe 211. When the liquid cooling circuit introduces coolant into the protective housing 21 through the first bypass pipe 33 for cooling, the third solenoid valve is opened, and the introduced coolant can be discharged to the outside of the protective housing 21 in a timely manner through the drain port and the drain bypass pipe 211, preventing coolant from accumulating inside the protective housing 21, seeping into electrical components, and causing faults such as short circuits, corrosion, or signal interference.

[0064] Since the coolant supplied to the protective casing 21 is taken from the liquid cooling circuit running inside the thermal management system, there is no need to wait for the intervention of fire water source or independent fire extinguishing system. The emergency response path is short and the start-up speed is fast. It can quickly implement cooling intervention in the early stage of leakage, which improves the timeliness of the overall emergency response.

[0065] In one embodiment, the thermal management system further includes a second bypass pipe 8, with a first end connected to the inner cavity of the protective housing 21 and a second end connected to the interior of the fire-fighting device. Existing energy storage devices are equipped with fire-fighting devices to prevent fires caused by thermal runaway of heat-generating components such as battery modules 9. These fire-fighting devices include a fire-fighting agent container containing a fire-fighting agent. The fire-fighting agent itself is used to extinguish fires in the event of thermal runaway of heat-generating components such as battery modules 9. The fire-fighting agent container injects the fire-fighting agent into the protective housing 21 through the second bypass pipe 8, achieving reuse between the fire-fighting function of the battery module 9 and the fire-fighting function for refrigerant leakage. When the fire escalates, the fire-fighting agent container can directly inject the fire-fighting agent into the protective housing 21 for rapid fire extinguishing; this further reduces manufacturing costs while effectively controlling the fire and preventing its further spread.

[0066] The extinguishing agent container is a fire-fighting tank, which enables proactive intervention in complex fire situations. The extinguishing agent in the fire-fighting tank is a highly efficient extinguishing agent such as perfluoroethyl ketone or heptafluoropropane. This extinguishing agent has the advantages of excellent fire extinguishing performance, no residue and environmental friendliness, which enhances the fire extinguishing capability and is suitable for fires involving highly flammable refrigerants.

[0067] The first end of the second bypass pipe 8 is connected to the fire tank, and a second solenoid valve (not shown in the figure) is installed on the second bypass pipe 8. When the second solenoid valve is opened, the extinguishing agent in the fire tank enters the protective shell 21 through the second bypass pipe 8.

[0068] In one embodiment, the protective housing 21 is provided with a sealing interface, through which connecting pipes enter and exit the protective housing 21. All connecting pipes between the refrigerant-side component 22 and the liquid cooling circuit, heat dissipation device 5, and fire prevention device enter and exit the protective housing 21 through the sealing interface. The sealing interface seals the locations where the connecting pipes pass through, ensuring that the protective housing 21 maintains good airtightness at all pipe connections. This confines the refrigerant in the refrigerant-side component 22 to the minimum enclosed space inside the protective housing 21 in the event of a leak, preventing it from escaping outward along the gap between the connecting pipes and the protective housing 21. This minimizes the potential refrigerant leak, reducing the total amount of combustibles at the source and significantly reducing the potential risk of fire or explosion caused by refrigerant leakage.

[0069] In one embodiment, the thermal management system further includes a catalytic purification device located inside the protective housing 21. This device catalytically decomposes any residual refrigerant within the housing. After extinguishing a fire with a fire extinguishing agent, a certain concentration of refrigerant gas may still remain inside the protective housing 21. If the housing 21 is opened directly for maintenance, the remaining refrigerant may react with air to form a flammable mixture, posing a risk of secondary combustion or flash fire. The catalytic purification device decomposes the remaining refrigerant to a safe concentration before the protective housing 21 can be safely opened, ensuring the personal safety of maintenance personnel.

[0070] The preferred catalytic purification device is a platinum-palladium (Pt-Pd) catalytic oxidation device. The Pt-Pd catalytic oxidation device uses γ-Al₂O₃ or honeycomb ceramic as a carrier, with nano-sized platinum and palladium active components loaded on its surface. When residual refrigerant gas mixes with air and flows across the catalyst surface, a catalytic oxidation reaction occurs at a relatively low ignition temperature, decomposing the refrigerant molecules into harmless or low-harm small molecules such as CO₂, H₂O, and trace amounts of hydrogen halides. The Pt-Pd catalytic oxidation device achieves a refrigerant decomposition efficiency of no less than 99%, and the reaction byproducts do not produce persistent organic pollutants, effectively reducing secondary pollution to the environment.

[0071] In one embodiment, the thermal management system further includes a detection component 6, which is disposed within the protective housing 21 and is used to detect the refrigerant concentration, temperature gradient, and / or open flame information within the protective housing 21.

[0072] Specifically, the detection component 6 includes a refrigerant concentration sensor 61, a temperature sensor (not shown in the figure), and a flame spectrum sensor 62. The refrigerant concentration sensor 61 is used to monitor the refrigerant concentration inside the protective housing 21 in real time, with a detection accuracy of up to 0.1% LEL, combining high sensitivity and low false alarm rate. The temperature sensor is located inside the protective housing 21 and is used to detect the temperature gradient inside the protective housing 21. The flame spectrum sensor 62 is used to identify whether there is an open flame inside the protective housing 21. It achieves early fire identification by detecting the characteristic spectrum of the flame (such as UV band, infrared band, etc.), with a response time of less than 0.5 seconds.

[0073] The refrigerant concentration sensor 61 is located at the bottom of the protective housing 21. Utilizing the physical property that refrigerant gases such as R290 and R600a have a density greater than air, it can be the first to contact the deposited refrigerant gas when a leak occurs, enabling rapid detection of early, minute leaks. Simultaneously, the detection accuracy of the refrigerant concentration sensor 61 is far below the lower explosive limit of the refrigerant, allowing it to issue an early warning signal before a flammable concentration forms. This enables the system to initiate low-intervention measures such as ventilation and dilution at a very early stage, consistently keeping the refrigerant concentration below the safe threshold and preventing it from entering the flammable gas concentration range. The flame spectrum sensor 62 is located on the top wall of the protective housing 21, providing a global view. It can capture flame spectrum signals without the flame spreading to a specific location. Combined with a response speed of less than 0.5 seconds, it can identify flames in their initial stages, providing a critical window of time for fire suppression response.

[0074] The refrigerant concentration sensor 61, temperature sensor, and flame spectrum sensor 62 independently detect leak events from three dimensions: gas concentration, thermal field distribution, and light radiation, respectively, and the three complement and corroborate each other. The refrigerant concentration sensor 61 captures trace leak signs, the temperature sensor monitors temperature anomalies caused by the heat absorption of leak vaporization or the heat release of combustion, and the flame spectrum sensor 62 identifies the characteristic spectrum of open flames. This multi-dimensional cross-validation effectively reduces the probability of false alarms and missed alarms caused by drift, interference, or malfunction of a single sensor.

[0075] Example 2: like Figures 1-3 As shown, this application provides an energy storage device, including a housing, a battery module 9, an energy storage converter, a thermal management compartment, a fire protection device, and a thermal management system provided in Embodiment 1. The battery module 9 and the energy storage converter are both housed within the housing. The thermal management device 2, the water-side module 3, and the heat dissipation module 5 are located in the thermal management compartment, used to dissipate heat from the battery module 9 and the energy storage converter, etc. Simultaneously, the thermal management system provided in Embodiment 1 can perform active protection operations in the initial stage of refrigerant leakage in the refrigerant-side component 22 of the thermal management device 2, to ensure the safe operation of the energy storage device under conditions of highly flammable refrigerant application.

[0076] The thermal management system also includes a liquid cooling plate 4, which is connected to the liquid cooling circuit of the water-side module 3. The battery module 9 and the energy storage converter are both thermally coupled to the liquid cooling plate 4. The battery module 9 continuously generates heat during charging and discharging, and the energy storage converter, as a power conversion device, also generates significant heat loss during operation. Both exchange heat with the liquid cooling plate 4 through heat conduction. The coolant circulates in the liquid cooling circuit, carrying the heat from both sources to the thermal management compartment for centralized dissipation. Compared to independent heat dissipation methods, this approach offers higher heat dissipation efficiency and lower overall energy consumption.

[0077] The first end of the first bypass pipe 33 of the water-side module 3 is connected to the first liquid cooling circuit 31, and the second end is connected to the inner cavity of the protective housing 21. Thus, when the temperature inside the protective housing 21 rises or a fire breaks out, the coolant in the first liquid cooling circuit 31 can be introduced into the protective housing 21 for cooling or fire extinguishing.

[0078] The thermal management system also includes a second bypass pipe 8, which is connected to the interior of the extinguishing agent container in the fire protection device, so that the extinguishing agent in the extinguishing agent container can extinguish the fire when it catches fire inside the protective housing 21.

[0079] The thermal management compartment is located inside, outside, or partially embedded in the enclosure.

[0080] In one embodiment, the heat pipe compartment is located inside the enclosure, which houses the battery module 9 and the thermal management compartment. The thermal management compartment is arranged adjacent to the battery module 9. The thermal management system is connected to the liquid cooling plate 4 via a liquid cooling circuit. The coolant circulates in the liquid cooling circuit, carrying the heat generated by the battery module 9 and other heat-generating components such as the energy storage converter to the thermal management compartment for heat exchange. In this layout, the thermal management compartment and the battery module 9 share the same enclosure space. The pipe length of the liquid cooling circuit is relatively short, and the pressure loss of the coolant during transmission is small, which helps to reduce the power consumption of the water pump and improve the heat exchange efficiency. At the same time, the close proximity of the thermal management compartment and the battery module 9 facilitates accurate monitoring and linkage control of the temperature sensor, enabling real-time and precise adjustment of the battery module 9 temperature. However, in this layout, the thermal management compartment occupies internal space within the enclosure, which to some extent reduces the space available for the battery module 9 and affects the energy density of the energy storage device.

[0081] In another embodiment, the thermal management compartment is located outside the enclosure. Specifically, the thermal management compartment is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the enclosure, and a liquid cooling circuit passes through the enclosure wall to connect the liquid cooling plate 4 with the thermal management compartment. Driven by the liquid cooling circuit, the coolant circulates between the liquid cooling plate 4 inside the enclosure and the external thermal management compartment to dissipate heat from heat-generating components such as the battery module 9 and the energy storage converter.

[0082] By placing the thermal management compartment outside the enclosure, it does not occupy internal space, allowing for efficient use of the internal space for the rational arrangement of battery modules 9. This increases the number of battery modules and enhances the energy storage capacity. Furthermore, the external location of the thermal management compartment facilitates the design of the internal waterproofing and sealing structure, resulting in better protection. Additionally, the external location allows maintenance personnel to install, maintain, and repair the thermal management compartment from outside the enclosure without entering, significantly improving ease of operation and maintenance. The liquid cooling circuit's penetration through the enclosure wall facilitates the centralized installation of a sealing structure, ensuring both enclosure airtightness and internal / external heat exchange.

[0083] In another embodiment, the thermal management compartment is partially embedded within the enclosure. Specifically, a portion of the thermal management compartment is located inside the enclosure, while another portion is located outside the enclosure. A liquid cooling circuit connects the liquid cooling plate 4 inside the enclosure to the internal space of the thermal management compartment. The thermal piping compartment can be embedded in the enclosure wall, either on the side wall, top wall, or bottom wall of the enclosure.

[0084] The thermal management compartment's structure is partially embedded in the enclosure wall. This reduces the space occupied by the thermal management compartment within the enclosure, improving space utilization. Furthermore, the exposed portion of the thermal management compartment facilitates heat exchange between the external air and the compartment, enhancing heat dissipation efficiency and simplifying external installation and maintenance. Additionally, this partially embedded layout utilizes the enclosure wall as a load-bearing and fixing structure for the thermal management compartment, reducing the need for additional mounting brackets, simplifying the overall structure, and lowering manufacturing costs. This layout is particularly suitable for energy storage applications requiring high space utilization, as well as high heat dissipation efficiency and ease of maintenance.

[0085] In one embodiment, the thermal management compartment has a body 1, with a thermal management device 2 and a water-side module 3 all located inside the body 1. A heat dissipation device 5 is located on the top of the body 1 and is connected to the interior of the body 1. Because the heat dissipation device 5 is located on the top of the body 1, hot air flows naturally upwards along the direction of gravity, directly entering the top heat dissipation device 5 from inside the body 1 for heat exchange, forming a smooth heat exhaust airflow path from bottom to top. This effectively avoids the accumulation and backflow of hot air inside the body 1, significantly improving heat dissipation efficiency. Furthermore, the top layout does not occupy additional lateral space in the body 1, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the overall thermal management compartment design, allowing for flexible placement inside, outside, or partially embedded within the energy storage device's housing. Simultaneously, the body 1, as a load-bearing structure, provides a stable mounting base for the heat dissipation device 5, eliminating the need for additional supports, simplifying the overall structure and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0086] Specifically, two radiators 52 and two cooling fans 51 are provided. The protective shell 21 is located below one of the heat dissipation devices 5 inside the cabin 1. The two radiators 52 are arranged side by side on the top frame of the cabin 1. The two cooling fans 51 are respectively located in the central cavity of the two radiators 52 and are connected to the interior of the cabin 1 through the central cavity of the radiator 52. The cooling fan 51 located above the air outlet 213 can draw hot air from the protective shell 21 through the radiator 52.

[0087] The water-side module 3 is located on one side of the protective housing 21, which facilitates the connection between the first bypass pipe 33 and the protective housing 21. The layout is reasonable and the structure is compact.

[0088] The energy storage device also includes a control unit, which is electrically connected to the detection component 6, the water-side module 3, the heat dissipation device 5, and the fire protection device. The control unit controls the operation of the water-side module 3 and / or the heat dissipation device 5 and / or the fire protection device based on the detection results from the detection component 6. The detection component 6 is communicatively connected to the control unit to synchronously transmit the detected data. The control unit performs fusion analysis on the received state data within the protective housing 21 and controls the speed of the cooling fan 51 and the conduction of the first bypass pipe 33 and / or the second bypass pipe 8 based on the analysis results.

[0089] The control unit is located inside the electrical control box 7, which is located inside the cabin 1 on the side of the protective shell 21 away from the water-side module 3. It is physically isolated from the high-risk area where the refrigerant-side component 22 is located. Even if a fire occurs inside the protective shell 21, the control unit can continue to work and execute emergency commands for a certain period of time, ensuring the reliability of the end of the emergency response.

[0090] Furthermore, the control unit includes a diagnostic engine, which performs fusion analysis on the data fed back by the detection component 6 to determine the refrigerant leakage status and executes a preset graded response strategy based on the determination result. The diagnostic engine built into the control unit performs fusion analysis on multi-source data, which can distinguish between actual refrigerant leaks and non-leakage conditions such as instantaneous sensor disturbances, avoiding unnecessary emergency responses and resource waste due to misjudgments. When a real leak is determined, the diagnostic engine comprehensively assesses the leak level based on parameters such as leak concentration, temperature rise rate, and whether there is an open flame, and automatically matches a graded response strategy to achieve a precise correspondence between the handling intensity and the risk level.

[0091] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, this embodiment also provides a refrigerant leakage protection method for energy storage devices, which is applied to the aforementioned energy storage devices. This refrigerant leakage protection method achieves graded and precise handling of refrigerant leakage accidents through a closed-loop control of the entire process of "physical isolation - intelligent monitoring - graded response - post-treatment purification - false alarm self-test". The following describes the refrigerant leakage protection method in detail with reference to the specific structure of the aforementioned energy storage device.

[0092] S10. When the energy storage device is not in operation, or when the energy storage device is in operation and there is no refrigerant leakage, the vent is closed.

[0093] By sealing the air inlet 212 and the air outlet 213, the refrigerant-side component 22 is completely enclosed within the protective housing 21. The protective housing 21 physically isolates the refrigerant-side component 22, preventing refrigerant leakage in the refrigerant circulation loop 221 from spreading to the battery module 9 or other electrical components, thereby isolating the leakage source from the sensitive area and limiting the leakage spread range.

[0094] In this embodiment, since the air outlet 213 is located at the top of the cabin 1, the hot air flows from bottom to top to the top of the cabin 1 and is directly discharged to the outside of the cabin 1 under the suction of the cooling fan 51. It hardly enters the interior of the cabin 1 from the air outlet 213. Therefore, it is only necessary to set an opening and closing structure at the air inlet 212 to close the air inlet 212.

[0095] S20. When the energy storage device is in operation and a refrigerant leak is detected inside the protective housing 21, control the vent to open.

[0096] During operation of the energy storage device, the thermal management device 2, the water-side module 3, and the heat dissipation device 5 function normally to dissipate heat for the battery module 9. Simultaneously, the detection component 6 monitors the refrigerant concentration, temperature, and flame spectrum within the protective casing 21.

[0097] The refrigerant concentration is collected by a refrigerant concentration sensor 61 located on the bottom wall of the protective housing 21, with a detection accuracy of 0.1% LEL; temperature data is collected by a temperature sensor; flame spectrum data is collected by a flame spectrum sensor 62 located on the top wall of the protective housing 21, with a response time of less than 0.5 seconds.

[0098] The data collected by the detection component 6 is sent to the control unit in real time, and the diagnostic engine built into the control unit performs fusion analysis on the various data.

[0099] The diagnostic engine uses a convolutional neural network (CNN) model to extract and fuse multidimensional features from refrigerant concentration data, temperature data, and flame spectrum data, and outputs the probability value and leakage level of actual refrigerant leakage.

[0100] The CNN model operates as follows: It uses the refrigerant concentration rise rate, absolute concentration value, temperature gradient distribution characteristics, and flame spectral intensity as input feature vectors. Through multiple convolutional and pooling operations, it extracts the spatiotemporal correlation features of the leak event. Finally, a fully connected layer outputs the probability value of the actual leak and the leak level classification result. By analyzing the correlation between concentration and temperature data, it can distinguish between concentration anomalies caused by refrigerant leaks and sensor reading fluctuations caused by ambient temperature drift, thus reducing the false alarm rate.

[0101] The control unit determines whether a refrigerant leak has actually occurred inside the current protective housing 21; if so, it outputs the leak level and executes the corresponding response strategy according to the leak level.

[0102] Specifically, based on the leakage level, the control unit executes a graded response strategy, which includes Level 1 response, Level 2 response, and Level 3 response. The triggering conditions and execution actions for each level of response are as follows: S21. When the refrigerant concentration inside the protective housing 21 is higher than the first set refrigerant concentration, the speed of the cooling fan 51 is increased, and the opening and closing structure of the air inlet 212 is opened under the airflow of the cooling fan 51.

[0103] Specifically, when the energy storage device is running, the cooling fan 51 rotates at its operating speed. The initial set refrigerant concentration is a relatively low concentration when the refrigerant first leaks. At this point, a first-level response is triggered, and the control unit increases the speed of the cooling fan 51 to the set speed, which is higher than the operating speed. That is, by increasing the speed of the cooling fan 51, the air volume is increased, which opens the blades or opening plate of the air inlet 212. The airflow enters from the bottom of the protective housing 21 and flows upward to the air outlet 213, carrying the refrigerant out of the chamber 1. This continuously reduces the refrigerant concentration inside the protective housing 21, achieving forced ventilation and dilution inside the protective housing 21.

[0104] S22. After the air inlet 212 is opened for a first preset time, the refrigerant concentration is re-acquired. If the refrigerant concentration does not drop below the first set refrigerant concentration, the first bypass pipe 33 is controlled to open.

[0105] That is, after the first preset time of activation of the first-level response, if the refrigerant concentration detected by the refrigerant concentration sensor 61 has dropped below the safety threshold, the first-level response is released and the normal monitoring state is returned; if the refrigerant concentration has not dropped below the first set refrigerant concentration, the control unit controls the first bypass pipe 33 to be turned on, that is, the response level is automatically switched from the first level to the second level.

[0106] For example, the first preset refrigerant concentration is 25% LEL to 40% LEL, the first preset duration is 30 minutes, and the safety threshold is 25% LEL.

[0107] S30. When the refrigerant concentration inside the protective housing 21 is higher than the second set refrigerant concentration, or the temperature gradient exceeds the preset temperature gradient value, the first bypass pipe 33 is connected and sprayed with coolant into the inner cavity of the protective housing 21. The second set refrigerant concentration is higher than the first set refrigerant concentration, and the coolant is a non-flammable coolant.

[0108] When the refrigerant concentration inside the protective housing 21 is higher than the second set refrigerant concentration, or the temperature gradient exceeds the preset temperature gradient value, a secondary response is triggered. The coolant sprayed into the protective housing 21 through the first bypass pipe 33 absorbs the heat inside the protective housing 21, reduces the ambient temperature, and suppresses the generation and development of fire. Simultaneously, the third solenoid valve is opened to open the drain bypass pipe 211, so that the coolant after heat exchange is discharged from the protective housing 21 in a timely manner to prevent liquid accumulation.

[0109] In this embodiment, the non-flammable coolant is a fluorinated liquid or a special fire-retardant coolant.

[0110] During the Level 2 response, the detection component 6 continuously monitors various data within the protective housing 21. If the refrigerant concentration drops below the safety threshold and the temperature gradient returns to the normal range, the Level 2 response is terminated; if an open flame is detected or the refrigerant concentration further increases to above the third set refrigerant concentration, the system automatically switches to Level 3 response.

[0111] For example, the second setting is a refrigerant concentration of 45% LEL to 60% LEL, and the preset temperature gradient is 15°C / min.

[0112] S40. If an open flame is detected inside the protective housing 21, or if the refrigerant concentration is higher than the third set refrigerant concentration, control the second bypass pipe 8 to connect and inject extinguishing agent into the inner cavity of the protective housing 21; wherein the third set refrigerant concentration is higher than the second set refrigerant concentration.

[0113] Specifically, when the flame spectrum sensor 62 detects an open flame inside the protective housing 21, or when the refrigerant concentration sensor 61 detects a refrigerant concentration higher than the third preset refrigerant concentration, a three-level response is triggered. This controls the second solenoid valve to open, allowing the extinguishing agent in the fire tank to be injected into the protective housing 21 through the second bypass pipe 8. This rapidly fills and covers the fire source within the enclosed space, achieving efficient fire suppression. For example, the third preset refrigerant concentration is 45% LEL to 60% LEL.

[0114] Level 3 response is the highest level of emergency measure. After activation, the cooling fan 51 can run synchronously to assist in smoke exhaust. After the detection component 6 confirms that the open flame is extinguished and the refrigerant concentration has dropped below the safety threshold, the S50 post-processing step will be initiated.

[0115] S50. If the refrigerant concentration inside the protective housing 21 drops below the first set refrigerant concentration and there is no open flame, the fire situation is determined to be resolved, and the catalytic purification device is activated.

[0116] Once the graded response is completed, the refrigerant concentration reported by the detection component 6 drops below the first set refrigerant concentration (i.e., the safety threshold), and the flame spectrum sensor 62 does not detect an open flame, the control unit determines that the fire has been extinguished and triggers the post-processing procedure. The control unit activates the catalytic purification device located inside the protective housing 21. The catalytic purification device catalytically decomposes the refrigerant remaining inside the protective housing 21, converting the refrigerant molecules into harmless or low-harm small molecules before discharging them, eliminating the potential for residual combustible gas accumulation, and completing environmental restoration after the accident.

[0117] In this embodiment, when the control unit determines that the refrigerant leakage in the current protective housing 21 is a false alarm from the refrigerant concentration sensor 61, the control unit initiates a self-test protocol.

[0118] The self-test protocol includes: 1. Locking the solenoid valves on the first bypass line 33 and the second bypass line 8 to prevent accidental release of coolant or fire extinguishing agent due to false triggering. 2. Generating maintenance prompts and prompting maintenance personnel to check the system via voice broadcast or alarm. 3. Performing calibration self-tests on the detection component 6 based on the maintenance prompts: testing the sealing of the refrigerant circulation loop 221, or performing on / off tests on the cooling fan 51 and solenoid valves; resuming monitoring status after confirming normal operation.

[0119] The maintenance prompts include fault classification, which includes hardware faults, software anomalies, and environmental interference. Hardware faults include faults in detection component 6, connecting pipes, and solenoid valves. Software anomalies are tested by restarting the control unit. Environmental interference is tested by enabling interference mode. Then, an alarm log is generated.

[0120] The calibration self-test of detection component 6 includes reading the baseline offset value of refrigerant concentration sensor 61 and comparing it with the factory calibration parameters. If the deviation exceeds the allowable error range, the sensor is marked as needing replacement. Maintenance personnel check the sealing of refrigerant circulation loop 221 and perform on / off tests on cooling fan 51 and solenoid valves in each pipeline to ensure that the system has sufficient safety and stability in subsequent operation.

[0121] Through the above steps, the refrigerant leakage protection method of this embodiment realizes full life cycle protection of refrigerant leakage, from initial leakage isolation, early intelligent diagnosis, graded and precise handling to post-disaster purification and recovery. It enables ventilation dilution, cooling suppression or fire extinguishing with fire extinguishing agents to be initiated in the early stage of refrigerant leakage before an open flame is formed, eliminating the accident in its infancy. It can effectively solve the problems of delayed response, single protection methods and mismatch between the handling intensity and risk level in the existing technology.

[0122] As one exemplary embodiment of this application, it is assumed that R290 is used as the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation loop 221 of the energy storage system, with a GWP value of 3 and high flammability. The volume of the protective housing 21 is controlled to 1.5m³. 3 Within this range, the exhaust volume of the cooling fan 51 can reach up to 1200m³. 3 The refrigerant leak sensor's detection threshold is set to 0.5% LEL, and the response time of the flame spectrum sensor 62 is set to 0.3 seconds. In the secondary response, the opening speed of the first solenoid valve on the first bypass pipe 33 is controlled within 2 seconds, the coolant injection rate is 2L / min, and the temperature gradient ΔT trigger threshold is 15℃ / min. In the tertiary response, the extinguishing agent injection rate of the second bypass pipe 8 is 3L / min, and the injection time is 5 minutes. The diagnostic engine of the entire energy storage device adopts a dual-channel CNN model to process the refrigerant concentration and flame spectrum data separately, and then fuses them for risk assessment.

[0123] The above content is only a preferred embodiment of this application. For those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation and application scope based on the ideas of this application. The content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A thermal management system, characterized in that, include: The thermal management device (2) includes a protective housing (21) and a refrigerant-side component (22) disposed in the inner cavity of the protective housing (21); the protective housing (21) is provided with a vent communicating with the inner cavity of the protective housing (21); the vent includes an air inlet (212) and an air outlet (213); The water-side module (3) includes a liquid cooling circuit, which is thermally coupled to the refrigerant-side component (22); The heat dissipation device (5) is thermally coupled to at least one of the refrigerant-side component (22) and the water-side module (3). The heat dissipation device (5) has a heat dissipation fan (51) for dissipating heat from the heat dissipation device (5). At least a portion of the air inlet side of the heat dissipation fan (51) is connected to the air outlet (213).

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat dissipation device (5) is located above the protective housing (21), the air inlet (212) is located on the side wall of the protective housing (21), and the air outlet (213) is located on the top wall of the protective housing (21).

3. The thermal management system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air inlet (212) is provided with an opening and closing structure, which can selectively open or close the air inlet (212).

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermal management system further includes a liquid cooling plate (4), and the heat dissipation device (5) includes a radiator (52); The refrigerant-side assembly (22) includes a compressor (222), a first heat exchanger (223), and a second heat exchanger (224). The first heat exchanger (223) has a first heat exchange branch (2231) and a second heat exchange branch (2232), and the second heat exchanger (224) has a third heat exchange branch (2241) and a fourth heat exchange branch (2242). The compressor (222) is connected to the second heat exchange branch (2232) and the fourth heat exchange branch (2242) to form a refrigerant circulation loop (221). The first heat exchange branch (2231) is connected to the liquid cooling plate (4) to form a first liquid cooling loop (31), and the radiator (52) is connected to the third heat exchange branch (2241) to form a second liquid cooling loop (32).

5. The thermal management system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pipe of the first heat exchange branch (2231) passes through the protective shell (21) and is connected to the liquid cooling plate (4); the pipe of the third heat exchange branch (2241) passes through the protective shell (21) and is connected to the radiator (52).

6. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water-side module (3) also includes a first bypass pipe (33), the first end of which is connected to the liquid cooling circuit, and the second end of which is connected to the inner cavity of the protective shell (21); And / or, the thermal management system further includes a second bypass pipe (8), the first end of which is connected to the inner cavity of the protective housing (21), and the second end of which is connected to the interior of the fireproof device; And / or, the protective housing (21) is further provided with a detection component (6), which is used to detect the refrigerant concentration, temperature gradient and / or open flame information inside the protective housing (21); And / or, the protective housing (21) is further provided with a catalytic purification device, which is used to catalytically decompose the residual refrigerant in the protective housing (21).

7. An energy storage device, characterized in that, It includes a housing, a thermal management compartment, and a thermal management system as described in any one of claims 1-6; the thermal management device (2), the water-side module (3), and the heat dissipation device (5) are disposed in the thermal management compartment.

8. The energy storage device according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a battery module (9) and an energy storage converter. The battery module (9) and the energy storage converter are both located inside the housing. The liquid cooling circuit is connected to the liquid cooling plate (4) of the thermal management system. The battery module (9) and the energy storage converter are both thermally coupled to the liquid cooling plate (4).

9. The energy storage device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The thermal management compartment has a body (1), the thermal management device (2) and the water-side module (3) are both located inside the body (1), the heat dissipation device (5) is located on the top of the body (1), and the heat dissipation device (5) is connected to the interior of the body (1).

10. The energy storage device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The energy storage device also includes a fire-prevention device for extinguishing fires, the fire-prevention device including a fire extinguishing agent container; the second bypass pipeline (8) of the thermal management system is connected to the interior of the fire extinguishing agent container.

11. The energy storage device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The thermal management compartment is located inside, outside, or partially embedded in the enclosure.

12. A method for protecting an energy storage device from refrigerant leakage, characterized in that, Applied to the energy storage device as described in any one of claims 7-11, the refrigerant leakage protection method includes: When the energy storage device is not in operation, or when the energy storage device is in operation and there is no refrigerant leakage, the vent is in a closed state. When the energy storage device is in operation and a refrigerant leak is detected inside the protective housing (21), the vent is controlled to open.

13. The refrigerant leakage protection method for energy storage devices according to claim 12, characterized in that, When the refrigerant concentration inside the protective housing (21) is higher than the first set refrigerant concentration, the speed of the cooling fan (51) is increased, and the opening and closing structure of the air inlet (212) is opened under the airflow of the cooling fan (51).

14. The refrigerant leakage protection method for energy storage devices according to claim 13, characterized in that, The refrigerant leakage prevention method also includes: If the refrigerant concentration in the protective housing (21) is higher than the second set refrigerant concentration, or the temperature gradient exceeds the preset temperature gradient, the first bypass pipe (33) is connected and sprayed with coolant into the inner cavity of the protective housing (21), wherein the second set refrigerant concentration is greater than the first set refrigerant concentration, and the coolant is a non-flammable coolant.

15. The refrigerant leakage protection method for energy storage devices according to claim 14, characterized in that, The refrigerant leakage prevention method also includes: If an open flame is detected inside the protective housing (21), or if the refrigerant concentration is higher than the third set refrigerant concentration, the second bypass pipe (8) is connected and fire extinguishing agent is injected into the inner cavity of the protective housing (21), wherein the third set refrigerant concentration is greater than the second set refrigerant concentration.

16. The refrigerant leakage protection method for energy storage devices according to claim 15, characterized in that, The refrigerant leakage prevention method also includes: If the refrigerant concentration inside the protective housing (21) drops below the first set refrigerant concentration and there is no open flame, the fire is determined to be extinguished, and the catalytic purification device is activated.

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