Direct cooling system and energy storage system

Abstract

The utility model discloses a direct cooling system and an energy storage system.The direct cooling system comprises a valve assembly and a battery assembly, the battery assembly comprises batteries and battery cold plates, the valve assembly comprises a plurality of valves, the valves and the battery cold plates are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence mode, and the valves are used for controlling the amount of refrigerants flowing into the corresponding battery cold plates; the opening degree of the valve is in positive correlation with the mounting height of the corresponding battery cold plate, and the flow of the refrigerant flowing into each battery cold plate is controlled by controlling the opening degree of the valve, so that the problem of refrigerant quantity difference caused by factors such as pressure difference and height difference is solved, the refrigerant quantity in each battery cold plate is balanced, and the service life of the battery cold plate is prolonged. Therefore, the cooling effect of each battery assembly is prevented from being influenced, and the cooling performance is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and more specifically, to a direct cooling system and an energy storage system. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, liquid cooling is usually achieved based on a liquid cooling unit (including multiple coolant pipes). That is, the coolant flows through multiple coolant pipes and conducts heat with the battery module of the energy storage power supply, thereby cooling the battery module.

[0003] Because the lengths and heights of the multiple coolant pipes in the liquid cooling unit are different, the coolant is unevenly distributed in each coolant pipe, affecting the cooling effect of each battery module. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the embodiments of this application provide a direct cooling system and an energy storage system, which can avoid uneven distribution of coolant in each coolant pipe and avoid affecting the cooling effect.

[0005] The direct cooling system of this application includes: the direct cooling system includes a valve assembly and a battery assembly, the battery assembly includes a battery and a battery cold plate, the valve assembly includes a plurality of valves, the valves and the battery cold plates are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, the valves are used to control the amount of refrigerant flowing into the corresponding battery cold plate, and the opening degree of the valve is positively correlated with the installation height of the corresponding battery cold plate.

[0006] In some embodiments, the direct cooling system further includes a battery cabinet, wherein the battery assembly comprises a plurality of battery assemblies, which are stacked along the height direction of the battery cabinet.

[0007] In some embodiments, the battery cold plate includes one or more direct cooling pipes for circulating refrigerant.

[0008] In some embodiments, the refrigeration system further includes a compressor, wherein the inlet of each of the valves is connected to the exhaust port of the compressor, and the outlet of each of the battery cold plates is connected to the return port of the compressor.

[0009] In some embodiments, the direct cooling system further includes: a valve body box, the valve assembly being disposed within the valve body box, the valve body box having an air inlet, the inlet of each of the valves being connected to the air inlet, and the air inlet being connected to the exhaust port of the compressor.

[0010] In some embodiments, the pipe length between the valve and the battery cold plate is negatively correlated with the pipe length between the valve and the air inlet.

[0011] In some embodiments, the direct cooling system further includes a horizontally positioned manifold that connects the air inlet to each of the valve assemblies.

[0012] In some embodiments, the direct cooling system further includes a heat exchanger, the inlet of which is connected to the exhaust port of the compressor, and the outlet of the heat exchanger and the inlet of the valve body box are connected to form a first refrigerant pipeline.

[0013] In some embodiments, the direct cooling system further includes a regenerator, wherein the battery cold plate and the compressor return port are connected to form a second refrigerant pipe, and both the first refrigerant pipe and the second refrigerant pipe flow through the regenerator.

[0014] In some embodiments, the direct cooling system further includes a four-way valve, which controls the connection of the compressor's exhaust port to the heat exchanger and controls the connection of the battery cold plate's outlet to the compressor's return port.

[0015] The energy storage system of this application includes the direct cooling system described in any of the above embodiments.

[0016] In some embodiments, the valve body box of the direct cooling system is located at the air inlet of the energy storage system.

[0017] The direct cooling system and energy storage system described in this application include a valve assembly and a battery assembly. The battery assembly includes a battery and a battery cold plate. The valve assembly includes multiple valves, with each valve corresponding to a battery cold plate. The valves control the amount of refrigerant flowing into the corresponding battery cold plate, and the valve opening is positively correlated with the installation height of the corresponding battery cold plate. By controlling the valve opening, the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into each battery cold plate is controlled. Since the valve opening is positively correlated with the installation height of the corresponding battery cold plate, the problem of refrigerant quantity differences caused by factors such as pressure difference and height difference can be overcome, balancing the amount of refrigerant in each battery cold plate, thereby avoiding affecting the cooling effect of each battery assembly and improving cooling performance.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of embodiments of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the direct cooling system according to certain embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the direct cooling system according to some embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the valve body box according to certain embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a top view schematic diagram of the valve body box according to certain embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the direct cooling system according to certain embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a top view schematic diagram of a direct cooling system according to certain embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a direct cooling system including a manifold in some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0027] 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 are only used to explain the embodiments of this application, and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this application.

[0028] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0029] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two or three, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0030] Currently, the temperature control methods for energy storage power supplies generally involve heating the energy storage power supply (such as the battery module) by using a thermistor (Positive Temperature Coefficient, PTC) and cooling the battery module by using an air-cooled unit or a liquid-cooled unit to regulate the temperature of the energy storage power supply during the charging and discharging process.

[0031] When cooling battery modules that use air-cooled units as energy storage power sources, the air-cooled units use air as the cooling medium and rely on forced convection heat transfer by fans to reduce the battery temperature. However, air has a low specific heat capacity and a low surface heat transfer coefficient, and the airflow distribution inside the energy storage power source is difficult to control. Therefore, air-cooling can easily lead to poor heat dissipation and poor temperature uniformity of the battery modules.

[0032] When cooling battery modules that rely on liquid cooling units as energy storage power sources, these units typically consist of multiple coolant pipes. Each coolant pipe can cool one group of battery modules. The coolant flowing through these pipes conducts heat with the battery modules, dissipating heat and lowering their temperature. Compared to air cooling, liquid cooling provides more uniform heat dissipation and better cooling performance.

[0033] However, because the lengths and heights of the multiple coolant pipes in the liquid cooling unit are different, uneven distribution of coolant when it flows to each coolant pipe can easily occur, affecting the cooling effect of the battery module.

[0034] The direct cooling system provided in this application will be described in detail below.

[0035] Please see Figure 1 This application provides a direct cooling system 100, and the application of the direct cooling system 100 in an energy storage system 1000 is used as an example for illustration.

[0036] Please see Figure 1 The direct cooling system 100 includes:

[0037] Valve assembly 10 and battery assembly 20, the battery assembly 20 includes battery 21 and battery cold plate 22, valve assembly 10 includes multiple valves 11, valves 11 and battery cold plate 22 are arranged one-to-one, valve 11 is used to control the amount of refrigerant flowing into the corresponding battery cold plate 22, and the opening degree of valve 11 is positively correlated with the installation height of the corresponding battery cold plate 22.

[0038] Among them, valve 11 can be a solenoid valve, electronic expansion valve, etc. By controlling the opening degree of valve 11, the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into battery cold plate 22 can be adjusted, the pressure state of refrigerant can be changed, and the temperature of refrigerant can be changed.

[0039] The refrigerant is used to conduct heat with the battery 21 in order to reduce the temperature of the battery 21.

[0040] The battery assembly 20 includes a battery 21 and a battery cold plate 22. The battery 21 is disposed on the battery cold plate 22 and can store and provide electrical energy through charging and discharging reactions.

[0041] The battery cooling plate 22 may include one or more direct cooling pipes for circulating refrigerant. For example, if the battery cooling plate 22 includes one direct cooling pipe, the direct cooling pipe may be a flat pipe. The refrigerant flows inside the direct cooling pipe. When there is a temperature difference between the battery 21 and the refrigerant, heat transfer occurs between the refrigerant and the battery 21 to cool the battery 21.

[0042] Optionally, the direct cooling system 100 also includes:

[0043] The battery cabinet 30 includes multiple battery modules 20, which are stacked along the height of the battery cabinet 30.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 1 The battery assembly 20 is housed in the battery cabinet 30 and stacked along the height of the battery cabinet 30. The stacked arrangement reduces the space occupied by the battery assembly 20, and facilitates maintenance and repair in the event of a failure of the battery assembly 20 (e.g., a failure of battery 21).

[0045] Specifically, the direct cooling system 100 includes a valve assembly 10 and a battery assembly 20. The battery assembly 20 includes a battery 21 and a battery cold plate 22. The battery cold plate 22 carries the battery 21, and the refrigerant can flow inside the battery cold plate 22 (for example, the battery cold plate 22 includes multiple direct cooling pipes, and the refrigerant flows inside the direct cooling pipes). The valve assembly 10 includes multiple valves 11, and the valves 11 are configured one-to-one with the battery cold plates 22. The valves 11 are used to control the amount of refrigerant flowing into the corresponding battery cold plate 22.

[0046] When the installation heights of the various battery cold plates 22 are different, but the opening degrees of the valves 11 corresponding to each battery cold plate 22 are the same, the amount of refrigerant flowing into each battery cold plate 22 varies due to factors such as pressure difference, height difference, and flow resistance. This results in a difference in the amount of refrigerant used to cool each battery 21, affecting the cooling effect of the direct cooling system 100. Therefore, by controlling the opening degree of each valve 11 and establishing a positive correlation between the valve opening degree and the installation height of the corresponding battery cold plate 22 (the higher the installation height of the battery cold plate 22, the larger the opening degree of the valve 11 corresponding to that battery cold plate 22), the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into each battery cold plate 22 can be controlled. This overcomes the difference in refrigerant amount caused by factors such as pressure difference and height difference, balances the amount of refrigerant in each battery cold plate 22, and improves the cooling effect of each battery module 20.

[0047] Thus, the direct cooling system 100 includes a valve assembly 10 and a battery assembly 20. The battery assembly 20 includes a battery 21 and a battery cooling plate 22. The valve assembly 10 includes multiple valves 11, with each valve 11 corresponding to a battery cooling plate 22. The valve 11 is used to control the amount of refrigerant flowing into the corresponding battery cooling plate 22, and the opening degree of the valve 11 is positively correlated with the installation height of the corresponding battery cooling plate 22. This controls the flow rate of refrigerant into each battery cooling plate 22, overcomes the difference in refrigerant amount caused by factors such as pressure difference and height difference, balances the amount of refrigerant in each battery cooling plate 22, and improves the cooling effect of each battery assembly 20.

[0048] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the direct cooling system 100 further includes:

[0049] The inlet of each valve 11 of the compressor 40 is connected to the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40, and the outlet of each battery cold plate 22 is connected to the return port of the compressor 40.

[0050] Specifically, compressor 40 can change the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant flowing in battery cold plate 22 by compressing the refrigerant. See also... Figure 1 The inlet of each valve 11 is connected to the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40, and the outlet of each battery cold plate 22 is connected to the return port of the compressor 40. Therefore, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 40 can be discharged from the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40 and enter the battery cold plate 22 through each valve 11 to conduct heat transfer, thereby cooling the battery 21.

[0051] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The direct cooling system 100 also includes:

[0052] The valve body box 50 is provided with valve assembly 10 inside the valve body box 50. The valve body box 50 is provided with air inlet 51. The inlet of each valve 11 is connected to the air inlet 51. The air inlet 51 is connected to the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 An exemplary top view shows a valve assembly 10 (including multiple valves 11) disposed within a valve body housing 50. See also... Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The valve body box 50 can be installed at the air inlet at the top of the energy storage system 1000. Figure 6 An exemplary top view of the energy storage system 1000 is shown. The valve body box 50 can be installed at the air inlet S1 at the top of the energy storage system 1000 to save installation space and facilitate the layout of various pipelines and the addition of valves 11, etc.

[0054] Specifically, the valve assembly 10 is housed within the valve body box 50, integrating multiple valves 11 into the valve body box 50. This saves space occupied by the multiple valves 11 and facilitates the layout of pipes within the direct cooling system 100 (e.g., the pipes connecting the battery cold plate 22 and the valves 11). The valve body box 50 is equipped with an air inlet 51, to which the inlet of each valve 11 is connected. The air inlet 51 is also connected to the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40. Through the air inlet 51, all valves 11 integrated within the valve body box 50 can receive refrigerant. That is, refrigerant is discharged from the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40 and enters the valve body box 50 through the air inlet 51, is delivered to each valve 11, and then fed into the battery cold plate 22 corresponding to each valve 11.

[0055] It is understandable that by integrating each valve 11 into the valve body box 50, during installation, it is only necessary to connect the air inlet 51 of the valve body box 50 and the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40 to complete the installation connection between each valve 11 and the compressor 40, thereby improving installation efficiency.

[0056] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the valve body box 50 also includes a diverter pipe 52, which is horizontally arranged and connects the air inlet 51 and each valve 11.

[0057] Specifically, the valve body box 50 also includes a diversion pipe 52, which is placed horizontally in the valve body box 50. The diversion pipe 52 can have multiple diversion holes 521, which are connected to various valves 11 so that the diversion pipe 52 can connect the air inlet 51 and various valves 11.

[0058] Please see Figure 1and Figure 2 In some embodiments, the pipe length between valve 11 and battery cold plate 22 is negatively correlated with the pipe length between valve 11 and air inlet 51.

[0059] Specifically, after each valve 11 is integrated into the valve body box 50, the valve 11 and the corresponding battery cold plate 22 are connected by a pipe. The length of the pipe between the valve 11 and the battery cold plate 22 varies depending on the installation height of the battery cold plate 22 (e.g., ...). Figure 1 As shown, L1≠L2). Taking a valve body box 50 with a flow divider pipe 52, which has multiple flow divider holes connected to valve 11 as an example, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The pipe length between each valve 11 and the air inlet 51 includes the pipe length between the valve 11 and the diversion hole, and the pipe length between the diversion hole and the air inlet 51. It can be understood that the shorter the pipe length between the valve 11 and the air inlet 51, the less refrigerant is lost from the air inlet 51 to the diversion hole and then from the diversion hole to the valve 11. Therefore, by establishing a negative correlation between the pipe length between the valve 11 and the battery cold plate 22 and the pipe length between the valve 11 and the air inlet 51, the pipe length between the valve 11 farther from the air inlet 51 (where refrigerant loss during transport is greater) and the battery cold plate 22 should be shorter, thereby reducing refrigerant loss and improving heat dissipation.

[0060] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the direct cooling system 100 further includes:

[0061] Heat exchanger 60, the inlet of heat exchanger 60 is connected to the exhaust port 41 of compressor 40, and the outlet of heat exchanger 60 is connected to the air inlet of valve body box 50 to form a first refrigerant pipeline.

[0062] The regenerator 70, the battery cold plate 22 and the return port of the compressor 40 are connected to form a second refrigerant pipe, and both the first refrigerant pipe and the second refrigerant pipe flow through the regenerator 70.

[0063] The four-way valve 80 controls the connection of the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40 to the heat exchanger 60 and controls the connection of the outlet of the battery cold plate 22 to the return port of the compressor 40.

[0064] The heat exchanger 60 can be a pipe heat exchanger 60, etc. By setting up the heat exchanger 60, the water circuit system can be reduced, further solving the space occupation problem of the direct cooling system 100.

[0065] The regenerator 70 may include a first pipe 71 and a second pipe 72. One end of the first pipe 71 is connected to the outlet of the heat exchanger 60 and the other end is connected to the air inlet of the valve body box 50. One end of the second pipe 72 is connected to the outlet of the battery cold plate 22 and the other end is connected to the air return port of the compressor 40. The first pipe 71 and the second pipe 72 are adjacent to each other and can transfer heat.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 2 The four-way valve 80 may include a first air inlet D, a first air outlet C, a second air inlet E, and a second air outlet S. The first air inlet D and the first air outlet C are connected. The first air inlet D is connected to the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40, and the first air outlet C is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger 60. The second air inlet E and the second air outlet S are connected. The second air inlet E is connected to the outlet of the battery cold plate 22, and the second air outlet S is connected to the return air port of the compressor 40.

[0067] Specifically, the inlet of the heat exchanger 60 is connected to the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40, and the outlet of the heat exchanger 60 is connected to the air inlet of the valve body box 50 to form a first refrigerant pipeline. The battery cold plate 22 and the air return port of the compressor 40 are connected to form a second refrigerant pipeline. Both the first and second refrigerant pipelines flow through the regenerator 70. The high-temperature gaseous refrigerant discharged from the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40 in the first refrigerant pipeline can exchange heat with the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant (or high-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant) in the second refrigerant pipeline after heat conduction with the battery 21. This allows the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline to be converted into a high-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. The gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant can further ensure the uniformity of refrigerant distribution in the battery cold plate 22 and improve the cooling effect.

[0068] In other words, after being compressed by the compressor 40, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant can be discharged from the exhaust port 41 of the compressor 40, enter the four-way valve 80 through the first inlet D, and enter the heat exchanger 60 through the first outlet C. After being cooled by the heat exchanger 60, it becomes a high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows in the first refrigerant pipeline. When passing through the regenerator 70, it exchanges heat with the high-temperature refrigerant in the second refrigerant pipeline and is converted into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows through the inlet 51 and valve 11 in sequence. After being pressure regulated by valve 11, it is converted into a low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant and enters the battery cold plate 22. In the battery cold plate 22, it conducts heat with the battery 21 to cool the battery 21. Then, it passes through the second inlet E and the second exhaust port 41S of the four-way valve 80 and returns to the return port of the compressor 40 through the second refrigerant pipeline, where it is compressed again by the compressor 40.

[0069] Optionally, the direct cooling system 100 may also include a main valve 90, which is installed on the first refrigerant pipe to control the on / off state of the first refrigerant pipe, thereby improving the safety of the direct cooling system 100.

[0070] Optionally, the direct cooling system 100 may also include one or more temperature sensors that can collect the temperature of the refrigerant at various points in the direct cooling system 100 to monitor cooling performance and the operating condition of the direct cooling system 100.

[0071] In the description of this specification, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the described embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0072] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A direct cooling system, characterized in that, The direct cooling system includes a valve assembly and a battery assembly. The battery assembly includes a battery and a battery cold plate. The valve assembly includes multiple valves, and each valve is correspondingly set with a battery cold plate. The valve is used to control the amount of refrigerant flowing into the corresponding battery cold plate. The opening degree of the valve is positively correlated with the installation height of the corresponding battery cold plate.

2. The direct cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The direct cooling system also includes: A battery cabinet, wherein the battery components include multiple battery modules, which are stacked along the height direction of the battery cabinet.

3. The direct cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery cold plate includes one or more direct cooling pipes for circulating refrigerant.

4. The direct cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The compressor has inlet connected to the compressor outlet and outlet connected to the compressor return port.

5. The direct cooling system according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: A valve body box, in which the valve assembly is disposed, and the valve body box is provided with an air inlet, the inlet of each valve being connected to the air inlet, and the air inlet being connected to the exhaust port of the compressor.

6. The direct cooling system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The length of the pipe between the valve and the battery cold plate is negatively correlated with the length of the pipe between the valve and the air inlet.

7. The direct cooling system according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a diverter pipe, which is horizontally arranged and connects the air inlet and each of the valve assemblies.

8. The direct cooling system according to claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: A heat exchanger, the inlet of which is connected to the exhaust port of the compressor, and the outlet of which is connected to the air inlet of the valve body box to form a first refrigerant pipeline.

9. The direct cooling system according to claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: The regenerator connects the battery cold plate and the compressor return port to form a second refrigerant pipe, and both the first refrigerant pipe and the second refrigerant pipe flow through the regenerator.

10. The direct cooling system according to claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: A four-way valve is used to control the connection between the compressor's exhaust port and the heat exchanger, and to control the connection between the battery cold plate's outlet and the compressor's return port.

11. An energy storage system, characterized in that, Includes the direct cooling system as described in any one of claims 1-10.

12. The energy storage system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The valve body box of the direct cooling system is located at the air inlet of the energy storage system.

Images