Thermal Management System and Energy Storage Device

Abstract

This application discloses a thermal management system and energy storage device, belonging to the field of battery thermal management. The thermal management system includes: a first interface, a second interface, a pump body, a heat exchange unit, a bypass branch, a heating device, and a regulating device. The first interface and the second interface are respectively used to connect to both ends of a load; the first port of the pump body is connected to the first interface; the two ends of the first path of the heat exchange unit are respectively connected to the second port and the second interface of the pump body, and the two ends of the second path of the heat exchange unit are respectively used to connect to both ends of a cooling unit; the bypass branch is connected in parallel with the first path of the heat exchange unit; the heating device is disposed in the bypass branch; at least one of the first path of the heat exchange unit and the bypass branch is provided with the regulating device. This application can reduce the pump head without affecting the heat exchange efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of battery thermal management, and particularly relates to a thermal management system and energy storage device. Background Technology

[0002] In a battery's thermal management system, a heat exchange unit is used to exchange heat between the refrigerant circulating in the system and the refrigeration unit, thereby reducing the refrigerant's temperature and cooling the battery. To improve the heat exchange efficiency of the thermal management system, the flow area of ​​the refrigerant passage in the heat exchange unit is usually reduced, thus increasing the heat exchange time and area to improve the cooling rate. However, this design typically requires a high-head pump to drive the refrigerant circulation. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this application proposes a thermal management system and energy storage device that reduces the pump head without affecting heat exchange efficiency.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application provides a thermal management system, comprising:

[0005] The first and second interfaces are used to connect to the two ends of the load, respectively.

[0006] The pump body has its first port connected to the first interface;

[0007] A heat exchange unit, wherein the two ends of the first path of the heat exchange unit are respectively connected to the second port and the second interface of the pump body, and the two ends of the second path of the heat exchange unit are respectively used to connect to the two ends of the refrigeration unit.

[0008] A bypass branch is connected in parallel with the first path of the heat exchange unit;

[0009] A heating device is installed in the bypass branch;

[0010] The regulating device is provided in at least one of the first path and the bypass branch of the heat exchange unit.

[0011] According to the thermal management system of this application, a heating device and a regulating device are set on the bypass branch connected in parallel with the first path of the heat exchange unit. The heating device can meet the heating requirements of the refrigerant in the thermal management system under low temperature conditions. The regulating device can throttle the bypass branch to match the flow rate of the heat exchange unit, and can also minimize the flow resistance of the first path of the heat exchange unit and reduce the head requirement of the pump body. This reduces the size requirements of the heat exchange unit and the pump body, and effectively reduces the cost of the heat exchange unit and the pump body.

[0012] According to one embodiment of this application, the regulating device is disposed in the bypass branch.

[0013] According to one embodiment of this application, the adjusting device is disposed between the heating device and the second interface.

[0014] According to one embodiment of this application, the regulating device is a control valve; or, the regulating device is a pipe section, the inner diameter of which is smaller than the inner diameter of the bypass branch.

[0015] According to one embodiment of this application, the inner diameter of the bypass branch is smaller than the inner diameter of the first path of the heat exchange unit.

[0016] According to one embodiment of this application, the thermal management system further includes a first main path, which includes a first inlet section, a first connecting section, and a first outlet section connected in sequence. The inlet of the first inlet section is connected to a second port of the pump body, and the outlet of the first outlet section is connected to the inlet of the first path of the heat exchange unit and the inlet of the bypass branch, respectively. The axis of the inlet of the first path of the heat exchange unit coincides with the axis of the first outlet section, and the axis of the inlet of the bypass branch forms an angle with the axis of the first outlet section; and / or,

[0017] The thermal management system further includes a second main path, which includes a second inlet section, a second connecting section, and a second outlet section connected in sequence. The outlet of the second outlet section is connected to the second interface. The inlet of the second inlet section is connected to the outlet of the first path of the heat exchange unit and the outlet of the bypass branch, respectively. The axis of the outlet of the first path of the heat exchange unit coincides with the axis of the second inlet section, and the axis of the outlet of the bypass branch forms an angle with the axis of the second inlet section.

[0018] According to one embodiment of this application, the bypass branch includes a first pipe section, a second pipe section, and a third pipe section that are sequentially connected and distributed along a first direction. The inlet of the first pipe section is connected to the second port of the pump body, and the outlet of the third pipe section is connected to the second interface. The inlet of the first pipe section and the outlet of the third pipe section are spaced apart along the first direction.

[0019] According to one embodiment of this application, the heating device is connected to one end of the third tube, the adjusting device is connected to the other end of the third tube, and the outlet of the second tube is connected between the heating device and the adjusting device and is close to the heating device.

[0020] According to one embodiment of this application, the center of the first interface and the center of the second interface are located at the same height.

[0021] Secondly, this application provides an energy storage device, comprising:

[0022] load;

[0023] Refrigeration unit;

[0024] As described in any of the above embodiments, the first interface and the second interface of the thermal management system are respectively connected to the two ends of the load, and the two ends of the second path of the heat exchange unit are respectively connected to the two ends of the refrigeration unit.

[0025] According to the energy storage device of this application, a heating device and a regulating device are set on the bypass branch connected in parallel with the first path of the heat exchange unit. The heating device can meet the heating requirements of the refrigerant in the thermal management system under low temperature conditions. The regulating device can throttle the bypass branch to match the flow rate of the heat exchange unit, and can also minimize the flow resistance of the first path of the heat exchange unit, reduce the head requirement of the pump body, thereby reducing the size requirements of the heat exchange unit and the pump body, and effectively reducing the cost of the heat exchange unit and the pump body.

[0026] Additional aspects and advantages 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 this application. Attached Figure Description

[0027] 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, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the thermal management system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of the thermal management system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the energy storage device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0031] Figure label:

[0032] Thermal management system 1, first interface 11, second interface 12, pump body 13, first port of pump body 131, second port of pump body 132, heat exchange unit 14, first path of heat exchange unit 141, second path of heat exchange unit 142, bypass branch 15, first pipe section 151, second pipe section 152, third pipe section 153, heating device 16, regulating device 17, first main path 18, first inlet section 181, first connecting section 182, first outlet section 183, second main path 19, second inlet section 191, second connecting section 192, second outlet section 193, water tank 20;

[0033] Refrigeration unit 2, load 3. Detailed Implementation

[0034] 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 this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0035] The following is for reference. Figures 1-3 This application describes a thermal management system 1 and an energy storage device according to embodiments thereof.

[0036] The thermal management system 1 of this application embodiment includes: a first interface 11, a second interface 12, a pump body 13, a heat exchange unit 14, a bypass branch 15, a heating device 16, and a regulating device 17.

[0037] The first interface 11 and the second interface 12 are respectively used to connect to the two ends of the load 3; the first port 131 of the pump body is connected to the first interface 11; the two ends of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit are respectively connected to the second port 132 and the second interface 12 of the pump body, and the two ends of the second path 142 of the heat exchange unit are respectively used to connect to the two ends of the refrigeration unit 2; the bypass branch 15 is connected in parallel with the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit; the heating device 16 is disposed in the bypass branch 15; at least one of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit and the bypass branch 15 is provided with an adjusting device 17.

[0038] One of the first interface 11 and the second interface 12 is connected to the outlet of the load 3, and the other of the first interface 11 and the second interface 12 is connected to the inlet of the load 3. The first interface 11 and the second interface 12 are configured as the inlet and outlet of the thermal management system 1.

[0039] Load 3 can be a heat-generating device such as a battery or an inverter.

[0040] Among them, one of the first port 131 and the second port 132 of the pump body is the outlet of the pump body 13, and the other of the first port 131 and the second port 132 of the pump body is the inlet of the pump body 13. The first port 131 and the second port 132 of the pump body are configured as the inlet and outlet of the pump body 13.

[0041] For example, the pump body 13 can be a centrifugal pump, an axial flow pump, or a self-priming pump, etc. The pump body 13 is used to drive the coolant to circulate in the circulation loop formed by the thermal management system 1 and the load 3.

[0042] Among them, such as Figure 3As shown, the heat exchange unit 14 includes a first path and a second path. The first path 141 of the heat exchange unit is used to exchange heat with the second path 142 of the heat exchange unit. The two ends of the second path 142 of the heat exchange unit are respectively connected to the two ends of the refrigeration unit 2. The second path 142 of the heat exchange unit is used to guide the coolant cooled by the refrigeration system into the heat exchanger to exchange heat with the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, thereby reducing the temperature of the coolant in the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit. The coolant circulates in the circulation loop formed by the thermal management system 1 and the load 3, thereby achieving the effect of cooling the load 3.

[0043] For example, the heat exchange unit 14 can be a plate heat exchanger, a tube heat exchanger, or a direct contact heat exchanger.

[0044] The refrigeration unit 2 is used to provide refrigerant for cooling the second path 142 of the heat exchange unit, so that the second path 142 of the heat exchange unit exchanges heat and cools the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit.

[0045] The bypass branch 15 is connected in parallel with the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, and the second port 132 of the pump body can be selectively connected to at least one of the bypass branch 15 or the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit.

[0046] For example, the second port 132 of the pump body is connected to the bypass branch 15 or the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit; or, the second port 132 of the pump body is connected to the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit; or, the second port 132 of the pump body is connected to the bypass branch 15.

[0047] It should be noted that the pump head is an important parameter for measuring its energy conversion capability, and its magnitude directly affects the system's flow rate, pressure, and operating efficiency. The piping structure and parameters of the thermal management system 1 are also important factors affecting the pump head.

[0048] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 As shown, the bypass branch 15 can divert the flow of refrigerant entering the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit. Compared with the solution where all the refrigerant enters the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, resulting in a large flow resistance in the thermal management system 1, the bypass branch 15 can reduce the flow resistance in the pipeline of the thermal management system 1, reduce the head requirement of the pump body 13, thereby reducing the size requirements of the heat exchange unit 14 and the pump body 13, and effectively reducing the cost of the heat exchange unit 14 and the pump body 13.

[0049] In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the bypass branch 15 is smaller than the inner diameter of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, so that the flow resistance of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit is smaller than the flow resistance of the bypass branch 15, so that the refrigerant can preferentially flow into the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, preferentially satisfying the flow rate of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit and meeting the cooling demand.

[0050] Among them, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the heating device 16 is located in the bypass branch 15.

[0051] It should be noted that in low-temperature environments, the starting of loads such as battery devices requires the use of heating device 16 to preheat the coolant. Therefore, heating device 16 is also an indispensable electrical component in thermal management system 1.

[0052] In related technologies, the heating device is usually connected in series with the first path of the heat exchange unit. Due to the presence of the heating device, the fluid resistance in the pipeline increases, which in turn increases the pump head.

[0053] In this embodiment, the heating device 16 is placed in the bypass branch 15, which can reduce the flow resistance of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit compared to the scheme in which the heating device 16 is connected in series with the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit.

[0054] The adjustment device 17 can be installed in at least three of the following locations:

[0055] Firstly, such as Figure 1 As shown, the bypass branch 15 is equipped with an adjustment device 17, which can appropriately throttle the bypass branch 15 to match the flow rate of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, while reducing the flow resistance of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit.

[0056] Secondly, the first channel 141 of the heat exchange unit is equipped with an adjustment device 17, which can adjust the flow rate of the first channel 141 of the heat exchange unit to adapt to various cooling scenarios.

[0057] Third, both the bypass branch 15 and the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit are equipped with an adjustment device 17. The adjustment device 17 can adjust the flow rate of the flow path to adapt to various cooling scenarios.

[0058] According to the thermal management system 1 provided in the embodiments of this application, a bypass branch 15 is provided in parallel with the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, and a heating device 16 and a regulating device 17 are arranged on the bypass branch 15. The heating device 16 can meet the heating of the refrigerant in the thermal management system 1 under low temperature conditions. The regulating device 17 can throttle the bypass branch 15 to match the flow rate of the heat exchange unit 14, and can also minimize the flow resistance of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, reduce the head requirement of the pump body 13, thereby reducing the size requirements of the heat exchange unit 14 and the pump body 13, and effectively reducing the cost of the heat exchange unit 14 and the pump body 13.

[0059] In practical use, such as Figure 3As shown, the outlet of load 3 is connected to the first interface 11, the first interface 11 is connected to the first port 131 of the pump body, the second port 132 of the pump body is connected to the inlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, the outlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit is connected to the second interface 12, and the second interface 12 is connected to the inlet of load 3; the second port 132 of the pump body is also connected to the inlet of the bypass branch 15, the outlet of the bypass branch 15 is connected to the second interface 12, and the second interface 12 is connected to the inlet of load 3.

[0060] The first interface 11 can be the inlet of the thermal management system 1, the second interface 12 can be the outlet of the thermal management system 1, the first port 131 of the pump body can be the inlet of the pump body 13, and the second port 132 of the pump body can be the outlet of the pump body 13.

[0061] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the regulating device 17 is disposed in the bypass branch 15. The regulating device 17 can appropriately throttle the bypass branch 15 to match the flow rate of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, while reducing the flow resistance of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit.

[0062] The type and throttling effect of the regulating device 17 are determined according to the actual operating conditions of the refrigeration unit 2 in order to achieve the purpose of flow adjustment.

[0063] For example, the regulating device 17 is a control valve for dynamically regulating the flow rate of the bypass branch 15.

[0064] For example, the regulating device 17 is a pipe segment with an inner diameter smaller than that of the bypass branch 15. The pipe segment with a small inner diameter can throttle the flow of the bypass branch 15, while the pipe segment with a fixed inner diameter can distribute the flow in a fixed manner, which is suitable for the flow distribution scenario of the fixed thermal management system 1.

[0065] The regulating device 17 can be located between the inlet of the bypass branch 15 and the inlet of the heating device 16; or, the regulating device 17 can be located between the outlet of the heating device 16 and the outlet of the bypass branch 15, both of which can achieve the effect of regulating the flow of the bypass branch 15.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the regulating device 17 is located between the heating device 16 and the second port of the bypass branch 15.

[0067] It is understandable that, since the refrigerant is a fluid, turbulence exists during its flow, and the turbulence will be aggravated when the fluid flows through the regulating device 17.

[0068] In this embodiment, the regulating device 17 is set at the outlet of the heating device 16. The refrigerant passes through the heating device 16 first and then through the regulating device 17. The flow of the refrigerant is more stable. Compared with the refrigerant passing through the regulating device 17 before entering the heating device 16, the amount of gas entering the heating device 16 can be reduced, the heating uniformity of the heating device 16 can be increased, and the heating device 16 can be protected to a certain extent.

[0069] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system 1 also includes a water tank 20, and the first port 131 of the pump body is connected to the water tank 20. The pump body 13 is used to pump water from the water tank 20 into the pipeline of the thermal management system 1.

[0070] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the thermal management system 1 also includes a first main path 18, which includes a first inlet section 181, a first connecting section 182, and a first outlet section 183 connected in sequence. The inlet of the first inlet section 181 is connected to the second port 132 of the pump body. The outlet of the first outlet section 183 is connected to the inlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit and the inlet of the bypass branch 15, respectively. The axis of the inlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit coincides with the axis of the first outlet section 183, and the axis of the inlet of the bypass branch 15 forms a line with the axis of the first outlet section 183. The thermal management system 1 also includes a second main path 19, which includes a second inlet section 191, a second connecting section 192, and a second outlet section 193 connected in sequence. The outlet of the second outlet section 193 is connected to the second interface 12. The inlet of the second inlet section 191 is connected to the outlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit and the outlet of the bypass branch 15, respectively. The axis of the outlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit coincides with the axis of the second inlet section 191, and the axis of the outlet of the bypass branch 15 forms an angle with the axis of the second inlet section 191.

[0071] In this heat exchange unit, the axis of the inlet of the first path 141 coincides with the axis of the first outlet section 183, meaning that the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing into the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit from the first main path 18 has not changed.

[0072] The axis of the inlet of the bypass branch 15 forms an angle with the axis of the first outlet section 183. The axis of the inlet of the bypass branch 15 and the axis of the first outlet section 183 can be perpendicular, form an obtuse angle or an acute angle, that is, the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing from the first main road 18 into the bypass branch 15 changes, increasing the flow resistance.

[0073] In this embodiment, the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing from the first main path 18 into the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit remains unchanged, and the flow resistance is small; the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing from the first main path 18 into the bypass branch 15 changes, and the flow resistance is large. The refrigerant will preferentially flow into the flow path with smaller flow resistance, that is, the refrigerant preferentially flows into the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, preferentially satisfying the flow rate of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit and meeting the cooling demand.

[0074] The axis of the outlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit coincides with the axis of the second inlet section 191, meaning that the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing from the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit to the second main path 19 does not change.

[0075] The axis of the bypass branch 15 outlet forms an angle with the axis of the second inlet section 191. The axis of the bypass branch 15 outlet and the axis of the second inlet section 191 can be perpendicular, form an obtuse angle or an acute angle, that is, the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing from the bypass branch 15 into the second main branch 19 changes.

[0076] In this embodiment, the refrigerant flowing from the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit into the second main path 19 does not change its flow direction and experiences less flow resistance; however, the refrigerant flowing from the bypass branch 15 into the second main path 19 changes its flow direction and experiences greater flow resistance, causing the refrigerant in the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit to flow out preferentially, thereby increasing the cooling speed.

[0077] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the thermal management system 1 also includes a first main path 18, which includes a first inlet section 181, a first connecting section 182, and a first outlet section 183 connected in sequence. The inlet of the first inlet section 181 is connected to the second port 132 of the pump body. The outlet of the first outlet section 183 is connected to the inlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit and the inlet of the bypass branch 15, respectively. The axis of the inlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit coincides with the axis of the first outlet section 183, and the axis of the inlet of the bypass branch 15 forms an angle with the axis of the first outlet section 183.

[0078] In this heat exchange unit, the axis of the inlet of the first path 141 coincides with the axis of the first outlet section 183, meaning that the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing into the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit from the first main path 18 has not changed.

[0079] The axis of the inlet of the bypass branch 15 forms an angle with the axis of the first outlet section 183. The axis of the inlet of the bypass branch 15 and the axis of the first outlet section 183 can be perpendicular, form an obtuse angle or an acute angle, that is, the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing from the first main road 18 into the bypass branch 15 changes, increasing the flow resistance.

[0080] In this embodiment, the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing from the first main path 18 into the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit remains unchanged, and the flow resistance is small; the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing from the first main path 18 into the bypass branch 15 changes, and the flow resistance is large. The refrigerant will preferentially flow into the flow path with smaller flow resistance, that is, the refrigerant preferentially flows into the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, preferentially satisfying the flow rate of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit and meeting the cooling demand.

[0081] The first inlet section 181, the first connecting section 182, and the first outlet section 183 are relatively bent so that the refrigerant flowing out of the pump body 13 is guided to a position at the same height as the inlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, and then the flow is split. The refrigerant flows into the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit first, so as to meet the flow rate of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit and meet the cooling demand.

[0082] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the thermal management system 1 also includes a second main path 19, which includes a second inlet section 191, a second connecting section 192, and a second outlet section 193 connected in sequence. The outlet of the second outlet section 193 is connected to the second interface 12. The inlet of the second inlet section 191 is connected to the outlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit and the outlet of the bypass branch 15, respectively. The axis of the outlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit coincides with the axis of the second inlet section 191, and the axis of the outlet of the bypass branch 15 forms an angle with the axis of the second inlet section 191.

[0083] The axis of the outlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit coincides with the axis of the second inlet section 191, meaning that the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing from the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit to the second main path 19 does not change.

[0084] The axis of the bypass branch 15 outlet forms an angle with the axis of the second inlet section 191. The axis of the bypass branch 15 outlet and the axis of the second inlet section 191 can be perpendicular, form an obtuse angle or an acute angle, that is, the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing from the bypass branch 15 into the second main branch 19 changes.

[0085] In this embodiment, the refrigerant flowing from the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit into the second main path 19 does not change its flow direction and experiences less flow resistance; however, the refrigerant flowing from the bypass branch 15 into the second main path 19 changes its flow direction and experiences greater flow resistance, causing the refrigerant in the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit to flow out preferentially, thereby increasing the cooling speed.

[0086] The second inlet section 191, the second connecting section 192, and the second outlet section 193 are bent relative to each other so that the first interface 11 and the second interface 12 can be brought close together and integrated into the same mounting plate, which facilitates the connection and assembly of the thermal management system 1 and the load 3.

[0087] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the bypass branch 15 includes a first pipe section 151, a second pipe section 152, and a third pipe section 153 that are connected in sequence and distributed in sequence along a first direction. The inlet of the first pipe section 151 is connected to the second port 132 of the pump body, and the outlet of the third pipe section 153 is connected to the second interface 12. The inlet of the first pipe section 151 and the outlet of the third pipe section 153 are spaced apart along the first direction.

[0088] The first direction can be the height direction, the arrangement direction of the heat exchange unit 14 and the pump body 13, or a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the heat exchange unit 14 and the pump body 13.

[0089] In some embodiments, the first direction is the height direction, and the bypass branch 15 includes a first pipe section 151, a second pipe section 152 and a third pipe section 153 that are connected in sequence and distributed from top to bottom along the height direction, with the inlet of the first pipe section 151 being higher than the outlet of the third pipe section 153.

[0090] The heat exchange unit 14 is not lower than the pump body 13, so as to increase the proportion of liquid refrigerant entering the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, reduce the proportion of gas entering the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, and improve the uniformity of heat exchange in the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit.

[0091] The inlet of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit is higher than the outlet of the pump body 13. The bypass branch 15 is set as a first pipe section 151, a second pipe section 152 and a third pipe section 153 along the height direction, which can facilitate the connection between the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit and the water pump.

[0092] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the heating device 16 and the regulating device 17 are located in the third pipe section 153. The third pipe section 153 is the lowest point of the bypass branch 15 and is close to the outlet of the bypass branch 15. By placing the heating device 16 and the regulating device 17 in the third pipe section 153, the heating device 16 and the regulating device 17 can be moved away from the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, reducing the influence of fluid turbulence on the refrigerant entering the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, increasing the stability of the fluid in the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, and improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0093] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the heating device 16 is connected to one end of the third tube 153 and extends at least partially into the third tube 153, and the adjusting device 17 is connected to the other end of the third tube 153.

[0094] The outlet of the second pipe section 152 is connected between the two ends of the third pipe section, and the refrigerant in the bypass branch 15 passes through the second pipe section 152, the heating device 16 and the regulating device 17 in sequence to enter the second interface.

[0095] The outer casing of the heating device 16 is connected to the tube of the third tube 153, and the heating part of the heating device 16 can extend into the third tube 153 to heat the refrigerant.

[0096] The outlet of the second pipe section 152 is close to the heating device 16 so that the refrigerant flowing out of the second pipe section 152 passes through the heating section of the heating device 16, thereby prolonging the contact time between the refrigerant and the heating device 16 and increasing the heating efficiency.

[0097] The heating device 16 and the regulating device 17 are respectively connected to the two ends of the third tube 153, which reduces the assembly difficulty of the heating device 16 and the regulating device 17 with the third tube 153. Furthermore, by bringing the outlet of the second tube 152 closer to the heating device 16, the contact time between the refrigerant and the heating device 16 can be increased, thereby improving the heating efficiency.

[0098] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the center of the first interface 11 and the center of the second interface 12 are at the same height to facilitate the assembly of the thermal management system 1 and the load 3.

[0099] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the center of the inlet of the first channel 141 of the heat exchange unit is higher than the center of the outlet of the first channel 141 of the heat exchange unit. On the one hand, this can reduce the height of the center of the second interface 12, which is convenient for the assembly of the thermal management system 1 and the load 3. On the other hand, it can raise the position of the inlet of the first channel 141 of the heat exchange unit, increase the proportion of liquid refrigerant entering the first channel 141 of the heat exchange unit, reduce the proportion of gas entering the first channel 141 of the heat exchange unit, and improve the uniformity of heat exchange in the first channel 141 of the heat exchange unit.

[0100] This application embodiment also provides an energy storage device, including: a load 3, a refrigeration unit 2, and a thermal management system 1 as described in any of the above embodiments. The first interface 11 and the second interface 12 of the thermal management system 1 are respectively connected to the two ends of the load 3, and the two ends of the second path 142 of the heat exchange unit are respectively connected to the two ends of the refrigeration unit 2.

[0101] Among them, load 3 can be a heat-generating device such as a battery device or an inverter.

[0102] The refrigeration unit 2 is used to provide refrigerant for cooling the second path 142 of the heat exchange unit, so that the second path 142 of the heat exchange unit can exchange heat and cool down the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit.

[0103] Load 3 and thermal management system 1 are connected to form a loop. Refrigeration unit 2 is used to provide refrigerant for cooling the second path 142 of heat exchange unit in order to reduce the temperature of refrigerant in thermal management system 1.

[0104] According to the energy storage device provided in the embodiments of this application, a bypass branch 15 is provided in parallel with the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit. The heating device 16 and the regulating device 17 are arranged on the bypass branch 15. The heating device 16 can meet the heating of the refrigerant in the thermal management system 1 under low temperature conditions. The regulating device 17 can throttle the bypass branch 15 to match the flow rate of the heat exchange unit 14, and can also minimize the flow resistance of the first path 141 of the heat exchange unit, reduce the head requirement of the pump body 13, thereby reducing the size requirements of the heat exchange unit 14 and the pump body 13, and effectively reducing the cost of the heat exchange unit 14 and the pump body 13.

[0105] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0106] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0107] In the description of this application, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the features.

[0108] In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more.

[0109] In the description of this application, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or the first and second features being in contact through another feature between them.

[0110] In the description of this application, the terms "above," "over," and "on top" for the first feature and the second feature include the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicate that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature.

[0111] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this 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.

[0112] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A thermal management system, characterized in that, include: The first and second interfaces are used to connect to the two ends of the load, respectively. The pump body has its first port connected to the first interface; A heat exchange unit, wherein the two ends of the first path of the heat exchange unit are respectively connected to the second port and the second interface of the pump body, and the two ends of the second path of the heat exchange unit are respectively used to connect to the two ends of the refrigeration unit. A bypass branch is connected in parallel with the first path of the heat exchange unit; A heating device is installed in the bypass branch; The regulating device is provided in at least one of the first path and the bypass branch of the heat exchange unit.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The regulating device is located in the bypass branch.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The adjustment device is located between the heating device and the second interface.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The regulating device is a control valve; or, the regulating device is a pipe section, the inner diameter of which is smaller than the inner diameter of the bypass branch.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner diameter of the bypass branch is smaller than the inner diameter of the first branch of the heat exchange unit.

6. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The thermal management system further includes a first main path, which comprises a first inlet section, a first connecting section, and a first outlet section connected in sequence. The inlet of the first inlet section is connected to a second port of the pump body, and the outlet of the first outlet section is connected to the inlet of the first path of the heat exchange unit and the inlet of the bypass branch, respectively. The axis of the inlet of the first path of the heat exchange unit coincides with the axis of the first outlet section, and the axis of the inlet of the bypass branch forms an angle with the axis of the first outlet section; and / or, The thermal management system further includes a second main path, which includes a second inlet section, a second connecting section, and a second outlet section connected in sequence. The outlet of the second outlet section is connected to the second interface. The inlet of the second inlet section is connected to the outlet of the first path of the heat exchange unit and the outlet of the bypass branch, respectively. The axis of the outlet of the first path of the heat exchange unit coincides with the axis of the second inlet section, and the axis of the outlet of the bypass branch forms an angle with the axis of the second inlet section.

7. The thermal management system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bypass branch includes a first pipe section, a second pipe section, and a third pipe section that are connected in sequence and distributed in sequence along a first direction. The inlet of the first pipe section is connected to the second port of the pump body, and the outlet of the third pipe section is connected to the second interface. The inlet of the first pipe section and the outlet of the third pipe section are spaced apart along the first direction.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heating device is connected to one end of the third tube and extends at least partially into the third tube. The regulating device is connected to the other end of the third tube. The outlet of the second tube is connected between the two ends of the third tube. The refrigerant in the bypass branch passes through the second tube, the heating device, and the regulating device in sequence to enter the second interface.

9. The thermal management system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The center of the first interface and the center of the second interface are at the same height.

10. An energy storage device, characterized in that, include: load; Refrigeration unit; According to any one of claims 1-9, the first interface and the second interface of the thermal management system are respectively connected to the two ends of the load, and the two ends of the second path of the heat exchange unit are respectively connected to the two ends of the refrigeration unit.

Images