Thermal management system and its control method, energy storage system and electrical device

Abstract

This application provides a thermal management system and a control method thereof, an energy storage system, and an electrical device, which belong to the field of batteries. The thermal management system includes a first bath unit, a second bath unit, a thermal management unit, and a regulating device. The first bath unit includes at least one drain port, the second bath unit includes at least one return port, the thermal management unit includes a plurality of refrigeration branches, the plurality of refrigeration branches are fluidly connected in parallel to the first bath unit and the second bath unit, respectively, and the regulating device is used to adjust the amount of refrigeration of at least one of the plurality of refrigeration branches.

Description

Cross-reference

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202310681751.3, filed on June 9, 2023, entitled "Thermal Management System and Its Control Method, Energy Storage System, and Electrical Device", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the technical field of batteries, and in particular, to a thermal management system and its control method, an energy storage system, and an electrical device.

Background Art

[0003] With the rapid development of the global new energy revolution, the application scenarios of batteries are increasing, and various electrical devices powered by batteries and energy storage devices using batteries as energy storage media have emerged.

[0004] The energy storage system has characteristics such as large capacity, short construction cycle, high reliability, and high environmental adaptability, and is a new development direction of new energy. Since the energy storage system contains a relatively large number of battery cores, a large amount of heat is generated inside the battery cores during the charge and discharge process, and these heats increase the temperature of the battery cores in the container. The internal battery cores are densely arranged, and the internal air flow circulation is insufficient. In addition, since the charge and discharge levels of different battery cores are different, the temperature of the battery cores in the energy storage system becomes non-uniform, ultimately affecting the service life of the battery cores and even causing phenomena such as thermal runaway.

[0005] Currently, there is a gradual shift from air-cooled heat dissipation to liquid-cooled heat dissipation. In liquid-cooled heat dissipation systems, the heat exchange medium is coolant, which has advantages such as a large heat capacity, a high heat exchange coefficient, and a fast cooling rate. However, liquid-cooled heat dissipation systems have relatively high investment costs, high operating costs, and are difficult to adjust and control in response to changes in cooling demand. Not only is it difficult to meet cooling demands under different operating conditions, but it also leads to wasteful use of cost and energy. [Overview of the project]

[0006] This application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Therefore, one of the objectives of this application is to provide a thermal management system, a control method thereof, an energy storage system, and an electrical device that improve the adjustment capability of the thermal management system and flexibly meet different refrigeration demands.

[0007] An embodiment of a first aspect of the present application provides a thermal management system comprising a first bath unit, a second bath unit, a thermal management unit, and a control device. The first bath unit includes at least one drain port, the second bath unit includes at least one return port, the thermal management unit includes a plurality of refrigeration branches, the plurality of refrigeration branches being fluidly connected in parallel to the first bath unit and the second bath unit, respectively, and the control device is used to adjust the refrigeration amount of at least one of the plurality of refrigeration branches.

[0008] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present invention, by installing multiple parallel-connected refrigeration branches and combining this with the fact that the refrigeration amount of at least one refrigeration branch is adjustable, it is possible to operate a corresponding number of refrigeration branches based on the cooling demand, actively adjust the refrigeration amount of the refrigeration branches, and provide a wider range of refrigeration amounts. This makes it possible to flexibly meet the refrigeration demand under different operating conditions, improve the operational economics of the thermal management system, and reduce the loss of unnecessary energy consumption.

[0009] In some embodiments, the compressor of at least one refrigeration branch is an inverter compressor, and a control device is connected to the inverter compressor to adjust the operating frequency of the inverter compressor. By employing an inverter compressor, it is possible to achieve both adjustment of the amount of refrigeration and control of energy consumption, thereby reducing energy consumption losses in the thermal management system.

[0010] In some embodiments, the compressor of the refrigeration branch with the largest refrigeration capacity among multiple refrigeration branches is an inverter compressor. Because the compressor of the refrigeration branch with the largest refrigeration capacity is an inverter compressor, the refrigeration capacity of that refrigeration branch can be adjusted over a relatively wider range. Thus, in cooperation with other refrigeration branches, this allows for a wider range of refrigeration capacity variations, adapting to the cooling demands of different thermal management operating conditions and improving the applicability of the thermal management system.

[0011] In some embodiments, the thermal management unit further includes heating branches fluidly connected to a first bath unit and a second bath unit, respectively, in parallel with a plurality of refrigeration branches. By installing heating branches and connecting them in parallel with refrigeration branches, different treatment methods can be implemented for the liquids, thereby better controlling the liquid temperature in the first bath unit, improving the external thermal management capability and adjustment range of the thermal management system, and enhancing the applicability range of the thermal management system.

[0012] In some embodiments, multiple heaters are connected in series to a heating branch, and the heaters are used to heat the liquid flowing through the heating branch. By installing multiple heaters and connecting them in series, heating efficiency can be improved, while at the same time, the reliability of the heating function can be improved while avoiding to some extent the failure of a single heater and the inability to achieve the heating effect.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first bath unit includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a connecting chamber, wherein the first chamber is in fluid communication with a thermal management unit, the second chamber is spaced apart from the first chamber and has at least one drain port, and the connecting chamber is in fluid communication with the first and second chambers, respectively. By spaced apart the first and second chambers within the first bath unit and further connected via the connecting chamber, liquids of different temperatures can be mixed within the first bath unit, thereby maintaining the temperature of the liquids flowing out of the drain ports as consistent as possible, which is useful for accurate thermal management of temperature-controlled objects by the thermal management system.

[0014] In some embodiments, the current-passing cross-sectional area of ​​the connection chamber differs from that of the first chamber or from that of the second chamber. Such a variable cross-sectional design helps to better mix liquids of different temperatures within the first bath unit, thereby improving the temperature consistency of the outflow liquid.

[0015] In some embodiments, the thermal management system further includes a first temperature sensor for checking the temperature of the liquid in a first bath unit. In some embodiments, the thermal management system further includes a second temperature sensor for checking the temperature of the liquid in a second bath unit. By obtaining the temperature of the outflow liquid and the reflux liquid in a timely manner using the temperature sensors, the thermal management system can help control the thermal management unit, meet different thermal management needs, and achieve more accurate and efficient thermal management for the temperature-controlled object.

[0016] In some embodiments, the thermal management system further includes a control unit electrically connected to the thermal management unit and the regulating device. By installing the control unit, automatic control of the thermal management system is achieved, improving the level of automation and thermal management efficiency, and helping to meet the complex and diverse thermal management needs of the temperature-controlled object, thereby achieving more accurate and efficient thermal management.

[0017] An embodiment of a second aspect of the present invention provides a control method for a thermal management system, which includes determining a thermal management demand and operating one or more branches within a thermal management unit based on the thermal management demand. By controlling the operation or shutdown of one or more branches in the thermal management unit based on the thermal management demand of the temperature-controlled object, the thermal management demand can be provided more accurately, thereby meeting the thermal management demand of the temperature-controlled object under different operating conditions in different scenarios and reducing the energy consumption of the thermal management system.

[0018] In some embodiments, determining the thermal management demand of a temperature-controlled object includes obtaining the current temperature of the object and determining the thermal management demand to adjust the object from its current temperature to a preset temperature based on the current temperature and a preset target temperature. Based on the current temperature and the preset target temperature of the object, the real-time thermal management demand of the object can be obtained, and the thermal management system can be controlled to adjust the thermal management strategy in a timely manner. This allows the thermal management system to always meet the thermal management demand while reducing the loss of unnecessary energy consumption and improving the operational economics of the thermal management system.

[0019] In some embodiments, operating one or more branches within a thermal management unit based on thermal management demand includes operating a first refrigeration branch within the thermal management unit in response to the thermal management demand being a refrigeration demand and the refrigeration demand being less than or equal to a first refrigeration amount, wherein the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand, and operating at least two refrigeration branches within the thermal management unit in response to the thermal management demand being a refrigeration demand and the refrigeration demand being greater than the first refrigeration amount, wherein the sum of the refrigeration amounts of the at least two refrigeration branches is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand, where the first refrigeration amount is the maximum of multiple refrigeration amounts corresponding to multiple refrigeration branches of the thermal management unit. By controlling the operation of the corresponding refrigeration branches based on refrigeration demand under different operating conditions, it is possible to provide an appropriate amount of refrigeration, meet different refrigeration demands, achieve accurate refrigeration, and at the same time save energy consumption levels of the thermal management system and improve the economics of operating the thermal management system.

[0020] In some embodiments, in response to the heat management demand being equal to the refrigeration demand and the refrigeration demand being less than or equal to a first refrigeration amount, a first refrigeration branch in the heat management unit is operated; if the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand, the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch is obtained; and in response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch being greater than a first preset frequency, the first refrigeration branch is stopped and a second refrigeration branch in the heat management unit is operated; if the refrigeration amount of the second refrigeration branch is greater than the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch, and the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch is less than a second preset frequency. In response to this, the first refrigeration branch is stopped and the third refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit is started, such that the refrigeration amount of the third refrigeration branch is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand and less than the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch; and in response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch being greater than a first preset frequency and the first refrigeration branch being the refrigeration branch with the largest refrigeration amount in the thermal management unit, the first and fourth refrigeration branches in the thermal management unit are started simultaneously, such that the refrigeration amount of the fourth refrigeration branch is less than or equal to the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch, wherein the second preset frequency is less than the first preset frequency. By further optimizing the control strategy of the refrigeration branches according to the operating frequency of the compressor, the thermal management system can provide sufficient refrigeration to meet the refrigeration demand while simultaneously reducing the operating costs of the thermal management system and improving the economics of operation and the service life of the equipment.

[0021] In some embodiments, in response to the thermal management demand being equal to the refrigeration demand and the refrigeration demand being less than or equal to a first refrigeration amount, a first refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit is operated, and the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch being greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand further includes obtaining the cumulative operating time of each refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit whose refrigeration amount is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand, and designating the refrigeration branch with the shortest cumulative operating time as the first refrigeration branch. By further combining the cumulative operating times of the refrigeration branches to assist in optimizing the control strategy of the refrigeration branches, it is possible to balance the service life of the equipment in each branch more effectively, mitigate serious wear due to transient use of some equipment, and extend the service life of the entire thermal management system.

[0022] In some embodiments, in response to the heat management demand being equal to the refrigeration demand and the refrigeration demand being greater than a first refrigeration amount, at least two refrigeration branches in the heat management unit are operated, and the sum of the refrigeration amounts of the at least two refrigeration branches being equal to or greater than the cooling demand further includes obtaining the operating frequencies of the compressors of at least two refrigeration branches, in response to the operating frequency of a compressor being less than or equal to a second preset frequency of the compressor, stopping a refrigeration branch whose compressor operating frequency is less than or equal to a corresponding second preset frequency, and in response to the operating frequency of a compressor being greater than a first preset frequency of the compressor, controlling a compressor whose operating frequency is greater than a corresponding first preset frequency to operate at a first preset frequency, wherein the second preset frequency is smaller than the first preset frequency. By optimizing the control strategy of the thermal management branch when the compressor's operating frequency exceeds a preset frequency range between a first preset frequency and a second preset frequency, the energy consumption level of the thermal management system is reduced, the service life of the equipment in the thermal management system is extended, and thereby the overall economics of the thermal management system is improved.

[0023] In some embodiments, operating one or more within the thermal management unit based on the thermal management requirements further includes operating the heating branch within the thermal management unit in response to the thermal management requirement being a heating requirement. By installing the heating branch, the liquid can be heated, meeting the heating demand for the temperature control target and improving the application range of the thermal management system.

[0024] An embodiment of the third aspect of the present application provides an electronic device including at least one processor and a memory communicably connected to the at least one processor. Among them, the memory stores commands executable by the at least one processor, and the commands are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the control method of the thermal management system in the above embodiment.

[0025] An embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that realizes the control method of the thermal management system in the above embodiment when executed by a processor.

[0026] An embodiment of the fifth aspect of the present application provides an energy storage system including an energy storage battery and the thermal management system in the above embodiment configured to adjust the temperature of the energy storage battery.

[0027] An embodiment of the sixth aspect of the present application provides an electrical device including a battery and the thermal management system in the above embodiment configured to adjust the temperature of the battery.

[0028] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application and be able to implement it according to the content of the specification, and in order to more clearly and easily understand the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present application, the specific embodiments of the present application are specifically listed below.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] In the drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numeral across multiple drawings indicates the same or similar member or element. These drawings are not necessarily to scale. It should be understood that these drawings show only some of the embodiments disclosed herein and should not be considered to limit the scope of the application. [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an energy storage system provided by some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a frozen branch provided by some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first bus unit provided by some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart of a control method for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart of partial steps of a control method for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart of some of the steps of another part of the control method for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart of the steps of a further part of the control method for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart of a control method for a thermal management system provided by some other embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart of a control method for a thermal management system provided by some further embodiments of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] The following describes in detail embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are provided solely for the purpose of clarifying the present invention and should be used only as examples; they should not be used to limit the scope of the claims of this invention.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art in the field of this application. The terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only and not to limit this application. The terms “including” and “having” and any variations thereof in the description, claims, and drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as “first,” “second,” etc., are merely used to distinguish different subjects, and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the quantity, specific order, and priority of the technical features being referred to. In the description of the embodiments of this application, “multiple” means two or more unless otherwise clearly and specifically limited.

[0033] As used herein, “Examples” means that any particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with an Example may be included in at least one Example of the Application. Each occurrence of such phrase in the Specification does not necessarily refer to the same Example, nor do they represent mutually exclusive, independent, or substitutable Examples. Those skilled in the art will understand, both explicitly and implicitly, that the Examples described herein may be combined with other Examples.

[0034] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" simply describes a related relationship that describes related objects, and indicates that there can be three types of relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A existing only, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing only. In this specification, the symbol " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more sets (including two sets), and "multiple sheets" refers to two or more sheets (including two).

[0036] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by technical terms such as "center," "vertical direction," "horizontal direction," "length," "width," "thickness," "top," "bottom," "front," "back," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inside," "outside," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial direction," "radial direction," and "circumferential direction" are orientations or positional relationships shown based on the drawings and are merely for the purpose of describing and simplifying the embodiments of this application. They do not indicate or imply that the shown devices or elements necessarily have a specific orientation, are composed of a specific orientation, or must be operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of this application.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specifically specified and limited, technical terms such as “attachment,” “connection,” “bonding,” and “fixing” should be understood in a broad sense, for example, they may be fixed connections, removable connections, or integrated connections, mechanical connections, electrical connections, direct connections, indirect connections via an intermediate medium, or internal communication between two elements or an interaction relationship between two elements. Those skilled in the art may understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application depending on the specific circumstances.

[0038] Judging from the current market developments, the applications of power batteries are becoming increasingly broad. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydroelectric, thermal, wind, and solar power generation, but also in electric transportation such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, as well as in various fields such as military equipment and aerospace. As the application areas of power batteries continue to expand, the market demand for them will also continue to increase.

[0039] As the demand for batteries continues to increase, so too does the requirement for thermal management of battery systems. While the thermal treatment requirements for batteries in energy storage systems or electrical devices differ under different operating conditions, the operating power of thermal management systems is limited, and the amount of refrigeration provided is relatively constant. If the required amount of refrigeration exceeds the refrigeration capacity of the thermal management system, the system cannot meet the corresponding refrigeration demand. Conversely, if the required amount of refrigeration is relatively low, some of the surplus refrigeration capacity of the thermal management system is wasted, resulting in energy loss.

[0040] To mitigate the problems of high difficulty in adjusting and controlling thermal management systems and high energy consumption levels, multiple parallel thermal management branches can be installed in the thermal management system. Independent control of these branches allows them to cooperate to achieve different combinations of thermal management capabilities, thereby meeting the heat treatment demands of temperature-controlled targets in different scenarios and operating conditions, simplifying the difficulty of adjusting and controlling the thermal management system, reducing energy consumption, and improving the operational economics of the thermal management system.

[0041] Based on the above considerations, in order to solve the problems of the high difficulty of adjusting and controlling the thermal management system and the low operating economics, this invention proposes that the thermal management unit between the first and second bus units of the thermal management system be installed in parallel, including a plurality of refrigeration branches that are fluidly connected to the first and second bus units, respectively, and that the refrigeration amount of at least one of the plurality of refrigeration branches be adjustable.

[0042] By connecting multiple refrigeration branches in parallel and allowing adjustment of the refrigeration amount of at least one refrigeration branch, the thermal management unit can provide different amounts of refrigeration to the outside through cooperation between different branches, flexibly meeting refrigeration demands in different scenes and operating conditions, achieving more accurate thermal management of the temperature-controlled object, and improving thermal management efficiency and operating economics.

[0043] The battery cells disclosed in the embodiments of this application may, but are not limited to, use in electrical devices such as vehicles, ships, or aircraft. A power supply system comprising the battery cells, batteries, etc., disclosed in this application can be used to constitute such electrical devices, thereby helping to mitigate the problems of high difficulty in adjusting and controlling thermal management systems and high energy consumption levels.

[0044] Embodiments of the present invention provide an electrical device that uses a battery as a power source, which may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, tablet, laptop computer, electric toy, power tool, electric scooter, electric vehicle, ship, or aerospace vehicle. Among these, electric toys may include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric vehicle toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, and aerospace vehicles may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft.

[0045] For the sake of explanation, the following examples will be described using an energy storage system 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention as an example.

[0046] Refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of an energy storage system 1000 provided by some embodiments of the present application; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system 200 provided by some embodiments of the present application; and Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigeration branch 231 provided by some embodiments of the present application.

[0047] The energy storage system 1000 includes an energy storage battery 100 and a thermal management system 200. The energy storage battery 100 includes a battery for realizing electrochemical energy storage, and the energy storage battery 100 may include a plurality of individually installed battery groups 110, each battery group 110 containing a plurality of battery cells 10. The thermal management system 200 is a processing system for thermal management of the energy storage battery 100. The thermal management system 200 can be connected to each battery group 110 via conduits to enable thermal management of each battery group 110.

[0048] The energy storage system 1000 may be a container-type energy storage system or an energy storage system of other structural forms, and this embodiment is not specifically limited to these. The energy storage battery 100 and the thermal management system 200 may be installed as an integrated unit, for example, in the case of a container, or they may be in a separate configuration connected by conduits.

[0049] Embodiments of the present application provide a thermal management system 200, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, which includes a first bath unit 210, a second bath unit 220, a thermal management unit 230, and a control device 240. The first bath unit 210 includes at least one drain port 2101, the second bath unit 220 includes at least one return port 2201, the thermal management unit 230 includes a plurality of refrigeration branches 231, which are fluidly connected in parallel to the first bath unit 210 and the second bath unit 220, respectively, and the control device 240 is used to adjust the amount of refrigeration of at least one of the plurality of refrigeration branches 231.

[0050] The thermal management system 200 is a system for thermally managing a temperature-controlled object. In this embodiment, the thermal management system 200 may be a liquid cooling system including a first bath unit 210, a thermal management unit 230, and a second bath unit 220, all of which are in fluid communication. The temperature-controlled object may be any object with thermal management requirements, such as an energy storage battery, a power battery, or other batteries. The drain port 2101 of the first bath unit 210 and the return port 2201 of the second bath unit 220 are in fluid communication with the temperature-controlled object via pipes, thereby enabling heat exchange by liquid cooling and adjusting the temperature of the temperature-controlled object.

[0051] The second bath unit 220 is a bath structure at the return end of the thermal management system 200 and includes at least one return port 2201, and the second bath unit 220 may include a mixing flow chamber for mixing the liquid recirculating from at least one return port 2201.

[0052] The first bath unit 210 is a bath structure at the drain end of the thermal management system 200, and the first bath unit 210 includes at least one drain port 2101, and the first bath unit 210 may also include a mixing flow chamber for mixing fluids supplied from multiple branches of the thermal management unit 230, each drain port 2101 being connected via a pipeline to one of the battery groups 110 of the energy storage battery 100, the liquid supplied to the energy storage cell 100 thermally manages the battery group 110 in a heat exchange manner, the liquid having completed thermal management returns via a pipeline to the liquid return port of the second bath unit 220, where it is bathed and mixed in the second bath unit 220 and then flows again to the thermal management unit 230.

[0053] The thermal management unit 230 includes a plurality of refrigeration branches 231, each of which can individually refrigerate a flowing liquid, thereby lowering the liquid's temperature. The plurality of refrigeration branches 231 are fluidly connected in parallel to the first bath unit 210 and the second bath unit 220, respectively.

[0054] As shown in Figure 2, the thermal management unit 230 includes a plurality of refrigeration branches 231 arranged in parallel, for example, a first refrigeration branch 231A and a second refrigeration branch 231B, where the refrigeration branches 231 exchange heat with the incoming liquid using a liquid cooling method, making the temperature of the outgoing liquid lower than the temperature of the incoming liquid. Understandably, the plurality of refrigeration branches 231 (for example, the first refrigeration branch 231A and the second refrigeration branch 231B) may have the same functional components and the same structural configuration, such as the same piping connection configuration, where the same functional components mean that they have the same function, but the specific model numbers and parameters may differ. The plurality of refrigeration branches 231 can be controlled independently of each other and can be operated or stopped individually.

[0055] As shown in Figure 3, in some examples, the refrigeration branch 231 includes, in sequence, an evaporator 2311, a gas-liquid separator 2312, a compressor 2313, a condenser 2314, a liquid reservoir 2315, and an expansion valve 2316. The coolant enters the second bath unit 220 through the liquid return port 2201, then enters the evaporator 2311 of the refrigeration branch 231 to exchange heat and transfer heat to the refrigerant. The refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates in the evaporator 2311, is dried and filtered in the gas-liquid separator 2312, and then compressed in the compressor 2313. The compressed refrigerant becomes high-pressure refrigerant, which further enters the condenser 2314 to condense, where a fan forces the heat absorbed by the refrigerant into the atmosphere. The condensed high-pressure low-temperature refrigerant liquid is then throttled in the expansion valve 2316 to become low-temperature liquid refrigerant, which then flows into the evaporator 2311, forming the entire refrigeration cycle. The evaporator 2311 may be a plate heat exchanger.

[0056] The refrigeration capacity of refrigeration branch 231 is an index used to evaluate the ability of the refrigeration equipment in the refrigeration branch to reduce the target heat quantity when in operation. The International Unit System is watts (W), and in some cases, refrigeration branch 231 is a liquid-cooled branch, and its refrigeration capacity can be calculated based on the temperature difference flow rate method or the time-temperature rise method, the formula for the temperature difference flow rate method being as follows: Q=C p ·r·V s·ΔT, Of these, Q is the amount of refrigeration (kW, kilowatts), and C p r is the specific heat at constant pressure (kJ / kg·℃, kilojoules / kilogram·degrees Celsius), for example 4.1868 kJ / kg·℃, and r is the specific weight (kg / m³). 3 (kilograms / cubic meter), for example, 1000 kg / m³ 3 V s is the water flow rate (m 3 / h (cubic meters / hour), for example 1.5m 3 / h is the temperature difference (°C, degrees Celsius), which is the difference between the outflow temperature and the inflow temperature.

[0057] The adjustment device 240 is connected to at least one refrigeration branch 231 to control the refrigeration amount of at least one refrigeration branch 231. The refrigeration amount of at least one refrigeration branch 231 can be varied within a certain set range, thereby outputting the corresponding refrigeration amount as needed to meet different refrigeration demands. In some examples, the adjustment device 240 can achieve adjustment of the refrigeration amount by controlling the operating parameters of functional components on the refrigeration branch 231, such as adjusting the operating frequency or rotational speed of the compressor on the refrigeration branch 231, or the passage area of ​​the intake shut-off valve of the compressor. In some examples, the refrigeration amount of the refrigeration branch 231 can be adjusted steplessly to provide a wider range of refrigeration output.

[0058] By installing multiple parallel-connected refrigeration branches 231 and combining them with a control device 240 that adjusts the refrigeration amount of at least one refrigeration branch, it is possible to operate a corresponding number of refrigeration branches 231 according to the cooling demand, and to actively adjust the refrigeration amount of a single refrigeration branch 231, thereby providing a wider range of refrigeration output. This allows for flexible meeting of refrigeration demands under different operating conditions. At the same time, the parallel-connected refrigeration branches can operate independently without affecting each other, and even if some refrigeration branches fail, the other refrigeration branches can continue to output externally. Furthermore, by adjusting the amount of refrigeration according to the demand, the refrigeration demand can be met as much as possible, improving the economic efficiency and stability of the operation of the thermal management system and reducing unnecessary energy consumption losses.

[0059] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the compressor 2313 of at least one refrigeration branch 231 is an inverter compressor, and the adjustment device 240 is connected to the inverter compressor to adjust the operating frequency of the inverter compressor.

[0060] An inverter compressor refers to a compressor whose rotational speed can be continuously adjusted within a certain range by a control method or means, thereby continuously changing the output energy, in contrast to a compressor whose rotational speed is relatively constant. In some examples, an inverter compressor can be divided into two parts: one part is an inverter controller and the other part is the compressor. The principle of the inverter controller is to convert the AC power from the power grid into square wave pulses and output them, and by adjusting the frequency of the square wave pulses (i.e., adjusting the duty cycle), the rotational speed of the motor driving the compressor can be controlled. The higher the operating frequency of the compressor, the higher the rotational speed, and if other conditions are kept constant, the amount of refrigeration in the refrigeration branch where it is located will also increase. In some examples, all compressors 2313 in multiple refrigeration branches 231 may be inverter compressors, some compressors 2313 in some refrigeration branches 231 may be inverter compressors, and some compressors 2313 in some refrigeration branches 231 may be fixed-frequency compressors. In the case of a refrigeration branch 231 employing a fixed-frequency compressor, the amount of refrigeration supplied to the outside is the rated refrigeration amount. In the case of a refrigeration branch 231 employing an inverter compressor, the rated refrigeration amount is not a constant value, but changes within a certain range, that is, it can be adjusted between the minimum refrigeration amount and the maximum refrigeration amount. The adjustment device 240 can adjust the operating frequency of the inverter compressor according to the amount of refrigeration that the refrigeration branch 231 to which the inverter compressor is located needs to output, as determined by the actual refrigeration demand, thereby adjusting the refrigeration amount of the refrigeration branch 231.

[0061] By installing an inverter compressor, the adjustment device 240 adjusts the operating frequency of the inverter compressor to achieve the desired refrigeration level for the refrigeration branch 231 where it is located. This allows the thermal management system 200 to provide a range of refrigeration levels to the outside, better matching the demands of different operating conditions. In this way, it is possible to balance refrigeration level adjustment with energy consumption, reduce energy consumption losses of the thermal management system 200, and improve the operational economics of the thermal management system 200.

[0062] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the compressor of the refrigeration branch with the largest refrigeration capacity among the multiple refrigeration branches 231 is an inverter compressor.

[0063] The refrigeration branch with the largest refrigeration capacity refers to the refrigeration branch with the largest rated refrigeration capacity provided among the multiple refrigeration branches 231. For a refrigeration branch 231 where an inverter compressor is located, its corresponding rated refrigeration capacity is within the refrigeration capacity range. In this case, the refrigeration branch with the largest refrigeration capacity can be determined by comparing the rated refrigeration capacity of the other refrigeration branches 231 with the maximum value of the refrigeration capacity range of that refrigeration branch 231 as its rated refrigeration capacity. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 2, the multiple refrigeration branches 231 include at least a first refrigeration branch 231A and a second refrigeration branch 231B, of which the compressor of the second refrigeration branch 231B is an inverter compressor, the refrigeration capacity of the first refrigeration branch 231A is 15 kilowatts (kW), and the refrigeration capacity of the second refrigeration branch 231B is adjustable within the range of 0 to 25 kilowatts (kW). In this way, by controlling the first refrigeration branch 231A and the second refrigeration branch 231B in cooperation with each other, it is possible to supply refrigeration within the range of 0 to 40 kilowatts (kW).

[0064] The compressor in the refrigeration branch with the largest refrigeration capacity is an inverter compressor, which allows the refrigeration capacity of that branch to be adjusted over a relatively wider range. In this way, it can work in cooperation with other refrigeration branches to enable a wider range of refrigeration capacity variations, adapt to the cooling demands of different thermal management operating conditions, and improve the applicability of the thermal management system.

[0065] According to some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in Figure 2, the thermal management unit 230 further includes a heating branch 232, which is fluidly connected to a first bath unit 210 and a second bath unit 220 in parallel with a plurality of refrigeration branches 231.

[0066] The heating branch 232 is a branch capable of heating the flowing liquid, and each heating branch 232 is installed in parallel with the refrigeration branch 231 to perform different heat treatments (heating or cooling) on ​​the liquid. In this way, when the refrigeration requirement for the temperature-controlled object decreases, the amount of refrigeration of the refrigeration branch can be adjusted, and the refrigeration branch can work in cooperation with the heating branch 232 to reduce the amount of refrigeration and satisfy the thermal management requirements for the temperature-controlled object. In some other embodiments, the operation of the heating branch 232 may be controlled independently to perform a heat treatment on the temperature-controlled object (e.g., an energy storage battery). There may be one heating branch 232 or multiple heating branches 232 may be connected in parallel to the thermal management unit 230.

[0067] By installing a heating branch 232 and connecting it in parallel with the refrigeration branch 231, different treatment methods can be implemented for each liquid, thereby better controlling the liquid temperature in the first bath unit 210, improving the external thermal management capability and adjustment range of the thermal management system, and enhancing the applicability range of the thermal management system.

[0068] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a heating branch 232 has a plurality of heaters 2321 connected in series, and the heaters 2321 are used to heat the liquid flowing through the heating branch.

[0069] The heater 2321 may be any device for heating liquid, such as an electromagnetic heater, a resistance heater, or an infrared heater. Multiple heaters 2321 can be connected in series to the heating branch 232 to heat the liquid flowing through the heating branch 232 together. The multiple heaters 2321 can operate independently of each other and can be started / stopped individually.

[0070] By installing multiple heaters 2321 and connecting them in series, heating efficiency can be improved, while simultaneously increasing the reliability of the heating function and somewhat avoiding situations where a single heater fails and the heating effect cannot be achieved.

[0071] Please refer to Figure 4, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first bus unit 210 provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0072] According to some embodiments of the present application, a first bath unit 210 includes a first chamber 211, a second chamber 213, and a connecting chamber 212, wherein the first chamber 211 is in fluid communication with a thermal control unit 230, the second chamber 213 is installed at a distance from the first chamber 211 and is provided with at least one drain port 2101, and the connecting chamber 212 is in fluid communication with the first chamber 211 and the second chamber 213, respectively.

[0073] The first chamber 211 is fluidly connected to the refrigeration branch 231 and the heating branch 232 of the thermal management unit 230, and can be equipped with different liquid inlets to receive liquids heated or frozen by the thermal management unit 230. As shown in Figure 4, the first chamber 211 has a first inlet A1, a second inlet A2, and a third inlet A3 spaced apart, of which the first inlet A1 is connected to the heating branch 232 of the thermal management unit 230, the second inlet A2 is connected to the first refrigeration branch 231A, and the third inlet A3 is connected to the second refrigeration branch 231B. Because the heat treatment capacities of the different branches in the thermal management unit 230 are different, the temperature of the liquid flowing into the first chamber 211 is also different. Thus, the temperature of the liquid around the first inlet A1, the second inlet A2, and the third inlet A3 within the first chamber 211 is also different. In this case, if the liquid flows out through the drain port 2101 directly, the temperature of the different drain ports 2101 will be different, thus directly affecting the thermal management effect of the temperature-controlled objects by the thermal management system 200. In this embodiment, at least one drain port 2101 is located in the second chamber 213, which is separated from the first chamber 211 and communicates with it via a connecting chamber 212. Thus, the liquid flowing from the thermal management unit 230 to the first bath unit 210 first collects in the first chamber 211, then passes through the connecting chamber 212 into the second chamber 213, where liquids of different temperatures mix to equalize the temperature, and finally flows out through the drain port 2101 of the second chamber. The drain port 2101 may be connected to a water pump 2102 via a pipeline and finally to a fluid coupling of a battery group 110 of the energy storage battery 100 via a fitting 2103.

[0074] By installing the first chamber 211 and the second chamber 213 within the first bath unit 210 with a gap between them and connecting them via the connecting chamber 212, liquids at different temperatures can be mixed inside the first bath unit 210. This allows the temperature of the liquid flowing out of the drain port 2101 to be kept as consistent as possible, which is useful for accurate thermal management of the temperature-controlled object by the thermal management system 200.

[0075] According to some embodiments of the present application, the current-carrying cross-sectional area of the connection chamber 212 is different from the current-carrying cross-sectional area of the first chamber 211 or different from the current-carrying cross-sectional area of the second chamber 213.

[0076] The current-carrying cross-sectional area refers to the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow direction of the fluid. As shown in FIG. 4, when the liquid in the first bus unit 210 flows from one end of the first chamber 211 to one end of the second chamber 213 and the flow direction of the liquid flows along the first direction X, the current-carrying cross-sectional area is the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the first direction X. That is, the current-carrying cross-sectional area of the first chamber 211 is S1, the current-carrying cross-sectional area of the connection chamber 212 is S2, the current-carrying cross-sectional area of the second chamber 213 is S3, and S2 and S1 are not equal, or S2 and S3 are not equal. In some examples, S1, S2, and S3 can satisfy S2 < S1 < S3.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 4, the first chamber 211, the connection chamber 212, and the second chamber 213 can form a variable cross-sectional structure similar to the shape of the Chinese character "E" to help the fluid be uniformly mixed during the forward process.

[0078] In this embodiment, by making the current-carrying cross-sectional area of the connection chamber 212 different from the current-carrying cross-sectional area of the first chamber 211 or different from the current-carrying cross-sectional area of the second chamber 213, the interior of the first bus unit 210 can form a flow chamber with a variable cross-section. Such a variable cross-section design helps different-temperature liquids mix better within the first bus unit 210 and helps improve the consistency of the temperature of the outflow liquid.

[0079] According to some embodiments of the present application, the thermal management system 200 further includes a first temperature sensor 2104, and the first temperature sensor 2104 is used to detect the temperature of the liquid in the first bus unit 210.

[0080] In some embodiments, the thermal management system 200 further includes a second temperature sensor 2202, which is used to check the temperature of the liquid in the second bath unit 220.

[0081] The first temperature sensor 2104 and the second temperature sensor 2202 may be any temperature testing device such as a thermistor sensor, a thermopair sensor, or a platinum thermal resistance temperature sensor, and this application is not limited thereto. The first temperature sensor 2104 and the second temperature sensor 2202 may be the same type of sensor or different types of sensors.

[0082] By installing the first temperature sensor 2104 and the second temperature sensor 2202, the temperature of the outflow liquid and the reflux liquid can be acquired in a timely manner. This helps in controlling the thermal management unit 230 by the thermal management system 200, meeting different thermal management needs and enabling more accurate and efficient thermal management for the temperature-controlled object.

[0083] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the thermal management system 200 further includes a control unit 250, which is connected to the thermal management unit 230 and the adjustment device 240.

[0084] The control unit 250 may be a processor or controller with a corresponding control program pre-programmed, thereby enabling automatic control of the thermal management unit 230. Specifically, this may include signaling to functional components of each branch, such as compressors, heaters, valves, and sensors, via control signals to achieve automatic control. In some examples, the control unit 250 may control the starting and stopping of different branches in the thermal management unit 230, control valves in different branches to achieve liquid flow rate control, or control the operating parameters or inspection results of the corresponding functions received or processed to achieve control of thermal management capabilities such as thermal power, compressor power, and refrigeration amount. The control unit 250 can either directly control the thermal management unit 230 or connect to the adjustment device 240 and allow the adjustment device 240 to indirectly control the thermal management unit 230. For example, the control unit 250 determines a corresponding control strategy according to the corresponding refrigeration demand and transmits a control signal to the adjustment device 240 based on the control strategy. The adjustment device 240 then specifically controls the operating state or operating parameters of the functional components of each branch in the thermal management unit 230, such as starting, stopping, and frequency adjustment. In some examples, the adjustment device 240 may be integrated into the compressor of the corresponding branch, for example, as a frequency converter for the compressor, or it may be integrated into the control unit 250, and the control unit 250 performs the function of adjusting the refrigeration amount of a single refrigeration branch.

[0085] In some other examples, the control unit 250 may be signal-connected between the first temperature sensor 2104 and the second temperature sensor 2202 to achieve real-time control of the thermal management unit 230 in response to real-time temperature changes. Alternatively, it may be signal-connected to the temperature sensor of the object to be controlled, acquire temperature information of the object to be controlled, and formulate and implement a corresponding control strategy based on this information.

[0086] By installing a control unit, automatic control of the thermal management system can be achieved, improving the level of automation and thermal management efficiency. This allows for the meeting of complex and diverse thermal management needs for temperature-controlled objects, contributing to more accurate and efficient thermal management.

[0087] An embodiment of a second aspect of the present application provides a control method 300 for a thermal management system, with reference to Figures 5 to 8, where Figure 5 is a flowchart of the control method 300 for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application, Figure 6 is a flowchart of some steps of the control method 300 for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application, and Figure 7 is a flowchart of another part of the control method 300 for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application. Figure 8 is a flowchart of further part of the steps of the control method 300 for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application.

[0088] The thermal management system may be the thermal management system 200 in the above embodiment, and the control method 300 for the thermal management system includes the following.

[0089] In step S310, the thermal management demand for the temperature-controlled object is determined.

[0090] The temperature-controlled object may be any object requiring thermal management, such as a battery in an energy storage system, or it may be a battery in other electrical devices, such as batteries installed in vehicles, aircraft, or ships. The thermal management demand refers to the amount of heat treatment required to adjust the temperature of the temperature-controlled object to a preset state, and here the thermal management demand may be the required amount of refrigeration or the required amount of heating. Understandably, the degree of heat generation of the temperature-controlled object differs under different operating conditions, and therefore the thermal management demand also differs. The thermal management demand may be calculated based on the temperature of the temperature-controlled object or related parameters, or it may be determined to be entered directly.

[0091] In step S320, one or more branches within the thermal management unit are operated based on the thermal management demand.

[0092] The thermal management unit may be the thermal management unit 230 in the above embodiment. One or more branches of the thermal management unit 230 can control the operation or shutdown of the corresponding branch by controlling the corresponding compressor or valve, thereby enabling the cooperative achievement of different refrigeration or heating outputs. Based on the determined thermal management demand, the thermal management unit 230 is controlled to control the operation of one or more branches based on the thermal management capacity of multiple branches, where operation means controlling each component within the branch to enter an operating state and provide refrigeration or heating to the outside, and specifically includes, but is not limited to, starting and operating compressors, heaters, water pumps, and starting or adjusting pipeline valves, thereby providing a refrigeration or heating amount that matches the thermal management demand. Understandably, the thermal management unit 230 may include multiple refrigeration branches, or heating branches, and operating one or more branches as described in this embodiment may mean operating one or more refrigeration branches, or operating one or more heating branches, or operating refrigeration and heating branches simultaneously. The amount of refrigeration or heating provided by the thermal management unit 230 does not need to be exactly equal to the thermal management demand; it can provide an amount of refrigeration or heating close to the thermal management demand depending on the precision of the heat treatment. In some examples, the thermal management unit 230 can automatically formulate a thermal management control strategy that can meet the demand based on the thermal management demand and the heat treatment capacity of different branches, and can also execute opening and closing control of the corresponding branches according to the thermal management control strategy. In some examples, the thermal management unit 230 can provide refrigeration or heating amounts for multiple different gears, and based on the magnitude of the thermal management demand, the thermal management unit 230 can be controlled to provide the refrigeration or heating amount for the gear closest to the thermal management demand.

[0093] By controlling the operation or shutdown of one or more branches in the thermal management unit based on the thermal management demand of the temperature-controlled target, the thermal management demand can be provided more accurately. This allows the thermal management demand of the temperature-controlled target to be met in different scenarios and under different operating conditions, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the thermal management system.

[0094] In some embodiments, step S310 includes the following: Get the current temperature of the temperature-controlled object. Based on the current temperature and a preset target temperature, the thermal management demand is determined to adjust the temperature-controlled object from the current temperature to the preset temperature.

[0095] The current temperature of the temperature-controlled object can be obtained in real time by a temperature sensor. The target temperature is a preset temperature value depending on the operating scene or state of the temperature-controlled object, and is the target value at which the temperature of the temperature-controlled object is expected to decrease or increase after processing by the thermal management system. Based on the current temperature and the target temperature, the thermal management demand can be calculated to adjust the temperature-controlled object from its current temperature to the preset temperature. Understandably, the thermal management demand may be calculated directly and automatically by the control system based on the current temperature and the preset target temperature, or it may be calculated by other additional calculation units or manually before being input to the thermal management system to control one or more branches of the thermal management system. Since the current temperature of the temperature-controlled object is obtained in real time, the determined thermal management demand is also the latest demand, which helps the thermal management system to adjust the corresponding thermal management control strategy in a timely manner according to the latest thermal management demand, for example, by adjusting the operation or shutdown of the corresponding branch.

[0096] Based on the current temperature of the temperature-controlled object and a preset target temperature, the real-time thermal management demand of the temperature-controlled object can be obtained, and the thermal management system can be controlled to adjust the control strategy in a timely manner. As a result, the thermal management system can always meet the thermal management demand while reducing the loss of unnecessary energy consumption, thereby improving the operational economics of the thermal management system.

[0097] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S320 includes the following: In step S321, in response to the fact that the heat management demand is equal to the refrigeration demand and the refrigeration demand is less than or equal to the first refrigeration amount, the first refrigeration branch in the heat management unit is operated, and the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand, In step S322, in response to the fact that the heat management demand is equal to the refrigeration demand and the refrigeration demand is greater than the first refrigeration amount, at least two refrigeration branches in the heat management unit are operated, and the sum of the refrigeration amounts of the at least two refrigeration branches is equal to or greater than the refrigeration demand. The first refrigeration capacity is the maximum of several refrigeration capacities corresponding to multiple refrigeration branches of the thermal management unit.

[0098] Each of the multiple refrigeration branches 231 of the thermal management unit 230 corresponds to a refrigeration amount that indicates the refrigeration supply capacity of the refrigeration branch. For example, for a refrigeration branch employing a fixed-frequency compressor, its corresponding rated refrigeration amount is the refrigeration amount of that refrigeration branch, and for a refrigeration branch employing an inverter compressor, its corresponding maximum refrigeration amount within its corresponding refrigeration amount range is the refrigeration amount of that refrigeration branch. The first refrigeration amount is the maximum value among the multiple refrigeration amounts corresponding to the multiple refrigeration branches 231 of the thermal management unit 230. If the thermal management demand is less than or equal to the first refrigeration amount, it means that the refrigeration amount of at least one first refrigeration branch alone can satisfy the thermal management demand. If the thermal management demand is greater than the first refrigeration amount, it means that no single refrigeration branch alone can satisfy the thermal management demand, and at least two refrigeration branches must be operated, and the sum of the refrigeration amounts of the at least two operated refrigeration branches must be greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand.

[0099] In some examples, the thermal management unit of the thermal management system includes at least a first refrigeration branch including a first compressor and a second refrigeration branch including a second compressor, wherein the refrigeration amount of the second refrigeration branch is the maximum refrigeration amount, and the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch is the minimum refrigeration amount. Here, the refrigeration amount of the second refrigeration branch is referred to as the first refrigeration amount, and the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch is referred to as the second refrigeration amount.

[0100] The thermal management system, upon receiving a thermal management request and determining that the thermal management request is a refrigeration request, further determines the refrigeration demand and compares the refrigeration demand with the first refrigeration amount. If the refrigeration demand is less than the first refrigeration capacity, one refrigeration branch capable of meeting the demand can be started independently, for example, the second refrigeration branch can be started independently. If the refrigeration demand is less than the second refrigeration capacity, any of the refrigeration branches can meet the demand, so any one refrigeration branch can be operated. In this case, the first refrigeration branch with the smallest refrigeration capacity is selected and operated, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the thermal management system.

[0101] If the freezing demand is greater than or equal to the first freezing amount, the first and second freezing branches are operated simultaneously, and they work together to provide the amount of freezing that meets the demand. It can be understood that if the freezing amount of at least one of the first and second freezing branches is adjustable, the two can be combined to achieve continuous changes within a certain range of freezing amounts, thereby more accurately meeting the freezing demand.

[0102] Based on refrigeration demand under different operating conditions, the operation of the corresponding refrigeration branch can be controlled to provide the appropriate amount of refrigeration, meeting different refrigeration demands and achieving precise refrigeration. At the same time, the energy consumption level of the thermal management system can be reduced, improving the operational economics of the thermal management system.

[0103] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S321 further includes the following: In step S3211, the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch is obtained. In step S3212, in response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch being greater than the first preset frequency, the first refrigeration branch is stopped, the second refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit is started, and the refrigeration amount of the second refrigeration branch is greater than the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch. In step S3213, in response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch being lower than the second preset frequency, the first refrigeration branch is stopped, the third refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit is started, and the refrigeration amount of the third refrigeration branch is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand and less than the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch. In step S3214, in response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch being greater than the first preset frequency, and if the first refrigeration branch is the refrigeration branch with the largest refrigeration amount in the thermal management unit, the first refrigeration branch and the fourth refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit are operated simultaneously, and the refrigeration amount of the fourth refrigeration branch is less than or equal to the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch. Of these, the second preset frequency is smaller than the first preset frequency.

[0104] It should be explained that the first, second, third, and fourth refrigeration branches are simply names for different refrigeration branches for convenience of distinction and do not imply a limitation on the number of refrigeration branches. Unlike fixed-frequency compressors, inverter compressors have an operating frequency that can be adjusted within a certain frequency range to control the compressor's rotational speed. This frequency range is actually the economical frequency range for inverter compressors, and the compressor can operate within this economical frequency range to achieve a good balance of refrigeration efficiency, energy consumption, and service life. Since the operating frequency of fixed-frequency compressors is always maintained at the rated frequency, and only inverter compressors have a variable operating frequency, obtaining the compressor's operating frequency allows for the determination of the refrigeration amount of the refrigeration branch it is located in and the compressor's operating state, thereby optimizing the control strategy of the thermal management system.

[0105] The first preset frequency and the second preset frequency can take values ​​according to the economic frequency range of the inverter compressor. For example, the first preset frequency can take the lower limit of the economic frequency range, the second preset frequency can take the upper limit of the economic frequency range, or the first preset frequency can take a value within a numerical range close to the lower limit of the economic frequency range, and the second preset frequency can take a value within a numerical range close to the upper limit of the economic frequency range. For example, the economic frequency range of the inverter compressor is 30 to 120 Hz, the value of the first preset frequency may be 30 Hz or any value between 30 and 40 Hz, and the second preset frequency may be 120 Hz or any value between 110 and 120 Hz. It can be understood that different compressors may have different economic frequency ranges, and their corresponding first and second preset frequencies may also be different.

[0106] The operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch may be obtained by inspecting the operating parameters of the compressor, or it may be calculated based on the amount of refrigeration output of the first refrigeration branch determined by the control strategy. Understandably, all other conditions being constant, the amount of refrigeration of the first refrigeration branch has a positive correlation with the operating frequency of the compressor. If the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch is higher than the first preset frequency, it means that the amount of refrigeration that the first refrigeration branch needs to output exceeds the amount of refrigeration corresponding to the upper limit of the economic frequency range. In this case, using the first refrigeration branch for refrigeration will require more energy consumption and is also detrimental to the service life of the components of the first refrigeration branch. In this case, it is possible to switch to a second refrigeration branch with a larger refrigeration capacity, thereby meeting the refrigeration demand while simultaneously reducing the operating costs of the thermal management system and extending the service life of the equipment. The second refrigeration branch may be an inverter compressor or a fixed-frequency compressor.

[0107] Accordingly, if the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch is lower than the second preset frequency, it indicates that the currently required amount of refrigeration does not reach the amount of refrigeration of the first refrigeration branch corresponding to the lower limit of the economic frequency range. In this case, providing refrigeration using the first refrigeration branch would result in unnecessary energy consumption losses and be detrimental to the compressor's service life, and refrigeration can be provided by switching to the third refrigeration branch, which has a smaller refrigeration capacity.

[0108] In another example, if the refrigeration capacity of the first refrigeration branch is the largest refrigeration capacity in the current thermal management unit, then the thermal management unit does not have a second refrigeration branch with a larger refrigeration capacity. This means that the refrigeration capacity provided by a single refrigeration branch is not the most economical thermal management control strategy. Both the first and fourth refrigeration branches can be operated simultaneously to provide the refrigeration capacity, thus keeping the corresponding compressors within an economical frequency range and reducing the overall energy consumption of the thermal management system. It is understandable that steps S3212 to S3214 in this embodiment are independent of each other, and the implementation of each does not need to depend on the other steps. This embodiment does not limit their priority in any way.

[0109] By further optimizing the control strategy of the refrigeration branch according to the operating frequency of the compressor, the thermal management system can provide sufficient refrigeration to meet refrigeration demands while simultaneously reducing the operating costs of the thermal management system and improving operational economics and equipment lifespan.

[0110] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S321 further includes the following: In the thermal management unit, the cumulative operating time of each refrigeration branch whose refrigeration amount is equal to or greater than the refrigeration demand is obtained, and the refrigeration branch with the shortest cumulative operating time is designated as the first refrigeration branch.

[0111] The thermal management unit considers that the refrigeration capacity of multiple refrigeration branches may all exceed the refrigeration demand. In this case, it can further select which refrigeration branch to start by combining this with the cumulative operating time of these refrigeration branches. Cumulative operating time refers to the cumulative operating time of a corresponding refrigeration branch within a certain time period. This time period can be specifically set as needed, for example, from the time of the last equipment maintenance to the present time, or from the time of equipment installation and operation to the present time. Understandably, the longer the cumulative operating time, the longer the operating time of the equipment, leading to more severe wear and tear on equipment such as compressors, which is detrimental to the overall service life of the thermal management system.

[0112] By further combining the cumulative operating time of refrigeration branches to assist in optimizing the control strategy of the refrigeration branches, it is possible to better balance the service life of the equipment in each branch, mitigate serious wear due to the transient use of some equipment, and extend the service life of the entire thermal management system.

[0113] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S322 further includes the following: In step S3221, the operating frequencies of the compressors of at least two refrigeration branches are obtained. In step S3222, in response to the compressor's operating frequency being less than or equal to a second preset frequency of the compressor, the refrigeration branch where the compressor whose operating frequency is less than or equal to the second preset frequency is located is stopped. In step 3223, in response to the operating frequency of the compressor being greater than the first preset frequency of the compressor, the compressor is controlled to operate at the first preset frequency, where the operating frequency is greater than the corresponding first preset frequency.

[0114] In the case of a compressor in operation, the operating frequency in the current operating state can be obtained by methods such as inspection using corresponding circuit parameters or sensors, or calculations. In the case of an inverter compressor, the operating frequency can be compared with a first preset frequency determined by the upper limit of the economic frequency range of the corresponding compressor, or a second preset frequency determined by the lower limit. If the operating frequency is less than or equal to the second preset frequency, it can be considered that the contribution of that refrigeration branch to the amount of refrigeration is relatively small, and conversely, it will cause an increase in energy consumption and a shortening of the compressor's service life. In this case, the refrigeration branch can be stopped directly, thereby reducing the amount of refrigeration in the thermal management system in a short time. On the other hand, the reduced amount of refrigeration is relatively small, and the impact on the overall refrigeration effect is limited. Furthermore, the amount of refrigeration demand changes with the continued operation of other refrigeration branches, and when other set conditions are met, the system can switch to the corresponding operating state. Therefore, the duration of this stage is relatively short, and on the other hand, the energy consumption level of the thermal management system can be significantly reduced, and the service life of the compressor can be extended, which is beneficial for the thermal management system as a whole.

[0115] If the operating frequency of the compressor is higher than the compressor's first preset frequency, it means that the compressor's operating frequency is outside the economic frequency range, and forcing the refrigeration branch to operate will have a significant adverse effect on the compressor's service life. In this case, the compressor can be controlled to operate at the first preset frequency, thus reducing the amount of refrigeration performed by the compressor to some extent, but providing better protection for the compressor and thereby extending its service life.

[0116] Optimizing the control strategy of the thermal management branch when the compressor's operating frequency exceeds a preset frequency range between a first preset frequency and a second preset frequency helps to reduce the energy consumption level of the thermal management system, extend the service life of the equipment in the thermal management system, and improve the overall economics of the thermal management system.

[0117] According to some embodiments of the present invention, step S320 further includes operating a heating branch within the thermal management unit in response to the thermal management demand being a heating demand.

[0118] As shown in Figure 2, the thermal management unit 230 may further include a heating branch 232 in addition to the refrigeration branch 231, and the heating branch 232 may have multiple heaters 2321 installed in series to heat the flowing liquid, thereby achieving heating of the temperature-controlled object by heat exchange and meeting the heating demand of the temperature-controlled object. Operation of the heating branch 232 in the thermal management unit 230 may be by activating the corresponding pipeline valve, or by controlling the operating parameters of the heaters 2321 in the pipeline, such as power and quantity, according to the heating demand in order to heat the liquid to a certain temperature. In some examples, the heating branch 232 can also work in cooperation with the refrigeration branch 231 to adjust the temperature of the liquid bathed in the first bath unit 210, thereby better meeting the heat treatment demand of the temperature-controlled object.

[0119] By installing the heating branch 232, the liquid can be heated, meeting the heating requirements for the temperature-controlled object and improving the application range of the thermal management system.

[0120] An embodiment of a third aspect of the present invention provides an electronic device including at least one processor and a memory communicably connected to the at least one processor, wherein the memory stores commands executable by the at least one processor, and the commands are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the thermal management system control method 300 of the above embodiment.

[0121] Various embodiments of the systems and technologies described herein may be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-chip (SOCs), load-programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments may be implemented in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be a dedicated or general-purpose programmable processor, and may include receiving data and commands from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmitting data and commands to the storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0122] A fourth embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer program that implements the control method 300 of the thermal management system in the above embodiment when executed by a processor.

[0123] Computer-readable media may be tangible media that contain or can store programs for use by, or in combination with, a command execution system, device, or apparatus. Machine-readable media may be machine-readable signal media or machine-readable storage media. Machine-readable media may include, but are not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices, or apparatus, or any appropriate combination of the above. More specific examples of machine-readable storage media include electrical connections based on one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any appropriate combination of the above.

[0124] An embodiment of a fifth aspect of the present application further provides an energy storage system 1000 comprising an energy storage battery 100 and a thermal management system 200 of the above embodiment configured to regulate the temperature of the energy storage battery 100.

[0125] The energy storage battery 100 may be of any structural form, for example, a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, but is not limited to these. A single battery may be cylindrical, flattened, rectangular, or have other shapes.

[0126] An embodiment of a sixth aspect of the present application provides an electrical device that uses a battery as a power source, the electrical device comprising a battery and the thermal management system 200 in the above embodiment configured for regulating the temperature of the battery.

[0127] Electrical devices may include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptop computers, electric toys, power tools, electric scooters, electric vehicles, ships, and aerospace vehicles. Among these, electric toys may include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric boat toys, and electric airplane toys, and aerospace vehicles may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft.

[0128] Referring to Figures 9 and 10, Figure 9 is a flowchart of a control method 400 for a thermal management system provided in some other embodiments of the present application, and Figure 10 is a flowchart of a control method 500 for a thermal management system provided in some further embodiments of the present application.

[0129] The above-mentioned embodiment of the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to specific examples, as shown in Figures 1 to 10.

[0130] The thermal management system 200 includes a first bath unit 210, a thermal management unit 230, and a second bath unit 220, which are in fluid communication with each other. The first bath unit 210 is a bath structure at the drain end of the thermal management system 200 and includes at least one drain port 2101. The second bath unit 220 is a bath structure at the return end of the thermal management system 200 and includes at least one return port 2201. The thermal management unit 230 includes a plurality of refrigeration branches 231 and at least one heating branch 232, which are fluidly connected in parallel to the first bath unit 210 and the second bath unit 220, respectively.

[0131] The refrigeration branch 231 includes, in sequence, an evaporator 2311, a gas-liquid separator 2312, a compressor 2313, a condenser 2314, a liquid reservoir 2315, and an expansion valve 2316. The heating branch 232 has multiple heaters 2321 connected in series.

[0132] The first bath unit 210 includes a first chamber 211, a second chamber 213, and a connecting chamber 212. The first chamber 211 is in fluid communication with the thermal management unit 230, the second chamber 213 is spaced apart from the first chamber 211 and has at least one drain port 2101, and the connecting chamber 212 is in fluid communication with the first chamber 211 and the second chamber 213, respectively. The current-passing cross-sectional area S2 of the connecting chamber 212 is smaller than the current-passing cross-sectional area S1 of the first chamber 211 and the current-passing cross-sectional area S3 of the second chamber 213.

[0133] The thermal management system 200 further includes a first temperature sensor 2104, a second temperature sensor 2202, and a control unit 250, the first temperature sensor 2104 being used to check the temperature of the liquid in the first bath unit 210, and the second temperature sensor 2202 being used to check the temperature of the liquid in the second bath unit 220. The control unit 250 is electrically connected to the thermal management unit 230.

[0134] The control method of the thermal management system 200 will be further explained below with reference to Figures 9 and 10.

[0135] In the thermal management unit 230, the first refrigeration branch 231A includes a first compressor, and the second refrigeration branch 231B includes a second compressor. Both the first and second compressors are inverter compressors, and the maximum refrigeration capacity of the first compressor is equal to the second refrigeration capacity, and the maximum refrigeration capacity of the second compressor is equal to the first refrigeration capacity, with the first refrigeration capacity being greater than the second refrigeration capacity.

[0136] In some cases, the thermal management system 200 can be controlled according to the following control method, the specific steps of which include the following:

[0137] In step S401, the thermal management system receives a refrigeration request. The refrigeration request may be a request signal sent to the thermal management system from the control system of the energy storage system or electrical device, or it may be determined by the thermal management system based on the difference between the temperature of the temperature-controlled object (energy storage battery or electrical device battery) and a preset target temperature.

[0138] In step S402, the amount of refrigeration is determined. Based on the refrigeration request and the difference between the temperature of the temperature-controlled object (e.g., an energy storage battery or the battery of an electrical device) and a preset target temperature, the refrigeration demand is calculated.

[0139] In step S403, it is determined whether the freezing demand meets the pre-set conditions. If the freezing demand is less than or equal to the second freezing amount, step S404 is executed. If the freezing demand is greater than the second freezing amount and less than the first freezing amount, step S408 is executed. If the freezing demand is greater than or equal to the first freezing amount, step S412 is executed.

[0140] In step S404, the first compressor is operated. That is, the first refrigeration branch is operated to activate the first refrigeration branch on which the first compressor is located.

[0141] In step S405, it is determined whether the operating frequency of the first compressor exceeds the upper limit of the economic frequency range. After obtaining the operating frequency of the first compressor, the operating frequency of the first compressor is compared with the upper limit of the economic frequency range corresponding to the first compressor. If the operating frequency is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the economic frequency range, it is determined to be YES and steps S406 and S408 are executed. If the operating frequency is less than the upper limit of the economic frequency range, it is determined to be NO and step S407 is executed.

[0142] In step S406, the first compressor is stopped. Correspondingly, the first refrigeration branch where the first compressor is located is stopped, and step S408 is executed synchronously.

[0143] In step S407, it is determined whether or not a shutdown request signal sent from the system has been received. If it has been received, step S417 is executed; otherwise, step S404 is continued.

[0144] In step S408, the second compressor is operated. That is, the second refrigeration branch is operated to activate the second refrigeration branch in which the second compressor is located.

[0145] In step S409, it is determined whether the operating frequency of the second compressor exceeds the economic frequency range. The operating frequency of the second compressor is obtained and compared with the upper and lower limits of the economic frequency range. If the operating frequency is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the economic frequency range, it is determined to be above the upper limit, and step S412 is executed. If the operating frequency is less than or equal to the lower limit of the economic frequency range, it is determined to be below the lower limit, and steps S410 and S404 are executed. If the operating frequency is greater than the lower limit of the economic frequency range and less than the upper limit of the economic frequency range, it is determined to be NO, and step S411 is executed.

[0146] In step S410, the second compressor is stopped, and correspondingly the first refrigeration branch where the first compressor is located is stopped, and step S404 is executed synchronously.

[0147] In step S411, it is determined whether or not a shutdown request signal sent from the system has been received. If it has been received, step S417 is executed; otherwise, step S408 is continued.

[0148] In step S412, the first compressor and the second compressor are operated simultaneously. That is, the first refrigeration branch and the second refrigeration branch are operated simultaneously.

[0149] In step S413, it is determined whether the operating frequency of the second compressor is below the lower limit of the economic frequency range. The operating frequency of the second compressor is compared with the lower limit of the economic frequency range corresponding to the second compressor. If the operating frequency is below the lower limit of the economic frequency range, it is determined to be YES and step S414 is executed. If the operating frequency is greater than the lower limit of the economic frequency range, it is determined to be NO and step S415 is executed.

[0150] In step S414, the second compressor is stopped.

[0151] In step S415, it is determined whether the operating frequency of the first compressor is equal to or greater than the upper limit of the economic frequency range. The operating frequency of the first compressor is compared with the upper limit of the economic frequency range corresponding to the first compressor. If the operating frequency is equal to or greater than the upper limit of the economic frequency range, it is determined to be YES, and the upper limit of the economic frequency range is used as the operating frequency of the first compressor. Step S412 is continued, that is, simultaneous operation of the first and second compressors is maintained. If the operating frequency is less than the upper limit of the economic frequency range, it is determined to be NO, and step S416 is executed.

[0152] In step S416, it is determined whether or not a shutdown request signal sent from the system has been received. If it has been received, step S417 is executed; otherwise, step S412 is continued.

[0153] In step S417, the system is shut down.

[0154] In some other embodiments, the thermal management system 200 can also be operated according to the following control method.

[0155] In step S501, the thermal management system receives a refrigeration request.

[0156] In step S502, the amount of freezing is determined. Based on the freezing request and the difference between the temperature of the temperature-controlled object and the preset target temperature, the amount of freezing required is calculated.

[0157] In step S503, it is determined whether the freezing demand meets the pre-set conditions. If the freezing demand is less than or equal to the second freezing amount, step S504 is executed. If the freezing demand is greater than or equal to the first freezing amount, step S505 is executed.

[0158] In step S504, the cumulative operating time of the first compressor and the second compressor is obtained.

[0159] In step S506, the cumulative operating time of the first compressor and the cumulative operating time of the second compressor are determined. If the cumulative operating time of the first compressor is longer, step S507 is executed. If the cumulative operating time of the second compressor is longer, step S508 is executed.

[0160] In step S507, the first compressor is operated. That is, the first refrigeration branch is operated to activate the first refrigeration branch on which the first compressor is located.

[0161] In step S508, the second compressor is operated. That is, the second refrigeration branch is operated to activate the second refrigeration branch in which the second compressor is located.

[0162] In step S509, the operating frequency of the first or second compressor is obtained, and the operating frequency is compared with the upper limit of the corresponding economic frequency range. If the operating frequency is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the corresponding economic frequency range, it is determined to be YES and step S505 is executed. If the operating frequency is less than the upper limit of the corresponding economic frequency range, it is determined to be NO and step S510 is executed.

[0163] In step S510, it is determined whether or not a shutdown request signal sent from the system has been received. If it has been received, step S512 is executed; otherwise, step S507 or S508 is continued.

[0164] In step S505, the first compressor and the second compressor are operated simultaneously. That is, the first refrigeration branch and the second refrigeration branch are operated simultaneously.

[0165] In step S511, it is determined whether or not a shutdown request signal sent from the system has been received. If it has been received, step S512 is executed; otherwise, step S505 is continued.

[0166] In step S512, the system is shut down.

[0167] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are used solely to illustrate the technical concepts of the present application and are not limiting. While the present application has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments described above, those skilled in the art will understand that it is still possible to modify the technical concepts described in the embodiments described above, or to replace some or all of their technical features equally, and that such modifications or substitutions should not cause the essence of the corresponding technical concepts to deviate from the scope of the technical concepts of the embodiments of the present application, and should all be included within the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, any technical feature mentioned in each embodiment can be combined in any way, as long as it is not structurally contradictory. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical concepts included in the claims.

Claims

1. It is a thermal management system, A first bath unit including at least one drain port, A second bath unit including at least one liquid return port, A thermal management unit including a plurality of refrigeration branches fluidly connected to the first bus unit and the second bus unit, respectively, arranged in parallel, Includes an adjustment device for adjusting the amount of freezing of at least one of the plurality of freezing branches, Thermal management system.

2. The compressor of at least one of the refrigeration branches is an inverter compressor, and the adjustment device is connected to the inverter compressor to adjust the operating frequency of the inverter compressor. The thermal management system according to claim 1.

3. The compressor of the refrigeration branch with the largest refrigeration capacity among the aforementioned multiple refrigeration branches is an inverter compressor. The thermal management system according to claim 2.

4. The thermal management unit further includes heating branches that are fluidly connected to the first and second bath units, respectively, in parallel with the plurality of refrigeration branches. A thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The heating branch has a plurality of heaters connected in series to heat the liquid flowing through it. The thermal management system according to claim 4.

6. The first bus unit is, A first chamber that is in fluid communication with the aforementioned thermal management unit, A second chamber is installed at a distance from the first chamber and is provided with at least one drain port, Each includes a connecting chamber that is in fluid communication with the first chamber and the second chamber, A thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The current-passing cross-sectional area of ​​the connection chamber is different from the current-passing cross-sectional area of ​​the first chamber, or different from the current-passing cross-sectional area of ​​the second chamber. The thermal management system according to claim 6.

8. A first temperature sensor for inspecting the temperature of the liquid in the first bath unit, and / or The system further includes a second temperature sensor for inspecting the temperature of the liquid in the second bath unit. A thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The control unit further includes the thermal management unit and the control device connected to the adjustment device, A thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. To determine the amount of heat management demand, This includes operating one or more branches within the thermal management unit based on the thermal management demand, A control method for a thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. Determining the thermal management demand for the temperature-controlled object is: To obtain the current temperature of the temperature-controlled object, This includes determining the amount of heat management required to adjust the temperature-controlled object from the current temperature to the preset temperature, based on the current temperature and a preset target temperature. A control method for a thermal management system according to claim 10.

12. Operating one or more branches within the thermal management unit based on the aforementioned thermal management demand is: In response to the fact that the heat management demand is equal to the refrigeration demand and that the refrigeration demand is less than or equal to the first refrigeration amount, the first refrigeration branch in the heat management unit is operated, and the amount of refrigeration of the first refrigeration branch is equal to or equal to the refrigeration demand, The thermal management unit operates at least two refrigeration branches in response to the thermal management demand being equal to the refrigeration demand and the refrigeration demand being greater than the first refrigeration amount, and the sum of the refrigeration amounts of the at least two refrigeration branches being equal to or greater than the refrigeration demand, Of these, the first freezing amount is the maximum value among a plurality of freezing amounts corresponding to each of the plurality of freezing branches of the thermal management unit. A control method for a thermal management system according to claim 10 or 11.

13. In response to the fact that the heat management demand is equal to the refrigeration demand and that the refrigeration demand is less than or equal to the first refrigeration amount, the first refrigeration branch in the heat management unit is operated, and the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand, To obtain the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch, In response to the operating frequency of the compressor being greater than a first preset frequency, the first refrigeration branch is stopped, the second refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit is started, and the amount of refrigeration of the second refrigeration branch is greater than the amount of refrigeration of the first refrigeration branch, In response to the operating frequency of the compressor being lower than a second preset frequency, the first refrigeration branch is stopped, the third refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit is started, and the amount of refrigeration in the third refrigeration branch is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand and less than the amount of refrigeration in the first refrigeration branch, The operating frequency of the compressor is greater than a first preset frequency, and in response to the first refrigeration branch being the refrigeration branch with the maximum refrigeration capacity in the thermal management unit, the first refrigeration branch and the fourth refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit are operated simultaneously, and the refrigeration amount of the fourth refrigeration branch is less than or equal to the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch, further comprising: Of these, the second preset frequency is smaller than the first preset frequency. A control method for a thermal management system according to claim 12.

14. In response to the fact that the heat management demand is equal to the refrigeration demand and that the refrigeration demand is less than or equal to the first refrigeration amount, the first refrigeration branch in the heat management unit is operated, and the refrigeration amount of the first refrigeration branch is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand, The further includes obtaining the cumulative operating time of each refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit whose refrigeration amount is equal to or greater than the refrigeration demand, and designating the refrigeration branch with the shortest cumulative operating time as the first refrigeration branch. A control method for a thermal management system according to claim 12 or 13.

15. In response to the fact that the heat management demand is the freezing demand and that the freezing demand is greater than the first freezing amount, at least two freezing branches in the heat management unit are operated, and the sum of the freezing amounts of the at least two freezing branches is equal to or greater than the freezing demand. The operating frequencies of the compressors of at least two of the aforementioned refrigeration branches are to be obtained, In response to the operating frequency of the compressor being less than or equal to a second preset frequency of the compressor, the refrigeration branch where the compressor is located, whose operating frequency is less than or equal to the second preset frequency, is stopped. The method further includes, in response to the operating frequency of the compressor being greater than a first preset frequency of the compressor, controlling the compressor whose operating frequency is greater than the first preset frequency to operate at the first preset frequency, Of these, the second preset frequency is smaller than the first preset frequency. A control method for a thermal management system according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

16. Operating one or more branches within the thermal management unit based on the aforementioned thermal management demand is: The further includes operating a heating branch within the thermal management unit in response to the thermal management demand being a heating demand. A control method for a thermal management system according to any one of claims 10 to 15.

17. At least one processor, An electronic device including a memory that is communicably connected to at least one processor, The memory stores commands that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the commands are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can perform the control method for the thermal management system according to any one of claims 10 to 16. electronic equipment.

18. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, realizes a control method for a thermal management system described in any one of claims 10 to 16. Computer-readable storage medium.

19. Energy storage batteries, A thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, configured for adjusting the temperature of the energy storage battery, Energy storage system.

20. Batteries and An electrical device comprising a thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the thermal management system is configured to adjust the temperature of the battery. Electrical device.

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