Thermal management system and control method therefor, energy storage system, and electrical apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of batteries, and provides a thermal management system and a control method therefor, an energy storage system, and an electrical apparatus. The thermal management system comprises a first confluence unit, a second confluence unit, a thermal management unit, and an adjustment apparatus. The first confluence unit comprises at least one liquid outlet; the second confluence unit comprises at least one liquid return port; the thermal management unit comprises a plurality of refrigerating branches, and the plurality of refrigerating branches are respectively in fluid connection with the first confluence unit and the second confluence unit in a parallel mode; the adjustment apparatus is used for adjusting the refrigerating capacity of at least one refrigerating branch among the plurality of refrigerating branches.

Description

Thermal management system and control method thereof, energy storage system and power consumption device

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application refers to Chinese patent application No. 202310681751.3 filed on June 9, 2023, entitled “Thermal management system, control method thereof, energy storage system and electrical device”, which is incorporated into this application in its entirety by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a thermal management system and a control method thereof, an energy storage system, and an electrical device. Background Art

[0004] With the rapid development of the global new energy revolution, batteries are being used in more and more scenarios, and various electrical devices using batteries as power sources and energy devices using batteries as energy storage media have emerged.

[0005] Energy storage systems, with their large capacity, short construction cycles, high reliability, and strong environmental adaptability, are a new development direction for new energy. Because energy storage systems contain a large number of battery cells, they generate significant heat during the charging and discharging process. This heat can cause the cells in the container to heat up. The tightly packed cells, resulting in poor internal air circulation and varying charge and discharge rates, can lead to uneven temperatures within the energy storage system, ultimately impacting their service life and potentially causing thermal runaway.

[0006] At present, the heat dissipation method has gradually shifted from air cooling to liquid cooling. The heat exchange medium in the liquid cooling system is coolant. Coolant has the advantages of large heat capacity, high heat transfer coefficient and fast cooling speed. However, the investment in liquid cooling system is large, the operating cost is high, and it is difficult to control when facing changes in cooling demand. It is difficult to meet the cooling requirements under different working conditions and causes waste of cost and energy.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the background technology. To this end, one purpose of the present application is to provide a thermal management system and its control method, energy storage system and power device to improve the adjustment capability of the thermal management system and flexibly meet different cooling capacity requirements.

[0009] An embodiment of a first aspect of the present application provides a thermal management system, comprising a first confluence unit, a second confluence unit, a thermal management unit, and a regulating device. The first confluence unit includes at least one liquid outlet, the second confluence unit includes at least one liquid return port, the thermal management unit includes multiple refrigeration branches, and the multiple refrigeration branches are fluidically connected to the first confluence unit and the second confluence unit in parallel. The regulating device is used to regulate the cooling capacity of at least one of the multiple refrigeration branches.

[0010] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, by setting up multiple parallel refrigeration branches and combining the adjustable refrigeration capacity of at least one refrigeration branch, a corresponding number of refrigeration branches can be operated according to cooling needs, and the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration branches can be actively adjusted to provide a richer refrigeration capacity range, thereby flexibly meeting the refrigeration capacity requirements under different working conditions, improving the economy of the thermal management system operation, and reducing unnecessary energy consumption losses.

[0011] In some embodiments, the compressor of at least one refrigeration branch is a variable frequency compressor, and a regulating device is connected to the variable frequency compressor to adjust the operating frequency of the variable frequency compressor. The use of a variable frequency compressor can achieve both cooling capacity regulation and energy consumption control, thereby reducing energy losses in the thermal management system.

[0012] In some embodiments, the compressor of the refrigeration branch with the largest cooling capacity among the multiple refrigeration branches is a variable frequency compressor. This allows the cooling capacity of this refrigeration branch to be adjusted over a relatively larger range. This, in conjunction with other refrigeration branches, can achieve a wider range of cooling capacity variations, thereby adapting to the cooling requirements of different thermal management operating conditions and increasing the applicability of the thermal management system.

[0013] In some embodiments, the thermal management unit further includes a heating branch, which is fluidically connected to the first and second confluence units in parallel with multiple cooling branches. By providing the heating branch in parallel with the cooling branch, different treatment methods can be applied to the liquid, thereby better controlling the liquid temperature at the first confluence unit, thereby improving the thermal management system's external thermal management capabilities and adjustment range, and increasing the thermal management system's adaptability.

[0014] In some embodiments, multiple heaters are connected in series on the heating branch to heat the liquid flowing through the heating branch. By providing multiple heaters and connecting them in series, both heating efficiency and reliability can be improved, to a certain extent preventing the failure of a single heater to achieve a heating effect.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first confluence unit includes a first cavity, a second cavity, and a connecting cavity. The first cavity is in fluid communication with the thermal management unit; the second cavity is spaced apart from the first cavity and has at least one liquid outlet; and the connecting cavity is in fluid communication with the first cavity and the second cavity, respectively. By spacing the first and second cavities apart within the first confluence unit and connecting them via the connecting cavity, liquids of different temperatures can be mixed within the first confluence unit. This allows the temperature of the liquid flowing out of the liquid outlet to be kept as consistent as possible, facilitating the thermal management system's precise thermal management of the temperature-controlled object.

[0016] In some embodiments, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting cavity is different from the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the first cavity, or different from the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second cavity. Such a variable cross-sectional design facilitates better mixing of liquids of different temperatures within the first confluence unit, thereby improving the consistency of the temperature of the outflowing liquid.

[0017] In some embodiments, the thermal management system further includes a first temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the liquid within the first confluence unit. In some embodiments, the thermal management system further includes a second temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the liquid within the second confluence unit. Promptly acquiring the temperature of the outflowing liquid and the temperature of the return liquid through the temperature sensors facilitates the thermal management system's control of the thermal management units to meet varying thermal management requirements, thereby enabling more accurate and efficient thermal management of temperature-controlled objects.

[0018] In some embodiments, the thermal management system further includes a control unit electrically connected to the thermal management unit and the regulating device. The provision of the control unit enables automatic control of the thermal management system, improving automation and thermal management efficiency, meeting the complex and ever-changing thermal management requirements of temperature-controlled objects, and facilitating more accurate and efficient thermal management.

[0019] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for controlling a thermal management system, comprising: determining a thermal management demand; and operating one or more branches in a thermal management unit based on the thermal management demand. Controlling the operation or shutdown of one or more branches in the thermal management unit based on the thermal management demand of a temperature-controlled object can more accurately provide the required thermal management demand, thereby meeting the thermal management needs of the temperature-controlled object in different scenarios and operating conditions, and reducing the energy consumption of the thermal management system.

[0020] In some embodiments, determining the thermal management demand of a temperature-controlled object includes: obtaining a current temperature of the temperature-controlled object; and determining the thermal management demand required to adjust the temperature of the temperature-controlled object from the current temperature to a preset temperature based on the current temperature and a preset target temperature. The current temperature of the temperature-controlled object and the preset target temperature can be used to determine the real-time thermal management demand of the temperature-controlled object, thereby controlling the thermal management system to adjust the thermal management control strategy in a timely manner, ensuring that the thermal management system consistently meets the thermal management demand while reducing unnecessary energy consumption and improving the economic efficiency of the thermal management system.

[0021] In some embodiments, operating one or more branches in a thermal management unit based on a thermal management demand includes: in response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand and the cooling demand being less than or equal to a first cooling capacity, operating a first cooling branch in the thermal management unit, with the cooling capacity of the first cooling branch being greater than or equal to the cooling demand; in response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand and the cooling demand being greater than the first cooling capacity, operating at least two cooling branches in the thermal management unit, with the sum of the cooling capacities of the at least two cooling branches being greater than or equal to the cooling demand; wherein the first cooling capacity is the maximum value among multiple cooling capacities corresponding to the multiple cooling branches of the thermal management unit. Controlling the operation of the corresponding cooling branch based on the cooling demand under different operating conditions to provide an appropriate cooling capacity can save energy consumption of the thermal management system while meeting different cooling demands and achieving precise cooling, thereby improving the economic efficiency of the thermal management system operation.

[0022] In some embodiments, in response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand and the cooling demand being less than or equal to the first cooling capacity, operating the first cooling branch in the thermal management unit, and the cooling capacity of the first cooling branch being greater than or equal to the cooling demand, further comprises: obtaining the operating frequency of the compressor of the first cooling branch; in response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first cooling branch being greater than a first preset frequency, closing the first cooling branch and operating the second cooling branch in the thermal management unit, and the cooling capacity of the second cooling branch being greater than the cooling capacity of the first cooling branch; in response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first cooling branch being less than a second preset frequency, closing the first cooling branch and operating the third cooling branch in the thermal management unit, and the cooling capacity of the third cooling branch being greater than or equal to the cooling demand and less than the cooling capacity of the first cooling branch; in response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first cooling branch being greater than the first preset frequency and the first cooling branch being the cooling branch with the largest cooling capacity in the thermal management unit, simultaneously operating the first cooling branch and the fourth cooling branch in the thermal management unit, and the cooling capacity of the fourth cooling branch being less than or equal to the cooling capacity of the first cooling branch; wherein the second preset frequency is less than the first preset frequency. The control strategy of the refrigeration branch is further optimized according to the operating frequency of the compressor, so that the thermal management system can provide sufficient cooling capacity to meet the cooling demand while reducing the operating cost of the thermal management system, improving the economic efficiency of operation and the service life of the equipment.

[0023] In some embodiments, in response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand, and the cooling demand being less than or equal to a first cooling capacity, operating a first cooling branch in the thermal management unit, and having a cooling capacity of the first cooling branch greater than or equal to the cooling demand, further comprising: obtaining the cumulative operating hours of each cooling branch in the thermal management unit whose cooling capacity is greater than or equal to the cooling demand, and selecting the cooling branch with the shortest cumulative operating hours as the first cooling branch. By further combining the cumulative operating hours of the cooling branches to assist in optimizing the control strategy of the cooling branches, the service life of the equipment in each branch can be better balanced, severe wear of some equipment due to excessive use can be alleviated, and the overall service life of the thermal management system can be improved.

[0024] In some embodiments, in response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand and the cooling demand being greater than a first cooling capacity, operating at least two cooling branches in the thermal management unit, with the sum of the cooling capacities of the at least two cooling branches being greater than or equal to the cooling demand, further comprises: obtaining the operating frequencies of the compressors of the at least two cooling branches respectively; in response to the operating frequency of the compressor being less than or equal to a second preset frequency of the compressor, shutting down the cooling branch whose compressor operating frequency is less than or equal to the corresponding second preset frequency; in response to the operating frequency of the compressor being greater than the first preset frequency of the compressor, controlling the compressor whose operating frequency is greater than the corresponding first preset frequency to operate at the first preset frequency; wherein the second preset frequency is less than the first preset frequency. By optimizing the control strategy of the thermal management branch when the operating frequency of the compressor exceeds the preset frequency range between the first preset frequency and the 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 increased, and the overall economic efficiency of the thermal management system is improved.

[0025] In some embodiments, operating one or more thermal management units based on a thermal management demand further includes: in response to the thermal management demand being a heating demand, operating a heating branch in the thermal management unit. By providing the heating branch, liquid can be heated to meet the heating demand of a temperature-controlled object, thereby expanding the application scope of the thermal management system.

[0026] An embodiment of the third aspect of the present application provides an electronic device, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein the memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the instructions 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-mentioned embodiment.

[0027] An embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the control method of the thermal management system in the above embodiment.

[0028] An embodiment of a fifth aspect of the present application provides an energy storage system, comprising: an energy storage battery, and the thermal management system in the above embodiment, wherein the thermal management system is configured to adjust the temperature of the energy storage battery.

[0029] An embodiment of the sixth aspect of the present application provides an electrical device, including a battery and a thermal management system in the above embodiment, wherein the thermal management system is configured to adjust the temperature of the battery.

[0030] 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, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the multiple drawings represent the same or similar components or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings only depict some embodiments disclosed in this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application.

[0032] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an energy storage system provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0033] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0034] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration branch circuit provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0035] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a first confluence unit provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0036] FIG5 is a flow chart of a control method for a thermal management system provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0037] FIG6 is a flowchart illustrating some steps of a control method for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0038] FIG7 is a flowchart illustrating another portion of steps of a control method for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0039] FIG8 is a flowchart illustrating another portion of steps of a control method for a thermal management system provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0040] FIG9 is a flow chart of a control method for a thermal management system provided in some other embodiments of the present application.

[0041] FIG10 is a flow chart of a control method for a thermal management system provided in some other embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application and are therefore only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0043] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0045] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0046] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the following three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "multiple" refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to more than two pieces (including two pieces).

[0048] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0049] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; internal connections between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application based on specific circumstances.

[0050] Currently, market developments indicate that power batteries are becoming increasingly widely used. They are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal, wind, and solar power plants, but are also widely used in electric vehicles like electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. As power battery applications continue to expand, market demand is also growing.

[0051] As demand for batteries grows, so too does the thermal management requirements for battery systems. Batteries in energy storage systems or power-consuming devices have varying thermal requirements under different operating conditions. Thermal management systems have limited operating power and provide a relatively fixed cooling capacity. When the required cooling capacity exceeds the thermal management system's capacity, the system is unable to meet the cooling demand. However, when the required cooling capacity is lower, the excess cooling capacity of the thermal management system is wasted, resulting in energy loss.

[0052] In order to alleviate the problems of difficult regulation and high energy consumption of the thermal management system, multiple parallel thermal management branches can be set up in the thermal management system. Through independent control of multiple thermal management branches, they can cooperate with each other to achieve a combination of different thermal management capabilities, thereby meeting the thermal treatment requirements of the temperature control object in different scenarios and different working conditions. The simplified regulation difficulty of the thermal management system is conducive to reducing the energy consumption of the thermal management system and improving the operating economy of the thermal management system.

[0053] Based on the above considerations, in order to solve the problems of difficult regulation and low operating economy of the thermal management system, the present application proposes that the thermal management unit between the first convergence unit and the second convergence unit of the thermal management system is set to include multiple refrigeration branches, and the multiple refrigeration branches are fluidly connected to the first convergence unit and the second convergence unit in parallel; wherein the cooling capacity of at least one refrigeration branch among the multiple refrigeration branches is adjustable.

[0054] By connecting multiple refrigeration branches in parallel and making the cooling capacity of at least one refrigeration branch adjustable, the thermal management unit can cooperate with different branches to provide different cooling capacities to flexibly meet the cooling needs in different scenarios and working conditions, thereby achieving more accurate thermal management of the temperature-controlled object and improving thermal management efficiency and operating economy.

[0055] The battery cells disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be used, but are not limited to, in electrical devices such as vehicles, ships, or aircraft. A power supply system comprising the battery cells and batteries disclosed in this application can be used to construct such an electrical device, thereby alleviating the difficulty in regulating and controlling thermal management systems and the high energy consumption.

[0056] The present invention provides an electric device that uses a battery as a power source. The electric device may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery-powered vehicle, an electric car, a ship, a spacecraft, etc. The electric toy may include a fixed or mobile electric toy, such as a game console, an electric car toy, an electric ship toy, and an electric airplane toy, etc. The spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, and a spacecraft, etc.

[0057] For the convenience of description, the following embodiments are described by taking an energy storage system 1000 according to an embodiment of the present application as an example.

[0058] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a structural diagram of an energy storage system 1000 provided in some embodiments of the present application, Figure 2 is a structural diagram of a thermal management system 200 provided in some embodiments of the present application, and Figure 3 is a structural diagram of a refrigeration branch 231 provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0059] Energy storage system 1000 includes an energy storage battery 100 and a thermal management system 200. The energy storage battery 100 includes cells for electrochemical energy storage and may include multiple separately arranged battery packs 110. Each battery pack 110 includes multiple battery cells 10. The thermal management system 200 is a processing system for thermally managing the energy storage battery 100. The thermal management system 200 may be connected to each battery pack 110 via piping to implement thermal management for each battery pack 110.

[0060] Energy storage system 1000 can be a containerized energy storage system or any other type of energy storage system, and this embodiment does not impose any specific limitations. The energy storage battery 100 and thermal management system 200 can be integrated, for example, within a container, or they can be separate and connected via piping.

[0061] An embodiment of the present application provides a thermal management system 200, as shown in Figures 1-3. The thermal management system 200 includes a first confluence unit 210, a second confluence unit 220, a thermal management unit 230, and a regulating device 240. The first confluence unit 210 includes at least one liquid outlet 2101, the second confluence unit 220 includes at least one liquid return port 2201, and the thermal management unit 230 includes multiple cooling branches 231, each of which is fluidically connected in parallel to the first confluence unit 210 and the second confluence unit 220. The regulating device 240 is configured to regulate the cooling capacity of at least one of the multiple cooling branches 231.

[0062] 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, comprising a first confluence unit 210, a thermal management unit 230, and a second confluence unit 220 in fluid communication. The temperature-controlled object may be any object requiring thermal management, such as an energy storage battery, a power battery, or other battery. The liquid outlet 2101 of the first confluence unit 210 and the liquid return port 2201 of the second confluence unit 220 are each fluidically connected to the temperature-controlled object via pipelines, enabling heat exchange through liquid cooling to adjust the temperature of the temperature-controlled object.

[0063] The second confluence unit 220 is a confluence structure at the liquid return end of the thermal management system 200 , and includes at least one liquid return port 2201 . The second confluence unit 220 may include a mixing chamber for mixing liquid returned from at least one liquid return port 2201 .

[0064] The first confluence unit 210 is a confluence structure at the liquid outlet of the thermal management system 200. The first confluence unit 210 includes at least one liquid outlet 2101. The first confluence unit 210 may include a mixing chamber for mixing fluids supplied from multiple branches of the thermal management unit 230. Each liquid outlet 2101 is connected to a battery pack 110 in the energy storage battery 100 via a pipeline. The liquid provided to the energy storage battery 100 performs thermal management on the battery pack 110 through heat exchange. The thermally managed liquid returns to the return port of the second confluence unit 220 through the pipeline, converges and mixes in the second confluence unit 220, and then flows to the thermal management unit 230.

[0065] The thermal management unit 230 includes multiple cooling branches 231. Each cooling branch 231 can independently cool the liquid flowing through it, thereby reducing the temperature of the liquid. The multiple cooling branches 231 are fluidically connected to the first confluence unit 210 and the second confluence unit 220 in parallel.

[0066] As shown in Figure 2, the thermal management unit 230 includes multiple refrigeration branches 231 arranged in parallel, such as a first refrigeration branch 231A and a second refrigeration branch 231B. The refrigeration branch 231 can use liquid cooling to perform heat exchange with the inflowing liquid, so that the temperature of the liquid when it flows out is lower than the temperature when it flows in. It is understandable that multiple refrigeration branches 231 (such as the first refrigeration branch 231A and the second refrigeration branch 231B) can have the same structural form, such as having the same functional components and pipe connection form. Here, the same functional components refer to the same function, but the specific models and parameters can be different. The operating status of multiple refrigeration branches 231 can be independently controlled, and can be operated and shut down separately.

[0067] As shown in FIG3 , in some examples, the refrigeration branch 231 includes an evaporator 2311, a gas-liquid separator 2312, a compressor 2313, a condenser 2314, a liquid reservoir 2315, and an expansion valve 2316, which are connected in sequence. The coolant enters the second confluence unit 220 through the return port 2201 and then enters the evaporator 2311 of the refrigeration branch 231 for heat exchange, transferring heat to the refrigerant. The refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates in the evaporator 2311. It then passes through the drying filter in the gas-liquid separator 2312 and is compressed by the compressor 2313. The compressed refrigerant becomes high-pressure refrigerant, which then enters the condenser 2314 for condensation. A fan forces the heat absorbed by the refrigerant to be dissipated into the atmosphere. The condensed, low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant liquid passes through the expansion valve 2316 for throttling, then returns to low-temperature liquid refrigerant and flows into the evaporator 2311, completing the entire refrigeration cycle. The evaporator 2311 can be a plate heat exchanger.

[0068] The cooling capacity of the cooling branch 231 is an indicator used to measure the ability of the cooling equipment in the cooling branch to reduce the target heat when it is running. The international unit is watts (W). In some examples, the cooling branch 231 is a liquid cooling branch. Its cooling capacity can be calculated according to the temperature difference flow method or the time temperature rise method. The calculation formula of the temperature difference flow method is: Q = C p ·r·V s ΔT;

[0069] Where, Q is the cooling capacity (kW); C p is the specific heat at constant pressure (KJ / kg·℃, kilojoules / kilogram·degrees Celsius), for example, 4.1868KJ / Kg·℃; r is the specific weight (Kg / m 3 , kg / m3), such as: 1000Kg / m 3 ; V s is the water flow rate (m 3 / h, cubic meters / hour), for example: 1.5m 3 / h; ΔT is the water temperature difference (℃, Celsius), which is the difference between the outlet water temperature and the inlet water temperature.

[0070] The regulating device 240 is connected to at least one refrigeration branch 231 to control the cooling capacity of at least one refrigeration branch 231. The cooling capacity of at least one refrigeration branch 231 can vary within a certain set range, so that the corresponding cooling capacity can be output as needed to meet different refrigeration needs. In some examples, the regulating device 240 can control the operating parameters of the functional components on the refrigeration branch 231 to adjust the cooling capacity, for example, adjusting the operating frequency or speed of the compressor on the refrigeration branch 231, the channel area of ​​the compressor suction shut-off valve, etc. In some examples, the cooling capacity of the refrigeration branch 231 can be adjusted in a stepless manner, so as to provide a richer cooling capacity output range.

[0071] By setting up multiple parallel refrigeration branches 231 and combining the adjustment device 240 to adjust the refrigeration capacity of at least one refrigeration branch, a corresponding number of refrigeration branches 231 can be operated according to cooling needs, and the refrigeration capacity of a single refrigeration branch 231 can be actively adjusted to provide a richer refrigeration capacity output range, so that the refrigeration capacity requirements under different working conditions can be flexibly met. At the same time, the parallel refrigeration branches can work independently without affecting each other. Even if some refrigeration branches fail, other refrigeration branches can continue to output to the outside, and the size of the refrigeration capacity can be adjusted as needed to meet the refrigeration needs as much as possible, thereby improving the economy and stability of the thermal management system operation and reducing unnecessary energy consumption losses.

[0072] According to some embodiments of the present application, the compressor 2313 of at least one refrigeration branch 231 is a variable frequency compressor, and the regulating device 240 is connected to the variable frequency compressor to regulate the operating frequency of the variable frequency compressor.

[0073] A variable frequency compressor refers to a compressor that, relative to a compressor with a constant speed, uses a control method or means to continuously adjust its speed within a certain range, thereby continuously changing its output energy. In some examples, a variable frequency compressor can be divided into two parts: a variable frequency controller and a compressor. The principle of a variable frequency controller is to convert the AC power in the power grid into a square wave pulse output. By adjusting the frequency of the square wave pulse (i.e., adjusting the duty cycle), the speed of the motor driving the compressor can be controlled. The higher the operating frequency of the compressor, the higher the speed. When other conditions remain constant, the cooling capacity of the refrigeration branch in which it is located is also higher. In some examples, the compressors 2313 of multiple refrigeration branches 231 can all be variable frequency compressors, or the compressors 2313 of some refrigeration branches 231 can be variable frequency compressors and the compressors 2313 of some refrigeration branches 231 can be fixed frequency compressors. For refrigeration branch 231 using a fixed-frequency compressor, the cooling capacity it provides is its rated cooling capacity. For refrigeration branch 231 using a variable-frequency compressor, its rated cooling capacity is no longer a fixed value but can be varied within a certain range, i.e., between a minimum cooling capacity and a maximum cooling capacity. Adjustment device 240 adjusts the operating frequency of the variable-frequency compressor based on the cooling capacity required by refrigeration branch 231, as determined by actual cooling demand, thereby regulating the cooling capacity of that refrigeration branch 231.

[0074] By setting up a variable frequency compressor, the regulating device 240 can realize the cooling capacity of the refrigeration branch 231 in which it is located by adjusting the operating frequency of the variable frequency compressor, so that the thermal management system 200 can provide cooling capacities in different ranges to the outside world, so as to better match different working conditions. In this way, cooling capacity regulation and energy consumption can be taken into account, the energy loss of the thermal management system 200 can be reduced, and the economy of the operation of the thermal management system 200 can be improved.

[0075] According to some embodiments of the present application, the compressor of the refrigeration branch with the largest cooling capacity among the multiple refrigeration branches 231 is a variable frequency compressor.

[0076] The refrigeration branch with the largest cooling capacity refers to the refrigeration branch with the largest rated cooling capacity among the multiple refrigeration branches 231. For the refrigeration branch 231 where the variable frequency compressor is located, its corresponding rated cooling capacity is within the cooling capacity range. At this time, the maximum value of the cooling capacity range can be used as the rated cooling capacity of the refrigeration branch 231 and compared with the rated cooling capacities of other refrigeration branches 231 to determine the refrigeration branch with the largest cooling capacity. In some examples, as shown in Figure 2, the multiple refrigeration branches 231 include at least a first refrigeration branch 231A and a second refrigeration branch 231B, wherein the compressor of the second refrigeration branch 231B is a variable frequency compressor, the cooling capacity of the first refrigeration branch 231A is 15 kilowatts (KW), and the cooling capacity of the second refrigeration branch 231B is adjustable within the range of 0-25 kilowatts (KW). In this way, by controlling the first refrigeration branch 231A and the second refrigeration branch 231B to cooperate with each other, the supply of cooling capacity in the range of 0-40 kilowatts (KW) can be achieved.

[0077] The compressor of the refrigeration branch with the largest cooling capacity is a variable frequency compressor, which allows the cooling capacity of this refrigeration branch to be adjusted within a relatively larger range. In this way, together with other refrigeration branches, a larger range of cooling capacity changes can be achieved, thereby adapting to the cooling needs of different thermal management conditions and improving the applicability of the thermal management system.

[0078] According to some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG2 , the thermal management unit 230 further includes a heating branch 232 , which is fluidically connected to the first confluence unit 210 and the second confluence unit 220 in parallel with a plurality of cooling branches 231 .

[0079] The heating branch 232 is a branch that can heat the liquid flowing through it. The heating branch 232 is arranged in parallel with the cooling branch 231 to perform different heat treatments (heating or cooling) on ​​the liquid respectively. In this way, when the cooling requirement of the temperature-controlled object decreases, in addition to adjusting the cooling capacity of the cooling branch, it is also possible to cooperate with the heating branch 232 to achieve a decrease in cooling capacity, thereby meeting the thermal management requirements of the temperature-controlled object. In other embodiments, the heating branch 232 can also be controlled to work separately to heat the temperature-controlled object (such as an energy storage battery). The heating branch 232 can be one or more, and multiple heating branches 232 can be connected in parallel in the thermal management unit 230.

[0080] By setting up a heating branch 232 and connecting it in parallel with the cooling branch 231, different treatment methods can be implemented on the liquid, so as to better control the liquid temperature at the first confluence unit 210, thereby improving the external thermal management capability and adjustment range of the thermal management system and improving the adaptability of the thermal management system.

[0081] According to some embodiments of the present application, a plurality of heaters 2321 are connected in series to the heating branch 232 , and the heaters 2321 are used to heat the liquid flowing through the heating branch.

[0082] Heater 2321 can be any device for heating liquid, such as an electromagnetic heater, a resistance heater, or an infrared heater. Multiple heaters 2321 are connected in series to heating branch 232 to collectively heat the liquid flowing through heating branch 232. Multiple heaters 2321 also operate independently of one another and can be turned on and off individually.

[0083] By providing multiple heaters 2321 and connecting them in series, the heating efficiency can be improved while the reliability of the heating function can be improved, and to a certain extent, the failure of a single heater to achieve the heating effect can be avoided.

[0084] Please refer to FIG4 , which is a schematic structural diagram of the first confluence unit 210 provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0085] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first confluence unit 210 includes a first chamber 211, a second chamber 213 and a connecting chamber 212, the first chamber 211 is fluidically connected to the thermal management unit 230; the second chamber 213 is spaced apart from the first chamber 211, and the second chamber 213 is provided with at least one liquid outlet 2101; the connecting chamber 212 is fluidically connected to the first chamber 211 and the second chamber 213 respectively.

[0086] The first chamber 211 can be provided with different liquid inlets, respectively fluidically connected to the cooling branch 231 and the heating branch 232 of the thermal management unit 230, thereby receiving liquid heated or cooled by the thermal management unit 230. As shown in Figure 4, the first chamber 211 is provided with a first inlet A1, a second inlet A2, and a third inlet A3. 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 cooling branch 231A, and the third inlet A3 is connected to the second cooling branch 231B. Due to the different heat handling capabilities of the different branches in the thermal management unit 230, the temperature of the liquid flowing into the first chamber 211 may also vary. This will result in different temperatures of the liquid around the first inlet A1, the second inlet A2, and the third inlet A3 in the first chamber 211. If the liquid were directly connected to the liquid outlet 2101, the temperatures of the different liquid outlets 2101 would vary, directly affecting the thermal management effect of the thermal management system 200 on the temperature-controlled object. In this embodiment, at least one liquid outlet 2101 is provided on the second chamber 213. The second chamber 213 is separated from the first chamber 211 and communicates with it through the connecting chamber 212. Thus, liquid flowing from the thermal management unit 230 to the first confluence unit 210 is first collected in the first chamber 211, then enters the second chamber 213 through the connecting chamber 212. During this process, liquids of different temperatures are mixed, achieving a uniform temperature, before finally flowing out of the second chamber's liquid outlet 2101. The liquid outlet 2101 can be connected to a water pump 2102 via a pipeline, and finally connected to the fluid connector of the battery pack 110 of the energy storage battery 100 via a connector 2103.

[0087] By arranging the first cavity 211 and the second cavity 213 in the first confluence unit 210 at intervals and then connecting them through the connecting cavity 212, liquids of different temperatures can be mixed in the first confluence unit 210. This can keep the temperature of the liquid flowing out of the liquid outlet 2101 as consistent as possible, which is beneficial for the thermal management system 200 to perform precise thermal management of the temperature-controlled object.

[0088] According to some embodiments of the present application, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting cavity 212 is different from the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the first cavity 211 , or is different from the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second cavity 213 .

[0089] The flow cross-sectional area refers to the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow direction of the fluid. As shown in Figure 4, the liquid in the first confluence unit 210 flows from one end of the first cavity 211 to one end of the second cavity 213. The flow direction of the liquid is along the first direction X. Then the flow cross-sectional area is the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the first direction X, that is, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the first cavity 211 is S1, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting cavity 212 is S2, and the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second cavity 213 is S3, and S2 is not equal to S1, or S2 is not equal to S3. In some examples, S1, S2 and S3 can satisfy: S2 <S1<S3。

[0090] As shown in FIG. 4 , the first cavity 211 , the connecting cavity 212 and the second cavity 213 may form a variable cross-section structure similar to an “I” shape, so as to facilitate uniform mixing of the fluid during its forward movement.

[0091] In this embodiment, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting cavity 212 is different from the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the first cavity 211, or different from the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second cavity 213, so that a flow cavity with a variable cross-section can be formed inside the first confluence unit 210. Such a variable cross-sectional design is conducive to better mixing of liquids of different temperatures in the first confluence unit 210, thereby helping to improve the consistency of the outflowing liquid temperature.

[0092] According to some embodiments of the present application, the thermal management system 200 further includes a first temperature sensor 2104 , which is configured to detect the temperature of the liquid in the first confluence unit 210 .

[0093] In some embodiments, the thermal management system 200 further includes a second temperature sensor 2202 , which is configured to detect the temperature of the liquid in the second confluence unit 220 .

[0094] The first temperature sensor 2104 and the second temperature sensor 2202 can be any temperature detection device, such as a thermistor sensor, a thermocouple sensor, a platinum resistance temperature sensor, etc., and this application does not limit this. The first temperature sensor 2104 and the second temperature sensor 2202 can be the same sensor type or different sensor types.

[0095] By setting the first temperature sensor 2104 and the second temperature sensor 2202, the temperature of the outflowing liquid and the temperature of the returning liquid can be obtained in time, which is more conducive to the thermal management system 200 to control the thermal management unit 230 to meet different thermal management requirements, and is conducive to more accurate and efficient thermal management of the temperature-controlled object.

[0096] According to some embodiments of the present application, 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 .

[0097] The control unit 250 can be a processor or controller pre-programmed with a corresponding control program, thereby automatically controlling the thermal management unit 230. Specifically, this can include automatically controlling the functional components of each branch, such as the compressor, heater, valves, and sensors, through control signals. In some examples, the control unit 250 can control the opening and closing of different branches in the thermal management unit 230, control valves in different branches to control liquid flow, and receive or process operating parameters or test results of corresponding functions to control thermal management capabilities, such as heating power, compressor power, cooling capacity, etc. The control unit 250 can directly control the thermal management unit 230 or connect to the regulating device 240 to indirectly control the thermal management unit 230 through the regulating device 240. For example, the control unit 250 can determine a corresponding control strategy based on the corresponding cooling demand and send control signals based on the control strategy to the regulating device 240. The regulating device 240 then specifically controls the operating status or operating parameters of the functional components of each branch in the thermal management unit 230, such as startup, shutdown, frequency adjustment, etc. In some examples, the regulating device 240 can be integrated into the compressor of the corresponding branch, for example, it can be the inverter of the compressor, or it can be integrated into the control unit 250, and the control unit 250 performs the function of regulating the cooling capacity of a single refrigeration branch.

[0098] In other examples, the control unit 250 may also be connected to the first temperature sensor 2104 and the second temperature sensor 2202 via a signal connection, thereby enabling real-time control of the thermal management unit 230 based on real-time temperature changes. Furthermore, the control unit 250 may also be connected to the temperature sensor of a temperature-controlled object via a signal connection to further obtain temperature information of the temperature-controlled object, thereby formulating and implementing a corresponding control strategy.

[0099] By setting up a control unit, automatic control of the thermal management system can be achieved, the automation level and thermal management efficiency can be improved, the complex and changeable thermal management needs of the temperature-controlled object can be met, and more accurate and efficient thermal management can be achieved.

[0100] The second aspect of the present application provides a control method 300 for a thermal management system. Please refer to Figures 5-8. Figure 5 is a flow chart of the control method 300 for a thermal management system provided in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 6 is a flow chart of some steps of the control method 300 for a thermal management system provided in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 7 is a flow chart of another part of the steps of the control method 300 for a thermal management system provided in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 8 is a flow chart of another part of the steps of the control method 300 for a thermal management system provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0101] The thermal management system may be the thermal management system 200 in the above embodiment, and the control method 300 of the thermal management system includes:

[0102] Step S310: Determine the thermal management requirement of the temperature-controlled object.

[0103] The temperature-controlled object can be any object with thermal management requirements, such as batteries in energy storage systems, or batteries in other electrical devices, such as batteries carried in vehicles, aircraft, and 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. The thermal management demand here can be the required cooling capacity or the required heating capacity. It is understandable that the degree of heat generation of the temperature-controlled object under different working conditions is different, and its demand for thermal management is also different. The thermal management demand can be calculated based on the temperature or related parameters of the temperature-controlled object, or it can be determined by direct input.

[0104] Step S320: operating one or more branches in the thermal management unit according to the thermal management demand.

[0105] The thermal management unit may be the thermal management unit 230 in the above-mentioned embodiment. One or more branches in the thermal management unit 230 may control the operation or closure of the corresponding branches by controlling the corresponding compressors or valves, thereby cooperating to achieve the output of different cooling capacities or heating capacities. Based on the determined thermal management demand, the thermal management unit 230 is controlled according to the thermal management capabilities of the multiple branches to control the operation of one or more of the branches. Operation here refers to controlling the various components in the branch to enter a working state and provide cooling or heating to the outside. Specifically, it may include but is not limited to starting and running the compressor, heater, water pump, and opening or adjusting the pipeline valves, etc., so as to provide cooling or heating capacity that matches the thermal management demand. It is understandable that the thermal management unit 230 may include multiple cooling branches and may also include heating branches. The operation of one or more branches claimed in this embodiment may be the operation of one or more cooling branches, the operation of one or more heating branches, or the simultaneous operation of cooling branches and heating branches. The cooling capacity or heating capacity provided by the thermal management unit 230 does not need to be exactly equal to the thermal management demand, and can provide a cooling capacity or heating capacity close to the thermal management demand based on the accuracy of the thermal treatment. In some examples, the thermal management unit 230 can automatically formulate a thermal management control strategy that meets the requirements based on the thermal management demand and the thermal treatment capabilities of different branches, and perform switching control of the corresponding branches according to the thermal management control strategy. In some examples, the thermal management unit 230 can provide multiple different levels of cooling capacity or heating capacity, and according to the size of the thermal management demand, the thermal management unit 230 is controlled to provide the cooling capacity or heating capacity of the level closest to the thermal management demand.

[0106] By controlling the operation or shutdown of one or more branches in the thermal management unit according to the thermal management requirements of the temperature-controlled object, the required thermal management requirements can be provided more accurately, thereby meeting the thermal management requirements of the temperature-controlled object in different scenarios and working conditions and reducing the energy consumption of the thermal management system.

[0107] In some embodiments, step S310 includes:

[0108] Get the current temperature of the temperature control object;

[0109] Based on the current temperature and the preset target temperature, the thermal management demand required to adjust the temperature-controlled object from the current temperature to the preset temperature is determined.

[0110] The current temperature of the temperature-controlled object can be obtained in real time through the temperature sensor. The target temperature is a temperature value pre-set according to the working scene or working state of the temperature-controlled object, and is the target value that the temperature-controlled object expects the temperature to drop or rise after being processed by the thermal management system. Based on the current temperature and the target temperature, the thermal management demand required to adjust the temperature-controlled object from the current temperature to the preset temperature can be calculated. It can be understood that the thermal management demand can be directly automatically calculated by the control system based on the current temperature and the preset target temperature, or it can be input into the thermal management system after other additional calculation units or manual calculations for controlling 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 is conducive to the thermal management system to adjust the corresponding thermal management control strategy in time according to the latest thermal management demand, such as adjusting the operation or shutdown of the corresponding branch.

[0111] Through the current temperature of the temperature object and the preset target temperature, the real-time thermal management demand of the temperature-controlled object can be obtained, so as to control the thermal management system to adjust the control strategy in time, so that the thermal management system can always meet the thermal management demand while reducing unnecessary energy consumption and improving the economic efficiency of the thermal management system operation.

[0112] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S320 includes:

[0113] Step S321: in response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand and the cooling demand being less than or equal to the first cooling capacity, operating a first cooling branch in the thermal management unit, wherein the cooling capacity of the first cooling branch is greater than or equal to the cooling demand;

[0114] Step S322: in response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand and the cooling demand being greater than the first cooling capacity, operating at least two cooling branches in the thermal management unit, wherein the sum of the cooling capacities of the at least two cooling branches is greater than or equal to the cooling demand;

[0115] The first cooling capacity is a maximum value among multiple cooling capacities corresponding to multiple cooling branches of the thermal management unit.

[0116] Each of the multiple refrigeration branches 231 of the thermal management unit 230 corresponds to a cooling capacity, which is used to represent the cooling capacity supply capacity of the refrigeration branch. For example, for a refrigeration branch using a fixed-frequency compressor, the corresponding rated cooling capacity is the cooling capacity of the refrigeration branch. For a refrigeration branch using a variable-frequency compressor, the maximum cooling capacity of the corresponding cooling capacity range is the cooling capacity of the refrigeration branch. The first cooling capacity is the maximum value of the multiple cooling capacities corresponding to the multiple refrigeration branches 231 of the thermal management unit 230. When the thermal management demand is less than or equal to the first cooling capacity, it means that the cooling capacity of at least one first refrigeration branch can meet the thermal management demand alone. When the thermal management demand is greater than the first cooling capacity, it means that any refrigeration branch cannot meet the thermal management demand alone, and at least two refrigeration branches need to be operated, and the sum of the cooling capacities of the at least two operating refrigeration branches is greater than or equal to the cooling demand.

[0117] In some examples, the thermal management unit of the thermal management system includes at least a first refrigeration branch and a second refrigeration branch, the first refrigeration branch includes a first compressor, and the second refrigeration branch includes a second compressor, wherein the cooling capacity of the second refrigeration branch is the maximum cooling capacity, and the branch capacity of the first refrigeration branch is the minimum cooling capacity. Here, the cooling capacity of the second refrigeration branch is taken as the first cooling capacity, and the cooling capacity of the first cooling branch is taken as the second cooling capacity.

[0118] When the thermal management system receives a thermal management request and determines that the thermal management request is a cooling request, it further determines the required cooling demand, compares the cooling demand with the first cooling capacity,

[0119] When the cooling demand is less than the first cooling capacity, it is sufficient to open only one cooling branch that can meet the cooling demand, such as opening the second cooling branch alone; when the cooling demand is less than the second cooling capacity, since the cooling capacity of any cooling branch can meet the cooling demand, any cooling branch can be operated. Here, the first cooling branch with the smallest cooling capacity can be selected to operate, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the thermal management system.

[0120] When the cooling demand is greater than or equal to the first cooling capacity, the first cooling branch and the second cooling branch are operated simultaneously so that the two cooperate to provide a cooling capacity that meets the cooling demand. It can be understood that when the cooling capacity of at least one of the first cooling branch and the second cooling branch is adjustable, the cooperation between the two can achieve continuous changes within a certain cooling capacity range, thereby more accurately meeting the cooling demand.

[0121] According to the cooling demand under different working conditions, the corresponding cooling branch is controlled to provide appropriate cooling capacity. While meeting different cooling needs and achieving precise cooling, it can reduce the energy consumption level of the thermal management system and improve the economic efficiency of the thermal management system operation.

[0122] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S321 further includes:

[0123] Step S3211: obtaining the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch;

[0124] Step S3212: In response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch being greater than a first preset frequency, shutting down the first refrigeration branch and operating the second refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit, where the cooling capacity of the second refrigeration branch is greater than the cooling capacity of the first refrigeration branch;

[0125] Step S3213: In response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch being less than the second preset frequency, shutting down the first refrigeration branch and operating the third refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit, where the cooling capacity of the third refrigeration branch is greater than or equal to the cooling demand and less than the cooling capacity of the first refrigeration branch;

[0126] Step S3214: In response to the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch being greater than the first preset frequency and the cooling capacity of the first refrigeration branch being the largest refrigeration capacity refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit, the first refrigeration branch and the fourth refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit are operated simultaneously; the cooling capacity of the fourth refrigeration branch is less than or equal to the cooling capacity of the first refrigeration branch;

[0127] The second preset frequency is lower than the first preset frequency.

[0128] It should be noted that the names of the first refrigeration branch, the second refrigeration branch, the third refrigeration branch, and the fourth refrigeration branch are only used to distinguish different refrigeration branches and do not limit the number of refrigeration branches. Unlike fixed-frequency compressors, the operating frequency of a variable-frequency compressor can be adjusted within a certain frequency range, thereby adjusting the speed of the compressor. This frequency range is actually the economic frequency range of the variable-frequency compressor. The compressor can operate within this economic frequency range to achieve both refrigeration efficiency, energy consumption, and service life. Since the operating frequency of a fixed-frequency compressor always remains at the rated frequency, and only the variable-frequency compressor changes, the cooling capacity of the refrigeration branch in which it is located and the working status of the compressor can be determined by obtaining the operating frequency of the compressor, so as to optimize the control strategy of the thermal management system.

[0129] The first preset frequency and the second preset frequency can be set based on the economic frequency range of the variable frequency compressor. In one example, the first preset frequency can be the lower limit of the economic frequency range, and the second preset frequency can be the upper limit of the economic frequency range. Alternatively, the first preset frequency can be set within a numerical range close to the lower limit of the economic frequency range, and the second preset frequency can be set within a numerical range close to the upper limit of the economic frequency range. In one example, the economic frequency range of the variable frequency compressor is 30-120 Hz. The first preset frequency can be 30 Hz or any value between 30-40 Hz. The second preset frequency can be 120 Hz or any value between 110-120 Hz. It is understandable that the economic frequency ranges of different compressors may be different, and the corresponding first preset frequencies and second preset frequencies may also be different.

[0130] The operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch can be obtained by detecting the operating parameters of the compressor, or it can be calculated based on the cooling capacity output by the first refrigeration branch determined by the control strategy. It can be understood that, when other conditions remain unchanged, the cooling capacity of the first refrigeration branch is positively correlated with the operating frequency of the compressor. When the operating frequency of the compressor of the first refrigeration branch is greater than the first preset frequency, it means that the cooling capacity required to be output by the first refrigeration branch has exceeded the cooling capacity corresponding to the upper limit of the economic frequency range. At this time, it will consume more energy to continue to use the first refrigeration branch for refrigeration, which is also not good for 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 cooling capacity, thereby reducing the operating cost of the thermal management system and increasing the service life of the equipment while meeting the cooling capacity requirements. The second refrigeration branch can be a variable frequency compressor or a fixed frequency compressor.

[0131] Correspondingly, 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 cooling capacity cannot reach the cooling capacity corresponding to the lower limit value of the first refrigeration branch in the economic frequency range. At this time, still using the first refrigeration branch to provide refrigeration will cause unnecessary energy loss and is also not conducive to the service life of the compressor. It can be switched to the third refrigeration branch with a smaller cooling capacity to provide refrigeration.

[0132] In another example, when the cooling capacity of the first refrigeration branch is already the largest refrigeration branch in the current thermal management unit, and there is no second refrigeration branch with a larger cooling capacity in the thermal management unit, this means that the cooling capacity provided by a single refrigeration branch is not the most economical thermal management control strategy. The first refrigeration branch and the fourth refrigeration branch can be operated simultaneously to provide cooling capacity. This can keep the corresponding compressor within the economic frequency range, thereby reducing the overall energy consumption of the thermal management system. It can be understood that steps S3212-S3214 in this embodiment are independent of each other, and their implementation does not need to depend on other steps. This embodiment does not limit their order.

[0133] The control strategy of the refrigeration branch is further optimized according to the operating frequency of the compressor, so that the thermal management system can provide sufficient cooling capacity to meet the cooling demand while reducing the operating cost of the thermal management system, improving the economic efficiency of operation and the service life of the equipment.

[0134] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S321 further includes:

[0135] The cumulative operating hours of each cooling branch in the thermal management unit whose cooling capacity is greater than or equal to the cooling demand are obtained, and the cooling branch with the shortest cumulative operating hours is used as the first cooling branch.

[0136] Taking into account that there may be multiple refrigeration branches in the thermal management unit whose cooling capacity is greater than or equal to the cooling demand, it is possible to further combine the cumulative working hours of these refrigeration branches to select which refrigeration branch to open. The cumulative working time refers to the cumulative operating time of the corresponding refrigeration branch within a certain time period. This time period can be specifically set according to needs, such as the time period from the last equipment maintenance time to the current time, or the time period from the equipment installation and service to the current time. It is understandable that the longer the cumulative working time, the longer the equipment will run, and the more serious the working wear of the equipment, such as the compressor, will be, which is not good for the service life of the entire thermal management system.

[0137] By further combining the cumulative working hours of the refrigeration branches to assist in optimizing the control strategy of the refrigeration branches, the service life of the equipment in each branch can be better balanced, the severe wear of some equipment due to excessive use can be alleviated, and the overall service life of the thermal management system can be improved.

[0138] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S322 further includes:

[0139] Step S3221: Obtain the operating frequencies of the compressors of at least two refrigeration branches respectively;

[0140] Step S3222: In response to the operating frequency of the compressor being less than or equal to the second preset frequency of the compressor, shutting down the refrigeration branch where the compressor having the operating frequency less than or equal to the second preset frequency is located;

[0141] Step S3223: In response to the situation that the operating frequency of the compressor is greater than the first preset frequency of the compressor, the compressor whose operating frequency is greater than the corresponding first preset frequency is controlled to operate at the first preset frequency.

[0142] For a running compressor, the operating frequency in the current working state can be obtained through corresponding circuit parameters or sensor detection, calculation, etc. For a variable frequency compressor, the operating frequency can be compared with a first preset frequency determined by the upper limit value of the economic frequency range of the corresponding compressor, or a second preset frequency determined by the lower limit value. If the operating frequency is less than or equal to the second preset frequency, it can be considered that the contribution of the refrigeration branch to the cooling capacity is small at this time, which leads to increased energy consumption and a reduction in the service life of the compressor. At this time, the refrigeration branch can be directly closed. Although this reduces the cooling capacity of the thermal management system in a short period of time, on the one hand, the reduced cooling capacity is relatively small and has limited impact on the overall cooling effect. Moreover, as other refrigeration branches continue to operate, the cooling demand also changes. When other set conditions are met, it can be switched to the corresponding working state. Therefore, the duration of this stage is relatively short. On the other hand, it can significantly reduce the energy consumption level of the thermal management system and increase the service life of the compressor, which is beneficial to the entire thermal management system.

[0143] When the compressor's operating frequency exceeds the first preset frequency, it means it has exceeded the economic frequency range. Forcibly operating the refrigeration branch will have a significant negative impact on the compressor's service life. In this case, the compressor can be controlled to operate at the first preset frequency. Although this will reduce the compressor's cooling capacity to a certain extent, it can provide better protection for the compressor and thus extend its service life.

[0144] By optimizing the control strategy of the thermal management branch when the operating frequency of the compressor exceeds the preset frequency range between the first preset frequency and the second preset frequency, the energy consumption level of the thermal management system is reduced and the service life of the equipment in the thermal management system is increased, which is beneficial to improving the overall economy of the thermal management system.

[0145] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S320 further includes: in response to the thermal management demand being a heating demand, operating a heating branch in the thermal management unit.

[0146] As shown in FIG2 , in addition to the cooling branch 231, the thermal management unit 230 may also include a heating branch 232. A plurality of heaters 2321 may be arranged in series on the heating branch 232 to heat the liquid flowing through, thereby heating the temperature-controlled object by heat exchange to meet the heating demand of the temperature-controlled object. Operating the heating branch 232 in the thermal management unit 230 may involve opening the corresponding pipeline valves, or controlling the operating parameters of the heaters 2321 on the pipeline, such as power and quantity, according to the required heating demand, to heat the liquid to a certain temperature. In some examples, the heating branch 232 may also cooperate with the cooling branch 231 to adjust the temperature of the liquid converging to the first confluence unit 210 to better meet the heat treatment requirements of the temperature-controlled object.

[0147] By providing the heating branch 232 , the liquid can be heated, which can meet the heating requirements of the temperature-controlled object, thereby increasing the application range of the thermal management system.

[0148] An embodiment of the third aspect of the present application also provides an electronic device, which includes: at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein the memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the control method 300 of the thermal management system in the above embodiment.

[0149] Various embodiments of the systems and techniques described above in this application can 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), system-on-chip systems (SOCs), programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments may include being implemented in one or more computer programs that are executable and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be a special purpose or general purpose programmable processor that can receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmit data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0150] The embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the control method 300 of the thermal management system in the above embodiment.

[0151] Computer readable media can be tangible media that can contain or store programs for use with or in combination with an instruction execution system, device or equipment. Machine-readable media can be machine-readable signal media or machine-readable storage media. Machine-readable media can include, but are not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices or equipment, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of machine-readable storage media can include electrical connections based on one or more lines, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memories (RAM), read-only memories (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0152] An embodiment of the fifth aspect of the present application further provides an energy storage system 1000 , which includes an energy storage battery 100 and the thermal management system 200 in the above embodiment, and the thermal management system 200 is configured to adjust the temperature of the energy storage battery 100 .

[0153] The energy storage battery 100 can be any type of battery, such as a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, but is not limited thereto. A single battery can be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or other shapes.

[0154] An embodiment of the sixth aspect of the present application provides an electrical device using a battery as a power source, which includes a battery and the thermal management system 200 in the above embodiment, and the thermal management system 200 is configured to adjust the temperature of the battery.

[0155] Electrical devices may include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, electric toys, electric tools, battery-powered vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Electric toys may include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Spacecraft may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0156] Please refer to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a flow chart of a control method 400 for a thermal management system provided in some other embodiments of the present application. Figure 10 is a flow chart of a control method 500 for a thermal management system provided in some other embodiments of the present application.

[0157] The above embodiments of the present application are further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments, as shown in Figures 1-10.

[0158] The thermal management system 200 includes a first confluence unit 210, a thermal management unit 230, and a second confluence unit 220 that are fluidically connected. The first confluence unit 210 is a confluence structure at the liquid outlet end of the thermal management system 200. The first confluence unit 210 includes at least one liquid outlet port 2101. The second confluence unit 220 is a confluence structure at the liquid return end of the thermal management system 200, including at least one liquid return port 2201. The thermal management unit 230 includes multiple cooling branches 231 and at least one heating branch 232. The multiple cooling branches 231 and the at least one heating branch 232 are fluidically connected to the first confluence unit 210 and the second confluence unit 220 in parallel.

[0159] The cooling branch 231 includes 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 is connected in series with a plurality of heaters 2321.

[0160] The first confluence 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 liquid outlet 2101. The connecting chamber 212 is in fluid communication with the first chamber 211 and the second chamber 213. The flow cross-sectional area S2 of the connecting chamber 212 is smaller than the flow cross-sectional area S1 of the first chamber 211 and the flow cross-sectional area S3 of the second chamber 213.

[0161] 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 is used to detect the temperature of the liquid in the first confluence unit 210, and the second temperature sensor 2202 is used to detect the temperature of the liquid in the second confluence unit 220. The control unit 250 is electrically connected to the thermal management unit 230.

[0162] The control method of the thermal management system 200 is further described below with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 .

[0163] The first refrigeration branch 231A in the thermal management unit 230 includes a first compressor, and the second refrigeration branch 231B includes a second compressor. Both the first compressor and the second compressor are variable frequency compressors, and the maximum cooling capacity of the first compressor is the second cooling capacity, the maximum cooling capacity of the second compressor is the first cooling capacity, and the first cooling capacity is greater than the second cooling capacity.

[0164] In some examples, the thermal management system 200 may be controlled according to the following control method, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0165] Step S401: The thermal management system receives a cooling request. This cooling request can be a request signal from the energy storage system or the control system of the power consumption device to the thermal management system, or it can be determined by the thermal management system based on the difference between the temperature of the temperature-controlled object (e.g., the energy storage battery or the battery of the power consumption device) and a preset target temperature.

[0166] Step S402: Determine the cooling capacity. The cooling capacity requirement is calculated based on the cooling request and the difference between the temperature of the temperature-controlled object (eg, the energy storage battery or the battery of the electrical device) and a preset target temperature.

[0167] Step S403: Determine whether the cooling demand meets the preset conditions. If the cooling demand is less than or equal to the second cooling capacity, execute step S404; if the cooling demand is greater than the second cooling capacity and less than the first cooling capacity, execute step S408; if the cooling demand is greater than or equal to the first cooling capacity, execute step S412.

[0168] Step S404: operating the first compressor, that is, operating the first refrigeration branch, so that the first refrigeration branch where the first compressor is located is in operation.

[0169] Step S405: Determine whether the operating frequency of the first compressor exceeds the upper limit of the economic frequency. 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, the determination is yes, and steps S406 and S408 are executed. If the operating frequency is less than the upper limit of the economic frequency range, the determination is no, and step S407 is executed.

[0170] Step S406: Turn off the first compressor. Correspondingly, the first refrigeration branch where the first compressor is located is turned off, and step S408 is executed simultaneously.

[0171] Step S407: Determine whether a shutdown request signal from the system is received. If so, execute step S417; if not, continue to execute step S404.

[0172] Step S408: operating the second compressor, that is, operating the second refrigeration branch, so that the second refrigeration branch where the second compressor is located is in operation.

[0173] Step S409: Determine 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, the determination is no, and step S411 is executed.

[0174] Step S410: Turn off the second compressor, correspondingly turn off the first refrigeration branch where the first compressor is located, and execute step S404 simultaneously.

[0175] Step S411: Determine whether a shutdown request signal from the system is received. If so, execute step S417; if not, continue to execute step S408.

[0176] Step S412: operating the first compressor and the second compressor simultaneously, that is, operating the first refrigeration branch and the second refrigeration branch simultaneously, so that the first refrigeration branch and the second refrigeration branch work simultaneously.

[0177] Step S413: Determine whether the operating frequency of the second compressor is less than or equal to the economic frequency lower limit. Compare the operating frequency of the second compressor with the lower limit of the economic frequency range corresponding to the second compressor. If the operating frequency is less than or equal to the lower limit of the economic frequency range, the determination is yes and step S414 is executed. If the operating frequency is greater than the lower limit of the economic frequency range, the determination is no and step S415 is executed.

[0178] Step S414: Turn off the second compressor.

[0179] Step S415: Determine whether the operating frequency of the first compressor is greater than or equal to 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 greater than or equal to the upper limit of the economic frequency range, the determination is yes, and the upper limit of the economic frequency range is used as the operating frequency of the first compressor. The process continues with step S412, i.e., the first and second compressors are kept running simultaneously. If the operating frequency is less than the upper limit of the economic frequency range, the determination is no, and step S416 is executed.

[0180] Step S416: Determine whether a shutdown request signal from the system is received. If so, execute step S417; if not, continue to execute step S412.

[0181] Step S417: The system is shut down.

[0182] In other embodiments, the thermal management system 200 may also operate according to the following control method:

[0183] Step S501: The thermal management system receives a cooling request.

[0184] Step S502: Determine the cooling capacity. The cooling capacity requirement is determined based on the cooling request and the difference between the temperature of the temperature-controlled object and a preset target temperature.

[0185] Step S503: Determine whether the cooling demand meets the preset conditions. If the cooling demand is less than or equal to the second cooling capacity, execute step S504; if the cooling demand is greater than or equal to the first cooling capacity, execute step S505.

[0186] Step S504: Obtain the accumulated operating hours of the first compressor and the second compressor.

[0187] Step S506: Determine the size of the accumulated operating time of the first compressor and the accumulated operating time of the second compressor. If the accumulated operating time of the first compressor is longer, execute step S507; if the accumulated operating time of the second compressor is longer, execute step S508.

[0188] Step S507: operating the first compressor, that is, operating the first refrigeration branch, so that the first refrigeration branch where the first compressor is located is in operation.

[0189] Step S508: operating the second compressor, that is, operating the second refrigeration branch, so that the second refrigeration branch where the second compressor is located is in operation.

[0190] Step S509: Obtain the operating frequency of the first compressor or the second compressor, and compare the operating frequency with the upper limit value of the corresponding economic frequency range. If the operating frequency is greater than or equal to the upper limit value 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 value of the corresponding economic frequency range, it is determined to be no and step S510 is executed.

[0191] Step S510: Determine whether a shutdown request signal from the system is received. If so, execute step S512; if not, continue to execute step S507 or S508.

[0192] Step S505: operating the first compressor and the second compressor simultaneously, that is, operating the first refrigeration branch and the second refrigeration branch simultaneously, so that the first refrigeration branch and the second refrigeration branch work simultaneously.

[0193] Step S511: Determine whether a shutdown request signal from the system is received. If so, execute step S512; if not, continue to execute step S505.

[0194] Step S512: Shut down the system.

[0195] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A thermal management system, comprising: The first confluence unit comprises at least one liquid outlet, The second confluence unit includes at least one liquid return port, A thermal management unit, comprising a plurality of refrigeration branches, wherein the plurality of refrigeration branches are respectively connected to the first confluence unit and the second confluence unit in parallel; The regulating device is used to regulate the refrigeration capacity of at least one refrigeration branch among the multiple refrigeration branches.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The compressor of at least one refrigeration branch is a variable frequency compressor, and the regulating device is connected to the variable frequency compressor to regulate the operating frequency of the variable frequency compressor.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 2, wherein: The compressor of the refrigeration branch with the largest refrigeration capacity among the multiple refrigeration branches is a variable frequency compressor.

4. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the thermal management unit further comprises a heating branch, and the heating branch and the plurality of cooling branches are respectively connected to the first confluence unit and the second confluence unit fluid in parallel.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 4, wherein: A plurality of heaters are connected in series on the heating branch, and the heaters are used to heat the liquid flowing through the heating branch.

6. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The first confluence unit comprises: a first chamber in fluid communication with the thermal management unit; a second chamber, spaced apart from the first chamber, wherein the second chamber is provided with the at least one liquid outlet; as well as The connecting chamber is in fluid communication with the first chamber and the second chamber respectively.

7. The thermal management system according to claim 6, wherein: The flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting cavity is different from the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the first cavity, or is different from the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second cavity.

8. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: Also includes: A first temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the liquid in the first confluence unit; and / or The second temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the liquid in the second confluence unit.

9. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: Also includes: A control unit is connected to the thermal management unit and the regulating device.

10. A control method for a thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: include: Determine thermal management requirements; One or more branches in the thermal management unit are operated according to the thermal management demand.

11. The control method of a thermal management system according to claim 10, wherein: Determining the thermal management demand of the temperature control object includes: Obtaining the current temperature of the temperature-controlled object; A thermal management demand required to adjust the temperature-controlled object from the current temperature to the preset temperature is determined according to the current temperature and the preset target temperature.

12. The control method of a thermal management system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: The operating one or more branches in the thermal management unit according to the thermal management demand comprises: In response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand and the cooling demand being less than or equal to a first cooling capacity, operating a first cooling branch in the thermal management unit, wherein the cooling capacity of the first cooling branch is greater than or equal to the cooling demand; In response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand and the cooling demand being greater than a first cooling capacity, operating at least two cooling branches in the thermal management unit, wherein a sum of cooling capacities of the at least two cooling branches is greater than or equal to the cooling demand; The first cooling capacity is the maximum value of multiple cooling capacities corresponding to multiple cooling branches of the thermal management unit.

13. The control method of the thermal management system according to claim 12, wherein: In response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand, and the cooling demand being less than or equal to a first cooling capacity, operating a first cooling branch in the thermal management unit, wherein the cooling capacity of the first cooling branch is greater than or equal to the cooling demand, further comprising: Acquire 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 closed, and a second refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit is operated, wherein a refrigeration capacity of the second refrigeration branch is greater than a refrigeration capacity of the first refrigeration branch; In response to the operating frequency of the compressor being less than a second preset frequency, the first refrigeration branch is closed, and a third refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit is operated, wherein a refrigeration capacity of the third refrigeration branch is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand and less than a refrigeration capacity of the first refrigeration branch; In response to the operating frequency of the compressor being greater than a first preset frequency and the first refrigeration branch being the refrigeration branch with the largest 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 capacity of the fourth refrigeration branch is less than or equal to the refrigeration capacity of the first refrigeration branch; The second preset frequency is smaller than the first preset frequency.

14. The control method of a thermal management system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein: In response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand and the cooling demand being less than or equal to a first cooling capacity, operating a first cooling branch in the thermal management unit, wherein the cooling capacity of the first cooling branch is greater than or equal to the cooling demand, further comprising: The accumulated working time of each refrigeration branch in the thermal management unit whose refrigeration capacity is greater than or equal to the refrigeration demand is obtained, and the refrigeration branch with the shortest accumulated working time is used as the first refrigeration branch.

15. The control method of a thermal management system according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein: In response to the thermal management demand being a cooling demand, and the cooling demand being greater than a first cooling capacity, operating at least two cooling branches in the thermal management unit, wherein a sum of cooling capacities of the at least two cooling branches is greater than or equal to the cooling demand, further comprising: respectively obtaining operating frequencies of the compressors of the at least two refrigeration branches; In response to the operating frequency of the compressor being less than or equal to a second preset frequency of the compressor, closing the refrigeration branch where the compressor having an operating frequency less than or equal to the second preset frequency is located; 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; The second preset frequency is smaller than the first preset frequency.

16. The control method of a thermal management system according to any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein: The operating one or more branches in the thermal management unit according to the thermal management demand further comprises: In response to the thermal management demand being a heating demand, a heating branch in the thermal management unit is operated.

17. An electronic device comprising: at least one processor; as well as a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein, The memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the instructions 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 according to any one of claims 10 to 16.

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

19. An energy storage system comprising: Energy storage batteries, and The 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 energy storage battery.

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

Images