Thermal runaway management system, computing device cluster, and data center

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a thermal runaway management system, a computing device cluster, and a data center. The thermal runaway management system is arranged in the computing device cluster, the computing device cluster comprises at least one cabinet, at least one energy storage apparatus is arranged in each cabinet, and each energy storage apparatus is provided with at least one energy storage unit. The thermal runaway management system comprises a storage apparatus, a transmission assembly and a control assembly, wherein a cooling medium is stored in the storage apparatus; the transmission assembly comprises a main pipe, the main pipe is connected to the storage apparatus, the main pipe is connected to at least one main connecting pipe, each main connecting pipe is connected to at least one connecting sub-pipe, and the connecting sub-pipe is connected to the energy storage unit; and the control assembly is arranged on the transmission assembly, and at least part of the control assembly is arranged inside the energy storage unit, such that when an ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is greater than or equal to a thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, the cooling medium enters the interior of the energy storage unit through the transmission assembly.

Description

Thermal runaway management system, computing equipment cluster, and data center

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on November 29, 2023, with application number 202311616045.7 and application name “A thermal runaway treatment device for an energy storage system”, and the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on May 8, 2024, with application number 202410564500.1 and application name “A thermal runaway management system, computing equipment cluster and data center”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of data center technology, and in particular to a thermal runaway management system, a computing device cluster, and a data center. Background Art

[0003] With the advancement of network and communication technologies, data center computer rooms have integrated large clusters of computing devices, including physical servers, virtual machines, and distributed computing nodes. Data center computer rooms often feature energy storage units, such as batteries, as backup power sources for these devices. However, factors such as overcharging or squeezing batteries during use can easily cause the battery temperature to rise sharply, reaching the thermal runaway temperature. This can trigger thermal runaway, leading to fires and even explosions, significantly reducing the safety of the data center.

[0004] Once thermal runaway occurs in a data center, existing technologies typically use fire extinguishing media to cool the data center from the outside. However, external cooling can only extinguish the open flames generated by thermal runaway in the data center, and cannot effectively control the thermal runaway of batteries inside the data center or the spread of internal battery runaway.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present application provides a thermal runaway management system, a computing device cluster, and a data center, which can control the temperature in the data center in the early or middle stages of thermal runaway, prevent or slow down the occurrence of thermal runaway, and thereby block the spread of thermal runaway, thereby minimizing the asset loss of the data center.

[0007] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a thermal runaway management system, wherein the thermal runaway management system is provided in a computing device cluster, wherein the computing device cluster includes at least one cabinet, each of the cabinets is provided with at least one energy storage device, and each of the energy storage devices includes at least one energy storage unit, wherein the thermal runaway management system includes:

[0008] a storage device, wherein a cooling medium is stored in the storage device;

[0009] a transmission assembly, the transmission assembly comprising a main pipeline, the main pipeline being connected to the storage device, the main pipeline being connected to at least one main connecting pipeline, the main connecting pipelines corresponding one-to-one to the energy storage devices, each main connecting pipeline being connected to at least one sub-connecting pipeline, the sub-connecting pipelines corresponding one-to-one to the energy storage units, and the sub-connecting pipelines being connected to the energy storage units;

[0010] A control component is disposed on the transmission component, and the control component is at least partially disposed inside the energy storage unit, so that when the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, the cooling medium enters the energy storage unit through the transmission component.

[0011] In the above scheme, the thermal runaway management system of the present application is mainly set in the computing device cluster, which can be used to prevent or deal with the risk of thermal runaway of the energy storage unit in the computing device cluster, and further avoid the runaway propagation of the energy storage unit. Specifically, the transmission component of the present application is directly connected to each energy storage unit, and the control component is at least partially set inside the energy storage unit to detect the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit, and the control component is set on the transmission component, so that when the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, the cooling medium enters the energy storage unit through the transmission component, and the heat generated by the cooling medium and the energy storage unit is heat-exchanged to achieve thermal runaway processing of the energy storage unit, thereby reducing the temperature of the energy storage unit, avoiding the risk of thermal runaway of the energy storage unit, reducing the risk of fire or even explosion of the energy storage unit, and further avoiding the thermal runaway of the energy storage unit to spread to the surrounding energy storage units and cabinets, effectively blocking the propagation of thermal runaway, and reducing the thermal runaway risk of the computing device cluster. It can be understood that thermal runaway of an energy storage unit refers to a phenomenon in which the temperature inside the energy storage unit rises sharply due to a runaway chemical reaction. The thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit refers to the critical temperature at which the energy storage unit is about to experience thermal runaway. When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, it indicates that the energy storage unit is about to experience thermal runaway. In the thermal runaway management system of the present application, the control component can be used to detect the ambient temperature inside the energy storage unit, and can also control the cooling medium to enter the energy storage unit through the transmission component. It can be processed in a timely manner at the initial stage of thermal runaway of any energy storage unit or when it reignites. It can effectively suppress the thermal runaway of the energy storage unit and the spread of thermal runaway, extinguish the fire in time, and improve the safety of the computing device cluster.

[0012] In some possible implementations, when the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is lower than the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, the control component causes the transmission component to be in a non-conducting state;

[0013] When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, the control component causes the transmission component to be in a conducting state.

[0014] In the above scheme, a control component is set to detect the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit and to adjust the state of the transmission component, so that the transmission component is in a conductive state or a non-conductive state. When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit detected by the control component is lower than the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, it indicates that the energy storage unit is in a normal state and thermal runaway will not occur. The control component is in a non-conductive state, and the cooling medium in the storage device cannot communicate with the interior of the energy storage unit through the transmission component. When the ambient temperature detected by the control component is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, it indicates that the energy storage unit is at risk of thermal runaway or has already experienced thermal runaway. The control component is in a conductive state, and the cooling medium in the storage device can communicate with the interior of the energy storage unit through the transmission component and exchange heat with the heat generated inside the energy storage unit, thereby reducing the temperature of the energy storage unit, avoiding the risk of thermal runaway of the energy storage unit, reducing the risk of fire or even explosion of the energy storage unit, and further preventing the thermal runaway of the energy storage unit from spreading to surrounding energy storage units and cabinets, effectively blocking the spread of thermal runaway and reducing the risk of thermal runaway.

[0015] In some possible implementations, the control component includes a fire detection tube and a container valve, the container valve is arranged on the sub-connecting pipeline, one end of the fire detection tube is connected to the container valve, and the other end of the fire detection tube is arranged inside the energy storage unit.

[0016] In the above scheme, this application utilizes a combination of a container valve and a fire detection tube as a control component. The fire detection tube is equipped with a fire detection material that expands and explodes upon exposure to heat at a certain temperature. The explosion temperature of the fire detection tube in this application is set to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit. The container valve is installed on the sub-connecting pipeline to control whether the sub-connecting pipeline is conductive or non-conductive. When the container valve is closed at a constant pressure, the sub-connecting pipeline is non-conductive. When the container valve is open at a certain pressure, the sub-connecting pipeline is conductive. During the initial operation of the thermal runaway management system, the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is relatively low, below the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit. In this state, the fire detection tube is in a normal, unexploded state, and the container valve is at a constant pressure and closed. If the fire detection tube explodes, indicating a risk of thermal runaway in the energy storage unit, the pressure within the fire detection tube drops suddenly, and the pressure at the end of the container valve near the fire detection tube also drops. The container valve opens, connecting the sub-connecting pipeline, allowing the cooling medium in the storage device to pass through the transmission assembly and into the energy storage unit to achieve thermal runaway control. In some embodiments, the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit is set at 70°C.

[0017] In some possible implementations, the energy storage unit includes at least one battery cell group, the battery cell group includes at least one battery cell, and the fire detection tube is disposed on a surface of at least one of the battery cells.

[0018] In the above scheme, the fire detection tube is set on the surface of the battery cell inside the energy storage unit, so that the fire detection tube can directly detect the temperature of the battery cell and obtain more accurate thermal runaway information, which is conducive to the rapid delivery of cooling medium to the energy storage unit corresponding to the battery cell experiencing thermal runaway, thereby achieving rapid thermal runaway processing. The battery cell is the smallest independently usable unit in the energy storage system, and it is usually arranged in regular rows and columns inside the energy storage unit. Preferably, the fire detection tube surrounds each battery cell group in turn and is surrounded by the surface of all battery cell modules in the battery cell group to monitor the temperature of all battery cells in the energy storage unit.

[0019] In some possible implementations, the sub-connecting pipeline includes a first pipeline and a second pipeline that are connected, the first pipeline is arranged outside the energy storage unit, and the second pipeline is arranged inside the energy storage unit.

[0020] In the above solution, the sub-connecting pipeline of the present application includes two parts of pipelines, one part of which is arranged outside the energy storage unit, and the other part of which is arranged inside the energy storage unit. In this way, the cooling medium can be directly transported to the interior of the energy storage unit to achieve heat exchange, thereby improving the efficiency of handling thermal runaway. Preferably, since the control component makes the sub-connecting pipeline in a conductive state or a non-conductive state, in this solution, the control component can make the first pipeline and the second pipeline in a connected state or a disconnected state. When the first pipeline and the second pipeline are in a connected state, the sub-connecting pipeline is in a conductive state, and when the first pipeline and the second pipeline are in a disconnected state, the sub-connecting pipeline is in a non-conductive state. The cooling medium can be transmitted to the main pipeline, the main connecting pipeline and the first pipeline of the transmission component in the initial state. If the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, the control component connects the first pipeline and the second pipeline, that is, the sub-connecting pipeline is in a conductive state. The cooling medium in the first pipeline can quickly reach the interior of the energy storage unit through the second pipeline, thereby realizing thermal runaway treatment inside the energy storage unit. In this way, when thermal runaway occurs in the energy storage unit, the transmission distance and transmission time of the cooling medium can be shortened, thereby greatly improving the thermal runaway treatment efficiency of the energy storage unit.

[0021] In some possible implementations, the control component includes a temperature sensing element, and the temperature sensing element is disposed inside the second pipeline;

[0022] When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is lower than the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, the temperature sensing element is sealed inside the second pipeline so that the second pipeline is in a non-conducting state;

[0023] When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, the temperature sensing element changes so that the second pipeline is in a conducting state.

[0024] In the above scheme, a temperature sensing element is used as a control component, and the temperature sensing element is set in the second pipeline inside the energy storage unit. The temperature sensing element can be used as a detection element for the temperature inside the energy storage unit, and can also be used as a control element for whether the sub-connecting pipeline is conductive. In this way, when the thermal runaway management system is initially working, the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is lower than the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, and the cooling medium can be pre-transmitted to the main pipeline, the main connecting pipeline, the first pipeline, and the second pipeline connected to the first pipeline of the transmission component, that is, the cooling medium has entered the interior of the energy storage unit before thermal runaway occurs. The presence of the temperature sensing element prevents the cooling medium from flowing out through the transmission component. If the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit, the temperature sensing element changes so that the second pipeline is conductive, then the cooling medium can flow out from the second pipeline and undergo heat exchange with the interior of the energy storage unit to achieve thermal runaway processing. The present application further shortens the transmission distance and transmission time of the cooling medium by setting a temperature sensing element, greatly improving the thermal runaway processing efficiency of the energy storage unit.

[0025] In some possible implementations, the temperature sensing element includes a temperature-sensitive glass ball and / or a shape memory alloy.

[0026] In the above scheme, the temperature-sensitive glass ball is sensitive to temperature and can explode after being exposed to high-temperature radiation, thereby realizing the conductive or non-conductive state of the sub-connecting pipeline, realizing the temperature detection of the energy storage unit and controlling whether the cooling medium enters the energy storage unit. The temperature-sensitive glass ball can be customized in temperature and diameter, so it can be applied to pipelines with different functions and different diameters, improving the application scenarios of temperature sensing elements. Shape memory alloy is sensitive to temperature and can produce reversible deformation at different temperatures, thereby making the sub-connecting pipeline conductive or non-conductive, realizing the temperature detection of the energy storage unit and controlling whether the cooling medium enters the energy storage unit. Shape memory alloy can arbitrarily customize the shape and deformation temperature, improving the application scenarios of temperature sensing elements.

[0027] In some possible implementations, the thermal runaway management system further includes a connector, which is disposed on the energy storage unit, and through which the sub-connecting pipeline is detachably connected to the energy storage unit.

[0028] In the above solution, a joint is provided to enable the sub-connecting pipeline and the energy storage unit to be detachably connected, thereby facilitating subsequent maintenance and management.

[0029] In some possible embodiments, the thermal runaway management system further includes a control module and a first regulating valve, wherein the control module is connected to the control component and the first regulating valve respectively, and the first regulating valve is arranged on at least one of the main line, the main connecting line and the sub-connecting line.

[0030] In the above scheme, the present application sets a control module and a first regulating valve in the thermal runaway management system. The first regulating valve can be, for example, a flow regulating valve. The control module controls the opening size of the first regulating valve according to the changes in the control component, thereby adjusting the flow of the cooling medium into the energy storage unit, avoiding the abuse of the cooling medium causing the thermal runaway to be suppressed in time or causing waste of the cooling medium. Since the transmission components in the thermal runaway management system of the present application are distributed and the storage device stores the cooling medium in a centralized manner, by setting the first regulating valve on at least one of the main pipeline, the main connecting pipeline and the sub-connecting pipeline, the flow control of different pipelines of the transmission component is achieved, so that a smaller amount of cooling medium stored in the storage device can achieve thermal runaway suppression of the entire computing device cluster.

[0031] In some possible implementations, the thermal runaway management system further includes a temperature sensing module, which is used to detect the ambient temperature in any of the energy storage units, and the temperature sensing module is connected to the control module.

[0032] In the above scheme, the present application sets a temperature sensing module in the thermal runaway management system. The temperature sensing module is used to accurately detect the temperature inside the energy storage unit. The control module can adjust the flow rate of the cooling medium into the energy storage unit according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensing module, thereby improving the accuracy of thermal runaway suppression and avoiding the abuse of the cooling medium, which may cause untimely thermal runaway suppression or waste of cooling medium.

[0033] In some possible implementations, the storage device includes a liquid storage device, the cooling medium is disposed in the liquid storage device, and the liquid storage device is in communication with the main line.

[0034] In the above scheme, the present application realizes the storage of cooling medium by setting up a liquid storage device. The cooling medium is concentrated in a pool and can only store the amount of cooling medium required to cope with thermal runaway of 1 to 2 energy storage units, which can maximize the reduction of cooling medium storage requirements.

[0035] In some possible embodiments, the storage device further includes a gas storage device, the gas storage device and the liquid storage device are connected via a pipeline, a second regulating valve is provided on the pipeline, a first pressure is present in the gas storage device, a second pressure is present in the liquid storage device, and the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.

[0036] In the above solution, an air storage device is provided to provide a driving force for transporting the cooling medium in the liquid storage device to the transmission component. Specifically, a first pressure is present in the air storage device, and a second pressure is present in the liquid storage device. The first pressure is greater than the second pressure. The pressure difference between the first pressure and the second pressure enables the cooling medium in the liquid storage device to be actively transported to the interior of the transmission component. In some embodiments, there is pressure in the air storage device, and there is no pressure in the liquid storage device. In other embodiments, there is pressure in the air storage device and there is pressure in the liquid storage device, and the pressure in the air storage device is greater than the pressure in the liquid storage device.

[0037] In some possible implementations, a liquid delivery device is provided on the main line, and the liquid delivery device is used to extract the cooling medium in the storage device.

[0038] In the above solution, the liquid delivery device can actively extract the cooling medium in the liquid storage device to achieve the transmission of the cooling medium to the transmission component. In some embodiments, the liquid delivery device is a liquid delivery pump.

[0039] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computing device cluster, which includes at least one cabinet, each of which is provided with at least one energy storage device, each of which includes at least one energy storage unit, and the computing device cluster is provided with the thermal runaway management system described in the first aspect.

[0040] In the above scheme, the thermal runaway management system of the present application is applied to a computing device cluster, and timely processing can be performed when any energy storage unit experiences thermal runaway in the early stage or when it reignites, so that the temperature of the energy storage units in the computing device cluster is continuously controlled at a low level, suppressing open flames and heat abuse, effectively suppressing the occurrence and spread of internal thermal runaway in the computing device cluster, and improving the safety of the computing device cluster.

[0041] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a data center, wherein the data center includes at least one computing device cluster, wherein the computing device cluster includes at least one cabinet, wherein each cabinet is provided with at least one energy storage device, wherein each energy storage device includes at least one energy storage unit, and wherein the computing device cluster is provided with the thermal runaway management system described in the first aspect. In the above scheme, the data center of the present application applies the thermal runaway management system described in the first aspect, which can promptly handle the initial stage of thermal runaway of any energy storage unit or when it reignites, so that the temperature of the energy storage unit of the data center is continuously controlled at a low level, suppressing open flames and heat abuse, effectively suppressing the occurrence and spread of thermal runaway in the data center, and improving the safety of the data center. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0043] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a data center provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computing device cluster provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal runaway management system provided in a computing device cluster according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an energy storage unit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a liquid storage device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management system including a control module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of another liquid storage device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a sub-connecting pipeline provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of another sub-connecting pipeline provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a second pipeline provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control assembly including a fire detection tube and a container valve provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of thermal runaway processing by a control component and a control module according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which a control assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application includes a temperature-sensitive glass ball;

[0056] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of another structure of a control assembly including a temperature-sensitive glass ball provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] FIG15 is a schematic structural diagram of the cooperative effect of the temperature-sensitive glass ball and the control module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] FIG16 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control component including a shape memory alloy provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] FIG17 is a schematic structural diagram of the synergistic effect of the shape memory alloy and the control module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] FIG18 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermal runaway management system including a temperature sensing module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] FIG19 is a schematic structural diagram of the first regulating valve provided in an embodiment of the present application when in a non-operating state;

[0062] Figure 20 is a structural schematic diagram of the first regulating valve provided in an embodiment of the present application when it is in a working state.

[0063] In the attached figure:

[0064] 10-Data Center;

[0065] 1-Computing device cluster;

[0066] 11-cabinet;

[0067] 12-Energy storage device;

[0068] 13-Energy storage unit;

[0069] 131-battery cell group; 131a-battery cell;

[0070] 2- Storage device;

[0071] 21-liquid storage device;

[0072] 22-gas storage device;

[0073] 23-Pipeline;

[0074] 24- second regulating valve;

[0075] 25-Liquid delivery device;

[0076] 26-first pressure detection device;

[0077] 27- second pressure detection device;

[0078] 3-Transmission components;

[0079] 31-Main Road;

[0080] 32-main connecting pipeline;

[0081] 33-sub-connecting pipeline;

[0082] 331-first pipeline;

[0083] 332-second pipeline; 3321-second pipeline body; 3322-second sub-pipeline;

[0084] 34-connector;

[0085] 4-Control components;

[0086] 41-fire detection tube;

[0087] 42-Container valve;

[0088] 43-Thermosensitive glass ball;

[0089] 44-Shape memory alloy;

[0090] 5-Control module;

[0091] 6-first regulating valve;

[0092] 7-Bypass valve;

[0093] 8-Bypass pipeline;

[0094] 9-Temperature sensor module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0095] In order to better understand the technical solution of the present application, the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0096] It should be clear that the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0097] The terms used in the embodiments of the present application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present application. The singular forms "a", "an", "the" and "the" used in the embodiments of the present application and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0098] It should be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein simply describes a relationship between associated objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent: A alone, A and B together, or B alone. Furthermore, the character " / " in this document generally indicates an "or" relationship between the associated objects.

[0099] The following is a brief description of the concepts involved in the embodiments of this application:

[0100] A data center is a facility specifically designed to store, process, and distribute large amounts of data. It typically consists of multiple servers, storage systems, networking equipment, and other related components that work together to support an organization's data storage, management, and computing needs. A data center can be a physical room, building, or facility.

[0101] A computing cluster is a group of interconnected computing devices that work together as a single system to perform complex computing tasks. The devices in the cluster can be physical servers, virtual machines, or distributed computing nodes, and are typically located within a data center.

[0102] An energy storage device is a complete energy storage system that includes energy storage units and related control, management, protection, and interface equipment. The purpose of an energy storage device is to store electrical energy or other forms of energy so that it can be released when needed.

[0103] An energy storage unit is the smallest independently usable module that makes up an energy storage device and is typically installed within the device. An energy storage unit is typically a battery pack consisting of a certain number of battery cells, modules, or batteries, along with a directly connected battery management system (BMS) and power conditioning system (PCS). Energy storage units can operate independently or be combined in parallel or series to form a larger energy storage system.

[0104] The battery cell is the most basic component of a battery system, usually referring to a single electrochemical device that is responsible for storing and releasing electrical energy.

[0105] A battery pack is composed of multiple battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. A battery pack usually consists of several battery cells, connectors, a battery management system (BMS), and a casing.

[0106] A cooling medium is a substance used to transfer heat from one substance to another, typically from a device or system to other devices, systems, or the surrounding environment. In engineering and technology, cooling media can be gases, liquids, or solids that help control temperature by absorbing and carrying heat, thereby protecting equipment from overheating and ensuring its normal operation.

[0107] A fire detection tube is a device used to automatically detect fire sources and activate fire extinguishing devices. It usually includes a flexible tube made of non-metallic synthetic materials and a semi-soft polymer material for fire detection disposed within the flexible tube. Semi-soft polymer materials include but are not limited to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), nylon, polyimide (PI), silicone rubber, etc. Semi-soft polymer materials can expand and explode when heated. A container valve is a valve used to control the flow of gas or liquid. It can be installed on a delivery pipeline or storage container to achieve flow control of gas or liquid. Container valves are usually used in conjunction with fire detection tubes. When the fire detection tube is heated to the operating temperature due to factors such as fire, it will soften and explode at the hottest part. The explosion of the fire detection tube causes the pressure in the tube to drop, and this pressure change triggers the connected container valve to open.

[0108] A thermosensitive glass bulb contains a special, heat-sensitive expansion liquid. This liquid, a high-expansion liquid that boils at low temperatures, can be esters, alcohols, or ether. Made of borosilicate glass, for example, the bulb explodes at a set temperature. As the temperature near the bulb rises, the expansion pressure of the special expansion liquid increases. When the temperature reaches the set temperature, the bulb explodes.

[0109] Shape memory alloys (SMA) are a special type of alloy material that has a unique physical property called shape memory effect, which enables the alloy to return to its original shape when it reaches a specific temperature.

[0110] Internet service providers, enterprise platforms, and research institutions all have large computing needs. The operating platform that supports storage, computing, and networking needs is called a data center. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a data center. Please refer to Figure 1. Multiple computing device clusters 1 are set up in the data center 10 to store, process, and distribute large amounts of data information. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the computing device cluster 1. Generally, a backup power supply is required in the computing device cluster 1. The backup power supply can provide power to the computing device cluster in the data center in the event of a mains power outage. It will be understood that Figure 2 only shows the portion of the computing device cluster related to the backup power supply.

[0111] Continuing with FIG2 , a computing device cluster 1 includes at least one cabinet 11 . Each cabinet 11 is provided with at least one energy storage device 12 . Each energy storage device 12 is provided with at least one energy storage unit 13 . The energy storage unit 13 may include at least one battery, inductor, or other component capable of storing electrical energy. During use, due to internal or external factors, the energy storage units 13 in the computing device cluster 1 may experience thermal runaway after reaching a certain temperature. The energy storage units 13 will rapidly release energy in a short period of time. For example, when a lithium battery experiences an external short circuit, the battery will rapidly heat up at a power of several kilowatts, reaching the thermal runaway trigger temperature within tens of seconds, and then continue the rapid energy release process, potentially causing the battery to vent, catch fire, or even explode. If thermal runaway is not suppressed, the high temperature and open flames generated by the batteries will spread within or between cabinets 11 , triggering thermal runaway in more energy storage units 13 , and thus causing thermal runaway in the entire data center 10 . Because energy storage unit 13 is located within computing device cluster 1 and further within cabinet 11, simply spraying firefighting from outside data center 10, computing device cluster 1, or cabinet 11 will cause the sprayed fluid to only come into contact with the surface of cabinet 11, exchanging heat and blocking oxygen, thus only partially extinguishing the flame. The sprayed fluid cannot effectively reach energy storage unit 13, and thermal runaway cannot be fundamentally suppressed. Furthermore, once thermal runaway occurs within computing device cluster 1, the temperature will rise rapidly in a short period of time, resulting in extremely high localized instantaneous power, which is likely to cause a fire within seconds. Thermal runaway will spread rapidly, further increasing the difficulty of thermal runaway treatment, leading to serious fires in computing device cluster 1 and even in data center 10.

[0112] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides a thermal runaway management system, which is used to be set inside the data center 10 and further set in the computing device cluster 1 of the data center 10. The thermal runaway management system can directly act on the energy storage unit 13 inside the computing device cluster 1, and can quickly identify the location of thermal runaway in the early stage of thermal runaway, and further take inhibitory measures in the early or early middle stages of thermal runaway to prevent or slow down the occurrence of thermal runaway, thereby blocking the spread of thermal runaway, improving the safety of use of the computing device cluster 1 and the data center 10, and minimizing the asset losses of the computing device cluster 1 and the data center 10.

[0113] The thermal runaway management system provided in the embodiments of the present application is described in detail below with reference to specific drawings.

[0114] FIG3 shows a schematic structural diagram of a thermal runaway management system provided in a computing device cluster according to an embodiment of the present application. Referring to FIG3 , the thermal runaway management system includes a storage device 2, a transmission component 3, and a control component 4. The storage device 2 and the transmission component 3 are connected, the control component 4 is arranged on the transmission component 3, and the control component 4 is at least partially arranged inside the energy storage unit 13. A cooling medium is stored in the storage device 2 (the cooling medium is not shown in FIG2 ), the transmission component 3 is used to transport the cooling medium in the storage device 2, the control component 4 is at least partially arranged inside the energy storage unit 13 to detect the ambient temperature inside the energy storage unit 13, and the control component 4 is arranged on the transmission component 3 to control whether the cooling medium can enter the energy storage unit 13 through the transmission component 3, so that when the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13, the cooling medium enters the energy storage unit 13 through the transmission component 3, thereby realizing thermal runaway treatment of the energy storage unit 13 by the cooling medium. The present application can control whether the cooling medium enters the energy storage unit 13 through the transmission component 3 and the control component 4 according to the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13, and can effectively suppress thermal runaway and propagate thermal runaway in the early or early middle stages of thermal runaway, thereby improving the safety of the computing device cluster 1 and the data center 10.

[0115] In the present application, the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is set to the self-heating starting temperature of the energy storage unit 13. In the early stage of thermal runaway, as the thermal runaway temperature rises, it reaches the self-heating starting temperature. From this temperature, the active substances inside the energy storage unit 13 begin to have obvious exothermic reactions. At this stage, the reactions overlap and last for a long time. By setting the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13 to the self-heating starting temperature of the energy storage unit 13, the present application can perform thermal runaway treatment in the early stage of thermal runaway, and at the same time, it can provide sufficient time for the cooling medium of the thermal runaway management system to be delivered to the energy storage unit 13, thereby reducing the propagation of thermal runaway. Optionally, the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is set to 70°C. Of course, the thermal runaway threshold temperature of energy storage units 13 of different models or materials is different. Those skilled in the art can set the thermal runaway temperature according to the specific energy storage unit 13, and this application does not limit it here.

[0116] In the present application, the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13 refers to the temperature of the energy storage unit 13 itself during operation or the temperature of the surrounding air in which the energy storage unit 13 is located.

[0117] In some embodiments, FIG4 shows a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the energy storage unit. Referring to FIG4 , each energy storage unit 13 is provided with at least one battery cell group 131. Each battery cell group 131 includes at least one battery cell 131a. Cooling medium can be directly delivered to battery cell 131a via transmission assembly 3 to achieve thermal runaway control of battery cell 131a. This can fundamentally address the thermal runaway problem of energy storage unit 13 while reducing the propagation of thermal runaway. It can be understood that in computing device cluster 1, battery cell 131a is the smallest unit for storing and supplying electrical energy.

[0118] In some embodiments, Figure 5 shows a structural schematic diagram of a liquid storage device. Please refer to Figure 5. The storage device 2 includes a liquid storage device 21 and a cooling medium stored in the liquid storage device 21. The cooling medium refers to a substance that can transfer heat with the heat generated by the energy storage unit 13 to reduce the temperature of the energy storage unit 13. In the present application, the cooling medium can be, for example, perfluorohexanone, hydrofluoroether, hydrocarbon oil, silicone oil, and fluorinated hydrocarbon.

[0119] In some embodiments, the cooling medium in the liquid storage device 21 is transmitted to the transmission component 3 in the following two ways:

[0120] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 5 , a liquid delivery device 25 is provided on the transmission assembly 3. The liquid delivery device 25 generates negative pressure by mechanical or electrical force, so that the cooling medium in the liquid storage device 21 enters the transmission assembly 3 under the action of the negative pressure, thereby delivering the cooling medium. In some embodiments, the liquid delivery device 25 includes a liquid delivery pump.

[0121] Optionally, the thermal runaway management system also includes a control module 5. Figure 6 shows a structural schematic diagram of the thermal management system including the control module. Please refer to Figure 6. The control module 5 is respectively connected to the control component 4 and the liquid delivery device 25. When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13, the control component 4 controls the cooling medium to enter the energy storage unit 13 through the transmission component 3 to achieve thermal runaway processing. At the same time, the control module 5 controls the opening and opening size of the liquid delivery device 25, thereby controlling the transmission flow of the cooling medium.

[0122] In other embodiments, FIG7 shows a schematic structural diagram of another liquid storage device. Referring to FIG7 , the storage device 2 further includes an air storage device 22. The air storage device 22 has a certain pressure. The liquid storage device 21 and the air storage device 22 are connected by a pipe 23. The pressure inside the liquid storage device 21 is lower than the pressure inside the air storage device 22. In this way, the air storage device 22 can deliver a certain pressure to the liquid storage device 21, providing power for the cooling medium in the liquid storage device 21 to enter the transmission component 3. Specifically, a second regulating valve 24 is provided on the pipe 23. The second regulating valve 24 can be, for example, a pressure reducing valve. By adjusting the opening size of the pressure reducing valve, the pressure delivered from the air storage device 22 to the liquid storage device 21 is adjusted, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the cooling medium in the liquid storage device 21 delivered to the transmission component 3.

[0123] Optionally, please continue to refer to Figure 7. A first pressure detection device 26 and a second pressure detection device 27 are further provided on the pipeline 23. The first pressure detection device 26 is used to detect the pressure in the liquid storage device 21, and the second pressure detection device 27 is used to detect the pressure in the gas storage device 22. The pressure in the liquid storage device 21 can be accurately controlled by combining the second regulating valve 24, the first pressure detection device 26 and the second pressure detection device 27.

[0124] In this embodiment, a certain pressure is always maintained in the liquid storage device 21, and a certain pressure difference always exists between the liquid storage device 21 and the transmission component 3, so that the cooling medium in the liquid storage device 21 can be automatically transmitted to the main line 31, that is, when the computing device cluster 1 is not subjected to heat treatment, a certain amount of cooling medium can also exist in the transmission component 3. In this way, when thermal runaway occurs in the computing device cluster 1, the distance and time for transmitting the cooling medium from the liquid storage device 21 to the transmission component 3 are saved, thereby greatly improving the efficiency of thermal runaway treatment.

[0125] Optionally, the gas storage device 22 stores a gas of a certain pressure, such as an inert gas. The inert gas can be, for example, nitrogen. For example, the volume of the gas storage device 22 is 40L, and 0.95kg of nitrogen is stored in the gas storage device 22. The pressure P1 in the gas storage device 22 is measured by the second pressure detection device 27 to be 2MPa. By adjusting the opening size of the pressure reducing valve, the pressure size P2 of the first pressure detection device 26 is made to be 0.1MPa. Then, the pressure delivered by the gas storage device 22 to the liquid storage device 21 is 0.1MPa, that is, the pressure in the liquid storage device 21 is 0.1MPa. At this time, the pressure in the gas storage device 22 is converted to 1.2MPa. The present application can adjust the opening size of the pressure reducing valve according to the required pressure in the liquid storage device 21, thereby adjusting the transmission flow rate of the cooling medium in the liquid storage device 21 to the transmission component.

[0126] Continuing with FIG3 , the transmission assembly 3 includes a main line 31, a main connecting line 32, and a sub-connecting line 33. There is only one main line 31, which is connected to the storage device 2 so that the cooling medium in the storage device 2 can enter the main line 31 as needed. The main line 31 is connected to at least one main connecting line 32, which corresponds one-to-one with the energy storage device 12. That is, at least one main connecting line 32 is connected to one side of the main line 31, forming a primary transmission hierarchical distribution. Each main connecting line 32 is connected to at least one sub-connecting line 33, which corresponds one-to-one with the energy storage unit 13 and communicates with the interior of the energy storage unit 13. The connecting line assembly 32 includes at least one main connecting line 321, each of which is connected to the main line 31. The number of main connecting lines 321 corresponds to the number of energy storage devices 12, and the locations of the main connecting lines 321 correspond one-to-one with the locations of the energy storage devices 12, forming a secondary transmission hierarchical distribution. The present application can bring the cooling medium into contact with each energy storage unit 13 in the computing device cluster 1 by setting up a transmission component 3. When the ambient temperature detected by the control component 4 is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13, it indicates that the energy storage unit 13 is about to experience thermal runaway or has already experienced thermal runaway. The cooling medium in the storage device 13 can be heat-exchanged with the interior of the energy storage unit 13 through the transmission component 3 to directly achieve thermal runaway processing of the energy storage unit 13. Moreover, the present application directly transports the cooling medium in the storage device 2 to the corresponding energy storage unit 13, realizing centralized pooling of the cooling medium, which can accurately respond to local thermal runaway of the computing device cluster 1 and avoid the problem of resource waste caused by large-scale spraying of the cooling medium on the computing device cluster 1.

[0127] In the present application, the pipeline flow of the main line 31 is greater than the pipeline flow of the main connecting line 32, and the pipeline flow of the main connecting line 32 is greater than the pipeline flow of the sub-connecting line 33. The present application does not impose any restrictions on the pipeline flow in the main line 31, the main connecting line 32 and the sub-connecting line 33. It is only necessary to ensure that there is sufficient flow in the sub-connecting line 33 to achieve the purpose of thermal runaway treatment.

[0128] Optionally, Figure 8 shows a structural schematic diagram of a sub-connecting pipeline. Please refer to Figure 8. The sub-connecting pipeline 33 is arranged outside the energy storage unit 13, and one end of the sub-connecting pipeline 33 is connected to the energy storage unit 13, so that the cooling medium in the sub-connecting pipeline 33 can be directly transported to the interior of the energy storage unit 13 to contact the battery cell 131a for heat exchange.

[0129] Optionally, please continue to refer to Figure 8. The thermal management system also includes a connector 34, which is provided on the energy storage unit 13. The connector 34 is used to detachably connect the sub-connecting pipe 33 and the energy storage unit 13. Exemplarily, the sub-connecting pipe 33 and the energy storage unit 13 are threadedly connected via the connector 34. Preferably, one end of the sub-connecting pipe 33 is provided with a connector used in conjunction with the connector 34. The use of the connector 34 and the connector allows the sub-connecting pipe 33 and the energy storage unit 13 to be detachably connected, which is convenient for later maintenance and management, and can also improve the sealing of the connection between the sub-connecting pipe 33 and the energy storage unit 13.

[0130] Optionally, Figure 9 shows a structural schematic diagram of another sub-connecting pipeline. Please refer to Figure 9. The sub-connecting pipeline 33 includes a first pipeline 331 and a second pipeline 332 connected to each other. The first pipeline 331 is arranged outside the energy storage unit 13, and the second pipeline 332 is arranged inside the energy storage unit 13. The second pipeline 332 is in contact with any battery cell group 131. The number of second pipelines 332 includes multiple, and multiple second pipelines 332 are all connected to the first pipeline 331.

[0131] In some embodiments, when thermal runaway does not occur in the energy storage unit 13, the cooling medium can be stored in the liquid storage device 21 and distributed in the main pipeline 31, the main connecting pipeline 32 and the first pipeline 331. It can also be distributed in part of the second pipeline 332, but will not flow out of the second pipeline 332. When thermal runaway occurs in any battery cell 131a in the energy storage unit 13, the cooling medium in the liquid storage device 21 flows out from the second pipeline 332 and is transported to the surface of the battery cell 131a that has thermal runaway to achieve heat exchange and thermal runaway processing. In the present application, by setting up the first pipeline 331 and the second pipeline 332, the processing position of thermal runaway is made more precise, and it can be processed in the early stage of thermal runaway of the energy storage unit 13, reducing the propagation of thermal runaway inside the energy storage unit 13, further reducing the propagation of thermal runaway between the energy storage units 13, reducing the occurrence of open flames, and improving the efficiency of thermal runaway processing.

[0132] Optionally, Figure 10 shows a structural schematic diagram of a second pipeline. Please refer to Figure 10. The second pipeline 332 includes a second pipeline body 3321 and at least one second sub-pipeline 3322. The second pipeline body 3321 corresponds one-to-one with the position and quantity of the battery cell group 131. The number of the second sub-pipelines 3322 is the same as the number of battery cells 131a in the battery cell group 131, and the positions correspond one-to-one. In this way, the second pipeline 332 can be accurately corresponded to each battery cell 131a. When any battery cell 131a in the energy storage unit 13 experiences thermal runaway, the cooling medium in the liquid storage device 21 can enter the second sub-pipeline 3322 in contact with the thermal runaway battery cell 131a through the first pipe 331 and the second pipe body 3321. The cooling medium in the second sub-pipeline 3322 flows through the surface of the battery cell 131a and efficiently removes the heat of the battery cell 131a through the boiling heat exchange process, thereby achieving the purpose of controlling the temperature of the battery cell 131a and fundamentally solving the occurrence of thermal runaway of the battery cell 131a. In this application, the provision of the second sub-pipeline 3322 further refines the processing position of the thermal runaway, and can process the battery cell 131a in the early stage of thermal runaway. It can achieve the processing of the thermal runaway battery cell 131a in a relatively short time, reduce the heat transfer from the thermal runaway battery cell 131a to other battery modules, reduce the occurrence of open flames, and improve the efficiency of thermal runaway processing.

[0133] The present application controls the state of the transmission component 3 through the control component 4, so that the transmission component 3 is in a conductive state or a non-conductive state. When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is lower than the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13, the control component 4 causes the transmission component 3 to be in a non-conductive state. In this state, the cooling medium cannot enter the interior of the energy storage unit 13 through the transmission component 3. When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13, the control component 4 causes the transmission component 3 to be in a conductive state. In this state, the cooling medium can enter the interior of the energy storage unit 13 through the transmission component 3 to achieve thermal runaway management.

[0134] If the transmission assembly 3 is in a conductive state, the main line 31, the main connecting line 32, and the sub-connecting line 33 can all allow the cooling medium to flow. If the transmission assembly 3 is in a non-conductive state, at least one of the main line 31, the main connecting line 32, and the sub-connecting line 33 cannot allow the cooling medium to flow. Preferably, to improve the efficiency of cooling medium delivery to the energy storage unit 13, when the transmission assembly 3 is in a non-conductive state, the main line 31 and the main connecting line 32 can allow the cooling medium to flow, while the sub-connecting line 33 cannot allow the cooling medium to flow.

[0135] The following describes how the control component 4 regulates the state of the transmission component 3 by taking the example of when the transmission component 3 is in a non-conducting state, the main line 31 and the main connecting line 32 can allow the cooling medium to flow, but the sub-connecting line 33 cannot allow the cooling medium to flow.

[0136] In some embodiments, the control component 4 includes a fire detection tube 41 and a container valve 42. Figure 11 shows a structural schematic diagram of a control component 4. Please refer to Figure 11. One end of the fire detection tube 41 is connected to the container valve 42, and the container valve 42 is arranged on the sub-connecting pipeline 33. Preferably, the container valve 42 is arranged on the second pipeline 332. Further preferably, the container valve 42 is located on the second sub-pipeline 3322 (Figure 11 only shows a structural schematic diagram of the container valve 42 being arranged on the sub-connecting pipeline 33) to realize the conductive state or non-conductive state of the sub-connecting pipeline 33. The other end of the fire detection tube 41 is inside the energy storage unit 13 and is used to detect the ambient temperature inside the energy storage unit 13.

[0137] Optionally, the fire detection tube 41 comprises a semi-soft polymer material for fire detection, which can expand and explode upon exposure to heat. The container valve 42 is a valve. In its initial operating state, the container valve 42 comprises an upper and lower portion, which are in a pressure-balanced state. A sealing structure and a rubber gasket are provided within the valve body of the container valve 42 to isolate the upper and lower portions, thereby sealing the outlet of the container valve 42. When the fire detection tube 41 explodes upon exposure to heat, the pressure within the fire detection tube 41 drops suddenly, and the pressure at the end of the container valve 42 near the fire detection tube 41 also drops. Thus, the pressures in the upper and lower portions of the container valve 42 become unbalanced, with the pressure in the lower portion exceeding that in the upper portion. The resulting pressure differential pushes open the sealing structure and rubber gasket, thereby opening the container valve. The fire detection tube 41 and the container valve 42 are commercially available components to those skilled in the art. The specific structures of the fire detection tube 41 and the container valve 42 are not described in detail herein. It can be understood that the fire detection tube 41 is flexible and is not affected by any position and can extend into the interior of the energy storage unit 13 .

[0138] The combination of the fire detection tube 41 and the container valve 42 is installed on the thermal runaway management system of the present application. When thermal runaway does not occur (the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is lower than the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13), the pressure in the container valve 42 is in a balanced state. The presence of the container valve 42 causes the sub-connecting pipeline 33 to be in a non-conducting state, that is, the transmission component 3 is in a non-conducting state. At this time, the cooling medium cannot enter the interior of the energy storage unit 13, that is, no thermal runaway management is required in this state. The dotted line shown in Figure 11 indicates that the cooling medium can or cannot enter the interior of the energy storage unit 13. When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13, the fire detection tube 41 explodes, causing the pressure in the fire detection tube 41 to drop suddenly. The container valve 42 is activated, causing the sub-connecting pipeline 33 to be in a conducting state, that is, the transmission component 3 is in a conducting state. The cooling medium is transported to the interior of the energy storage unit 13 through the transmission component 3, and thermal runaway management of the energy storage unit 13 is achieved. In this embodiment, the fire detection tube 41 is used to detect the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13, and the container valve is used to control whether the transmission component 3 is conductive.

[0139] Optionally, when the storage device 2 uses a combination of a liquid storage device 21 and a gas storage device 22, the presence of the gas storage device 22 can ensure that a certain pressure is always maintained in the liquid storage device 21. When the liquid storage device 21 is connected to the transmission component 3, a certain pressure difference will exist in the area of ​​the main line 31 of the transmission component 3 near the liquid storage device 21, allowing the cooling medium in the liquid storage device 21 to enter the main line 31. That is, when thermal runaway does not occur, the main line 31, the main connecting line 32, and some of the sub-connecting lines 33 of the transmission component 3 are distributed with cooling medium. In this embodiment, since the interior of the transmission component 3 is distributed with cooling medium when thermal runaway does not occur, the distance and time required for the cooling medium to be transported to the energy storage unit 13 can be shortened, greatly improving the efficiency of cooling medium transportation. When thermal runaway occurs in the energy storage unit 13, the sub-connecting line 33 is made conductive by the control component 4, so that the cooling medium can promptly contact the energy storage unit 13 and exchange heat, greatly improving the efficiency of thermal runaway suppression. Optionally, the fire detection tube 41 can surround the surface of all battery cells 131a arranged in the energy storage unit 13, that is, the fire detection tube 41 can be used to detect the temperature of all battery cells 131a inside the energy storage unit 13, thereby improving the accuracy of judging whether thermal runaway occurs in the battery cells 131a.

[0140] Optionally, when the fire detection tube 41 and the container valve 42 are used as the control component 4 , the control module 5 may not be provided, and temperature detection and transmission control of the cooling medium may be achieved only through the fire detection tube 41 and the container valve 42 .

[0141] Optionally, the flow rate of cooling medium from the storage device 2 to the energy storage unit 13 can be controlled by the control module 5. When the control module 5 is provided, a first regulating valve 6 can be provided on the transmission assembly 3. The first regulating valve 6 can be installed on at least one of the main line 31, the main connecting line 32, and the sub-connecting line 33. Figure 12 shows a schematic diagram of thermal runaway control using a control assembly and control module. Referring to Figure 12, the first regulating valve 6 is installed on the main line 31, and the fire detection tube 41 and the first regulating valve 6 are respectively connected to the control module 5. When thermal runaway does not occur, the pressure within the container valve 42 is in equilibrium, the container valve 42 prevents the sub-connecting line 33 from being conductive, and the first regulating valve 6 is either closed or open. In this state, cooling medium cannot enter the interior of the energy storage unit 13 through the transmission assembly 3. It is understood that when the temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is below the thermal runaway temperature, the first regulating valve 6 can also be open. In this case, the opening of the first regulating valve 6 should be kept small to ensure that a certain amount of cooling medium remains within the transmission assembly 3. When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13, the fire detection tube 41 explodes and the container valve 42 is activated, so that the sub-connecting pipeline 33 is in a conductive state. At the same time as the fire detection tube 41 explodes, the control module 5 monitors the explosion of the fire detection tube 41 and adjusts the opening size of the first regulating valve 6 so that the cooling medium is delivered to the energy storage unit 13 at an appropriate flow rate, thereby suppressing the thermal runaway of the energy storage unit 13.

[0142] Optionally, when a control module 5 is set in the thermal runaway management system, a liquid delivery device 25 can also be set on the main line 31 to provide power for conveying the cooling medium. When the liquid delivery device 25 is used, the liquid delivery device 25 is connected to the control module 5, and the opening and closing and the opening size of the liquid delivery device 25 are controlled by the control module 5.

[0143] In some embodiments, the control component 4 includes a temperature sensing element, which refers to a device that is sensitive to temperature. The temperature sensing element is arranged in the sub-connecting pipeline 33, and the temperature sensing element is located inside the energy storage unit 13. Preferably, the temperature sensing element is arranged in the second pipeline 332. Further preferably, the temperature sensing element is arranged in the second sub-pipeline 3322 to realize temperature detection inside the energy storage unit 13 and control the cooling medium to perform thermal runaway treatment on the inside of the energy storage unit 13.

[0144] In some embodiments, the temperature sensing element is a temperature sensing glass ball 43 , which is disposed in the second sub-pipeline 3322 to be close to the battery cell 131 a , thereby improving the accuracy of thermal runaway monitoring of the energy storage unit 13 .

[0145] A thermosensitive glass bulb contains a special, heat-sensitive expansion liquid. This liquid, a high-expansion liquid that boils at low temperatures, can be esters, alcohols, or ether. Made of borosilicate glass, for example, the bulb explodes at a set temperature. As the temperature near the bulb rises, the expansion pressure of the special expansion liquid increases. When the temperature reaches the set temperature, the bulb explodes.

[0146] Optionally, the set temperature of the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 is the thermal runaway temperature of the battery cell 131 a . The following description will be made by taking the temperature-sensitive element being arranged in the second sub-pipeline 3322 as an example.

[0147] FIG13 is a schematic diagram illustrating one state of the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43. Referring to FIG13 , when the temperature of the battery cell 131a is lower than the thermal runaway temperature, the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 is disposed in the second sub-pipeline 3322, sealing the second sub-pipeline 3322. That is, the sub-connecting pipe 33 is in a non-conductive state, preventing the cooling medium from entering the interior of the energy storage unit 13 through the second sub-pipeline 3322. FIG14 is a schematic diagram illustrating another state of the temperature-sensitive glass ball. Referring to FIG14 , when the temperature of the battery cell 131a is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature, the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 explodes, causing the second sub-pipeline 3322 to be connected. That is, the sub-connecting pipe 33 is in a conductive state, allowing the cooling medium to enter the interior of the energy storage unit 13 through the second sub-pipeline 3322, thereby achieving heat exchange between the cooling medium and the energy storage unit 13. It should be understood that the arrows in FIG13 and FIG14 represent the direction of transmission of the cooling medium.

[0148] When the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 is used as the temperature-sensing element, the control module 5 may not be provided, and the temperature detection and the delivery control of the cooling medium are realized only by the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 .

[0149] Optionally, the transmission flow of the cooling medium to the energy storage unit 13 can also be controlled by additionally setting up a control module 5. When the control module 5 is set up, a first regulating valve 6 can be set up on the transmission component 3, and the first regulating valve 6 can be installed on at least one of the main line 31, the connecting line 32 and the sub-connecting line 33. Figure 15 shows a structural schematic diagram of the cooperation between the temperature-sensitive glass ball and the control module. Please refer to Figure 15. The first regulating valve 6 is installed on the main line 31, and the control module 5 is connected to the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 and the first regulating valve 6 respectively. A sensor is set up in the control module 5 to detect the state of the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43. The sensor can be, for example, an image sensor and an optical fiber sensor. When thermal runaway does not occur, the presence of the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 causes the sub-connecting line 33 to be in a non-conducting state, and the first regulating valve 6 is closed or open. When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13, the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 explodes, causing the sub-connecting pipe 33 to be in a conductive state. At the same time as the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 explodes, the control module 5 monitors the explosion of the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 and adjusts the opening size of the first regulating valve 6 so that the cooling medium is delivered to the energy storage unit 13 at an appropriate flow rate, thereby suppressing thermal runaway of the energy storage unit 13.

[0150] In other embodiments, the temperature sensing element may also be a shape memory alloy 44. The shape memory alloy 44 is a material composed of two or more metal elements that has a shape memory effect (SME) through thermoelasticity, martensitic phase transformation and its inversion. It can be deformed under heat or external force, and can return to its original shape under certain temperature conditions. It can have a recovery function of millions of times.

[0151] FIG16 shows a schematic structural diagram of a shape memory alloy. Referring to FIG16 , the shape memory alloy 44 is configured to be in a valve-like shape, and the deformation temperature of the shape memory alloy is configured to be the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13. The following description will be made by taking the shape memory alloy 44 configured on the second sub-pipeline 3322 as an example.

[0152] When the temperature of any battery cell 131a within the energy storage unit 13 is below the thermal runaway temperature, the shape memory alloy 44 blocks the second sub-pipeline 332, rendering the second sub-pipeline 3322 non-conductive. When the temperature of any battery cell 131a is equal to or greater than the thermal runaway temperature, the shape memory alloy 44 deforms and contracts, rendering the second sub-pipeline 3322 conductive. The cooling medium, through the second sub-pipeline 3322, contacts the battery cells 131a within the energy storage unit 13, thereby enabling heat exchange between the cooling medium and the energy storage unit 13 and reducing the temperature of the energy storage unit 13. When the temperature of the energy storage unit 13 drops again to below the thermal runaway temperature, the shape memory alloy 44 returns to its original shape, rendering the second sub-pipeline 3322 non-conductive, blocking heat exchange between the cooling medium and the energy storage unit 13. The shape memory alloy used in this application can realize the conversion of the conducting state or non-conducting state of the second sub-pipeline 3322 thousands or tens of thousands of times without generating any consumables, saving the use of cooling medium, and improving the service life of the thermal runaway management system.

[0153] Optionally, when the shape memory alloy 44 is used as the control component 4 , the control module 5 may not be provided, and the temperature detection and the transmission control of the cooling medium can be achieved only through the shape memory alloy 44 .

[0154] Optionally, the flow rate of the cooling medium transmitted to the energy storage unit 13 can be controlled by additionally providing a control module 5. When the control module 5 is provided, a first regulating valve 6 can be provided on the transmission assembly 3. The first regulating valve 6 can be installed on at least one of the main line 31, the connecting line 32, and the sub-connecting line 33. FIG17 shows a schematic structural diagram of the coordinated action of the shape memory alloy and the control module. Referring to FIG17, the first regulating valve 6 is installed on the first line 331. The control module 5 is connected to the shape memory alloy 44 and the first regulating valve 6, respectively. A sensor is provided within the control module 5 to detect the state of the shape memory alloy 44. The sensor can be, for example, an image sensor or an optical fiber sensor. When thermal runaway does not occur, the presence of the shape memory alloy 44 causes the sub-connecting line 33 to be in a non-conductive state, and the first regulating valve 6 is closed or open. When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit 13, the shape memory alloy 44 deforms, causing the sub-connecting pipe 33 to be in a conductive state. At the same time, the control module 5 monitors the change of the shape memory alloy 44 and adjusts the opening of the first regulating valve 6 so that the cooling medium is delivered to the energy storage unit 13 at an appropriate flow rate, thereby suppressing thermal runaway of the energy storage unit 13.

[0155] Optionally, the thermal runaway management system further includes a temperature sensing module 9, which can be used in conjunction with the control assembly 4 and the control module 5, or can be used alone in conjunction with the control module 5. Taking the combined use of the temperature sensing module 9, the control assembly 4, and the control module 5 as an example, FIG18 shows a schematic diagram of the thermal runaway management system including the temperature sensing module. Referring to FIG18 , the temperature sensing module 9 is disposed within the energy storage unit 13, and a first regulating valve 6 is also disposed on the transmission assembly 3. The temperature sensing module 45 and the first regulating valve 6 are both connected to the control module 5. The temperature sensing module 9 detects the temperature of the energy storage unit 13 and transmits the detected real-time temperature information to the control module 5. The control module 5 is used to monitor the status of the control assembly 4 and is also used to receive the temperature information transmitted by the temperature sensing module 9. When the temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is lower than the thermal runaway temperature, the first regulating valve 6 is closed or opened. In this state, the cooling medium cannot enter the interior of the energy storage unit 13 through the transmission assembly 3. When the temperature of the energy storage unit 13 is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature, the control component 4 puts the sub-connecting pipeline 33 into a conducting state, and the control component 4 changes at the same time. At this time, the entire transmission component 3 is in a conducting state, and the control module 5 adjusts the opening size of the first regulating valve 6 according to the temperature information transmitted by the temperature sensing module 9 to achieve flow regulation of the cooling medium in the transmission component 3.

[0156] Optionally, the temperature sensing module 9 may be, for example, a temperature sensor.

[0157] Optionally, a bypass valve 7 is further provided on one side of the first regulating valve 6. The first regulating valve 6 and the bypass valve 7 are provided on the same pipeline, that is, the first regulating valve 6 and the bypass valve 7 can be provided on at least one of the main pipeline 31, the main connecting pipeline 321, and the sub-connecting pipeline 33. The transmission component 3 is also provided with a bypass pipeline 8, and the bypass valve 7 is provided on the bypass pipeline 8 to balance the pressure of the pipeline of the transmission component 3.

[0158] Please continue to refer to Figure 18. The control module 5 is used to control the opening and closing of the first regulating valve 6. The control module 5 can control the opening and closing of the first regulating valve 6 by changing the control component 4. The control component 4 can be at least one of the fire detection tube 41 and the container valve 42, the temperature-sensitive glass ball 43 and the shape memory alloy 44.

[0159] In actual application, the temperature sensing module 9 detects the ambient temperature inside the energy storage unit 13 in real time. FIG19 shows a schematic diagram of the structure when the first regulating valve is not in operation. As shown in FIG19 , the first regulating valve 6 and the bypass valve 7 are installed on the main line 31. When the energy storage unit 13 does not experience thermal runaway, the bypass valve 7 is in a normally open state and the first regulating valve 6 is in a normally closed state. FIG20 shows a schematic diagram of the structure when the first regulating valve is in operation. As shown in FIG20 , when the temperature inside the energy storage unit 13 rises and reaches the thermal runaway temperature, the control module 5 calculates the flow rate of the cooling medium required in the energy storage unit 13 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensing module 9. The control module 5 controls the bypass valve 7 to close and the first regulating valve 6 to open. The control module 5 adjusts the opening size of the first regulating valve 6 based on the flow rate of the cooling medium required by the energy storage unit 13. If the first regulating valve 6 fails or the signal transmitted by the temperature sensing module 9 to the control module 5 is blocked, the cooling medium can be transmitted to the interior of the energy storage unit 13 through the normally open bypass line 8. At this time, the flow rate of the cooling medium transmitted to the energy storage unit 13 cannot be quantitatively adjusted according to actual conditions, and the transmission component 3 will supply according to the maximum required flow rate.

[0160] In summary, the present application can realize the detection of the temperature of the energy storage unit 13 and the delivery of the cooling medium to the inside of the energy storage unit 13 (passive triggering) by only setting the control component 4, and can also realize the detection of the temperature of the energy storage unit 13 and the delivery of the cooling medium to the inside of the energy storage unit 13 (a combination of active triggering and passive triggering) by setting the control component 4 and the control module 5. Moreover, the present application adopts a storage device 2 to centrally store the cooling medium, and transmits the cooling medium to the energy storage unit 13 in a distributed manner through the transmission component 3, which can maximize the reduction of the storage demand for the cooling medium. The storage capacity of the cooling medium in the storage device 2 of the present application can correspond to the amount required for thermal runaway of 1 to 2 energy storage devices 12. At the same time, the transmission component 3 is arranged in a distributed manner, so that the cooling medium can be accurately delivered to the abnormal module position of the energy storage unit 3, and the prevention and treatment problems of thermal runaway of the computing device cluster 1 are solved point to point.

[0161] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computing device cluster, comprising the aforementioned thermal runaway management system. The device chassis includes a bus, a processor, a memory, and a communication interface. The processor, memory, and communication interface communicate with each other via the bus. The computing device may be a server or a terminal device. It should be understood that this application does not limit the number of processors or memory in the computing device.

[0162] A bus can be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, and more. A bus can include pathways for transferring information between various components of a computing device (e.g., memory, processor, and communication interfaces).

[0163] The processor may include any one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor (MP), or a digital signal processor (DSP).

[0164] Memory can include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM). Memory can also include non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), or solid state drive (SSD).

[0165] The communication interface uses a transceiver module such as, but not limited to, a network interface card or a transceiver to implement communication between the computing device and other devices or a communication network.

[0166] This computing device can be a computer, server, or other product type, and is particularly suitable for high-power, highly integrated, and ultra-large-scale data center servers. Based on the operating mechanism of the phase-change immersion liquid cooling system, it can meet the internal space expansion capacity under the corresponding refrigeration cycle. The simultaneous provision of working fluid circulation condensation and refrigerant supply functions provides technical support for the reliable application of phase-change immersion liquid cooling in the heat dissipation treatment of corresponding devices.

[0167] An embodiment of the present application further provides a data center, wherein the aforementioned computing device cluster is installed, and the computing device includes the aforementioned thermal runaway management system. The data center also includes a building for accommodating the computing device cluster, and a power supply and distribution system, a cooling system, a security system, a management system, and network equipment installed within the building, with data between these systems and devices being transmitted via the network equipment.

[0168] Buildings can be facilities such as computer rooms, containers, commercial buildings and underground spaces to ensure efficient and stable operation of data centers.

[0169] The power supply and distribution system includes equipment such as uninterruptible power supply (UPS), generator sets and distribution cabinets to ensure a stable power supply in the data center.

[0170] The cooling system can include air-cooled air conditioning systems, which, for example, interconnect air-cooled units, indoor terminal equipment (fan coil units), expansion tanks, refrigeration piping, chilled water pumps, gate valve assemblies, and pressure gauges to achieve integrated cooling within the data center. The cooling system also includes liquid cooling systems, which utilize liquid as a cooling medium and can be installed within data center systems, servers, and other systems to achieve precision cooling.

[0171] Security systems include but are not limited to fire protection systems, monitoring systems, and access control systems to ensure the physical and data security of the data center.

[0172] The management system can be a Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) system, which monitors, manages, and optimizes the data center's physical facilities, network, storage, servers, power, and cooling systems. A DCIM system can help data center administrators better understand the data center's performance and status, thereby improving its reliability and efficiency. Network equipment, such as switches, routers, and optical fibers, is primarily used for data transmission between servers within the data center and between servers and external devices (such as clients).

[0173] Data centers can centrally store, manage, process and distribute data, and are particularly suitable for centralized management of large-scale, functionally integrated data. This application, by setting up a thermal runaway management system within the data center, can effectively manage the thermal runaway risk of the data center, ensure the safety and reliability of the data center, while improving energy efficiency and reducing operating costs.

[0174] In this specification, reference can be made to the same or similar parts between the various embodiments. In particular, for the device embodiment and the terminal embodiment, since they are basically similar to the method embodiment, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the description in the method embodiment.

Claims

1. A thermal runaway management system, the thermal runaway management system being arranged in a computing device cluster (1), the computing device cluster (1) comprising at least one cabinet (11), each of the cabinets (11) being provided with at least one energy storage device (12), each of the energy storage devices (12) comprising at least one energy storage unit (13), characterized in that: The thermal runaway management system comprises: A storage device (2), wherein a cooling medium is stored in the storage device (2); A transmission component (3), the transmission component (3) comprising a main pipeline (31), the main pipeline (31) being connected to the storage device (2), the main pipeline (31) being connected to at least one main connecting pipeline (32), the main connecting pipelines (32) corresponding one-to-one with the energy storage device (12), each main connecting pipeline (32) being connected to at least one sub-connecting pipeline (33), the sub-connecting pipelines (33) corresponding one-to-one with the energy storage unit (13), and the sub-connecting pipelines (33) being connected to the energy storage unit (13); A control component (4), wherein the control component (4) is arranged on the transmission component (3), and the control component (4) is at least partially arranged inside the energy storage unit (13), so that when the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit (13) is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit (13), the cooling medium enters the energy storage unit (13) through the transmission component (3).

2. The thermal runaway management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit (13) is lower than the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit (13), the control component (4) causes the transmission component (3) to be in a non-conducting state; When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit (13) is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit (13), the control component (4) causes the transmission component (3) to be in a conducting state.

3. The thermal runaway management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control component (4) comprises a fire detection tube (41) and a container valve (42), wherein the container valve (42) is arranged on the sub-connecting pipeline (33), one end of the fire detection tube (41) is connected to the container valve (42), and the other end of the fire detection tube (41) is arranged inside the energy storage unit (13).

4. The thermal runaway management system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The energy storage unit (13) comprises at least one battery cell group (131), the battery cell group (131) comprises at least one battery cell (131a), and the fire detection tube (41) is arranged on the surface of at least one battery cell (131a).

5. The thermal runaway management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The sub-connecting pipeline (33) comprises a first pipeline (331) and a second pipeline (332) which are connected to each other; the first pipeline (331) is arranged outside the energy storage unit (13), and the second pipeline (332) is arranged inside the energy storage unit (13).

6. The thermal runaway management system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The control component (4) comprises a temperature sensing element, and the temperature sensing element is arranged inside the second pipeline (332); When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit (13) is lower than the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit (13), the temperature sensing element is sealed inside the second pipeline (332) so that the second pipeline (332) is in a non-conducting state; When the ambient temperature of the energy storage unit (13) is greater than or equal to the thermal runaway temperature of the energy storage unit (13), the temperature sensing element changes so that the second pipeline (332) is in a conducting state.

7. The thermal runaway management system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The temperature sensing element comprises a temperature sensing glass ball (43) and / or a shape memory alloy (44).

8. The thermal runaway management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The thermal runaway management system further comprises a joint (34), wherein the joint (34) is arranged on the energy storage unit (13), and the sub-connecting pipeline (33) and the energy storage unit (13) are detachably connected via the joint (34).

9. The thermal runaway management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The thermal runaway management system further comprises a control module (5) and a first regulating valve (6), wherein the control module (5) is connected to the control component (4) and the first regulating valve (6) respectively, and the first regulating valve (6) is arranged on at least one of the main pipeline (31), the main connecting pipeline (32) and the sub-connecting pipeline (33).

10. The thermal runaway management system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The thermal runaway management system further comprises a temperature sensing module (9), wherein the temperature sensing module (9) is arranged inside any one of the energy storage units (13), and the temperature sensing module (9) is connected to the control module (5).

11. The thermal runaway management system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The storage device (2) comprises a liquid storage device (21), the cooling medium is arranged in the liquid storage device (21), and the liquid storage device (21) is connected to the main pipeline (31).

12. The thermal runaway management system according to claim 11, characterized in that: The storage device (2) further comprises an air storage device (22), wherein the air storage device (22) and the liquid storage device (21) are connected via a pipeline (23), wherein a second regulating valve (24) is provided on the pipeline (23), wherein a first pressure is present in the air storage device (22), and a second pressure is present in the liquid storage device (21), wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.

13. The thermal runaway management system according to claim 11, characterized in that: The main pipe (31) is provided with a liquid delivery device (25), and the liquid delivery device (25) is used to extract the cooling medium in the storage device (2).

14. A computing device cluster, characterized in that: The computing device cluster includes at least one cabinet (11), each of the cabinets (11) is provided with at least one energy storage device (12), each of the energy storage devices (12) includes at least one energy storage unit (13), and the computing device cluster is provided with a thermal runaway management system according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A data center, characterized in that: The data center comprises at least one computing device cluster (1), the computing device cluster (1) comprises at least one cabinet (11), each of the cabinets (11) is provided with at least one energy storage device (12), each of the energy storage devices (12) comprises at least one energy storage unit (13), and the computing device cluster (1) is provided with a thermal runaway management system according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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