Thermal control method and system for battery

Abstract

The present application discloses a thermal control method and system for a battery. The thermal control method for the battery is applied to a controller of the thermal control system for the battery. The thermal control system for the battery further comprises a temperature adjusting device; and the temperature adjusting device comprises at least two circulating loops located at different positions of the battery. The method comprises: acquiring temperature information of the battery; determining a thermal control strategy of the battery on the basis of the temperature information of the battery; and controlling the at least two circulating loops to perform thermal control treatment corresponding to the thermal control strategy on the battery.

Description

Thermal control method and system for batteries Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a thermal control method and system for a battery. Background Art

[0002] New energy batteries are being used more and more widely in life and industry, for example, in the fields of energy storage and new energy vehicles.

[0003] Temperature control is crucial during battery development. Excessively high temperatures can lead to spontaneous battery explosions, compromising vehicle safety. Excessively low temperatures can result in poor battery performance and reduced vehicle range. Therefore, battery thermal management plays a crucial role in battery development. However, existing technologies have been unable to effectively control battery thermal performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of the present application at least provide a thermal control method and system for a battery.

[0005] The technical solution of the embodiment of the present application is implemented as follows:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a thermal control method for a battery. The thermal control method is applied to a controller of a thermal control system for the battery. The thermal control system further includes a temperature adjustment device. The temperature adjustment device includes at least two circulation loops located at different positions of the battery. The method includes:

[0007] Acquiring temperature information of the battery;

[0008] determining a thermal control strategy for the battery based on temperature information of the battery;

[0009] At least two of the circulation loops are controlled to perform a thermal control process on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy.

[0010] In the embodiments of the present application, by acquiring the battery's temperature information, a thermal control strategy corresponding to the temperature information can be accurately determined. Then, at least two loops can be controlled to perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy. In this way, loops at different locations can be controlled to effectively perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the battery's temperature information. This improves the accuracy of the battery's thermal control processing.

[0011] In some embodiments, at least two of the circulation loops include an electrode circulation loop and a battery bottom loop; the thermal control strategy of the battery is determined based on the temperature information of the battery, including: when the temperature information is less than or equal to a first threshold, determining a temperature increase strategy for heating the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; when the temperature information is greater than the first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold, determining a first cooling strategy for dissipating heat for the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; the second threshold is greater than the first threshold; when the temperature information is greater than the second threshold, determining a second cooling strategy for dissipating heat for the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, the degree of which is greater than the first cooling strategy.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present application, when the battery temperature is low, a heating strategy is determined to heat the battery via the electrode circulation loop at the battery electrodes and the battery bottom loop at the battery bottom. This improves the efficiency of battery heating. When the battery temperature is high, a first cooling strategy is determined to dissipate heat from the battery via the electrode circulation loop at the battery electrodes and the battery bottom loop at the battery bottom. This simultaneously dissipates heat from the battery electrodes and the battery bottom, improving the efficiency of battery heat dissipation. When the battery temperature is very high, a second cooling strategy is determined to provide a greater degree of cooling. This allows for rapid cooling.

[0013] In some embodiments, the temperature adjustment device includes a heating device; the controlling of at least two of the circulation loops to perform thermal control treatment on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy includes: controlling the heating device to heat the coolant; continuously opening the electrode circulation loop and intermittently opening the battery bottom loop, so that the heated coolant heats the battery electrodes and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0014] In the embodiment of the present application, by continuously opening the electrode circulation loop and intermittently opening the battery bottom loop, the heated coolant heats the battery electrodes and the battery bottom along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop. In this way, when the heating power is low, the battery electrodes can be heated first, and then the electrodes and the battery bottom can be heated simultaneously, thereby improving the efficiency of heating the battery.

[0015] In some embodiments, controlling at least two of the circulation loops to perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy includes: determining the total flow rate of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop and the coolant in the battery bottom loop based on the temperature information; opening the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; wherein the total flow rate of coolant can cool the electrode of the battery and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0016] In the embodiments of the present application, the total flow rate of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop and the coolant in the battery bottom loop can be determined using the battery's temperature information. This allows accurate battery cooling using coolant tailored to the temperature information. By activating both the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, both the battery's electrodes and bottom can be cooled simultaneously, thereby improving battery cooling efficiency.

[0017] In some embodiments, the temperature adjustment device includes a heat dissipation device; the control of at least two of the circulation loops to perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy includes: determining the heat dissipation flow rate of the coolant entering the heat dissipation device, and controlling the heat dissipation device to cool the coolant with the heat dissipation flow rate; opening the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; wherein, the coolant with the heat dissipation flow rate and the coolant that does not enter the heat dissipation device can cool the electrode of the battery and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0018] In the embodiment of the present application, when the battery is at a high temperature, the temperature adjustment device can be controlled to cool the cooling liquid in the heat dissipation flow. By opening the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, the cooling liquid in the heat dissipation flow and the cooling liquid that does not enter the heat dissipation device can be passed along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop to cool the battery electrodes and the bottom of the battery. This can improve the efficiency of cooling the battery.

[0019] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a thermal control system for a battery, the thermal control system comprising a controller and a temperature adjustment device; the temperature adjustment device comprising at least two circulation loops located at different positions of the battery;

[0020] The controller is configured to obtain temperature information of the battery;

[0021] The controller is further configured to determine a thermal control strategy for the battery based on temperature information of the battery;

[0022] The controller is further configured to control at least two of the circulation loops to perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy.

[0023] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a thermal control device for a battery, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program that can be run on the processor, and when the processor executes the program, some or all of the steps in the above method are implemented.

[0024] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which implements some or all of the steps in the above method when executed by a processor.

[0025] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, comprising a computer program or instructions, which implement some or all of the steps in the above method when executed by a processor.

[0026] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and explanatory, and are not intended to limit the technical solutions of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The drawings herein are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. These drawings illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the specification, are used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application.

[0028] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of a thermal control method for a battery according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of a method for implementing thermal control of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of a method for implementing thermal control of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a thermal control method for a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a thermal control method for a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the distribution of the circulation loop provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal control system for a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal control system for a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal control system for a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of a method for implementing thermal control of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal control system for a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a hardware entity of a thermal control device for a battery in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application are further elaborated in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The described embodiments should not be regarded as limiting 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.

[0041] In the following description, reference is made to “some embodiments”, which describes a subset of all possible embodiments, but it will be understood that “some embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0042] The terms "first / second / third" involved are merely used to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of the objects. It is understandable that "first / second / third" can be interchanged with a specific order or sequence where permitted so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0043] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing this application only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0044] Currently, new energy batteries are increasingly being used in everyday life and industry. They are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but are also widely used in electric vehicles like electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars, as well as in a variety of fields such as aerospace. As the application of power batteries continues to expand, market demand is also growing.

[0045] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the battery may be a battery cell. A battery cell refers to a basic unit that can realize the mutual conversion of chemical energy and electrical energy, and can be used to make a battery module or battery pack, thereby being used to supply power to an electrical device. The battery cell may be a secondary battery, which refers to a battery cell that can be recharged to activate the active material after the battery cell is discharged and continue to be used. The battery cell may be a lithium-ion battery, a sodium-ion battery, a sodium-lithium-ion battery, a lithium metal battery, a sodium metal battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, a magnesium-ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a lead-acid battery, etc., and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to this.

[0046] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the battery may also be a single physical module including one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. When there are multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells are connected in series, in parallel or in hybrid via a busbar.

[0047] To address the technical issues inherent in related technologies, which hinder effective thermal control of batteries, embodiments of the present application provide a battery thermal control method, which is applied to a controller for a battery thermal control system. The thermal control system also includes a temperature adjustment device, which includes at least two circulation loops located at different locations within the battery. The controller can be located within a vehicle-mounted computer with processing capabilities, such as a personal computer, mobile terminal, or server, or implemented by a processor executing a computer program. In some embodiments, the controller can be a battery management system (BMS).

[0048] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of a method for implementing thermal control of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG1 , the method includes the following steps S101 to S103:

[0049] Step S101: Acquire temperature information of the battery.

[0050] In the embodiments of the present application, a battery temperature sensor is provided in the battery. This battery temperature sensor can detect the battery temperature and, after collecting the battery temperature information, transmit the battery temperature information to the controller. In this way, the controller can obtain the battery temperature information in real time through interaction with the battery temperature sensor.

[0051] Step S102 : determining a thermal control strategy for the battery based on the temperature information of the battery.

[0052] Here, the thermal control strategy may be a strategy for dissipating heat from the battery or a strategy for increasing the temperature of the battery.

[0053] In some embodiments, the controller contains a mapping table between temperature information and thermal control strategies. The mapping table contains multiple mapping relationships, each of which corresponds to different temperature information and different thermal control strategies. After the controller obtains the battery temperature information, it can determine the thermal control strategy corresponding to the temperature information in the mapping table. For example, when the controller determines that the battery temperature information is high, the mapping table can be used to determine a thermal control strategy for cooling the battery. When the controller determines that the battery temperature information is low, the mapping table can be used to determine a thermal control strategy for heating the battery.

[0054] Step S103 : controlling at least two of the circulation loops to perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy.

[0055] Here, the temperature adjustment device in the battery thermal control system includes at least two circulation loops located at different locations within the battery. That is, different circulation loops are distributed at different locations within the battery. For example, a circulation loop is located at the bottom of the battery, and a circulation loop is located at the battery's electrodes. This allows the circulation loops at different locations to collectively perform thermal control on different locations within the battery, thereby improving the effectiveness of the battery's thermal control.

[0056] In an embodiment of the present application, after determining the thermal control strategy, at least two circulation loops can be controlled to perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy. For example, when it is determined that the temperature of the battery is low, in order to improve the efficiency of heating the battery, the circulation loop distributed at the bottom of the battery and the circulation loop distributed at the electrode of the battery can be opened at the same time. This can heat the electrode and the bottom of the battery, thereby improving the efficiency of heating the battery; when it is determined that the temperature of the battery is high, the circulation loop distributed at the bottom of the battery and the circulation loop distributed at the electrode of the battery can be opened at the same time. In this way, the battery electrode and the bottom of the battery can dissipate heat at the same time, thereby improving the efficiency of battery heat dissipation.

[0057] In the embodiments of the present application, by acquiring the battery's temperature information, a thermal control strategy corresponding to the temperature information can be accurately determined. Then, at least two loops can be controlled to perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy. In this way, loops at different locations can be controlled to effectively perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the battery's temperature information. This improves the accuracy of the battery's thermal control processing.

[0058] In some embodiments, at least two of the circulation loops include an electrode circulation loop and a battery bottom loop; as shown in FIG2 , the above step S102 can be implemented by steps S201 to S203:

[0059] Step S201 : When the temperature information is less than or equal to a first threshold, determining a temperature raising strategy for heating the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0060] In the embodiment of the present application, when the battery temperature information is less than or equal to the first threshold, it indicates that the battery temperature is low and the battery needs to be heated. Because battery heat is transferred outward from the positive and negative electrodes, and the heating power of the temperature adjustment device is limited, the battery electrodes are heated first. Then, based on the continuous heating of the battery electrodes, the bottom of the battery is intermittently heated through the battery bottom circuit. This can improve the battery heating efficiency.

[0061] In some embodiments, the battery is a battery pack comprising a plurality of cells, and the electrode circulation loop can pass through the positive and negative electrodes of each cell. In other words, the electrode of each cell can be heated through the electrode circulation loop.

[0062] Step S202: When the temperature information is greater than the first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold, determine a first cooling strategy for dissipating heat for the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

[0063] In the embodiment of the present application, when the battery temperature information is greater than a first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold, it indicates that the battery temperature is high and the battery needs to be cooled. A first cooling strategy can be determined to dissipate heat from the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0064] In some embodiments, when the battery is a battery pack, the battery bottom loop can pass through the bottom of each cell in the battery pack. In other words, the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop can cool the electrodes and bottom of each cell.

[0065] Step S203 , when the temperature information is greater than the second threshold, determining a second cooling strategy in which the degree of cooling the battery by dissipating heat through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop is greater than that of the first cooling strategy.

[0066] In an embodiment of the present application, when the battery temperature information is greater than the second threshold, it indicates that the battery temperature is very high and the battery needs to be cooled. It can be determined that the degree of cooling of the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop is greater than the first cooling strategy. Here, the degree of cooling of the second cooling strategy being greater than the degree of cooling of the first cooling strategy means that when the second cooling strategy is executed, the temperature of the coolant in the loop is lower than the temperature of the coolant in the loop when the first cooling strategy is executed.

[0067] In an embodiment of the present application, when the battery temperature is low, a heating strategy is determined to heat the battery via the electrode circulation loop at the battery electrodes and the battery bottom loop at the battery bottom. This improves the efficiency of battery heating. When the battery temperature is high, a first cooling strategy is determined to dissipate heat from the battery via the electrode circulation loop at the battery electrodes and the battery bottom loop at the battery bottom. This simultaneously dissipates heat from the battery electrodes and the battery bottom, improving the efficiency of battery heat dissipation. When the battery temperature is very high, a second cooling strategy is determined to provide a greater degree of cooling. This allows for rapid cooling.

[0068] In some embodiments, the temperature adjustment device includes a heating device; as shown in FIG3 , the above step S103 can be implemented by steps S301 and S302:

[0069] Step S301: Control the heating device to heat the coolant.

[0070] Step S302 : continuously opening the electrode circulation loop and intermittently opening the battery bottom loop, so that the heated coolant heats the battery electrodes and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0071] In an embodiment of the present application, after determining a heating strategy for heating the battery via the electrode circulation loop, the heating device can be controlled to heat the coolant first, and then the electrode circulation loop is continuously opened, while the battery bottom loop is opened at intervals, so that the heated coolant heats the battery electrodes and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop. The interval between opening the electrode circulation loop can be a preset time.

[0072] In some embodiments, after determining to adopt a heating strategy, the controller may also determine the coolant flow rate based on the battery temperature information. In this embodiment of the present application, the coolant flow rate is negatively correlated with the battery temperature information, that is, the lower the battery temperature information, the greater the coolant flow rate, thereby improving the efficiency of battery heating.

[0073] In the embodiment of the present application, by continuously opening the electrode circulation loop and intermittently opening the battery bottom loop, the heated coolant heats the battery electrodes and the battery bottom along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop. In this way, when the heating power is low, the battery electrodes can be heated first, and then the electrodes and the battery bottom can be heated simultaneously, thereby improving the efficiency of heating the battery.

[0074] In some embodiments, the temperature adjustment device includes a thermal control module connected to the electrode circulation loop. The controller can start the electrode circulation loop by controlling the thermal control module.

[0075] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG4 , the above step S103 may be implemented through steps S401 and S402 :

[0076] Step S401: determining the total flow rate of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop and the coolant in the battery bottom loop based on the temperature information.

[0077] In an embodiment of the present application, after determining a first cooling strategy for dissipating heat from the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, the total flow rate of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop and the coolant in the battery bottom loop can be determined based on the temperature information. In some embodiments, the total flow rate is positively correlated with the battery temperature information, that is, the higher the battery temperature information, the greater the flow rate of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop, because a higher flow rate is required to dissipate heat from the battery as the battery temperature increases.

[0078] In some embodiments, after determining the total flow rate of the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, the flow rate ratio of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop to the coolant in the battery bottom loop is determined. The flow rate ratio may be a preset ratio, where the flow rate of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop is greater than the flow rate of the coolant in the battery bottom loop. For example, the preset ratio may be 3:2.

[0079] Step S402, opening the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; wherein the total flow of coolant can cool the battery electrodes and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0080] In some embodiments, the temperature adjustment device includes a thermal control module connected to the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop. The controller can simultaneously open the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop by controlling the thermal control module.

[0081] In the embodiments of the present application, the total flow rate of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop and the coolant in the battery bottom loop can be determined using the battery's temperature information. This allows accurate battery cooling using coolant tailored to the temperature information. By activating both the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, both the battery's electrodes and bottom can be cooled simultaneously, thereby improving battery cooling efficiency.

[0082] In some embodiments, the temperature adjustment device includes a heat dissipation device; as shown in FIG5 , the above step S103 can be implemented by steps S501 and S502:

[0083] Step S501 : determining the heat dissipation flow rate of the cooling liquid entering the heat dissipation device, and controlling the heat dissipation device to perform a temperature reduction process on the cooling liquid with the heat dissipation flow rate.

[0084] Step S502, opening the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; the coolant with the heat dissipation flow and the coolant that has not entered the heat dissipation device can cool the battery electrodes and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0085] In an embodiment of the present application, when the temperature information is greater than the second threshold value, it indicates that the temperature of the battery is very high, and the first cooling strategy can no longer cool the battery. At this time, a second cooling strategy with a cooling degree greater than the first cooling strategy needs to be adopted, that is, the coolant is first cooled by a heat dissipation device, and then the battery is cooled by the cooled coolant.

[0086] In an embodiment of the present application, after determining the second cooling strategy for dissipating heat from the battery, the heat dissipation flow rate of the coolant entering the heat dissipation device can be determined. The temperature adjustment device includes a thermal control module, through which the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop are connected to the heat dissipation device. The thermal control module is provided with a ball valve, which can control the heat dissipation flow rate entering the heat dissipation device. In some embodiments, determining the heat dissipation flow rate entering the heat dissipation device can be achieved using formula (1):

[0087] Formula (1);

[0088] Where Q is the heat dissipation flow rate entering the heat sink, C is the total coolant flow rate in the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, K is the rotation angle of the ball valve, and W is the angular range of the thermal control module. In some embodiments, when the temperature information is greater than a second threshold, the total coolant flow rate in the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop is positively correlated with the battery temperature information.

[0089] In this embodiment of the present application, after determining the heat dissipation flow rate of the coolant entering the heat sink, the thermal control module can activate the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop. This allows the coolant that has undergone heat dissipation treatment (i.e., the coolant with the heat dissipation flow rate entering the heat sink) and the coolant that has not undergone heat dissipation treatment (i.e., the coolant that has not entered the heat sink) to flow along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, jointly cooling the battery electrodes and the battery bottom. Because some of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop has undergone heat dissipation treatment, the degree of temperature reduction is greater than that of the first cooling strategy.

[0090] In the embodiment of the present application, when the battery is at a high temperature, the temperature adjustment device can be controlled to cool the cooling liquid in the heat dissipation flow. By opening the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, the cooling liquid in the heat dissipation flow and the cooling liquid that does not enter the heat dissipation device can be passed along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop to cool the battery electrodes and the bottom of the battery. This can improve the efficiency of cooling the battery.

[0091] Figure 6 is a distribution diagram of the circulation loop provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 6, at least two circulation loops in the temperature adjustment device include an electrode circulation loop 601, and the electrode circulation loop 601 includes at least two electrode paths 6011 and at least one connecting path 6012. As shown in Figure 6, the battery 602 includes 4 battery cells, and the 4 battery cells are distributed in two columns, so the electrode circulation loop 601 includes four electrode paths 6011 and three connecting paths 6012. The four electrode paths 6011 pass through the electrodes of the battery cells respectively, and the two adjacent electrode paths 6011 are connected by a connecting path 6012. In some embodiments, when the battery 602 includes 2 battery cells and the 2 battery cells are distributed in a column, the electrode circulation loop 601 may include two electrode paths 6011 and one connecting path 6012. That is, the number of electrode paths and connecting paths in the electrode circulation loop is related to the number of columns of battery cells in the battery.

[0092] In an embodiment of the present application, the electrode path in the electrode circulation loop can pass through the electrode of each battery cell in the battery, so that the coolant in the electrode circulation loop can pass through the positive and negative electrodes of each battery cell, thereby heating or cooling the positive and negative electrodes of the battery cell.

[0093] As shown in Figure 6 , the at least two circulation loops in the temperature adjustment device also include a frame-shaped battery bottom loop 603 located at the bottom of battery 602. In this embodiment of the present application, the coolant in the battery bottom loop can heat or cool the bottom of the battery along the battery bottom loop.

[0094] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a thermal control system for a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 7, the thermal control system 700 for the battery includes a controller (not shown in the figure) and a temperature adjustment device. The temperature adjustment device includes an electrode circulation loop 601, a battery bottom loop 603 and a thermal control module 604. The outlet of the thermal control module 604 is respectively connected to the inlet of the electrode circulation loop 601 and the inlet of the battery bottom loop 603.

[0095] In an embodiment of the present application, a valve is provided at the outlet of the thermal control module, which is connected to the inlet of the electrode circulation loop and the inlet of the battery bottom loop. When the electrode circulation loop and / or the battery bottom loop need to be opened, the controller can send a control signal to the thermal control module, and the thermal control module then opens the valve corresponding to the electrode circulation loop and / or the valve corresponding to the battery bottom loop according to the control signal, thereby opening the electrode circulation loop and / or the battery bottom loop.

[0096] As shown in Figure 7, the temperature adjustment device also includes a water pump 605 and a heat sink 606. The inlet of the water pump 605 is connected to the outlet of the electrode circulation loop 601 and the outlet of the battery bottom loop 603 respectively; the outlet of the water pump 605 is connected to the inlet of the thermal control module 604; the outlet of the thermal control module 604 is also connected to the inlet of the heat sink 606; the outlet of the heat sink 606 is connected to the inlet of the thermal control module 604.

[0097] Figure 7 shows the connection status of the various components in the thermal control system when the controller adopts a temperature increase strategy to heat the battery. Among them, the solid line in Figure 7 indicates that the two connected components are in a conductive state, and the dotted line indicates that the two connected components are in a non-conductive state, that is, the outlet of the water pump 605 and the inlet of the thermal control module 604 are in a conductive state, the outlet of the thermal control module 604 and the inlet of the electrode circulation loop 601 are in a conductive state, and the inlet of the water pump 605 and the outlet of the electrode circulation loop 601 are in a conductive state. At this time, the flow direction of the coolant is: water pump 605 → thermal control module 604 → electrode circulation loop 601 → water pump 605. Because there is a heating device in the water pump, the cooling liquid passing through the water pump can be heated by the heating device, so that the heated cooling liquid flows through the electrodes of all battery cells, thereby heating the electrodes of the battery cells.

[0098] In this embodiment of the present application, after the electrode circulation loop is opened for a preset time, the battery bottom circuit is opened, ensuring that the outlet of the thermal control module is in electrical contact with the inlet of the battery bottom circuit, and the inlet of the water pump is in electrical contact with the outlet of the battery bottom circuit. At this point, the coolant flows from the water pump to the thermal control module, then to the electrode circulation loop and then to the battery bottom circuit. After the preset time, the battery bottom circuit is closed.

[0099] Figure 8 shows the connection status of various components in the thermal control system when the controller adopts the first cooling strategy to dissipate heat from the battery. Specifically, the outlet of the water pump 605 is in a conductive state with the inlet of the thermal control module 604, the outlet of the thermal control module 604 is in a conductive state with the inlet of the electrode circulation loop 601 and the inlet of the battery bottom loop 603, and the inlet of the water pump 605 is in a conductive state with the outlet of the electrode circulation loop 601 and the outlet of the battery bottom loop 603. At this time, the flow direction of the coolant is: water pump 605 → thermal control module 604 → electrode circulation loop 601, battery bottom loop 603 → water pump 605. In this way, by controlling the thermal control module to open the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, the coolant flows along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, while dissipating heat to the electrodes and the battery bottom.

[0100] Figure 9 shows the connection status of various components in the thermal control system when the controller uses the second cooling strategy to dissipate heat from the battery. All components are connected. The flow direction of the coolant that needs to dissipate heat is: water pump 605 → thermal control module 604 → heat sink 606 → thermal control module 604 → electrode circulation loop 601, battery bottom loop 603 → water pump 605; the flow direction of the coolant that does not need to dissipate heat is: water pump 605 → thermal control module 604 → electrode circulation loop 601, battery bottom loop 603 → water pump 605. It can be seen that the coolant in the electrode circulation loop and battery bottom loop is a mixture of coolant that has dissipated heat and coolant that has not dissipated heat. This mixed coolant can more effectively dissipate heat from the battery cells and bottom.

[0101] In the embodiment of the present application, the controller can realize thermal control processing of the battery through different circulation loops by controlling the opening and closing of different valves of the thermal control module, thereby improving the effectiveness of the battery thermal control processing.

[0102] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of a method for implementing a thermal control method for a battery according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG10 , the method includes the following steps S1001 to S1003:

[0103] Step S1001 : The battery temperature sensor monitors the battery temperature.

[0104] In step S1002 , the controller reads the battery temperature and compares it with the internally set temperature.

[0105] In the embodiment of the present application, the internal temperature includes a first threshold and a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold.

[0106] Step S1003 : When the battery temperature is less than or equal to a first threshold, a small cycle is used to increase the battery temperature.

[0107] In the embodiment of the present application, because the battery temperature is relatively low, the battery cell needs to be heated up quickly (the heat generated by the battery pack is transferred outward from the positive and negative electrodes), and the coolant is heated by the heating device in the water pump. Due to the limited heating power, the heating requirements of the positive and negative electrodes are prioritized, so only cycle 1 is opened, and the coolant flow rate of cycle 1 is subdivided into three levels A, B, and C according to the temperature from low to high (according to the water pump capacity, the battery cell temperature is subdivided into X1, X2, and X3, corresponding to the three flow rates A, B, and C). It should be noted that after cycle 1 is opened for a certain time (t1), cycle 1+cycle 2 needs to be opened (duration t2, cycle 1 and cycle 2 are distributed in a fixed ratio), and then cycle 1 (duration t1) is continued to run, and the cycle is repeated to ensure the uniformity of the battery cell temperature. Among them, cycle 1 is a circulation loop passing through the electrode of the battery. Cycle 2 is a circulation loop passing through the bottom of the battery.

[0108] Step S1004 : When the battery temperature is greater than the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold, a small cycle is used to dissipate heat from the battery.

[0109] In the embodiment of the present application, if the battery temperature is greater than the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold, it means that the battery temperature is high. Cycle 2 can be started on the basis of cycle 1. Cycle 1 and cycle 2 adopt a fixed ratio coolant distribution mode.

[0110] Step S1005 : When the battery temperature is greater than the second threshold, a large cycle is used to dissipate heat from the battery.

[0111] In the embodiment of the present application, the battery temperature is greater than the second threshold value, indicating that the battery temperature is very high. At this time, the small cycle can no longer meet the battery cell cooling requirements. Therefore, the battery pack thermal management module and the radiator begin to exchange heat and dissipate heat for the battery through a large cycle.

[0112] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery thermal control system according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG11 , the battery thermal control system 1100 includes a controller 1110 and a temperature adjustment device 1111 . The temperature adjustment device includes at least two circulation loops located at different positions of the battery.

[0113] The controller 1110 is configured to obtain temperature information of the battery;

[0114] The controller 1110 is further configured to determine a thermal control strategy for the battery based on the temperature information of the battery;

[0115] The controller 1110 is further configured to control at least two of the circulation loops to perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy.

[0116] In some embodiments, at least two of the circulation loops include an electrode circulation loop and a battery bottom loop. The controller 1110 is further configured to, when the temperature information is less than or equal to a first threshold, determine a temperature increase strategy for heating the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; when the temperature information is greater than the first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold, determine a first temperature reduction strategy for dissipating heat from the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; the second threshold is greater than the first threshold; and when the temperature information is greater than the second threshold, determine a second temperature reduction strategy for dissipating heat from the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop, wherein the degree of temperature reduction is greater than the first temperature reduction strategy.

[0117] In some embodiments, the temperature adjustment device includes a heating device; the controller 1110 is further configured to control the heating device to heat the coolant; the electrode circulation loop is continuously opened, and the battery bottom loop is opened at intervals, so that the heated coolant heats the electrode of the battery and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0118] In some embodiments, the controller 1110 is further configured to determine the total flow rate of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop and the coolant in the battery bottom loop based on the temperature information; open the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; wherein the total flow rate of coolant can cool the electrode of the battery and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0119] In some embodiments, the temperature adjustment device includes a heat dissipation device; the controller 1110 is further configured to determine the heat dissipation flow rate of the cooling liquid entering the heat dissipation device, and control the heat dissipation device to cool the cooling liquid with the heat dissipation flow rate; open the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; wherein, the cooling liquid with the heat dissipation flow rate and the cooling liquid that does not enter the heat dissipation device can cool the electrode of the battery and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

[0120] The description of the above device embodiment is similar to the description of the above method embodiment and has similar beneficial effects as the method embodiment. In some embodiments, the functions or modules included in the device provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can be used to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. For technical details not disclosed in the device embodiments of this application, please refer to the description of the method embodiments of this application for understanding.

[0121] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, if the above-mentioned data processing method is implemented in the form of a software function module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the embodiments of the present application, or the part that contributes to the relevant technology, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the methods of each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program code, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. In this way, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to any specific hardware, software, or firmware, or any combination of hardware, software, and firmware.

[0122] An embodiment of the present application provides a computer device including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program that can be run on the processor, and when the processor executes the program, some or all of the steps in the above method are implemented.

[0123] The present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements some or all of the steps in the above method. The computer-readable storage medium may be transient or non-transient.

[0124] An embodiment of the present application provides a computer program, including computer-readable code. When the computer-readable code runs in a computer device, a processor in the computer device executes some or all of the steps for implementing the above method.

[0125] Embodiments of the present application provide a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When the computer program is read and executed by a computer, it implements some or all of the steps of the above-described method. The computer program product may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the computer program product is embodied as a computer storage medium. In other embodiments, the computer program product is embodied as a software product, such as a software development kit (SDK).

[0126] It should be noted that the descriptions of the various embodiments above tend to emphasize the differences between the various embodiments, and their similarities or similarities can be referenced to each other. The descriptions of the above device, storage medium, computer program, and computer program product embodiments are similar to the descriptions of the above method embodiments and have similar beneficial effects as the method embodiments. For technical details not disclosed in the embodiments of the device, storage medium, computer program, and computer program product of this application, please refer to the description of the method embodiments of this application for understanding.

[0127] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a hardware entity of a thermal control device for a battery according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG12 , the hardware entity of the thermal control device for a battery 1200 includes: a processor 1201, a communication interface 1202, and a memory 1203, wherein:

[0128] The processor 1201 generally controls the overall operation of the computer device (battery thermal control device 1200 ), which may be to implement the battery thermal control method provided in the embodiment of the present application, for example, the method shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 .

[0129] The communication interface 1202 enables the computer device to communicate with other terminals or servers through a network.

[0130] Memory 1203 is configured to store instructions and applications executable by processor 1201. It can also cache data (e.g., image data, audio data, voice communication data, and video communication data) to be processed or already processed by processor 1201 and various modules in the computer device (specifically, battery thermal control device 1200). This can be implemented using flash memory (FLASH) or random access memory (RAM). Data can be transmitted between processor 1201, communication interface 1202, and memory 1203 via bus 1204.

[0131] An embodiment of the present application provides a computer storage medium storing one or more programs, which can be executed by one or more processors to implement the steps of the thermal control method for a battery as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0132] It should be noted that the description of the above storage medium and device embodiments is similar to the description of the above method embodiments and has similar beneficial effects as the method embodiments. For technical details not disclosed in the storage medium and device embodiments of this application, please refer to the description of the method embodiments of this application for understanding.

[0133] The processor may be at least one of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a digital signal processing device (DSPD), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a central processing unit (CPU), a controller, a microcontroller, and a microprocessor. It is understood that the electronic device that implements the functions of the processor may also be other electronic devices, and the embodiments of the present application are not specifically limited thereto.

[0134] The above-mentioned computer storage medium / memory can be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a magnetic random access memory (FRAM), a flash memory (Flash Memory), a magnetic surface storage device, an optical disc, or a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM); it can also be various terminals that include one or any combination of the above-mentioned memories, such as mobile phones, computers, tablet devices, personal digital assistants, etc.

[0135] It should be understood that "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mentioned throughout the specification means that the specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. It should be understood that in the various embodiments of the present application, the size of the serial numbers of the above-mentioned steps / processes does not mean the order of execution, and the execution order of each step / process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application. The above-mentioned serial numbers of the embodiments of the present application are for description only and do not represent the advantages and disadvantages of the embodiments.

[0136] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus comprising the element.

[0137] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of units is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as: multiple units or components can be combined, or can be integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling, direct coupling, or communication connection between the components shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0138] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units; they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units; some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the present embodiment.

[0139] In addition, all functional units in the embodiments of the present application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can be a separate unit, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit; the above-mentioned integrated units can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional units.

[0140] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the above-mentioned method embodiment can be completed by hardware related to program instructions, and the aforementioned program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, it executes the steps of the above-mentioned method embodiment; and the aforementioned storage medium includes: mobile storage devices, read-only memories (ROM), magnetic disks or optical disks, and other media that can store program codes.

[0141] Alternatively, if the above-mentioned integrated unit of the present application is implemented in the form of a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application, or the part that contributes to the relevant technology, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes a number of instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the methods of the various embodiments of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: various media that can store program code, such as mobile storage devices, ROMs, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0142] The above are only implementation methods of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with this technical field can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in this application, which should be covered by the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A thermal control method for a battery, characterized in that: The battery thermal control method is applied to a controller of a battery thermal control system, wherein the battery thermal control system further comprises a temperature adjustment device; the temperature adjustment device comprises at least two circulation loops located at different positions of the battery; the method comprises: Acquiring temperature information of the battery; determining a thermal control strategy for the battery based on temperature information of the battery; At least two of the circulation loops are controlled to perform a thermal control process on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that At least two of the circulation loops include an electrode circulation loop and a battery bottom loop; and determining a thermal control strategy of the battery based on temperature information of the battery includes: When the temperature information is less than or equal to a first threshold, determining a temperature raising strategy for heating the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; When the temperature information is greater than the first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold, determining a first cooling strategy for dissipating heat from the battery through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; the second threshold is greater than the first threshold; When the temperature information is greater than the second threshold, a second cooling strategy is determined in which a degree of cooling the battery by dissipating heat through the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop is greater than that of the first cooling strategy.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The temperature adjustment device includes a heating device; the controlling at least two of the circulation loops to perform a thermal control process on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy includes: controlling the heating device to heat the coolant; The electrode circulation loop is continuously opened, and the battery bottom loop is opened at intervals, so that the heated coolant heats the battery electrodes and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The controlling of at least two of the circulation loops to perform a thermal control process on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy includes: Determining a total flow rate of the coolant in the electrode circulation loop and the coolant in the battery bottom loop based on the temperature information; Opening the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; The total flow of coolant can cool the electrodes of the battery and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The temperature adjustment device includes a heat dissipation device; the controlling at least two of the circulation loops to perform a thermal control process on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy includes: determining a heat dissipation flow rate of the coolant entering the heat dissipation device, and controlling the heat dissipation device to cool the coolant with the heat dissipation flow rate; Opening the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop; The cooling liquid with the heat dissipation flow rate and the cooling liquid that does not enter the heat dissipation device can cool the electrodes of the battery and the bottom of the battery along the electrode circulation loop and the battery bottom loop.

6. A thermal control system for a battery, characterized in that: The thermal control system includes a controller and a temperature adjustment device; the temperature adjustment device includes at least two circulation loops located at different positions of the battery; The controller is configured to obtain temperature information of the battery; The controller is further configured to determine a thermal control strategy for the battery based on temperature information of the battery; The controller is further configured to control at least two of the circulation loops to perform thermal control processing on the battery corresponding to the thermal control strategy.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that At least two of the circulation loops include an electrode circulation loop; the electrode circulation loop includes at least two electrode paths and at least one connecting path; the at least one connecting path connects the at least two electrode paths; each of the at least two electrode paths passes through an electrode of the battery; The coolant in the electrode circulation loop can perform thermal control on the electrodes of the battery along the electrode circulation loop.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that The at least two circulation loops further include a battery bottom loop at the bottom of the battery; The coolant in the battery bottom loop can perform thermal control on the bottom of the battery along the battery bottom loop.

9. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that The temperature adjustment device includes a heat control module; the outlet of the heat control module is connected to the inlet of the electrode circulation loop and the inlet of the battery bottom loop respectively; wherein, The controller is configured to control the thermal control module to open the electrode circulation loop and / or the battery bottom loop.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein: The temperature adjustment device includes a water pump and a heat dissipation device; The inlet of the water pump is connected to the outlet of the electrode circulation loop and the outlet of the battery bottom loop respectively; the outlet of the water pump is connected to the inlet of the thermal control module; the outlet of the thermal control module is also connected to the inlet of the heat sink; the outlet of the heat sink is connected to the inlet of the thermal control module.

Images