Battery Rack Liquid Cooling for High-Temperature Cell Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional thermal management systems struggle to effectively manage the temperature of high-temperature battery cells and the surrounding area in energy storage systems, making it difficult to maintain optimal conditions for battery performance and safety.

Innovation Solution

An energy storage system comprising a battery rack with a cooling channel, a coolant tank, a pipe unit for circulating coolant, and a pump unit to adjust coolant supply, along with heat exchangers and diverging valves to control coolant flow and temperature, ensuring efficient temperature management of battery cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If air conditioning equipment is used to manage room-temperature battery cells, then the temperature of battery cells can be managed, but it is difficult to manage high-temperature battery cells effectively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery cell temperatureVSAvoidthermal management system adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The thermal management system dynamically adjusts coolant flow rates and circulation paths based on real-time battery temperature conditions. The system transitions from static air conditioning to dynamic liquid cooling with variable flow rates, enabling adaptation to different temperature ranges and battery configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the thermal management parameter from air-based cooling to liquid coolant-based cooling, and further adjusts coolant flow rate, temperature, and circulation patterns. This parameter transformation enables effective management of high-temperature battery cells while maintaining flexibility for different operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Power

If multiple battery cells are connected in series or parallel to configure battery packs, then output voltage and charge/discharge capacity can be adjusted, but thermal management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoutput voltage and charge/discharge capacityVSAvoidthermal management system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The thermal management system divides the battery pack into multiple modular cooling units, each capable of independent coolant circulation. This segmentation allows targeted cooling of specific battery modules or cell groups, managing thermal conditions in large-scale battery packs without requiring a monolithic complex system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The coolant circulation system serves multiple functions simultaneously: cooling battery cells, managing heat from power electronics, and providing thermal regulation across different battery configurations. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by consolidating thermal management tasks into a unified platform.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system efficiently manages the temperature of battery cells and the surrounding area, maintaining optimal conditions for battery performance and safety by selectively using multiple heat exchangers and fans to adjust coolant flow, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a pump unit connected to the pipe unit, disposed between the coolant tank and the battery rack, and configured to adjust the supply of the coolant to the battery rack

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

a battery rack including at least one battery cell and having a cooling channel for cooling the at least one battery cell

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat Exchanger: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP4175023B1Power storage apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP4175023B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4175023B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4175023B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Disclosed is an energy storage system, which includes a battery rack having a battery cell and having a cooling channel for cooling the battery cell, a coolant tank having a predetermined coolant, a pipe unit configured to circulate the coolant between the battery rack and the coolant tank, and a pump unit configured to adjust the supply of the coolant to the battery rack.