Lithium-Ion Battery Thermal Control for Storage Temperature Tradeoffs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium-ion batteries in data centers degrade faster at higher storage temperatures, leading to reduced energy storage capacity and increased cooling costs, necessitating an optimal thermal management strategy that balances battery health and cooling efforts.
Innovation Solution
Maintaining the battery storage temperature at an upper limit, determined by monitoring real-time temperatures and using a primary cooling system like fans or coolant-based systems to minimize cooling costs while preventing overheating, with a secondary system kicking in when necessary to ensure optimal performance and longevity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If higher storage temperature is used for lithium-ion batteries, then cooling effort is reduced, but battery degradation rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic temperature management by adjusting battery storage temperature based on operational state. When batteries are inactive, temperature is maintained at a higher level (reducing cooling effort) whereas when batteries are active, temperature is controlled more strictly (preventing degradation). This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between cooling effort and battery degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter based on battery operational status. By monitoring whether batteries are active or inactive, the system adjusts the target storage temperature parameter accordingly - allowing higher temperatures during inactive periods and maintaining lower temperatures during active periods, thus optimizing both cooling effort and degradation prevention.
2Reliability
If lower storage temperature is maintained for lithium-ion batteries, then battery degradation is reduced, but cooling costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts cooling intensity based on battery operational state rather than maintaining constant low temperature. During inactive periods, cooling is reduced allowing higher temperatures (lowering cooling costs). During active periods, cooling intensifies to maintain lower temperatures (preventing degradation). This resolves the contradiction between degradation prevention and cooling costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic monitoring and adjustment of battery temperature based on operational cycles. The cooling system operates periodically rather than continuously, activating when batteries become active and reducing operation when batteries are inactive, thus lowering overall cooling costs while maintaining degradation prevention during critical periods.
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
This approach minimizes the total cost of battery management by balancing cooling efforts and degradation, extending battery life while maintaining performance, thus optimizing the tradeoff between facility cooling costs and battery health.
Implementation Method 1
using a primary cooling system like fans or coolant-based systems to minimize cooling costs while preventing overheating
Data Source
AI summary
A battery system can provide backup power for information technology (IT) equipment. In response to a lithium ion based battery being inactive (not charging or discharging), a temperature of the battery can be maintained at or below an optimal storage temperature of the battery, using a primary cooling system. If the primary cooling system is insufficient, the temperature can be maintained at or below the optimal storage temperature with a secondary cooling system that runs in addition to the primary system. The optimal storage temperature of the battery is determined based on an effort to cool the battery and a degradation of the battery.