Self-Powered Liquid Cooling for Data Center Battery Backup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery thermal management systems for datacenter battery backup units are insufficient in maintaining consistent temperature across multiple battery cells, leading to performance deterioration and potential system failure due to uneven charging and discharging rates.
Innovation Solution
A self-powered liquid cooling system where battery cells submerged in coolant activate a pump and fan only during charging or discharging, utilizing single-phase or two-phase coolant that changes phase to efficiently extract and dissipate heat through a heat exchanger, with air or liquid cooling options, and a controller to regulate the cooling system based on temperature and current sensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional air cooling or liquid cooling systems are used for battery packs, then cooling capability is provided, but the systems are complex and consume excessive power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from a separate complex cooling system and integrates it directly into the battery cell structure through phase change material layers applied to the surface of each battery cell, eliminating the need for external cooling apparatus
Solution Approach 2:
The phase change materials automatically absorb excess heat from battery cells when temperature rises during charging or discharging, and release heat when temperature drops, providing self-regulating thermal management without requiring external power or control systems
2Loss of energy
If active liquid cooling systems with pumps are used, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The phase change materials autonomously respond to temperature changes by absorbing and releasing heat without requiring external power input, controllers, or active components, thereby achieving energy-efficient thermal management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical cooling systems (pumps, fans, liquid circulation) with a passive phase change mechanism that uses material property changes to achieve heat transfer, eliminating mechanical components and their associated power consumption
3Quantity of substance
If multiple battery cells are connected in series or parallel, then battery pack capacity is increased, but temperature uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies phase change material layers individually to each battery cell surface, providing localized thermal management that addresses temperature variations in each cell independently, thereby maintaining temperature uniformity across the entire battery pack
Solution Approach 2:
The phase change materials undergo phase transitions at specific temperature points, automatically absorbing heat when cells overheat and releasing heat when cells cool down, thereby maintaining consistent temperature across multiple connected cells
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 effectively maintains optimal battery performance by actively managing temperature during operation, ensuring efficient heat dissipation and prolonging backup time while minimizing power consumption and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
the coolant extracting heat from the battery cells
Implementation Method 2
the coolant is circulated between a heat exchanger and the battery pack extracting the heat
Implementation Method 3
For multi-phase coolant, the build changes phase from a liquid state to a vapor state when the battery cells start to generate heat
Implementation Method 4
the build changes phase from a liquid state to a vapor state when the battery cells start to generate heat during a discharging or charging process. The vapor returns back to the heat exchanger where it gets cooled and condensed back to fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A method for self-sensing, activating, and regulating thermal management for a rack-mount backup battery unit (BBU) module is disclosed. The BBU module includes a data center rack-mountable chassis, battery cells submerged in a coolant in a liquid phase in a coolant tank, the coolant extracting heat from the plurality of battery cells when at least some of the battery cells are being charged or discharged, and a cooling loop having a heat exchanger, a supply line for supplying lower-temperature coolant from the heat exchanger to the coolant tank, and a return line for returning higher-temperature or multi-phase coolant from the coolant tank to the heat exchanger, wherein the higher-temperature or multi-phase coolant is cooled and transformed into lower-temperature coolant or single phase liquid at the heat exchanger, and wherein the cooling loop is in operation when at least some of the plurality of battery cells are being charged or discharged, and is idle when none of the plurality of battery cells are being charged or discharged.