Comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of liquid cooling and air cooling in enegy storage system

-10-10 Energy storage system Thermal management is the key to ensure the efficient operation of the energy storage system and extend its service life. Thermal management aims to prevent the energy storage system from overheating and ensure that it operates within a suitable temperature range. The energy storage system generates a lot of heat during the charging and discharging process. If this heat is not effectively managed, it will cause the energy storage system to overheat, which will not only affect its working efficiency, but also shorten its service life, and even cause a fire in severe cases. In addition, excessively high temperatures will also increase the rate of chemical reactions in the energy storage system, thereby exacerbating the aging of the battery. Therefore, it is crucial to thermally manage the energy storage system. For industrial and commercial energy storage systems, since the battery capacity is generally large, generally above 200kwh, thermal management issues should be taken more seriously. The current mainstream thermal management methods are mainly liquid cooling and air cooling. In this article, we will compare the advantages and disadvantages of these two methods.

What is a liquid cooling system?

Liquid cooling is a technology that uses liquid as a cooling medium to absorb and transfer heat. This technology can quickly remove the heat generated inside the device through the efficient thermal conductivity of the liquid, thereby keeping the device running within a suitable temperature range to improve the performance and reliability of the device.

Liquid cooling systems are mainly used in the following areas:

Data centers:

Data centers are one of the main areas of application of liquid cooling systems. Due to the dense equipment and large heat dissipation inside the data center, traditional air cooling methods are difficult to meet the heat dissipation requirements. The liquid cooling system quickly removes heat through liquid circulation, achieves efficient heat dissipation, and ensures the stable operation of the data center.

High-performance computing:

High-performance computers, servers, etc. need to process a large amount of data and generate a lot of heat during operation. The liquid cooling system can effectively reduce the temperature of these devices and improve computing performance and stability.
 

Industrial control equipment:

Liquid cooling systems are also widely used in industrial control equipment. These devices usually need to operate in harsh environments such as high temperature and high humidity. The liquid cooling system can effectively control the temperature of the equipment and improve the reliability and stability of the equipment.
 

New energy vehicles:

The battery packs in new energy vehicles require an effective cooling system to ensure performance and life. The liquid cooling system has become an ideal choice for cooling batteries in new energy vehicles with its efficient heat dissipation performance.

Energy storage system:

Liquid cooling systems are also widely used in energy storage devices such as batteries and supercapacitors. The heat energy in the equipment is discharged by recirculating the fluid to avoid overheating and ensure the continuous and stable operation of the equipment. In addition, liquid cooling systems have also been used in wind power generation, solar power generation and other new energy power stations, rail transportation, military industry, etc. With the increasing demand for energy storage devices in the fields of new energy, electricity and transportation, the application of liquid cooling systems will also become more extensive.

Why would industrial and commercial energy storage switch from air cooling to liquid cooling systems?

Liquid cooling systems have better heat dissipation and heat exchange effects than air cooling, and can effectively suppress the occurrence of fires at an early stage. In the case of signs of thermal runaway, liquid cooling solutions can rely on a large flow of cooling media to force the battery pack to dissipate heat and achieve heat redistribution between battery modules, which can quickly suppress the continued deterioration of thermal runaway and reduce the risk of runaway.

What is air cooling energy storage system: 

Air cooling is a heat dissipation method, that is, using air as a medium to cool the object to be cooled. Its working principle is to expand the surface area or increase the air flow above the object to be cooled, or both. Air cooling is usually achieved by increasing the surface area of ​​the object to be cooled, or by speeding up the rate at which air flows through the object per unit time, or both methods can be used. The former can be achieved by adding a heat sink to the surface of the object, usually hanging the heat sink outside the object or fixing it to the object to make the heat dissipation more efficient; the latter can use a fan (blower) to enhance ventilation and enhance the cooling effect. In most cases, adding a heat sink can greatly improve the cooling efficiency.

Comparison of advantages and disadvantages of air cooling and liquid cooling:
 

Liquid cooling:

High heat dissipation and heat exchange efficiency, space saving, high cost.
 

Air cooling:

Low cost, waste of space, easy maintenance, low cost.

Future development trend of thermal management of energy storage system.

With the development of new energy and the popularity of electric vehicles, the application of energy storage system is becoming more and more extensive. Therefore, the thermal management of energy storage system will face more challenges and opportunities. The development trend of thermal management of energy storage system in the future may include the following aspects:
 

1. Research and develop more efficient thermal management technology.

Although the current mainstream active thermal management method is more efficient than passive thermal management, it still cannot meet the heat dissipation requirements of high-performance energy storage system. Therefore, it may be necessary to study more efficient thermal management technology in the future, such as new heat dissipation materials, new heat dissipation structures, etc.

2. Realize intelligent thermal management of energy storage system.

In actual application, the load and use environment of energy storage system may change, resulting in a large range of temperature changes. In order to realize the intelligent management of energy storage system, it may be necessary to study intelligent thermal management system, which can monitor and control the temperature of energy storage system in real time and realize automatic adjustment and control.

3. Reduce the cost and energy consumption of thermal management.

Currently, the cost of active thermal management is high and requires a certain amount of electricity. Future research may focus on reducing the cost and energy consumption of thermal management, such as optimizing the heat dissipation structure and using low-cost heat dissipation materials to achieve low-cost and low-energy thermal management solutions. Whether it is a liquid-cooled unit or an air-cooled air conditioner, it itself needs to consume a lot of electricity to achieve the purpose of thermal management. For example, for a 100KW/233KWH liquid-cooled energy storage integrated cabinet, the power of the liquid-cooled unit is 8KW, and for a 100KW/215KWH air-cooled energy storage integrated cabinet, the air conditioning power is 1.5KW.

4. Consider environmental protection and sustainable development.

At present, most thermal management methods rely on passive heat dissipation and active heat dissipation devices. In the future, environmental protection and sustainable development requirements need to be considered. For example, research on environmentally friendly coolants, low-energy heat dissipation devices, etc., to achieve green thermal management of energy storage systems.

Main methods of thermal management of energy storage systems
 

1. Passive thermal management
 

Passive thermal management is a simple and effective thermal management method that relies on natural convection and radiation to dissipate heat. In passive thermal management, materials with good thermal conductivity are usually used to enhance the heat dissipation effect of the energy storage system. However, due to its low heat dissipation efficiency, this thermal management method may not be able to meet the heat dissipation requirements for high-power energy storage systems.
 

2. Active thermal management
 

Active thermal management is a more efficient method of thermal management that uses active cooling devices to speed up heat dissipation. Among them, the most commonly used methods include fans, radiators, coolants, etc. Active thermal management can significantly improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the energy storage system and keep it operating within a suitable temperature range. However, this method requires more power support and also increases the complexity and cost of the system.
  In short, thermal management of energy storage systems is of great significance for improving energy efficiency and extending battery life. With the development of science and technology and the expansion of applications, it is believed that thermal management technology of energy storage systems will continue to develop and improve to meet more needs and application scenarios.
 

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Related Article

Battery liquid cooling system is a very important one. It is a core component of high-voltage power equipment and is used to ensure battery performance and avoid battery thermal runaway. The battery liquid cooling system drives the coolant to circulate in the system through the water pump, and utilizes the heat exchange device to transfer the heat generated by the battery to the coolant, and then emits the heat to the atmosphere through the radiator, thus realizing the cooling of the power battery. I will describe how it works in detail below.

Battery Liquid Cooling System

What is a battery cooling system?

I'm worried some people don't understand this yet, so I'll explain it briefly. First of all batteries, whether charging or discharging, are accompanied by electron movement, which generates heat. This is an unavoidable phenomenon. The battery cooling system is the system that was created to deal with this heat. It must regulate the temperature of the battery pack to ensure that it is maintained within the appropriate temperature range. Otherwise, it will not only affect the performance and lifespan of the power battery pack but also trigger thermal runaway, leading to damage to electric equipment, explosions and other safety issues.

Battery Cooling System for Electric Bus, Electric Truck, E-Heavy Equipment, Electric Boat, etc.

What are the battery cooling options?

Nowadays, there are three main types of common battery cooling systems, air battery cooling, liquid battery cooling, and direct refrigerant cooling. In addition to these, there are also immersion battery cooling and so on. These others are still not commercially available, so they are out of the scope of discussion.

How does the battery cooling system work?

Different cooling methods work differently. Battery liquid cooling systems are the focus of this discussion. I will cover more about this EV battery cooling solution.

✔ Battery liquid cooling system

1, The main components of the battery liquid cooling system.

Electronic water pump: It is responsible for driving the coolant in the system to circulate in the pipeline and continuously cool down.

Liquid piping: It is responsible for providing a flow path for the coolant to contact and cool the power battery module.

Condenser: It is responsible for radiating the heat absorbed by the coolant to the atmosphere.

Heat Exchanger: Responsible for transferring the heat generated by the battery to the coolant.

Compressor: The TKT HVAC battery cooling system adds customized compressor components to further enhance the cooling capacity of the system.

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2, Battery liquid cooling system working principle

When the power battery warms up and needs to be cooled, the power battery will exchange heat with the coolant through the cooling plate.

The coolant receiving heat is sent into the heat exchanger by the electronic water pump. Inside the heat exchanger, one side flows into the refrigerant, and the other side flows into the hot coolant, and both of them exchange heat in the heat exchanger.

The heat is carried away by the refrigerant and the cooler coolant flows out and back to the battery, creating a cycle;

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The hotter refrigerant then dissipates the heat through a customized compressor and condenser, creating a cycle.

Battery cooling for large electric devices is easy with the dual cycle system.

For some cold countries, the power battery will need to be heated. We add an accessory - a PTC liquid heater. It works by first closing the cooling circuit and turning on the PTC liquid heater. The coolant is heated by the PTC and flows to the battery, where it is heated by the cooling plates.

3, Battery liquid cooling system advantages

Good cooling effect: Compared with air cooling, liquid cooling effect is better and more stable. It can completely solve the problem of power battery overheating.

Strong applicability: compared with refrigerant direct cooling and immersion cooling, it is more applicable. The requirements for the environment are not so harsh.

Strong controllability and high precision: the system collects temperature data in real-time and intelligently adjusts parameters such as coolant flow and condensing fan speed. This can achieve a balance between precise control of power battery temperature and energy saving.

✔ Air Cooling

Utilizing the temperature difference between the battery system's own temperature and the surrounding environment temperature, the temperature of the battery is lowered by the convective heat exchange of air. It is usually equipped with a certain number of fans to accelerate the exchange of heat.

The advantage of this kind of cooling is its simple structure and lower cost. The disadvantage is that the cooling effect is not satisfactory enough.

✔ Refrigerant Direct Cooling

The use of refrigerant as a heat exchange medium, the use of refrigerant in the gas-liquid phase change process absorbs a large amount of heat characteristics, to achieve rapid cooling.

The advantage of this cooling is a good cooling effect. The disadvantage is that the technology is complicated, the cost is high, and it can not be heated.

Battery Liquid Cooling System Summarize

After understanding the various cooling methods above, you will find that the battery liquid cooling system is currently the most mature solution for electric vehicle battery cooling systems. This is especially true in scenarios that require high power output and long hours of operation, such as electric bus battery cooling system, electric truck battery cooling system, and electric heavy equipment battery cooling system.

TKT HVAC Busthermo - Battery Cooling System Manufacturer

TKT HVAC Busthermo has been designing and manufacturing battery liquid cooling systems for 10 years. Our products are technologically mature, cooling effective and fairly priced.

We have become partners of many world-renowned vehicle manufacturers such as BYD, TATA motors, Switch Mobility, etc.

Battery Liquid Cooling System FAQs

Q: What coolant is used for battery cooling?
A: The common coolants used for battery cooling are water or glycol.

Q: Do EV batteries have cooling systems?
A: Of course there is, because electric cars have high energy batteries. For higher power, the instantaneous energy required is huge and therefore the heat generated will be huge.

Q: Why is battery cooling important?
A: I'll use cell batteries as an example to make it easier to understand. When you use your cell in the summer and the battery temperature rises, the will alarm and reduce performance to avoid the battery continuing to heat up. If it continues to heat up, it will cause the to shut down automatically. This is used to protect the from damage and explosion.
When you use your cell in the winter, you will notice that the battery lasts for a shorter period of time. This is because the battery activity drops.

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