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The difference between liquid cooling and air cooling in energy storage cooling systems2024/1/5

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The current energy storage industry has entered a stage of large-scale development, and the technology of energy storage has gradually matured. Energy storage cooling technology is mainly divided into two types: liquid cooling and air cooling. The following is a detailed introduction to these two cooling technologies:

一、Air-cooled

The main equipment of the air-cooled system in the energy storage system includes air conditioning, air ducts, and module fans, which are installed directly in front of the module. The module fan carries the heat dissipated from the battery cells inside the module out to the prefabricated cabin air duct, and the air conditioning system inside the prefabricated cabin dissipates heat through thermal convection.

1、The characteristics of air cooling

The air-cooled system has a simple structure, light weight, effective ventilation when harmful gases are generated, low manufacturing cost, easy installation, and maintenance. However, its shortcomings lie in the slow heat transfer coefficient between the battery wall and the heat dissipation speed, low heat dissipation efficiency, the need for larger heat dissipation channels, and unstable temperature uniformity. But with the advancement of energy storage technology, these problems of air-cooled systems have gradually been solved.

1、Applicable scenarios for air cooling

Air cooling systems are suitable for energy storage systems of various scales and types, especially in outdoor environments with better applicability. It is currently the most widely used cooling technology, applied in industrial refrigeration, communication base stations, data centers, temperature control scenarios, etc., with relatively high technological maturity and reliability. Especially in low to medium power scenarios, air cooling remains the mainstream.

二、Liquid cooling

The liquid cooling system in the energy storage system is equipped with honeycomb shaped liquid cooling plates at the bottom of the battery compartment, which take away the heat generated during the battery operation through the circulation of antifreeze.

1、The characteristics of liquid cooling

The liquid cooling system does not require the deployment of large heat dissipation channels and occupies a relatively small area. Strong heat dissipation ability, fast heat dissipation speed, stable temperature uniformity, and liquid cooling technology can accurately manage the temperature of each battery cell. The shortcomings are that the structure is slightly complex and compact, with slightly higher maintenance and repair costs, and there is a risk of leakage. Although the initial investment cost of liquid cooling systems is relatively high, the energy consumption of liquid cooling systems is usually much lower than that of air-cooled systems, and the comprehensive cost throughout the entire lifecycle may actually be lower than that of air-cooled systems.

2、Applicable scenarios for liquid cooling

Liquid cooling systems are also suitable for various scales and types of energy storage systems, especially for large-scale, high energy density energy storage projects. The advantages of battery packs are particularly evident in situations with high energy density, fast charging and discharging speeds, and large environmental temperature changes.

The above is an analysis of these two technologies, liquid cooling and air cooling each have their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of heat dissipation in energy storage systems. The specific choice of heat dissipation method needs to be comprehensively considered based on actual application scenarios and needs. If you need to know more details, you can contact Sharp Lai.