Thermal management for electrical storage devices

Abstract

An energy storage system includes a sealed housing defining an interior space and a plurality of cells arranged within the interior space of the housing. A cooling liquid submerges each of the cells. The cooling system is positioned within the sealed housing configured to actively and passively cool and heat each of the cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An energy storage system, comprising:
 a sealed housing defining an interior space;   a plurality of cells arranged within the interior space of the housing;   a cooling liquid submerging each of the cells; and   a cooling system within the sealed housing configured to actively and passively cool and heat each of the cells.   
     
     
         2 . The energy storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling system defines a top surface of interior space of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The energy storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling system includes an active condenser, passive condenser, and a cold plate, wherein the passive condenser is configured to cool the cells while the cooling supply temperature is below a predetermined temperature, wherein the active condenser is configured to cool the cells above the predetermined temperature, and wherein the cold plate is configured to dissipate heat from the liquid in the active and passive condensers. 
     
     
         4 . The energy storage system of  claim 3 , wherein the cold plate is configured to cool the cells with the condensers by converting vapor to liquid such that the liquid falls towards the cells through the use of gravity. 
     
     
         5 . The energy storage system of  claim 3 , wherein the condenser is configured to act passively through the use of thermosyphon while the cooling supply temperature remains below a cell limit. 
     
     
         6 . The energy storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling system is configured to act actively through the use of a thermosyphon and a second actively cooled condenser, while the cooling supply is above a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The energy storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling system includes a thermal electrical cooler configured to act actively as a thermal heat sink. 
     
     
         8 . The energy storage system of  claim 7 , wherein the thermal electric cooler operation is based on a cooling supply temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The energy storage system of  claim 7 , further comprising a sensor coupled to a controller configured to sense the cooling supply temperature, wherein in response to the cooling supply temperature exceeding a predetermined limit, the thermal electric cooler is activated, wherein in response to the cooling supply temperature falling below the predetermined limit, the thermal electrical cooler is deactivated. 
     
     
         10 . The energy storage system of  claim 7 , wherein the thermal electric cooler is configured to reverse the direction of heat flow to heat the fluid with the condenser in conditions where the cooling liquid is below an operating temperature of the cells. 
     
     
         11 . The energy storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling liquid is a two-phase fluid in the operating temperature range of the cells. 
     
     
         12 . The energy storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the cells include battery, capacitor, or other energy storage cells. 
     
     
         13 . The energy storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling system includes a heat exchanger configured to remove the heat from the system. 
     
     
         14 . The energy storage system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump and expansion valve configured to activate based on cooling supply and component temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The energy storage system of  claim 1 , further comprising power electronics positioned within the interior space of the housing. 
     
     
         16 . The energy storage system of  claim 1 , further comprising a super heater, compressor and expansion valve configured to act as a vapor cycle system to cool the cells. 
     
     
         17 . The energy storage system of  claim 16 , wherein the compressor and expansion valve provide heating to the cells when the cooling fluid is below a predetermined limit.