Have you heard of full immersion liquid cooling? You may think it is some kind of cutting-edge cooling technology, but do not worry, it is no spa where you can soothe your phone, computer, or battery. In fact, this tech is quietly revolutionizing our understanding of “cooling,” especially with batteries and energy storage systems, and it is helping us solve a large problem in a new way – overheating.
The battery is afraid of heat? I hope so!
You see, batteries, just like people, don’t want to work in warm weather. Not only will it damage the performance of the battery, but can actually shorten its life and even pose safety hazards. For example, it is always easy to heat your mobile phone battery after it has been for long, a condition that comes due to the high heat production in the process of continuous charging and discharging by the battery. If released not in good time, the efficiency of the battery will get deteriorated and may even lead to explosion.
So what do we do? Insert the batteries into the air conditioner for a while? Uh, not very practical. The answer to this dilemma is full immersion liquid cooling technology.
What is full immersion liquid cooling?
As the name suggests, “full immersion liquid cooling” is actually to completely immerse the battery in a liquid with high thermal conductivity. The liquid is not water, but a special cooling fluid that can absorb the heat the battery generates when operating and transfer the heat away by the circulating system, thereby reducing the temperature of the battery.
As you can imagine, this is similar to prepare a pool of “cold water” for the battery, so that it can fully enjoy the “cold bath”, even in the hot temperature environment, it can be stable and calm. And these “cold water” is not really water, but some special coolant, these liquids are not conductive to electricity, so even if they come in contact with the battery, it will not cause problems like short circuit.
So how does it really work?
The working principle of a liquid cooling system that is fully submerged is quite simple: a battery or some other device is completely submerged in a liquid, which quickly draws the heat away, and then the heat is transferred by some external cooling unit, like a radiator or cooling system. It can be understood that the liquid behaves as an “invisible air conditioner”, which will not cool down the battery in direct but will maintain the temperature balance of the battery through the absorption of the heat generated by the battery.
Besides, liquid cooling technology is much more efficient compared to air cooling. Air cooling is like using an electric fan to blow air on a sweltering hot summer day, although it is slightly cool, it always cannot match the air conditioner. Liquid cooling is like air conditioning refrigeration, not only cooling faster, but also constantly and stably maintaining the optimal working temperature of the battery.
What are the benefits of liquid cooling technology?
Better heat dissipation efficiency: Liquid is a much better heat conductor than air and can easily take away the heat. Batteries, servers, data centers and other hardware can be cooled by liquid cooling technology so that they do not collapse or lose effectiveness due to over-heating.
Extend the life of equipment: The temperature of equipment is well controlled, so the operation of equipment can be stable output and the life of service can be prolonged. This is beneficial for systems with high loads running for a long time, including electric vehicles and power storage devices.
Space conservation: Compared to traditional air cooling systems, liquid cooling systems require less space, taking up less space and providing a more comfortable working area free from noise pollution.
Environmental protection: Liquid cooling systems use proprietary fluids that do not pose any environmental threat when they are recycled. Furthermore, compared to air cooling, where so much electricity is required to run the fan, liquid cooling has less energy consumption and better environmental protection.
Problems and future of liquid cooling technology
Indeed, all technologies have defects, and liquid cooling does as well. To begin with, liquid cooling systems do have some advanced system design, which entails somewhat more complex installation and maintenance compared to typical air cooling systems. In addition, this liquid cooling system has to ensure the quality and safety of the coolant and avoid problems such as leakage. Second, the initial investment in liquid cooling systems is expensive, especially in some small equipment or SME applications, which can be quite “prohibitive.”.
But with advances in technology and the reduction in price, application scenarios of liquid cooling technology are also broadening. From the initial server and data center, to the present electric vehicle, battery energy storage system, and then to consumer electronics’ future use, liquid cooling technology is gradually moving into a broader market.
Typically, the fully immersed liquid cooling technology is akin to soaking batteries and electronics in a “small bath,” which can “soak” to be cooled without fear of short circuiting. Its stable heat dissipation and long-term stability make it exceptional in the majority of high-performance products. Although there are still limitations to liquid cooling technology, with the technology’s further maturity, future equipment can already enjoy the comfort and efficiency that liquid cooling provides.
The next time you see a battery getting hot, imagine it taking a “bath” to cool down, relishing the coolness that liquid cooling technology offers!