By zhanqun1 
Hook: “Forget revolutions – the most important energy storage breakthroughs are taking place degree by degree.”
Liquid cooling is not an upgrade – it’s a force multiplier that transforms each component:
The Ripple Effect
BMS Brain Boost: Stable temperatures allow battery management systems to focus on optimization instead of firefighting. When the batteries are operating within a stable and regulated temperature, the BMS can function better. It does not have to remain in continuous lookout for heat-related conditions and can instead dedicate its resources towards maximizing the performance of the batteries. This translates to more accurate voltage and current monitoring, enhanced charge and discharge management, and eventually better overall battery health and lifespan.
Material Liberation: Enable use of high-nickel cathodes too sensitive to air cooling. High-nickel cathodes offer more energy density and superior performance but are extremely sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Air cooling proves to be insufficient to supply the precise temperature level needed for the operation of such cathodes under optimal conditions. Liquid cooling, with its ability to manage temperature at the cell level, allows high-nickel cathode use without fear of thermal-related issues. This introduces an entire new realm of battery design and performance potential.
Grid Symbiosis: 2ms response time to frequency regulation vs. air-cooled systems’ 200ms delay. In a grid application, the ability to respond quickly to changes in frequency is critical. Liquid cooling enables batteries to respond in milliseconds, providing instantaneous and accurate backup to the grid. This is in contrast with air-cooled technologies, which respond in hundreds of milliseconds. Since liquid-cooled batteries’ response is more immediate, they can provide a more stable and reliable grid experience, reducing likelihoods of power outages and blackouts.
By the Numbers
23% increased continuous discharge rate. In liquid cooling, batteries are kept at an ideal temperature, which increases the electrochemical reactions. This results in an increased continuous discharge rate, i.e., batteries can supply more power for a longer period of time. This is beneficial in applications where power is required to be high, such as in electric vehicles or renewable energy systems.
83% reduction in peak cell temperatures. Liquid cooling can significantly reduce the peak temperatures during discharging and charging by actively cooling the batteries on the cell level. With heat, degradation and battery life loss happen, but with liquid cooling, the peak temperatures are kept within a safe operating range. This leads to a significant reduction in thermal stress on the batteries and an enhancement of their life.
5:1 ROI ratio on the basis of longer cycle life alone. Longer cycle life of the liquid-cooled batteries due to enhanced thermal management provides improved return on investment. High-capacity batteries that can handle more charge and discharge cycles before experiencing significant degradation save money in the long run by the prevention of regular replacement. The 5:1 return on investment ratio reflects the economic benefits of liquid cooling in reducing operating costs and prolonging the life of the energy storage system.
Industry Disruption
Legacy cooling vendors face obsolescence as: EV manufacturers apply automobile cooling technology to stationary storage. The success of electric vehicles in the automotive industry has triggered vast innovation in cooling technologies. These same cooling technologies are being redirected into stationary energy storage applications. With EV manufacturers continuously pushing the limits of battery performance and thermal management, the automotive industry expertise is being migrated to the energy storage business. This creates even more advanced and efficient liquid cooling for stationary storage systems.
Pioneers of data center liquid cooling move to energy markets. Data centers have always been in the forefront when it comes to liquid cooling technology because they require extremely efficient cooling in order to keep servers operating at their maximum optimal temperatures. As energy storage demands rise and complex thermal management needs intensify, data center liquid cooling thought leaders are now spilling into the energy markets. They also bring with them their design and implementation skills in liquid cooling, providing innovative solutions for energy storage systems.
Oil companies retrofit pipeline technology to district-scale thermal management. Oil companies have extensive know-how on the handling and transport of fluids over long distances. Such knowledge is being applied to district-scale thermal management systems on a liquid cooling basis. With the retrofitting of their pipeline technology, the oil industry is able to provide efficient and reliable thermal management solutions for utility-scale energy storage applications. This not only maximizes the performance of the energy storage systems but also generates a new revenue stream for the oil industry.
Liquid cooling is not a trend in the energy storage industry – it is a stealth efficiency multiplier that cannot be circumvented. From improved battery performance and lifespan to enabling new use cases and disrupting incumbent industries, liquid cooling is transforming energy storage and its utilization. Liquid cooling will increasingly be crucial in fulfilling clean, reliable, and plentiful energy needs as demand is picking up the pace. Today is the time for the energy storage sector to mature and adopt the liquid cooling imperative.