Technical and economic analysis of liquid immersion cooling for lithium-ion battery energy storage system

doi:10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2025.0203

Abstract

Abstract:

Liquid immersion cooling battery energy storage systems (BESS) have garnered significant attention owing to their superior heat transfer performance and high battery consistency. However, comprehensive studies on their economic feasibility remain scarce. This paper presents a technical and economic analysis of immersion-cooled BESS. The study begins with a technical comparison, detailing key features, system configurations, and components of pack immersion, cluster immersion, BESS cabinets, and BESS containers. Subsequently, based on the overall system structures, main component costs, heat generation calculation models, and economic evaluation frameworks, the economic performance of four immersion energy storage configurations is assessed. Furthermore, the impact of battery lifespan extension under immersion thermal management on overall system economics is examined, alongside an analysis of the influence of immersion fluid costs and structural parameters. The results indicate that, under certain conditions, economic metrics such as payback time (PBT), net present value (NPV), and internal rate of return (IRR) for immersion-cooled systems fall within a favorable range. For example, the pack-immersed battery container system exhibits a static PBT of 4.65 years, a dynamic PBT of 5.81 years, an NPV of CNY 4.3409 million, and an IRR of 18.14%, underscoring the economic advantages of immersion-cooled BESS.

Key words: lithium-ion battery energy storage, immersion cooling, economic analysis, battery lifespan

CLC Number:

TM 91

Jijin LIN, Qian LIU, Tao QU, Jingkun LI, Dongyong HUANG, Xiaoqing ZHU, Xing JU. Technical and economic analysis of liquid immersion cooling for lithium-ion battery energy storage system[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2025, 14(9): 3622-3635.

Figures/Tables 26

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Table 1

Table 2

Calculation formula and results of each physical quantity of energy storage container[11-13]"

项目	符号	计算公式	数值
电池集装箱的发热功率	P₁	P₁=I²R	43200 W
电池集装箱的温升热量	Q_x	Q=cm∆t	91584 kJ
电池集装箱的冷却功率	P_2x	P₂=k(p₁-Q/t₂)	39624 W
当量天空温度	t_s	t_s=0.0552(t_e+273)¹⁵-273	24 ℃
太阳辐射当量温度	t_sol,eq	t_sol,eq=ρI_H/α_e	48.35 ℃
辐射换热系数	α_er	$α e r = ε × 5.67 × t e + 273 100 4 - t s + 273 100 4 t e - t s$	5.0
天空辐射当量温度	t_sky,eq	t_sky,eq=α_er(t_e-t_s)(1-C_HH-C_MM)/α_e	7.85 ℃
天空辐射修正系数	ε	ε=1+(t_sky,eq-t_sol,eq)/(t_i-t_e)	7.75
辐射净输入热量	P_net	P_net=εK_TS∆t₂	5900 W
电池集装箱总发热量	P	P=P_2x+P_net	48826 W

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指标	整包浸没	整簇浸没
热管理单元	电池包	电池簇
初始投资成本	较高	较低
运维成本	较低	较高
密封复杂度	较复杂	较简单
设计复杂度	较简单	较复杂
浸没液用量	较少	较多

符号	含义	数值
P₁	电池集装箱的发热功率	43200 W
C	电池的比热容	1 kJ/(kg·K)
m	电池质量	5.3 kg
∆t₁	电池温升	5 ℃
k	安全系数	1.3
t₂	充放电时间	2h
t_e	室外干球温度	34 ℃
ρ	外表面的太阳辐射吸收系数	0.25
I_H	水平面的太阳辐射照度	967 W/m²
α_e	外部对流换热系数	5 W/(m²·K)
ε	半球发射率	0.8
C_H	低云量修正系数	0.68
H	低云量昼夜平均值	0.13
C_M	中云量修正系数	0.47
M	中云量昼夜平均值	0.27
t_i	室内干球温度	28 ℃
K_T	集装箱的换热系数	2.3461 W/(m²·K)
S	箱体换热面积	67.07 m²
∆t₂	箱体内外温差	30 ℃

浸没储能系统	储能柜(整包浸没)5×1P52S	储能集装箱(整包浸没)11×8×1P52S	储能柜(整簇浸没)1×1P260S	储能集装箱(整簇浸没)11×1P416S
IP68壳体数量	5电池包箱体	88电池包箱体	1电池簇箱体	11电池簇箱体
浸没液体积	350 L	4200 L	500 L	8000 L
冷水机功率	5.7 kW	56 kW	5.7 kW	56 kW
离心泵	小功率	大功率	小功率	大功率
管路	二级分流	三级分流	二级分流	三级分流

项目	整包浸没的储能柜系统	整簇浸没的储能柜系统	整包浸没的储能集装箱系统	整簇浸没的储能集装箱系统
电池模组	12.49	11.99	260.20	241.50
储能逆变器(PCS)	1.86	1.79	38.84	36.04
能量管理系统(EMS)	0.37	0.36	7.77	7.21
变压器	1.12	1.07	23.30	21.63
组装成本	0.56	0.54	11.65	10.81
电缆	0.56	0.54	11.65	10.81
电池管理系统(BMS)	1.68	1.61	34.95	32.44
浸没液(碳氢浸没液)	1.75	2.50	21.00	40.00
热管理回路	1.13	1.03	11.06	9.20
总价	21.51	21.42	420.42	409.64

项目	静态投资回收期SPBT/年	动态投资回收期DPBT/年	净现值NPV/万元	内部收益率IRR/%
整包浸没的储能柜系统	6.14	8.37	10.02	12.13
整簇浸没的储能柜系统	6.09	8.28	10.20	12.26
整包浸没的储能集装箱系统	4.65	5.81	434.09	18.14
整簇浸没的储能集装箱系统	4.47	5.53	457.19	19.04