M Title: Mainstream Cooling Methods for Power Batteries: Air Cooling, Liquid Cooling, and Direct Cooling

There are three mainstream cooling methods for power batteries: air cooling, liquid cooling, and direct cooling. In air cooling mode, heat dissipation is achieved by natural airflow or fans over the battery surface. It offers advantages such as low cost, reliability, and easy maintenance but is more susceptible to environmental influences. Liquid cooling mode, on the other hand, utilizes cooling channels to dissipate heat from the battery components and is currently the most prevalent cooling method. Direct cooling involves directly cooling the battery with a coolant.

The typical components of a liquid cooling system include an electric water pump, heat exchanger, liquid cooling plate, PTC heater, and expansion water tank. The electric water pump circulates the coolant, the heat exchanger is coupled with the refrigeration cycle and transfers the heat from the battery pack to the cooling medium, the PTC heater performs heating operations in low-temperature environments, and the expansion water tank accommodates the expansion and contraction of the coolant. These components ensure the stability and performance of the system.

By employing cooling methods, power batteries can enhance their performance, making them widely applied in electric vehicles.