Shell, QAES Unveil World's First Direct-Cooled Immersion Battery System
Shell (Shanghai) and QingAn Energy Storage (QAES) have joined forces to introduce a revolutionary immersion-cooled battery energy storage system (BESS). The partnership has unveiled the world's first 'direct-cooled immersion' BESS, marking a significant shift in the industry.
The system, set to be piloted at industrial and commercial sites hosted by QAES, promises notable efficiency improvements. It uses Shell's single-phase immersion fluids to fully submerge battery cells, reducing auxiliary power consumption by up to 60% and maintaining temperature differentials of approximately 1°C across individual cells. This is achieved through natural convection, eliminating the need for pumps or complex piping, thereby reducing balance-of-system (BoS) energy use and streamlining operations.
The technology adapts liquid cooling techniques from data centers and high-performance computing, signaling a broader industry shift. Shell's involvement adds technical credibility to the venture, as the system is certified for use in immersion-cooled data center racks by Intel. QAES contributes system packaging, localized engineering, and deployment services for the joint solution.
The partnership plans to pursue joint standards development and extended compatibility testing with large-format battery cells. Pilot deployments will take place in a phased rollout across industrial and commercial sites, demonstrating the potential of immersion-cooled BESS in improving efficiency and reducing operational costs in energy storage.
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