Cooling system for vehicle device
First Claim
1. A cooling system configured to cool a charge storage device within a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:
- a first cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption,a second cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption,the first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption being lower than the second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption,an evaluator comprising a predictive evaluator configured to provide a predictive output responsive to a first determination, the first determination being whether a temperature of the charge storage device will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of vehicle driving time, an evaluation output of the evaluator being dependent on at least the predictive output,an assessor configured to provide an assessment output responsive to a second determination, the second determination being whether the temperature of the charge storage device is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem alone, anda controller configured to;
select the first cooling subsystem or the second cooling subsystem as an operational cooling subsystem in dependence on the assessment output; and
control actuation of the operational cooling subsystem pre-emptively before the temperature of the charge storage device exceeds the first prescribed threshold value according to the first determination, in order to lower the temperature of the charge storage device in dependence on the evaluation output.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cooling system for cooling a device (150), e.g. a battery, within a vehicle (100), especially a hybrid electric vehicle, the cooling system comprising: a first cooling subsystem (180) for cooling the device (150) and having a relatively low rate of energy consumption, e.g. an ambient air-based cooling apparatus, a second cooling subsystem (182) for cooling the device (150) and having a relatively high rate of energy consumption, e.g. a refrigeration-based cooling apparatus, evaluation means (190P, 190R) comprising predictive evaluation means (190P) for providing a predictive output responsive to a determination whether a temperature of the device (150) will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of time, an evaluation output of the evaluation means (190P, 190R) being dependent on at least the predictive output of the predictive evaluation means (190P), assessment means (190A) for providing an assessment output responsive to a determination whether the temperature of the device (150) is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem (180) alone, and control means for selectively controlling actuation of the first cooling subsystem (180) or the second cooling subsystem (182) in dependence on the evaluation output of the evaluation means (190P, 190R) and the assessment output of the assessment means (190A). By use of the combined evaluation methodology to operate the lower-energy cooling subsystem (180) in a pre-emptive manner, before or unless the higher-energy cooling subsystem (182) is actually needed, a more energy efficient system is achieved.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A cooling system configured to cool a charge storage device within a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:
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a first cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption, a second cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption, the first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption being lower than the second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption, an evaluator comprising a predictive evaluator configured to provide a predictive output responsive to a first determination, the first determination being whether a temperature of the charge storage device will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of vehicle driving time, an evaluation output of the evaluator being dependent on at least the predictive output, an assessor configured to provide an assessment output responsive to a second determination, the second determination being whether the temperature of the charge storage device is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem alone, and a controller configured to; select the first cooling subsystem or the second cooling subsystem as an operational cooling subsystem in dependence on the assessment output; and control actuation of the operational cooling subsystem pre-emptively before the temperature of the charge storage device exceeds the first prescribed threshold value according to the first determination, in order to lower the temperature of the charge storage device in dependence on the evaluation output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A controller configured to control a cooling system for cooling a charge storage device within a vehicle, wherein the cooling system comprises:
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a first cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption, and a second cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption, the first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption being lower than the second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption; wherein the controller comprises; an evaluator comprising a predictive evaluator configured to provide a predictive output responsive to a first determination, the first determination being whether a temperature of the charge storage device will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of time, an evaluation output of the evaluator being dependent on at least the predictive output, an assessor configured to provide an assessment output responsive to a second determination, the second determination being whether the temperature of the charge storage device is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem alone, and wherein the controller is configured to selectively control actuation of the first cooling subsystem or the second cooling subsystem pre-emptively before the temperature of the charge storage device exceeds the first prescribed threshold value according to the first determination in dependence on the evaluation output, wherein the evaluation output is dependent on at least the predictive output and the assessment output. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method of cooling a charge storage device within a vehicle by a cooling system, wherein the cooling system comprises:
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a first cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption, and a second cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption, the first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption being lower than the second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption; the method comprising; determining, by an evaluator comprising a predictive evaluator, whether a temperature of the charge storage device will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of vehicle driving time and generating a corresponding predictive output; in dependence on at least the predictive output, generating an evaluation output; determining, by an assessor, whether the temperature of the charge storage device is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem alone, and generating a corresponding assessment output; selecting the first cooling subsystem or the second cooling subsystem as an operational cooling subsystem in dependence on the assessment output; and controlling actuation of the operational cooling subsystem in order to lower a temperature of the charge storage device in dependence on the evaluation output. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification