Thermal battery for heating vehicles

• US 10,090,569 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phinergy Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Phinergy Ltd.
• Inventors: Tzidon, Aviv, Yadgar, Avraham
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Arun
• Application Number:
  US15/115,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20160344082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 320104
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/143 the heat being derived from cooling an electric component, e.g. electric motors, electric circuits, fuel cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/44 Heat storages, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/10 Indicating wheel slip ; Correction of wheel slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/104 by indirect measurement of vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/106 for maintaining or recovering the adhesion of the drive wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/16 using ac induction motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/56 Heating or ventilating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/0034 using liquid heat storage material
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0028 : for cooling heat generating elements, e.g. for cooling electronic components or electric devices for cooling semiconductors H01L23/34, for cooling electric apparatus H05K7/20
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/008 : for vehicles for aircrafts F28D2021/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 : Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 : Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 : Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 : Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/657 : by electric or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 : with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 : Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 : Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/50 : Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance, e.g. for maintaining operating temperature constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5077 : Regeneration of reactants or electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 : The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 : Thermal energy storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A system and a method for heating a component of an electric vehicle may be particularly beneficial in cold weather places and/or during winter time. The vehicle may be primarily powered by a main battery. The system may include a supplementary battery being metal-air battery including an electrolyte, for extending the driving range of the electric vehicle and a reservoir tank for holding an electrolyte volume for the metal-air battery, the electrolyte may be heated to a desired temperature. The system may further include a heat exchanger for conveying heat from the electrolyte volume, said heat is conveyable to said passenger'"'"'s cabin.

Claims

1. A system for heating a component in an electric vehicle, the vehicle is primarily powered by a main battery, said system comprising:

a supplementary battery being metal-air battery comprising an electrolyte;

a reservoir tank for holding electrolyte volume for the metal-air battery, the electrolyte volume usable as a thermal battery for preserving heat;

a heating element powered by an external electric source, for heating the electrolyte in said reservoir tank before the electric vehicle is started; and

a heat exchanger for conveying heat from the electrolyte, said heat being conveyable to said component.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the external electric source is external to the metal-air battery.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is powered during charging of the main battery by an electric source external to the electric vehicle.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is circulable between the metal-air battery and the reservoir tank and heatable during the operation of the metal-air battery due to an exothermic reaction takes place in the metal-air battery.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is heated to a desired temperature.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the metal-air battery is an aluminum-air battery.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the metal-air battery is electrically coupled to the main battery and activated to recharge the main battery of the electric vehicle.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a replacement system to replace the electrolyte when the temperature of the electrolyte currently in the tank, drops below a predetermined threshold value.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the component of said electric vehicle is a passengers'"'"' cabin.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the component of said electric vehicle is said main battery.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the component of said electric vehicle is a driver'"'"'s seat.

12. A method of heating a component in an electric vehicle comprising a main battery, the method comprising:

heating a reservoir tank comprising electrolyte volume usable in a metal-air battery included in the electric vehicle;

providing a heating element powered by an external electric source for heating the electrolyte in said reservoir tank before the electric vehicle is started,

wherein the electrolyte volume is usable as a thermal battery for preserving heat and wherein the metal-air battery is configured for providing electrical power to said main battery;

evacuating heat from the heated electrolyte using a heat-exchanger; and

conveying the heat to the component in the electric vehicle.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the external electric source is external to the metal-air battery.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein powering the heating element is during charging of the main battery from an electric source external to the electric vehicle.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein heating the reservoir tank is by an exothermic reaction that takes place in the air-metal battery during an operation of the metal-air battery.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the electrolyte is heated to a desired temperature.

17. A method according to claim 12, wherein the metal-air battery is an aluminum-air battery.

18. A method according claim 12, further comprising:

activating the metal-air battery for charging the main battery, and

extending the travel range of the electric vehicle.