Methods and apparatus for controlling the temperature of an automobile battery

• US 20050133206A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Scott, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,384,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/122
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00478 Air-conditioning devices using the Peltier effect for air-conditioning in general F24F5/0042; for refrigeration F25B21/02; electric devices exhibiting the Peltier effect H10N10/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6572 Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/658 by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method and apparatus maintain the temperature of a automobile battery within a predetermined temperature range even though the ambient temperature is outside of the predetermined temperature range. The apparatus and the method utilize a thermoelectric device that provides lower temperatures on one surface and higher temperature on another surface thereof in response to the direction of an electrical current passing through the device. The thermoelectric device is thermally coupled by a fan, air ducts and a heat transfer structure between the automobile battery and the ambient atmosphere. An electrical circuit having a heat sensor is thermally coupled to the automobile battery and selectively controls the current through the thermoelectric device to maintain the temperature of the automobile battery within the predetermined temperature range.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of an automobile battery to maintain the temperature within a predetermined temperature range, the apparatus comprising:

an electrical current source configured to generate an electrical current with a direction;

a thermoelectric device having a first surface and a second surface, said thermoelectric device configured to generate a first temperature on said first surface and a second temperature on said second surface that is greater than said first temperature if said direction of said electrical current has a first direction and said thermoelectric device configured to generate a third temperature on said first surface and a fourth temperature on said second surface that is less than said third temperature if said direction of electrical current has a second direction;

a control circuit configured to adjust said direction of said electrical current generated by said electrical current source in response to relationship of the temperature of the automobile battery to the predetermined temperature range; and

a heat exchanger having a first air duct with a first airflow that is configured to thermally couple said first surface of said thermoelectric device to the ambient atmosphere and a second air duct with a second airflow that is configured to thermally couple said second surface of said thermoelectric device to the automobile battery.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure for the automobile battery.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the predetermined temperature range is between about negative twenty degrees centigrade (−

20°

C.) and about positive fifty degrees centigrade (50°

C.).

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a housing that is configured to house said thermoelectric device and said heat exchanger.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further including a heat transfer structure for thermally connecting an interior region of said second air duct directly to at least a portion of a surface of the automobile battery.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said enclosure for the automobile battery has an aperture aligned with an aperture of said housing that is configured to provide access to said portion of the surface of the automobile battery and said second air duct has an aperture aligned with said aperture in said enclosure and said aperture in said housing, and said heat transfer structure being located in said apertures between said portion of the surface of the automobile battery and said interior region of said second air duct to further enable said thermoelectric device to exchange heat between said airflows of said first and second air ducts and the automobile battery.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said heat transfer structure includes a thermal interface layer located between said portion of the automobile battery and said interior region of said second air duct.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said heat transfer structure includes a thermal spreader located between said potion of the automobile battery and said interior region of said second air second duct.

9. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first air duct and said second air duct each has an interior region, and the apparatus further includes a fan located in said housing, said fan being operable to force ambient air through said interior regions of said first air duct and said second air duct to enable said air flows to provide said thermal coupling of said first surface of said thermoelectric device to the ambient atmosphere and said thermal coupling of second surface of said thermoelectric device to the automobile battery.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said enclosure for the automobile battery has at least one aperture and said housing has at least one aperture aligned with said opening in said enclosure, said second air duct being coupled by said housing to said aperture of said enclosure, and said fan being arranged to force air from the ambient atmosphere through said interior regions of said first air duct and said second air duct past said first surface and said second surface of said thermoelectric device.

11. A method for controlling the temperature of an automobile battery to maintain the temperature within a predetermined temperature range, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a first temperature on a first surface of a thermoelectric device if an electrical current passing through said thermoelectric device has a first direction;

generating a second temperature on a second surface of said thermoelectric device that is greater than said first temperature if said electrical current passing through said thermoelectric device has said first direction;

generating a third temperature on said first surface of said thermoelectric device if said electrical current passing through said thermoelectric device has a second direction;

generating a fourth temperature on said second surface of said thermoelectric device that is less than said third temperature if said electrical current passing through said thermoelectric device has said second direction;

thermally coupling said first surface of said thermoelectric device to the surface of the automobile battery through a first air duct;

thermally coupling said second surface of said thermoelectric device to the ambient atmosphere through a second air duct;

measuring the temperature of the automobile battery; and

controlling said electrical current passing through said thermoelectric device in response to the measurement of the temperature of the automobile battery and a relationship of the temperature of the automobile battery to the predetermined temperature range.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of at least partially insulating the automobile battery with a thermally insulating enclosure.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of thermally connecting an interior region of said second air duct to at least a portion of a surface of the automobile battery.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of forcing ambient air through an interior region of said first air duct and an interior region of said second air duct to enable said air flows to provide said thermal coupling of said first surface of said thermoelectric device to the ambient atmosphere and said thermal coupling of second surface of said thermoelectric device to the automobile battery.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined temperature range is between about negative twenty degrees centigrade (−

20°

C.) and about positive fifty degrees centigrade (50°

C.).

16. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a lead acid automobile battery to maintain the temperature within a temperature range of about negative twenty degrees centigrade (−

20°

C.) and about positive fifty degrees centigrade (50°

C.), the apparatus comprising;

an electrical current source configured to generate an electrical current with a direction;

a thermoelectric device having a first surface and a second surface, said thermoelectric device configured to generate a first temperature on said first surface and a second temperature on said second surface that is greater than said first temperature if said direction of said electrical current has a first direction and said thermoelectric device configured to generate a third temperature on said first surface and a fourth temperature on said second surface that is less than said third temperature if said direction of electrical current has a second direction;

a control circuit configured to adjust said direction of said electrical current generated by said electrical current source in response to relationship of the temperature of the lead acid automobile battery to the temperature range temperature range of about negative twenty degrees centigrade (−

20°

C.) and about positive fifty degrees centigrade (50°

C.); and

a heat exchanger having a first air duct with a first airflow that is configured to thermally couple said first surface of said thermoelectric device to the ambient atmosphere and a second air duct with a second airflow that is configured to thermal couple said second surface of said thermoelectric device to the lead acid automobile battery.