Temperature control system for a vehicle battery

• US 20070089442A1
• Filed: 03/01/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsuchiya, Takenori
• Application Number:
  US10/576,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20070089442A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/186
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00385 for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/635 based on ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/663 the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Replace the abstract with the following new abstract: A temperature requested by a battery pack is achieved efficiently and promptly. A battery pack cooling system includes a battery fan for cooling a battery pack in a down flow method; a changing damper which changes air to be supplied to the battery pack by using the battery fan among air in a vehicle compartment, air in a luggage compartment and air whose heat has been exchanged with a rear air conditioning unit; a temperature sensor which measures a battery temperature; and a battery ECU which controls the changing damper and the electric fan based on the battery temperature, a temperature in the vehicle compartment, and a temperature in a luggage compartment and which outputs an operation request signal for the rear air conditioning unit to an air conditioning ECU.

Claims

1. A temperature control system for a vehicle comprising

a supply device that supplies air for controlling a temperature to a storage mechanism mounted in a vehicle;

an inlet port which is communicated with the supply device; and

a changing device that changes air to be supplied to the storage mechanism by the supply device between air whose heat has been exchanged with an air conditioning unit in an air pipe and air other than the air whose heat has been exchanged with the air conditioning unit, the changing device being provided in the air pipe between the supply device and the inlet port.

2. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the air other than the air whose temperature has been exchanged with the air conditioning unit is air in a vehicle compartment.

3. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:

a changing control device that controls the changing device based on a temperature of the storage mechanism and a temperature in the vehicle compartment.

4. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the air other than the air whose heat has been exchanged with the air conditioning unit is air in a vehicle compartment and air in a luggage compartment, and

the changing device changes the air to be supplied to the storage mechanism among the air whose heat has been exchanged with the air conditioning unit, air in a vehicle compartment, and air in a luggage compartment.

5. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising:

a changing control device that controls the changing device based on a temperature of the storage mechanism, a temperature in the vehicle compartment and a temperature in the luggage compartment.

6. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the changing control device controls the changing device such that, as the temperature of the storage mechanism becomes higher, air whose temperature is lower is supplied to the storage mechanism.

7. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the changing control device controls the changing device such that, as the temperature of the storage mechanism becomes lower, air whose temperature is higher is supplied to the storage mechanism.

8. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the changing control device controls the changing device based on a change in the temperature of the storage mechanism.

9. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the changing control device controls the changing device such that, as a degree of an increase in the temperature of the storage mechanism becomes higher, air whose temperature is lower is supplied to the storage mechanism.

10. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 3 further comprising:

a supply control device that controls the supply device based on the temperature of the storage mechanism.

11. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

the supply control device controls the supply device such that the supply device is operated when the temperature of the storage mechanism is higher than a predetermined threshold value.

12. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

the supply control device controls the supply device such that the supply device is operated when the temperature of the storage mechanism is lower than a predetermined threshold value.

13. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the supply control device controls the supply device based on a change in the temperature of the storage mechanism.

14. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

the supply control device controls the supply device such that the supply device is operated when a degree of an increase in the temperature of the storage mechanism is higher than a predetermined threshold value.

15. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising:

supply control device for controlling the supply device based on the temperature of the storage mechanism, wherein

a low temperature side threshold value and a high temperature side threshold value are set for the temperature of the storage mechanism in advance,

when the temperature of the storage mechanism is lower than the low temperature side threshold value, the changing control device controls the changing device such that the air whose heat has been exchanged with the air conditioning unit is used as the air to be supplied to the storage mechanism, and the supply control device controls the supply device such that the supply device is operated,

when the temperature of the storage mechanism is higher than the low temperature side threshold value and lower than the high temperature side threshold value and the storage mechanism needs to be heated, the changing control device controls the changing device such that one of the air in the vehicle compartment and the air in the luggage compartment, which has the higher temperature, is used as the air to be supplied to the storage mechanism, and the supply control device controls the supply device such that the supply device is operated; and

when the temperature of the storage mechanism is higher than the high temperature side threshold value and the storage mechanism need not be cooled nor heated, the supply control device controls the supply device such that the supply device is not operated.

16. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the air whose heat has been exchanged with the air conditioning unit is air whose heat has been exchanged with one of an evaporator and a heater core.

17. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the storage mechanism is mounted in a rear portion of the vehicle,

the air conditioning unit is a rear air conditioning unit, and

the supply device is a blower which supplied air to the storage mechanism.

18. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 17, wherein

the storage mechanism is a secondary battery for running.

19. The temperature control system for a vehicle according to claim 17, wherein

the air conditioning unit includes an evaporator and a heater core for the rear air conditioning unit provided near the storage mechanism in addition to an evaporator and a heater core for a front air conditioning unit, and

the air whose heat has been exchanged with the air conditioning unit is air whose heat has been exchanged with one of the evaporator and the heater core of the rear air conditioning unit.