CONTROL METHOD FOR RESS FAN OPERATION IN A VEHICLE

• US 20090001183A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Lienkamp, Sebastian, Fontaine, Remy, Kilian, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,465,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 237/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00492 comprising regenerative heating or cooling means, e.g. heat accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00499 Heat or cold storage without phase change including solid bodies, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00828 Ventilators, e.g. speed control B60H1/00864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/633 characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method of controlling the ventilation system for an energy source in a fuel cell vehicle is disclosed, which includes an HVAC system, a fluid reserve, and a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS), capable of controlling a temperature of the RESS to militate against damage to or a shortened life of the battery, while maximizing vehicle durability, efficiency, performance, and passenger comfort.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the ventilation of a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a ventilation system having an HVAC system in fluid communication with a fluid reserve, and the fluid reserve in fluid communication with the RESS;

(b) determining the maximum noise output level of at least one vehicle component;

(c) determining the ventilation requirement of the RESS; and

(d) controlling the flow rate of a fluid through a fluid transfer device for conveying the fluid from the reserve to the RESS as a function of the maximum noise output level and the ventilation requirement of the RESS.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of restricting the flow rate of the fluid through the fluid transfer device according to the flow rate of the HVAC system.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the RESS includes a ventilator having a fluid transfer device, and a battery system having an energy storage device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the fluid transfer device is a fan.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the energy storage device is at least one of a battery, an accumulator, and a super-capacitor.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) includes determining the maximum noise output level by totaling the noise output values from the at least one vehicle component derived from a lookup table.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the maximum noise output level is derived from the power level of the RESS, the power level of the fuel cell system compressor, and the volume of a radio in the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (c) includes calculating the ventilation requirement using the temperature of the RESS and a desired temperature of the RESS.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the maximum flow rate of the fluid through the fluid transfer device is retrieved from a lookup table.

10. A method for controlling the ventilation of a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a ventilation system having an HVAC system in fluid communication with a fluid reserve, and the fluid reserve in fluid communication with the RESS;

(b) determining the maximum noise output level of at least one vehicle component;

(c) determining the ventilation requirement of the RESS;

(d) controlling the flow rate of a fluid through a fluid transfer device for conveying the fluid from the reserve to the RESS as a function of the maximum noise output level and the ventilation requirement of the RESS; and

(e) regulating the flow rate of the HVAC system according to the flow rate of the fluid through the fluid transfer device.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the RESS includes a ventilator having a fluid transfer device, and a battery system having an energy storage device.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the fluid transfer device is a fan.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the energy storage device is at least one of a battery, an accumulator, and a super-capacitor.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein step (b) includes determining the maximum noise output level by totaling the noise output values from the at least one vehicle component derived from a lookup table.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the maximum noise output level is derived from the power level of the RESS, the power level of the fuel cell system compressor, and the volume of a radio in the vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein step (c) includes calculating the ventilation requirement using the temperature of the RESS and a desired temperature of the RESS.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the maximum flow rate of the fluid through the fluid transfer device is retrieved from a lookup table.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein step (d) includes transmitting a signal to the HVAC system.

19. A system for controlling the ventilation of a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a maximum noise output calculating unit in electrical communication with at least one vehicle component; and

a fluid transfer device control unit in electrical communication with the maximum noise output calculating unit and the RESS.

20. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a fluid transfer device restrictor in electrical communication with the fluid transfer device control unit.