Battery Thermal Management System

• US 20100291414A1
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BSST LLC (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davis, Stephen, LaGrandeur, John, Bell, Lon E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,974,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte 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 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/61 Types of temperature control
• 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 10/637 characterised by the use of reversible temperature-sensitive devices, e.g. NTC, PTC or bimetal devices; characterised by control of the internal current flowing through the cells, e.g. by switching means for preventing undesired use or discharge H01M50/572
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6556 Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6572 Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a battery thermal management system includes at least one battery, at least one thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the at least one battery, and a conduit comprising an inlet configured to allow a working fluid to enter and flow into the conduit and into thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device. The conduit further comprises an outlet configured to allow the working fluid to exit and flow from the conduit and away from being in thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device. The battery thermal management system can further include a first flow control device which directs the working fluid through the inlet of the conduit and a second flow control device which directs the working fluid through the outlet of the conduit. The first flow control device and the second flow control device are each separately operable from one another.

Claims

1. A battery thermal management system comprising:

at least one battery;

a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies in thermal communication with the at least one battery, each thermoelectric assembly comprising a plurality of thermoelectric elements, wherein a first thermoelectric assembly of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies is in electrical communication with a second thermoelectric assembly of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies; and

a circuit in electrical communication with the first thermoelectric assembly and the second thermoelectric assembly, the circuit configured to be selectively switchable to place the first thermoelectric assembly and the second thermoelectric assembly either in series electrical communication or parallel electrical communication with one another.

2. The battery thermal management system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of thermoelectric elements of the first thermoelectric assembly are in series electrical communication with one another and at least some of the plurality of thermoelectric elements of the second thermoelectric assembly are in series electrical communication with one another.

3. The battery thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable to either heat or cool the at least one battery.

4. The battery thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the circuit is selectively switchable to adjust current flow through the first thermoelectric assembly and the second thermoelectric assembly.

5. A method of thermally managing a battery system, comprising:

providing a battery system comprising at least one battery and a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies in thermal communication with the at least one battery;

measuring at least one parameter of the battery system; and

switching, in response to the at least one parameter, a first thermoelectric assembly of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies between being in parallel or in series electrical communication with a second thermoelectric assembly of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one parameter comprises a temperature of the at least one battery.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one parameter comprises a temperature of at least one of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies.

8. A battery thermal management system comprising:

at least one battery;

at least one thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the at least one battery;

at least one first conduit comprising at least one inlet configured to allow a first working fluid to enter and flow into the at least one first conduit and into thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device, the at least one first conduit comprising at least one outlet configured to allow the first working fluid to exit and flow from the at least one first conduit and away from being in thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device;

at least one first flow control device which directs the first working fluid through the at least one inlet of the at least one first conduit;

at least one second flow control device which directs the first working fluid through the at least one outlet of the at least one first conduit; and

wherein the at least one first flow control device and the at least one second flow control device are each separately operable from one another.

9. The battery thermal management system of claim 8, wherein the first flow control device comprises a fan.

10. The battery thermal management system of claim 8, wherein the first flow control device comprises a pump.

11. The battery thermal management system of claim 8, wherein the at least one first control device is positioned at an entrance of the at least one inlet and the at least one second control device is positioned at an exit of the at least one outlet.

12. The battery thermal management system of claim 8, wherein the at least one first control device is configured to push the first working fluid through the at least one inlet and the at least one second control device is configured to pull the first working fluid through the at least one outlet.

13. The battery thermal management system of claim 8, further comprising a flow path for the first working fluid in which the first working fluid is in thermal communication with the at least one battery.

14. The battery thermal management system of claim 13, wherein the flow path receives the first working fluid from the at least one outlet.

15. The battery thermal management system of claim 8, further comprising:

at least one second conduit comprising at least one inlet configured to allow a second working fluid to enter and flow into the at least one second conduit and into thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device, the at least one second conduit comprising at least one outlet configured to allow the second working fluid to exit and flow from the at least one second conduit and away from being in thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device;

at least one third flow control device which directs the second working fluid through the at least one inlet of the at least one second conduit;

at least one fourth flow control device which directs the second working fluid through the at least one outlet of the at least one second conduit; and

wherein the at least third first flow control device and the at least one fourth flow control device are each separately operable from one another.

16. The battery thermal management system of claim 8, wherein the at least one first flow control device comprises at least two first flow control devices.

17. The battery thermal management system of claim 16, further comprising at least one divider portion that is selectively positionable to block the first working fluid from flowing between the at least one first fluid conduit and a selected one of the at least two first flow control devices, wherein each of the at least two first flow control devices are each separately operable from one another.

18. The battery thermal management system of claim 8, wherein the working fluid is re-circulated through the at least one conduit.

19. The battery thermal management system of claim 8, further comprising a fluid reservoir or source fluidly coupled with the at least one conduit.

20. A method of thermally managing a battery system, comprising:

transferring heat between at least one battery and at least one thermoelectric device;

flowing a working fluid through a fluid conduit in thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device;

operating at least one first flow control device to direct the working fluid to be in thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device; and

operating at least one second flow control device separately from the operating of the at least one first flow control device to direct the working fluid away from being in thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device.

21. A battery thermal management system comprising:

at least one battery;

at least one thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the at least one battery;

at least one fluid conduit configured to allow a working fluid to flow therein and to transfer the working fluid into being in thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device or away from being in thermal communication with the at least one thermoelectric device;

at least one first flow control device which directs the working fluid through the at least one fluid conduit;

at least one second flow control device which directs the working fluid through the at least one fluid conduit, wherein the at least one first flow control device and the at least one second flow control device are each separately operable from one another; and

at least one divider portion that is selectively positionable to block the working fluid from flowing between the at least one fluid conduit and a selected one of the at least one first flow control device and the at least one second flow control device.

22. The battery thermal management system of claim 21, wherein the at least one divider portion is positionable in multiple positions comprising:

a first position permitting the working fluid to flow between the at least one fluid conduit and the at least one first flow control device and permitting the working fluid to flow between the at least one fluid conduit and the at least one second flow control device;

a second position permitting the working fluid to flow between the at least one fluid conduit and the at least one first flow control device and blocking the working fluid from flowing between the at least one fluid conduit and the at least one second flow control device; and

a third position blocking the working fluid from flowing between the at least one fluid conduit and the at least one first flow control device and permitting the working fluid to flow between the at least one fluid conduit and the at least one second flow control device.

23. The battery thermal management system of claim 21, wherein the at least one divider portion comprises a flapper valve.

24. A method of thermally managing a battery system, comprising:

transferring heat between at least one battery and at least one thermoelectric device;

flowing a working fluid through a fluid conduit in thermal communication with at least one thermoelectric device;

directing the working fluid through the fluid conduit using at least one first flow control device and at least one second flow control device; and

selectively inhibiting flow of the working fluid through a selected one of the at least one first flow control device and the at least one second flow control device.

25. A method of thermally managing a battery system, comprising:

providing a battery system comprising at least one battery and a plurality of thermoelectric devices in thermal communication with the at least one battery, the plurality of thermoelectric devices comprises a first group of one or more thermoelectric devices in series electrical communication with a second group of one or more thermoelectric devices;

measuring a first electrical voltage or current of the first group;

measuring a second electrical voltage or current of the second group or of both the first group and the second group together; and

monitoring an electrical comparison parameter dependent on the first electrical voltage or current and the second electrical voltage or current.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the electrical comparison parameter comprises a value of the first electrical voltage or current divided by the second electrical voltage or current.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising changing, in response to the electrical comparison parameter, at least one parameter of the battery system.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one parameter comprises electrical power supplied to the plurality of thermoelectric devices.