TEMPERATURE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR IN-VEHICLE ELECTRIC STORAGE DEVICE

• US 20110016899A1
• Filed: 07/21/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogura, Takashi
• Application Number:
  US12/840,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20110016899A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/239
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A temperature control apparatus for an in-vehicle electric storage device supplies air from a vehicle compartment to a secondary battery based on the temperature of the secondary battery. The fan air volume, which is the volume of air that is supplied from the vehicle compartment to the secondary battery, is set based on the degree of introduction of external air into the vehicle compartment.

Claims

1. A temperature control apparatus for an in-vehicle electric storage device, which supplies air from a vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device based on a temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device, comprising:

a controller that sets a supply air volume, which is a volume of air that is supplied from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device, based on a degree of introduction of external air into the vehicle compartment; and

an air blower that supplies the in-vehicle electric storage device with the air in the supply air volume that is set by the controller.

2. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the supply air volume that is used when an in-vehicle air-conditioner is in an external air introduction mode is a supply air volume A1 and the supply air volume that is used when the in-vehicle air-conditioner is in an internal air circulation mode is a supply air volume A2, the supply air volume A2 is set to a value that is smaller than the supply air volume A1.

3. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the supply air volume that is used when it is determined that a vehicle window state is an open state is a supply air volume B1 and the supply air volume that is used when it is determined that the vehicle window state is a closed state is a supply air volume B2, the supply air volume B2 is set to a value that is smaller than the supply air volume B1.

4. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the supply air volume that is used when an in-vehicle air-conditioner is in an external air introduction mode and it is determined that a vehicle window state is an open state is a supply air volume C1 and the supply air volume that is used when the in-vehicle air-conditioner is in the external air introduction mode and it is determined that the vehicle window state is a closed state is a supply air volume C2, the supply air volume C2 is set to a value that is smaller than the supply air volume C1.

5. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the supply air volume that is used when an in-vehicle air-conditioner is in an internal air circulation mode and it is determined that a vehicle window state is an open state is a supply air volume D1 and the supply air volume that is used when the in-vehicle air-conditioner is in the internal air circulation mode and it is determined that the vehicle window state is a closed state is a supply air volume D2, the supply air volume D2 is set to a value that is smaller than the supply air volume D1.

6. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the supply air volume that is used when an in-vehicle air-conditioner is in an external air introduction mode and it is determined that a vehicle window state is an open state is a supply air volume C1, the supply air volume that is used when the in-vehicle air-conditioner is in the external air introduction mode and it is determined that the vehicle window state is a closed state is a supply air volume C2, the supply air volume that is used when the in-vehicle air-conditioner is in an internal air circulation mode and it is determined that the vehicle window state is the open state is a supply air volume D1, and the supply air volume that is used when the in-vehicle air-conditioner is in the internal air circulation mode and it is determined that the vehicle window state is the closed state is a supply air volume D2, the supply air volume D2 is set to a value that is smaller than the supply air volume D1, the supply air volume D1 is set to a value that is smaller than the supply air volume C2, and the supply air volume C2 is set to a value that is smaller than the supply air volume C1.

7. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device is lower than a normal temperature reference value, which is used to determine whether a charge-discharge performance of the in-vehicle electric storage device is maintained at a charge-discharge performance required to drive a vehicle, the controller sets the supply air volume based on the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device.

8. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device is lower than the normal temperature reference value, the controller sets the supply air volume to a smaller value as the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device decreases.

9. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device is lower than a normal temperature reference value, which is used to determine whether a charge-discharge performance of the in-vehicle electric storage device is maintained at a charge-discharge performance required to drive a vehicle, the controller sets the supply air volume based on a difference between the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device and a temperature in the vehicle compartment.

10. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device is lower than the normal temperature reference value and the temperature in the vehicle compartment is higher than the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device, the controller sets the supply air volume to a smaller value as the difference between the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device and the temperature in the vehicle compartment increases.

11. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the temperature in the vehicle compartment is higher than the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device and the difference between the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device and the temperature in the vehicle compartment is larger than a reference temperature difference, the air blower refrains from supplying the air from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device.

12. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device is equal to or higher than a normal temperature reference value, which is used to determine whether a charge-discharge performance of the in-vehicle electric storage device is maintained at a charge-discharge performance required to drive a vehicle, the air blower refrains from supplying the air from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device.

13. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device is equal to or higher than a high temperature reference value that is higher than the normal temperature reference value, the air blower supplies the air from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric device.

14. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device is lower than an extremely-low temperature reference value that is lower than a normal temperature reference value, which is used to determine whether a charge-discharge performance of the in-vehicle electric storage device is maintained at a charge-discharge performance required to drive a vehicle, the air blower refrains from supplying the air from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device.

15. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 14, wherein when the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device is lower than a low temperature reference value that is lower than the normal temperature reference value and higher than the extremely-low temperature reference value and an in-vehicle air-conditioner is in an internal air circulation mode, the air blower refrains from supplying the air from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device.

16. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 14, wherein when the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device is lower than a low temperature reference value that is lower than the normal temperature reference value and higher than the extremely-low temperature reference value and it is determined that a vehicle window state is a closed state, the air blower refrains from supplying the air from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device.

17. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when an in-vehicle air-conditioner is in an internal air circulation mode, the air blower refrains from supplying the air from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device.

18. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 17, wherein when the in-vehicle air-conditioner is in the internal air circulation mode and it is determined that a vehicle window state is an open state, the air blower supplies the air from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device.

19. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that a vehicle window state is a closed state, the air blower refrains from supplying the air from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device.

20. The temperature control apparatus according to claim 19, wherein when it is determined that the vehicle window state is the closed state and an in-vehicle air-conditioner is in an external air introduction mode, the air blower supplies the air from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device.

21. A temperature control apparatus for an in-vehicle electric storage device, which supplies air from a vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device based on a temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device, comprising:

a controller that sets a supply air volume, which is a volume of air that is supplied from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device, to a smaller value as the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device decreases, when the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device is lower than a normal temperature reference value, which is used to determine whether a charge-discharge performance of the in-vehicle electric storage device is maintained at a charge-discharge performance required to drive a vehicle; and

an air blower that supplies the in-vehicle electric storage device with the air in the supply air volume that is set by the controller.

22. A temperature control apparatus for an in-vehicle electric storage device, which supplies air from a vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device based on a temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device, comprising:

a controller that sets a supply air volume, which is a volume of air that is supplied from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device, to a smaller value as a difference between the temperature of the in-vehicle electric storage device and a temperature in the vehicle compartment increases, when the difference is smaller than a reference temperature difference, which is used to determine whether there is a high possibility that an air supply from the vehicle compartment to the in-vehicle electric storage device causes condensation in the in-vehicle electric storage device; and

an air blower that supplies the in-vehicle electric storage device with the air in the supply air volume that is set by the controller.