Battery Charger Temperature Control System And Method

• US 20110163716A1
• Filed: 11/03/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gale, Allan Roy, Degner, Michael W., Momcilovich, Paul Theodore
• Application Number:
  US12/938,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20110163716A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle includes a traction battery and a battery charger. The battery charger receives electrical energy from an electrical power source if electrically connected with the electrical power source and provides a current to the traction battery at a target value that varies according to a temperature of the battery charger if the temperature falls within a predetermined range of temperatures.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle power system comprising:

a battery charger having an input and output, and configured to (i) receive electrical energy via the input when the input is electrically connected with an electrical power source and (ii) reduce a current provided at the output from a commanded value to a target value that varies according to a temperature of the battery charger if the temperature falls within a predetermined range of temperatures.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the battery charger further has a second output and is further configured to reduce a voltage set point of the second output from a commanded value to a target value if the temperature falls within the predetermined range of temperatures.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising an auxiliary battery electrically connected with the battery charger via the second output.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a traction battery electrically connected with the battery charger via the output.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the battery charger is further configured to reduce the current provided at the output from the commanded value or target value to zero if the temperature exceeds the predetermined range of temperatures.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the battery charger is further configured to increase the current provided at the output from zero to the target value if the temperature subsequently falls within the predetermined range of temperatures.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the battery charger is further configured to increase the current provided at the output from zero to the commanded value if the temperature subsequently falls below the predetermined range of temperatures.

8. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

an electric machine;

a traction battery electrically connected with the electric machine; and

a battery charger configured to receive electrical energy from an electrical power source if electrically connected with the electrical power source and to provide a current to the traction battery at a target value that varies according to a temperature of the battery charger if the temperature falls within a predetermined range of temperatures.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 further comprising an auxiliary battery, wherein the battery charger is further configured to reduce a voltage set point of the auxiliary battery from a commanded value to a target value if the temperature falls within the predetermined range of temperatures.

10. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the battery charger is further configured to reduce the current provided to the traction battery to zero if the temperature exceeds the predetermined range of temperatures.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the battery charger is further configured to increase the current provided to the traction battery from zero to the target value if the temperature subsequently falls within the predetermined range of temperatures.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the battery charger is further configured to increase the current provided to the traction battery from zero to a commanded value if the temperature falls below the predetermined range of temperatures.

13. A method of charging a vehicle battery comprising:

determining a temperature of a battery charger electrically connected with an electrical power source;

determining whether the temperature falls within a predetermined range of temperatures; and

outputting a current to a vehicle traction battery at a target value that varies according to the temperature if the temperature falls within the predetermined range of temperatures.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising outputting the current to the vehicle traction battery at a commanded value if the temperature falls below the predetermined range of temperatures.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising reducing the current output to zero if the temperature exceeds the predetermined range of temperatures.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising increasing the current output to the target value if the temperature subsequently falls within the predetermined range of temperatures.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising increasing the current output to the commanded value if the temperature subsequently falls below the predetermined range of temperatures.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising reducing a voltage set point output to a vehicle auxiliary battery from a commanded value to a target value if the temperature falls within the predetermined range of temperatures.