THERMAL MANAGEMENT METHODS

• US 20110232890A9
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daryl R. Haefner, Kevin L. Gering
• Original Assignee: Daryl R. Haefner, Kevin L. Gering
• Inventors: Gering, Kevin L., Haefner, Daryl R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,191,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/202
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/004 for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00492 comprising regenerative heating or cooling means, e.g. heat accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/08 from other radiator than main radiator
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/02 with liquid cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/20 concerning atmospheric freezing conditions, e.g. automatically draining or heating during frosty weather
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2011/205 using heat-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/24 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/08 Cabin heater
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/18 Heater
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/20 Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine F01P3/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/165 characterised by systems with two or more loops
• 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

Abstract

A thermal management system for a vehicle includes a heat exchanger having a thermal energy storage material provided therein, a first coolant loop thermally coupled to an electrochemical storage device located within the first coolant loop and to the heat exchanger, and a second coolant loop thermally coupled to the heat exchanger. The first and second coolant loops are configured to carry distinct thermal energy transfer media. The thermal management system also includes an interface configured to facilitate transfer of heat generated by an internal combustion engine to the heat exchanger via the second coolant loop in order to selectively deliver the heat to the electrochemical storage device. Thermal management methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A thermal management method for a vehicle, comprising:

providing a heat exchanger having a thermal energy storage material disposed therein;

providing first and second coolant loops configured to circulate distinct coolant mixtures through the respective first and second coolant loops;

thermally coupling the first coolant loop to a battery module located within the first coolant loop;

thermally coupling the second coolant loop to the heat exchanger;

providing an interface in close proximity to the second coolant loop, wherein the interface is configured to transfer heat generated by an internal combustion engine of the vehicle to the heat exchanger, via the second coolant loop, for storage within the thermal energy storage material; and

selectively performing one or more of preheating the battery module, heating a passenger cabin of the vehicle, increasing sensible heat or latent heat of fusion of the material from a first thermal state to a higher second thermal state using the heat stored within the thermal energy storage material.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

thermally coupling a second heat exchanger to the first coolant loop to cool the battery module; and

providing a bypass fluid path to deliver the first coolant mixture to the second heat exchanger bypassing the heat exchanger in order to cool the battery module by reducing a temperature T_Batt of the battery module below a maximum desirable temperature T_max.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transferring the heat generated by the internal combustion engine to the heat exchanger via the second fluid loop for storage in the heat exchanger; and

selectively delivering the heat stored in the heat exchanger to the battery module via the first fluid loop to increase the temperature T_Batt of the battery module.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transferring the heat generated by the internal combustion engine to the heat exchanger; and

after receiving the heat at the heat exchanger, one or more of sensible heat or latent heat of fusion of the phase change material is increased from a first thermal state to a higher different thermal state.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising selectively delivering the heat generated by the internal combustion engine to heat a passenger cabin of the vehicle.