THERMAL CONDITIONING OF VEHICLE RECHARGEABLE ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS

• US 20120316712A1
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: SIMONINI, Matthew, WILLIAMS, Jonathan K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,600,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/11 using model predictive control [MPC] strategies, i.e. control methods based on models predicting performance utilising navigation and traffic information in the control strategy B60W20/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Methods, systems, and vehicles are provided that provide for thermal conditioning of a vehicle rechargeable energy storage system (RESS). A thermal conditioning system is configured to apply a plurality of thermal conditioning actions for the RESS. A control system is configured to determine a driving route for the vehicle for a drive cycle of the vehicle, select one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions based at least in part on the driving route, and provide instructions for the thermal conditioning system to apply the selected one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions for the RESS.

Claims

1. A method for thermally conditioning a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) of a vehicle during a drive cycle, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a driving route for the vehicle for the drive cycle;

selecting one of a plurality of thermal conditioning actions based at least in part on the driving route; and

conditioning the RESS by applying the selected one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a current location of the vehicle; and

receiving an input as to an intended destination from an occupant of the vehicle;

wherein the step of determining the driving route comprises the step of determining the driving route using the current location and the input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting the one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions comprises the steps of:

predicting an RESS temperature for the drive cycle corresponding to each of a plurality of target RESS temperatures based at least in part on the driving route; and

selecting one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures based on the predicted RESS temperatures;

wherein the selected one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions is selected based on the selected one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of selecting the one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures comprises the steps of:

calculating an energy efficiency value for each of a subset of the plurality of target RESS temperatures that provide RESS temperatures within an acceptable range; and

estimating an energy efficiency of each of the subset of the plurality of target RESS temperatures;

wherein the selected one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures is selected to have a greatest energy efficiency value among the subset of the plurality of target RESS temperatures.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of predicting the RESS temperatures comprises the steps of:

retrieving one or more characteristics of the driving route; and

predicting a road load power based at least in part on the one or more characteristics;

wherein the selected one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures is predicted based at least in part on the road load power.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of predicting the RESS temperature further comprises the steps of:

retrieving vehicle data pertaining to a condition of the vehicle, a driver efficiency from a prior drive cycle, or both; and

predicting an RESS current throughput for the drive cycle using the vehicle data and the road load power;

wherein the selected one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures is predicted based also at least in part on the RESS current throughput.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of predicting the RESS temperature further comprises the steps of:

retrieving additional data pertaining to a resistance of the RESS; and

predicting an amount of heat generated by the RESS using the additional data and the RESS current throughput;

wherein the selected one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures is predicted based also at least in part on the additional data and the RESS current throughput.

8. A control system for thermally conditioning a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) of a vehicle during a drive cycle, the control system comprising:

a thermal conditioning system configured to apply a plurality of thermal conditioning actions for the RESS; and

a controller coupled to the thermal conditioning system and configured to;

determine a driving route for the vehicle for the drive cycle;

select one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions based at least in part on the driving route; and

provide instructions for the thermal conditioning system to apply the selected one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions for the RESS.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

predict an RESS temperature for the drive cycle corresponding to each of a plurality of target RESS temperatures based at least in part on the driving route; and

select one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures based on the predicted RESS temperatures;

wherein the selected one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions is selected based on the selected one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

calculate an energy efficiency value for each of a subset of the plurality of target RESS temperatures that can be utilized in connection with the RESS temperature;

estimate an energy efficiency of each of the subset of the plurality of target RESS temperatures; and

select the one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures to have a greatest energy efficiency value among the subset of the plurality of target RESS temperatures.

11. The control system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

retrieve one or more characteristics of the driving route;

predict a road load power based at least in part on the one or more characteristics; and

predict the RESS temperature based at least in part on the road load power.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

retrieve vehicle data pertaining to a condition of the vehicle, a driver efficiency from a prior drive cycle, or both;

predict an RESS current throughput for the drive cycle using the vehicle data and the road load power; and

predict the RESS temperature based also at least in part on the RESS current throughput.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to:

retrieve additional data pertaining to a resistance of the RESS;

predict an amount of heat generated by the RESS using the additional data and the RESS current throughput; and

predict the RESS temperature based also at least in part on the additional data and the RESS current throughput.

14. A vehicle comprising:

a drive system including a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS); and

a thermal conditioning system coupled to the RESS and configured to apply a plurality of thermal conditioning actions for the RESS; and

a control system coupled to the thermal conditioning system and configured to;

determine a driving route for the vehicle for a drive cycle of the vehicle;

select one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions based at least in part on the driving route; and

provide instructions for the thermal conditioning system to apply the selected one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions for the RESS.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the control system is further configured to:

predict an RESS temperature for the drive cycle corresponding to each of a plurality of target RESS temperatures based at least in part on the driving route; and

select one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures based on the predicted RESS temperatures;

wherein the selected one of the plurality of thermal conditioning actions is selected based on the selected one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the control system is further configured to:

obtain a measured value of RESS temperature; and

re-set the target RESS temperature to a default calibration if a difference between the predicted RESS temperature and the measured value of RESS temperature is greater than a predetermined threshold.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the control system is further configured to:

calculate an energy efficiency value for each of a subset of the plurality of target RESS temperatures that can be utilized in connection with the RESS temperature;

estimate an energy efficiency of each of the subset of the plurality of target RESS temperatures; and

select the one of the plurality of target RESS temperatures to have a greatest energy efficiency value among the subset of the plurality of target RESS temperatures.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the control system is further configured to:

retrieve one or more characteristics of the driving route;

predict a road load power based at least in part on the one or more characteristics; and

predict the RESS temperature based at least in part on the road load power.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the control system is further configured to:

retrieve vehicle data pertaining to a condition of the vehicle, a driver efficiency from a prior drive cycle, or both;

predict an RESS current throughput for the drive cycle using the vehicle data and the road load power; and

predict the RESS temperature based also at least in part on the RESS current throughput.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the control system is further configured to:

retrieve additional data pertaining to a resistance of the RESS;

predict an amount of heat generated by the RESS using the additional data and the RESS current throughput; and

predict the RESS temperature based also at least in part on the additional data and the RESS current throughput.