METHOD FOR COOLING AN ELECTRICITY STORAGE MEANS

• US 20130116877A1
• Filed: 07/13/2011
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Rimaux, Stephane, Cadilhac, Thomas, Sabrie, Julien
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/667 the system being an electronic component, e.g. a CPU, an inverter or a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for cooling an electricity storage means, in particular a high-capacity battery (110), said device comprising: cooling means (130) for cooling said storage means; a “low voltage” battery (120); means (130), supplied with power by the low voltage battery (120), for increasing the rate of cooling of the storage means (110). The invention also relates to a vehicle (100), especially a motor vehicle, comprising such a device, said vehicle comprising an electric power train (220).

Claims

1. A method for cooling a power storage means with high potential power wherein the method includes:

a step of cooling the storage means when it is operating and delivering an electric current on a power circuit;

a step of cooling the power storage means using a low voltage battery when the power storage means is no longer delivering power;

wherein, while the storage means is operating, the method comprises the steps of;

a. measuring the temperature of the power storage means with high potential power when said power storage means is in operation;

b. determining a time interval until the next cutoff of operation of the power storage means with high energy potential;

c. extrapolating the temperature the storage means will reach at the next operation cutoff or shutdown;

d. calculating the power required to bring the storage means back to a determined nominal temperature after the operation cutoff or shutdown;

e. measuring the charge status of the low voltage battery to determine from the charge status whether there is a need to charge the low voltage battery given the required power determined during step (d) and determining the charge time necessary to conduct a charge for this need;

f. comparing the charging time determined in step (e) with the time interval determined during step (b);

g. triggering the low voltage battery charge if the charge time is higher than or equal to the time interval determined in stage step (b).

2. The method according to claim 1 embodied in a vehicle wherein the time interval calculated during step (b) is determined by the driving conditions of the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the driving conditions of the vehicle are determined by measuring the speed of the vehicle or the evolution of the the speed of the vehicle over time and analysis of these data by means of a statistical base.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the vehicle includes a geolocation device and that the time interval determined during step (b) is calculated from data coming from the geolocation device.