THERMAL MANAGEMENT OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY PACK IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE OF BATTERY PACK HEATER

• US 20140014421A1
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Magna E-Car Systems Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Magna E-Car Systems Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Carpenter, Neil, Gao, Guangning, Alkeilani, Ibrahim
• Application Number:
  US13/937,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20140014421A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/143 the heat being derived from cooling an electric component, e.g. electric motors, electric circuits, fuel cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/06 using only one supply
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 : having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 : Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 : by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 : Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 : Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/63 : Control systems charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 , H01M10/443; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 , H01M10/486
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 : Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6569 : Fluids undergoing a liquid-gas phase change or transition, e.g. evaporation or condensation heat pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6571 : Resistive heaters arrangements for heating the battery by its resistance to the internal current H01M10/637
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/663 : the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• 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 10/70 : 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A thermal management system is provided for a vehicle having an electric traction motor and a battery pack. The thermal management system includes a battery pack heater configured to transfer heat to the battery pack, a second thermal load heater configured to transfer heat to a second thermal load, and a control system. The second thermal load heater is selectively thermally connectable to the battery pack to transfer heat from the second thermal load heater to the battery pack. When the vehicle is connected to an external energy source and the battery pack is at sufficiently low temperature, the control system is configured to control the temperature of the battery pack by activating the second thermal load heater and thermally connecting the second thermal load heater to the battery pack in response to a failure of the battery pack heater.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for a vehicle having an electric traction motor for moving the vehicle, and a battery pack configured to provide power for driving the electric traction motor, the thermal management system comprising:

a battery pack heater configured to transfer heat to the battery pack;

a second thermal load heater configured to transfer heat to a second thermal load, wherein the second thermal load heater is selectively thermally connectable to the battery pack to transfer heat from the second thermal load heater to the battery pack; and

a control system, wherein, when the vehicle is connected to an external energy source and the battery pack is at sufficiently low temperature, the control system is configured to control the temperature of the battery pack by activating the second thermal load heater and thermally connecting the second thermal load heater to the battery pack in response to a failure of the battery pack heater.

2. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the second thermal load includes a heater core for heating air for a passenger cabin.

3. The thermal management system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fluid conduits configured to transport coolant to the battery pack and to the second thermal load, wherein the coolant is heatable by the battery pack heater to transfer heat to the battery pack and wherein the coolant is heatable by the second thermal load heater to transfer heat to the second thermal load and to the battery pack.

4. The thermal management system of claim 3, further comprising:

a motor circuit that is controllable to transport coolant through the electric traction motor;

a cabin circuit that is controllable to transport coolant through a cabin heater core; and

a battery circuit that is controllable to transport coolant through the battery pack, wherein the battery pack heater forms part of the battery circuit,

wherein the second thermal load heater forms part of at least one of the cabin circuit and the motor circuit, and wherein the thermal management system further includes a plurality of valves that are controllable by the control system to selectively permit a flow of coolant between the motor circuit and the cabin circuit and to selectively permit a flow of coolant between the motor circuit and the battery circuit.

5. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the second thermal load heater has a power output that is greater than a power output of the battery pack heater.

6. A vehicle, comprising:

a body;

a plurality of wheels;

an electric traction motor configured to drive at least one of the wheels;

a battery pack configured to provide power to drive the electric traction motor;

a battery pack heater configured to transfer heat to the battery pack;

a second thermal load heater configured to transfer heat to a second thermal load, wherein the second thermal load heater is selectively thermally connectable to the battery pack to transfer heat from the second thermal load heater to the battery pack; and

a control system, wherein, when the vehicle is connected to an external energy source and the battery pack is at sufficiently low temperature, the control system is configured to control the temperature of the battery pack by activating the second thermal load heater and thermally connecting the second thermal load heater to the battery pack in response to a failure of the battery pack heater.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the second thermal load includes a heater core for heating air for a passenger cabin.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of fluid conduits configured to transport coolant to the battery pack and to the second thermal load, wherein the coolant is heatable by the battery pack heater to transfer heat to the battery pack and wherein the coolant is heatable by the second thermal load heater to transfer heat to the second thermal load and to the battery pack.

9. The vehicle of claim 6, further including a thermal management system having a motor circuit that is controllable to transport coolant through the electric-traction motor, a cabin circuit that is controllable to transport coolant through a cabin heater core, and a battery circuit that is controllable to transport coolant through the battery pack, wherein the battery pack heater forms part of the battery circuit, wherein the second thermal load heater forms part of at least one of the cabin circuit and the motor circuit, and wherein the thermal management system further includes a plurality of valves that are controllable by the control system to selectively permit a flow of coolant between the motor circuit and the cabin circuit and to selectively permit a flow of coolant between the motor circuit and the battery circuit.

10. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the second thermal load heater has a power output that is greater than a power output of the battery pack heater.

11. A method for controlling the temperature of a battery pack in a vehicle having an electric traction motor, comprising:

a) heating the battery pack with a battery pack heater while the vehicle is connected to an external energy source; and

b) heating the battery pack with a second thermal load heater that is positioned to heat a second thermal load in response to detecting a failure of the battery pack heater.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein step b) includes:

c) selecting a duty cycle for the second thermal load heater based on ambient temperature, coolant inlet temperature for coolant entering the battery pack and a temperature associated with the battery pack.