Vehicle Device Temperature Adjustment System

• US 20140174708A1
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Akiyama, Yuki, Osaka, Tadashi, Arai, Masatsugu
• Granted Patent: US 9,309,982 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 1/00978 Control systems or circuits characterised by failure of detection or safety means; Diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/02 with liquid cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/006 the electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/00 Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for devices for protecting vehicle occupants in case of accidents B60R21/00; safety belts B60R22/00; central door locking E05B49/00, E05B77/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/01 Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/05 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/36 actuated in consequence of extraneous circumstances, e.g. shock, change of position
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 : Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 : characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• 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

A temperature-adjustment system for a vehicle includes temperature-adjustment passages and obtained by circularly connecting a battery, an inverter, a DC/DC converter, a traveling motor, and a pump that circulates the heat medium that adjusts temperatures by cooling/heating the heat generation elements, are provided. The temperature-adjustment passages and are provided with proportional valves that interrupt the flow of the heat medium and adjust the flow volume of the heat medium, an air flow-in part that introduces air into the battery temperature-adjustment passage, and a heat medium discharge part that discharges the heat medium from the temperature-adjustment passage to outside of the vehicle. The proportional valve, air flow-in part, battery, pump, and heat medium discharge part are preferably arranged in that order, and the proportional valve is closed and an air take-in valve and a heat medium discharge valve are opened.

Claims

1. A vehicle device temperature adjustment system, comprising a temperature adjustment passage circularly connecting a heat generation element as a vehicle device, and a pump adapted to circulate a heat medium that cools/heats the heat generation element,

the temperature adjustment passage including

a passage open/close means adapted to interrupt a flow of the heat medium and to adjust a flow volume of the heat medium,

an air take-in means adapted to introduce an air into the temperature adjustment passage, and

a heat medium discharge means adapted to discharge the heat medium from the temperature adjustment passage to an outside of a vehicle.

2. The vehicle device temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the passage open/close means, the air take-in means, the heat generation element, the pump, and the heat medium discharge means are arrange in the temperature adjustment passage in that order.

3. The vehicle device temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein, when a collision of a vehicle is detected or predicted, the passage open/close means is closed, the air take-in means and the heat medium discharge means are opened, and the pump is stopped after being driven for a predetermined time.

4. The vehicle device temperature adjustment system according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined time is a time required for discharging the heat medium in a section from the air take-in means to the heat medium discharge means.

11. The vehicle device temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the heat generation element is a battery, an inverter, a DC/DC converter, and/or a traveling motor.

12. The vehicle device temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the heat medium discharge means is structured with a pipe to be destroyed by a shock at a collision of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle device temperature adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the air take-in means is structured with a pipe to be destroyed by a shock at a collision of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle device temperature adjustment system, comprising a temperature adjustment passage circularly connecting a heat generation element as a vehicle device, and a pump adapted to circulate a heat medium that cools/heats the heat generation element,

the temperature adjustment passage including

a passage open/close means adapted to interrupt a flow of the heat medium and to adjust a flow volume of the heat medium,

a high pressure gas injection part adapted to inject a high pressure gas into the temperature adjustment passage, and

a heat medium discharge means adapted to discharge the heat medium from the temperature adjustment passage to an outside of a vehicle.

6. The vehicle device temperature adjustment system according to claim 5, wherein the passage open/close means, the high pressure gas injection part, the heat generation element, and the heat medium discharge means are arranged in the temperature adjustment passage in that order.

7. The vehicle device temperature adjustment system according to claim 5, wherein, when a collision of the vehicle is detected or predicted, the heat medium in a section from the high pressure gas injection part to the heat medium discharge means is discharged by stopping the pump, closing the passage open/close means, opening the heat medium discharge means, and injecting the high pressure gas from the high pressure gas injection part to the temperature adjustment passage.

8. A vehicle device temperature adjustment system comprising a temperature adjustment passage circularly connecting a heat generation element as a vehicle device, and a pump adapted to circulate a heat medium that cools/heats the heat generation element,

the temperature adjustment passage including

a passage open/close means adapted to interrupt a flow of a heat medium and to adjust a flow volume of the heat medium,

an air take-in means installed above the heat generation element in a vertical direction and adapted to introduce an air into the temperature adjustment passage, and

a heat medium discharge means installed below the heat generation element in a vertical direction and adapted to discharge the heat medium from the temperature adjustment passage to an outside of a vehicle.

9. The vehicle device temperature adjustment system according to claim 8, wherein the passage open/close means, the air take-in means, the heat generation element, and the heat medium discharge means are arranged in the temperature adjustment passage in that order.

10. The vehicle device temperature adjustment system according to claim 8, wherein, when a collision of the vehicle is detected or predicted, the heat medium in a section from the air take-in means to the heat medium discharge means is discharged by stopping the pump, closing the passage open/close means, opening the air take-in means, and opening the heat medium discharge means.