METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE WHILE CHARGING

• US 20140266038A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gibeau, John Paul, Grimes, Jeffery R., Burrows, Neil Robert, Swoish, James Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 9,337,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• 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 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• 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 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• 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 58/25 : by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 : by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 : Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 : in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 : for measuring temperature
• 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 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle includes a traction battery having a thermal circuit, and a controller. The controller is configured to: (i) charge the traction battery using a maximum charging current defined by the lowest temperature cell while the traction battery is connected to the charger, and (ii) heat the traction battery if the lowest temperature cell is below a predetermined temperature while the traction battery is charging. A method for controlling an electric vehicle while connected to a charger includes charging the battery using a first portion of power from the charger while heating the battery using a second portion of power from the charger in response to a low cell temperature in a traction battery.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a traction battery having a plurality of cells;

a thermal circuit connected to the traction battery, and having a thermal source and a thermal sink; and

a controller connected to the traction battery and the thermal circuit, the controller configured to;

(i) charge the traction battery using a maximum charging current based on a lowest temperature cell while the traction battery is connected to a charger and external power source, and (ii) heat the traction battery if the lowest temperature cell is below a predetermined temperature while the traction battery is charging.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the traction battery has a first pack and a second pack spaced apart from the first pack.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the thermal circuit has a valve system;

and

wherein the controller is further configured to control the vehicle system to bias heating to the pack having the lowest cell temperature.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to receive a maximum available current from the charger and external power source.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the maximum charging current is less than the maximum current from the charger and external power source.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the controller is configured to heat the traction battery using a current equal to the difference between the maximum available current and the maximum charging current.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the thermal source of the thermal circuit comprises an electric heater.

8. A method of controlling an electric vehicle comprising:

detecting if a traction battery is connected to a charger and external power source;

measuring cell temperatures in the battery to determine a lowest temperature cell;

charging the traction battery using a maximum charging current associated with the lowest temperature cell while the traction battery is connected to the charger and external power source; and

heating the traction battery using a current equal to the difference between a maximum available current from the charger and the maximum charging current if the lowest temperature cell is below a predetermined temperature while the traction battery is charging.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the maximum charging current associated with the lowest temperature cell is the minimum of one of a maximum current for the lowest temperature cell and a percentage of the available current from the charger.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the maximum charging current is less than the maximum available current from the charger and external power source if the lowest temperature is below the predetermined temperature.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein charging the battery and heating the battery are conducted simultaneously.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising adjusting the maximum charging current as the battery is heated and the temperature of the lowest temperature cell increases.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the maximum charging current associated with the lowest temperature cell is a percentage of the available current from the charger.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the percentage is based on cell temperature.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the lowest cell temperature is within one of a series of temperature ranges, each temperature range having an associated percentage.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the percentage decreases as the temperature range decreases.

17. A method for controlling an electric vehicle while connected to a charger, comprising, in response to a low cell temperature in a traction battery, charging the battery using a first portion of power from the charger while heating the battery using a second portion of power from the charger, the first and second portions varying in response to the low cell temperature.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising measuring a temperature for each cell in the battery to determine the low cell temperature.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising estimating a temperature for each cell in the battery to determine the low cell temperature.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the first portion of power is a percentage of power from the charger based on cell temperature.