AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGH-VOLTAGE BATTERY OF VEHICLE

• US 20150101355A1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Oh, Man Ju, Kim, Jae Woong, Park, Jae Woo, Kim, Jae Hoon
• Application Number:
  US14/143,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20150101355A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00478 Air-conditioning devices using the Peltier effect for air-conditioning in general F24F5/0042; for refrigeration F25B21/02; electric devices exhibiting the Peltier effect H10N10/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/025 Removal of heat
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• 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 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6572 Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Air conditioning system and method for a high-voltage battery of a vehicle are provided. The system includes a first heat exchanger that is disposed within a battery housing and a first blower that supplies air to the first heat exchanger. A peltier element is combined with the first heat exchanger and a first surface of the peltier element comes into contact with the first heat exchanger. A second heat exchanger is disposed in an air extraction unit of a trunk room and a second blower supplies air to the second heat exchanger, to discharge air inside the trunk room to an exterior after performing heat exchange. A cooling line operates as a coolant circulating line, and a first end of the cooling line comes into contact with a second surface of the peltier element and a second end performs heat exchange between the second end and the second heat exchanger.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system for a voltage battery of a vehicle, comprising:

a first heat exchanger disposed within a battery housing;

a first blower configured to supply air to the first heat exchanger and disposed at a position next to the first heat exchanger;

a peltier element combined with the first heat exchanger, wherein a first surface of the peltier element comes into contact with the first heat exchanger;

a second heat exchanger disposed within an air extraction unit of a trunk room;

a second blower configured to supply air to the second heat exchanger and disposed at a position next to the second heat exchanger, to discharge air inside the trunk room to an exterior after performing heat exchange between the air inside the trunk room and the second heat exchanger; and

a cooling line configured to operate as a coolant circulating line, wherein a first end of the cooling line comes into contact with a second surface of the peltier element and a second end of the cooling line is configured to perform heat exchange between the second end of the cooling line and the second heat exchanger.

2. The air conditioning system for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the battery housing has a sealed structure, and the first heat exchanger, the first blower and the peltier element are disposed inside the battery housing to control air inside the battery housing, wherein the first end of the cooling line is inserted into the battery housing, and is combined with the peltier element inside the battery housing.

3. The air conditioning system for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second heat exchanger is disposed inside the trunk room next to the air extraction unit, and the second blower is disposed in a back of the second heat exchanger and is configured to blow the air inside the trunk room to the second heat exchanger.

4. The air conditioning system for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cooling line includes a hydraulic pump to circulate a coolant through the cooling line.

5. The air conditioning system for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the battery housing is installed in a front part within the trunk room, and the air extraction unit is installed in a side part of the trunk room.

6. The air conditioning system for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat dissipating fins to allow heat exchange to be performed between the fins and air.

7. The air conditioning system for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to operate the first blower, the second blower, the peltier element and the cooling line.

8. The air conditioning system for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein, when the voltage battery is to be cooled using a low stage cooling mode, the controller is configured to operate the cooling line and the first blower.

9. The air conditioning system for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein, when the voltage battery is to be cooled using a high stage cooling mode, the controller is configured to operate the first blower, the second blower, the peltier element, and the cooling line.

10. The air conditioning system for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein, when the voltage battery is to be heated, the controller is configured to operate the peltier element to emit heat from the first surface of the peltier element, and to operate the first blower.

11. An air conditioning method for a voltage battery of a vehicle, the method being performed using the air conditioning system of claim 7, the method comprising:

selecting, by the controller, an operational mode required by the voltage battery; and

performing, by the controller, a high stage cooling operation when a high stage cooling mode has been selected, in which both the first blower and the second blower are activated, the peltier element is operated to cool the first surface of the peltier element, and the coolant is circulated through the cooling line.

12. The air conditioning method for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

performing, by the controller, a low stage cooling operation, in which the coolant is circulated through the cooling line and the first blower is activated, when a low stage cooling mode has been selected.

13. The air conditioning method for the voltage battery of the vehicle as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

performing, by the controller, a heating operation, in which the peltier element is operated to emit heat from the first surface of the peltier element, and the first blower is activated, when a heating mode has been selected.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that select an operational mode required by a voltage battery; and

program instructions that perform a high stage cooling operation when a high stage cooling mode has been selected, in which both a first blower and a second blower are activated, a peltier element is operated to cool a first surface of the peltier element, and a coolant is circulated through a cooling line.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein:

a first heat exchanger is disposed within a battery housing;

the first blower is configured to supply air to the first heat exchanger and is disposed at a position next to the first heat exchanger;

the peltier element is combined with the first heat exchanger, wherein the first surface of the peltier element comes into contact with the first heat exchanger;

a second heat exchanger is disposed within an air extraction unit of a trunk room;

the second blower is configured to supply air to the second heat exchanger and is disposed at a position next to the second heat exchanger, to discharge air inside the trunk room to an exterior after performing heat exchange between the air inside the trunk room and the second heat exchanger; and

the cooling line is configured to operate as a coolant circulating line, wherein a first end of the cooling line comes into contact with a second surface of the peltier element and a second end of the cooling line is configured to perform heat exchange between the second end of the cooling line and the second heat exchanger.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

program instructions that perform a low stage cooling operation, in which the coolant is circulated through the cooling line and the first blower is activated, when a low stage cooling mode has been selected.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

program instructions that perform a heating operation, in which the peltier element is operated to emit heat from the first surface of the peltier element, and the first blower is activated, when a heating mode has been selected.