COOLING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE DEVICE

• US 20170080821A1
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Hughes, Ian, Bureau, Baptiste
• Granted Patent: US 10,040,369 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/633 characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A cooling system for cooling a device (150), e.g. a battery, within a vehicle (100), especially a hybrid electric vehicle, the cooling system comprising: a first cooling subsystem (180) for cooling the device (150) and having a relatively low rate of energy consumption, e.g. an ambient air-based cooling apparatus, a second cooling subsystem (182) for cooling the device (150) and having a relatively high rate of energy consumption, e.g. a refrigeration-based cooling apparatus, evaluation means (190P, 190R) comprising predictive evaluation means (190P) for providing a predictive output responsive to a determination whether a temperature of the device (150) will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of time, an evaluation output of the evaluation means (190P, 190R) being dependent on at least the predictive output of the predictive evaluation means (190P), assessment means (190A) for providing an assessment output responsive to a determination whether the temperature of the device (150) is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem (180) alone, and control means for selectively controlling actuation of the first cooling subsystem (180) or the second cooling subsystem (182) in dependence on the evaluation output of the evaluation means (190P, 190R) and the assessment output of the assessment means (190A). By use of the combined evaluation methodology to operate the lower-energy cooling subsystem (180) in a pre-emptive manner, before or unless the higher-energy cooling subsystem (182) is actually needed, a more energy efficient system is achieved.

Claims

1-45. -45. (canceled)

46. A cooling system configured to cool a charge storage device within a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:

a first cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption,

a second cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption,

the first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption being lower than the second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption,

evaluation means comprising predictive evaluation means for providing a predictive output responsive to a determination whether a temperature of the charge storage device will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of vehicle driving time, an evaluation output of the evaluation means being dependent on at least the predictive output of the predictive evaluation means,

assessment means to provide an assessment output responsive to a determination whether the current temperature of the charge storage device is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem alone, and

control means configured to;

select the first cooling subsystem or the second cooling subsystem as an operational cooling subsystem in dependence on the assessment output of the assessment means; and

control actuation of the operational cooling subsystem in order to lower the current temperature of the charge storage device in dependence on the evaluation output of the evaluation means.

47. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the predictive evaluation means is operable to determine a predicted temperature indicative of the temperature of the charge storage device upon expiry of the prescribed period of vehicle driving time.

48. A cooling system according to claim 47, wherein the assessment means is operable to make said determination as to whether the temperature of the charge storage device is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem alone in dependence on said predicted temperature or an ambient air temperature or whether the ambient air outside the vehicle is lower than a desired charge storage device temperature.

49. A cooling system according to any claim 46, wherein the vehicle includes the charge storage device and one of the group comprising:

an electrical propulsion motor and an engine.

50. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the evaluation means further comprises reactive evaluation means for providing a reactive output responsive to a determination whether the temperature of the charge storage device already exceeds the first prescribed threshold value, the evaluation output of the evaluation means being dependent on the predictive output of the predictive evaluation means and the reactive output of the reactive evaluation means.

51. The cooling system according to claim 50, wherein the reactive evaluation means comprises temperature sensing means and command means configured with reference to at least one of reference data and predictive data of device temperatures in order to define the said first prescribed threshold value and generate the evaluation output in dependence on whether the defined first prescribed threshold value has already been exceeded.

52. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the control means is configured to selectively control actuation of at least one of the first cooling subsystem and the second cooling subsystem when the evaluation output of the evaluation means is such that it is determined that the temperature of the charge storage device will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of time and the assessment output of the assessment means is such that it is determined that the temperature of the charge storage device is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem alone.

53. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the charge storage device to be cooled has a target temperature and a temperature of a coolant or cooling means in the first cooling subsystem is below the target temperature of the charge storage device.

54. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the temperature of the charge storage device to be cooled is at least one of an internal charging and internal operating temperature of the charge storage device.

55. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the first cooling subsystem comprises a cooling apparatus which uses ambient air from outside the vehicle to cool the charge storage device and the second cooling subsystem comprises a refrigeration apparatus in thermal communication with the charge storage device.

56. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the determination carried out by the evaluation means is performed on the basis of one or more of:

(a) current temperature data of the charge storage device to be cooled, (b) historical temperature data obtained from one or more past journeys or past travel undertaken by the vehicle, (c) forecast data concerning temperature conditions which may affect the charge storage device operating temperature, and (d) at least one of historical and forecast data concerning a work rate which may affect the charge storage device operating temperature.

57. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the prescribed period of time is expressed as a measurement defined in terms of absolute time itself, or is expressed as a determination by measurement, calculation or prediction of whether a temperature of the charge storage device will exceed the first prescribed threshold value within a time period needed to travel a prescribed distance.

58. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the prescribed period of vehicle driving time is dependent on at least one of an identity of, a state of, current energy demands of, and predicted future energy demands of the charge storage device to be cooled.

59. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the assessment means is for providing an assessment output dependent on a determination whether the first cooling subsystem alone is capable of lowering a current or predicted temperature of the charge storage device, the cooling capability being dictated by a relative temperature difference between a coolant of the first cooling subsystem and the charge storage device to be cooled.

60. A cooling system according to claim 46, wherein the control means selectively controls actuation of the first cooling subsystem or the second cooling subsystem in dependence on the evaluation output of the evaluation means and the assessment output of the assessment means in a manner of an OR gate.

61. A cooling system according to claim 60, wherein if the evaluation output of the evaluation means is positive, and the assessment output of the assessment means is also positive, then the control means selectively controls actuation of the first cooling subsystem alone to cool the charge storage device, or, if the evaluation output of the evaluation means is positive, and the assessment output of the assessment means is negative, then the control means selectively controls actuation of the second cooling subsystem alone to cool the charge storage device.

63. A controller according to claim 61, wherein the predictive evaluation means is operable to determine a predicted temperature indicative of the temperature of the charge storage device upon expiry of the prescribed period of time.

65. A vehicle comprising a charge storage device to be cooled, and a cooling system according to claim 46 for cooling the charge storage device.

62. A controller configured to control a cooling system for cooling a charge storage device within a vehicle, wherein the cooling system comprises:

a first cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption, and

a second cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption,

the first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption being lower than the second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption;

wherein the controller comprises;

evaluation means comprising predictive evaluation means for providing a predictive output responsive to a determination whether a temperature of the charge storage device will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of time, an evaluation output of the evaluation means being dependent on at least the predictive output of the predictive evaluation means,

assessment means for providing an assessment output responsive to a determination whether the temperature of the charge storage device is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem alone, and

control means for selectively controlling actuation of the first cooling subsystem or the second cooling subsystem in dependence on the evaluation output of the evaluation means and the assessment output of the assessment means.

64. A controller according to claim 62, wherein the assessment means is operable to make said determination as to whether the temperature of the charge storage device is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem alone in dependence on said predicted temperature or an ambient air temperature or whether the ambient air outside the vehicle is lower than a desired charge storage device temperature.

66. A method of cooling a charge storage device within a vehicle by means of a cooling system, wherein the cooling system comprises:

a first cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption, and

a second cooling subsystem for cooling the charge storage device and having a second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption,

the first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption being lower than the second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption;

the method comprising;

determining by evaluation means comprising predictive evaluation means whether a temperature of the charge storage device will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of vehicle driving time, generating a corresponding predictive output of the predictive evaluation means, and in dependence on at least the predictive output generating an evaluation output of the evaluation means;

determining by assessment means whether the temperature of the charge storage device is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem alone, and generating a corresponding assessment output of the assessment means;

selecting the first cooling subsystem or the second cooling subsystem as an operational cooling subsystem in dependence on the assessment output of the assessment means; and

controlling actuation of the operational cooling subsystem in order to lower a current temperature of the charge storage device in dependence on the evaluation output of the evaluation means.

67. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer program code for controlling a vehicle to carry out a method according to claim 66.