APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BATTERY TEMPERATURE CONTROL

• US 20200136211A1
• Filed: 01/02/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: NAM, Jin-Moo, KO, Yo-Han, CHOI, Yong-Seok
• Granted Patent: US 11,289,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• 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 10/637 characterised by the use of reversible temperature-sensitive devices, e.g. NTC, PTC or bimetal devices; characterised by control of the internal current flowing through the cells, e.g. by switching means for preventing undesired use or discharge H01M50/572
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 Rods or plates
• 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 10/659 by heat storage or buffering, e.g. heat capacity or liquid-solid phase changes or transition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An apparatus and method for battery temperature control, the apparatus including a cooling plate, a first transporter selectively moving the cooling plate along a first axis, and a controller operably coupled to the first transporter and selectively outputting a control signal to the first transporter for commanding the first transporter to move the cooling plate to a first location or a second location. The cooling plate comes into contact with an outer surface of the battery by a preset maximum area at the first location, and the cooling plate comes into contact with the outer surface by an area smaller than the maximum area or is separated from the outer surface at the second location.

Claims

1. An apparatus for battery temperature control, comprising:

a cooling plate configured to come into contact with an outer surface of a battery;

a first transporter configured to selectively move the cooling plate along a first axis to bring the cooling plate into contact with the outer surface of the battery or separate the cooling plate from the outer surface of the battery; and

a controller operably coupled to the first transporter,

wherein the controller is configured to;

select any one of a first operation mode and a second operation mode based on a first temperature value indicating a temperature of the battery,

output a first control signal to the first transporter for commanding the first transporter to move the cooling plate to a first location when the first operation mode is selected, and

output a second control signal to the first transporter for commanding the first transporter to move the cooling plate to a second location when the second operation mode is selected,

wherein the cooling plate comes into contact with the outer surface by a preset maximum area when the cooling plate is moved to the first location, and

wherein the cooling plate comes into contact with the outer surface by an area smaller than the maximum area or is separated from the outer surface when the cooling plate is moved to the second location.

2. The apparatus for battery temperature control according to claim 1, wherein the cooling plate includes a phase change material.

3. The apparatus for battery temperature control according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the battery includes a plurality of first protrusions protruding toward the cooling plate,

wherein the cooling plate includes a plurality of second protrusions protruding toward the outer surface, and

wherein the plurality of second protrusions is disposed between the plurality of first protrusions and comes into contact with the plurality of first protrusions when the cooling plate is moved to the first location.

4. The apparatus for battery temperature control according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select the first operation mode when the first temperature value is equal to or larger than a first threshold.

5. The apparatus for battery temperature control according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select any one of the first operation mode and the second operation mode further based on a second temperature value indicating a temperature of the cooling plate.

6. The apparatus for battery temperature control according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to select the first operation mode when the first temperature value is larger than the second temperature value and a difference between the first temperature value and the second temperature value is equal to or larger than a second threshold.

7. The apparatus for battery temperature control according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to select the second operation mode (i) when the first temperature value is equal to or less than the second temperature value, or (ii) when the first temperature value is larger than the second temperature value and a difference between the first temperature value and the second temperature value is less than the second threshold.

8. The apparatus for battery temperature control according to claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a transport distance based on the first temperature value and the second temperature value when the second operation mode is selected, and

wherein the transport distance indicates a distance between the first location and the second location.

9. The apparatus for battery temperature control according to claim 8, wherein the transport distance is proportional to a difference between the first temperature value and the second temperature value.

10. The apparatus for battery temperature control according to claim 5, further comprising:

a second transporter configured to selectively move the cooling plate along a second axis that is different from the first axis.

11. The A battery system comprising the apparatus for battery temperature control according to claim 1.

12. A method for battery temperature control using an apparatus for temperature control comprising a cooling plate, a first transporter and a controller, the method comprising:

determining, by the controller, a first temperature value indicating a temperature of the battery;

selecting, by the controller, any one of a first operation mode and a second operation mode based on the first temperature value;

outputting, by the controller, a first control signal to the first transporter for commanding the first transporter to move the cooling plate to a first location along a first axis when the first operation mode is selected; and

outputting, by the controller, a second control signal to the first transporter for commanding the first transporter to move the cooling plate to a second location along the first axis when the second operation mode is selected,

wherein the cooling plate comes into contact with an outer surface of the battery by a preset maximum area when the cooling plate is moved to the first location, and

wherein the cooling plate comes into contact with the outer surface of the battery by an area smaller than the maximum area or is separated from the outer surface when the cooling plate is moved to the second location.