Device for heating an interior of an electric vehicle

• US 5,647,534 A
• Filed: 09/22/1995
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tsing-Hua Capital, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Kelz, Michael, Odebrecht, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/532,460
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 237/12.3 B, 237/12.3 A, 165/42, 165/43, 165/80.4, 180/65.1, 180/65.8, 429/120
• US Class Current: 237/12.30B
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/143 the heat being derived from cooling an electric component, e.g. electric motors, electric circuits, fuel cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/22 the heat being derived otherwise than from the propulsion plant B60H1/0025, B60H1/00492 and B60H1/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• 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 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/44 Heat storages, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/46 Heat pumps, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/39 working at high temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/66 : Heat-exchange relationships between the cells and other systems, e.g. central heating systems or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/667 : the system being an electronic component, e.g. a CPU, an inverter or a capacitor
• 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

The invention relates to a device for heating the interior of an electric vehicle having an air-cooled high-temperature battery. Waste heat form the battery is supplied to the interior via a liquid circuit having a heat exchanger which can be controllably bombarded by the waste air from the battery and by fresh air. The liquid circuit is also connected to and cools heat-generating components of the electric drive system.

Claims

1. Device for heating an interior of an electric vehicle having an air-cooled high-temperature battery, comprising:

a liquid circuit;

a first heat exchanger coupled in thermal communication with said liquid circuit;

means for controlling a flow of fresh air through said first heat exchanger and for controlling a flow of exhaust air from said battery through said first heat exchanger; and

a second heat exchanger arranged in said liquid circuit for transferring heat to air in an interior of said electric vehicle;

said liquid circuit being coupled in thermal communication with heat generating components of an electric drive system of said electric vehicle to absorb waste heat therefrom, at a point downstream from said second heat exchanger relative to a flow direction of said liquid circuit.

2. Device according to claim 1 wherein the liquid circuit has a controllable by-pass duct which bypasses the second heat exchanger.

3. Device according to claim 1 wherein air can be led between the high-temperature battery and the first heat exchanger wholly or partially under circulating-air operation.

4. Device according to claim 2 wherein air can be led between the high-temperature battery and the first heat exchanger wholly or partially under circulating-air operation.

5. Device according to claim 1 wherein the liquid circuit, further comprises a heat accumulator upstream of the second heat exchanger.

6. Device according to claim 1 wherein the liquid circuit further comprises a heat accumulator in front of the heat generating components.