Method of thermal management for a hybrid vehicle

• US 6,464,027 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2000
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Lawrence William, Dage, Gerhard Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, John K.
• Application Number:
  US09/496,509
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 165/202, 165/10.A, 165/41, 165/51, 123/41.14, 219/208, 237/12.3 B, 237/2.A, 237/75, 180/65.4, 180/65.2
• US Class Current: 180/65.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/004 for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00492 comprising regenerative heating or cooling means, e.g. heat accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00735 Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g. signal treatment, dynamic models
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/032 from the cooling liquid of the propulsion plant and from a burner
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2206 controlling the operation of burners control of burners in general F23N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/20 concerning atmospheric freezing conditions, e.g. automatically draining or heating during frosty weather
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2011/205 using heat-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/24 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/08 Cabin heater
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/20 Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine F01P3/22 takes precedence
• 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 10/6561 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/663 the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method of thermal management for a thermal management system in a vehicle includes the steps of selecting a thermal management function. The method also includes the steps of adjusting a temperature within the thermal management system using the thermal management function and using the adjusted temperature within the thermal management system to control a temperature within an occupant compartment of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of thermal management for a thermal management system in a vehicle comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of thermal management functions comprising a group of recharge heat storage battery, engine cooling, battery power, battery cooling, climate control heating, coolant pump, and climate control;

selecting the thermal management functions in an order of recharge heat storage battery, engine cooling, battery power, battery cooling, climate control heating, coolant pump, and climate control;

adjusting a temperature by the thermal management system using the thermal management functions; and

using the adjusted temperature by the thermal management system to control a temperature within an occupant compartment of the vehicle.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of determining if a predetermined condition is right to recharge a heat storage battery and recharging a heat storage battery if the predetermined condition is right.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of determining if a predetermined condition is right to cool an engine and cooling the engine if the predetermined condition is right.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein aid step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of determining if an electrical power storage battery voltage is less than a predetermined voltage and adjusting the power requirements within the thermal management system if the electrical power storage battery voltage is less than a predetermined voltage.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of determining if a predetermined condition is right to cool an electrical power storage battery and cooling the electrical power storage battery if the predetermined condition is right.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of determining if a predetermined condition is right for a cooling pump within the thermal management system to operate and operating the coolant pump if the predetermined condition is right.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of:

determining if a predetermined condition is right to use supplemental heating by the thermal management system;

selecting a supplemental heat source if the predetermined condition is right to use supplemental heating;

determining if a predetermined condition is right to use the selected supplemental heat source; and

adjusting a temperature by the thermal management system using the supplemental heat source if a predetermined condition is right to use the selected supplemental heat source.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the supplemental heat source is a heat storage battery.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the supplemental heat source is an exhaust heat recovery system.

10. A method of thermal management for a thermal management system in a vehicle comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of thermal management functions comprising a group of recharge heat storage battery, engine cooling, battery power, battery cooling, climate control heating, coolant pump, and climate control;

selecting the thermal management functions in a predetermined order to control a temperature by the thermal management system;

using the thermal management functions to control the temperature by the thermal management system;

determining if a predetermined condition is right to use supplemental heating by the thermal management system;

selecting a supplemental heat source if the predetermined condition is right to use supplemental heating;

determining if a predetermined condition is right to use the selected supplemental heat source;

adjusting a temperature by the thermal management system using the supplemental heat source if a predetermined condition is right to use the selected supplemental heat source; and

using the adjusted temperature by the thermal management system to control a temperature within an occupant compartment of the vehicle.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of determining if a predetermined condition is right to recharge a heat storage battery and recharging a heat storage battery if the predetermined condition is right.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of determining if a predetermined condition is right to cool an engine and cooling the engine if the predetermined condition is right.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of determining if an electrical power storage battery voltage is less than a predetermined voltage and adjusting the power requirements within the thermal management system if the electrical power storage battery voltage is less than a predetermined voltage.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of determining if a predetermined condition is right to cool an electrical power storage battery and cooling the electrical power storage battery if the predetermined condition is right.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of determining if a predetermined condition is right for a cooling pump within the thermal management system to operate and operating the coolant pump if the predetermined condition is right.

16. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the supplemental heat source is a heat storage battery.

17. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the supplemental heat source is an exhaust heat recovery system.

18. A method of thermal management for a thermal management system in a hybrid vehicle comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of thermal management functions comprising a group of recharge heat storage battery, engine cooling, battery power, battery cooling, climate control heating, coolant pump, and climate control;

selecting the thermal management functions in an order of recharge heat storage battery, engine cooling, battery power, battery cooling, climate control heating, coolant pump, and climate control;

determining if a predetermined condition to recharge a heat storage battery is right and recharging a heat storage battery if the predetermined condition to recharge the heat storage battery is right;

determining if a predetermined condition to cool an engine is right and cooling the engine if the predetermined condition to cool the engine is right;

determining if a predetermined condition to cool an electrical power storage battery is right and cooling the electrical power storage battery if the predetermined condition to cool the electrical power storage battery is right;

determining if a predetermined condition to operate a cooling pump within the thermal management system is right and operating the coolant pump if the predetermined condition to operate the cooling pump is right;

determining if a predetermined condition to use supplemental heating by the thermal management system is right;

selecting a supplemental heat source if the predetermined condition to use supplemental heating is right;

determining if a predetermined condition is right to use the selected supplemental heat source;

adjusting a temperature by the thermal management system using the supplemental heat source if a condition is right to use the selected supplemental heat source; and

using the adjusted temperature by the thermal management system to control a temperature within an occupant compartment of the vehicle.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 wherein said step of selecting the thermal management function includes the steps of:

determining if an electrical power storage battery voltage is less than a predetermined voltage and adjusting the power requirements within the thermal management system if the electrical power storage battery voltage is less than a predetermined voltage.

20. A method as set forth in claim 18 wherein said supplemental heat source is a supplemental heat generating mechanism.