System and method for thermal management of a vehicle power source

• US 7,683,582 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Treharne, William David, Zhu, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad; Patrick J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fantu; Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US11/161,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 320/150, 320/104, 429/7, 374/141
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/02 the heat being derived from the propulsion plant B60H1/00492 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0053 relating to fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A system and method of controlling temperature of a vehicle power source. The method includes determining a representative temperature of the power source, determining an ambient zone in which the power source is operating, determining a thermal control action based on the representative temperature and the ambient zone, and adjusting the temperature of the power source based on the thermal control action.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a temperature of a power source of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a representative temperature of the power source;

determining an ambient zone in which the power source is operating;

determining a thermal control action based on the representative temperature and the ambient zone; and

adjusting the temperature of the power source based on the thermal control action.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the representative temperature is based on temperature data provided by temperature sensors associated with the power source.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the ambient zone further comprises:

determining an ambient temperature value; and

determining the ambient zone based on the ambient temperature value.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining the ambient temperature value is based on temperature data provided by temperature sensors associated with the power source, a vehicle speed value, and a coolant temperature value associated with an engine cooling system.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein determining the ambient zone further comprises selecting at least one zone from a plurality of ambient zones based on the ambient temperature value.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting the temperature of the power source further comprises heating the power source with a heating element disposed proximate the power source when the vehicle is not turned on and the representative temperature value is not greater than a first action threshold value.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting the temperature of the power source further comprises heating the power source without activating a heating element disposed proximate the power source when a first ambient zone is selected and the representative temperature is not greater than a second action threshold value.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting the temperature of the power source further comprises passively cooling the power source when

a first ambient zone is selected and the representative temperature is greater than a third action threshold value, or

a second ambient zone is selected and the representative temperature is less than a fourth action threshold value and not less than a fifth action threshold value.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting the temperature of the power source further comprises actively cooling the power source when

a second ambient zone is selected and the representative temperature is not less than a fourth action threshold value, or

the representative temperature is not less than a sixth action threshold value.

10. A method of controlling a temperature of a power source of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a representative temperature of the power source based on temperature data provided by a plurality of temperature sensors disposed proximate the power source;

determining an ambient temperature value based on at least one of a vehicle speed value, a coolant temperature value, and the temperature data;

determining the ambient zone based on the ambient temperature value;

determining a thermal control action based on the representative temperature and the ambient zone; and

adjusting the temperature of the power source based on the thermal control action.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the coolant temperature value is associated with a second power source and the step of determining the ambient temperature value further comprises:

setting the ambient temperature value equal to a default ambient temperature value when a previous ambient temperature value is not available; and

setting the ambient temperature value equal to the previous ambient temperature value when a power source status check is active, the coolant temperature value exceeds a threshold coolant temperature value, the vehicle speed value exceeds a threshold speed value, the second power source is not active, or when the second power source is active for a threshold amount of time.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein determining the representative temperature further comprises:

determining maximum, minimum, average, and differential temperature values from the temperature data;

setting the representative temperature value equal to the maximum temperature value when the maximum temperature value is greater than or equal to a first temperature threshold value or the average temperature value is greater than or equal to a third temperature threshold value; and

setting the representative temperature value equal to the minimum temperature value equal to the minimum temperature value when the minimum temperature value is less than or equal to a second threshold value or the average temperature value is less than or equal to a fourth temperature threshold value.

13. A system for controlling a temperature of a power source of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a power source having a plurality of temperature sensors for providing temperature data and a heating element;

an air circulation system for circulating air through the power source; and

a control system for determining a representative temperature value based on the temperature data and an ambient zone in which the power source is operating;

wherein the heating element is activated to heat the power source when the vehicle is not turned on and the representative temperature value is not greater than a first action threshold value.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising heating the power source without activating a heating element when a first ambient zone is selected and the representative temperature is not greater than a second action threshold value.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein heating the power source without activating the heating element further comprises cyclically charging and discharging the power source.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein heating the power source without activating the heating element further comprises providing air having a temperature greater than the representative temperature with the air circulation system.

17. The system of claim 13 further comprising passively cooling the power source when

a first ambient zone is selected and the representative temperature is greater than second and third action threshold values, or

a second ambient zone is selected and the representative temperature is less than a fourth action threshold value and not less than a fifth action threshold value.

18. The system of claim 13 further comprising actively cooling the power source when

a second ambient zone is selected and the representative temperature is not less than a fourth action threshold value, or

the representative temperature is not less than a sixth action threshold value.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the power source is a voltage source.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the power source is a battery assembly.