Thermal energy transfer system for a power source utilizing both metal-air and non-metal-air battery packs

• US 7,940,028 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2010
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Hermann, Weston Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US12/951,010
• Time in Patent Office: 171 Days
• Field of Search: 320/151, 320/104
• US Class Current: 320/151
• 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 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 : having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• 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: H01M 10/0525 : Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/30 : Nickel accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/32 : Silver accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 : Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 : in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 : for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 : Cooling or keeping cold
• 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 12/06 : with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 : composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 : Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 : of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 : Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/20 : Pressure-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 : Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 : Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/253 : adapted for specific cells, e.g. electrochemical cells operating at high temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/317 : Re-sealable arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/375 : Vent means sensitive to or responsive to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 : with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 : for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A power source comprised of a metal-air battery pack and a non-metal-air battery pack is provided, wherein thermal energy from the metal-air battery pack is used to heat the non-metal-air battery pack. In one aspect, a thermal energy transfer system is provided that controls the flow of thermal energy from the metal-air battery pack to the non-metal-air battery pack. In another aspect, the flow of thermal energy from the metal-air battery pack to the non-metal-air battery pack is controlled and used to heat the non-metal-air battery pack prior to charging the non-metal-air battery pack.

Claims

1. A method of controlling battery pack temperature during charging, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling an external power source to a battery charging system, wherein said battery charging system is coupled to a first battery pack comprised of a plurality of metal-air cells and coupled to a second battery pack comprised of a plurality of non-metal-air cells;

initiating charging of said first battery pack;

determining a second battery pack temperature corresponding to said second battery pack;

comparing said second battery pack temperature to a first preset temperature;

initiating charging of said second battery pack if said second battery pack temperature is greater than said first preset temperature and not initiating charging of said second battery pack if said second battery pack temperature is less than said first preset temperature; and

heating said second battery pack if said second battery pack temperature is less than first preset temperature, wherein said heating step further comprises the step of transferring thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack.

2. The method of claim 1, said step of transferring thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack further comprising the steps of:

directing airflow from a first battery pack outlet through a heat exchanger; and

pumping a heat transfer medium through a coolant loop, wherein said coolant loop is in thermal communication with said second battery pack and with said heat exchanger.

3. The method of claim 1, said heating step further comprising the steps of:

determining a first battery pack temperature corresponding to said first battery pack;

comparing said first battery pack temperature to a second preset temperature;

transferring thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack at a first rate if said first battery pack temperature is less than said second preset temperature; and

transferring thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack at a second rate if said first battery pack temperature is greater than said second preset temperature, wherein said second rate is greater than said first rate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of transferring thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack at said first rate further comprises the steps of directing air from a first battery pack outlet through a heat exchanger at a first airflow and pumping a heat transfer medium through a coolant loop, wherein said coolant loop is in thermal communication with said second battery pack and with said heat exchanger;

and wherein said step of transferring thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack at said second rate further comprises the steps of directing air from said first battery pack outlet through said heat exchanger at a second airflow and pumping said heat transfer medium through said coolant loop, wherein said second airflow is greater than said first airflow.

5. The method of claim 1, said heating step further comprising the steps of:

determining a first battery pack temperature corresponding to said first battery pack;

comparing said first battery pack temperature to a second preset temperature;

transferring thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack if said first battery pack temperature is greater than said second preset temperature and not transferring thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack if said first battery pack temperature is less than said second preset temperature.

6. The method of claim 5, said step of transferring thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack further comprising the steps of:

directing airflow from a first battery pack outlet through a heat exchanger; and

pumping a heat transfer medium through a coolant loop, wherein said coolant loop is in thermal communication with said second battery pack and with said heat exchanger.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a first battery pack state-of-charge (SOC);

comparing said first battery pack SOC with a first target SOC;

terminating charging of said first battery pack when said first battery pack SOC reaches or exceeds said first target SOC;

determining a second battery pack SOC;

comparing said second battery pack SOC with a second target SOC; and

terminating charging of said second battery pack when said second battery pack SOC reaches or exceeds said second target SOC.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting said non-metal-air batteries from the group consisting of lithium ion cells, lithium ion polymer cells, nickel metal hydride cells, nickel cadmium cells, nickel hydrogen cells, nickel zinc cells, and silver zinc cells.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a first battery pack temperature corresponding to said first battery pack;

comparing said first battery pack temperature to a second preset temperature;

initiating charging of said first battery pack if said first battery pack temperature is greater than said second preset temperature and not initiating charging of said first battery pack if said first battery pack temperature is less than said second preset temperature; and

heating said first battery pack with a supplemental heating system if said first battery pack temperature is less than second preset temperature.

10. A method of controlling battery pack charging conditions, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling an external power source to a battery charging system, wherein said battery charging system is coupled to a first battery pack comprised of a plurality of metal-air cells and coupled to a second battery pack comprised of a plurality of non-metal-air cells;

monitoring a first battery pack temperature corresponding to said first battery pack;

monitoring a second battery pack temperature corresponding to said second battery pack;

determining a first battery pack state-of-charge (SOC);

comparing said first battery pack SOC with a first target SOC;

determining a second battery pack SOC;

comparing said second battery pack SOC with a second target SOC; and

optimizing said second battery pack temperature to minimize charge time for said second battery pack to reach said second target SOC, said second battery pack temperature optimizing step further comprising the steps of;

controlling a transfer rate of thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack, wherein said thermal energy is transferred via a first heat exchanger;

controlling coolant flow rates within a coolant loop in thermal communication with said second battery pack and said first heat exchanger; and

controlling a second battery pack charge rate.

11. The method of claim 10, said step of controlling said transfer of thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack further comprising the step of directing airflow from a first battery pack outlet through said first heat exchanger.

12. The method of claim 10, said second battery pack temperature optimizing step further comprising the step of controlling operation of a refrigeration subsystem, said refrigeration subsystem in thermal communication with a second heat exchanger, wherein said coolant loop is in thermal communication with said second heat exchanger.

13. The method of claim 10, the method comprising the steps of:

optimizing said first battery pack temperature to minimize charge time for said first battery pack to reach said first target SOC, said first battery pack temperature optimizing step further comprising the steps of;

controlling said transfer rate of thermal energy from said first battery pack to said second battery pack;

controlling flow of thermal energy out of said first battery pack; and

controlling a first battery pack charge rate.

14. The method of claim 13, said step of controlling flow of thermal energy out of said first battery pack further comprising the step of controlling airflow out of a first battery pack outlet and through an exhaust duct.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of monitoring ambient temperature.