Method and system for enhancing fuel economy of a hybrid electric vehicle

• US 8,239,082 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tabatowski-Bush, Benjamin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Murshed, Nagi
• Application Number:
  US12/903,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20110166729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for enhancing fuel economy of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) with a high-voltage storage battery and a heat transfer device. Whether a user has elected to enhance the fuel economy of the HEV is determined. When the user has elected to enhance the fuel economy, a command signal is generated increasing operation of the heat transfer device to reduce a temperature of the high-voltage storage battery.

Claims

1. A system for enhancing fuel economy of a hybrid electric vehicle with a storage battery and a heat transfer device, the system comprising:

a logic device configured to determine whether a user has elected to enhance fuel economy of the vehicle, to receive temperature sensor input information to compare battery energy expected to be conserved from increased operation of the heat transfer device and battery energy expected to be used to operate the heat transfer device to generate the command signal, and to generate a command signal increasing operation of the heat transfer device to reduce temperature of the battery when the user has elected to enhance the fuel economy.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the heat transfer device includes a fan to cool the high-voltage storage battery.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein increasing operation of the heat transfer device includes operating the fan at a higher speed to cool the battery at a higher rate.

4. The system of claim 1 further including a fuel economy input device allowing the user to elect enhancement of the fuel economy of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the fuel economy input device is a manual user input device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein increasing operation of the heat transfer device includes increasing a rate that the heat transfer device transfers heat away from the battery.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein increasing operation of the heat transfer device includes increasing a time interval that the heat transfer device transfers heat away from the battery.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein increasing operation of the heat transfer device includes increasing a frequency that the heat transfer device transfers heat away from the battery.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the logic device is further configured to control the heat transfer device in an effort to maximize the difference between the battery energy expected to be conserved from increasing operation of the heat transfer device and the battery energy expected to be used to operate the heat transfer device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the logic device is further configured to receive a signal indicating the temperature of the high-voltage storage battery and to generate the command signal increasing operation of the heat transfer device to reduce the temperature of the battery to a predetermined temperature.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the predetermined temperature corresponds to a temperature of the battery that maximizes the difference between battery energy expected to be conserved from increasing operation of the heat transfer device and battery energy expected to be used to operate the heat transfer device.

12. The system of claim 10 further including temperature sensors to sense the temperature of the battery and to generate the signal indicating the temperature of the battery.

13. A system for enhancing fuel economy of a hybrid electric vehicle with a high-voltage storage battery and a heat transfer device, the system comprising:

a fuel economy input device for a user to elect enhancement of fuel economy of the vehicle; and

a logic device in electrical communication with the fuel economy input device and configured to

receive a temperature sensor input signal indicating a temperature of the high-voltage storage battery to compare battery energy expected to be conserved from increased operation of the heat transfer device and battery energy expected to be used to operate the heat transfer device to generate the command signal;

determine whether the user has elected to enhance fuel economy of the vehicle; and

generate a command signal increasing a rate that the heat transfer device transfers heat away from the battery based on the temperature of the battery when the user has elected to enhance the fuel economy of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the heat transfer device includes a fan to transfer heat away from the battery.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the logic device is further configured to compare battery energy expected to be conserved by increasing operation of the heat transfer device and battery energy expected to be used, the logic device further being configured to determine the rate that the heat transfer device transfers heat away from the battery based on the comparison.

16. A method of enhancing fuel economy of a hybrid electric vehicle with a high-voltage storage battery and a heat transfer device, the method comprising:

determining whether a user has elected to enhance fuel economy of the vehicle;

receiving temperature sensor input information to compare battery energy expected to be conserved from increased operation of the heat transfer device and battery energy expected to be used to operate the heat transfer device to generate the command signal, and

generating a command signal increasing operation of the heat transfer device to reduce temperature of the battery when the user has elected to enhance the fuel economy.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein increasing operation of the heat transfer device comprises increasing a rate that the heat transfer device transfers heat away from the battery.

18. The method of claim 16 further including comparing battery energy expected to be conserved by increasing operation of the heat transfer device and battery energy expected to be used, and increasing operation of the heat transfer device based on the comparison.

19. The method of claim 16 further including receiving a signal indicating the temperature of the high-voltage storage battery and increasing operation of the heat transfer device to reduce the temperature of the battery to a predetermined temperature.