Systems and methods for mitigating battery damage caused by coolant leaks

• US 8,865,333 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Phlegm, Herman K., Abd Elhamid, Mahmoud H., Brenz, Andrew C., Namou, Andrew J., Drexler, Robert D., Gandhi, Milind S
• Primary Examiner(s): Cantelmo, Gregg
• Application Number:
  US13/551,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20140020763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 429/120, 429/61, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/32 Waterborne vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/025 Details with respect to the testing of engines or engine parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/16 using electric detection means G01M3/045, G01M3/06, G01M3/12, G01M3/20, G01M3/24, G01M3/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4228 Leak testing of cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 : Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7736 : Consistency responsive

Abstract

System and methods for mitigating battery damage in a vehicle including a liquid-cooled battery system. In certain embodiments, a system for mitigating damage caused by leaks of liquid coolant in a battery system may include a one or more coolant leak sensors. A coolant leak detection system communicatively coupled to the coolant leak sensors may be configured to detect an occurrence of a liquid coolant leak in the battery system based on information provided by the coolant leak sensors. One or more valves communicatively coupled with the coolant leak detection system may actuate by the coolant leak detection system when a leak of liquid coolant is detected, thereby allowing leaked liquid coolant to drain from the battery system.

Claims

1. A system for mitigating damage caused by the presence of a liquid solution in a battery system comprising:

a first liquid solution sensor, the first liquid solution sensor comprising a plurality of dielectric measurement contact points;

a liquid solution detection system communicatively coupled to the first liquid solution sensor configured to detect a presence of the liquid solution in the battery system based on information provided by the first liquid solution sensor, the liquid solution detection system comprising a hall-effect switch configured to be actuated to implement a first action based on a current measured by the first liquid solution sensor exceeding a first threshold; and

system; and

a first valve communicatively coupled to the liquid solution detection system configured to be actuated based on the hall-effect switch being actuated to implement the first action.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid solution comprises a liquid coolant solution.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the liquid coolant solution comprises an ethylene glycol solution.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the liquid coolant solution comprises a solution comprising glycol.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid solution comprises a solution comprising water.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first threshold is associated with a liquid solution comprising water being present in the battery system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the hall-effect switch is further configured to be actuated to implement a second action based on the current measured by the first liquid solution sensor exceeding a second threshold, the second threshold being associated with a liquid solution comprising liquid coolant being present in the battery system, the second action comprising providing a notification to a user of the presence of liquid coolant in the battery system and actuating the first value to allow the liquid solution to drain from the battery system.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second liquid solution sensor communicatively coupled to the liquid solution detection system,

wherein the liquid solution detection system is further configured to detect an occurrence of a presence of liquid solution in the battery system based on information provided by the second liquid solution leak sensor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first liquid solution sensor is disposed in a first compartment of the battery system and the second liquid solution sensor is disposed in a second compartment of the battery system.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a second valve communicatively coupled to the liquid solution detection system,

wherein the first valve is further configured to be actuated based on the liquid solution detection system detecting the presence of liquid solution in the first compartment and the second valve is configured to be actuated based on the liquid solution detection system detecting the presence of liquid solution in the second compartment.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery system comprises a high-voltage battery system included in a vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first valve is configured to be actuated by a solenoid.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid solution detection system is further configured to provide an indication to a vehicle telematics system upon detecting the presence of liquid solution in the battery system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle telematics system is configured to provide a notification to a user of the presence of liquid solution in the battery system based on the indication.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle telematics system is configured to provide a notification to a telematics system service center of the presence of liquid solution in the battery system based on the indication.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the first valve is further configured to be opened based on the liquid solution detection system detecting the presence of liquid solution in the battery system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first valve is further configured to allow liquid solution to drain from the battery system when opened.

18. A method for mitigating damage caused by the presence of a liquid solution in a battery system comprising:

receiving current measurement information from a liquid solution sensor comprising a plurality of dielectric measurement contact points disposed in the battery system;

identifying, using a hall-effect switch, based on the current measurement information exceeding a first threshold, the presence of a liquid solution comprising water in the battery system;

implementing a first action based on identifying the presence of the liquid solution comprising water in the battery system, the first action comprising actuating a valve configured to allow the liquid solution to drain from the battery system;

determining, using the hall-effect switch, based on the current measurement information exceeding a second threshold, the presence of a liquid solution comprising liquid coolant in the battery system; and

implementing a second action based on identifying the presence of presence of the liquid solution comprising liquid coolant in the battery system, the second action comprising actuating the valve to allow the liquid solution to drain from the battery system and providing a notification to a user of the presence of liquid coolant in the battery system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein actuating the valve comprises opening the valve.