Method for operating a motor vehicle in a sports operating mode

• US 8,955,345 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Meitinger, Karl-Heinz, Ullmann, Stefan, Bauer, Florian
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Melvin
• Application Number:
  US14/233,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20140331693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 62/61, 621/15, 621/83, 622/39, 622/41, 622/43, 622/44
• US Class Current: 62/244
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00271 HVAC devices specially adapted for particular vehicle parts or components and being connected to the vehicle HVAC unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/02 with liquid cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• 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

Abstract

A method for operating a motor vehicle having at least one electric drive component which is cooled via at least one coolant circuit which is coupled thermally to a refrigerant circuit. In a first operating mode of the motor vehicle, an inlet temperature of a coolant of the at least one coolant circuit is set to a first value by active cooling by means of the refrigerant circuit. In a second operating mode, in particular a sports operating mode of the motor vehicle, the inlet temperature is lowered with respect to the first operating mode. As a result, more pronounced cooling of the components is made possible in the second operating mode, as a result of which the maximum driving power of the motor vehicle is increased.

Claims

1. A method of operating a motor vehicle with at least one electric drive component, which is cooled via at least one coolant circuit that is thermally coupled to a refrigerant circuit, the method comprising:

allowing a driver of the motor vehicle to select via a control element between a first operating mode designed as a normal operating mode and a second operating mode designed as a sports operating mode,

in the first operating mode of the motor vehicle, setting a flow temperature of a coolant of the at least one coolant circuit to a first value through active cooling with the refrigerant circuit, and

in the second operation mode of the motor vehicle, setting the flow temperature of the coolant of the at least one coolant circuit to a second, smaller value through active cooling with the refrigerant circuit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein respective flow temperatures are set in at least two cooling circuits with the refrigerant circuit.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the respective flow temperatures of the at least two coolant circuits are different from each other.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one coolant circuit is used solely for cooling a high-voltage battery of the motor vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an additional coolant circuit is used for cooling at least one of power electronics, a DC-DC converter, a battery charger, an electric drive unit, and a transmission.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein in the second operating mode, the maximum cooling power of the refrigerant circuit is used for decreasing a flow temperature of the at least one coolant circuit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in the at least one coolant circuit, a total volume flow of coolant is divided into at least two partial volume flows, which are each used to cool different drive components.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a flow ratio between the at least two partial volume flows is adjusted differently commensurate with the two operating modes.

9. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a control element allowing a driver to select between a first operating mode and a second operating mode, wherein

the motor vehicle is configured to carry out a method of operating a motor vehicle with at least one electric drive component, which is cooled via at least one coolant circuit that is thermally coupled to a refrigerant circuit, by;

allowing a driver of the motor vehicle to select via a control element between the first operating mode designed as a normal operating mode and the second operating mode designed as a sports operating mode,

in response to selection of the first operating mode of the motor vehicle, setting a flow temperature of a coolant of the at least one coolant circuit to a first value through active cooling with the refrigerant circuit, and

in response to selection of the second operation mode of the motor vehicle, setting the flow temperature of the coolant of the at least one coolant circuit to a second, smaller value through active cooling with the refrigerant circuit.