Battery heating and cooling system

• US 9,016,080 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Brodie, Bradley, Hong, Kwangtaek, Styles, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jules, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUKE, EMMANUEL E
• Application Number:
  US13/051,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20120234518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 621/17, 622/383, 622/39, 623/241, 180/68.2, 165/104.19, 454/75
• US Class Current: 62/239
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00385 for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00907 where the flow direction of the refrigerant changes and an evaporator becomes condenser
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00949 comprising additional heating/cooling sources, e.g. second evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3298 Ejector-type refrigerant circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/028 Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2020/006 Heat storage systems not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/008 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/663 the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

A system may include a first heat exchanger, a pumping device, and a valve. The pumping device may be in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger. The valve may receive a fluid from the pumping device and may be movable between a first position allowing the fluid through a first flow path and a second position to allow the fluid to flow through a second flow path. The first heat exchanger may be in heat transfer relation with an energy storage device such that heat may be extracted from the energy storage device when the valve is in the first position. Heat may be transferred from the first heat exchanger to the energy storage device when the valve is in the second position.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first heat exchanger;

an expansion device in direct fluid communication with the first heat exchanger;

a pumping device in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger; and

a valve receiving a fluid from the pumping device and movable between a first position allowing the fluid through a first flow path and a second position to allow the fluid to flow through a second flow path,

a second heat exchanger;

an energy storage device in heat transfer relation to the second heat exchanger;

wherein

when the valve is in the first position, the first flow path extends from the valve through the first heat exchanger and from the first heat exchanger through the second heat exchanger; and

when the valve is in the second position, the second flow path extends from the valve, through the second heat exchanger bypassing the first heat exchanger.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the pumping device includes a compressor receiving the fluid at a first pressure and compressing the fluid to a second pressure higher than the first pressure.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a fluid circuit that is fluidly isolated from the first heat exchanger, the compressor and the valve, the fluid circuit being in heat transfer relation with the first heat exchanger and the energy storage device.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle air conditioning system including a fluid circuit that is fluidly isolated from the pumping device, the first heat exchanger and the valve.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle air conditioning system, wherein the including a second heat exchanger disposed adjacent the first heat exchanger, wherein a fan is disposed adjacent one of said first and second heat exchangers and forces air across said first and second heat exchangers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and the pumping device when the valve is in the first position and fluidly isolated from the first heat exchanger and the pumping device when the valve is in the second position.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second heat exchanger includes a liquid-cooled condenser.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an ejector in fluid communication with the pumping device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger is a single heat exchanger.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

when the valve is in the first position, the first flow path extends from the valve directly to the first heat exchanger and from the first heat exchanger through the expansion device, through the valve directly to the second heat exchanger; and

when the valve is in the second position, the second flow path extends from the valve, directly to the second heat exchanger bypassing the first heat exchanger.

11. A system for a vehicle, the vehicle having a cabin and a battery, the system comprising:

a first fluid path including a first heat exchanger providing a cooling effect to air within the cabin;

an expansion device in direct fluid communication with the first heat exchanger; and

a second fluid path including a second heat exchanger and a valve, the second heat exchanger being in heat transfer relation with the battery, the valve being movable between a first position allowing fluid at a first temperature to flow through the second heat exchanger to extract heat from the battery and a second position allowing fluid at a second temperature to flow through the second heat exchanger to transfer heat from the fluid to the battery;

wherein

when the valve is in the first position, fluid flows from the valve to the first heat exchanger and from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger; and

when the valve is in the second position, fluid flows from the valve to the second heat exchanger bypassing the first heat exchanger.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second fluid path includes a compressor disposed upstream from the second heat exchanger.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the second fluid path includes a third heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger when the valve is in the first position and is restricted from fluid communication with the second heat exchanger when the valve is in the second position.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first fluid path includes a first compressor and the second fluid path includes a second compressor, the first and second fluid paths being fluidly isolated from each other.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a compressor circulating a fluid through the first and second fluid paths.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a third fluid path that is fluidly isolated from the first and second fluid paths, the third fluid path being in heat transfer relation with the battery and the second heat exchanger.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the second heat exchanger is a single heat exchanger.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein:

when the valve is in the first position, fluid flows from the valve directly to the first heat exchanger and from the first heat exchanger to the expansion device through the expansion device to the valve, through the valve directly to the second heat exchanger; and

when the valve is in the second position, fluid flows from the valve directly to the second heat exchanger bypassing the first heat exchanger.