Fast charge mode for extended trip

• US 9,728,990 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2012
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Inventors: Dangler, Christopher, Stewart, Sarah G., Kishiyama, Clay Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US13/665,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20140121866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22, 701 81, 320104, 320109, 903902, 903903, 903907
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/14 by input of vehicle departure time
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/50 by future state prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for early identification of an impending fast-charge or fast-charge opportunity and use of that information to prepare the battery cells for the fast-charge.

Claims

1. A fast-charging system for a rechargeable energy storage system, comprising:

a fast-charge prediction system identifying an upcoming fast-charge event for the rechargeable energy storage system;

an environment control system coupled to the energy storage system controlling a temperature environment of the energy storage system responsive to a first operational profile using said temperature environment to adjust a temperature of the energy storage system to a first temperature target of a standard operating temperature; and

a manager setting a second operational profile for said environment control system responsive to said upcoming fast-charge event, said second operation profile using said temperature environment to adjust said temperature of the energy storage system to a second temperature above said standard operating temperature.

2. The fast-charging system of claim 1 wherein said second temperature is in a range of 35°

C. to 55°

C.

3. The fast-charging system of claim 1 wherein said first temperature is less than 40°

C. and wherein said second temperature is in a range of a lower fast-charger temperature to 55°

C., wherein said lower fast-charger temperature is the greater of 35°

C. and said first temperature.

4. The fast-charging system of claim 1 wherein said temperature environment includes a HVAC having a temperature lowering characteristic for the energy storage system after an activation by said environment control system and wherein said second operational profile delays said activation when adjusting said temperature of said energy storage system.

5. The fast-charging system of claim 1 wherein said temperature environment includes a heat exchanger with a coolant having a temperature lowering characteristic for the energy storage system responsive to a coolant flow rate set by said environment control system and wherein said second operational profile reduces said coolant flow rate to adjust said temperature of said energy storage system.

6. The fast-charging system of claim 1 wherein said temperature environment includes a variable insulating barrier having a temperature raising characteristic for the energy storage system after an activation by said environment control system and wherein said second operational profile actuates said activation to adjust said temperature of the energy storage system.

7. The fast-charging system of claim 1 wherein said fast-charge prediction system includes a user interface receiving a user input, said fast-charge prediction system identifies said upcoming fast-charge event responsive to said user input.

8. The fast-charging system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage system is disposed in an electric vehicle having an electric propulsion motor further comprising a navigation system geolocating a position of a fast-charge station along a drive route of said electric vehicle within a current drive range while said temperature environment operates with said first operational profile.

9. The fast-charging system of claim 8 wherein said fast-charge prediction system identifies said fast-charge event when said electric vehicle approaches said position within a predetermined distance and a maximum drive range of said electric vehicle is less than a predetermined range.

10. A fast-charging method for an energy storage system, comprising:

a) identifying an upcoming fast-charge event for the rechargeable energy storage system;

b) controlling a temperature environment for the energy storage system responsive to a first operational profile using said temperature environment to adjust a temperature of the energy storage system to a first temperature target for a standard operating temperature; and

c) setting a second operational profile for said environment control system responsive to said upcoming fast-charge event, said second operation profile using said temperature environment to adjust said temperature to a second temperature above said standard operating temperature.

11. The fast-charging method of claim 10 wherein said identifying step a) includes responding to a user input manually indicating said upcoming fast-charge event.

12. The fast-charging method of claim 10 wherein said identifying step a) includes responding automatically using a computer system when said electric vehicle approaches a position of a fast-charging station within a predetermined distance and a maximum drive range of said electric vehicle is less than a predetermined range.

13. A charging system for a rechargeable energy storage system of an electric vehicle having an electric propulsion motor, comprising:

a charge prediction system identifying an upcoming charge event for the rechargeable energy storage system, said charge prediction system predicting one of a fast-charge event and a non-fast-charge event for said upcoming charge event;

an environment control system coupled to the energy storage system controlling a temperature environment of the energy storage system responsive to a first operational profile using said temperature environment to adjust a temperature of the energy storage system to a first temperature target of a standard operating temperature; and

a manager setting a second operational profile for said environment control system responsive to said upcoming fast-charge event, said second operation profile using said temperature environment to adjust said temperature of the energy storage system to a second temperature above said standard operating temperature when said upcoming charge event includes said fast charge event, otherwise said manager maintaining said first operational profile for said environment control system when said upcoming charge event includes said non-fast-charge event.

14. The charging system of claim 13 wherein said second temperature is in a range of 35°

C. to 55°

C.

15. The charging system of claim 13 wherein said first temperature is less than 40°

C. and wherein said second temperature is in a range of a lower fast-charger temperature to 55°

C., wherein said lower fast-charger temperature is the greater of 35°

C. and said first temperature.

16. The charging system of claim 13 wherein said temperature environment includes a HVAC having a temperature lowering characteristic for the energy storage system after an activation by said environment control system and wherein said second operational profile delays said activation when adjusting said temperature of said energy storage system.

17. The charging system of claim 13 wherein said temperature environment includes a heat exchanger with a coolant having a temperature lowering characteristic for the energy storage system responsive to a coolant flow rate set by said environment control system and wherein said second operational profile reduces said coolant flow rate to adjust said temperature of said energy storage system.

18. The charging system of claim 13 wherein said temperature environment includes a variable insulating barrier having a temperature raising characteristic for the energy storage system after an activation by said environment control system and wherein said second operational profile actuates said activation to adjust said temperature of the energy storage system.

19. The charging system of claim 13 wherein said fast-charge prediction system includes a user interface receiving a user input, said fast-charge prediction system identifies said upcoming fast-charge event responsive to said user input.