Arrangement and method for cooling a technical component including vaporizing water by residual thermal energy

• US 9,991,572 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2015
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Heger, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Cullen, Sean P
• Application Number:
  US14/919,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20160043452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 429 50, 429 62, 429120
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/63 Control systems charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 , H01M10/443; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 , H01M10/486
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6569 Fluids undergoing a liquid-gas phase change or transition, e.g. evaporation or condensation heat pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/394 Gas-pervious parts or elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An arrangement in a motor vehicle includes a housing configured to accommodate a technical component, at least one pressure equalization element integrated into the housing, a cooling device configured to cool the technical component in the housing, and a control device configured to control the cooling device. The control device is configured such that, in the event of an exceedance of a temperature threshold value in the housing, the control device increases the cooling power of the cooling device in order to attain a first temperature value in the housing. After such an increase, proceeding from a second temperature value in the housing, the control device decreases the cooling power such that thermal residual energy of the technical component is sufficient to evaporate the condensation water generated in the housing as a result of the cooling, wherein the second temperature value is higher than the first temperature value.

Claims

1. A method for operating an arrangement in a motor vehicle, the method comprising the acts of:

making available a housing of the arrangement with a technical component in an interior of the housing;

cooling the technical component in order to attain a first temperature value in the housing, wherein condensation water forms in the housing during the cooling;

reducing a cooling power starting from a second temperature value in the housing, such that the condensation water in the housing is vaporized with residual thermal energy of the technical component, wherein the second temperature value is higher than the first temperature value; and

discharging the vaporized condensation water via at least one pressure equalization element integrated into the housing.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining a level of the second temperature as a function of at least one of a duration of a cooling process, an ambient temperature, an ambient moisture, a location, a measured quantity of the condensation water in the housing.

3. The method as claimed in one of claim 1, wherein the first temperature value and the second temperature value are measured at a same location.

4. The method as claimed in one of claim 1, wherein the first temperature value and the second temperature value are measured at the technical component.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising reducing the cooling power to zero starting from the second temperature value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising determining a level of the second temperature as a function of at least one of a duration of a cooling process, an ambient temperature, an ambient moisture, a location, a measured quantity of the condensation water in the housing.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second temperature value is at least 105% of the first temperature value.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second temperature value is at least 110% of the first temperature value.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second temperature value is at least 115% of the first temperature value.