SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR BATTERY PACK THERMAL MANAGEMENT

• US 20120156534A1
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Sujan, Vivek Anand, Al-Khayat, Nazar, Nagabhushana, Bangalore Siddalingappa
• Granted Patent: US 8,833,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/62
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/44 Heat storages, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/623 Portable devices, e.g. mobile telephones, cameras or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/659 by heat storage or buffering, e.g. heat capacity or liquid-solid phase changes or transition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/66 Heat-exchange relationships between the cells and other systems, e.g. central heating systems or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/663 the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/667 the system being an electronic component, e.g. a CPU, an inverter or a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

An apparatus is described including a hybrid power train having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. The apparatus includes a hybrid power system battery pack that is electrically coupled to the electric motor. The apparatus includes an energy securing device that is thermally coupled to the hybrid power system battery pack. The energy securing device selectively removes thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack, and secure removed thermal energy. The energy securing device secures the removed thermal energy by storing the energy in a non-thermal for, or by using the energy to accommodate a present energy requirement.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a hybrid power train comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric motor;

a hybrid power system battery pack electrically coupled to the electric motor; and

an energy securing device thermally coupled to the hybrid power system battery pack, the energy securing device structured to remove thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack, and to secure at least a portion of the removed thermal energy.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy securing device comprises at least one device selected from the devices consisting of a thermoelectric device, a shape memory alloy, and a piezoelectric device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy securing device comprises a thermoelectric device structured to convert thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack to electrical energy, and to provide the electrical energy to at least one electronic device selected from the devices consisting of the hybrid power system battery pack, an ultracapacitor, the electric motor, an electric generator, an electric motor-generator including the electric motor, and an electric device having a present power requirement.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a heat transfer target module structured to determine a heat transfer value in response to the temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack and a target temperature description;

an energy securing module structured to provide a heat transfer command in response to the heat transfer value indicating the temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is too high; and

wherein the energy securing device is further structured to remove the thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack in response to the heat transfer command.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the target temperature description comprises a temperature description selected from the descriptions consisting of a temperature target, a temperature target with hysteresis, a range of temperature values, and a range of temperature values with hysteresis.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a thermal generation device structured to supply thermal energy to the hybrid power system battery pack in response to the heat transfer command.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the thermal generation device comprises a shape memory alloy structured to supply the thermal energy by electrically loading the hybrid power system battery pack.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the hybrid power train further comprises a driveline of a vehicle, the apparatus further comprising a propulsion determination module structured to interpret a propulsion state of the vehicle, and wherein the energy securing device is further structured to secure the at least a portion of the removed thermal energy by providing the removed thermal energy to the driveline of the vehicle in response to the propulsion state indicating the electric motor is providing motive power to the driveline of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the hybrid power train further comprises a driveline of a vehicle, the apparatus further comprising a propulsion determination module structured to interpret a propulsion state of the vehicle, and wherein the energy securing device is further structured to secure the at least a portion of the removed thermal energy by providing the removed thermal energy as electrical energy to one of the hybrid power system battery pack, an ultracapacitor, and an auxiliary load in response to the propulsion state indicating the electric motor is not providing motive power to the driveline of the vehicle.

10. A system, comprising:

a vehicle having a driveline operatively coupled to a hybrid power train, the hybrid power train comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric motor;

a hybrid power system battery pack electrically coupled to the electric motor; and

a means for removing thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack and securing at least a portion of the removed thermal energy.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a means for determining whether a temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is too high; and

wherein the means for removing thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack and securing at least a portion of the removed thermal energy performs the removing and securing in response to the temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack being too high.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a means for determining whether a temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is too low; and

a means for heating the hybrid power system battery pack in response to the temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack being too low.

13. A method, comprising:

operating a hybrid power train comprising an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a hybrid power system battery pack electrically coupled to the electric motor, and a driveline structured to motively couple the engine and the electric motor to a vehicle;

generating thermal energy in the hybrid power system battery pack;

removing an amount of the thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack; and

securing at least a portion of the removed thermal energy.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the securing comprises converting the removed thermal energy to electrical energy.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the securing comprises converting the removed thermal energy to rotational mechanical energy.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating electrical energy from the rotational mechanical energy.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising transferring the rotational mechanical energy to a component selected from the components consisting of a crankshaft of the engine, a camshaft of the engine, and a vehicle accessory.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising removing the amount of the thermal energy in response to determining that a temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is greater than a temperature target.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising adding an amount of thermal energy to the hybrid power system battery pack in response to determining that a temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is lower than a temperature target.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising loading the hybrid power system battery pack with a shape memory alloy device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising removing the thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack with the shape memory alloy device.