System and method for cooling a battery

• US 8,006,626 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Butine, John D., Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II; J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOLLMAN, BRODIE J
• Application Number:
  US11/745,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20080277101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/65.1, 180/65.245, 180/65.31, 180/68.5, 180/65.27, 105/48.3, 105/49, 105/50, 105/27, 105/26.05, 105/59, 454/69, 454/159, 454/2, 454/57, 454/58, 454/244, 454/251, 454/258, 454/272, 165/104.28
• US Class Current: 105/49
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/633 characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A system is provided for cooling an energy storage system of a hybrid electric vehicle. The energy storage system includes at least one energy storage device. The system includes an inlet positioned on the outer surface of the vehicle above the platform. More particularly, the system includes a cooling fluid duct in flow communication with the inlet and the at least one energy storage device. Additionally, the system includes a blower powered by a respective motor and positioned within the to draw cooling fluid into the inlet and through the cooling fluid duct to pass the cooling fluid over or through the at least one energy storage device and into a common vented area of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for cooling an energy storage system of a hybrid electric vehicle, said energy storage system comprising at least one energy storage device, said system comprising:

at least one inlet positioned on an outer surface of the vehicle above a platform;

a cooling fluid duct in flow communication with the inlet and at least one of said at least one energy storage device;

a blower powered by a respective motor and positioned within said cooling fluid duct to draw outside air into said inlet and through said cooling fluid duct to pass said outside air over or through said at least one energy storage device and into a common vented area of said vehicle, wherein said common vented area comprises an engine compartment, wherein said at least one energy storage device includes a vent coupling to said engine compartment, and wherein said engine compartment includes at least one pre-existing vent external to said hybrid electric vehicle for passing said outside air;

wherein said blower is positioned within said cooling fluid duct to draw outside air into said inlet and through said cooling fluid duct;

having at least one power source for controllably operating said blower and motor to draw said outside air into said inlet and through said cooling fluid duct, and to pass said outside air over or through said at least one energy storage device and into said common vented area of said vehicle;

having at least one damper control device positioned within said cooling fluid duct for selectively shutting off the supply of outside air to said blower; and

at least one secondary duct configured to couple the cooling fluid duct to said at least one vent coupling to blend cooler air from the cooling fluid duct with hotter air in said at least one vent coupling to reduce the temperature of the air entering said engine compartment area;

at least one power source for controllably operating said blower and motor to draw said outside air into said inlet and through said cooling fluid duct, and to pass said outside air over or through said at least one energy storage device and into said common vented area of said vehicle; and

at least one damper control device positioned within said cooling fluid duct for selectively shutting off the supply of outside air to said blower.

2. The system for cooling an energy storage system according to claim 1, wherein said hybrid electric vehicle comprises a hybrid off-highway vehicle, a hybrid marine vehicle, or a hybrid locomotive.

3. The system for cooling an energy storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one filtering media positioned at a filtering location adjacent to said inlet within said cooling fluid duct, said at least one filtering media configured to remove at least one contaminant from said outside air prior to entering said cooling fluid duct.

4. The system for cooling an energy storage system according to claim 1, wherein said inlet is positioned on the outer surface of a roof portion of said hybrid electric vehicle to draw outside air through said inlet having a lesser amount of contaminants relative to outside air adjacent to the outer surface of said hybrid electric vehicle below said platform.

5. The system for cooling an energy storage system according to claim 1, wherein said inlet is positioned on the outer surface of a side portion of said hybrid electric vehicle to draw outside air through said inlet having a lesser amount of contaminants relative to outside air adjacent to the outer surface of said hybrid electric vehicle below said platform.

6. The system for cooling an energy storage system according to claim 1, wherein said blower is a continuous speed blower, a multiple speed blower of the speed of said power source, a continuously variable speed blower, a direct driven blower, or a switchable blower comprising a switch to turn the blower on and off.

7. The system for cooling an energy storage system according to claim 1, further comprising a controller for monitoring at least one thermometer coupled to said at least one energy storage device, wherein said controller selectively operates said one of a continuous speed blower, multiple speed blower of the speed of said power source, or a switchable blower, based upon comparing a monitored temperature from the thermometer of said at least one energy storage device with a respective predetermined temperature threshold of said at least one energy storage device.