System, method, and apparatus for battery pack thermal management

• US 9,090,250 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2014
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWENSON, BRIAN L
• Application Number:
  US14/333,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20140325988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.5, 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/65.265, 429/61, 429/62
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. 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 batter pack;

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

providing a heat transfer command in response to the heat transfer value indicating the temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is too high;

removing an amount of the thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack in response to the heat transfer command;

securing, at least a portion of the removed thermal energy, and

determining a propulsion state of the vehicle, wherein securing at least the portion of the removed thermal energy includes 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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing comprises converting the removed thermal energy to electrical energy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing comprises converting the removed thermal energy to rotational mechanical energy.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating electrical energy from the rotational mechanical energy.

5. The method of claim 3, 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.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the amount or the thermal energy in response to determining that the temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is greater than a temperature target.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding an amount of thermal energy to the hybrid power system battery pack in response to determining that the temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is lower than a temperature target.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising loading the hybrid power system battery pack with a shape memory alloy device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising removing the thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack with the shape memory alloy device.

10. The method of claim 1, 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.

11. 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;

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

providing a heat transfer command in response to the heat transfer value indicating, the temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is too high;

removing an amount of the thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack in response to the heat transfer command;

securing at least a portion of the removed thermal energy; and

determining a propulsion state of the vehicle, wherein securing at least the portion of the removed thermal energy includes 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.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

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

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;

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

providing a heat transfer command in response to the heat transfer value indicating the temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is too high;

in response to the heat transfer command, removing an amount of the thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack and securing at least the portion of the removed thermal energy; and

determining a propulsion state of the vehicle, and wherein removing thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack and securing at least the portion of the removed thermal energy is performed 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.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the securing comprises converting the removed thermal enemy 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, 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.

19. 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;

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

providing a heat transfer command in response to the heat transfer value indicating the temperature of the hybrid power system battery pack is too high;

in response to the heat transfer command, removing the amount of the thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack and securing at least the portion of the removed thermal energy; and

determining a propulsion state of the vehicle, and wherein romoving the thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack and securing at least the portion of the removed thermal energy performed 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.