Thermal management system for range extender vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11505030-B2
Application number	US-202117238871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2021
Priority date	Apr 24, 2020
Publication date	Nov 22, 2022
Grant date	Nov 22, 2022

Abstract

An electric drivetrain for installation in a vehicle chassis. A generator coupled to an engine generates electric power for charging an array of batteries. The vehicle, including components and subsystems, may be powered electrically from the batteries, allowing the engine and generator to be easily replaced or customized for an industry, geographic region, fuel type, or a set of emission requirements. A thermal management system may determine a battery temperature for the set of batteries and cause one or more of a coolant system, a refrigerant system, an exhaust gas system or an ambient air heat exchanger to add heat to the set of batteries or transfer heat away from the set of batteries.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A thermal management system comprising:
a refrigerant system battery heat exchanger;
a refrigerant system in fluid communication with the refrigerant system battery heat exchanger, the refrigerant system comprising:
a compressor,
a plurality of valves for controlling the flow of refrigerant;
a plurality of thermal expansion valves for controlling phase changes in the refrigerant;
a refrigerant system external heat exchanger for transferring heat to or from and ambient environment;

a coolant system battery heat exchanger;
a coolant system in fluid communication with the coolant system battery heat exchanger, the coolant system comprising:
a radiator in fluid communication with an engine for removing heat from the engine to the ambient environment;
a thermostat for opening or closing a fluid loop;
a pump to move a fluid through the coolant system; and
a plurality of coolant valves for controlling the flow of coolant to the engine, the radiator and the coolant system battery heat exchanger; and

a controller configured to:
determine a temperature of a set of batteries;
determine an ambient air temperature;
send a set of signals to one or more the coolant system and the refrigerant system to perform one or more of:
remove heat from the engine and add heat to the ambient environment;
remove heat from the engine and add heat to the set of batteries;
remove heat from the refrigerant system and add heat to the environment;
remove heat from the refrigerant system and add heat to the set of batteries;

an exhaust gas heat exchange system comprising: an exhaust gas heat exchanger; and a set of exhaust gas heat exchange valves for controlling the flow of exhaust gas relative to the exhaust gas heat exchanger battery heat exchanger; wherein the set of signals comprises a signal to the set of exhaust gas valves to open a fluid circuit to remove heat from exhaust gases from the engine to the exhaust gas battery heat exchanger to add heat to the set of batteries or remove heat from the set of batteries and add heat to the exhaust gases from the engine.

2. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein:
the set of signals comprises a signal to the plurality of coolant valves to open a fluid circuit to remove heat from the engine to add heat to the set of batteries.

3. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein:
the set of signals comprises a signal to the plurality of refrigerant valves to open a fluid circuit to remove heat from the engine to add heat to the set of batteries.

4. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant system comprises:
a cab heat exchanger for transferring heat to or from a cab; and
an ambient environment heat exchanger for transferring heat to or from the ambient environment;
wherein controller is configured to:
determine a cab temperature;
determine an ambient environment temperature; and
communicate a set of signals to the plurality of refrigerant valves to open a fluid circuit to remove heat from one or more of the cab and the ambient environment to add heat to the set of batteries or remove heat from the set of batteries and add heat to one or more of the cab and the ambient environment.

5. A method for cooling a set of batteries in a vehicle, the method performed by a system controller communicatively coupled to a plurality of sensors, the method comprising:
determining a battery temperature for the set of batteries;
determining an ambient air temperature;
determining an engine temperature;
determining a cab temperature; and
performing one or more of:
sending a set of signals to one or more valves of a plurality of valves of a coolant system to open a fluid circuit including a coolant system battery heat exchanger, an engine and a radiator to remove heat from the engine and add heat to the set of batteries, to remove heat from the engine and the set of batteries to the ambient environment or remove heat from the ambient environment and add heat to the set of batteries;
sending a set of signals to a compressor to cause fluid to flow through a refrigerant system and one or more valves of a plurality of valves to open a fluid circuit including a refrigerant system battery heat exchanger, the compressor, a cab heat exchanger and a refrigerant system external heat exchanger and a plurality of expansion valves to remove heat from the set of batteries and add heat to the cab or the ambient environment or remove heat from the cab or the ambient environment and add heat to the set of batteries;

determining an exhaust gas temperature; and performing one or more of: sending a set of signals to one or more valves of a plurality of valves of an exhaust gas system to open a fluid circuit including an exhaust gas battery heat exchanger and an exhaust gas heat exchanger to remove heat from exhaust gas and add heat to the set of batteries or to remove heat from the exhaust gas to the ambient environment.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising sending a signal to a pump to circulate fluid through one or more of the coolant system battery heat exchanger, the refrigerant system battery heat exchanger, an ambient air battery heat exchanger or the exhaust gas battery heat exchanger.

7. A method for cooling a set of batteries in a vehicle, the method performed by a system controller communicatively coupled to a plurality of sensors, the method comprising:
determining a battery temperature for the set of batteries;
if the battery temperature is less than a minimum battery temperature:
determining an ambient air temperature;
if the ambient air temperature is greater than the minimum battery temperature, sending a signal to a battery fluid pump to pump fluid through an ambient air battery heat exchanger;
determining an exhaust gas temperature;
if the exhaust gas temperature is greater than the minimum battery temperature:
sending a signal to the battery fluid pump to pump fluid through an exhaust gas battery heat exchanger; and
sending a signal to an exhaust gas system to open a fluid loop comprising the exhaust gas battery heat exchanger;

determining a coolant temperature;
if the coolant temperature is greater than the minimum battery temperature:
sending a signal to a battery fluid pump to pump fluid through a coolant battery heat exchanger; and
sending a signal to a coolant system to open a fluid loop comprising the coolant battery heat exchanger;

determining a cab temperature; and

performing one or more of:
sending a set of signals to one or more valves of a plurality of valves of a refrigerant system to open a fluid circuit including a refrigerant system battery heat exchanger, a compressor, a cab heat exchanger and a refrigerant system external heat exchanger and a plurality of expansion valves to remove heat from the set of batteries and add heat to the cab or the ambient environment or remove heat from the cab or the ambient environment and add heat to the set of batteries.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the coolant system battery heat exchanger, the refrigerant system battery heat exchanger, the ambient air heat exchanger and the exhaust gas battery heat exchanger form a single fluid loop.

Assignees

• Hyliion Inc

Inventors

• Healy Thomas
• Sexton Patrick
• Butler Robert
• Schoolcraft Brian

Classifications

• B60H1/00278 Primary

  for the battery · CPC title

• Y02T10/62

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title

• B60H1/03

  and from a source other than the propulsion plant · CPC title

• B60H1/00907

  where the flow direction of the refrigerant changes and an evaporator becomes condenser · CPC title

• B60L58/27

  by heating · CPC title