Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12034136-B2
Application number	US-201817416847-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle includes a battery, an air conditioner, a first temperature adjustment circuit including a first pump and a chiller, a second temperature adjustment circuit including a second pump and a radiator, a coupling passage configured to connect the first temperature adjustment circuit and the second temperature adjustment circuit to form a coupling circuit, an electromagnetic switching valve configured to switch between a circulation state in which the heat medium can circulate through the coupling circuit and a non-circulation state in which the heat medium cannot circulate through the coupling circuit, a first temperature sensor configured to acquire a temperature of the battery, and a control device configured to select a mode based on at least the temperature of the battery. The control device performs a control based on a basic control map after selecting a series mode of a special control map.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a battery;
an air conditioner;
a first temperature adjustment circuit including a first pump configured to supply a heat medium to the battery and a first heat exchange unit configured to exchange heat between the heat medium and a heat medium for air conditioning;
a second temperature adjustment circuit including a second pump configured to supply the heat medium to a power conversion device and a second heat exchange unit configured to exchange heat between the heat medium and an outside air;
a coupling passage configured to connect the first temperature adjustment circuit and the second temperature adjustment circuit to form a coupling circuit;
a switching unit configured to switch between a circulation state, in which the heat medium is capable of circulating through the coupling circuit, and a non-circulation state, in which the heat medium is not capable of circulating through the coupling circuit;
a first temperature acquisition unit configured to acquire a first temperature which is a temperature of the battery; and
a control device configured to select any one mode of a plurality of modes based on at least the first temperature,
wherein the plurality of modes include:
a series mode in which, in the circulation state, the heat medium is circulated in the coupling circuit in a state in which the first heat exchange unit is not capable of exchanging heat between the heat medium and the heat medium for air conditioning; and
a separate mode in which the heat medium is circulated at least in the second temperature adjustment circuit in the non-circulation state,

wherein the control device includes a plurality of control maps,
wherein the plurality of control maps include:
a basic control map including the series mode and the separate mode; and
a special control map including the series mode and the separate mode, the special control map having an area of the series mode narrower than the basic control map, and

wherein the control device is configured to,
when the first temperature is within a predetermined temperature range, perform a control based on the basic control map, and
when the first temperature is out of the predetermined temperature range, perform a control based on the special control map, and after the series mode of the special control map is selected, perform a control based on the basic control map.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second temperature acquisition unit configured to acquire a second temperature which is a temperature of the heat medium at an inlet of the battery;
a third temperature acquisition unit configured to acquire a third temperature which is a temperature of the power conversion device; and
a fourth temperature acquisition unit configured to acquire a fourth temperature which is a temperature of the heat medium at an inlet of the power conversion device,
wherein the control device selects any one mode of the plurality of modes in accordance with the first temperature, the second temperature, the third temperature, and the fourth temperature.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2 ,
wherein the control device prohibits the series mode regardless of the plurality of control maps when the third temperature is higher than a first threshold value.

4. The vehicle according to claim 2 ,
wherein in the basic control map, an area, where the fourth temperature is equal to or higher than a second threshold value and equal to or lower than a third threshold value, is corresponding to a condition area, where the series mode is selected regardless of the first temperature.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4 ,
wherein when the first temperature is higher than a fourth threshold value, the control device is configured to perform a control using the special control map, and
wherein in the separate mode of the special control map, the control device is configured to cause the heat medium to be circulated in the second temperature adjustment circuit, and cause the heat medium to be circulated in the first temperature adjustment circuit in a state in which the first heat exchange unit is capable of exchanging heat between the heat medium and the heat medium for air conditioning.

6. The vehicle according to claim 4 or 5 ,
wherein the first temperature adjustment circuit includes a heating device configured to heat the heat medium,
wherein when the first temperature is lower than a fifth threshold value, the control device is configured to perform a control using the special control map, and
wherein in the separate mode, the control device is configured to cause the heat medium to be circulated in the second temperature adjustment circuit, and cause the heat medium to be circulated in the first temperature adjustment circuit in a state in which the heating device is capable of heating the heat medium.

7. The vehicle according to claim 5 ,
wherein the control device is configured to,
in the separate mode, when the first temperature becomes equal to or lower than a sixth threshold value and the second temperature becomes equal to or lower than a seventh threshold value, bring the first heat exchange unit to be in a state in which heat exchange between the heat medium and the heat medium for air conditioning is impossible,
when a difference between the fourth temperature and the second temperature is equal to or less than a predetermined value, shift to the series mode, and
when the difference between the fourth temperature and the second temperature is larger than the predetermined value, cause the heat medium to be circulated in the first temperature adjustment circuit in a state in which the first heat exchange unit is not capable of exchanging heat between the heat medium and the heat medium for air conditioning in the separate mode.

8. The vehicle according to claim 6 ,
wherein the control device is configured to,
in the separate mode, when the first temperature becomes equal to or higher than an eighth threshold value and the second temperature becomes equal to or higher than a ninth threshold value, bring the heating device to be in a state in which the heat medium is not capable of being heated,
when a difference between the fourth temperature and the second temperature is equal to or less than a predetermined value, shift to the series mode, and
when the difference between the fourth temperature and the second temperature is larger than the predetermined value, cause the heat medium to be circulated in the first temperature adjustment circuit in a state in which the heating device is not capable of heating the heat medium in the separate mode.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control device is configured to,
when the vehicle is started, select the separate mode, and
in the separate mode, cause the heat medium to be circulated only in the second temperature adjustment circuit.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a charger configured to charge the battery,
wherein the charger is disposed in the first temperature adjustment circuit, and
wherein the control device is configured to, during charging of the battery, cause the heat medium to be circulated in the first temperature adjustment circuit in a state in which the first heat exchange unit is not capable of exchanging heat between the heat medium and the heat medium for air conditioning in the series mode or the separate mode.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Honjo Takuya
• Takeuchi Daisuke
• Komazawa daisuke

Classifications

• B60H1/00885 Primary

  Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps (B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485) · CPC title

• B60L58/00

  Methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells, specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• B60H2001/00307

  Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow · CPC title

• B60H1/00278

  for the battery · CPC title