Battery thermal management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016248129-A1
Application number	US-201514630951-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 25, 2015
Priority date	Feb 25, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery thermal management system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery assembly and a coolant subsystem that circulates coolant through the battery assembly. The battery assembly is heated by a first portion of the coolant from an engine if a temperature of the battery assembly is below a first temperature threshold and is cooled by a second portion of the coolant from a chiller if the temperature is above a second temperature threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery thermal management system, comprising:
a battery assembly; a coolant subsystem that circulates coolant through said battery assembly; and said battery assembly is heated by a first portion of said coolant from an engine if a temperature of said battery assembly is below a first temperature threshold and is cooled by a second portion of said coolant from a chiller if said temperature is above a second temperature threshold.

2 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said coolant subsystem includes said engine, a radiator, a three-way valve, a temperature sensor, a T-joint, a pump, and a chiller loop that includes said chiller.

3 . The system as recited in claim 1 , comprising a refrigerant subsystem that circulates a refrigerant, said refrigerant exchanging heat with said second portion of said coolant within said chiller.

4 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said coolant subsystem includes a three-way valve that controls the flow of said first portion and said second portion of said coolant to said battery assembly.

5 . The system as recited in claim 4 , wherein said three-way valve is positioned between said engine and said battery assembly and between said chiller and said battery assembly.

6 . The system as recited in claim 1 , comprising a controller configured to control communication of said first portion and said second portion of said coolant through said battery assembly.

7 . The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein said controller is configured to open a first inlet of a three-way valve to deliver said first portion of said coolant to said battery assembly and is configured to open a second inlet of said three-way valve to deliver said second portion of said coolant to said battery assembly.

8 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said coolant subsystem includes a radiator configured to cool said engine.

9 . The system as recited in claim 1 , comprising a T-joint that splits a flow of coolant exiting said battery assembly between a chiller loop that includes said chiller and said engine.

10 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said engine includes a thermostat that controls flow of said coolant exiting said engine.

11 . A method, comprising:
heating a battery assembly using coolant from an engine if a temperature of the battery assembly is below a first temperature threshold; and cooling the battery assembly using coolant from a chiller if the temperature is above a second temperature threshold.

12 . The method as recited in claim 11 , comprising performing heat transfer between the coolant from the chiller and a refrigerant.

13 . The method as recited in claim 11 , comprising opening a first inlet of a three-way valve to deliver the coolant from the engine to the battery assembly if the temperature is below the first temperature threshold.

14 . The method as recited in claim 13 , comprising opening a second inlet of the three-way valve to deliver the coolant from the chiller to the battery assembly if the temperature is above the second temperature threshold.

15 . The method as recited in claim 11 , comprising monitoring a temperature of the battery assembly prior to the heating and cooling steps.

16 . The method as recited in claim 11 , comprising dividing the flow of the coolant from the engine between a radiator and a three-way valve positioned upstream from the battery assembly.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dunham Jim William
• Jackson Eric Emil
• Elia Paul
• Mouch Timothy Alan
• Romana Jagjit
• Roxin Chris P
• Qian Charlie
• Pien Stephen

Classifications

• H01M10/613 Primary

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• H01M10/617

  for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M10/663

  the system being an air-conditioner or an engine · CPC title

• H01M10/615

  Heating or keeping warm · CPC title