Cabin and battery cooling control for electrified vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016339760-A1
Application number	US-201514716933-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 20, 2015
Priority date	May 20, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle includes a battery arrangement, a chiller, a coolant circuit configured to direct coolant through the chiller and battery arrangement, a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, valve, and evaporator, and a controller. The controller is programmed to alter a speed of the compressor and a position of the valve based on a pressure and temperature of refrigerant output from the chiller to alter a temperature of the coolant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A climate control system comprising:
a traction battery arrangement; a cooling system including a chiller, an evaporator, a first conduit and first valving arranged to selectively form a coolant circuit incorporating the chiller to cool the traction battery arrangement, and a second conduit and second valving arranged to selectively form a first refrigerant circuit incorporating the chiller and the evaporator or a second refrigerant circuit bypassing the chiller and incorporating the evaporator based on an activation state of the second valving, and a compressor configured to move fluid through the refrigerant circuits; and
a controller configured to, in response to a request for cabin cooling received while fluid is moving through at least one of the refrigerant circuits, adjust a speed of the compressor to change cabin cooling and alter the activation state of the second valving to change cooling of the traction battery arrangement.

2 . The climate control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to a superheat value of a refrigerant in the first refrigerant circuit falling below a threshold value, alter the activation state of the second valving to maintain the superheat value at the threshold value.

3 . The climate control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to a superheat value of a refrigerant in the first refrigerant circuit rising above a threshold value, alter the activation state of the second valving to maintain the superheat value at the threshold value.

4 . The climate control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to a demand for cooling from the traction battery arrangement and a superheat value of a refrigerant in the first refrigerant circuit exceeding a threshold value, alter an activation state of the second valving and adjust a speed of the compressor to move refrigerant through the first refrigerant circuit.

5 . The climate control system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to a demand for cooling from the traction battery arrangement, alter an activation state of the first valving to move coolant through the coolant circuit.

6 . The climate control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to a demand for cabin-only cooling, alter an activation state of the second valving to direct the refrigerant through the second refrigerant circuit and adjust a speed of the compressor to adjust a mass flow rate of the refrigerant moving through the second refrigerant circuit.

7 . A climate control method for a vehicle including a coolant circuit configured to direct coolant through a chiller and battery arrangement, and a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, valve, and evaporator, comprising:
altering a speed of the compressor and position of the valve based on a pressure and temperature of refrigerant output from the chiller to drive a temperature of the refrigerant toward a superheat value of the refrigerant and to change a coolant temperature.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising altering a position of a second valve included within the coolant circuit to move coolant through the chiller while the compressor is moving refrigerant through the chiller.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising altering a position of a second valve disposed within the coolant circuit and the position of the valve included within the refrigerant circuit to move refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit, and altering the speed of the compressor to change evaporator cooling.

10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising altering the position of the valve included within the refrigerant circuit to move refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit, and altering the speed of the compressor to change chiller cooling.

11 . A vehicle comprising:
a battery arrangement; a chiller; a coolant circuit configured to direct coolant through the chiller and battery arrangement; a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, valve, and evaporator; and a controller programmed to alter a speed of the compressor and a position of the valve based on a pressure and temperature of refrigerant output from the chiller to alter a temperature of the coolant.

12 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further programmed to alter a position of a second valve included within the coolant circuit to move coolant through the chiller while the compressor moves refrigerant through the chiller to change chiller and evaporator cooling.

13 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further programmed to alter a position of a second valve included within the coolant circuit and a position of the valve included within the refrigerant circuit to move refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit, and alter the speed of the compressor to change evaporator cooling.

14 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further programmed to alter a position of the valve included with the refrigerant circuit to move refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit, and adjust the speed of the compressor to change chiller cooling.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dunn Brett Allen
• Porras Angel Fernando
• Smith Mark G
• Blatchley Timothy Noah

Classifications

• B60H2001/3266

  related to the operation of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60H1/3208

  Vehicle drive related control of the compressor drive means, e.g. for fuel saving purposes · CPC title

• H01M10/663 Primary

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

• B60H2001/00307

  Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow · CPC title

• B60H1/00385

  for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell · CPC title