Energy storage system and cooling arrangement for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023105750-A1
Application number	US-202217954586-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 28, 2022
Priority date	Oct 5, 2021
Publication date	Apr 6, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An energy storage tank defining a tank volume for heat transfer fluid and comprising a partition dividing the tank volume into a first volume and a second volume, wherein the partition is movable to/from any position between a minimum energy storage position corresponding to a minimum second volume, and a maximum energy storage position corresponding to a maximum second volume, the energy storage tank further comprising a biasing device being arranged such that movement of the partition away from the minimum energy storage position corresponds to storing energy in the biasing device, and movement towards the minimum energy storage position corresponds to releasing energy from the biasing device.

First claim

1 . An energy storage system for a vehicle comprising:
an energy storage tank defining a tank volume for a heat transfer fluid and comprising a partition dividing the tank volume into a first volume and a second volume, wherein the partition is movable to/from any position between a minimum energy storage position corresponding to a minimum second volume, and a maximum energy storage position corresponding to a maximum second volume; wherein the energy storage tank further comprises a biasing device being arranged such that movement of the partition away from the minimum energy storage position corresponds to storing energy in the biasing device, and movement towards the minimum energy storage position corresponds to releasing energy from the biasing device; and the energy storage system further comprises:
a heat transfer fluid duct connecting the first volume and the second volume; and
a heat transfer arrangement arranged for altering the temperature of the transfer fluid from a first temperature when in the first volume to a second temperature when in the second volume; and
wherein the energy storage system further comprises a fluid control assembly for providing a pressure implying a flow of the heat transfer fluid from the first volume to the second volume via the heat transfer fluid duct.

2 . The energy storage system of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer arrangement is arranged along the heat transfer fluid duct.

3 . The energy storage system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid control assembly and/or heat transfer arrangement are configured to be driven by recuperated energy from an energy recuperating arrangement.

4 . The energy storage system of claim 3 , wherein the energy recuperating arrangement is a braking arrangement.

5 . The energy storage system of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer arrangement is a cooling arrangement for cooling the heat transfer fluid.

6 . The energy storage system of claim 5 , wherein the heat transfer arrangement comprises one or more cooling elements.

7 . The energy storage system of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the one or more cooling elements is a compressor for cooling the heat transfer fluid.

8 . The energy storage system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid control assembly comprises a pump and/or an actuator.

9 . The energy storage system of claim 1 , further comprising a control unit adapted to control the fluid control assembly and/or heat transfer arrangement.

10 . A cooling arrangement comprising the energy storage system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cooling system for cooling one or more devices using the heat transfer fluid; and a valve arrangement for controlling a flow of heat transfer fluid from the second volume to the first volume via the cooling system.

11 . The cooling arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the cooling system comprises a cooling system fluid duct connecting the second volume and the first volume, wherein the one or more devices is arranged along the cooling system fluid duct.

12 . The cooling arrangement of claim 10 , wherein one of the one or more devices is an electrical energy supply system, such as a fuel cell system and/or a battery.

13 . A method for energy storage of recuperation energy from an energy recuperating arrangement in a vehicle, in the energy storage system of claim 1 , the method comprising:
using the recuperation energy for driving the fluid flow assembly to provide a heat transfer fluid flow from the first volume to the second volume; and/or using the recuperation energy for driving the heat transfer arrangement to alter the temperature of the heat transfer fluid.

14 . A method for energy storage of recuperation energy from an energy recuperating arrangement in a vehicle, in the cooling arrangement according to claim 10 , the method comprising:
using the recuperation energy for driving the fluid flow assembly to provide a heat transfer fluid flow from the first volume to the second volume; and/or using the recuperation energy for driving the heat transfer arrangement to alter the temperature of the heat transfer fluid.

15 . A method for cooling one or more devices in the cooling arrangement of claim 10 , comprising:
controlling the valve arrangement to allow flow of heat transfer fluid from the second volume to the first volume of the energy storage system via the cooling system.

16 . A method for controlling the cooling arrangement of claim 10 , comprising:
when recuperation energy from an energy recuperating arrangement is available, operating the cooling arrangement in an energy recuperation mode by: using the recuperation energy for driving the fluid flow assembly to provide a heat transfer fluid flow from the first volume to the second volume; and/or using the recuperation energy for driving the heat transfer arrangement to alter the temperature of the heat transfer fluid, wherein the second temperature is lower than the first temperature; and when a need for cooling the one or more devices is present, operating the cooling arrangement in a cooling mode by controlling the valve arrangement to allow flow of heat transfer fluid from the second volume to the first volume of the energy storage system via the cooling system.

17 . A control unit configured for performing the method of claim 13 .

18 . A vehicle comprising the energy storage system of claim 1 , wherein preferably the fluid control assembly is configured to be driven by recuperated energy from a braking arrangement of the vehicle.

19 . A vehicle comprising the cooling arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein preferably the cooling arrangement is configured to be driven by recuperated energy from a braking arrangement of the vehicle.

20 . A vehicle comprising and/or being arranged to communicate with the control unit of claim 17 .

Assignees

• Volvo Truck Corp

Inventors

• Arya Pranav
• Tiberi Ubaldo
• Blanc Ricard

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• F16D61/00

  Brakes with means for making the energy absorbed available for use (F16D57/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60T2270/60

  Regenerative braking · CPC title

• B60L58/33

  by cooling · CPC title

• B60T1/10 Primary

  by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors · CPC title