A battery pack temperature control system

Abstract

This invention discloses a battery pack temperature control system, including a battery pack with a controllable flap on its surface. A semiconductor cooling chip is embedded in the heat dissipation area. An outer heat sink and an inner heat sink are respectively disposed on the inner and outer sides of the semiconductor cooling chip. An external fan is installed on the outer side of the outer heat sink, and an internal fan is installed on the inner side of the inner heat sink. Temperature sensors are installed at multiple locations inside and outside the battery pack. In this technical solution, the main controller controls the heat dissipation mode of the battery pack based on temperature parameters at multiple locations inside and outside the battery pack, including an internal cooling circulation mode and an external cooling circulation mode. Different cooling modes have different cooling effects, adapting to the current application environment of the battery pack, thereby achieving the optimal battery cooling effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of intelligent control technology, and more specifically to a battery pack temperature control system. Background Technology

[0002] Batteries are widely used in various electrical products. For high-power electrical products, the charging and discharging current of the battery is large during startup and operation. Due to the thermal effect of the current, the temperature change of the battery also becomes larger. In order to improve the battery life and avoid frequent battery replacement, those skilled in the art will set up heat dissipation devices to control the battery temperature.

[0003] Existing technologies for battery heat dissipation include using compressors to cool or refrigerate the battery compartment, using cryogenic liquids for cooling, or employing air cooling. Using compressors for cooling or refrigerating the battery compartment is costly, noisy, and consumes a lot of power. Using cryogenic liquids requires external water channels for the battery, which is complex to design. Natural air cooling is insufficient to lower the battery temperature below ambient temperature. In summary, existing battery cooling solutions are inadequate and fail to achieve optimal battery cooling performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention aims to provide a battery pack temperature control system.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve the problem is:

[0006] A battery pack temperature control system includes a battery pack with several controllable flaps on its surface, multiple batteries installed inside the battery pack, air ducts outside the batteries, and multiple heat dissipation areas on one side of the battery pack. Each heat dissipation area is embedded with a thermoelectric cooler. Heat sinks are provided on the inner and outer sides of the thermoelectric cooler, with the heat sink on the inner side of the thermoelectric cooler defined as the inner heat sink and the heat sink on the outer side of the thermoelectric cooler defined as the outer heat sink. An external fan is installed on the outer side of the outer heat sink, and an internal fan is installed on the inner side of the inner heat sink. Temperature sensors are installed at multiple locations inside and outside the battery pack.

[0007] The battery pack temperature control system also includes a main controller, which is connected to each of the temperature sensors, each of the semiconductor cooling chips, each of the internal fans, each of the external fans, and each of the controllable flaps.

[0008] The main controller is configured to select whether to enable the cooling internal circulation mode or the cooling external circulation mode based on the detection data of each of the temperature sensors.

[0009] The cooling internal circulation mode is that the main controller simultaneously controls the internal fan and the external fan to start, controls the inner side of the semiconductor cooling chip as the cold end and the outer side as the hot end, and controls the controllable flap to close to prevent air convection between the inside and outside of the battery pack.

[0010] The cooling external circulation mode is that the main controller simultaneously controls the internal fan and the external fan to start, controls the inner side of the semiconductor cooling chip as the cold end and the outer side as the hot end, and controls the controllable flap to open to generate air convection between the inside and outside of the battery pack.

[0011] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the temperature sensor detects the ambient temperature and the internal temperature of the battery pack on the side away from the heat dissipation area.

[0012] The main controller includes:

[0013] The settings module is used to set the maximum normal battery temperature value;

[0014] The first comparison module is used to compare the ambient temperature with the maximum normal battery temperature value, and to compare the cavity temperature with the ambient temperature.

[0015] The mode selection module is used to activate the cooling external circulation mode when the ambient temperature is greater than the maximum normal battery temperature and the cavity temperature is greater than the ambient temperature, and to activate the cooling internal circulation mode when the ambient temperature is greater than the maximum normal battery temperature and the cavity temperature is less than the ambient temperature.

[0016] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the setting module is also used to set a minimum normal battery temperature value, the first comparison module is also used to compare the ambient temperature with the minimum normal battery temperature value, and the mode selection module is also used to start the heating internal circulation mode when the ambient temperature is lower than the minimum normal battery temperature value. The heating internal circulation mode is that the main controller controls the internal fan to start, controls the inner side of the semiconductor cooling chip as the hot end and the outer side as the cold end, and controls the controllable flap to close to avoid air convection between the inside and outside of the battery pack.

[0017] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the temperature sensor detects the battery temperature, and the setting module is also used to set a first constant value, defining the difference between the maximum normal battery temperature value and the first constant value as the temperature threshold.

[0018] The main controller also includes:

[0019] The power control module is used to control the thermoelectric cooler to operate at maximum power when the battery temperature is between the maximum normal battery temperature value and the temperature threshold, and to control the thermoelectric cooler to operate at reduced power when the battery temperature is between the temperature threshold and the minimum normal battery temperature value.

[0020] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the setting module is also used to set a second constant value;

[0021] The main controller also includes:

[0022] The calculation module is used to calculate the difference between the ambient temperature and the maximum normal battery temperature when the ambient temperature is between the maximum normal battery temperature and the minimum normal battery temperature.

[0023] The startup module is used to prevent the external cooling circulation mode and the internal cooling circulation mode from starting when the difference is greater than the second constant value, and to control the power control module to perform the corresponding operation when the difference is less than the second constant value.

[0024] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the setting module is also used to set the battery thermal runaway temperature threshold.

[0025] The main controller also includes:

[0026] The second comparison module is used to compare the battery temperature with the battery thermal runaway temperature threshold.

[0027] An alarm module is used to control the battery to stop charging and discharging when the battery temperature reaches the battery thermal runaway temperature threshold, and to control the semiconductor cooling chip to operate at maximum power, while outputting an alarm signal, until the battery temperature drops below the maximum normal battery temperature value.

[0028] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the main controller further includes:

[0029] The first interrupt module is used to control the semiconductor cooling chip to stop being powered when the battery stops charging or discharging during operation in the external cooling circulation mode or the internal cooling circulation mode, and simultaneously control the internal fan and the external fan to start until the battery temperature drops to the maximum normal battery temperature value.

[0030] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the temperature sensor also includes the ability to detect the temperature of the internal heat sink, and the setting module is further used to set a third constant value, defining the difference between the ambient temperature and the third constant value as the condensation threshold.

[0031] The main controller also includes:

[0032] The third comparison module is used to compare the temperature of the internal heat sink with the condensation threshold.

[0033] The second interrupt module is used to control the semiconductor cooling chip to stop being powered when the temperature of the internal heat sink is lower than the condensation threshold.

[0034] The beneficial effects of this invention are: In this technical solution, the main controller controls the heat dissipation mode of the battery pack according to the temperature parameters of multiple locations inside and outside the battery pack, including the internal cooling circulation mode and the external cooling circulation mode. Different cooling modes have different cooling effects and are suitable for the current application environment of the battery pack. This solution balances the cooling performance and power consumption performance of the system to achieve the best battery cooling effect of the battery pack. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The present invention will be further explained and described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the battery pack temperature control system in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0037] This section will describe in detail specific embodiments of the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. The purpose of the drawings is to supplement the textual description with graphics, so that people can intuitively and vividly understand each technical feature and overall technical solution of the present invention, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0039] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0040] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setting," "installing," and "connecting" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0041] Reference Figure 1 This application discloses a battery pack temperature control system. In its first embodiment, it includes a battery pack 100. The surface of the battery pack 100 is provided with several controllable flaps 500, which are used to control air convection between the inside and outside of the battery pack 100. Multiple batteries are installed inside the battery pack 100. Air ducts are provided outside the batteries. Multiple heat dissipation areas are provided on one side of the battery pack 100. A semiconductor cooling chip 200 is embedded in each heat dissipation area. Heat dissipation fins are provided on the inner and outer sides of the semiconductor cooling chip 200. The heat dissipation fins on the inner side of the semiconductor cooling chip 200 are defined as inner heat dissipation fins 400, and the heat dissipation fins on the outer side of the semiconductor cooling chip 200 are defined as outer heat dissipation fins 300. An external fan is installed on the outer side of the outer heat dissipation fins 300, and an internal fan is installed on the inner side of the inner heat dissipation fins 400. Temperature sensors 600 are installed at multiple locations inside and outside the battery pack 100.

[0042] The battery pack 100 temperature control system also includes a main controller, which is connected to each of the temperature sensors 600, each of the semiconductor cooling chips 200, each of the internal fans, each of the external fans and each of the controllable flaps 500.

[0043] The main controller is configured to select whether to enable cooling internal circulation mode or cooling external circulation mode based on the detection data of each of the temperature sensors 600.

[0044] The cooling internal circulation mode is that the main controller simultaneously controls the internal fan and the external fan to start, controls the inner side of the semiconductor cooling chip 200 as the cold end and the outer side as the hot end, and controls the controllable flap 500 to close to prevent air convection between the inside and outside of the battery pack 100.

[0045] The cooling external circulation mode is that the main controller simultaneously controls the internal fan and the external fan to start, controls the inner side of the semiconductor cooling chip 200 as the cold end and the outer side as the hot end, and controls the controllable flap 500 to open so that air convection occurs between the inside and outside of the battery pack 100.

[0046] Specifically, in this embodiment, the main controller controls the heat dissipation mode of the battery pack 100 based on the temperature parameters detected by the temperature sensors 600 at multiple locations inside and outside the battery pack 100. This includes an internal cooling circulation mode and an external cooling circulation mode. Different cooling modes have different cooling effects and are suitable for the current application environment of the battery pack 100. This embodiment balances cooling performance and power consumption performance, and strives to achieve the best battery cooling effect of the battery pack 100 by using the lowest possible loss.

[0047] As a further preferred embodiment, in this embodiment, the temperature sensor 600 detects the ambient temperature and the internal temperature of the battery pack 100 on the side away from the heat dissipation area.

[0048] The main controller includes:

[0049] The settings module is used to set the maximum normal battery temperature value;

[0050] The first comparison module is used to compare the ambient temperature with the maximum normal battery temperature value, and to compare the cavity temperature with the ambient temperature.

[0051] The mode selection module is used to activate the cooling external circulation mode when the ambient temperature is greater than the maximum normal battery temperature and the cavity temperature is greater than the ambient temperature, and to activate the cooling internal circulation mode when the ambient temperature is greater than the maximum normal battery temperature and the cavity temperature is less than the ambient temperature.

[0052] In this embodiment, the decision to activate the cooling mode is based on the ambient temperature. If the ambient temperature is higher than the maximum normal battery temperature, it indicates that the ambient temperature is high. As soon as the battery starts charging and discharging, the battery temperature will rise rapidly, which will have a significant impact on the battery's use. The cooling external circulation mode or the cooling internal circulation mode is selected based on the cavity temperature. When the cavity temperature is higher than the ambient temperature, the cooling effect of external air cooled by the semiconductor cooling chip 200 is optimal. When the cavity temperature is lower than the ambient temperature, the cooling effect of internal air cooled by the semiconductor cooling chip 200 is optimal.

[0053] As a further preferred embodiment, in this embodiment, the setting module is also used to set a minimum normal battery temperature value, the first comparison module is also used to compare the ambient temperature with the minimum normal battery temperature value, and the mode selection module is also used to activate the heating internal circulation mode when the ambient temperature is lower than the minimum normal battery temperature value. The heating internal circulation mode is that the main controller controls the internal fan to start, controls the inner side of the semiconductor cooling chip 200 as the hot end and the outer side as the cold end, and controls the controllable flap 500 to close to prevent air convection between the inside and outside of the battery pack 100.

[0054] Specifically, this embodiment is equipped with a battery heating function. When the ambient temperature is lower than the minimum normal battery temperature value, it proves that the battery temperature is also lower than the minimum normal battery temperature value, which is not conducive to the normal start-up charging and discharging of the battery. Therefore, it is necessary to heat the battery to improve the reliability of the battery start-up charging and discharging. In order to improve the heating effect of the battery, this system is only set with a heating internal circulation mode, without the need to open the controllable flap 500, thus preventing air convection between the inside and outside of the battery pack 100.

[0055] As a further preferred embodiment, in this embodiment, the temperature sensor 600 detects the battery temperature, and the setting module is also used to set a first constant value, defining the difference between the maximum normal battery temperature value and the first constant value as a temperature threshold.

[0056] The main controller also includes:

[0057] The power control module is used to control the thermoelectric cooler 200 to operate at maximum power when the battery temperature is between the maximum normal battery temperature value and the temperature threshold, and to control the thermoelectric cooler 200 to operate at reduced power when the battery temperature is between the temperature threshold and the minimum normal battery temperature value.

[0058] Preferably, in this embodiment, when the battery temperature is between the temperature threshold and the minimum normal battery temperature, the PID algorithm is used to control the semiconductor cooling chip 200 to reduce its power to ensure that the battery temperature remains constant.

[0059] As a further preferred embodiment, in this embodiment, the setting module is also used to set a second constant value;

[0060] The main controller also includes:

[0061] The calculation module is used to calculate the difference between the ambient temperature and the maximum normal battery temperature when the ambient temperature is between the maximum normal battery temperature and the minimum normal battery temperature.

[0062] The startup module is used to prevent the external cooling circulation mode and the internal cooling circulation mode from starting when the difference is greater than the second constant value, and to control the power control module to perform the corresponding operation when the difference is less than the second constant value.

[0063] This embodiment determines whether to activate the cooling mode based on the ambient temperature. If the ambient temperature is higher than the maximum normal battery temperature, the cooling mode must be activated. When the ambient temperature is between the maximum and minimum normal battery temperatures, the battery temperature is also between these values. In this case, the embodiment needs to determine whether to activate the cooling mode based on the actual situation. If the difference between the ambient temperature and the maximum normal battery temperature is greater than the second constant value, the battery temperature is low, and even if the battery starts charging / discharging, the battery temperature will remain within the normal range for a short period, without affecting battery use. If the difference between the ambient temperature and the maximum normal battery temperature is greater than the second constant value, the battery temperature is high, and the battery temperature will rise rapidly after charging / discharging, requiring the activation of the cooling mode to avoid affecting the battery.

[0064] As a further preferred embodiment, in this embodiment, the setting module is also used to set the battery thermal runaway temperature threshold;

[0065] The main controller also includes:

[0066] The second comparison module is used to compare the battery temperature with the battery thermal runaway temperature threshold.

[0067] The alarm module is used to control the battery to stop charging and discharging when the battery temperature reaches the battery thermal runaway temperature threshold, and to control the semiconductor cooling chip 200 to operate at maximum power, while outputting an alarm signal until the battery temperature drops below the maximum normal battery temperature value.

[0068] As a further preferred embodiment, in this example, the main controller further includes:

[0069] The first interrupt module is used to control the semiconductor cooling chip 200 to stop being powered when the battery stops charging or discharging during operation in the external cooling circulation mode or the internal cooling circulation mode, and simultaneously control the internal fan and the external fan to start until the battery temperature drops to the maximum normal battery temperature value.

[0070] In this embodiment, the power saving effect of the system is effectively improved by setting the first interrupt module.

[0071] As a further preferred embodiment, in this embodiment, the temperature sensor 600 further includes a sensor for detecting the temperature of the internal heat sink, and the setting module is further used to set a third constant value, defining the difference between the ambient temperature and the third constant value as the condensation threshold.

[0072] The main controller also includes:

[0073] The third comparison module is used to compare the temperature of the internal heat sink with the condensation threshold.

[0074] The second interrupt module is used to control the semiconductor cooling chip 200 to stop being powered when the temperature of the internal heat sink is lower than the condensation threshold.

[0075] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned settings can effectively avoid the risk of condensation inside the battery pack 100. When the temperature of the internal heat sink is less than the condensation threshold, it proves that the temperature of the internal heat sink is much lower than the ambient temperature, and there is a risk of condensation on the internal heat sink 400. In order to avoid the risk of power consumption, it is necessary to control the semiconductor cooling chip 200 to stop being powered.

[0076] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made under the concept of the present invention using the description and drawings of the present invention, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A battery pack temperature control system, characterized in that: The device includes a battery pack with several controllable flaps on its surface, multiple batteries installed inside the battery pack, air ducts outside the batteries, and multiple heat dissipation areas on one side of the battery pack. Each heat dissipation area is embedded with a thermoelectric cooler. Heat sinks are provided on the inner and outer sides of the thermoelectric cooler. The heat sink on the inner side of the thermoelectric cooler is defined as the inner heat sink, and the heat sink on the outer side of the thermoelectric cooler is defined as the outer heat sink. An external fan is installed on the outer side of the outer heat sink, and an internal fan is installed on the inner side of the inner heat sink. Temperature sensors are installed at multiple locations inside and outside the battery pack. The battery pack temperature control system also includes a main controller, which is connected to each of the temperature sensors, each of the semiconductor cooling chips, each of the internal fans, each of the external fans, and each of the controllable flaps. The main controller is configured to select whether to enable the cooling internal circulation mode or the cooling external circulation mode based on the detection data of each of the temperature sensors. The cooling internal circulation mode is that the main controller simultaneously controls the internal fan and the external fan to start, controls the inner side of the semiconductor cooling chip as the cold end and the outer side as the hot end, and controls the controllable flap to close to prevent air convection between the inside and outside of the battery pack. The cooling external circulation mode is that the main controller simultaneously controls the internal fan and the external fan to start, controls the inner side of the semiconductor cooling chip as the cold end and the outer side as the hot end, and controls the controllable flap to open to generate air convection between the inside and outside of the battery pack. The temperature sensor detects the ambient temperature and the internal temperature of the battery pack on the side away from the heat dissipation area. The main controller includes: The setting module is used to set the maximum normal battery temperature value, the minimum normal battery temperature value, and a first constant value, and the difference between the maximum normal battery temperature value and the first constant value is defined as the temperature threshold. The first comparison module is used to compare the ambient temperature with the maximum normal battery temperature value, and to compare the cavity temperature with the ambient temperature. The mode selection module is used to activate the cooling external circulation mode when the ambient temperature is greater than the maximum normal battery temperature and the cavity temperature is greater than the ambient temperature, and to activate the cooling internal circulation mode when the ambient temperature is greater than the maximum normal battery temperature and the cavity temperature is less than the ambient temperature. The power control module is used to control the thermoelectric cooler to operate at maximum power when the battery temperature is between the maximum normal battery temperature value and the temperature threshold, and to control the thermoelectric cooler to operate at reduced power when the battery temperature is between the temperature threshold and the minimum normal battery temperature value.

2. The battery pack temperature control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first comparison module is also used to compare the ambient temperature with the minimum normal battery temperature value. The mode selection module is also used to start the heating internal circulation mode when the ambient temperature is lower than the minimum normal battery temperature value. The heating internal circulation mode is that the main controller controls the internal fan to start, controls the inner side of the semiconductor cooling chip as the hot end and the outer side as the cold end, and controls the controllable flap to close to avoid air convection between the inside and outside of the battery pack.

3. The battery pack temperature control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The setting module is also used to set a second constant value; The main controller also includes: The calculation module is used to calculate the difference between the ambient temperature and the maximum normal battery temperature when the ambient temperature is between the maximum normal battery temperature and the minimum normal battery temperature. The startup module is used to prevent the external cooling circulation mode and the internal cooling circulation mode from starting when the difference is greater than the second constant value, and to control the power control module to perform the corresponding operation when the difference is less than the second constant value.

4. A battery pack temperature control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The setting module is also used to set the battery thermal runaway temperature threshold. The main controller also includes: The second comparison module is used to compare the battery temperature with the battery thermal runaway temperature threshold. An alarm module is used to control the battery to stop charging and discharging when the battery temperature reaches the battery thermal runaway temperature threshold, and to control the semiconductor cooling chip to operate at maximum power, while outputting an alarm signal, until the battery temperature drops below the maximum normal battery temperature value.

5. A battery pack temperature control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main controller also includes: The first interrupt module is used to control the semiconductor cooling chip to stop being powered when the battery stops charging or discharging during operation in the external cooling circulation mode or the internal cooling circulation mode, and simultaneously control the internal fan and the external fan to start until the battery temperature drops to the maximum normal battery temperature value.

6. A battery pack temperature control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature sensor also includes a sensor for detecting the temperature of the internal heat sink, and the setting module is further used to set a third constant value, defining the difference between the ambient temperature and the third constant value as the condensation threshold. The main controller also includes: The third comparison module is used to compare the temperature of the internal heat sink with the condensation threshold. The second interrupt module is used to control the semiconductor cooling chip to stop being powered when the temperature of the internal heat sink is lower than the condensation threshold.

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