Thermal management methods, systems, and control devices for battery packs used in vehicles

Abstract

This disclosure provides a thermal management method, system, and control device for a battery pack in a vehicle. The thermal management control device includes a parameter determination unit configured to determine battery-related parameters, including at least one of the following: the current temperature inside the battery pack and the battery power requirement of the vehicle; a mode determination unit configured to determine a thermal management response mode for the battery pack based on at least one of the current temperature inside the battery pack and the power requirement of the vehicle; and a control unit configured to determine, based on the thermal management response mode, whether to use temperature-regulating gas from the vehicle's air conditioning system to regulate the temperature of the battery pack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and more specifically to thermal management of battery packs for vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Various vehicles, such as cars and ships, use power battery systems for power. The battery pack is a crucial component of these systems, and its operating temperature directly affects the vehicle's performance, lifespan, and safety. Currently, battery pack thermal management primarily employs liquid-medium heat exchange and gas-medium heat exchange. Liquid-medium heat exchange involves circulating a liquid medium (such as a water-glycol mixture) through channels or heat exchange plates within the battery pack, utilizing the temperature difference between the liquid medium and the battery cell modules for heat conduction. Gas-medium heat exchange uses ambient air or temperature-controlled gas as the heat transfer medium, with natural wind or a fan driving the gas medium to flow directly across the surface of the cell modules for convection heat exchange. However, this thermal management method still suffers from weak thermal management capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application aims to provide an improved thermal management solution for battery packs in vehicles, which meets the temperature control requirements of the battery pack by introducing the heating and cooling capacity of the vehicle's air conditioning or ambient gases, while flexibly addressing the thermal management needs of the passenger compartment and the battery pack.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, a thermal management method for a battery pack of a vehicle is provided, comprising determining a thermal management response mode of the battery pack based on at least one of the current temperature inside the battery pack and the battery power requirement of the vehicle; and determining, based on the thermal management response mode, whether to use temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit of the vehicle to regulate the temperature of the battery pack.

[0005] According to another aspect of the invention, a thermal management system for a battery pack of a vehicle is proposed, comprising: a storage medium storing a machine-readable program; and a control device configured to communicate with an air conditioning unit of the vehicle and configured to implement the thermal management method of the invention by executing the machine-readable program.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, a thermal management control device for a battery pack of a vehicle is provided, comprising a parameter determination unit configured to determine battery-related parameters, including at least one of the following: the current temperature inside the battery pack and the battery power requirement of the vehicle; a mode determination unit configured to determine a thermal management response mode of the battery pack based on at least one of the current temperature inside the battery pack and the battery power requirement of the vehicle; and a control unit configured to determine, based on the thermal management response mode, whether to use temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit of the vehicle to regulate the temperature of the battery pack. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The above and other aspects of this application will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic only and not drawn to scale. In different drawings, the same components are indicated by the same reference numerals. It should be understood that the dimensions, scale relationships, and number of components or parts in the drawings are not intended to limit this application.

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a battery pack thermal management system according to an example of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 2A This is a schematic diagram of a battery pack thermal management control device according to an example of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 2B This is a schematic diagram of a battery pack thermal management control device according to another example of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a thermal management method for a battery pack according to an example of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating thermal management under an example in HRM1 mode is shown.

[0013] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating thermal management under HRM2 mode is shown, based on an example.

[0014] It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application, and the reference numerals in the drawings represent the following: 100: Battery pack; 101: Box; 102: Battery cell module; 200: Gas medium heat exchange equipment; 201: Air conditioning unit; 202: Heat exchange channel; 203: First pipeline; 204: Second pipeline; 205: Air extraction device; 206: Electric damper; 300: Fluid medium heat exchange equipment; 301: Temperature control device; 302: Heat exchange device; 303: Third pipeline; 400: Control equipment; 401: Parameter Determination Unit; 402: Pattern Determination Unit; 403: Control unit. Detailed Implementation

[0015] Traditional liquid heat exchange is widely used in battery packs due to its high heat exchange efficiency. However, in battery packs that primarily use liquid heat exchange for thermal management, in addition to the flow channels or heat exchange plates within the battery pack, the battery pack also exchanges heat with the external environment through the enclosure. Therefore, ambient temperature affects the efficiency of liquid heat exchange and the internal temperature control of the battery pack.

[0016] To address this issue, some existing battery pack technologies employ multi-walled or sandwich-structured enclosure designs, attempting to reduce the impact of ambient temperature on the internal temperature control of the battery pack by introducing thermal insulation media or creating a vacuum layer within these structures. However, these multi-walled or sandwich-structured solutions typically control the battery pack's thermal management as an independent closed-loop system, lacking effective coordination with the vehicle's thermal circulation system (especially the passenger cabin air conditioning system). Although some solutions propose coordinating the battery pack with the vehicle's thermal circulation system, these solutions still suffer from low energy utilization and a lack of control flexibility. Specifically, these solutions often struggle to efficiently utilize the air conditioning system's temperature control capabilities while ensuring passenger cabin comfort, and they cannot promptly change control methods when passenger cabin comfort conflicts with the battery pack's thermal safety.

[0017] Unlike existing technologies that rely solely on sandwich structures for passive insulation or independent active heat exchange, this application's thermal management method monitors the battery pack's heat exchange needs and selectively controls the entry of temperature-regulating gases into the battery pack's heat exchange channels. A gas-blocking layer is constructed on the pack's walls to prevent damage or failure due to excessively high or low temperatures. Furthermore, by monitoring the heat exchange needs of the passenger cabin, when there is a need for heat exchange in the passenger cabin but not in the battery pack, the method selectively utilizes ambient air or the remaining temperature-regulating capacity of the air conditioning system to assist in the battery pack's thermal management. This not only prevents uncontrolled battery pack thermal management or power output interruption, affecting vehicle safety, but also reduces the impact of ambient temperature on the battery pack's internal temperature control, contributing to auxiliary temperature equalization. While ensuring passenger cabin comfort, this significantly improves the vehicle's overall energy efficiency, thus achieving optimized coordination between passenger cabin thermal management and battery pack thermal management.

[0018] Reference Figure 1 This illustration schematically depicts a thermal management system for a battery pack 100 for a vehicle according to an example of the present invention. In this disclosure, the vehicle may be a new energy vehicle, or may include aircraft, ships, trains, and spacecraft. The battery pack 100 includes a housing 101 and one or more battery cell modules 102 disposed within the internal space of the housing 101. The thermal management system includes a gaseous medium heat exchanger 200, a fluid medium heat exchanger 300, and a control device 400.

[0019] The gas medium heat exchange device 200 includes a heat exchange channel 202, a first pipe 203 and a second pipe 204 for connecting the air conditioning unit 201 of the vehicle to the heat exchange channel 202, an electric damper 206 installed in the first pipe 203 and an air extraction device 205 installed in the second pipe 204.

[0020] In this example, the heat exchange channel 202 is located on the wall of the battery pack 100 housing, ensuring that the gaseous heat exchange medium flowing through it does not directly contact the battery cell module 102. The position of the heat exchange channel 202 allows the gas flowing within it to form a barrier layer, minimizing the ambient temperature T. a The effect on the battery cell module 102 is considered, and indirect heat exchange is performed with the battery cell module 102 to implement temperature control of the battery cell module 102. The gaseous heat exchange medium in the heat exchange channel 202 includes temperature-regulating gas supplied from the air conditioning unit 201 and ambient air. The battery cell module 102 needs to be cooled, but the ambient temperature T... aUnder high temperatures, the gas barrier layer can exchange heat with the external environment to remove heat from the external environment, preventing external heat from entering the battery pack 100 through the casing, and preventing or reducing the negative impact of high external temperatures on the cooling of the cell module 102. Similarly, when the cell module 102 needs to be heated, but the ambient temperature T... a Under very low temperatures, the gas barrier layer can exchange heat with the external environment to reduce heat dissipation of the battery cell module 102 and prevent or reduce the negative impact of the low temperature of the external environment on the heating of the battery cell module 102.

[0021] Air conditioning unit 201 is a standard feature in vehicles and other transportation vehicles, used to generate temperature-regulating gas to adjust the temperature T in the passenger cabin according to the operating mode. cabin The air conditioning unit 201 operates in two modes: a cooling mode and a heating mode. Typically, in cooling mode, the temperature range of the temperature-regulating gas output by the air conditioning unit 201 is 4°C to 14°C or other values; in heating mode, the temperature range is 35°C to 40°C or other values. In this invention, the air conditioning unit 201 can serve as the source of temperature-regulating gas for the gas medium heat exchange device 200. The air conditioning unit 201 includes a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, an evaporator, a heater, an air inlet, and an air outlet. The heater of the air conditioning unit 201 can be a separately installed heating component or a heat-generating component of the vehicle itself, such as an engine. The air inlet of the air conditioning unit 201 is connected to the vehicle's passenger compartment and the external environment, for drawing in ambient air or air from within the passenger compartment. The air outlet of the air conditioning unit 201 is connected to the passenger compartment, for supplying ambient air to the passenger compartment for ventilation, and / or for supplying temperature-regulating gas to the passenger compartment to adjust the passenger compartment temperature T. cabin The air outlet of the air conditioning unit 201 is also connected to the heat exchange channel 202 via the first pipe 203 to divert or transport a portion or all of the temperature-regulating gas to the heat exchange channel 202. An electric damper Gate 1 (as shown in Figure 206) is installed on the first pipe 203 to regulate the amount of gas flowing from the first pipe 203 into the heat exchange channel 202 under the control of the control device 400.

[0022] One end of the second pipe 204 in the gas medium heat exchanger 200 is connected to the air inlet of the air conditioning unit 201 or an air inlet duct connected to the air inlet, and the other end is connected to the heat exchange channel 202. This allows ambient air to bypass the heat exchange components inside the air conditioning unit 201 and be directly introduced into the heat exchange channel 202. Since the air in the external environment is usually stationary or flowing at low speed, an exhaust device 205 is installed in the second pipe 204. The exhaust device 205 can be an exhaust fan or an axial fan, used to generate negative pressure to drive ambient air from the air inlet or air inlet duct side of the air conditioning unit 201 through the second pipe 204 to the heat exchange channel 202. An electric damper Gate 2 (not shown in the figure) can also be installed in the second pipe 204 to control the opening and closing of the second pipe 204 and regulate the flow rate of ambient air into the heat exchange channel 202.

[0023] The fluid medium heat exchange device 300 includes a temperature control device 301, a heat exchange device 302, a third pipeline 303 connecting the temperature control device 301 and the heat exchange device 302, and a fluid heat exchange medium, such as a liquid, circulating between the temperature control device 301 and the heat exchange device 302 via the third pipeline 303. The temperature control device 301 includes a pump for driving the fluid heat exchange medium, a radiator for exchanging heat between the fluid heat exchange medium and the external environment, and a heater for heating the fluid heat exchange medium. The heat exchange device 302 is disposed within the battery pack 100 and attached to the battery cell module 102, allowing the liquid heat exchange medium in the heat exchange device 302 to exchange heat with the battery cell module 102. Specifically, when cooling of the battery cell module 102 is required, the pump drives the fluid heat exchange medium to flow through the heat exchange device 302, absorbing the heat generated by the battery cell module 102 to achieve the purpose of cooling the battery cell. Subsequently, the heat-carrying fluid heat exchange medium flows to the radiator and dissipates the heat to the external environment, thereby reducing the temperature of the fluid heat exchange medium to achieve circulating cooling. When it is necessary to heat the battery cell module 102, the heater operates to heat the fluid heat exchange medium, and the pump drives the heated fluid heat exchange medium to flow to the heat exchange device 302. The high-temperature fluid heat exchange medium transfers heat to the battery cell module 102 via the heat exchange device 302, thereby raising the temperature of the battery cell module 102. The fluid heat exchange medium is typically a water-ethylene glycol mixture solution with a high specific heat capacity. It is understood that the fluid heat exchange medium can also be other fluid media such as gases. It should be noted that the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 as a temperature control means for the battery pack 100 can be implemented in various ways known in the art, and the present invention does not limit this. The gas medium heat exchange device 200, as another temperature control means for the battery pack 100, can assist the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in thermal management of the battery pack 100. However, in other examples of the present invention, the gas medium heat exchanger 200 can also be used as the main temperature control means; furthermore, the gas medium heat exchanger 200 is not limited to... Figure 1As shown in the example, for instance in another example, it is not necessary to arrange heat exchange channels 202 on the inner wall of the battery pack 100. Instead, the gas delivered by the first pipe 203 can be blown directly onto the cell module 102 inside the housing 101, thereby achieving rapid cooling of the cell module 102.

[0024] The control device 400 is communicatively connected to the battery pack 100, the gas medium heat exchanger 200, and the air conditioning unit 201. For example, it can collect temperature measurement data from one or more sensors installed inside the battery pack 100, read the status data of the battery management system of the battery pack 100, control the electric dampers Gate1 and Gate2 of the gas medium heat exchanger 200 and the exhaust device 205, and send operating mode control commands OP_Mode to the air conditioning unit 201. The control device 400 can also be communicatively connected to the fluid medium heat exchanger 300 to control its operation in a conventional manner.

[0025] Figure 2A A configuration diagram of a control device for thermal management according to an example of the present invention is shown. As shown, the control device 400 can communicate with sensors, electronic control units (ECUs), etc., on the vehicle to obtain vehicle status or battery-related data. Furthermore, the control device 400 can also communicate with the vehicle air conditioning unit 201 and the dampers and extraction devices in the gas medium heat exchanger 200. In this example, the control device 400 includes a parameter determination unit 401, a mode determination unit 402, and a control unit 403. The parameter determination unit 401 is used to determine battery-related parameters, such as the current temperature T inside the battery pack 100. b And the battery power requirements P of the vehicle req For example, parameter determination unit 401 determines the current temperature T of battery pack 100 by reading or receiving temperature data measured by temperature sensors located at multiple locations inside battery pack 100. b The battery power requirement P of the vehicle req Typically, the battery power demand P is determined based on vehicle status information such as the vehicle's current speed and / or the degree to which the accelerator pedal is depressed, or other operating conditions or loads. As an example, parameter determination unit 401 can read the battery power demand P estimated by the ECU based on the vehicle status information from the on-board electronic control unit (ECU). req Of course, the parameter determination unit 401 can also determine the vehicle's battery power requirement P in other ways known in the art. req .

[0026] In addition to the current internal temperature T of battery pack 100 b And the battery power requirements P of the vehicle reqThe parameter determination unit 401 can also determine other battery-related parameters, such as the state of charge (SOC) of the battery pack 100 and the maximum allowable discharge power (P) of the battery pack 100. MAX The State of Charge (SOC) of battery pack 100 can be provided by the battery management system of battery pack 100. Specifically, the SOC of battery pack 100 refers to the ratio of the current remaining capacity of battery pack 100 to the total capacity of battery pack 100 in a fully charged state, usually expressed as a percentage, where 0% represents a fully discharged state and 100% represents a fully charged state. The maximum permissible discharge power P of battery pack 100 is... MAX It can be based on the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b The relationship between the state of charge (SOC) of the battery pack 100 and the preset battery discharge power characteristics is determined.

[0027] The battery discharge power characteristics can be represented by a battery discharge power characteristic table. Typically, the battery discharge power characteristics depend on the model of the battery pack 100. Table 1 below is an example battery discharge power characteristic table, where the intermediate data in Table 1 represents the battery pack 100 at a specific current temperature T. b And the maximum permissible discharge power P under a specific state of charge (SOC) MAX : Table 1: Battery Discharge Power Characteristics (Maximum Allowable Discharge Power P) MAX (Unit: kW) As can be seen from Table 1, the maximum allowable discharge power P of battery pack 100 is... MAX With the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b The variation exhibits a characteristic of being low at both ends and high in the middle, with a clear cutoff boundary. In this paper, the effective operating temperature range T is defined. eff In order for the battery pack 100 to be able to output power (i.e., the maximum allowable discharge power P) MAX The temperature range (greater than 0 kW) can be defined as -20°C to 55°C, while the optimal operating temperature range T is also defined. opt To achieve the maximum permissible discharge power P of battery pack 100 MAX The temperature range from which peak values ​​are achieved (e.g., 20°C to 40°C). Optimal operating temperature range T. opt It is located within the effective operating temperature range T eff A narrower range inside.

[0028] For the characteristic table of battery pack 100 shown in Table 1, when the current temperature T of battery pack 100 is... b Exceeding the effective operating temperature range T of the battery pack eff (e.g., T) b = -30℃ or Tb At 60℃, regardless of the state of charge (SOC), the maximum permissible discharge power P of the battery pack 100 is... MAX All are 0 kW. This is because at extremely low and high temperatures, the battery management system of battery pack 100 completely cuts off the power output of battery pack 100 to protect its safety or due to physical limitations. Understandably, the optimal operating temperature range T... opt and effective operating temperature range T eff The range is related to the model of battery pack 100.

[0029] At the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b Below the optimal operating temperature range T opt Under the lower limit condition, the maximum permissible discharge power P of battery pack 100 MAX The resistance decreases as the temperature decreases. This is because the lower the temperature, the higher the viscosity of the electrolyte inside the cell module of battery pack 100, the slower the migration rate of lithium ions, resulting in a higher internal resistance of the battery. The maximum allowable discharge power P of battery pack 100... MAX The decrease is due to the need to overcome the battery's internal resistance.

[0030] At the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b Above the optimal operating temperature range T opt Under the upper limit, the maximum allowable discharge power P of the battery pack 100 MAX With the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b The temperature increases and then decreases. This is because the higher the temperature, the more intense the side reactions inside the battery pack 100, and the higher the risk of thermal runaway. Therefore, the battery management system of the battery pack 100 decreases at the current temperature T of the battery pack 100. b Above the optimal operating temperature range T opt Under the condition of the upper limit, the maximum allowable discharge power P of the battery pack will be actively limited by 100. MAX This is to prevent the battery pack from overheating and being damaged.

[0031] The mode determination unit 402 determines the mode based on the current temperature T inside the battery pack 100. b And the battery power requirements P of the vehicle reqThe thermal management response mode (HRM) of the battery pack 100 is determined. The HRM characterizes the urgency of temperature control or compensation for the battery pack. In this example, the HRM includes an HRM1 mode requiring emergency temperature control of the battery pack 100 and an HRM2 mode for normal temperature control. In the first mode, HRM1, rapid heating or cooling of the battery pack is required to avoid affecting battery performance due to excessively cold or hot battery cells. Therefore, in HRM1 mode, the air conditioning unit 201 needs to intervene to provide strong heating or cooling capabilities. In HRM2 mode, since the battery cell operating temperature is currently within the normal operating range, the temperature-regulating gas or ambient gas output by the air conditioning unit 201 can be selectively used to assist in the temperature control of the battery pack without affecting the operation of the air conditioning unit 201. According to an example of this invention, the mode determination unit 402 determines the battery pack temperature by measuring the current temperature T inside the battery pack 100. b And the battery power requirements P of the vehicle req With the effective operating temperature range T eff With the maximum allowable discharge power P MAX The thermal management response mode (HRM) is determined by comparison, by determining the current temperature T. b Does it exceed the effective operating temperature range T? eff Or the maximum permissible discharge power P MAX Does it meet the power requirement P? req To determine the thermal management response mode (HRM).

[0032] Because the current temperature T determined by parameter determination unit 401 b Including temperature measurements T at multiple, for example, m locations inside the battery pack 100 b1 , T b2 …T bm Therefore, as one scenario, the mode determination unit 402 determines the temperature measurement T. b1 ,T b2 …T bm Does at least one temperature exceed the effective operating temperature range T? eff This determines whether the temperature at at least one location inside the battery pack 100 is too high or too low. If this is the case, the mode determination unit 402 determines that the thermal management response mode of the battery pack 100 is the HRM1 mode, which requires emergency temperature control of the battery pack. In another case, if the temperature measurement T... b1 , T b2 …T bm All are within the effective operating temperature range T eff Inside, the mode determination unit 402 determines the maximum allowable discharge power P of the battery pack 100. MAX Does it meet the battery power requirement P of the vehicle?req If the maximum allowable discharge power P MAX Less than or equal to power demand P req Then the thermal management response mode of battery pack 100 is determined to be HRM1 mode, which requires emergency temperature control. When the maximum allowable discharge power P of battery pack 100 MAX Meet the power requirements P of the vehicle req At the same time, temperature T is measured. b1 , T b2 …T bm All are within the effective operating temperature range T eff When the battery pack cells are at their normal operating temperature, the mode determination unit 402 determines that the thermal management response mode of the battery pack 100 is HRM2 mode.

[0033] The control unit 403 is configured to determine, based on the thermal management response mode (HRM) determined by the mode determination unit 402, whether to use temperature-regulating gas from the vehicle's air conditioning unit 201 to regulate the temperature of the battery pack 100, thereby restoring the cell's operating temperature to the normal range as quickly as possible. For example, when the thermal management response mode is determined to be HRM1, the control unit 403 sets the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to cooling or heating mode to generate cooling or heating gas, and uses the generated temperature-regulating gas to regulate the temperature of the battery pack 100. Thus, by controlling the air conditioning unit 201 to actively intervene and assist the fluid medium heat exchanger 300 in regulating the temperature of the battery pack 100, the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is brought back to a normal range. b Return to the effective operating temperature range T as soon as possible eff This design prevents the battery pack 100 from being damaged or rendered unusable due to excessively high or low temperatures.

[0034] As an example, if the current temperature measurement of battery pack 100 (T) b1 , T b2 …T bm At least one temperature T in ) b Temperatures equal to or higher than the effective operating temperature range T of the battery pack eff The upper limit, the control unit 403 sends a mode control command Op_mode to the air conditioning unit 201 to activate the cooling mode, so as to set the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to cooling mode, so as to utilize all or most of the low-temperature temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 to cool down the battery pack 100. In such cases... Figure 1When the battery pack 100 shown has a heat exchange channel 202 and is connected to the air outlet of the air conditioning unit 201 via a first pipe 203, the control unit 403 can send a control command GateSig1 to the electric damper Gate1 206 in the first pipe 203 to change its opening degree, thereby delivering low-temperature temperature-regulating gas to the heat exchange channel 202 to assist the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in cooling the battery pack 100. Furthermore, if the current temperature of the battery pack 100 (T...) b1 , T b2 …T bm At least one temperature T in ) b The temperature range T is equal to or lower than the effective operating temperature range of the battery pack. eff At the lower limit, the control unit 403 sends a mode control command Op_mode to the air conditioning unit 201 to activate the heating mode, thereby setting the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to heating mode, so as to utilize all or most of the heating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 to control the temperature rise of the battery pack 100. Simultaneously, the control unit 403 sends a control command GateSig1 to the electric damper Gate1 206 to change the opening degree, so as to divert all or most of the heated temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202, thereby assisting the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in heating the battery pack 100. It is easy to understand that in other implementations, such as when the battery pack housing does not have a heat exchange channel 202, the temperature-regulating gas can also be directly blown into the battery pack through the first pipe 203.

[0035] Due to the maximum permissible discharge power P MAX Unable to meet the power requirements P of the vehicle req In HRM1 mode, although the current temperature T of battery pack 100 is... b Within the effective operating temperature range T eff However, it is still necessary to actively intervene with the air conditioning unit 201 to assist the fluid medium heat exchange equipment 300 in adjusting the temperature of the battery pack 100, so that the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is maintained. b Approaching or entering the optimal operating temperature range T opt To increase the maximum permissible discharge power P of the battery pack 100 MAX To meet the power requirements P of the vehicle req In this example, at the current temperature T of battery pack 100... b Located within the effective operating temperature range T eff In the case of internal conditions, the current temperature measurement value (T) of the battery pack 100 can be used as a basis. b1 , T b2 …T bmThe distribution characteristics of multiple temperature values ​​are used to set the cooling mode or heating mode of the air conditioning unit 201. These distribution characteristics may include: the average, median, or mode of multiple temperature values; values ​​above a specific temperature threshold (e.g., the optimal operating temperature range T). opt The number or percentage of temperature measurements below the upper limit; below a specific temperature threshold (e.g., the optimal operating temperature range T). opt The analysis includes the number or proportion of temperature measurements (lower limit); and the concentration of multiple temperature measurements in high-temperature and low-temperature regions. By analyzing the distribution characteristics, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the overall temperature state inside the battery pack 100 is too high or too low, thereby allowing for a more reasonable setting of the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201.

[0036] As one implementation method, if the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is... b Temperatures above the optimal operating temperature range T opt The number or percentage of upper limit temperature values ​​exceeds the preset first threshold T THS1 (For example, more than 50% of the temperature measurements are above the optimal operating temperature range T of the battery pack 100) opt If the current temperature of the battery pack 100 is too high (the upper limit of the temperature), it indicates that the temperature in most areas inside the battery pack 100 is too high. Therefore, an Op_mode control command is sent to the air conditioning unit 201 to set the air conditioning unit 201 to cooling mode, and a GateSig1 control command is sent to the electric damper 206 to change the opening degree, so that the low-temperature temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 is delivered to the heat exchange channel 202 to assist the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in cooling the battery pack 100. b1 , T b2 …T bm The temperature range is below the optimal operating temperature range T of the battery pack. opt The number or percentage of lower limit temperature values ​​exceeds the preset second threshold T. THS2 (For example, more than 50% of the temperature measurements are below the optimal operating temperature range T for the battery pack 100) opt If the lower limit of the threshold value indicates that the temperature in most areas inside the battery pack 100 is too low, an Op_mode command to activate the heating mode is sent to the air conditioning unit 201, thereby setting the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to heating mode. A GateSig1 command to change the opening degree is also sent to the electric damper 206 to transport the high-temperature temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202, thereby assisting the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in heating the battery pack 100. In different embodiments of the present invention, the first and second threshold values ​​T... THS1 With T THS2 They can be the same or different.

[0037] As another implementation, if the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 b Multiple temperature measurements (T) b1 , T b2 …T bm The average or median of the temperature range is higher than the optimal operating temperature range T of the battery pack by 100. opt If the upper limit is reached, an Op_mode command is sent to the air conditioning unit 201 to set the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to cooling mode, and an instruction to change the opening degree is sent to the electric damper 206 to deliver the low-temperature temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202; if the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is... b Multiple temperature measurements (T) b1 , T b2 …T bm The average or median value of the battery pack is 100% below its optimal operating temperature range (T). opt If the lower limit is reached, an Op_mode command to start heating is sent to the air conditioning unit 201 to set the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to heating mode, and a GateSig1 command to change the opening degree is sent to the electric damper 206 to divert the high-temperature temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202.

[0038] Based on the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b Multiple temperature measurements (T) b1 , T b2 …T bm The operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 is set according to the distribution characteristics of the battery pack, mainly to enable the battery pack to operate at its maximum allowable discharge power P. MAX The battery pack operates in a state that ensures it can meet the varying battery power requirements of the vehicle. req .

[0039] It should be noted that, according to one example of the present invention, when the thermal management response mode of the battery pack 100 is determined to be HRM1 mode, the air conditioning unit 201 is prohibited from accepting air conditioning commands from the vehicle's occupants. The operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 is forcibly controlled only by the control device 400 and cannot be set by the vehicle's occupants themselves; that is, control commands from the vehicle's occupants regarding the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 are ignored, so that the occupants' control commands have no effect on the setting of the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201. This can prevent the operating mode set by the occupants from conflicting with the thermal management requirements of the battery pack 100, leading to malfunction of the battery pack 100's thermal management and affecting the vehicle's driving safety. To avoid causing discomfort to the occupants due to the 'failure' of control over the air conditioning unit 201, the control unit 403 can issue a warning command to the occupants when forcibly taking over the control of the air conditioning unit 201, for example, by visually or verbally reminding the user through a display screen or speaker that the air conditioning unit 201 will be used to assist in battery thermal management.

[0040] It should be noted that in the above embodiment, in HRM1 mode, the control unit 403 can send a mode control command OP_Mode to the air conditioning unit 201 to control the activation of the cooling mode or heating mode, so that the air conditioning unit 201 can output temperature-regulating gas according to a predetermined or default fan speed setting; however, in another embodiment, the control unit 403 can also control the activation of the cooling mode or heating mode based on the current temperature T of the battery pack 100. b For example, the highest temperature inside the battery pack currently being measured is used to determine the Speed_Level of the air supply from the air conditioning unit 201. The Speed_Level characterizes the wind speed / volume of the temperature-regulating gas delivered by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202. The higher the Speed_Level, the greater the delivered wind speed / volume, and the higher the heat exchange efficiency.

[0041] As an example, the control unit 403 is based on the current temperature T of the battery pack 100. b The windshield rating Speed_Level can be determined based on the current temperature T of the battery pack 100. b The windshield level (Speed_Level) can be determined based on the pre-established temperature level-windshield mapping relationship. The control unit 403 can set the mapping relationship with reference to the battery discharge power characteristic table (e.g., as shown in Table 1) so that the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is... b The closer to the effective operating temperature range T eff The higher the windshield rating, the faster the heat exchange rate, allowing the battery pack temperature to return to its optimal operating temperature range as quickly as possible. opt .

[0042] Taking the cooling mode as an example, referring to Table 1, the temperature level-windshield mapping relationship can be set as follows.

[0043] If the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b The highest temperature T in bMAX If the temperature is between 50℃ and 55℃, the highest fan speed level is set, for example, speed level three (Speed_Level=3). Therefore, the mode control command OP_Mode sent by the control unit 403 to the air conditioning unit 201 can include the fan speed indicator information Speed_Level, which instructs the air conditioning unit 201 to operate at speed level three. After receiving the mode control command, the air conditioning unit 201, while determining the current cooling operation mode, can also deliver cooling gas at maximum airflow and speed based on the fan speed indicator information Speed_Level parsed from the command.

[0044] If the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b The highest temperature T in bMAX If the temperature is between 45°C and 50°C, it is determined to be a medium windshield level (e.g., Speed_Level=2). Therefore, the control unit 403 sends a mode control command OP_Mode containing the windshield indication information Speed_Level indicating the second level to the air conditioning unit 201; thus, the air conditioning unit outputs cooling gas at a medium windshield speed and air volume.

[0045] If the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b The highest temperature T in bMAX If the temperature is between 40°C and 45°C, it is determined to be a low windshield level (e.g., Speed_Level=1). Therefore, the control unit 403 sends a mode control command OP_Mode containing the windshield indication information Speed_Level indicating one level to the air conditioning unit 201; thus, the air conditioning unit outputs cooling gas with a lower windshield speed and air volume for auxiliary cooling.

[0046] Similarly, taking heating mode as an example, the temperature level-windshield mapping relationship can be set as follows: if the current temperature T of battery pack 100 is... b The lowest temperature T in bMINIf the temperature is between -20℃ and -5℃, the control unit 403 determines the highest fan speed level (e.g., Speed_Level=3). Therefore, the mode control command OP_Mode sent by the control unit 403 to the air conditioning unit 201 can include the fan speed indicator information Speed_Level, which instructs the air conditioning unit 201 to operate at the third fan speed. After receiving the mode control command OP_Mode, the air conditioning unit 201, while determining the current heating operation mode, can also deliver heating gas at maximum airflow and speed based on the fan speed indicator information (Speed_Level=3) parsed from it. If the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is... b The lowest temperature T in bMIN If the temperature is within the range of -5℃ to 10℃, the control unit 403 determines the wind speed to be medium (e.g., Speed_Level=2), and therefore sends a mode control command OP_Mode containing the wind speed indication information Speed_Level indicating the second level to the air conditioning unit 201; thus, the air conditioning unit outputs heated gas at medium fan speed and volume. If the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is... b The lowest temperature T in bMIN If the temperature is between 10°C and 20°C, the control unit 403 determines the wind speed level to be low (e.g., Speed_Level=1). The control unit 403 sends a mode control command OP_Mode to the air conditioning unit 201, which includes the wind speed indication information Speed_Level= indicating the wind speed level. As a result, the air conditioning unit outputs heating gas at a lower wind speed and air volume for auxiliary heating.

[0047] It should be noted that although the above example determines the applicable windshield level based on the mapping relationship between the current temperature level and the windshield level, the present invention is not limited to this implementation method. Other methods can also be used, such as determining it based on the deviation of the current temperature from the optimal temperature working range, where the greater the deviation, the higher the windshield level should be set.

[0048] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the thermal management response mode is determined to be HRM2 mode, the control unit 403 selectively utilizes a portion of ambient air or temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit 201 to regulate the temperature of the battery pack 100. Unlike HRM1 mode, in HRM2 mode, the air conditioning unit 201 is allowed to receive air conditioning commands from the occupants of the vehicle; that is, the air conditioning unit 201 can be controlled by the occupants and operate in a conventional manner. Therefore, the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 is based on the target cabin temperature T set by the occupants. target To determine. For example, if the ambient temperature T a (For example, 0°C) lower than the target temperature T in the passenger cabin target(For example, 20℃), then the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 can be determined as heating mode; if the ambient temperature T a (For example, 35°C) higher than the target temperature T in the passenger cabin target (For example, 20℃), then the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 can be determined as the cooling mode. The reason for adopting different control strategies for the air conditioning unit 201 under different HRM modes is that when the temperature control requirements of the battery pack 100 are not urgent, in order to maximize the energy utilization of the whole vehicle, the air conditioning unit 201 does not need to actively intervene or forcibly participate in the temperature control regulation of the battery pack 100. This can avoid the reduction of the vehicle's driving range caused by specially starting the high-energy-consuming components (such as the compressor and heater) of the air conditioning unit 201 to meet the non-urgent temperature control requirements of the battery pack 100.

[0049] When the thermal management response mode is determined to be HRM2 mode, the parameter determination unit 401 further obtains the ambient temperature T of the vehicle, such as the vehicle. a Cockpit temperature T cabin Target temperature T in the cockpit target And the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201. Here, the ambient temperature T... a The cabin temperature T can be determined by reading the measurements from one or more temperature sensors located outside the passenger compartment. cabin The temperature T can be determined by reading the measurements from one or more temperature sensors located inside the passenger compartment. When multiple temperature sensors are installed inside the passenger compartment, the passenger compartment temperature T... cabin This refers to the average temperature sensed by multiple temperature sensors. Target temperature T in the passenger cabin. target The parameter setting unit 401 can obtain the target temperature T from the vehicle's infotainment system and can be set by the driver and passengers. target The operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201 include compressor speed, expansion valve opening, and heater power. These data can be provided to the parameter determination unit 401 by corresponding sensors or determined by the vehicle system.

[0050] Control unit 403 is based on ambient temperature T a The current temperature T of battery pack 100 b and the target temperature T in the cockpit target This determines whether the conditions for introducing ambient air are met. As an example, if the ambient temperature T... a Below the optimal operating temperature range T opt The lower limit, the current temperature measurement T of the battery pack 100 b1 , T b2 …T bm At least one temperature T in b Above the optimal operating temperature range T optThe upper limit, and the target temperature T in the cockpit target Above ambient temperature T a If the ambient air conditions are met, the control unit 403 determines that ambient air can be used to regulate the battery pack temperature. For example, in this case, an opening command can be sent to the air extraction device 205, and a control command GateSig2 can be sent to the electric damper Gate2 in the second pipe 204 to change its opening, thereby introducing ambient air into the heat exchange channel 202. It is understood that at the target temperature T in the passenger compartment... target Above ambient temperature T a In this situation, the air conditioning unit 201 will automatically (or be manually set by the user) to heating mode, the heater of the air conditioning unit 201 will be activated, and the compressor will be turned off. If ambient air is not introduced, and instead the air conditioning unit 201 is forcibly switched to cooling mode to assist the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in cooling the battery pack 100, it will not only waste energy, but may also conflict with the temperature control requirements of the passenger compartment. According to this example, by sending a start command to the air extraction device 205 and a control command GateSig2 to change the opening degree to the electric damper Gate2, ambient air is actively introduced into the second pipe 204 and then into the heat exchange channel 202. In this way, the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 can be assisted in thermal management of the battery pack 100, and the additional energy consumption caused by starting the compressor of the air conditioning unit 201 can be avoided.

[0051] According to another example, if the control unit 403 is based on the ambient temperature T a The current temperature T of battery pack 100 b and the target temperature T in the cockpit target If the ambient air introduction conditions are not met, further adjustments will be made based on the target cabin temperature T. target Based on the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201, it is determined whether the air conditioning unit 201 has remaining temperature control capacity. In this invention, remaining temperature control capacity includes remaining cooling capacity and remaining heating capacity. For example, if the target temperature T in the passenger cabin... target Below ambient temperature T a If the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201 meet the first low load condition, and preferably continue to meet the first low load condition for a period of time, then the control unit 403 determines that the air conditioning unit 201 has remaining cooling capacity, that is, the air conditioning unit 201 has remaining temperature regulation capacity. The first low load condition here may include the compressor speed of the air conditioning unit 201 being lower than a preset speed threshold and / or the opening degree of the expansion valve of the air conditioning unit 201 being lower than a preset opening threshold. If the target temperature T in the passenger compartment... target Above ambient temperature T aIf the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201 meet the second low load condition, and preferably continue to meet the second low load condition for a period of time, then the control unit 403 determines that the air conditioning unit 201 has residual heating capacity, that is, the air conditioning unit 201 has residual temperature control capacity. The second low load condition here may include the heater power of the air conditioning unit 201 being lower than a preset power threshold.

[0052] If the control unit 403 determines that the air conditioning unit 201 has remaining temperature regulation capacity, then based on the temperature T of the temperature-regulating gas... rg and the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b The system determines whether the temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit 201 meets the intervention conditions. Here, the temperature T of the temperature-regulating gas... rg The temperature can be obtained by the parameter determination unit 401 through the temperature sensor installed at the air outlet of the air conditioning unit 201.

[0053] Since it is desirable to maintain a relatively uniform temperature throughout the battery pack 100 to provide stable power output, a fluid medium heat exchanger 300 is typically used to regulate the temperature at various locations within the battery pack 100, ensuring that the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is within a certain range. b The highest temperature T in bMAX With the lowest temperature T bMIN The temperature difference between them should be as small as possible. Here, the current temperature T of battery pack 100 is... b The highest temperature T in bMAX With the lowest temperature T bMIN The temperature difference between them is defined as the temperature gradient ΔT. Specifically, the pump in the temperature control device 301 of the fluid medium heat exchanger 300 drives the heat exchange medium to circulate in the third pipeline 303 and the heat exchanger 302. When the driven heat exchange medium flows through a high-temperature region inside the battery pack 100, the heat exchange medium absorbs heat and lowers the temperature of that region; when the heat exchange medium flows through a low-temperature region inside the battery pack 100, the heat exchange medium releases heat and raises the temperature of that region.

[0054] If the temperature gradient ΔT is less than the preset temperature difference threshold (e.g., 10℃), it indicates that the temperature gradient ΔT is not significant, and the temperature-regulating gas will not interfere with the temperature gradient control of the fluid medium heat exchanger 300. In this case, the control unit 403 can determine that the temperature-regulating gas meets the intervention requirements. If the temperature gradient ΔT is greater than the temperature difference threshold, but the temperature T of the temperature-regulating gas is less than the threshold value, then the temperature gradient ΔT is less than the threshold value. rg At the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b The highest temperature T in bMAX With the lowest temperature T bMINIf the temperature gradient ΔT is large, it means that the temperature-regulating gas can assist the fluid medium heat exchanger 300 in controlling the temperature gradient. In this case, the control unit 403 can determine that the temperature-regulating gas still meets the intervention requirements.

[0055] If the temperature gradient ΔT is greater than the temperature difference threshold, and the temperature T of the temperature-regulating gas... rg The current temperature T is 100°C higher than that of the battery pack. b The highest temperature T in bMAX Or below the current temperature T of the battery pack by 100 b The lowest temperature T in bMIN This indicates that the temperature gradient is large and the temperature-regulating gas interferes with the temperature gradient control of the fluid medium heat exchanger 300. In this case, the control unit 403 can determine that the temperature-regulating gas does not meet the intervention requirements.

[0056] When the control unit 403 determines that the temperature-regulating gas meets the intervention requirements, it can send a command GateSig1 to the electric damper Gate1 206 to change the opening degree, so as to divert a portion of the temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202, thereby realizing auxiliary temperature control using the temperature-regulating gas. In this example, the parameter determination unit 401 can obtain the temperature T at the air inlet of the heat exchange channel in the housing 101 of the battery pack 100 as the temperature control adjustment of the battery pack proceeds. in and the temperature T at the exhaust port out And based on the temperature T at the air inlet in and the temperature T at the exhaust port out The airflow of temperature-regulating gas supplied by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202 is adjusted by sending a control command GateSig1 to the electric damper 206 to change its opening. This airflow can be T. in and T out A function of temperature difference.

[0057] It should be noted that in the current HRM2 mode, the air conditioning unit 201 does not need to actively intervene (e.g., forcibly turn on the cooling or heating mode). Instead, the remaining temperature regulation capacity of the air conditioning unit 201 in the natural opening mode (e.g., the mode set by the driver and passengers) can be used to assist the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in regulating the temperature of the battery pack 100.

[0058] In the above embodiments, the structural configuration of the control device 400 for achieving thermal management of the battery pack has been described; however, the implementation of the control device 400 according to the present invention is not limited to... Figure 2A The modular structure shown can be implemented in other ways. For example, in other examples of the invention, such as... Figure 2BAs shown, the control device 400 may also implement the thermal management method of the present invention by control elements or computing units such as a central processing unit (CPU), microcontroller (MCU), electronic control unit (ECU), etc., for example by executing a program stored on a machine-readable medium to implement the thermal management method. Figure 3 A flowchart of a thermal management method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0059] like Figure 3 As shown, in step S301, the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is determined. b Battery power requirements P of vehicles req The current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is here. b The temperature can be measured by temperature sensors located at multiple locations inside the battery pack 100. The vehicle's battery power requirement P req It can be determined based on the vehicle's current speed and / or the degree to which the accelerator pedal is depressed, or other operating conditions or loads.

[0060] In step S303, based on the current temperature T inside the battery pack 100 b and / or the power requirement P of the vehicle req Determine the thermal management response mode (HRM) of battery pack 100. For example, if the current temperature T... b Exceeding the preset effective operating temperature range T of the battery pack 100 eff Or if the current temperature T b Not exceeding the effective operating temperature range T eff But the power demand P req Greater than or equal to the maximum permissible discharge power P max If so, then the thermal management response mode is determined to be HRM1 mode. Otherwise, if the current temperature T b The effective operating temperature range T was not exceeded. eff And the power requirement P req Less than the maximum permissible discharge power P max Therefore, the thermal management response mode is determined to be HRM2 mode.

[0061] In step S305, based on the thermal management response mode HRM determined in step S303, it is determined whether to actively intervene in the temperature regulation of the battery pack 100 using temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit 201 of the vehicle. According to this example, in response to the thermal management response mode being determined to be HRM1, it is determined that the air conditioning unit 201 needs to actively intervene in the thermal management of the battery pack, and subsequent process A is executed, including setting the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to generate temperature-regulating gas, and using the generated temperature-regulating gas to regulate the temperature of the battery pack 100. However, if the thermal management response mode is determined to be HRM2, it indicates that the current battery operating temperature is normal, therefore it is not necessary to force the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to actively intervene in thermal management. Instead, subsequent process B is executed, which can selectively utilize ambient air or a portion of the temperature-regulating gas from the natural operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 (e.g., a user-defined operating mode) to regulate the temperature of the battery pack 100.

[0062] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating thermal management in HRM1 mode is shown. As shown, in step S401, in response to the thermal management response mode being determined to be HRM1 mode, the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is determined. b Temperature characteristics, here we use the current temperature T b With the effective operating temperature range T eff A comparison is made to determine this. Therefore, in step S403, the current temperature measurement T is determined. b1 , T b2 …T bm Whether at least one of the measured temperatures is equal to or higher than the effective operating temperature range T eff If the upper limit is determined, and the result is yes, then proceed to step S405, setting the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to cooling mode. Furthermore, in a preferred example, step S405 can also be based on the current temperature T of the battery pack 100. b Determine the air supply speed (Speed_Level) of the air conditioning unit. For example, referring to the battery discharge power characteristics table in Table 1, when the current temperature T of battery pack 100... b The closer to the effective operating temperature range T eff The higher the windshield rating, the faster the cooling speed, allowing the battery pack temperature to return to its optimal operating temperature range as quickly as possible. opt .

[0063] In step S407, a mode control command Op_mode to start cooling is sent to the air conditioning unit 201. The mode control command Op_Mode sent from the control device 400 to the air conditioning unit 201 may include windshield indicator information Speed_Level, thereby setting the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to cooling mode. Simultaneously, the air conditioning unit 201 outputs the desired airflow according to the windshield indicator information Speed_Level. Furthermore, in step S407, a control command GateSig1 to change the opening degree is also sent to the electric damper Gate1 206 to transport all or most of the low-temperature temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202, thereby assisting the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in cooling the battery pack 100.

[0064] If the current temperature measurement T is determined in step S403 b1 , T b2 …T bm At least one of the measured temperatures is less than the effective operating temperature range T. eff If the upper limit is reached, proceed to step S409 to further determine the current temperature measurement T. b1 , T b2 …T bm Whether at least one of the measured temperatures is equal to or lower than the effective operating temperature range T eff The lower limit, where if it is equal to or lower than the effective operating temperature range T eff If the lower limit is reached, then in step S411 the operating mode of the air conditioning device 201 is set to heating mode. Similarly, in step S411, the operating mode can also be set based on the current temperature T of the battery pack 100. b Determine the air supply level (Speed_Level) of the air conditioning unit, for example, when the current temperature T of battery pack 100 is... b The closer to the effective operating temperature range T eff The higher the windshield rating, the faster the temperature rises, allowing the battery pack temperature to return to its optimal operating temperature range as quickly as possible. optThe process then proceeds to step S407, where a mode control command Op_mode is sent to the air conditioning unit 201. The OP_Mode command sent by the control device 400 to the air conditioning unit 201 may include windshield indicator information Speed_Level, thereby setting the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to heating mode. Simultaneously, the air conditioning unit 201 outputs the desired airflow according to the windshield indicator information Speed_Level. Similarly, in step S407, a control command GateSig1 to change the opening degree is sent to the electric damper Gate1 206 to deliver all or most of the heated temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202, thereby assisting the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in heating the battery pack 100.

[0065] If the current temperature measurement T is determined in step S409 b1 , T b2 …T bm Not lower than the effective operating temperature range T eff The lower limit, that is, the current temperature T of battery pack 100 at this time. b It has been determined to be within the effective operating temperature range T eff However, due to the maximum permissible discharge power P at this time... MAX The battery power requirement P of the vehicle is not met. req Therefore, it is still necessary to actively intervene with the air conditioning unit 201 to assist the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in adjusting the temperature of the battery pack 100, so that the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is maintained. b Approaching or entering the optimal operating temperature range T opt To increase the maximum permissible discharge power P of the battery pack 100 MAX To meet the power requirements P of the vehicle req Therefore, in step S409, it is determined that the current temperature is not lower than the effective operating temperature range T. eff When the lower limit is reached, in step S413, the current temperature measurement T of the battery pack 100 is determined. b1 , T b2 …T bm The distribution characteristics. By analyzing the distribution characteristics, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the overall temperature state inside the battery pack 100 is too high or too low, thereby more rationally setting the operating mode of the air conditioning device 201. Subsequently, in step S415, based on multiple temperature measurements T b1 , T b2 …T bm The distribution characteristics can be used to set either cooling or heating modes.

[0066] Taking the number or proportion of temperature values ​​higher than a specific temperature threshold as an example, if the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is determined in step S413...b Temperatures above the optimal operating temperature range T opt The number or percentage of upper limit temperature measurements exceeds the preset first threshold T THS1 (For example, 50%) indicates that the temperature in most areas inside the battery pack 100 is too high. Therefore, in step S415, a mode control command Op_mode is sent to the air conditioning unit 201 to set the operating mode of the air conditioning unit 201 to cooling mode, and a control command GateSig1 is sent to the electric damper 206 to change the opening degree, so that all or most of the low-temperature temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 is diverted to the heat exchange channel 202. If the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 is determined in step S413... b The temperature is below the optimal operating temperature range T of the battery pack. opt The number or percentage of lower limit temperature values ​​exceeds the preset second threshold T. THS2 (For example, it could be 50% or other values), which indicates that the temperature of most areas inside the battery pack 100 is too low. In step S415, a mode control command Op_mode to turn on heating is determined and sent to the air conditioning device 201 to set the operating mode of the air conditioning device 201 to heating mode. A command GateSig1 to change the opening degree is sent to the electric damper 206 to divert all or most of the high-temperature temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning device 201 to the heat exchange channel 202.

[0067] Figure 5 A flowchart of the thermal management process in HRM2 mode is shown. Due to the current battery temperature T... b Within the valid interval T eff And the maximum permissible discharge power P MAX It can meet the power requirements P of the vehicle. req Therefore, it can be determined that the thermal management response mode for the battery pack 100 is the HRM2 mode, which meets normal temperature control requirements. In this mode, auxiliary thermal management of the battery can be performed using ambient gas or a portion of the temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit. To this end, in step S501, the vehicle's ambient temperature T is obtained. a Cockpit temperature T cabin Target temperature T in the cockpit target And the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201.

[0068] Then in step S503: based on the ambient temperature T a The current temperature T of battery pack 100 b and the target temperature T in the cockpit target To determine whether the predetermined conditions for introducing ambient air are met. For example, if the ambient temperature T... a Below the optimal operating temperature range T optThe lower limit, the current temperature T of the battery pack 100 b1 , T b2 …T bm At least one of the temperatures is above the optimal operating temperature range T. opt The upper limit, and the target temperature T in the cockpit target Above ambient temperature T a If the ambient air condition is deemed adequately met for introduction, then the ambient air is sufficient to assist the fluid medium heat exchanger 300 in cooling the battery pack 100. Therefore, proceed to step S505, where ambient air is selected for temperature control of the battery pack 100. As an example, control commands can be sent to the air extraction device 205 and the electric damper Gate2 to introduce ambient air into the heat exchange channel 202, thereby enabling the use of ambient air to assist the liquid medium exchanger 300 in thermal control of the battery pack 100, without the need for temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit 201 to intervene in the battery's temperature control.

[0069] If it is determined in step S503 that the ambient air introduction conditions are not met, meaning that ambient air cannot assist the fluid medium heat exchanger 300 in cooling the battery pack 100, then proceed to step S507. In step S507, the operating parameters of the air conditioner and the temperature regulating gas temperature T are determined. rg Here, air conditioning parameters include, for example, compressor speed and the opening degree of the expansion valve of the air conditioning unit 201. These can be obtained by sending a parameter request to the air conditioning unit 201 or determined by other methods known in the art. The temperature T of the temperature-regulating gas... rg The temperature can be measured by a temperature sensor installed at the air outlet of the air conditioning unit 201.

[0070] In step S509, based on the target temperature T in the cockpit target Based on the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201, determine the remaining temperature control capacity of the air conditioning unit 201, including remaining cooling capacity and remaining heating capacity. As an example, if the target temperature T in the passenger cabin... target Below ambient temperature T a If the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201 meet the first low-load condition, such as the compressor speed of the air conditioning unit 201 being lower than a preset speed threshold and / or the expansion valve opening of the air conditioning unit 201 being lower than a preset opening threshold, then it is determined that the air conditioning unit 201 has residual cooling capacity. If the target temperature T in the passenger cabin... target Above ambient temperature T a Furthermore, if the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201 meet the second low load condition, such as the heater power of the air conditioning unit 201 being lower than a preset power threshold, then it is determined that the air conditioning unit 201 has residual heating capacity. In this example, if the target temperature T in the passenger compartment... target Below ambient temperature T aHowever, the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201 do not meet the first low load condition, or the target temperature T in the passenger cabin is not met. target Above ambient temperature T a However, if the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit 201 do not meet the second low load condition, it is determined that the air conditioning unit 201 has no remaining temperature regulation capacity. Furthermore, in step S509, the temperature gradient ΔT inside the battery pack 100 is further determined, which can be done by calculating the current temperature T of the battery pack 100. b1 , T b2 …T bm The highest temperature T in bMAX With the lowest temperature T bMIN The temperature difference between them is used to determine this.

[0071] Subsequently, in step S511, after determining that the air conditioning unit 201 has remaining temperature regulation capacity, further based on the temperature gradient ΔT and the temperature T of the temperature-regulating gas... rg Determine whether the conditions for temperature-regulating gas intervention are met. For example, if the temperature gradient ΔT is less than the preset temperature gradient threshold (e.g., 10°C), it indicates that the temperature gradient ΔT is small, and the temperature-regulating gas will not interfere with the temperature gradient control of the fluid medium heat exchanger 300. In this case, the temperature-regulating gas intervention requirement is met. Alternatively, if the temperature gradient ΔT is greater than the temperature gradient threshold, but the temperature of the temperature-regulating gas T is less than the preset threshold, the temperature gradient gas will not interfere with the temperature gradient control of the fluid medium heat exchanger 300. rg At the current temperature T of battery pack 100 b The highest temperature T in bMAX With the lowest temperature T bMIN If the temperature gradient is large, it means that the temperature-regulating gas can still assist the fluid medium heat exchange device 300 in regulating the temperature gradient. In this case, the temperature-regulating gas still meets the intervention requirements. If it is determined in step S511 that the temperature-regulating gas meets the intervention conditions, the process proceeds to step S513, where a portion of the temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 is selected to regulate the temperature of the battery pack 100. For example, a command GateSig1 to change the opening degree is sent to the electric damper Gate1 206 to divert a portion of the temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202, thereby realizing auxiliary temperature control using the temperature-regulating gas. At this time, the temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit 201 is the gas in the air conditioning operation mode set by the driver and passengers.

[0072] If in step S511 it is determined that the conditions for the intervention of the temperature-regulating gas are not met, i.e. the temperature gradient ΔT is greater than the temperature difference threshold and the temperature T of the temperature-regulating gas is not met... rg The current temperature T is 100°C higher than that of the battery pack. b The highest temperature T in bMAX Or below the current temperature T of the battery pack by 100 b The lowest temperature T in bMINSince the temperature-regulating gas would interfere with the temperature gradient control of the fluid medium heat exchanger 300, it does not meet the intervention requirements under these circumstances. Therefore, the temperature-regulating gas is not introduced, and the process returns to step S301 to continue monitoring the current real-time temperature T of the battery pack. b and power demand P req .

[0073] According to this embodiment of the present invention, after selecting a portion of the temperature-regulating gas generated by the split air conditioning device 201 to regulate the temperature of the battery pack 100 in step S513, the method may further include step S515, in which the temperature T at the air inlet of the battery pack 100's housing 101 is measured as the temperature regulation of the battery pack proceeds. in and the temperature T at the exhaust port out And based on the temperature T at the air inlet in and the temperature T at the exhaust port out The temperature difference between the two is controlled by sending a control command (GateSig1) to the electric damper 206 to adjust the airflow of the temperature-regulating gas delivered by the air conditioning unit 201 to the heat exchange channel 202. For example, when the temperature T... in1 With T out1 When the temperature difference is large, it indicates that the heat exchange in the heat exchange channel 202 is large. In this case, a control command to increase the opening of the electric damper 206 can be sent to increase the airflow of the temperature-regulating gas supplied to the heat exchange channel 202; conversely, if the temperature difference is small, a command to decrease the opening of the electric damper 206 can be sent to reduce the airflow of the temperature-regulating gas supplied to the heat exchange channel 202. Here, the opening of the electric damper 206 is a function of the temperature difference, such as a proportional function.

[0074] Although this application has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments, it is obvious that the above description and the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings should be understood as exemplary and not as limiting the application. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or alterations without departing from the spirit of this application, and such modifications or alterations are all within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A thermal management control device for a battery pack in a vehicle, comprising: The parameter determination unit is configured to determine battery-related parameters, including at least one of the following: the current temperature inside the battery pack, and the battery power requirements of the vehicle. A mode determination unit is configured to determine a thermal management response mode for the battery pack based on at least one of the current temperature inside the battery pack and the battery power requirement of the vehicle. Specifically, if the current temperature exceeds the effective operating temperature range of the battery pack, or if the current temperature does not exceed the effective operating temperature range but the battery power requirement is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable discharge power, then the thermal management response mode is determined to be a first mode; if the current temperature does not exceed the effective operating temperature range and the battery power requirement is less than the maximum allowable discharge power, then the thermal management response mode is determined to be a second mode. The control unit is configured to determine, based on the thermal management response mode, whether to use temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit of the vehicle to regulate the temperature of the battery pack, including: in response to the thermal management response mode being determined to be the first mode, setting the operating mode of the air conditioning unit to generate temperature-regulating gas, and using the generated temperature-regulating gas to regulate the temperature of the battery pack; and in response to the thermal management response mode being determined to be the second mode, selectively using ambient air or a portion of the temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit to regulate the temperature of the battery pack.

2. The thermal management control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery pack includes a housing, and a heat exchange channel is provided on the wall of the housing, the heat exchange channel being connected to the air conditioning device of the vehicle; The control unit is further configured to direct the ambient air or temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit to the heat exchange channel.

3. The thermal management control device as described in claim 1, wherein, The parameter determination unit is configured as follows: The measured temperature at multiple locations inside the battery pack is obtained as the current temperature; The maximum permissible discharge power is determined as follows: Obtain the state of charge of the battery pack; Based on the measured temperature at the multiple locations, the state of charge, and the relationship between the battery discharge power characteristics, the maximum allowable discharge power of the battery pack is determined.

4. The thermal management control device as described in claim 3, wherein, The control unit is further configured as follows: If at least one of the measured temperatures in the current temperature range is equal to or higher than the upper limit of the effective operating temperature range, then the operating mode of the air conditioning unit is set to cooling mode. If at least one of the measured temperatures in the current temperature range is equal to or lower than the lower limit of the effective operating temperature range, then the operating mode of the air conditioning unit is set to heating mode. If the current temperature is within the effective operating temperature range, then a cooling mode or a heating mode is set based on the distribution characteristics of multiple measured temperatures within the current temperature; and / or Based on the current temperature, determine the windshield level of the air conditioning unit.

5. The thermal management control device as described in claim 1, wherein, The effective operating temperature range includes an optimal operating temperature range with an optimal upper limit and an optimal lower limit, wherein the battery pack has the maximum power output capability within the optimal operating temperature range.

6. The thermal management control device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the parameter determination unit is further configured to: acquire the ambient temperature and the target temperature of the vehicle's cockpit; The control unit is further configured as follows: In response to the thermal management response mode being determined to be the second mode: when the ambient temperature is lower than the lower limit of the optimal operating temperature range of the battery pack, at least one of the measured temperatures of the current temperature is higher than the upper limit of the optimal operating temperature range, and the target temperature of the passenger compartment is higher than the ambient temperature, the ambient air is used to regulate the temperature of the battery pack.

7. The thermal management control device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the parameter determination unit is further configured to: acquire the operating parameters of the air conditioning device and the temperature of the temperature regulating gas; The control unit is further configured as follows: In response to the thermal management response mode being determined to be the second mode: Based on the operating parameters, determine whether the air conditioning unit has remaining temperature control capacity; A temperature gradient is determined based on the measured temperatures at multiple locations inside the battery pack at the current temperature. If the air conditioning unit has remaining temperature control capacity, then when the temperature gradient is less than the temperature gradient threshold, or when the temperature gradient is not less than the temperature gradient threshold but the temperature of the temperature-regulating gas is between the highest and lowest measured temperatures among the multiple locations, a portion of the temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit is selected to regulate the temperature of the battery pack.

8. The thermal management control device as described in claim 7, wherein, The control unit is further configured as follows: If the target temperature in the passenger cabin is lower than the ambient temperature, and the operating parameters meet the first low-load condition, then it is determined that the air conditioning unit has remaining temperature control capacity; or If the target temperature of the passenger cabin is higher than the ambient temperature, and the operating parameters meet the second low load condition, then it is determined that the air conditioning unit has remaining temperature regulation capacity.

9. The thermal management control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the air conditioning unit includes a compressor, an expansion valve, and a heater; The first low-load condition includes: The compressor speed is lower than the preset speed threshold of the compressor and / or the opening degree of the expansion valve is lower than the preset opening degree threshold of the expansion valve; as well as The second low load condition includes: the heater power is lower than a preset power threshold of the heater.

10. The thermal management control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heat exchange channel has an air inlet and an exhaust outlet; The parameter determination unit further acquires the temperature at the air inlet and the temperature at the air outlet; The control unit is further configured to adjust the airflow of the temperature-regulating gas guided to the heat exchange channel based on the temperature difference between the temperature at the air inlet and the temperature at the air outlet.

11. The thermal management control device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to: prohibit the air conditioning unit from receiving air conditioning commands from the occupants of the vehicle when the thermal management response mode of the battery pack is determined to be a first mode; and When the thermal management response mode of the battery pack is determined to be the second mode, the air conditioning unit is allowed to receive air conditioning commands from the occupants of the vehicle.

12. A thermal management method for a battery pack in a vehicle, comprising: Based on at least one of the current temperature inside the battery pack and the battery power requirement of the vehicle, a thermal management response mode for the battery pack is determined. If the current temperature exceeds the effective operating temperature range of the battery pack, or if the current temperature does not exceed the effective operating temperature range but the battery power requirement is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable discharge power, then the thermal management response mode is determined to be a first mode. If the current temperature does not exceed the effective operating temperature range and the battery power requirement is less than the maximum allowable discharge power, then the thermal management response mode is determined to be a second mode. Based on the thermal management response mode, determining whether to use temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit of the vehicle to regulate the temperature of the battery pack includes: in response to the thermal management response mode being determined to be the first mode, setting the operating mode of the air conditioning unit to generate temperature-regulating gas, and using the generated temperature-regulating gas to regulate the temperature of the battery pack; and in response to the thermal management response mode being determined to be the second mode, selectively using ambient air or a portion of the temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit to regulate the temperature of the battery pack.

13. The thermal management method of claim 12, wherein regulating the temperature of the battery pack using the ambient air or temperature-regulating gas includes: The ambient air or temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit is guided to the heat exchange channel, wherein the heat exchange channel is disposed on the wall of the battery pack housing and connected to the air conditioning unit.

14. The thermal management method as described in claim 12, wherein, The current temperature includes the measured temperature at multiple locations inside the battery pack; The maximum permissible discharge power is determined as follows: Obtain the state of charge of the battery pack; Based on the relationship between the current temperature, the state of charge, and the battery discharge power characteristics, the maximum allowable discharge power of the battery pack is determined.

15. The thermal management method as described in claim 14, wherein, The operating modes of the air conditioning unit include: If at least one of the measured temperatures in the current temperature range is equal to or higher than the upper limit of the effective operating temperature range, then the operating mode of the air conditioning unit is set to cooling mode. If at least one of the measured temperatures in the current temperature range is equal to or lower than the lower limit of the effective operating temperature range, then the operating mode of the air conditioning unit is set to heating mode. If the current temperature is within the effective operating temperature range, then a cooling mode or a heating mode is set based on the distribution characteristics of multiple measured temperatures within the current temperature; and / or Based on the current temperature, determine the windshield level of the air conditioning unit.

16. The thermal management method as described in claim 12, wherein, The effective operating temperature range includes an optimal operating temperature range with an optimal upper limit and an optimal lower limit, wherein the battery pack has the maximum power output capability within the optimal operating temperature range.

17. The thermal management method of claim 16, further comprising: In response to the thermal management response mode being determined to be the second mode: Obtain the ambient temperature and the target temperature of the vehicle's cockpit; When the ambient temperature is lower than the lower limit of the optimal operating temperature range of the battery pack, at least one of the measured temperatures is higher than the upper limit of the optimal operating temperature range, and the target temperature of the passenger cabin is higher than the ambient temperature, the ambient air is used to regulate the temperature of the battery pack.

18. The thermal management method of claim 17, further comprising: In response to the thermal management response mode being determined to be the second mode: Obtain the operating parameters of the air conditioning unit and the temperature of the temperature-regulating gas; Based on the operating parameters, determine whether the air conditioning unit has remaining temperature control capacity; A temperature gradient is determined based on the measured temperatures at multiple locations inside the battery pack at the current temperature. If the air conditioning unit has remaining temperature control capacity, then when the temperature gradient is less than the temperature gradient threshold, or when the temperature gradient is not less than the temperature gradient threshold but the temperature of the temperature-regulating gas is between the highest and lowest measured temperatures among the multiple locations, a portion of the temperature-regulating gas generated by the air conditioning unit is selected to regulate the temperature of the battery pack.

19. The thermal management method as described in claim 18, wherein, The steps for determining whether the air conditioning unit has remaining temperature control capacity include: If the target temperature in the passenger cabin is lower than the ambient temperature, and the operating parameters meet the first low-load condition, then it is determined that the air conditioning unit has remaining temperature control capacity; or If the target temperature of the passenger cabin is higher than the ambient temperature, and the operating parameters meet the second low load condition, then it is determined that the air conditioning unit has remaining temperature regulation capacity.

20. The thermal management method as described in claim 19, wherein: The air conditioning unit includes a compressor, an expansion valve, and a heater; The first low-load condition includes: the compressor speed is lower than a preset speed threshold and / or the expansion valve opening is lower than a preset opening threshold; and The second low load condition includes: the heater power is lower than a preset power threshold of the heater.

21. The thermal management method as described in claim 13, wherein: The heat exchange channel has an air inlet and an exhaust outlet; The process of guiding the ambient air or temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit to the heat exchange channel includes: The temperature at the air inlet and the temperature at the air outlet are obtained; The airflow of the temperature-regulating gas guided to the heat exchange channel is adjusted based on the temperature difference between the air inlet and the air outlet.

22. The thermal management method as described in claim 12, wherein, When the thermal management response mode of the battery pack is determined to be the first mode, the air conditioning unit is prohibited from accepting air conditioning commands from the occupants of the vehicle. When the thermal management response mode of the battery pack is determined to be the second mode, the air conditioning unit is allowed to receive air conditioning commands from the occupants of the vehicle.

23. A thermal management system for a battery pack in a vehicle, comprising: Storage media containing machine-readable programs; The processing unit is configured to communicate with the air conditioning unit of the vehicle and to execute the machine-readable program to implement the thermal management method as described in any one of claims 12 to 22.

24. The thermal management system of claim 23, further comprising: The heat exchange channel is located on the wall of the battery pack housing; The first pipeline is connected between the heat exchange channel and the air outlet of the air conditioning unit, and is used to introduce temperature-regulating gas from the air conditioning unit into the heat exchange channel. An electric damper, installed on the first pipeline, is used to adjust the amount of gas introduced into the heat exchange channel through the first pipeline based on instructions from the processing unit. The second pipeline is connected between the heat exchange channel and the air inlet of the air conditioning unit, and is used to introduce ambient air into the heat exchange channel. An air extraction device, which is installed on the second pipeline, is used to adjust the amount of gas flowing into the heat exchange channel from the air inlet of the air conditioning unit based on instructions from the processing unit.

25. A machine-readable program product comprising a machine-readable program, wherein the machine-readable program, when executed by one or more controllers, implements the thermal management method as described in any one of claims 12 to 22.

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