ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE FEATURING A BATTERY COOLED BY AIR VIA A THREE-WAY VALVE

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) comprising a battery tray (1) including a battery, said vehicle (100) comprising a passenger compartment (5), a heating-ventilation-air conditioning system (3) and a duct (4) connecting said heating-ventilation-air conditioning system (3) and said battery tray (1), said duct (4) comprising a fan (6), said fan (6) being positioned opposite said battery tray (1), characterized in that said duct (4) comprises a three-way valve (7), said three-way valve (7) being positioned between the heating-ventilation-air conditioning system (3) and said fan (6), said three-way valve (7) comprising a first inlet (7a) oriented towards the heating-ventilation-air conditioning system (3), a second inlet (7b) oriented towards the passenger compartment (5) and a third inlet (7c) oriented towards the outside of the vehicle (100),said three-way valve (7) having an outlet directed towards said conduit (4). Figure 1,

Description

Title of the invention: ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A BATTERY COOLED BY AIR VIA A THREE-WAY VALVE

[0001] The invention relates to the cooling, or heating, of batteries of electric or hybrid motor vehicles.

[0002] Various means of maintaining the temperature of automotive traction batteries are known in the prior art. Plate cooling involves using a plate bonded above or below the battery tray, through which a heat transfer fluid, such as glycol water, flows to regulate the temperature. This method, while cost-effective, requires considerable thickness. Immersion cooling involves immersing the battery in a moving dielectric liquid, cooled or heated outside the battery tray, offering good thermal management at the cost of increased mass and system complexity. Finally, air cooling uses air, conditioned or unconditioned, to cool the battery, either in direct contact with the cells or by circulating around the battery tray.Although this method is less expensive, its performance is limited and may depend on the airflow generated by the vehicle's speed.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to allow the maintenance of an optimal battery temperature at a lower cost without increasing the weight, or even by reducing the weight, of the motor vehicle.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a battery tray including a battery, said vehicle comprising a passenger compartment, a heating-ventilation-air conditioning system and a duct connecting said heating-ventilation-air conditioning system and said battery tray, said duct comprising a fan, said fan being positioned opposite said battery tray, notable in that said duct comprises a three-way valve, said three-way valve being positioned between the heating-ventilation-air conditioning system and said fan, said three-way valve comprising a first inlet oriented towards the heating-ventilation-air conditioning system, a second inlet oriented towards the passenger compartment and a third inlet oriented towards the outside of the vehicle, said three-way valve comprising an outlet oriented towards said duct,said three-way valve being configured to open or close one or more inlets simultaneously.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, the air cooling of the battery is more efficient.

[0006] Advantageously, said vehicle comprising a front running gear and a rear running gear whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane defined by a first longitudinal direction corresponding to driving in a straight line, by a second transverse direction orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction and a third vertical direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction and is oriented away from the ground, said battery comprising an upper part and a lower part, the upper part being positioned above the lower part along the third direction.

[0007] Thus, the cooling of said battery is more efficient.

[0008] Advantageously, said conduit comprises a first straight part and a second infundibuliform part, said three-way valve being positioned in said first part.

[0009] Thus, the air spreads more efficiently in said battery tray.

[0010] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for cooling a battery of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle described above, said vehicle comprising an outside temperature sensor, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of measuring the outside temperature by said outside temperature sensor; - a step of opening said first inlet when the outside temperature is above a first predetermined threshold value, said second inlet and said third inlet being closed; - a step of opening said second inlet and / or said third inlet when the outside temperature is below a second predetermined threshold value, said first inlet being closed.

[0011] Thus, the configuration of the three-way valve changes so that fresh air enters said duct.

[0012] Advantageously, said opening step of said first input is executed when said battery is in charging phase.

[0013] This prevents the battery from overheating during the charging process.

[0014] Advantageously, said opening step of said second input and / or said third input is executed when said battery is in discharge phase.

[0015] This avoids using the battery to cool the air used for its cooling.

[0016] Preferably, said first predetermined threshold value is equal to 35°C.

[0017] Preferably, said second predetermined threshold value is equal to 30°C.

[0018] The invention will be further detailed by describing non-limiting embodiments, and based on the accompanying figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig.1] schematically illustrates an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a three-way valve having a first configuration according to an embodiment of the invention; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the vehicle shown in [Fig.1], the said three-way valve presenting a second configuration.

[0019] A vehicle 100 is schematically illustrated in [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2], comprising a front and a rear axle whose points of contact with the ground define a basic plane XY defined by a first longitudinal direction X corresponding to straight-line travel, a second transverse direction Y orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction X, and a third vertical direction Z orthogonal to the first direction X and the second direction Y and oriented away from the ground. The vehicle 100 includes a battery tray 1. The battery tray 1 comprises a battery preferably having an upper part 2a and a lower part 2b. The upper part 2a is positioned above the lower part 2b along the third direction Z.The vehicle 100 includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit 3 and a duct 4 connecting said HVAC unit 3 to said battery tray 1. Furthermore, said duct 4 includes a fan 6. The duct 4 includes a three-way valve 7. Preferably, said duct 4 has a first part and a second part. The first part is straight. The second part is funnel-shaped. In other words, said second part is funnel-shaped. The three-way valve 7 is positioned in said first part. The three-way valve 7 has a first inlet 7a directed towards said HVAC unit 3, a second inlet 7b directed towards the passenger compartment 5, and a third inlet 7c directed towards the outside of the vehicle 100. Each inlet is capable of opening or closing. Several inlets are capable of opening simultaneously.The three-way valve 7 has a single outlet directed towards said conduit 4, so that the air passing through said three-way valve 7 is discharged towards the ventilation 6. The fan 6 then directs the air towards said battery tray 1 in order to cool said battery.

[0020] Preferably, the vehicle 100 includes an outside temperature sensor. The invention further relates to a method for cooling said battery. The method includes a step of measuring the outside temperature by said outside temperature sensor. During an opening step of said first inlet 7a illustrated in [Fig. 1], said three-way valve 7 has a first configuration. The first inlet 7a is opened when the outside temperature is above a first predetermined threshold value and when, optionally, said battery is charging. Preferably, the first predetermined threshold value is equal to 35°C. In this case, the second inlet 7b and the third inlet 7c are closed. This is because the air from the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit 3 is lower than the outside temperature. Therefore, the airflow from the HVAC unit 3 to the three-way valve 7 directs the cool air towards the fan 6. The air is then blown towards the battery to cool it. The second inlet 7b is closed to prevent hot air from the passenger compartment 5 from entering. The third inlet 7c is closed to prevent hot air from the outside from entering. During an opening step of the second inlet 7b and / or the third inlet 7c, as illustrated in [Fig. 2], the three-way valve 7 is in a second configuration.The second inlet 7b and / or the third inlet 7c are opened when the outside temperature is below a second predetermined threshold value, and optionally when the battery is discharging. Preferably, this second predetermined threshold value is 30°C. The first inlet 7a is then closed. Thus, the air from the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system 3 is directed solely to the passenger compartment 5, maintaining the thermal comfort of the vehicle's occupants 100. Opening the second inlet 7b allows for the collection of fresh air from outside to cool the battery. Opening the third inlet 7c allows for the collection of air from the passenger compartment 5. The second inlet 7b and the third inlet 7c are capable of opening simultaneously.

Claims

Demands

1. Electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) comprising a battery tray (1) comprising a battery, said vehicle (100) comprising a passenger compartment (5), a heating-ventilation-air conditioning system (3) and a duct (4) connecting said heating-ventilation-air conditioning system (3) and said battery tray (1), said duct (4) comprising a fan (6), said fan (6) being positioned opposite said battery tray (1), characterized in that said duct (4) comprises a three-way valve (7), said three-way valve (7) being positioned between the heating-ventilation-air conditioning system (3) and said fan (6), said three-way valve (7) comprising a first inlet (7a) oriented towards the heating-ventilation-air conditioning system (3), a second inlet (7b) oriented towards the passenger compartment (5) and a third inlet (7c) oriented towards the outside of the vehicle (100),said three-way valve (7) having an outlet directed towards said conduit (4), said three-way valve (7) being configured to open or close one or more of the inlets simultaneously.

2. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 characterized in that said vehicle (100) comprising a front running gear and a rear running gear whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane (XY) defined by a first longitudinal direction (X) corresponding to driving in a straight line, by a second transverse direction (Y) orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction (X) and a third vertical direction (Z) orthogonal to the first direction (X) and to the second direction (Y) and is oriented away from the ground, said battery comprising an upper part (2a) and a lower part (2b), the upper part (2a) being positioned above the lower part (2b) along the third direction (Z).

3. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said conduit (4) comprises a first straight part and a second funnel-shaped part, said three-way valve (7) being positioned in said first part.

4. A method for cooling a battery of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, said vehicle (100) comprising a sensor of outdoor temperature, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of measuring the outdoor temperature by said outdoor temperature sensor; - a step of opening said first input (7a) when the outdoor temperature is above a first predetermined threshold value, said second input (7b) and said third input (7c) being closed; - a step of opening said second input (7b) and / or said third input (7c) when the outdoor temperature is below a second predetermined threshold value, said first input (7a) being closed.

5. Method according to claim 4 characterized in that said opening step of said first inlet (7a) is executed when said battery is in charging phase.

6. Method according to claim 4 or 5 characterized in that said opening step of said second inlet (7b) and / or said third inlet (7c) is performed when said battery is in discharge phase.

7. A method according to any one of claims 4 to 6 characterized in that said first predetermined threshold value is equal to 35°C.

8. A method according to any one of claims 4 to 7 characterized in that said second predetermined threshold value is equal to 30°C.

Images