Battery Temperature Management System

Abstract

To provide a battery temperature control system capable of cooling a battery even during a vehicle stop and an idle stop.SOLUTION: A battery temperature control system 13 comprises a battery 130, a housing 131, an air intake passage 132, an air discharge passage 133, and a control part. The battery 130 is mounted in an engine room 1a. The housing 131 houses the battery 130 in its internal space 131a. The air intake passage 132 connects the internal space 131a with a vehicle cabin 1b. The air discharge passage 133 connects the internal space 131a with an inner space of a tire house 1g.The control part drives a radiator fan 12 during stopping of a vehicle. During travelling and stopping of the vehicle, the inner space of the tire house 1g is brought into a negative pressure state, and air introduced to the internal space 131a through the air intake passage 132 passes through the air discharge passage 133 and flows into the tire house 1g. As a result, the battery 130 housed in the internal space 131a is cooled.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery temperature management system, and more particularly to a battery temperature management system mounted in an engine compartment of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Lead-acid batteries have traditionally been used as batteries mounted on vehicles, but in recent years, replacement with nonaqueous electrolyte batteries such as lithium-ion batteries, which have a higher energy density than lead-acid batteries, has been considered. As described above, nonaqueous electrolyte batteries have a higher energy density than lead-acid batteries, and therefore can be made smaller and lighter. For this reason, by replacing lead-acid batteries with nonaqueous electrolyte batteries, it is possible to reduce the weight and size of the entire vehicle, and also to increase the freedom of vehicle design.

[0003] In vehicles, lead-acid batteries are typically installed in the engine compartment, and therefore, when replacing lead-acid batteries with non-aqueous electrolyte batteries, it is preferable from the standpoint of vehicle design to install the batteries in the engine compartment.

[0004] Here, since batteries generate power through electrochemical reactions, temperature management is important. In particular, temperature management for nonaqueous electrolyte batteries is more important than for conventional lead batteries. For example, when a nonaqueous electrolyte battery is placed in a high-temperature environment, problems such as performance degradation and shortened lifespan are likely to occur. For this reason, conventional lead batteries were cooled using wind from running or the wind from a radiator fan, but when replacing them with nonaqueous electrolyte batteries, the cooling means for the battery becomes an even more important issue. In response to such problems, various cooling means for batteries mounted in the engine room have been considered (Patent Document 1).

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe are connected to a housing that houses a battery. The air inlet pipe is extended to a location where outside air can be introduced, and the air outlet pipe is connected to an air duct for sending air to the engine. When the engine is running, negative pressure is generated at the connection point of the air outlet pipe to the air duct, which creates an air flow from the air inlet pipe through the housing to the air duct, cooling the battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-178814 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the battery is cooled using the air flow caused by the negative intake pressure, which poses a problem in that the battery cannot be cooled during idling stop, etc.

[0008] Although it is possible to provide a dedicated fan for cooling the battery, this would require securing an area for the fan in the engine compartment, which would negate the advantage of compactness achieved by replacing the lead-acid battery with a non-aqueous electrolyte battery, and would also lead to increased costs due to the provision of a dedicated fan.

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a battery temperature management system that can cool a battery even when the vehicle is stopped or during idling stop. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A battery temperature management system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a battery, a housing, a first air passage, a second air passage, and a control unit. The battery is mounted in an engine room of a vehicle provided with a radiator fan. The housing accommodates the battery. The first air passage is connected to the housing and is an air passage for introducing air into the housing from outside the engine room. The second air passage is connected to the housing and is an air passage for directing air from inside the housing to outside the engine room. The control unit drives the radiator fan while the vehicle is stopped.

[0011] The vehicle equipped with the battery temperature management system according to the present aspect has an engine mounted in the engine room, and an undercover that covers a lower portion of the engine room in a vertical direction. In the battery temperature management system according to the present aspect, the second ventilation path is disposed at a location where an end thereof opposite to the end connected to the housing is in a negative pressure state when the vehicle is running, and when the vehicle is stopped and the radiator fan is driven. Cage , The location where the negative pressure occurs is the inner space of the tire house or the inner space of the floor tunnel. .

[0012] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, one end of the second ventilation passage is connected to the housing, and the other end (the end on the opposite side) is disposed at a location where the negative pressure state occurs. The negative pressure state is a negative pressure state generated by wind while the vehicle is traveling, and a negative pressure state generated by disturbances in the wind flow caused by driving the radiator fan while the vehicle is stopped.

[0013] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, when the vehicle is running, a negative pressure state is generated by the wind while the vehicle is running, causing air to flow from the first air passage through the housing to the second air passage, thereby cooling the battery. In addition, in the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, when the vehicle is stopped, a negative pressure state is generated by the operation of the radiator fan, causing air to flow from the first air passage through the housing to the second air passage, thereby cooling the battery. Note that, in the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the second air passage is not connected to an air duct in which a negative pressure state is generated only when the engine is running, as in the device disclosed in Patent Document 1, and therefore the battery is cooled even during idling stop.

[0014] In addition, in the battery temperature management system of the above embodiment, rather than providing a dedicated fan for cooling the battery mounted in the engine compartment, the end of the second air passage is positioned at a location where a negative pressure state is generated by driving the existing radiator fan, thereby preventing the system from becoming larger and costs from increasing. In addition, in the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the lower part of the engine room is covered with an undercover, and the location where the negative pressure state is set is the inner space of the tire house or the inner space of the floor tunnel. Here, the inventors have determined, as a result of intensive research, that when the lower part of the engine room is covered with an undercover, the location where the negative pressure state is set (the location where the negative pressure state is set around the engine room) both when the vehicle is running and when the radiator fan is driven when the vehicle is stopped is the inner space of the tire house or the inner space of the floor tunnel. Thus, in the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the other end of the second air passage is disposed in the inner space of the tire house or the inner space of the floor tunnel. Therefore, in the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the battery mounted in the engine room can be cooled regardless of whether the vehicle is running or stopped.

[0015] As described above, the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect can cool the battery not only when the vehicle is running, but also when the vehicle is stopped or idle-stopped.

[0018] In the battery temperature management system of the above aspect, it is also possible that the area that becomes negative pressure is a wheel house, the vehicle has a splash shield that separates the engine room and the wheel house, the splash shield has a drive shaft insertion portion through which a drive shaft for transmitting driving force generated by the engine to wheels arranged in the wheel house passes, and the second air passage is arranged in the inner space of the wheel house via the drive shaft insertion portion.

[0019] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the other end of the second air passage is arranged in the inner space of the tire house. The second air passage is inserted into the inner space of the tire house via the drive shaft insertion portion of the splash shield. In this way, by arranging the other end of the second air passage in the inner space of the tire house using the drive shaft insertion portion of the splash shield, there is no need to open a hole or the like in the vehicle body to insert the second air passage.

[0020] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the second ventilation passage may have a vertical extension portion formed so as to extend in a vertical direction.

[0021] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the second ventilation passage has a vertical extension. Therefore, even if water or foreign matter enters from the other end of the second ventilation passage, the vertical extension can prevent the water or foreign matter from entering the housing. Therefore, high safety of the battery can be ensured.

[0022] In the battery temperature management system of the above aspect, the second air passage may further have a cross-direction extension portion connected to a lower end of the vertical extension portion and formed to extend from the lower end in a direction crossing the vertical direction.

[0023] The battery temperature management system according to the above aspect has a cross-direction extending portion that is connected at the lower end of the vertical extending portion and extends in the cross direction. Therefore, even if water or foreign matter enters from the other end of the second ventilation passage, the water or foreign matter that has entered collides with the intersection between the vertical extending portion and the cross-direction extending portion, and the water or foreign matter can be prevented from entering the housing side beyond the intersection. Therefore, a higher level of safety of the battery can be ensured.

[0024] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the second ventilation passage may be connected to a bottom of the housing.

[0025] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the second ventilation passage is connected to the bottom of the housing. Therefore, even if water or foreign matter enters from the other end of the second ventilation passage, the water or foreign matter can be reliably prevented from entering the housing. In addition, even if condensation occurs in the second ventilation passage, the condensed water can be prevented from entering the housing. Furthermore, even if condensation occurs inside the housing, the condensed water is discharged through the second ventilation passage. Therefore, a higher level of safety of the battery can be ensured.

[0026] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the first air passage may have an end opposite to the end connected to the housing that is positioned in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0027] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the first air passage is provided to connect the vehicle interior and the housing. Since the temperature in the vehicle interior is more stably managed than in the engine room or outside the vehicle, introducing air from the vehicle interior into the housing is suitable for managing the battery in an appropriate temperature range.

[0028] In the battery temperature management system of the above-mentioned aspect, the control unit can acquire the engine water temperature, the engine compartment temperature, and the battery temperature, and drive the radiator fan when the engine water temperature, the engine compartment temperature, and the battery temperature each exceed a predetermined specified temperature while the vehicle is stopped.

[0029] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, when the vehicle is stopped, the system determines whether the engine water temperature, the engine room temperature, and the battery temperature each exceed a predetermined temperature, and then decides whether to drive the radiator fan. Therefore, even when the vehicle is stopped, the radiator fan is not driven unnecessarily, which reduces power consumption and vehicle vibration.

[0030] In the battery temperature management system according to the above aspect, the battery may be a non-aqueous electrolyte battery.

[0031] The battery temperature management system according to the above embodiment employs a non-aqueous electrolyte battery as the battery. Although non-aqueous electrolyte batteries are prone to problems such as performance degradation and shortened life span when exposed to high temperatures, as described above, the battery can be cooled while the vehicle is running or stopped, and even during idling stop, thereby making it possible to suppress deterioration in battery performance and shortened life span. Effect of the Invention

[0032] In the battery temperature management system according to each of the above aspects, the battery can be cooled even when the vehicle is stopped or during an idling stop. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a partial configuration of a vehicle to which a battery temperature management system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration inside an engine room. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of an engine room and a tire housing. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the air flow when the fan is driven. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a battery temperature management system. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an exhaust path connected to a housing. [Figure 7] 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration related to control of a battery temperature management system. FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart showing a battery cooling method executed by a controller. [Figure 9] 1A is a schematic diagram for explaining the mechanism for exhausting air from the housing when the vehicle is moving, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram for explaining the mechanism for exhausting air from the housing when the vehicle is stopped. [Figure 10] 4 is a graph showing changes in battery temperature when the vehicle is moving and when the vehicle is stopped. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment except for the essential configuration.

[0035] In the drawings used in the following description, "Up" indicates vertically upward, "Lo" indicates vertically downward, "Fr" indicates the front of the vehicle, and "Re" indicates the rear of the vehicle.

[0036] 1. Engine room 1a of vehicle 1 The configuration within an engine room 1a of a vehicle 1 to which a battery temperature management system 13 according to this embodiment is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

[0037] 1 and 2, the vehicle 1 has an engine room 1a in which an engine 10 is mounted at the front, a passenger compartment 1c located behind the engine room 1a across a dash panel 1c, and a floor tunnel 1e connected to the engine room 1a and located below the passenger compartment 1c in the center of the vehicle width direction. The engine room 1a is covered at the top by a bonnet 1f and at the bottom by an undercover 1d.

[0038] In addition to the engine 10, the engine room 1a is equipped with a radiator 11, a radiator fan 12, and a battery temperature management system 13. The radiator 11 and the radiator fan 12 are disposed in front of the engine 10 and are devices for cooling the coolant for the engine 10.

[0039] The battery temperature management system 13 has a battery 130, a housing 131 that houses the battery 130, and an intake path (first air passage) 132 and an exhaust path (second air passage) 133 connected to the housing 131. In the battery temperature management system 13 according to this embodiment, a nonaqueous electrolyte battery (e.g., a lithium ion battery) is used as an example of the battery 130.

[0040] One end of the intake passage 132 is connected to the housing 131, and the other end is disposed in the vehicle interior 1b through the dash panel 1c. The intake passage 132 is a passage for introducing air from the vehicle interior 1b into the housing 131. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, one end of the exhaust passage 133 is connected to the housing 131, and the other end is disposed in the internal section of the wheel well 1g.

[0041] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the tire house 1g is covered in the front-rear direction by a mudguard 19, and the inside in the vehicle width direction is covered by splash shields 20, 21. The splash shield (front splash shield) 20 is disposed forward of the portion (drive shaft insertion portion) through which the drive shaft 18 is inserted, and the splash shield (rear splash shield) 21 is disposed rearward of the portion (drive shaft insertion portion) through which the drive shaft 18 is inserted. A gap G is provided between the front splash shield 20 and the rear splash shield 21 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1. This gap G is the drive shaft insertion portion. An exhaust passage 133 of the battery temperature management system 13 is disposed in the inner space of the tire house 1g, passing through the gap G which is the drive shaft insertion portion.

[0042] 2, the housing 131 of the battery temperature management system 13 is disposed in a position between the front frame 14 and the apron frame 15 to which the fender panel 17 is joined in the vertical direction of the vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the housing 131 is disposed inside the suspension tower 16 in the vehicle width direction.

[0043] 2. Air flow when the radiator fan 12 is driven while the vehicle 1 is stopped The air flow when the radiator fan 12 is driven while the vehicle 1 is stopped will be described with reference to FIG.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 4, when the radiator fan 12 is driven, air is taken in from the outside of the vehicle 1 into the engine room 1a (arrow A1). At this time, the air passes through the radiator 11. The air taken in the engine room 1a is led out through a gap G between the front splash shield 20 and the rear splash shield 21 into the inner space of the wheel well 1g (arrow A2). Then, the air passes through a gap between the wheel well 22 disposed in the inner space of the wheel well 1g (arrow A3), and is discharged to the outside of the vehicle 1.

[0045] In addition, since the lower part of the engine room 1a is covered with an undercover 1d and the upper part is covered with a bonnet 1f, the exhaust path of air from the engine room 1a is a path that passes through the gap G.

[0046] Although not shown in FIG. 4, air from the engine compartment 1a is also discharged into the inner space of the floor tunnel 1e.

[0047] When the vehicle 1 is stopped, a negative pressure state is generated in the inner space of the wheel well 1g and the inner space of the floor tunnel 1e, which are exhaust sections for the air taken into the engine compartment 1a by the driving of the radiator fan 12.

[0048] 3. Configuration of Battery Temperature Management System 13 The configuration of the battery temperature management system 13 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the housing 131 from the vehicle width direction, and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the housing 131 and the exhaust path 133 from the front.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 5, the housing 131 has an internal space 131a having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The internal space 131a of the housing 131 houses a battery 130. Note that, although Figs. 5 and 6 show a state in which the battery 130 is placed on the bottom wall 131c of the housing 131, a gap may be provided between the bottom wall 131c of the housing 131 and the battery 130.

[0050] 5, intake path 132 penetrates rear sidewall 131b of housing 131 and is connected to internal space 131a of housing 131. Exhaust path 133 penetrates bottom wall 131c of housing 131 and is connected to internal space 131a of housing 131. Note that the connection port of intake path 132 to internal space 131a of housing 131 and the connection port of exhaust path 133 to internal space 131a of housing 131 are provided at positions that are not blocked by battery 130.

[0051] Air from inside the vehicle compartment 1b is introduced into the internal space 131a of the housing 131 through an air intake passage 132. After cooling the battery 130, the introduced air is sent to the inner space of the wheel housing 1g through an exhaust passage 133 and then discharged to the outside of the vehicle 1.

[0052] 6, the exhaust path 133 has a vertical extension portion 133a and a width direction extension portion 133b. The vertical extension portion 133a is connected at its upper end to the internal space 131a of the housing 131, and is formed so as to extend along the vertical direction. Note that the direction in which the vertical extension portion 133a extends does not need to strictly match the vertical direction.

[0053] The widthwise extending portion 133b is connected to the vertical extending portion 133a at a lower end thereof and is formed to extend along the vehicle width direction. The end opening 133c of the widthwise extending portion 133b is inserted through the gap G and disposed in the inner space of the tire house 1g as described above.

[0054] 4. Configuration related to control of battery temperature management system 13 The configuration relating to the control of the battery temperature management system 13 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 7, the battery temperature management system 13 has a controller (control unit) 134. The controller 134 is configured to have a microprocessor including an MPU / CPU, an ASIC, a ROM, a RAM, etc., and a memory. The controller 134 is signal-connected to each of the engine water temperature detection unit 23, the engine room temperature detection unit 24, the battery temperature detection unit 25, the vehicle speed detection unit 26, and the radiator fan 12. The controller 134 has a vehicle speed determination unit 134a, an engine water temperature determination unit 134b, an engine room temperature determination unit 134c, a battery temperature determination unit 134d, and a fan drive command unit 134e. The roles played by these units will be described later.

[0056] The controller 134 executes firmware pre-stored in the memory based on the detection information acquired from each of the detectors 23-26, thereby performing drive control of the radiator fan 12.

[0057] 5. Cooling method of the battery 130 by the battery temperature management system 13 A method for cooling the battery 130 by the battery temperature management system 13 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0058] 8, the controller 134 of the battery temperature management system 13 reads the engine water temperature Tw, the engine room temperature Tr, the battery temperature Tb, and the vehicle speed V from the detection units 23-26 (step S1). Note that the reading of each detection result is performed continuously or intermittently while the key of the vehicle 1 is in the on state.

[0059] Next, the vehicle speed determination unit 134a of the controller 134 determines whether the read vehicle speed V is equal to or lower than a preset predetermined speed Vth (step S2). The determination by the vehicle speed determination unit 134a in step S2 is a determination of whether the vehicle 1 is substantially stopped. Therefore, the predetermined speed Vth can be set to, for example, 5 km / h.

[0060] When the vehicle speed determination unit 134a determines that the vehicle speed V exceeds the predetermined speed Vth (step S2: NO), the control is returned. In this case, it is determined that the vehicle 1 is traveling. For example, as shown in FIG. 9(a), when the vehicle 1 is traveling at a speed Vx that is higher than 5 km / h, a negative pressure is generated in the wheel well 1g by the traveling wind B1.

[0061] When the inner space of the tire house 1g becomes negative pressure due to the traveling wind B1, air in the vehicle interior 1b is sucked into the internal space 131a of the housing 131 through the intake passage 132 (arrow B2). The air introduced into the internal space 131a of the housing 131 cools the battery 130 by flowing through the internal space 131a (arrow B3), and is exhausted into the inner space of the tire house 1g through the exhaust passage 133 (arrow B4). In this way, while the vehicle 1 is traveling, the battery 130 can be cooled by utilizing the negative pressure generated in the inner space of the tire house 1g by the traveling wind B1, even if the radiator fan 12 is not necessarily driven.

[0062] Returning to FIG. 8, when the vehicle speed determination unit 134a determines that the vehicle speed V is equal to or lower than the predetermined speed Vth and the vehicle 1 is substantially stopped (step S2: YES), the engine water temperature determination unit 134b determines whether the read engine water temperature Tw is equal to or lower than the preset predetermined water temperature Tw th It is determined whether it is higher than (step S3).

[0063] The engine water temperature determination unit 134b determines whether the vehicle speed V is a predetermined water temperature Tw th If it is determined that the temperature Tr is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature Tr (step S3: NO), the engine room temperature determination unit 134c determines whether the read engine room temperature Tr is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature Tr th It is determined whether it is higher than (step S4).

[0064] The engine room temperature determination unit 134c determines whether the engine room temperature Tr is a predetermined temperature Tr th If it is determined that the battery temperature Tb is equal to or lower than the preset temperature Tb (step S4: NO), the battery temperature determination unit 134d th (Step S5). If the results of all the determination steps from Step S3 to Step S5 are "NO", the controller 134 returns control. That is, even if the vehicle 1 is stopped, if it is determined that there is no need to drive the radiator fan 12 to generate a negative pressure state in the inner space of the wheel house 1g to cool the battery 130, the control is returned.

[0065] On the other hand, if any of the judgment steps from step S3 to step S5 is "YES", the fan drive command unit 134e of the controller 134 drives the radiator fan 12 (step S6). As shown in Fig. 9(b), when the vehicle 1 is substantially stopped (including a state in which the vehicle 1 is traveling at an extremely constant speed due to traffic congestion), the air C1 taken into the engine compartment 1a is discharged from the inner space of the tire house 1g to the outside of the vehicle 1 (arrow C5) by driving the radiator fan 12. At this time, the inner space of the tire house 1g is in a negative pressure state.

[0066] When the inner space of the wheel house 1g is put into a negative pressure state as a result of the driving of the radiator fan 12, air in the vehicle interior 1b is drawn into the internal space 131a of the housing 131 through the intake passage 132 (arrow C2). The air introduced into the internal space 131a of the housing 131 cools the battery 130 by flowing through the internal space 131a (arrow C3), and is exhausted into the inner space of the wheel house 1g through the exhaust passage 133 (arrow C4). In this way, even when the vehicle 1 is stopped, the inner space of the wheel house 1g is put into a negative pressure state as the radiator fan 12 is driven, so that the battery 130 can be cooled.

[0067] 6.Effects In the battery temperature management system 13 according to this embodiment, one end of the exhaust passage (second ventilation passage) 133 is connected to the internal space 131a of the housing 131, and the other end (the end opening 133c of the widthwise extension portion 133b) is disposed in the inner space of the wheel house 1g. The inner space of the wheel house 1g is in a negative pressure state due to the running wind B1 when the vehicle 1 is running, and is in a negative pressure state due to wind disturbances generated by the driving of the radiator fan 12 when the vehicle 1 is stopped.

[0068] In the battery temperature management system 13, when the vehicle 1 is traveling, a negative pressure state is generated by the traveling wind B1, and an air flow (B2 to B4) is generated from the intake passage 132 through the internal space 131a of the housing 131 to the exhaust passage 133, thereby cooling the battery 130. In addition, in the battery temperature management system 13, when the vehicle 1 is stopped, a negative pressure state is generated in the inner space of the wheel house 1g as the radiator fan 12 is driven, and an air flow (C2 to C4) is generated from the intake passage 132 through the internal space 131a of the housing 131 to the exhaust passage 133, thereby cooling the battery 130. Note that in the battery temperature management system 13, unlike the device disclosed in the above Patent Document 1, the exhaust passage 133 is not connected to an air duct in which a negative pressure state is generated only when the engine is running, and therefore the battery 130 is cooled even during an idle stop.

[0069] Furthermore, in the battery temperature management system 13, instead of providing a dedicated fan for cooling the battery 130 mounted in the engine room 1a, the internal space of the wheel house 1g is kept in a negative pressure state by driving the existing radiator fan 12 even when the vehicle is stopped, and an air flow is created by locating the end of the exhaust passage 133 in the internal space of the wheel house 1g, thereby preventing the system from becoming larger and costs from increasing.

[0070] In the vehicle 1 to which the battery temperature management system 13 according to the present embodiment is applied, a configuration is adopted in which the lower part of the engine room 1a is covered with an undercover 1d. The inventors have found that when the lower part of the engine room 1a is covered with an undercover 1d as in the present embodiment, the area (the area around the engine room 1a that is in a negative pressure state) is the inner space of the wheel house 1g or the inner space of the floor tunnel 1e when the radiator fan 12 is driven while the vehicle 1 is running and when the vehicle 1 is stopped. In particular, it has been found that the inner space of the wheel house 1g is in a more negative pressure state than the inner space of the floor tunnel 1e when the radiator fan 12 is driven while the vehicle 1 is running or when the vehicle 1 is stopped. In the battery temperature management system 13 according to the present embodiment, based on the above-mentioned findings, the end opening 133c of the exhaust passage 133 is arranged in the inner space of the wheel house 1g. Therefore, in the battery temperature management system 13, the battery 130 mounted in the engine compartment 1a can be reliably cooled regardless of whether the vehicle 1 is running or stopped.

[0071] The battery temperature management system 13 according to this embodiment employs a configuration in which the exhaust path 133 is connected to the wheel house 1g through the gap (drive shaft insertion portion) G between the front splash shield 20 and the rear splash shield 21. In this manner, by utilizing the gap (drive shaft insertion portion) G between the front splash shield 20 and the rear splash shield 21 to place the end opening 133c of the exhaust path 133 in the inner space of the wheel house 1g, it is not necessary to open a hole or the like in the vehicle body to insert the exhaust path 133 into the inner space of the wheel house 1g.

[0072] In the battery temperature management system 13, a configuration is adopted in which the exhaust path 133 has a vertical extension portion 133a. Therefore, even if water or foreign matter enters through the end opening 133c of the exhaust path 133, the vertical extension portion 133a can prevent the water or foreign matter from entering the internal space 131a of the housing 131. Therefore, a high level of safety of the battery 130 can be ensured.

[0073] In addition, the battery temperature management system 13 employs a configuration in which the exhaust path 133 also has a width direction extension portion (cross direction extension portion) 133b. Therefore, even if water or foreign matter enters through the end opening 133c of the exhaust path 133, the water or foreign matter that has entered collides with the intersection portion between the vertical extension portion 133a and the width direction extension portion 133b, and it is possible to prevent the water or foreign matter from entering the housing 131 side from the intersection portion. Therefore, it is possible to ensure higher safety of the battery 130.

[0074] In addition, in the battery temperature management system 13, the exhaust path 133 penetrates the bottom wall 131c and is connected to the internal space 131a of the housing 131. Therefore, even if water or foreign matter enters through the end opening 133c of the exhaust path 133, the water or foreign matter can be reliably prevented from entering the internal space 131a of the housing 131. In addition, even if condensation occurs in the exhaust path 133, the condensed water can be prevented from entering the internal space 131a of the housing 131. Furthermore, even if condensation occurs in the internal space 131a of the housing 131, the condensed water is discharged to the outside of the housing 131 through the exhaust path 133. Therefore, a higher level of safety of the battery 130 can be ensured.

[0075] In addition, in the battery temperature management system 13 according to this embodiment, an air intake passage (first air passage) 132 is provided to connect the vehicle interior 1b and the internal space 131a of the housing 131. The vehicle interior 1b is an area where people are present, and therefore the temperature is managed more stably than in the engine room 1a or outside the vehicle. Therefore, by introducing the air of the vehicle interior 1b into the internal space 131a of the housing 131, the battery 130 can be managed in an appropriate temperature range.

[0076] In addition, in the battery temperature management system 13 according to this embodiment, when the vehicle 1 is stopped, the water temperature of the engine 10, the temperature of the engine compartment 1a, and the temperature of the battery 130 are each set to a predetermined temperature Tw th ,Tr th ,Tb thIt is determined whether or not to drive the radiator fan 12 based on whether the maximum rotational speed of the vehicle 1 exceeds the predetermined value. Therefore, even when the vehicle 1 is stopped, the radiator fan 12 is not driven unnecessarily, so that it is possible to reduce power consumption and vibration of the vehicle 1.

[0077] Furthermore, the battery temperature management system 13 according to this embodiment employs a non-aqueous electrolyte battery (e.g., a lithium ion battery) as the battery 130. A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is prone to problems such as performance degradation and shortened life span when it becomes hot, but as described above, the battery temperature management system 13 according to this embodiment is capable of cooling the battery 130 while the vehicle 1 is running and stopped, and even during an idling stop, and is therefore capable of suppressing performance degradation and shortened life span of the battery 130.

[0078] As described above, in the battery temperature management system 13 according to this embodiment, the battery 130 can be cooled even when the vehicle 1 is stopped or at an idling stop, and deterioration of the performance and lifespan of the battery 130 can be suppressed.

[0079] 7. Confirmation of effectiveness The results of a simulation performed to confirm the above-mentioned effects will be explained with reference to FIG.

[0080] In this simulation, the following model was used.

[0081] (1) Examples The vehicle 1 equipped with the battery temperature management system 13 according to the above embodiment was used as an example.

[0082] (2) Comparative Example 1 A vehicle in which the conventional lead battery mounted in the engine compartment 1a was simply replaced with a non-aqueous electrolyte battery was used as Comparative Example 1.

[0083] (3) Comparative Example 2 In contrast to the vehicle of Comparative Example 1, a vehicle having a configuration in which the nonaqueous electrolyte battery was covered with a heat insulating material was used as Comparative Example 2.

[0084] (4) Simulation conditions In the simulation, the initial temperature was 25° C., the ambient temperature was 90° C., and the battery temperature was measured while the vehicles of the Example and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were stopped. For the vehicle of the Example, the battery temperature was also measured while the vehicle was running so that a negative pressure of −50 Pa was generated in the inner space of the wheel housing 1g.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 10, in the vehicle of Comparative Example 1, the battery temperature increased the longer the elapsed time after the vehicle was stopped, and exceeded 80° C. when the elapsed time exceeded 8 hours.

[0086] In the vehicle of Comparative Example 2, in which the battery was covered with insulating material, the degree of increase in battery temperature was lower than in the vehicle of Comparative Example 1, but the battery temperature increased as the elapsed time increased, and exceeded 50°C when more than 5 hours had elapsed.

[0087] On the other hand, when the vehicle 1 according to the embodiment was stopped, the battery temperature rose for about four hours after the vehicle was stopped, but thereafter the battery temperature was maintained at a substantially constant temperature (about 45° C.). It is believed that a temperature of this level can suppress the performance degradation and lifespan deterioration of the battery 130.

[0088] In addition, when the vehicle 1 according to the embodiment is driven, the negative pressure generated in the inner space of the wheel house 1g is higher than when the vehicle is stopped, so the battery temperature is kept constant at about 40°C after the elapsed time exceeds 2 hours. In this case, it is considered that the deterioration of the battery capacity and lifespan can be suppressed.

[0089] [Variations] In the above embodiment, the exhaust path 133 is arranged in the inner space of the tire house 1g, but the present invention is not limited to this. The exhaust path can be connected to a location that is in a negative pressure state when the vehicle is running and is also in a negative pressure state by driving the radiator fan when the vehicle is stopped. For example, it is also possible to arrange the end of the exhaust path in the inner space of the floor tunnel. In addition, it is also possible to arrange the end of the exhaust path in both the inner space of the tire house and the inner space of the floor tunnel by branching the exhaust path or providing two exhaust paths.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the intake passage 132 is connected to the vehicle interior 1b, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the end of the intake passage may be disposed outside the vehicle. However, it is necessary to connect the intake passage to a location where the pressure is higher than the location where the end of the exhaust passage is disposed.

[0091] In the above embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the exhaust path 133 penetrates the bottom wall 131c of the housing 131 and is connected to the internal space 131a of the housing 131, but the present invention is not limited to this. The exhaust path may also be connected to the internal space of the housing by penetrating a side wall of the housing.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the exhaust passage 133 having the vertical extension portion 133a and the widthwise extension portion 133b is used, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an exhaust passage consisting of only a portion extending along the vertical direction may be used, or an exhaust passage consisting of only a portion extending along the vehicle width direction may be used.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the radiator fan 12 is driven while the vehicle 1 is stopped, taking into consideration the engine water temperature Tw, the engine room temperature Tr, the battery temperature Tb, etc., but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, while the vehicle is stopped, a pressure detector may be provided at an end opening (an opening at an end opposite to the end connected to the housing) in the exhaust passage, and the radiator fan may be driven according to the pressure detected by the pressure detector. Also, when the vehicle is stopped, the radiator fan may be driven uniformly.

[0094] In the above embodiment, a non-aqueous electrolyte battery is used as an example of the battery 130, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a lead battery or an all-solid-state secondary battery may also be used.

[0095] In the above embodiment, the engine room 1a is provided at the front of the vehicle 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the above battery temperature management system can be applied to a vehicle in which the engine room is provided at the rear of the passenger compartment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1 vehicle 1a Engine Room 1d Under Panel 1g Tire house 10 Engine 12 Radiator fan 13 Battery temperature management system 18 Drive shaft 20 Front splash shield 21 Rear splash shield 130 batteries 131 Case 132 Intake passage (first air passage) 133 Exhaust duct (second ventilation duct) G Gap (drive shaft extension)

Claims

1. A battery mounted in an engine compartment of a vehicle in which a radiator fan is provided; A housing that houses the battery; a first air passage connected to the housing for introducing air from outside the engine compartment into the housing; a second air passage connected to the housing for leading air from inside the housing to outside the engine compartment; a control unit that drives the radiator fan while the vehicle is stopped; Equipped with The vehicle has an engine mounted in the engine room and an undercover that covers a vertical lower portion of the engine room, the second air passage is disposed at a location where an end portion on an opposite side to an end portion connected to the housing is in a negative pressure state when the vehicle is running and when the vehicle is stopped and the radiator fan is driven, The location where the negative pressure state occurs is the inner space of the tire house or the inner space of the floor tunnel. Battery temperature management system.

2. In the battery temperature management system according to claim 1, The location where the negative pressure occurs is an inner space of a tire house, The vehicle has a splash shield that separates the engine room and the tire house, the splash shield has a drive shaft insertion portion through which a drive shaft for transmitting driving force generated by the engine to wheels disposed in the wheel housing passes, The second air passage is disposed in an inner space of the tire house via the drive shaft insertion portion. Battery temperature management system.

3. In the battery temperature management system according to claim 1 or claim 2, The second ventilation passage has a vertical extension portion formed to extend in a vertical direction. Battery temperature management system.

4. The battery temperature management system according to claim 3, The second air passage further includes a cross-direction extending portion connected to a lower end of the vertical direction extending portion and extending from the lower end in a direction crossing the vertical direction. Battery temperature management system.

5. A battery temperature management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The second air passage is connected to a bottom of the housing. Battery temperature management system.

6. In the battery temperature management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The first air passage has an end portion opposite to the end portion connected to the housing, the end portion being disposed in a passenger compartment of the vehicle. Battery temperature management system.

7. In the battery temperature management system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The control unit is Acquiring a water temperature of the engine, a temperature of the engine compartment, and a temperature of the battery, driving the radiator fan when a water temperature of the engine, a temperature of the engine compartment, and a temperature of the battery exceed respective predetermined temperatures while the vehicle is stopped; Battery temperature management system.

8. In the battery temperature management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The battery is a non-aqueous electrolyte battery. Battery temperature management system.

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