Battery temperature regulator

Abstract

To provide a battery temperature adjustment device that can reduce power consumption of a battery.SOLUTION: A battery temperature adjustment device 10 cools or heats cooling water using power from a running battery 5 installed in a vehicle and cools by the cooling water or heats the battery 5 to an appropriate temperature to adjust the temperature of the battery 5. If a distance from a current location to a destination of a vehicle is greater than a predetermined distance, the battery temperature adjustment device adjusts the temperature of a battery so that the temperature of the battery is in a second temperature range. If the distance from the current location to the destination of the vehicle is equal to or less than the predetermined distance, the battery temperature adjustment device adjusts the temperature of the battery 5 at the minimum capacity required for the temperature of the battery 5 to be within a first temperature range wider than the second temperature range by the time when the vehicle arrives at the destination from the current location.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery temperature regulation device that regulates the temperature of a battery mounted on a vehicle for driving the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A hybrid vehicle (HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle)) or an electric vehicle (BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle)) is equipped with a battery for driving. Furthermore, a vehicle equipped with a battery has a battery temperature adjustment device that adjusts the temperature of the battery by cooling or heating the battery to an appropriate temperature (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-129987 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The battery temperature regulation device uses the battery's power to cool the coolant through a refrigeration cycle circuit, and then cools the battery with the coolant. The battery temperature regulation device also uses the battery's power to heat the coolant through a heater, and then heats the battery to an appropriate temperature with the coolant. Therefore, if the power consumption of the battery temperature regulation device can be reduced even slightly, the vehicle's cruising range can be improved.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a battery temperature regulation device that can reduce the power consumption of a battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The battery temperature regulation device of the present invention is a battery temperature regulation device that uses the power of a driving battery installed in a vehicle to cool or heat a heat medium, and cools or heats the battery to an appropriate temperature using the heat medium to regulate the temperature of the battery, and is characterized in that it has a first temperature range in which the battery output is limited outside that range, and a second temperature range in which the battery temperature has an upper limit temperature lower than that of the first temperature range and a lower limit temperature higher than that of the first temperature range, and is equipped with a control unit that adjusts the battery temperature so that the battery temperature is within the second temperature range when the distance from the vehicle's current location to the destination is greater than a predetermined distance, and adjusts the battery temperature with the minimum capacity required to keep the battery temperature within the first temperature range by the time the vehicle arrives at the destination from the current location when the distance from the vehicle's current location to the destination is less than the predetermined distance.

[0007] With the above configuration, the power consumption of the battery can be reduced.

[0008] In the battery temperature adjustment device of the present invention, it is preferable that the control unit calculates the minimum capacity based on at least the distance from the current location to the destination, gradient information from the current location to the destination, weather information from the current location to the destination, and traffic congestion information from the current location to the destination. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the battery temperature regulation device of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the battery. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a battery temperature regulating device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control unit. [Figure 3] 10 is a time-series graph of the temperature adjustment level and the battery temperature, illustrating an example of battery temperature regulation control at high outside air temperatures. [Figure 4] 10 is a time-series graph of the temperature adjustment level and the battery temperature, illustrating an example of battery temperature regulation control at low outside air temperatures. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of battery temperature regulation control. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. In the following description, specific shapes, materials, directions, numerical values, etc. are examples for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and can be appropriately changed according to the application, purpose, specifications, etc.

[0012] The battery temperature regulator 10 is a device that regulates the temperature of a battery 5 that is mounted on a vehicle and used for driving. The battery temperature regulator 10 can reduce the power consumption of the battery 5, as will be described in detail later.

[0013] [vehicle] The vehicle is a BEV that runs by driving a motor (not shown) using only the power of the battery 5. However, the vehicle of the present invention may also be an HEV that runs by driving a gasoline engine and a motor.

[0014] [Battery] The battery 5 includes a plurality of battery cells (single cells), and the battery cells are configured from, for example, lithium ion secondary batteries, nickel-metal hydride secondary batteries, or all-solid-state batteries. The battery 5 is provided with a battery temperature sensor 61 that detects the battery temperature.

[0015] If the temperature of the battery 5 is too high or too low, the performance of the battery 5 will be reduced, leading to damage to the battery cells or accelerated deterioration. Therefore, a first temperature range is set for the battery 5, and if the temperature of the battery 5 is outside the first temperature range, the output of the battery 5 is limited. Furthermore, the battery temperature regulator 10 normally adjusts the temperature of the battery 5 to be within a second temperature range whose upper limit temperature is lower and whose lower limit temperature is higher than those of the first temperature range.

[0016] [Battery temperature control device] The battery temperature regulator 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0017] 1, the battery temperature regulator 10 uses the power of the battery 5 to cool or heat coolant as a heat medium, and uses the coolant to cool or heat the battery 5 to an appropriate temperature. The battery temperature regulator 10 has a low-temperature side coolant circuit 20 that cools the battery 5, a refrigeration cycle circuit 30 that absorbs heat from the low-temperature side coolant circuit 20, a high-temperature side coolant circuit 40 that is heated by the refrigeration cycle circuit 30, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 50 as a control unit that controls each device of the battery temperature regulator 10.

[0018] The low-temperature side coolant circuit 20 is a circuit in which low-temperature coolant is circulated by a first low-temperature side water pump 21 and a second low-temperature side water pump 22, whereby the battery 5 is cooled by a battery heat exchanger 23, heat is absorbed by a refrigeration cycle circuit 30 by a chiller 24, and heat is released into the air by a low-temperature side radiator 25. The low-temperature side radiator 25 is capable of exchanging heat with a high-temperature side radiator 44, which will be described later.

[0019] In the low-temperature side coolant circuit 20, a battery heat exchanger 23, a chiller 24, and a low-temperature side radiator 25 are arranged in parallel. A five-way valve 26 switches and connects the path toward the battery heat exchanger 23, the path from the first low-temperature side water pump 21, the path toward the chiller 24, the path toward the low-temperature side radiator 25, and a short-circuit path (a path with no path).

[0020] The refrigeration cycle circuit 30 includes a compressor 31 that compresses the refrigerant, a water-cooled condenser 32 that heats the coolant circulating through the high-temperature side coolant circuit 40, an evaporator 33 that cools the air to be blown into the vehicle cabin, an evaporator-side expansion valve 34 that adjusts the amount of refrigerant circulating to the evaporator 33, a chiller 24 that absorbs heat from the coolant circulating through the low-temperature side coolant circuit 20, and a chiller-side expansion valve 36 that adjusts the amount of refrigerant circulating to the chiller 24. In the refrigeration cycle circuit 30, the evaporator 33 and the chiller 24 are connected in parallel. In addition, the compressor 31 can adjust its discharge capacity (operating capacity) by adjusting the frequency of its electric motor.

[0021] The high-temperature side coolant circuit 40 is a circuit in which high-temperature side coolant is circulated by a high-temperature side water pump 41 to cool the water-cooled condenser 32, is heated by an electric heater 42 to heat a heater core 43 that heats the air to be blown into the vehicle cabin, and is cooled by heat dissipation into the air by a high-temperature side radiator 44. The high-temperature side radiator 44 is capable of exchanging heat with the low-temperature side radiator 25 described above. The output of the electric heater 42 can be adjusted.

[0022] In the high-temperature side coolant circuit 40, the water-cooled condenser 32, the electric heater 42, the heater core 43, and the high-temperature side radiator 44 are arranged in parallel. A three-way flow control valve 45 switches between the path leading to the water-cooled condenser 32 and the electric heater 42, the path leading to the heater core 43, and the path leading to the high-temperature side radiator 44.

[0023] As described above, the battery temperature adjustment device 10 uses the power of the battery 5 to cool or heat the coolant, and adjusts the temperature of the battery 5 by cooling or heating the battery 5 to an appropriate temperature using high-temperature coolant or low-temperature coolant.

[0024] When the battery temperature regulator 10 cools the battery 5, it drives the compressor 31 of the refrigeration cycle circuit 30, adjusts the chiller-side expansion valve 36, circulates the refrigerant through the chiller 24, and absorbs heat from the low-temperature side coolant circuit 20. In the low-temperature side coolant circuit 20, it drives the second low-temperature side water pump 22, and connects the chiller 24 and the battery heat exchanger 23 via the five-way valve 26, so that the battery 5 is cooled by the battery heat exchanger 23.

[0025] In the battery temperature regulator 10, when heating the battery 5 to an appropriate temperature, the high-temperature side water pump 41 of the high-temperature side coolant circuit 40 is driven, and the electric heater 42 is operated to heat the high-temperature side coolant circuit 40, and the high-temperature side radiator 44 heats the low-temperature side radiator 25. In the low-temperature side coolant circuit 20, the first low-temperature side water pump 21 and the second low-temperature side water pump 22 are driven, and the five-way valve 26 connects the second low-temperature side water pump 22 and the battery heat exchanger 23 with the low-temperature side radiator 25, so that the battery 5 is heated to an appropriate temperature by the battery heat exchanger 23.

[0026] [Control unit (ECU)] As described above, the ECU 50 controls each device in the battery temperature regulator 10. The ECU 50 is a computer having a processor 51 with an internal CPU that performs information processing, and a memory 52 that stores software, programs, or data executed by the processor 51.

[0027] The ECU 50 is connected to the first low-temperature side water pump 21, the second low-temperature side water pump 22, and the five-way valve 26 of the low-temperature side coolant circuit 20, the compressor 31, the evaporator side expansion valve 34, and the chiller side expansion valve 36 of the refrigeration cycle circuit 30, the high-temperature side water pump 41, the electric heater 42, and the three-way flow control valve 45 of the high-temperature side coolant circuit 40, the navigation device 60, and the battery temperature sensor 61.

[0028] The navigation device 60 is a device that displays the current position of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling or provides route guidance to the vehicle's destination. The navigation device 60 of this embodiment is configured to have a destination set, and is capable of outputting at least the distance from the current location to the destination, gradient information from the current location to the destination, weather information from the current location to the destination, and traffic congestion information from the current location to the destination. The ECU 50 acquires the distance from the current location to the destination, gradient information from the current location to the destination, weather information from the current location to the destination, and traffic congestion information from the current location to the destination from the navigation device 60.

[0029] The ECU 50 may acquire the destination from big data that has been accumulated from the user's vehicle usage history. The ECU 50 may also acquire weather information from the current location to the destination via a cloud service.

[0030] 2, ECU 50 has a normal capacity temperature adjustment unit 53, a battery temperature determination unit 54, a driving determination unit 55, a remaining driving distance determination unit 56, a minimum capacity calculation unit 57, a minimum capacity correction unit 58, and a minimum capacity temperature adjustment unit 59, each of which will be described in detail below. The normal capacity temperature adjustment unit 53, the battery temperature determination unit 54, the driving determination unit 55, the remaining driving distance determination unit 56, the minimum capacity calculation unit 57, the minimum capacity correction unit 58, and the minimum capacity temperature adjustment unit 59 are realized by processor 51 executing a program stored in memory 52.

[0031] When the distance from the current location of the vehicle to the destination is greater than a predetermined distance (for example, 10 km), the normal capacity temperature adjustment unit 53 adjusts the temperature of the battery 5 so that the temperature of the battery 5 falls within the above-mentioned second temperature range. In this way, by controlling the temperature of the battery 5 within the second range, which is narrower than the first temperature range in which the output of the battery 5 is limited, it is possible to adjust the temperature with a margin so that the output of the battery 5 is not limited.

[0032] The battery temperature determination unit 54 determines whether the temperature of the battery 5 detected by the battery temperature sensor 61 is within the above-mentioned second temperature range.

[0033] The traveling determination unit 55 determines whether the vehicle is traveling. More specifically, the traveling determination unit 55 may determine whether the vehicle is traveling based on whether a shift lever (not shown) is in a position other than the P range, for example.

[0034] The remaining distance determination unit 56 acquires the remaining distance from the current location to the destination from the navigation device 60, and determines whether the remaining distance from the current location to the destination is equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

[0035] The minimum capacity calculation unit 57 calculates the minimum temperature adjustment capacity (hereinafter referred to as minimum capacity) required by the battery temperature regulation device 10 so that the temperature of the battery 5 is within the first temperature range from the current location to the destination. Here, the minimum capacity includes the cooling capacity for cooling the battery 5 and the heating capacity for heating the battery 5 to an appropriate temperature. Furthermore, if the battery 5 is not cooled or heated to an appropriate temperature from the current location to the destination (if the battery temperature regulation device 10 is stopped), and the temperature of the battery 5 is within the first temperature range, the minimum capacity may be 0.

[0036] The minimum capacity correction unit 58 acquires from the navigation device 60 gradient information from the current location to the destination, weather information (temperature, humidity, etc.) from the current location to the destination, and traffic congestion information from the current location to the destination, and corrects the minimum capacity calculated by the minimum capacity calculation unit 57.

[0037] More specifically, the minimum capacity correction unit 58 may correct the minimum capacity to be larger if there is a large uphill gradient from the current location to the destination, and may correct the minimum capacity to be smaller if there is a large downhill gradient from the current location to the destination. Furthermore, the minimum capacity correction unit 58 may correct the minimum capacity to be larger if there is congestion from the current location to the destination.

[0038] Furthermore, when cooling the battery 5, the minimum capacity correction unit 58 may correct the minimum capacity to be larger if the outside temperature is high from the current location to the destination, and may correct the minimum capacity to be smaller if the outside temperature is low from the current location to the destination.When heating the battery 5 to an appropriate temperature, the minimum capacity correction unit 58 may correct the minimum capacity to be smaller if the outside temperature is high from the current location to the destination, and may correct the minimum capacity to be larger if the outside temperature is low from the current location to the destination.

[0039] The minimum capacity temperature adjustment unit 59 controls the battery temperature adjustment device 10 to adjust the temperature of the battery 5 at the minimum capacity from the current location until arrival at the destination. More specifically, when cooling the battery 5, the minimum capacity temperature adjustment unit 59 adjusts the frequency of the compressor 31 of the refrigeration cycle circuit 30 to adjust the cooling capacity or stops the compressor 31 so that the minimum capacity is maintained from the current location until arrival at the destination. At this time, as shown in Fig. 3 , the battery temperature is controlled to approach the upper limit temperature of the first temperature range at the destination.

[0040] Furthermore, when the battery 5 is being heated to an appropriate temperature, the minimum capacity temperature adjustment unit 59 adjusts the heating capacity by adjusting the output of the electric heater 42 in the high-temperature side coolant circuit 40, or stops the electric heater 42, so that the minimum capacity is maintained from the current location to the destination. At this time, as shown in Fig. 4, the battery temperature is controlled so as to approach the lower limit temperature of the first temperature range at the destination.

[0041] [effect] The battery temperature regulation device 10 can reduce the power consumption of the battery 5. More specifically, if the remaining distance from the current location to the destination is equal to or less than a predetermined distance, the battery temperature regulation device 10 regulates the temperature of the battery 5 with the minimum capacity necessary for the temperature of the battery 5 to fall within the first temperature range by the time the vehicle arrives at the destination from the current location, thereby making it possible to keep the temperature of the battery 5 within the first temperature range with the minimum necessary power consumption.

[0042] Furthermore, the battery temperature adjustment device 10 calculates the minimum capacity based on gradient information from the current location to the destination, weather information from the current location to the destination, and traffic congestion information from the current location to the destination, thereby enabling the minimum capacity to be calculated with high accuracy and reducing the power consumption of the battery 5.

[0043] [Battery temperature regulation control] The flow of battery temperature regulation control by the battery temperature regulator 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0044] In step S11, the normal capacity temperature adjustment unit 53 adjusts the temperature of the battery 5 so that the temperature of the battery 5 is within the second temperature range. In step S12, the battery temperature determination unit 54 determines whether the temperature of the battery 5 is within the second temperature range. If the temperature of the battery 5 is within the second temperature range, the process proceeds to step S13. If the temperature of the battery 5 is not within the second temperature range, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0045] In step S13, the traveling determination unit 55 determines whether the shift lever is in a position other than P. If the shift lever is in a position other than P, the process proceeds to step S14. If the shift lever is in P, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0046] In step S14, the remaining distance determination unit 56 determines whether the remaining distance from the current location to the destination is equal to or less than a predetermined distance. If the remaining distance is equal to or less than the predetermined distance, the process proceeds to step S15. If the remaining distance is greater than the predetermined distance, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0047] In step S15, the minimum capacity calculation unit 57 calculates the minimum capacity required by the battery temperature regulator 10 so that the temperature of the battery 5 falls within the first temperature range from the current location until the vehicle arrives at the destination.

[0048] In step S16, the minimum capacity is corrected based on gradient information from the current location to the destination, weather information from the current location to the destination, and traffic congestion information from the current location to the destination by the minimum capacity correction unit 58. In step S17, the temperature of the battery 5 is adjusted at the minimum capacity from the current location to the destination.

[0049] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and its modifications, and various changes and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 5 Battery, 10 Battery temperature regulator, 20 Low temperature side cooling water circuit, 21 First low temperature side water pump, 22 Second low temperature side water pump, 23 Battery heat exchanger, 24 Chiller, 25 Low temperature side radiator, 26 Five-way valve, 30 Refrigeration cycle circuit, 31 Compressor, 32 Water-cooled condenser, 33 Evaporator, 34 Evaporator side expansion valve, 36 Chiller side expansion valve, 40 High temperature side cooling water circuit, 41 High temperature side water pump, 42 Electric heater, 43 Heater core, 44 High temperature side radiator, 45 Three-way flow control valve, 50 ECU (control unit), 51 Processor, 52 Memory, 53 Normal capacity temperature adjustment unit, 54 Battery temperature determination unit, 55 Driving determination unit, 56 Remaining driving distance determination unit, 57 Minimum capacity calculation unit, 58 Minimum capacity correction unit, 59 Minimum capacity temperature adjustment unit, 60 Navigation device, 61 Battery Temperature Sensor

Claims

1. A battery temperature regulation device that uses electric power from a battery for driving a vehicle to cool or heat a heat medium, and regulates the temperature of the battery by cooling or heating the battery to an appropriate temperature using the heat medium, a first temperature range within which the output of the battery is limited when the temperature of the battery is outside that range, and a second temperature range within which the temperature of the battery has an upper limit temperature lower than that of the first temperature range and a lower limit temperature higher than that of the first temperature range; When the distance from the current location of the vehicle to the destination is greater than a predetermined distance, the temperature of the battery is adjusted so that the temperature of the battery is within the second temperature range; a control unit that adjusts the temperature of the battery at a minimum capacity required for the temperature of the battery to be within the first temperature range from the current location until the vehicle arrives at the destination when the distance from the current location to the destination is equal to or shorter than the predetermined distance; Battery temperature regulator.

2. 2. The battery temperature regulation device according to claim 1, the control unit calculates the minimum capacity based on at least a distance from the current location to the destination, gradient information from the current location to the destination, weather information from the current location to the destination, and traffic congestion information from the current location to the destination. Battery temperature regulator.

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