Cooling control apparatus and cooling control method

Abstract

A cooling control apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a first refrigerant channel for cooling the battery group of a battery pack; a second refrigerant channel for cooling the relay box of the battery pack; an electronic valve which is provided in a communication portion between the first refrigerant channel and the second refrigerant channel, and which controls each of the first refrigerant channel and the second refrigerant channel to be in an open state or a closed state; a sensing circuit for measuring the temperature of the battery group and the temperature of the relay box; and a controller for determining a first target state for the first refrigerant channel and a second target state for the second refrigerant channel on the basis of the battery temperature and the relay temperature, and outputting, to the electronic valve, a valve control command indicating the first target state and the second target state.

Description

Cooling control device and cooling control method

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling control device and a cooling control method for a battery pack.

[0002] This application is a priority application for Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0016080 filed on February 7, 2025 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2026-0013245 filed on January 22, 2026, and all contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of said applications are incorporated into this application by reference.

[0003] Recently, as the demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, video cameras, and mobile phones has increased rapidly, and the development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, and satellites has accelerated, research on high-performance batteries capable of repeated charging and discharging is actively underway.

[0004] Currently commercialized batteries include nickel-cadmium, nickel-hydrogen, nickel-zinc, and lithium batteries. Among these, lithium batteries are gaining attention for their advantages, such as the ability to freely charge and discharge with almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0005] The present invention provides an apparatus and method for actively controlling individual cooling operations for a battery group and a relay box of a battery pack.

[0006] Other objects and advantages of the present invention may be understood from the following description and will become more clearly apparent from the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims.

[0007] A cooling control device according to one aspect of the present invention is for a battery pack comprising a battery group and a relay box. The cooling control device comprises: a first refrigerant channel for cooling the battery group; a second refrigerant channel for cooling the relay box; an electronic valve installed in a communication portion between the first refrigerant channel and the second refrigerant channel and controlling each of the first refrigerant channel and the second refrigerant channel to be in an open or closed state; a sensing circuit for measuring a battery temperature, which is the temperature of the battery group, and a relay temperature, which is the temperature of the relay box; and a controller that determines a first target state for the first refrigerant channel and a second target state for the second refrigerant channel based on the battery temperature and the relay temperature, and outputs a valve control command indicating the first target state and the second target state to the electronic valve.

[0008] The controller may determine the first target state as an open state and the second target state as a closed state when the battery temperature is above the first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is below the second threshold temperature.

[0009] The controller may determine that both the first target state and the second target state are open when the battery temperature is above the first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above the second threshold temperature.

[0010] The controller can determine the opening level for the second refrigerant channel based on the temperature difference between the battery temperature and the relay temperature when the battery temperature is above the first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above the second threshold temperature.

[0011] The above controller can determine the opening level for the second refrigerant channel by applying a predetermined negative correspondence to the temperature difference when the battery temperature is above the first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above the second threshold temperature, and when the relay temperature is below the battery temperature, the controller can determine the opening level for the second refrigerant channel by applying a predetermined positive correspondence to the temperature difference when the relay temperature is above the battery temperature.

[0012] The controller can determine the opening level for the second refrigerant channel based on a first temperature difference between the battery temperature and the first threshold temperature and a second temperature difference between the relay temperature and the second threshold temperature when the battery temperature is above a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above a second threshold temperature.

[0013] The controller can determine the opening level for the second refrigerant channel by applying a predetermined negative correspondence to the difference between the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference when the battery temperature is above the first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above the second threshold temperature, and when the second temperature difference is below the first temperature difference, the controller can determine the opening level for the second refrigerant channel by applying a predetermined positive correspondence to the difference between the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference when the second temperature difference is above the first temperature difference.

[0014] The controller may determine the first target state to be closed and the second target state to be open when the battery temperature is below the first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above the second threshold temperature.

[0015] The controller may determine both the first target state and the second target state to be closed when the battery temperature is below the first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is below the second threshold temperature.

[0016] The above cooling control device may further include a refrigerant circulator connected to the inlet and outlet of the first refrigerant channel.

[0017] The above electronic valve may be a 3-port solenoid valve.

[0018] The above sensing circuit may include a battery temperature sensor for measuring the battery temperature and a relay temperature sensor for measuring the relay temperature.

[0019] An electric vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention includes the cooling control device.

[0020] A cooling control method according to another aspect of the present invention is for a battery pack comprising a battery group and a relay box. The cooling control method comprises: a step of measuring a battery temperature, which is the temperature of the battery group, and a relay temperature, which is the temperature of the relay box; a step of determining, based on the battery temperature and the relay temperature, a first target state for a first refrigerant channel provided for cooling the battery group and a second target state for a second refrigerant channel provided for cooling the relay box; and a step of outputting a valve control command indicating the first target state and the second target state to an electronic valve, wherein the electronic valve is installed in a communication portion between the first refrigerant channel and the second refrigerant channel and is configured to control each of the first refrigerant channel and the second refrigerant channel to an open state or a closed state.

[0021] The above determining step may include the step of determining the first target state as an open state and determining the second target state as a closed state when the battery temperature is above the first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is below the second threshold temperature.

[0022] The above determining step may include a step of determining both the first target state and the second target state as open states when the battery temperature is above a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above a second threshold temperature.

[0023] The above determining step may further include a step of determining the opening level for the second refrigerant channel based on the temperature difference between the battery temperature and the relay temperature when the battery temperature is above the first critical temperature and the relay temperature is above the second critical temperature.

[0024] A non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to another aspect of the present invention records a program for executing the cooling control method on a computer.

[0025] According to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, the open / closed state of two interconnected refrigerant channels is changed to match the temperature of each of the battery group and the relay box of the battery pack, thereby enabling active control of individual cooling operations for the battery group and the relay box. Accordingly, compared to passive methods such as employing a large-sized relay box, the space efficiency of the battery pack is increased, and it is advantageous for weight reduction.

[0026] In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, by adjusting the opening level of the refrigerant channel provided for cooling the relay box based on the temperature of the battery group and the temperature of the relay box, a limited amount of refrigerant can be appropriately distributed to two refrigerant channels.

[0027] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description in the claims.

[0028] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an electric vehicle including a cooling control device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 is a diagram referenced to explain an example of the coupling relationship between the battery pack and the sensing circuit shown in Figure 1.

[0031] Figures 3 and 4 are reference drawings used to illustrate an example of the coupling relationship between the cooling network, refrigerant circulator, and solenoid valve shown in Figure 1.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain a cooling control method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIGS. 6 to 11 are flowcharts referenced to schematically illustrate various examples of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5.

[0034] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration for implementing a controller included in a cooling control device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] In parts of the attached drawings, corresponding components are given the same reference numerals. Those skilled in the art understand that the drawings are intended to illustrate elements simply and clearly and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, to aid in understanding various embodiments, the dimensions of some elements depicted in the drawings may be exaggerated compared to others. Additionally, elements of known technology that are useful or essential in commercially viable embodiments may often be omitted so as not to hinder the spirit of the various embodiments of the present invention.

[0036] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, and should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention.

[0037] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention; thus, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications that can replace them may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0038] Terms including ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., are used for the purpose of distinguishing one of the various components from the rest, and are not used to limit the components by such terms.

[0039] Throughout the specification, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Furthermore, terms such as "<unit>" as used in the specification refer to a unit that performs at least one function or operation and may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0040] Additionally, throughout the specification, when it is said that a part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where they are "directly connected," but also cases where they are "indirectly connected" with other components in between.

[0041] Battery packs for battery systems requiring high capacity and high voltage (e.g., electric vehicles or energy storage systems) may include battery groups and relay boxes.

[0042] A battery group may contain several to hundreds of battery cells connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel, and if proper cooling fails, so-called 'thermal propagation' may occur, in which the battery cells undergo a chain reaction of thermal runaway.

[0043] Accordingly, cooling of the relay box has been relatively neglected compared to cooling of the battery group. However, as the need for rapid charging technology for battery packs increases day by day, dangerous situations in which the relay box overheats significantly during the charging and discharging of the battery group are becoming frequent.

[0044] To suppress heat generation in the relay box, passive cooling methods such as employing large-sized busbars or attaching thermal pads to the inside and outside of the relay box can be considered; however, this has the disadvantage of being difficult to effectively handle the frequently changing temperature conditions of the relay box.

[0045] Considering these points, the present invention provides a technology capable of actively controlling the individual cooling operation of the battery group and the relay box by changing the opening and closing states of two interconnected refrigerant channels according to the respective temperatures of the battery group and the relay box of the battery pack. Accordingly, compared to passive methods such as employing a large-sized relay box, the space efficiency of the battery pack is improved, and it is advantageous for weight reduction.

[0046] Hereinafter, a cooling control device and method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0047] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an electric vehicle including a cooling control device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 1, the electric vehicle (1) may include a battery pack (10), a vehicle controller (2), a power converter (30), an electric load (40), and a cooling control device (100). The electric vehicle (1) may further include peripheral devices (50).

[0049] The battery pack (10) includes a battery group (BG) and a relay box (RB). The battery group (BG) and the relay box (RB) can be connected in series between a first charge / discharge terminal (P1) and a second charge / discharge terminal (P2).

[0050] The battery group (BG) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Includes , N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2). Multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB N ) can be connected to each other in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel. In this specification, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N In explaining the contents common to each, the symbol 'BB' or 'BB' for the battery block k It is decided to assign '. k is a natural number less than or equal to N.

[0051] The battery block (BB) includes at least one battery cell (BC) and may be referred to by other terms such as 'cell unit', 'cell group', 'cell array', 'cell assembly', etc.

[0052] A battery block (BB) may include a single battery module or two or more battery modules. If a battery block (BB) includes multiple battery modules, the multiple battery modules may be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel. Each battery module may include a collection of two or more battery cells. If a battery module includes multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells may be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel.

[0053] In one embodiment, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each of ) may be provided with a separate case in which the battery cell (BC) included therein is housed. In this case, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N ) can be physically separated from each other by each case and can be individually stored or separated in the pack case of the battery pack (10).

[0054] In another embodiment, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each of these can be stored directly in the pack case of the battery pack (10) without a separate case. For example, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each of the following comprises: a layout of the battery pack (10), circuit connection with the cooling control device (100), and a plurality of module monitoring units (SB1~SB N Considering the respective sensing ranges, etc., the battery cells (BC) directly housed in the battery pack (10) may be grouped one or more at a time, either arbitrarily or according to specific criteria. In this case, multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB NIn terms of the fact that the battery cells (BC) are directly housed in the pack case with the case omitted from each, the battery pack (10) may have a Cell To Pack (CTP) structure.

[0055] In this specification, a battery cell (BC) refers to a basic unit of a storage element capable of independent charging and discharging, and is not particularly limited as long as it is rechargeable, such as a lithium-ion cell, for example.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 1, a relay box (RB) is installed in a power line (PL) connecting a battery group (BG) and charging / discharging terminals (P1, P2). In FIG. 1, the relay box (RB) is illustrated as being connected between the positive terminal of the battery group (BG) and the charging / discharging terminal (P1), but an additional relay box (RB) connected between the negative terminal of the battery group (BG) and the charging / discharging terminal (P2) may be further included in the electric vehicle (1). The relay box (RB) is turned on / off in response to a switching signal from a cooling control device (100) or a vehicle controller (2).

[0057] The relay box (RB) includes at least one relay and may further include at least two busbars. The relay may be a mechanical contactor that is turned on and off by the magnetic force of a coil, or a semiconductor switch such as a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor). During charging or discharging of the battery group (BG), at least one relay of the relay box (RB) may be kept in the ON state. Both ends of each relay may be electrically connected to a power line (PL) through at least two busbars.

[0058] A cooling control device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first refrigerant channel (CH1), a second refrigerant channel (CH2), an electronic valve (CV), a sensing circuit (120), and a controller (130). The cooling control device (100) may further include a communication circuit (140). The cooling control device (100) may further include a refrigerant circulator (CC).

[0059] A sensing circuit (120) according to one embodiment of the present invention generates monitoring information indicating the status of each of the battery group (BG) and the relay box (RB).

[0060] The sensing circuit (120) can periodically or non-periodically measure the state parameters of each of the battery group (BG) and the relay box (RB) and provide monitoring information indicating each measured state parameter to the controller (130).

[0061] The state parameters of the battery group (BG) are, for example, the battery block (BB k It may represent the temperature of the battery block (BB) (which may be referred to as 'block temperature'), the cell voltage of each battery cell (BC) included in the battery block (BB), or a secondary parameter (e.g., amount of change, rate of change) that can be derived through the application of a mathematical function therefrom. Of course, in addition to this, the battery block (BB k If it can directly or indirectly indicate the degree of thermal abnormality of ), the type of state parameter is not particularly limited.

[0062] A current sensor (A) is installed in a power line (PL) connecting the battery pack (10) and the charge / discharge terminals (P1, P2) to measure the current flowing through the battery pack (10). The current sensor (A) may be included in a sensing circuit (120).

[0063] A controller (130) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in hardware using at least one of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions. The controller (130) may be an independent device that can be manufactured, used, and / or sold separately from other components of the cooling control device (100).

[0064] The controller (130) is operably coupled to at least one of a refrigerant circulator (CC), an electronic valve (CV), a sensing circuit (120), and a communication circuit (140). Being operably coupled to two components means that the two components are connected to enable the transmission and reception of signals in either a unidirectional or bidirectional manner.

[0065] The controller (130) may have a memory device. The memory device may include at least one type of storage medium among flash memory type, hard disk type, SSD type (Solid State Disk type), SSD type (Silicon Disk Drive type), multimedia card micro type, RAM (random access memory; RAM), SRAM (static random access memory), ROM (read-only memory; ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), and PROM (programmable read-only memory). The memory device may store instructions, data, and / or programs required for operation by the controller (130). The memory device may store data representing the result of operation by the controller (130).

[0066] The controller (130) can determine whether to execute a cooling control operation for the battery pack (10) based on monitoring information received from the sensing circuit (120). Specifically, the controller (130) can execute a cooling control operation when the temperature of the battery group (BG) (e.g., battery temperature) is above a first threshold temperature or the relay temperature of the relay box (RB) is above a second threshold temperature. On the other hand, the controller (130) can stop the cooling control operation when the battery temperature of the battery group (BG) is below the first threshold temperature and the relay temperature of the relay box (RB) is below the second threshold temperature. The function and structure of the controller (130) will be described in more detail below.

[0067] The temperature of the battery group (BG) is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BBN It can be determined based on the temperature of at least one block among ). For example, the controller (130) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N The temperature of the battery group (BG) can be determined in the same way as the highest block temperature, lowest block temperature, or average block temperature of ).

[0068] A power converter (30) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include at least one of a DC-AC inverter and a DC-DC converter. The power converter (30) may convert direct current power (discharge power) supplied from the battery pack (10) into alternating current power and supply it to an electric load (40) during the discharge of the battery pack (10). An electric load (40) according to one embodiment may include a three-phase alternating current motor that generates kinetic energy for driving an electric vehicle (1).

[0069] A communication circuit (140) according to one embodiment of the present invention performs wired or wireless communication between a controller (130), a vehicle controller (2), a peripheral device (50), and / or a cooling control device (100). Wired communication may be, for example, CAN (controller area network) communication, and wireless communication may be, for example, Zeegbee or Bluetooth communication. Of course, as long as wired or wireless communication is supported, the type of communication protocol is not specifically limited to the examples listed above.

[0070] A peripheral device (50) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include vehicle sensor(s) that measure at least one parameter (e.g., vehicle speed, etc.) related to the state of the electric vehicle (1). The peripheral device (50) may include an output device (e.g., display, speaker) that provides information received from the controller (130) and / or the vehicle controller (2) in a form recognizable by the user. The peripheral device (50) may be driven using direct current power or alternating current power supplied from the power converter (30).

[0071] The first refrigerant channel (CH1) and the second refrigerant channel (CH2) may be collectively referred to as a 'cooling network'. The cooling network provides a cooling function for at least one of the battery group (BG) and the relay box (RB) while a flow of refrigerant occurs through at least one refrigerant path provided therein. As the refrigerant, any one or more combinations of known substances that produce a cooling effect, such as water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and non-conductive liquids, may be used. For example, in addition to the cooling effect, any one or more combinations of known substances that are non-flammable and / or non-combustible may be used as the refrigerant.

[0072] Although the battery pack (10) and the cooling control device (100) are shown as physically independent in FIG. 1, the cooling control device (100) may be included as a sub-component of the battery pack (10), for example.

[0073] The electrical energy required to drive the cooling control device (100) is provided by a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N It may be provided from at least one of the following. For example, a separate voltage regulator (not shown) may generate a power voltage using the electrical energy of the battery group (BG) and then supply it to the cooling control device (100), and each component of the cooling control device (100) may be activated by the power voltage.

[0074] FIG. 2 is a diagram referenced to explain an example of the coupling relationship between the battery pack (10) and the sensing circuit (120) illustrated in FIG. 1. For convenience of explanation, FIG. 2 shows a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB2) included in a battery group (BG). N Among ), the battery block (BB k Only ) was depicted.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 2, the sensing circuit (120) includes a relay temperature sensor (TR) that measures the relay temperature, which is the temperature of the relay box (RB), and a module monitoring unit (SBk) provided to the battery block (BBk). The relay temperature sensor (TR) is attached to the outer surface of the relay box (RB) or installed in an empty space inside the relay box (RB) and measures the relay temperature. The temperature sensor (TR) can generate a temperature signal indicating the relay temperature, and the controller (130) can collect the temperature signal from the temperature sensor (TR).

[0076] The sensing circuit (120) is a battery block (BB k Module monitoring unit (SB) provided to ) k It may include ). Accordingly, the sensing circuit (120) may include a plurality of module monitoring units (SB1~SB N It may include ).

[0077] Module Monitoring Unit (SB) k ) includes a battery temperature sensor (TB) and may further include a voltage detection circuit (VS).

[0078] The battery temperature sensor (TB) is the battery block (BB k Attached to the outer surface of ) or battery block (BB k It is installed at a predetermined point spaced apart from ), and the battery block (BB k Measures the temperature (e.g., block temperature) of the battery block (BB). The battery temperature sensor (TB) measures the temperature of the battery block (BB). kA temperature signal indicating the temperature of ) can be generated, and the controller (130) can collect the temperature signal of the battery temperature sensor (TB).

[0079] The voltage detection circuit (VS) includes at least one voltage sensor. The voltage detection circuit (VS) includes a battery block (BB k The module voltage of ) can be measured. The module voltage is, battery block (BB k It is the voltage between the two ends of ). The voltage detection circuit (VS) also includes the battery block (BB k The cell voltage of each battery cell (BC) included in ) can be further measured. The cell voltage is the voltage across the terminals of the battery cell (BC). The voltage detection circuit (VS) is the battery block (BB k A voltage signal is generated representing the module voltage of ) and the cell voltage of each battery cell (BC), and the controller (130) can collect the voltage signal of the voltage detection circuit (VS).

[0080] The controller (130), based on monitoring information (e.g., the aforementioned voltage signal, current signal, temperature signal, etc.) collected from the sensing circuit (120), has a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each State of Charge (SOC) can be determined, and the State of Health (SOH) can be further determined. Since each of the SOC and SOH can be estimated from one or more combinations of various known techniques, further explanation is omitted.

[0081] Figures 3 and 4 are reference drawings used to illustrate an example of the coupling relationship between the cooling network, refrigerant circulator, and solenoid valve shown in Figure 1.

[0082] For better understanding, Figure 3 illustrates that the battery group (BG) and the relay box (RB) are located on the upper side of the cooling network (CH1, CH2). Therefore, in Figure 3, a portion of the first refrigerant channel (CH1) obscured by the battery group (BG) should be understood as being located at the lower end of the battery group (BG), and similarly, a portion of the second refrigerant channel (CH2) obscured by the relay box (RB) should be understood as being located at the lower end of the relay box (RB).

[0083] Referring to FIG. 3, the first refrigerant channel (CH1) as the main cooling path among the first refrigerant channel (CH1) and the second refrigerant channel (CH2) is illustrated as being connected to an inlet (IL) and an outlet (OL) provided in a refrigerant circulator (CC).

[0084] The refrigerant circulator (CC) supplies refrigerant to the cooling network (CH1, CH2) through the inlet (IL). The refrigerant, which returns to the outlet (OL) of the refrigerant circulator (CC) after passing through the cooling network (CH1, CH2), can be resupplied to the cooling network (CH1, CH2) through the inlet (IL) after undergoing a heat dissipation process. The first refrigerant channel (CH1) can be in contact with a part of the outer surface of the battery group (BG), and the battery group (BG) can be cooled by the flow of refrigerant through the first refrigerant channel (CH1). Similarly, the second refrigerant channel (CH2) can be in contact with a part of the outer surface of the relay box (RB), and the relay box (RB) can be cooled by the flow of refrigerant through the second refrigerant channel (CH2).

[0085] The first refrigerant channel (CH1) and the second refrigerant channel (CH2) can be interconnected through two connecting sections (CP1, CP2). Based on the two connecting sections (CP1, CP2), the first refrigerant channel (CH1) can be divided into three sub-refrigerant channels (CH1A, CH1B, CH1C). Sub-refrigerant channel (CH1A) is the section from the inlet (IL) to the connecting section (CP1), sub-refrigerant channel (CH1B) is the section from the connecting section (CP1) to the connecting section (CP2), and sub-refrigerant channel (CH1C) is the section from the connecting section (CP2) to the outlet (OL).

[0086] An electronic valve (CV) may be installed in at least one of the two communication sections (CP1, CP2). The electronic valve (CV) can control the first refrigerant channel (CH1) and the second refrigerant channel (CH2) to be open or closed, respectively. For example, a 3-port solenoid valve may be used as the electronic valve (CV). If the electronic valve (CV) is installed only in at least one of the two communication sections (CP1, CP2) (e.g., CP1), the first refrigerant channel (CH1) and the second refrigerant channel (CH2) may be directly connected in the other communication section (e.g., CP2).

[0087] FIG. 4 is a reference drawing for explaining an exemplary coupling relationship between an electronic valve (CV) installed in a communication portion (CP1) and a first refrigerant channel (CH1) and a second refrigerant channel (CH2). Referring to FIG. 4, the electronic valve (CV) is provided with three ports (PT1, PT2, PT3). The three ports (PT1, PT2, PT3) are connected to one end of a lower refrigerant channel (CH1A), one end of a lower refrigerant channel (CH1B), and one end of a second refrigerant channel (CH2).

[0088] The electronic valve (CV) can change the open / closed state of the refrigerant passage between port (PT1) and port (PT2) and the open / closed state of the refrigerant passage between port (PT1) and port (PT3) in response to a valve control command from the controller (130).

[0089] When the refrigerant passage between port (PT1) and port (PT2) is opened, the first refrigerant channel (CH1) is in an open state, allowing the flow of refrigerant through the first refrigerant channel (CH1). On the other hand, when the refrigerant passage between port (PT1) and port (PT2) is closed, the first refrigerant channel (CH1) is in a closed state, blocking the flow of refrigerant through the first refrigerant channel (CH1).

[0090] When the refrigerant passage between port (PT1) and port (PT3) is opened, the second refrigerant channel (CH2) is in an open state, allowing the flow of refrigerant through the second refrigerant channel (CH2). On the other hand, when the refrigerant passage between port (PT1) and port (PT3) is closed, the second refrigerant channel (CH2) is in a closed state, blocking the flow of refrigerant through the second refrigerant channel (CH2).

[0091] The electronic valve (CV) can control the opening level (which may also be referred to as the 'opening amount') of a specific refrigerant passage when opening a specific refrigerant passage. For example, when the opening level is 0 when the specific refrigerant passage is completely closed and the opening level is 1 when the specific refrigerant passage is maximally open, the opening level of the specific refrigerant passage can be controlled by the electronic valve (CV) between 0 and 1.

[0092] The larger the opening level of the refrigerant passage between port (PT1) and port (PT2), the greater the flow rate of the refrigerant through the first refrigerant channel (CH1), and as a result, the cooling rate of the battery group (BG) can be increased.

[0093] The larger the opening level of the refrigerant passage between port (PT1) and port (PT3), the greater the flow rate of the refrigerant through the second refrigerant channel (CH2), and as a result, the cooling speed of the relay box (RB) can be increased.

[0094] FIG. 5 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain a cooling control method according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method according to FIG. 5 may be repeated periodically or non-periodically during charging or discharging of a battery group (BG).

[0095] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, in step S510, the controller (130) measures the battery temperature, which is the temperature of the battery group (BG), and the relay temperature, which is the temperature of the relay box (RB) (which may also be called the 'box temperature'), using the sensing circuit (120).

[0096] In step S520, the controller (130) determines a first target state for the first refrigerant channel (CH1) and a second target state for the second refrigerant channel (CH2) based on the battery temperature and the relay temperature.

[0097] In step S530, the controller (130) outputs a valve control command to the electronic valve (CV) indicating a first target state and a second target state. Accordingly, the electronic valve (CV) can change the opening and closing state of the first refrigerant channel (CH1) to match the first target state and change the opening and closing state of the second refrigerant channel (CH2) to match the second target state.

[0098] FIG. 6 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate an example of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5.

[0099] Referring to FIG. 6, in step S610, the controller (130) determines whether the battery temperature is above a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is below a second threshold temperature. The first threshold temperature may be predetermined as the minimum temperature at which cooling is required for the battery group (BG). The second threshold temperature may be predetermined as the minimum temperature at which cooling is required for the relay box (RB). If the value of step S610 is "Yes", step S620 is performed.

[0100] In step S620, the controller (130) determines the first target state to be open and the second target state to be closed.

[0101] FIG. 7 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate another example of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5.

[0102] Referring to FIG. 7, in step S710, the controller (130) determines whether the battery temperature is above a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above a second threshold temperature. If the value of step S710 is "yes", step S720 is performed.

[0103] In step S720, the controller (130) determines both the first target state and the second target state to be open.

[0104] FIG. 8 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate another example of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5.

[0105] Referring to FIG. 8, in step S810, the controller (130) determines whether the battery temperature is below a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above a second threshold temperature. If the value of step S810 is "yes", step S820 is performed.

[0106] In step S820, the controller (130) determines the first target state to be closed and the second target state to be open.

[0107] FIG. 9 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate another example of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5.

[0108] Referring to FIG. 9, in step S910, the controller (130) determines whether the battery temperature is below a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is below a second threshold temperature. If the value of step S910 is "yes", step S920 is performed.

[0109] In step S920, the controller (130) determines both the first target state and the second target state to be closed.

[0110] Meanwhile, as step S720 of FIG. 7 is executed and step S530 of FIG. 5 is executed, refrigerant flows through both the first refrigerant channel (CH1) and the second refrigerant channel (CH2) by the operation of the electronic valve (CV). In this regard, since the amount of refrigerant supplied per unit time from the refrigerant circulator (CC) is limited, it is necessary to control the supply so that the supplied refrigerant is properly distributed and flows through the first refrigerant channel (CH1) and the second refrigerant channel (CH2). Since the first refrigerant channel (CH1) corresponds to the main cooling path, the opening level of the first refrigerant channel (CH1) can be maintained at 1 (i.e., fully open) while the first refrigerant channel (CH1) is controlled to an open state.

[0111] FIG. 10 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate another example of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5. The method of FIG. 10 may be executed in parallel with step S720, provided that the value of step S710 of FIG. 7 is "yes".

[0112] Referring to FIG. 10, in step S1010, the controller (130) determines whether the relay temperature is below the battery temperature. A value of "Yes" in step S1010 may indicate a situation where cooling for the battery group (BG) needs to be strengthened more than cooling for the relay box (RB). If the value of step S1010 is "Yes", step S1020 is performed. A value of "No" in step S1010 may indicate a situation where cooling for the relay box (RB) needs to be strengthened compared to when the value of step S1010 is "Yes". If the value of step S1010 is "No", step S1030 is performed.

[0113] In step S1020, the controller (130) determines the opening level for the second refrigerant channel (CH2) by applying a predetermined negative correspondence to the temperature difference between the battery temperature and the relay temperature. For example, the opening level corresponding to a temperature difference of 1 degree when the battery temperature = 70 degrees and the relay temperature = 69 degrees may be 0.20, and the opening level corresponding to a temperature difference of 3 degrees when the battery temperature = 72 degrees and the relay temperature = 69 degrees may be 0.18.

[0114] In step S1030, the controller (130) determines the opening level for the second refrigerant channel (CH2) by applying a predetermined amount of corresponding relationship to the temperature difference between the battery temperature and the relay temperature. For example, the opening level corresponding to a temperature difference of 2 degrees when the battery temperature = 70 degrees and the relay temperature = 72 degrees may be 0.40, and the opening level corresponding to a temperature difference of 3 degrees when the battery temperature = 70 degrees and the relay temperature = 73 degrees may be 0.45.

[0115] A signal or data indicating the opening level for the second refrigerant channel (CH2) determined in step S1020 or step S1030 may be included in the valve control command output in step S530.

[0116] FIG. 11 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate another example of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5. The method of FIG. 11 may be executed in parallel with step S720, provided that the value of step S710 of FIG. 7 is "yes".

[0117] Referring to FIG. 11, in step S1110, the controller (130) determines a first temperature difference between the battery temperature and a first threshold temperature and a second temperature difference between the relay temperature and a second threshold temperature.

[0118] In step S1120, the controller (130) determines whether the second temperature difference is less than the first temperature difference. A value of "Yes" in step S1120 may indicate a situation where cooling for the battery group (BG) needs to be strengthened more than cooling for the relay box (RB). If the value of step S1120 is "Yes", step S1130 proceeds. A value of "No" in step S1120 may indicate a situation where cooling for the relay box (RB) needs to be strengthened compared to when the value of step S1120 is "Yes". If the value of step S1120 is "No", step S1140 proceeds.

[0119] In step S1130, the controller (130) determines the opening level for the second refrigerant channel (CH2) by applying a predetermined negative correspondence to the difference between the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference. For example, when the battery temperature = 75 degrees, the first critical temperature = 70 degrees, the relay temperature = 74 degrees, and the second critical temperature = 72 degrees, the first temperature difference is 5 degrees, the second temperature difference is 2 degrees, and the difference between the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference is 3 degrees. In this case, the opening level may be 0.35. Under the same conditions, if only the relay temperature becomes 73 degrees, the difference between the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference is 4 degrees. In this case, the opening level may be 0.29.

[0120] In step S1140, the controller (130) determines the opening level for the second refrigerant channel (CH2) by applying a predetermined amount of corresponding relationship to the difference between the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference. For example, when the battery temperature = 72 degrees, the first critical temperature = 70 degrees, the relay temperature = 76 degrees, and the second critical temperature = 72 degrees, the first temperature difference is 2 degrees, the second temperature difference is 4 degrees, and the difference between the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference is 2 degrees. In this case, the opening level may be 0.47. Under the same conditions, if only the relay temperature becomes 78 degrees, the difference between the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference is 4 degrees. In this case, the opening level may be 0.53.

[0121] A signal or data indicating the opening level for the second refrigerant channel (CH2) determined in step S1130 or step S1140 may be included in the valve control command output in step S530.

[0122] Each of the negative correspondence used in step S1020, the positive correspondence used in step S1030, the negative correspondence used in step S1130, and the positive correspondence used in step S1140 may be recorded in a memory device in the form of a lookup table or a mathematical function. For example, a linear regression equation, an exponential equation, a polynomial equation, etc. may be used as a mathematical function.

[0123] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration for implementing a controller (130) included in a cooling control device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0124] A controller (130) according to one embodiment may include an MCU (132), a memory (134), a communication I / F (136), and an input / output I / F (138).

[0125] The MCU (132) is a Micro Controller Unit that executes various programs stored in memory (134), processes various data used in these programs, and performs the functions of the controller (130).

[0126] Another embodiment of the present invention may provide a memory (134) which is a computer-readable medium on which a program for performing the various embodiments described above on a computer is recorded.

[0127] A program may be implemented as hardware components, software components, and / or a combination of hardware and software components. A program may be executed by any system capable of executing computer-readable instructions.

[0128] Software may include computer programs, code, instructions, or a combination thereof, and may configure a processing unit to operate as desired or command the processing unit independently or collectively.

[0129] Software can be implemented as a computer program containing instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. Examples of computer-readable storage media include magnetic storage media (e.g., ROM (read-only memory), RAM (random-access memory), floppy disks, hard disks, etc.) and optical reading media (e.g., CD-ROMs, DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs)). Computer-readable storage media can be distributed across networked computer systems, allowing computer-readable code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The storage medium is readable by a computer, stored in memory, and can be executed by a processor.

[0130] Computer-readable media may be provided in the form of non-transitory recording media. Here, 'non-transitory storage media' simply means that it is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily. For example, 'non-transitory storage media' may include a buffer in which data is stored temporarily.

[0131] In addition, the program may be provided by being included in a computer program product. A computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product.

[0132] A computer program product may include a software program or a computer-readable recording medium on which the software program is stored. For example, a computer program product may include a product in the form of a software program that is distributed electronically through a manufacturer of an electronic device or an electronic market (e.g., a downloadable application). For electronic distribution, at least a portion of the software program may be stored on a recording medium or temporarily created. In this case, the recording medium may be a server of the manufacturer of the electronic device, a server of the electronic market, or a recording medium of a relay server that temporarily stores the software program.

[0133] The communication I / F (136) is configured to transmit and receive various data to and from a server and may be various devices capable of supporting wired or wireless communication. For example, programs for the operation of the controller (130) or various data may be transmitted and received via wired or wireless from an external server provided separately through the communication I / F (136).

[0134] The input / output I / F (138) can provide an interface that enables data transmission and reception between an input device (not shown), such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel, an output device (not shown), and an MCU (132).

[0135] The embodiments of the present invention described above are not limited to implementation through devices and methods, but may also be implemented through a program that realizes a function corresponding to the configuration of the embodiments of the present invention or a recording medium on which such a program is recorded. Such implementation can be easily achieved by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, based on the description of the embodiments described above.

[0136] Although the present invention has been described above by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0137] Furthermore, since the present invention described above allows for various substitutions, modifications, and changes within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention to those skilled in the art without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention, it is not limited by the aforementioned embodiments and attached drawings, but rather all or part of each embodiment may be selectively combined to allow for various modifications.

Claims

1. In a cooling control device, A first refrigerant channel configured to cool a battery group of a battery pack; A second refrigerant channel configured to cool the relay box of the battery pack; An electronic valve installed in the communication portion between the first refrigerant channel and the second refrigerant channel, and controlling each of the first refrigerant channel and the second refrigerant channel to an open or closed state; A sensing circuit for measuring the battery temperature, which is the temperature of the battery group, and the relay temperature, which is the temperature of the relay box; and A controller that determines a first target state for the first refrigerant channel and a second target state for the second refrigerant channel based on the battery temperature and the relay temperature, and outputs a valve control command indicating the first target state and the second target state to the electronic valve; A cooling control device including 2. In Paragraph 1, The above controller is, A cooling control device that determines the first target state as an open state and the second target state as a closed state when the battery temperature is above a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is below a second threshold temperature.

3. In Paragraph 1, The above controller is, A cooling control device that determines both the first target state and the second target state to be open when the battery temperature is above a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above a second threshold temperature.

4. In Paragraph 3, The above controller is, A cooling control device that determines the opening level for the second refrigerant channel based on the temperature difference between the battery temperature and the relay temperature when the battery temperature is above a first critical temperature and the relay temperature is above a second critical temperature.

5. In Paragraph 4, The above controller is, When the battery temperature is above the first critical temperature and the relay temperature is above the second critical temperature, If the above relay temperature is less than the above battery temperature, a predetermined negative correspondence is applied to the temperature difference to determine the opening level for the above second refrigerant channel, and A cooling control device that determines the opening level for the second refrigerant channel by applying a predetermined amount of corresponding relationship to the temperature difference when the above relay temperature exceeds the above battery temperature.

6. In Paragraph 3, The above controller is, A cooling control device that determines the opening level of the second refrigerant channel based on a first temperature difference between the battery temperature and the first critical temperature and a second temperature difference between the relay temperature and the second critical temperature when the battery temperature is above a first critical temperature and the relay temperature is above a second critical temperature.

7. In Paragraph 6, The above controller is, When the battery temperature is above the first critical temperature and the relay temperature is above the second critical temperature, If the second temperature difference is less than the first temperature difference, a predetermined negative correspondence is applied to the difference between the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference to determine the opening level for the second refrigerant channel, and A cooling control device that determines the opening level for the second refrigerant channel by applying a predetermined amount of corresponding relationship to the difference between the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference when the second temperature difference is greater than or equal to the first temperature difference.

8. In Paragraph 1, The above controller is, A cooling control device that determines the first target state as a closed state and the second target state as an open state when the battery temperature is below a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above a second threshold temperature.

9. In Paragraph 1, The above controller is, A cooling control device that determines both the first target state and the second target state to be closed when the battery temperature is below a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is below a second threshold temperature.

10. In Paragraph 1, A refrigerant circulator communicating with the inlet and outlet of the first refrigerant channel; A cooling control device further including.

11. In Paragraph 1, The above electronic valve is a cooling control device, which is a 3-port solenoid valve.

12. In Paragraph 1, The above sensing circuit is a cooling control device comprising a battery temperature sensor for measuring the battery temperature and a relay temperature sensor for measuring the relay temperature.

13. An electric vehicle comprising a cooling control device according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 12.

14. In a cooling control method, Step of measuring the battery temperature of the battery group of the battery pack; A step of measuring the relay temperature of the relay box of the battery pack; A step of determining a first target state for a first refrigerant channel configured to cool the battery group and a second target state for a second refrigerant channel configured to cool the relay box, based on the battery temperature and the relay temperature; and The method includes the step of outputting a valve control command to an electronic valve indicating the first target state and the second target state. A cooling control method in which the above-described electronic valve is installed in a communication portion between a first refrigerant channel and a second refrigerant channel, and controls each of the first refrigerant channel and the second refrigerant channel to an open state or a closed state.

15. In Paragraph 14, The above-mentioned determining step is, A step of determining the first target state as an open state and the second target state as a closed state when the battery temperature is above a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is below a second threshold temperature; A cooling control method including 16. In Paragraph 14, The above-mentioned determining step is, A step of determining both the first target state and the second target state as open states when the battery temperature is above a first threshold temperature and the relay temperature is above a second threshold temperature; A cooling control method including 17. In Paragraph 16, The above-mentioned determining step is, When the battery temperature is above a first critical temperature and the relay temperature is above a second critical temperature, a step of determining the opening level for the second refrigerant channel based on the temperature difference between the battery temperature and the relay temperature; A cooling control method further comprising 18. In a non-transient computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a cooling control method on a computer, the method comprises: Step of measuring the battery temperature of the battery group of the battery pack; A step of measuring the relay temperature of the relay box of the battery pack; A step of determining a first target state for a first refrigerant channel configured to cool the battery group and a second target state for a second refrigerant channel configured to cool the relay box, based on the battery temperature and the relay temperature; and The method includes the step of outputting a valve control command to an electronic valve indicating the first target state and the second target state. The above electronic valve is installed in a communication portion between a first refrigerant channel and a second refrigerant channel, and is a non-transient computer-readable storage medium that controls each of the first refrigerant channel and the second refrigerant channel to an open or closed state.

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