Cooling control apparatus and cooling control method

Abstract

This cooling control apparatus comprises: a first thermoelectric element for cooling a relay included in a relay box; a second thermoelectric element for cooling a busbar included in the relay box; a sensing circuit for measuring the temperature of the relay and the temperature of the busbar; and a controller that controls the first thermoelectric element on the basis of the temperature of the relay and controls the second thermoelectric element on the basis of the temperature of the busbar.

Description

Cooling control device and cooling control method

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for controlling the cooling of relays and busbars of a relay box provided for charging and discharging control of a battery group.

[0002] This application is a priority application for Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0026035 filed on February 27, 2025 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2026-0019292 filed on January 30, 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 a cooling operation for a relay box independently of cooling for a battery group.

[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 relay box provided for charging and discharging control of a battery group. The cooling control device comprises: a first thermoelectric element for cooling a relay included in the relay box; a second thermoelectric element for cooling a busbar included in the relay box; a sensing circuit for measuring the temperature of the relay and the temperature of the busbar; and a controller for controlling the first thermoelectric element based on the temperature of the relay and controlling the second thermoelectric element based on the temperature of the busbar.

[0008] The controller may activate the first thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the relay being above the first threshold temperature. The controller may deactivate the first thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the relay being below the first threshold temperature.

[0009] The controller may activate the second thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the busbar being above the second threshold temperature. The controller may deactivate the second thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the busbar being below the second threshold temperature.

[0010] The controller may determine a first duty cycle by applying a first positive correspondence to the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay and the first critical temperature in response to the temperature of the relay being above a first critical temperature. The controller may activate the first thermoelectric element according to the first duty cycle.

[0011] The above controller can adjust the strength of the corresponding relationship of the first quantity based on the charging and discharging current flowing through the relay box.

[0012] The controller may determine a second duty cycle by applying a second positive correspondence to the temperature difference between the temperature of the busbar and the second critical temperature in response to the temperature of the busbar being above a second critical temperature. The controller may activate the second thermoelectric element according to the second duty cycle.

[0013] The above controller can adjust the strength of the corresponding relationship of the second quantity based on the charging and discharging current flowing through the relay box.

[0014] The controller can determine that the battery group is at risk of overheating in response to a rise in at least one of the temperature of the relay and the temperature of the bus bar continuing for a reference time while the charge / discharge current flowing through the relay box is less than the threshold current.

[0015] The controller can determine that at least one of the first thermoelectric element, the second thermoelectric element, and the sensing circuit is faulty in response to the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay and the temperature of the bus bar remaining above the threshold temperature for a reference time or longer while the charging / discharging current flowing through the relay box is less than the threshold current.

[0016] The above sensing circuit may include a relay temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of a relay and a busbar temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of a busbar.

[0017] An electric vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention includes the cooling control device.

[0018] A cooling control method according to another aspect of the present invention is for a relay box provided for charging and discharging control of a battery group. The cooling control method comprises the steps of: measuring the temperature of a relay included in the relay box and the temperature of a bus bar included in the relay box; controlling a first thermoelectric element for cooling the relay based on the temperature of the relay; and controlling a second thermoelectric element for cooling the bus bar based on the temperature of the bus bar.

[0019] The step of controlling the first thermoelectric element may include: a step of activating the first thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the relay being above a first threshold temperature; and a step of deactivating the first thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the relay being below the first threshold temperature.

[0020] The step of controlling the second thermoelectric element may include: a step of activating the second thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the bus bar being above a second threshold temperature; and a step of deactivating the second thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the bus bar being below the second threshold temperature.

[0021] The above cooling control method may further include the step of determining that the battery group is at risk of overheating in response to a rise in at least one of the temperature of the relay and the temperature of the bus bar continuing for a reference time while the magnitude of the charge / discharge current flowing through the relay box is smaller than the threshold current.

[0022] The above cooling control method may further include a step of determining that at least one of the first thermoelectric element, the second thermoelectric element, and the sensing circuit is faulty in response to the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay and the temperature of the busbar continuing for a reference time or longer than the reference temperature difference while the magnitude of the charging / discharging current flowing through the relay box is smaller than the threshold current.

[0023] 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.

[0024] According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, individual cooling operations for relays and busbars included in a relay box can be actively controlled based on temperature monitoring information of the relay box provided for charging and discharging a battery group. 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.

[0025] In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, based on measurement information of the temperature of the relay, the temperature of the bus bar, and the charge / discharge current, it is possible to indirectly diagnose the risk of overheating of the battery group in parallel with the cooling operation for the relay box.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] Figure 2 is a drawing referenced to explain the schematic structure of a relay box.

[0030] Figure 3 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] Figure 4 is a drawing referenced to explain the schematic structure of the battery cooler 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] FIG. 6 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate an example of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate an example of subroutines that may be included in step S530 of FIG. 5.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate another example of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5.

[0036] FIG. 9 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate another example of subroutines that may be included in step S530 of FIG. 5.

[0037] FIG. 10 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain a cooling control method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 11 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain a cooling control method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] Consequently, 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. For example, if the relay box overheats severely, the relay contacts may become stuck in a closed or open state, making normal operation of the electric vehicle impossible.

[0049] 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.

[0050] Considering these points, the present invention provides a technology capable of actively controlling individual cooling operations for relays and busbars included in a relay box based on temperature monitoring information of the relay box provided for charging and discharging a battery group. 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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, and FIG. 2 is a diagram referenced to explain the schematic structure of a relay box.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 1, the electric vehicle (1) may include a battery pack (10) and a cooling control device (100). The electric vehicle (1) may further include at least one of a vehicle controller (2), a power converter (30), an electric load (40), and a peripheral device (50).

[0054] 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).

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] A battery block (BB) may include a single battery module or two or more battery modules. If the 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 the battery module includes multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells may be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel.

[0058] 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).

[0059] 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 includes the layout of the battery pack (10), circuit connection with the cooling control device (100), and a plurality of block monitoring units (SB1~SB NConsidering 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 N In terms of the fact that the battery cells (BC) are directly housed in the pack case with the case omitted from each of them, the battery pack (10) may have a Cell To Pack (CTP) structure.

[0060] 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.

[0061] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a relay box (RB) is installed in a power line (PL) connecting charging and discharging terminals (P1, P2) for controlling the charging and discharging of a battery group (BG). In FIG. 1, the relay box (RB) is illustrated as being connected between the positive terminal of the battery group (BG) and the charging and discharging terminal (P1), but an additional relay box (RB) connected between the negative terminal of the battery group (BG) and the charging and discharging terminal (P2) may be further included in the electric vehicle (1).

[0062] The relay box (RB) may further include a relay (11) and bus bars (12A, 12B). The relay (11) 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), the relay (11) may be kept in the ON state. The bus bars (12A, 12B) may be connected to each end of the relay (11). Both ends of the relay (11) may be electrically connected to a pair of power lines (PL) through the bus bars (12A, 12B).

[0063] A cooling control device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first thermoelectric element (PR), a second thermoelectric element (PB), a sensing circuit (120), and a controller (130). Additionally, the cooling control device (100) may further include a communication circuit (140). The second thermoelectric element (PB) includes a thermoelectric element (PB1) provided for cooling a busbar (12A) and a thermoelectric element (PB2) provided for cooling a busbar (12B).

[0064] The first thermoelectric element (PR) can receive electrical energy from the controller (130) through a pair of power lines (PW) (see FIG. 2). The first thermoelectric element (PR) is activated as electrical energy is supplied to it and is configured to absorb heat from the relay (11) while it is activated.

[0065] Each of the two thermoelectric elements (PB1, PB2) of the second thermoelectric element (PB) can receive electrical energy from the controller (130) through a pair of power lines (PW) (see FIG. 2). The second thermoelectric element (PB) is configured to be activated as electrical energy is supplied to it and to absorb heat from the busbars (12A, 12B) while it is activated.

[0066] A sensing circuit (120) according to one embodiment of the present invention generates monitoring information indicating the status of a relay box (RB). The sensing circuit (120) may additionally generate monitoring information indicating the status of a battery group (BG).

[0067] The sensing circuit (120) can periodically or non-periodically measure the state parameters of the relay box (RB) and provide monitoring information indicating each measured state parameter to the controller (130).

[0068] The state parameters of the battery group (BG) are the battery block (BB kIt 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.

[0069] The sensing circuit (120) may include a current sensor (A). The 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).

[0070] 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).

[0071] The controller (130) is operably coupled to the sensing circuit (120), the communication circuit (140), and / or the vehicle controller (2). Operability of the two components means that the two components are connected to enable the transmission and reception of signals in either a unidirectional or bidirectional manner.

[0072] 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).

[0073] The controller (130) can determine whether to execute a cooling control operation for the relay box (RB) based on monitoring information received from the sensing circuit (120). Specifically, the controller (130) can execute a cooling control for the relay (11) in response to the temperature of the relay (11) being above a first threshold temperature, and can execute a cooling operation for the busbars (12A, 12B) in response to the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) being above a second threshold temperature. On the other hand, the controller (130) can stop the cooling operation for the relay (11) if the temperature of the relay (11) is below the first threshold temperature, and can stop the cooling operation for the busbars (12A, 12B) if the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) is below the second threshold temperature.

[0074] The controller (130) can determine whether to execute a cooling control operation for the battery group (BG) based on monitoring information received from the sensing circuit (120). The temperature of the battery group (BG) is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N 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 the controller (130). The function and structure of the controller (130) are described in more detail below.

[0075] 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). The electric load (40) may include a three-phase alternating current motor that generates kinetic energy for driving an electric vehicle (1).

[0076] 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.

[0077] 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).

[0078] A cooling control device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include a battery cooler (200). The battery cooler (200) is provided for cooling a battery group (BG).

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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.

[0081] FIG. 3 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. 3 shows a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB2) included in a battery group (BG). N Among ), the battery block (BB k Only ) was depicted.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 2 together with FIG. 3, the sensing circuit (120) includes a relay temperature sensor (TR) for measuring the temperature of a relay (11) and a busbar temperature sensor (TB) for measuring the temperature of a busbar (12A, 12B).

[0083] According to one embodiment, the relay temperature sensor (TR) may be attached to the outer surface of the relay (11) or installed in an empty space inside the relay (11). The relay temperature sensor (TR) may generate a temperature signal indicating the temperature of the relay (11), and the controller (130) may collect the temperature signal of the temperature sensor (TR).

[0084] According to one embodiment, the busbar temperature sensor (TB) may be attached to the outer surface of the busbars (12A, 12B). The busbar temperature sensor (TB) may generate a temperature signal indicating the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B), and the controller (130) may collect the temperature signal of the temperature sensor (TB). The busbar temperature sensor (TB) may be installed on each of the outer surfaces of the busbars (12A, 12B), and since the busbars (12A, 12B) are placed very close to each other, it may be attached to the outer surface of either of the busbars (12A, 12B).

[0085] A sensing circuit (120) according to one embodiment of the present invention is a battery block (BB k Block monitoring unit (SB) provided to ) k It may further include ). Accordingly, the sensing circuit (120) includes a plurality of block monitoring units (SB1~SB N It may include ).

[0086] Block Monitoring Unit (SB) k ) includes a temperature sensor (TG) and may further include a voltage detection circuit (VS).

[0087] The battery temperature sensor (TG) is the battery block (BB k Attached to the outer surface of ) or battery block (BB kIt 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 (TG) measures the temperature of the battery block (BB). k A temperature signal indicating the temperature of ) can be generated, and the controller (130) can collect the temperature signal of the battery temperature sensor (TG).

[0088] The voltage detection circuit (VS) includes at least one voltage sensor. The voltage detection circuit (VS) includes a battery block (BB k The block voltage of the battery block (BB) can be measured. The block voltage is... 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 block 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).

[0089] The controller (130) collects monitoring information (e.g., the aforementioned voltage signal, current signal, temperature signal, etc.) from the sensing circuit (120) and, based on this information, 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.

[0090] Figure 4 is a drawing referenced to explain the schematic structure of the battery cooler shown in Figure 1.

[0091] A battery cooler (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a cooling channel (CH) and a refrigerant circulator (CC). For better understanding, FIG. 4 is illustrated as having a battery group (BG) located above the cooling channel (CH). Therefore, the portion of the cooling channel (CH) obscured by the battery group (BG) in FIG. 4 should be understood as being located at the bottom of the battery group (BG).

[0092] Both ends of the cooling channel (CH) can be connected to an inlet (IL) and an outlet (OL) provided in a refrigerant circulator (CC).

[0093] The refrigerant circulator (CC) supplies refrigerant to the cooling channel (CH) through the inlet (IL). The refrigerant, after passing through the cooling channel (CH) and returning to the outlet (OL) of the refrigerant circulator (CC), can be resupplied to the cooling channel (CH) through the inlet (IL) after undergoing a heat dissipation process. The cooling channel (CH) can come into contact with a portion of the outer surface of the battery group (BG), and the battery group (BG) can be cooled by the flow of refrigerant through the cooling channel (CH).

[0094] A controller (130) according to one embodiment of the present invention can determine the amount of refrigerant supplied to a cooling channel (CH) based on the temperature of a battery group (BG), and control a refrigerant circulator (CC) according to the determined amount of refrigerant supplied.

[0095] FIG. 5 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain a cooling control method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method according to FIG. 5 may be repeated periodically or non-periodically during charging, discharging, or resting of a battery group (BG).

[0096] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, in step S510, the controller (130) measures the temperature of the relay (11) and the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) using the sensing circuit (120).

[0097] In step S520, the controller (130) controls the first thermoelectric element (PR) based on the temperature of the relay (11). For example, the controller (130) can control the amount of cooling of the relay (11) by the first thermoelectric element (PB) by supplying or cutting off electrical energy to the first thermoelectric element (PR) according to the temperature of the relay (11).

[0098] In step S530, the controller (130) controls the second thermoelectric element (PB) based on the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B). For example, the controller (130) can control the amount of cooling of the busbars (12A, 12B) by the second thermoelectric element (PB) by supplying or cutting off electrical energy to the second thermoelectric element (PB) according to the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B).

[0099] FIG. 6 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate an example of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5.

[0100] Referring to FIG. 6, in step S610, the controller (130) determines whether the temperature of the relay (11) is above a first threshold temperature. The first threshold temperature may be predetermined as the lowest temperature at which cooling of the relay (11) is required. If the value of step S610 is "yes," step S622 is performed and the first thermoelectric element (PR) is activated. If the value of step S610 is "no," step S624 is performed and the first thermoelectric element (PR) is deactivated.

[0101] In step S622, the controller (130) activates the first thermoelectric element (PR). For example, the controller (130) supplies electrical energy to the first thermoelectric element (PR) through a pair of power lines (PW). Accordingly, the first thermoelectric element (PR) performs a cooling operation by absorbing heat from the relay (11) using the electrical energy. During the activation of the first thermoelectric element (PR), the controller (130) may supply electrical energy to the first thermoelectric element (PR). The electrical energy supplied to the first thermoelectric element (PR) per unit time may be constant or time-varying.

[0102] In step S624, the controller (130) deactivates the first thermoelectric element (PR). For example, the controller (130) cuts off the supply of electrical energy to the first thermoelectric element (PR). Accordingly, heat absorption from the relay (11) by the first thermoelectric element (PR) is stopped.

[0103] FIG. 7 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate an example of subroutines that may be included in step S530 of FIG. 5.

[0104] Referring to FIG. 7, in step S710, the controller (130) determines whether the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) is above a second critical temperature. The second critical temperature may be predetermined as the lowest temperature at which cooling is required for the busbars (12A, 12B). If the value of step S710 is "yes," step S722 is performed and the second thermoelectric element (PB) is activated. If the value of step S710 is "no," step S724 is performed and the second thermoelectric element (PB) is deactivated.

[0105] In step S722, the controller (130) activates the second thermoelectric element (PB). For example, the controller (130) supplies electrical energy to the second thermoelectric element (PB) through a pair of power lines. Accordingly, the second thermoelectric element (PB) performs a cooling operation by absorbing heat from the busbars (12A, 12B) using the electrical energy. During the activation of the second thermoelectric element (PR), the controller (130) may supply electrical energy to the second thermoelectric element (PB). The electrical energy supplied to the second thermoelectric element (PB) per unit time may be constant or time-varying.

[0106] In step S724, the controller (130) disables the second thermoelectric element (PB). For example, the controller (130) cuts off the supply of electrical energy to the second thermoelectric element (PB). Accordingly, heat absorption from the busbars (12A, 12B) by the second thermoelectric element (PB) is stopped.

[0107] FIG. 8 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain another example of subroutines that may be included in step S520 of FIG. 5. In describing the method of FIG. 8, repeated descriptions of parts common to the method of FIG. 6 will be omitted.

[0108] Referring to FIG. 8, in step S810, the controller (130) determines whether the temperature of the relay (11) is above a first threshold temperature. If the value of step S810 is "yes", step S822 is performed. If the value of step S810 is "no", step S826 is performed.

[0109] In step S822, the controller (130) determines a first duty cycle by applying a first positive correspondence to the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay (11) and the first critical temperature.

[0110] According to the first positive correspondence, as the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay (11) and the first critical temperature increases, the value of the first duty ratio also increases. For example, the following Equation 1 can be used as the first positive correspondence.

[0111] <Formula 1>

[0112]

[0113] In Formula 1, D1 is the first duty cycle, ΔT1 is the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay (11) and the first critical temperature, a1 is the first positive coefficient (corresponding to the slope of the straight line), and a2 is the second positive coefficient. At least one of a1 and a2 may be predetermined. The upper limit of the first duty cycle may be limited to 1.

[0114] The controller (130) can adjust the strength of the corresponding relationship of the first quantity (e.g., a1 and / or a2 of Equation 1) based on the charge / discharge current measured by the current sensor (A).

[0115] For example, the greater the charge / discharge current, the higher the risk of overheating of the relay (11). Accordingly, the controller (130) can increase the strength of the first positive correspondence as the charge / discharge current increases, and conversely, decrease the strength of the first positive correspondence as the charge / discharge current decreases. An increase in the strength of the first positive correspondence may mean increasing the ratio of the change in the first duty cycle to the unit change in the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay (11) and the first critical temperature. For example, as the charge / discharge current increases, a1 in Equation 1 may be increased continuously or in steps.

[0116] In step S824, the controller (130) activates the first thermoelectric element (PR) according to the first duty cycle. For example, when the time length per cycle is W, the controller (130) may repeat the operation of supplying electrical energy to the first thermoelectric element (PR) for an activation time equal to W ≠ D1, and then cutting off the supply of electrical energy to the first thermoelectric element (PR) for an inactivation time equal to W ≠ (1 - D1).

[0117] In step S826, the controller (130) disables the first thermoelectric element (PR).

[0118] FIG. 9 is a flowchart referenced to schematically illustrate other examples of subroutines that may be included in step S530 of FIG. 5. In describing the method of FIG. 9, repeated descriptions of parts common to the method of FIG. 7 will be omitted.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 9, in step S910, the controller (130) determines whether the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) is above a second threshold temperature. If the value of step S910 is "yes", step S922 is performed. If the value of step S910 is "no", step S926 is performed.

[0120] In step S922, the controller (130) determines the second duty cycle by applying a second positive correspondence relationship to the temperature difference between the temperature of the busbar (12A, 12B) and the second critical temperature.

[0121] According to the second positive correspondence, as the temperature difference between the temperature of the busbar (12A, 12B) and the second critical temperature increases, the value of the second duty cycle also increases. For example, the following Equation 2 can be used as the second positive correspondence.

[0122] <Equation 2>

[0123]

[0124] In Equation 2, D2 is the second duty cycle, ΔT2 is the temperature difference between the temperature of the busbar (12A, 12B) and the second critical temperature, a3 is the third positive coefficient (corresponding to the slope of the straight line), and a4 is the fourth positive coefficient. At least one of a3 and a4 may be predetermined. The upper limit of the second duty cycle may be limited to 1.

[0125] The controller (130) can adjust the strength of the corresponding relationship of the second quantity (e.g., a3 and / or a4 of Equation 2) based on the charge / discharge current measured by the current sensor (A).

[0126] For example, as the charge / discharge current increases, the risk of overheating of the busbars (12A, 12B) increases. Accordingly, the controller (130) can increase the strength of the second positive correspondence as the charge / discharge current increases, and conversely, decrease the strength of the second positive correspondence as the charge / discharge current decreases. An increase in the strength of the second positive correspondence may mean increasing the ratio of the change in the second duty cycle to the unit change in the temperature difference between the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) and the second critical temperature. For example, as the charge / discharge current increases, a3 in Equation 2 may increase continuously or in steps.

[0127] In step S924, the controller (130) activates the second thermoelectric element (PB) according to the second duty cycle. For example, when the time length per cycle is W, the controller (130) may repeat the operation of supplying electrical energy to the second thermoelectric element (PB) for an activation time equal to W ≠ D2, and then cutting off the supply of electrical energy to the second thermoelectric element (PB) for an inactivation time equal to W ≠ (1 - D2).

[0128] In step S926, the controller (130) disables the second thermoelectric element (PB).

[0129] FIG. 10 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain a cooling control method according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method of FIG. 10 may be executed, for example, in parallel with or following the method of FIG. 5.

[0130] Referring to FIG. 10, in step S1000, the controller (130) determines whether the charge / discharge current measured by the current sensor (A) is less than a predetermined threshold current. A charge / discharge current being less than the threshold current indicates a situation where the risk of overheating of the relay box (RB) is low. For example, if the electric vehicle (1) is parked or is slow-charging with a charging current less than the predetermined threshold current, the value of step S1000 may be output as "Yes". If the value of step S1000 is "Yes", step S1010 is performed. If the value of step S1000 is "No", step S1022 may be performed.

[0131] In step S1010, the controller (130) determines whether at least one of the temperature of the relay (11) and the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) has risen. For example, the controller (130) can determine whether the temperature of the relay (11) has risen by comparing the temperature of the relay (11) measured in the previous time with the temperature of the relay (11) measured in the current time. Similarly, the controller (130) can determine whether the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) has risen by comparing the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) measured in the previous time with the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) measured in the current time. If at least one of the temperature of the relay (11) and the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) has risen despite the charging / discharging current being less than a predetermined threshold current, it may strongly indicate that there are signs of danger, such as thermal runaway, in the battery group (BG). If the value of step S1010 is "Yes", step S1020 may proceed. If the value of step S1010 is "No", step S1022 may proceed.

[0132] In step S1020, the controller (130) updates the duration of the battery overheating indication. The duration of the battery overheating indication indicates the time during which a rise in at least one of the temperature of the relay (11) and the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) persists, even though the charge / discharge current is less than the threshold current. For example, if the method of FIG. 10 is executed repeatedly at 1-second intervals, the duration of the battery overheating indication may be increased by 1 second each time the value of step S1020 is output as "Yes". On the other hand, in step S1022, the controller (130) resets the duration of the battery overheating indication.

[0133] In step S1030, the controller (130) determines whether the duration of the battery overheating indication is longer than a reference time. If the value of step S1030 is "yes", step S1040 may proceed.

[0134] In step S1040, the controller (130) determines that the battery group (BG) is at risk of overheating. Accordingly, the controller (130) can transmit a risk notification signal to the vehicle controller (2) in response to the risk of overheating of the battery group (BG). In response to the risk notification signal, the vehicle controller (2) can control the relay (11) to an off state or notify the driver, etc. of the risk of overheating of the battery group (BG) through a peripheral device (50).

[0135] FIG. 11 is a flowchart referenced to schematically explain a cooling control method according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method of FIG. 11 may be executed in parallel with or following the method of FIG. 5.

[0136] Referring to FIG. 11, in step S1100, the controller (130) determines whether the charge / discharge current measured by the current sensor (A) is less than a predetermined threshold current. If the value of step S1100 is "yes," step S1110 is performed. If the value of step S1100 is "no," step S1122 may be performed.

[0137] In step S1110, the controller (130) determines whether the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay (11) and the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) is greater than or equal to a reference temperature difference. The reference temperature difference may be predetermined as the maximum allowable temperature difference for the relay (11) and the busbars (12A, 12B). If the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay (11) and the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) is greater than or equal to the reference temperature difference despite the charge / discharge current being less than the threshold current, it may imply a situation where cooling of at least one of the relay (11) and the busbars (12A, 12B) has failed, or where the temperature of at least one of the relay (11) and the busbars (12A, 12B) has been incorrectly measured. If the value of step S1110 is "Yes," step S1120 may proceed. If the value of step S1110 is "No", step S1122 can proceed.

[0138] In step S1120, the controller (130) updates the duration of the cooling failure indication. The duration of the cooling failure indication indicates the time during which the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay (11) and the temperature of the busbars (12A, 12B) persists above a reference temperature difference, even though the charge / discharge current is less than the threshold current.

[0139] In step S1130, the controller (130) determines whether the duration of the cooling failure indication is longer than a reference time. If the value of step S1130 is "yes", step S1140 may proceed.

[0140] In step S1140, the controller (130) determines that at least one of the first thermoelectric element (PR), the second thermoelectric element (PB), and the sensing circuit (120) is faulty. Accordingly, the controller (130) can transmit a fault notification signal to the vehicle controller (2). In response to the fault notification signal, the vehicle controller (2) can control the relay (11) to an off state or notify the driver, etc., of the fault of the cooling control device (100) through a peripheral device (50).

[0141] 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.

[0142] 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).

[0143] 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).

[0144] 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.

[0145] 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.

[0146] 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.

[0147] Software can be implemented as a computer program containing instructions stored on a computer-readable storage media. 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 media can be read by a computer, stored in memory, and executed by a processor.

[0148] 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.

[0149] In addition, the program may be provided as part of a computer program product. Computer program products may be traded between a seller and a buyer as goods.

[0150] 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.

[0151] The communication I / F (136) is configured to transmit and receive various data with 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).

[0152] 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).

[0153] 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.

[0154] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to 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.

[0155] 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 thermoelectric element configured to cool a relay included in a relay box provided for charging and discharging control of a battery group; A second thermoelectric element configured to cool the busbar included in the above relay box; A sensing circuit for measuring the temperature of the above relay and the temperature of the above busbar; and A controller that controls the first thermoelectric element based on the temperature of the relay and controls the second thermoelectric element based on the temperature of the busbar; A cooling control device including 2. In Paragraph 1, The above controller is, In response to the temperature of the above relay being above a first critical temperature, the first thermoelectric element is activated, and A cooling control device that deactivates the first thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the above relay being below the first threshold temperature.

3. In Paragraph 1, The above controller is, In response to the temperature of the busbar being above the second critical temperature, the second thermoelectric element is activated, and A cooling control device that deactivates the second thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the busbar being below the second critical temperature.

4. In Paragraph 1, The above controller is, In response to the temperature of the relay being greater than or equal to a first critical temperature, a first duty ratio is determined by applying a first positive correspondence to the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay and the first critical temperature. A cooling control device that activates the first thermoelectric element according to the first duty cycle.

5. In Paragraph 4, The above controller is, A cooling control device that adjusts the strength of the corresponding relationship of the first quantity based on the charging and discharging current flowing through the relay box.

6. In Paragraph 1, The above controller is, In response to the temperature of the busbar being greater than or equal to a second critical temperature, a second duty cycle is determined by applying a second positive correspondence relationship to the temperature difference between the temperature of the busbar and the second critical temperature. A cooling control device that activates the second thermoelectric element according to the second duty cycle.

7. In Paragraph 6, The above controller is, A cooling control device that adjusts the strength of the corresponding relationship of the second quantity based on the charging and discharging current flowing through the relay box.

8. In Paragraph 1, The above controller is, A cooling control device that determines that the battery group is at risk of overheating in response to a rise in at least one of the temperature of the relay and the temperature of the busbar continuing for a reference time while the charging / discharging current flowing through the relay box is less than the critical current.

9. In Paragraph 1, The above controller is, A cooling control device that determines that at least one of the first thermoelectric element, the second thermoelectric element, and the sensing circuit is faulty in response to the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay and the temperature of the bus bar remaining above the critical temperature for a reference time or longer while the charging / discharging current flowing through the relay box is less than the critical current.

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

11. An electric vehicle comprising a cooling control device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. In a cooling control method, A step of measuring the temperature of a relay included in a relay box provided for charging and discharging control of a battery group and the temperature of a busbar included in said relay box; A step of controlling a first thermoelectric element configured to cool the relay based on the temperature of the relay; and A step of controlling a second thermoelectric element configured to cool the busbar based on the temperature of the busbar; A cooling control method including 13. In Paragraph 12, The step of controlling the first thermoelectric element is, A step of activating the first thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the relay being above a first critical temperature; and A step of deactivating the first thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the relay being below the first threshold temperature; A cooling control method including 14. In Paragraph 12, The step of controlling the second thermoelectric element is, A step of activating the second thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the busbar being above a second critical temperature; and A step of deactivating the second thermoelectric element in response to the temperature of the busbar being below the second critical temperature; A cooling control method including 15. In Paragraph 12, A step of determining that the battery group is at risk of overheating in response to the rise of at least one of the temperature of the relay and the temperature of the busbar continuing for a reference time while the magnitude of the charge / discharge current flowing through the relay box is less than the threshold current; A cooling control method further comprising 16. In Paragraph 12, A step of determining that at least one of the first thermoelectric element, the second thermoelectric element, and the sensing circuit is faulty in response to the temperature difference between the temperature of the relay and the temperature of the busbar continuing for a reference time or longer than the reference temperature difference while the magnitude of the charging / discharging current flowing through the relay box is smaller than the critical current; A cooling control method further comprising 17. In a non-transient computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a cooling control method on a computer, the method comprises: A step of measuring the temperature of a relay included in a relay box provided for charging and discharging control of a battery group and the temperature of a busbar included in said relay box; A step of controlling a first thermoelectric element configured to cool the relay based on the temperature of the relay; and A step of controlling a second thermoelectric element configured to cool the busbar based on the temperature of the busbar; A non-transient computer-readable storage medium comprising

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