Vehicle Battery Cooling Architecture for Rapid Ground Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-capacity batteries in power electronic propulsion systems face challenges in heat management during recharging, as passive cooling systems become impractical, and existing on-board cooling architectures are insufficient for rapid ground charging and weight-constrained aerospace applications.
Innovation Solution
The method involves balancing discharging mode waste power and removal power to maintain the energy storage system near a discharging design temperature and using an off-board cooling flow to maintain it near a peak charging design temperature through a balance of charging mode waste power and removal power, with a heat exchanger sized for ambient temperatures, and a controller to adjust coolant temperature and flow rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If passive cooling systems are used for high-capacity batteries, then system complexity is reduced, but cooling effectiveness becomes insufficient during rapid charging
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system transitions from a static passive design to a dynamic active system that can adjust cooling capacity in real-time. The controller modulates coolant flow rates and pump operations to match the varying thermal loads during different charging phases, enabling the system to provide adequate cooling during rapid charging while maintaining simplicity during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
An active coolant circulation system serves as an intermediary between the battery thermal management requirements and the cooling capacity provision. The coolant system with controllable pumps and flow distribution networks acts as a mediator that can adaptively transfer heat from the batteries to the heat exchangers, resolving the conflict between system simplicity and cooling effectiveness.
2Productivity
If on-board cooling systems are sized for rapid ground charging, then charging speed increases, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system employs variable-speed pumps and controllable flow distribution that allow it to operate at different capacity levels. During rapid ground charging, the system activates full cooling capacity with higher flow rates. During normal vehicle operation, the system reduces coolant flow to minimum necessary levels, effectively decoupling the maximum charging speed capability from the continuous weight penalty of a fully-sized cooling system.
Solution Approach 2:
The active cooling system serves multiple functions: it provides maximum cooling capacity during rapid ground charging, maintains baseline cooling during normal operation, and can be scaled down or off when not needed. This multi-functionality allows a single cooling system architecture to support both weight-constrained vehicle operation and high-speed charging requirements.
3Weight of moving object
If on-board cooling architecture is minimized for weight constraints, then vehicle weight decreases, but cooling capacity during rapid charging becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system uses controllable pumps with variable flow rates to dynamically adjust cooling capacity. During rapid charging, the pumps operate at high speed to maximize coolant circulation and heat removal. During normal operation, the pumps reduce to low-speed operation with minimal flow requirements. This dynamic adjustment allows a compact cooling system to deliver high power when needed without continuously carrying the weight penalty of maximum capacity hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (coolant flow rate, pump speed, heat exchanger effectiveness) to match the thermal demands of different operating modes. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, a smaller cooling system can achieve the same peak cooling capacity as a larger static system would provide continuously, thereby reducing weight while maintaining adequate cooling capacity during rapid charging.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively manages heat during both charging and discharging modes, ensuring the energy storage system operates within optimal temperature ranges, extending battery life and enabling rapid ground recharging while minimizing on-board cooling system weight.
Implementation Method 1
receiving an off-board cooling flow into an on-board cooling architecture of the energy storage system during charging mode
Implementation Method 2
balancing a discharging mode waste power and a discharging mode removal power
Data Source
AI summary
A method of recharging an energy storage system for a vehicle, the energy storage system operable in a charging mode and a discharging mode includes balancing a discharging mode waste power and a discharging mode removal power to independently maintain the energy storage system near a discharging design temperature during the discharging mode; receiving an off-board cooling flow into an on-board cooling architecture of the energy storage system during charging mode, wherein the on-board cooling architecture comprises a network of on-board passages proximate to at least portions of the energy storage system; and distributing the off-board cooling flow to maintain the energy storage system near a peak charging design temperature through a balance of a charging mode waste power and a charging mode removal power.