Vehicle Battery Cooling Loop with Thermal Reservoir for Power Peaks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchange systems for vehicle batteries consume excessive electrical energy to maintain optimal temperature, reducing vehicle range and requiring power peaks to cope with temperature increases during high performance demands.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchange system incorporating a thermal reservoir with a phase-change material that stores and releases heat, allowing flexible temperature control through diverter valves and pumps to manage heat exchange without power peaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the compressor of the cooling system is supplied with increasing energy input to limit battery temperature during high traction power, then battery temperature control is improved, but electrical energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-cools the heat exchange liquid using the chiller before battery cooling is needed. This stored cold energy is then utilized during high-power traction periods when battery cooling demand peaks, avoiding the need to increase compressor energy input at critical moments.
Solution Approach 2:
A thermal reservoir acts as an intermediary between the chiller and the battery cooling system. The reservoir stores thermal energy in the form of pre-cooled liquid, mediating the transfer of cooling capacity from the chiller to the battery without requiring direct compressor operation during peak demand.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the compressor size is reduced to minimize electrical power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but cooling capacity during high performance demands is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal reservoir is pre-charged with cold energy during periods of low battery temperature or vehicle idle time. This allows a smaller compressor to be used during normal operation, while the reservoir provides additional cooling capacity when high power demands arise, maintaining adaptability without increasing compressor size.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the cooling system by introducing a thermal reservoir that can store and release cooling capacity independently of compressor operation. This allows the compressor to operate at lower, more efficient power levels while the reservoir compensates for cooling capacity variations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a thermal reservoir with phase-change material is added to store and release heat, then temperature control versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal reservoir with phase-change material is integrated into the existing cooling system architecture, merging the new thermal storage functionality with the conventional heat exchange components. This combination provides enhanced temperature control versatility while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity through unified design.
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
Enhances battery performance by efficiently managing temperature fluctuations without increasing energy consumption or compressor size, providing versatile cooling solutions for varying vehicle conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A heat exchange system (1) for cooling a vehicle battery (2), comprising: an inlet branch (5) and an outlet branch (6), connected to each other via a return branch (7), which comprises a pump (8) driven by an electric motor so as to make a heat exchange liquid circulate in the heat exchange system (1) from the inlet branch (5) to the outlet branch (6); the return branch (7) further comprises a chiller (9) defined by a heat exchanger configured to cool the heat exchange liquid flowing into the return branch (7); the heat exchange system (1) further comprises a branch line (30) extending along a heat accumulator or thermal reservoir (34), containing a material having such characteristics as to store heat, i.e. a material having a relatively high thermal capacity (in particular, a thermal capacity greater than or equal to that of distilled water) and/or a phase-change material
Implementation Method 2
containing a material having such characteristics as to store heat, i.e. a material having a relatively high thermal capacity (in particular, a thermal capacity greater than or equal to that of distilled water) and/or a phase-change material
Implementation Method 3
a chiller (9) defined by a heat exchanger configured to cool the heat exchange liquid flowing into the return branch (7)
Implementation Method 4
which comprises a pump (8) driven by an electric motor so as to make a heat exchange liquid circulate in the heat exchange system (1) from the inlet branch (5) to the outlet branch (6)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A heat exchange system (1) has an inlet branch (5) adapted to receive a heat exchange liquid, supplied by a first pump (8) and cooled by a chiller (9), and an outlet branch (6) which circulates the heat exchange liquid to the chiller (9); the system has a cooling line (26), which extends from the inlet branch (5) to the outlet branch (6) along a battery (2) of a vehicle (3) for cooling this battery (2), and a branch line (30), which extends along a thermal reservoir (34) containing a material with characteristics such as to store heat/cold and is configured in such a way as to exchange heat between said material and the heat exchange liquid; the system also has at least one valve (25,) which is configured and controllable to achieve a first operating condition, in which the liquid flows exclusively in the cooling line (26), and a second operating condition, in which the liquid flows in the branch line (30) and, in series, in the cooling line (26).