Vehicle Battery Cooling System with Predictive Energy Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery cooling systems in electric and hybrid electric vehicles are energy-hungry, consuming a significant amount of electrical energy, which reduces battery lifespan and vehicle range, and increases long-term costs due to inefficient temperature control.
Innovation Solution
A dual cooling system with a low-energy-consuming ambient air-based subsystem and a high-energy-consuming refrigeration subsystem, controlled by a predictive and reactive evaluation system that determines the need for cooling and selects the appropriate subsystem based on temperature thresholds and energy availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dedicated cooling system with pumps, fans and compressors is used to maintain battery temperature, then battery performance and lifespan are improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling circuits: a first cooling circuit for the battery using a first pump, a second cooling circuit for the engine using a second pump, and a third cooling circuit that can supply coolant to either the battery or engine. This segmentation allows selective cooling of different components, enabling the system to maintain battery temperature control while consuming less energy by activating only the necessary cooling circuits based on real-time conditions.
2Temperature
If high-power cooling devices are continuously operated to ensure battery temperature control, then temperature stability is improved, but vehicle range and fuel economy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system employs dynamic control through a controller that receives temperature signals from both the battery and engine, and selectively activates cooling circuits based on real-time temperature conditions. The system can dynamically switch between different cooling configurations: cooling only the battery, cooling only the engine, or cooling both simultaneously. This dynamic adaptation ensures temperature stability is maintained only when necessary, significantly reducing energy consumption and preserving vehicle range.
3Device complexity
If a single cooling system serves both battery and engine, then device complexity is reduced, but temperature control precision for the battery deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into separate cooling circuits with dedicated pumps and controllable flow paths for the battery and engine. The first cooling circuit is dedicated to battery cooling with a first pump, while the second cooling circuit serves the engine with a second pump. A third cooling circuit can be directed to either component as needed. This segmentation enables independent temperature control for each component, ensuring precise battery temperature management while maintaining reasonable system complexity through shared coolant reservoir and controlled interconnections.
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 reduces energy consumption, prolongs battery life, enhances vehicle efficiency, and increases the electric range by pre-emptively using the low-energy cooling subsystem when possible, minimizing the need for the high-energy subsystem.
Implementation Method 1
a first cooling subsystem for cooling the device and having a first cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption
Implementation Method 2
a first cooling subsystem for cooling the device
Implementation Method 3
a second cooling subsystem for cooling the device and having a second cooling subsystem rate of energy consumption
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A cooling system for cooling a device (150), e.g. a battery, within a vehicle (100), especially a hybrid electric vehicle, the cooling system comprising: a first cooling subsystem (180) for cooling the device (150) and having a relatively low rate of energy consumption, e.g. an ambient air-based cooling apparatus, a second cooling subsystem (182) for cooling the device (150) and having a relatively high rate of energy consumption, e.g. a refrigeration-based cooling apparatus, evaluation means (190P, 190R) comprising predictive evaluation means (190P) for providing a predictive output responsive to a determination whether a temperature of the device (150) will exceed a first prescribed threshold value within a prescribed period of time, an evaluation output of the evaluation means (190P, 190R) being dependent on at least the predictive output of the predictive evaluation means (190P), assessment means (190A) for providing an assessment output responsive to a determination whether the temperature of the device (150) is lowerable by the first cooling subsystem (180) alone, and control means for selectively controlling actuation of the first cooling subsystem (180) or the second cooling subsystem (182) in dependence on the evaluation output of the evaluation means (190P, 190R) and the assessment output of the assessment means (190A). By use of the combined evaluation methodology to operate the lower-energy cooling subsystem (180) in a pre-emptive manner, before or unless the higher-energy cooling subsystem (182) is actually needed, a more energy efficient system is achieved.