Vehicle Battery Cooling Fan Control Based on Window State
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery cooling systems for vehicles struggle to balance cooling performance with occupant comfort, as increased cooling fan noise can be discomforting, especially when the window is closed.
Innovation Solution
A battery cooling system that includes processors and memories configured to acquire battery temperature, control cooling fan capacity based on temperature thresholds, recognize the open or closed state of vehicle windows, and adjust these thresholds accordingly to optimize cooling performance while minimizing noise discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cooling fan capacity is increased to improve battery cooling performance, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the noise level increases causing occupant discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the cooling fan's operating parameters (rotation speed, capacity) variable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically adjusts the fan capacity based on real-time window state detection, allowing the system to optimize between cooling performance and noise levels according to current environmental conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the window state (open/closed) as an intermediary factor that mediates between cooling requirements and noise comfort. When the window is open, the system uses a higher temperature threshold allowing greater fan capacity; when closed, a lower threshold limits fan capacity to reduce noise, using the window state as the mediating condition
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cooling fan capacity is decreased to reduce noise, then occupant comfort is improved, but the cooling performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the temperature threshold parameter based on window state. When the window is open, the threshold is raised (e.g., from 30°C to 35°C), allowing the fan to operate at higher capacity without triggering discomfort. When closed, the threshold is lowered to limit fan operation and reduce noise, thus dynamically changing the control parameter to balance both requirements
3Device complexity
If a fixed temperature threshold is used for cooling control, then the control system is simple, but it cannot adapt to different window states and optimizes neither cooling nor comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the temperature threshold a multi-functional parameter that serves different purposes based on window state. The same threshold parameter adapts to both open-window and closed-window scenarios, allowing the system to optimize for either cooling performance or noise comfort depending on environmental conditions, rather than requiring separate control systems
Data Source
AI summary
A battery cooling system includes: one or more processors; and one or more memories communicably coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more processors: execute a temperature acquisition process of acquiring a temperature of a battery mounted on a vehicle; execute an output control process of making a comparison of the temperature of the battery acquired by the temperature acquisition process with a predetermined threshold, and controlling, in accordance with a result of the comparison, a cooling capacity of a cooling fan configured to cool the battery; execute an open or closed state recognition process of recognizing an open or closed state of a window openable and closable and provided in the vehicle; and, in executing the output control process, use different thresholds as the predetermined threshold, depending on the open or closed state recognized by the open or closed state recognition process.