Battery Heating Pump Frequency Control for Low Vehicle Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
The noise generated by the pump when raising the battery temperature in a vehicle's thermal management system can detract from the vehicle's marketability, despite the benefits of faster charging and improved performance.
Innovation Solution
A controller adjusts the drive frequency of the electric pump outside the resonance band and suppresses pump noise when background noise is minimal, ensuring both effective heating and reduced noise interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the pump drives at high frequency to raise battery temperature quickly, then the heating speed is improved, but pump noise increases and deteriorates marketability
Solution Approach 1:
The pump drive frequency is dynamically adjusted based on background noise levels. When background noise is small, the frequency is set outside the resonance band to suppress pump noise. When background noise is large, the frequency can be set regardless of the resonance band, allowing faster heating. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between heating speed and noise suppression.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump drive frequency parameter is changed based on background noise conditions. By setting the frequency outside the resonance band (e.g., lower than the lower limit or higher than the upper limit of the resonance band) when background noise is small, the pump noise is suppressed. When background noise is large, the frequency parameter can be optimized for heating performance without noise constraints.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the pump drive frequency is set outside the resonance band to suppress pump noise, then noise is reduced, but heating efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between noise suppression mode and heating efficiency mode based on background noise conditions. When background noise is small, the pump operates outside the resonance band for noise suppression. When background noise is large, the pump can operate at frequencies optimized for heating efficiency, even within the resonance band, since the pump noise is masked by the larger background noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system periodically monitors background noise levels and adjusts pump drive frequency accordingly. This periodic adjustment allows the system to alternate between noise suppression and heating efficiency optimization based on real-time environmental conditions, resolving the contradiction between noise reduction and heating performance.
3Temperature
If the pump operates continuously to maintain battery temperature, then temperature control is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous operation, the pump operates periodically based on temperature monitoring. The controller monitors battery temperature and activates the pump only when heating is required, using periodic control to maintain temperature within the suitable range. This reduces energy consumption while maintaining effective temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal management system uses the battery's own operational heat generation to maintain temperature when possible, reducing the need for active pump operation. The pump supplements heating only when the battery cannot maintain its own temperature, creating a self-service system that minimizes energy consumption while maintaining temperature control.
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 balances the need for rapid battery temperature increase with minimal pump noise, enhancing vehicle marketability by reducing annoyance and improving user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a heat medium that exchanges heat with the battery
Implementation Method 2
a pump that circulates a heat medium
Implementation Method 3
a noise caused by driving of the pump... when the drive frequency of the electric pump is within the resonance band
Implementation Method 4
when the drive frequency of the electric pump is within the resonance band of the electric pump... the pump noise is suppressed
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A vehicle (1) includes: a battery (10); a thermal management system (30); and an ECU (50). The thermal management system (30) includes an electric pump (371) that circulates a heat medium that exchanges heat with the battery (10). The thermal management system (30) performs thermal management in the vehicle (1). When a temperature of the battery (10) is raised using the thermal management system (30), the ECU (50) controls the electric pump (371) such that a noise caused by driving of the electric pump (371) is suppressed when there is no background noise as compared with when there is a background noise, the background noise being a noise caused by a device other than the electric pump (371).