Battery Preheating System with Selective Decoupling for Safe Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle battery charging systems risk damaging batteries or causing explosions when pre-heating is coupled with the charging process, especially in cold weather, due to the potential for short circuits.
Innovation Solution
A system that automatically decouples the battery from the charging system during pre-heating, using a temperature sensor and controller to ensure the battery is heated to a safe temperature before being coupled with the charger, preventing short circuits and ensuring safe charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the battery is coupled with the charging system during pre-heating, then the heating function is available, but the battery may be damaged or explode due to short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The charging process is segmented into distinct stages: pre-heating stage and charging stage. During pre-heating, the battery is electrically isolated from the charging system through open switches (102, 103), preventing short circuits while allowing heating. Once the battery reaches the required temperature, the system transitions to the charging stage where the battery is coupled to the charging system. This temporal segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the heating function from the charging coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary heating action before the battery is coupled to the charging system. The pre-heating stage activates the heater (170) to raise the battery temperature to the required level (above 0°C) before charging begins. This preliminary action ensures the battery is in a safe state for subsequent charging, preventing damage or explosions that would occur if charging started at low temperatures.
2Productivity
If the battery is heated before charging, then charging efficiency is improved, but the system complexity increases due to additional control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The DC/DC converter (140) serves multiple functions: it powers the heater (170) during pre-heating and also manages power conversion during charging. The controller (280) and switches (101-105) are used in both pre-heating and charging modes, reducing the need for separate dedicated components. This multi-functionality improves charging efficiency through pre-heating while minimizing the increase in system complexity by reusing existing components across different operational stages.
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 solution ensures the battery is pre-heated to an optimal temperature before charging, preventing damage and explosions, while allowing for efficient charging with either on-board or off-board chargers, thereby enhancing safety and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a battery pre heater 170...the battery pre heater 170 is electrically coupled to the DC/DC converter 140
Implementation Method 2
a temperature sensor transmits a temperature of a battery to a controller
Implementation Method 3
a battery 110 is capable of supplying sufficient voltage and current to power a motor 120, a cabin heater 130
Data Source
AI summary
A system for charging a battery pack of an electric vehicle comprises a heater for pre-heating the battery pack so that the battery pack is able to accept a charge from a charger. The battery pack is selectively de-coupled from the system during the pre-heating. When the battery pack has reached an appropriate temperature, the heater is selectively de-coupled from the system and the charger is coupled to the system to charge the battery. Advantageously, the battery pack is protected during pre-heating.