Battery Temperature Prediction for Efficient External Charging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Externally chargeable vehicles face inefficiencies in battery charging due to temperature mismatches between arrival destinations and optimal charging temperatures, leading to reduced charging efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle system that includes a power storage device, a driving unit, a coupling unit for external charging, and a control device that predicts and manages the battery temperature to ensure it falls within the range of highest charging efficiency upon arrival at a charging-available destination, using temperature control means like cooling and heating devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the vehicle arrives at a destination and immediately starts external charging, then charging can begin quickly, but the battery temperature may not be within the optimal range for charging, reducing charging efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging start timeVSAvoidcharging efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control device performs preliminary temperature prediction and adjustment before charging begins. It calculates the predicted battery temperature at the destination and activates heating or cooling operations in advance to ensure the battery reaches the optimal temperature range (e.g., 15°C to 35°C) before external charging starts, thereby avoiding temperature-related charging inefficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the battery temperature management strategy based on real-time conditions. It continuously monitors current battery temperature, ambient temperature, and predicted destination temperature to adaptively control heating/cooling operations, ensuring the battery temperature remains within the optimal charging range while minimizing energy consumption and charging time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the battery temperature is controlled to be within the optimal range for charging efficiency, then charging efficiency improves, but the complexity of temperature control increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging efficiencyVSAvoidtemperature control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control device implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors battery temperature and compares it with the optimal charging temperature range. Based on this feedback, it automatically adjusts heating or cooling operations to maintain the battery temperature within the desired range, simplifying the control process while ensuring optimal charging conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the vehicle's existing thermal management infrastructure (air conditioning system, heater) to self-regulate battery temperature. The control device leverages these existing components to provide heating or cooling to the battery as needed, avoiding the need for dedicated battery temperature control hardware and reducing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Enables quick and efficient external charging by maintaining the battery temperature within the optimal range for charging efficiency, preventing overheating, and ensuring efficient energy utilization.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling fan cooling a high voltage battery mounted on a vehicle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

a temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the high voltage battery

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal detection:

Data Source

PatentEP2177389B1Vehicle equipped with power storage device and temperature control method of power storage device
Publication Date: 2020.01.01 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP2177389B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2177389B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2177389B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

A vehicle (1) includes a battery (B) as a power storage device that can be charged and discharged, a booster unit (32), an inverter (36), and a motor generator (MG1, MG2) operating as a vehicle driving unit receiving electric power supply from the battery (B) to drive the vehicle, a coupling unit (37) coupling the vehicle with an external power supply for charging the battery (B) from the outside of the vehicle, and a control device (14) performing control related to the battery (B). The control device (14) determines whether or not a destination is a charging-available place where the battery (B) can be charged from the outside of the vehicle, and if the destination is a charging-available place, performs control related to the battery (B) so that the temperature of the battery (B) is a charging-efficient temperature on arrival at the destination.