Vehicle Battery Temperature Regulation at Charging End

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle battery heating systems waste energy due to repeated actuation of the battery heater, as the battery temperature drops after heating stops, requiring reactivation to reach the specified temperature for timer charging, leading to inefficient use of electric power.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes temperature sensors and a controller to calculate the required temperature increasing time period using a corresponding relationship among the remaining time, current battery temperature, and environmental temperature, allowing the heater to be driven only for the necessary duration to reach the target temperature by the end of external charging, thereby minimizing energy waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the battery heater is repeatedly actuated to maintain battery temperature at the specified level, then the battery temperature can reach the required temperature at timer charging end time, but electric power is wasted due to unnecessary repeated heating cycles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery temperatureVSAvoidelectric power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs preliminary calculation of the temperature increasing time period required to reach the target battery temperature before the timer charging end time. The heater is actuated only for this calculated duration, ensuring the battery reaches the required temperature without unnecessary repeated heating cycles, thus preventing energy waste while maintaining temperature requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the battery heater is actuated early to ensure target temperature is reached by end time, then the battery temperature requirement is met, but the heating duration is extended causing energy waste

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature requirement fulfillmentVSAvoidelectric power waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The controller uses feedback from the battery temperature sensor to monitor the actual battery temperature during heating. Based on this feedback and the pre-calculated temperature increasing time period, the controller precisely controls the heater actuation duration, ensuring the battery reaches the target temperature at the optimal time without extending heating unnecessarily, thus reducing energy loss while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

The system ensures the battery reaches the target temperature efficiently, reducing energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary heater activation and maintaining the temperature during vehicle operation, thus enhancing battery performance and fuel efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a heater for warming the electric storage device by receiving the electric power from the external power supply

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2990257B1Vehicle battery temperature regulation at the end of charging
Publication Date: 2018.08.08 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP2990257B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2990257B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2990257B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vehicle includes: an electric storage device ; a first temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the electric storage device; a second temperature sensor configured to detect an environmental temperature; a heater configured to warm the electric storage device; and a controller configured to control the heater. The controller is configured to: when end time of the external charging is set, calculate a remaining time period from current time to the end time; identify a temperature increasing time period that corresponds to the calculated remaining time period, the temperature of the electric storage device, and the environmental temperature by using a corresponding relationship among the remaining time period, the temperature of the electric storage device, the environmental temperature, and the temperature increasing time period; and start driving the heater such that the temperature of the electric storage device at the end time reaches the target temperature.