EV Battery Thermal Management Using Cabin Heater Core
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plug-in electric vehicles face reduced charging speed and vehicle range due to the diversion of power to refrigerant systems for battery cooling when no radiator is present, leading to inefficient thermal management during on-plug charging.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system that selectively operates a refrigerant cooling circuit and a cabin heater core cooling circuit, controlled by a control module to optimize cooling modes, including a combined mode using both circuits, to minimize power diversion from the charger and enhance charging efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a refrigerant system is used to cool the battery during charging, then the battery can be cooled, but the charging speed is reduced due to power diversion from the wall charging unit
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling circuits (refrigerant cooling circuit, first heat exchanger cooling circuit, second heat exchanger cooling circuit) that can operate independently or in combination. This allows the system to select the most efficient cooling path based on charging conditions, minimizing power consumption during charging while maintaining battery temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal management system is designed with multi-functionality, where heat exchangers serve dual purposes: cooling the battery during charging and providing cabin heating or engine cooling during vehicle operation. This universal design eliminates the need for dedicated refrigerant system operation during charging, thereby preserving charging speed.
2Temperature
If power is diverted to the refrigerant system during charging, then the battery can be cooled, but the vehicle range gained per charging time is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary thermal management by using heat exchangers to pre-cool the battery before high-power charging begins, or to maintain battery temperature during charging without requiring continuous refrigerant system operation. This preliminary action reduces the overall power consumption during the charging process, increasing energy efficiency and vehicle range per charging time.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal management system utilizes waste heat from the vehicle's operation (engine coolant, cabin heating requirements) to serve the battery cooling needs. During vehicle operation, excess heat from the engine or cabin heating system is redirected to cool the battery, eliminating the need for external refrigerant system power and improving overall energy efficiency.
3Device complexity
If a radiator is not present in the system, then the vehicle design is simplified, but the system must use a refrigerant system which consumes additional power during charging
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses existing heat exchangers (designed for cabin heating and engine cooling) to perform battery cooling functions, eliminating the need for a separate radiator while maintaining thermal management capability. This multi-functional approach reduces both system complexity and power consumption during charging.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal management system uses waste heat from vehicle operation to cool the battery, making the system self-sufficient during normal operation. The heat exchangers utilize engine coolant and cabin heating requirements to provide battery cooling without requiring external refrigerant system power, thereby reducing energy consumption during charging.
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 effectively reduces power diversion from the charger, increases charging speed, and improves vehicle range by intelligently selecting the most advantageous cooling mode based on ambient and battery temperatures, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant cooling circuit configured to be selectively operably coupled to the high voltage battery to cool the high voltage battery during charging of the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a cabin heater core cooling circuit configured to be selectively operably coupled to the high voltage battery to cool the high voltage battery during charging of the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A control assembly for a thermal management system for a high voltage battery of a plug-in electric vehicle may include a control valve and a control module. The control valve may be operable to control a flow of battery coolant to the high voltage battery from a refrigerant cooling circuit and from a cabin heater core cooling circuit. The control module may be configured to selectively operate the control valve to select a cooling mode, including a refrigerant only mode, a core mode, and a combined mode in which both the refrigerant cooling circuit and the cabin heater core cooling circuit provide cooling to the high voltage battery.