EV Battery Pre-cooling via Predictive Parking Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle thermal management systems face a discontinuity in battery state of charge when pre-cooling the battery while parked, leading to potential battery degradation and inefficient energy use.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where a controller powers a heat exchanger or battery chiller to pre-cool the traction battery when the vehicle is near a predicted parking location, with conditions including a current temperature below a threshold and a predicted parked temperature above it, ensuring efficient thermal management and extending battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery is cooled intermittently while the vehicle is parked to reduce battery degradation, then battery life is extended, but a discontinuity occurs between the expected state of charge and the actual state of charge when the driver returns
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cooling action before the vehicle is parked by detecting when the vehicle approaches a predicted parking location and initiating cooling sequences. This advance action ensures the battery is cooled before parking occurs, preventing temperature rise during parking while maintaining state of charge continuity by completing cooling before key-off.
2Temperature
If the battery is cooled while the vehicle is parked and the driver is away, then battery temperature is reduced, but discontinuity occurs in the expected versus actual state of charge
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors battery temperature, vehicle location, and cooling system status to dynamically adjust cooling operations. By using feedback from temperature sensors and location data, the controller can determine when cooling should start and stop to achieve target temperatures without causing state of charge discontinuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects when the vehicle is approaching a predicted parking location and initiates cooling sequences before the vehicle actually parks. This preliminary action ensures cooling is completed before key-off, maintaining state of charge continuity while still achieving the desired temperature reduction during the parking period.
3Reliability
If the heat exchanger is activated to pre-cool the battery before key-off, then battery degradation is reduced, but additional energy is consumed during vehicle operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cooling before the vehicle parks by detecting approach to predicted parking locations and initiating cooling sequences in advance. This shifts the energy consumption from during-parking operation to pre-parking operation, reducing degradation while managing energy timing optimally.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies cooling only when and where needed by using location-based prediction to determine when parking will occur, and only activating the heat exchanger when temperature thresholds indicate cooling is necessary. This partial action approach avoids unnecessary energy consumption while still achieving degradation prevention.
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 maintains battery health by pre-cooling the battery before key-off, reducing the likelihood of temperature-related degradation and optimizing energy use by aligning expected and actual state of charge, thus enhancing the vehicle's propulsion efficiency and battery longevity.
Implementation Method 1
commanding by a controller a heat exchanger of the vehicle to pre-cool a traction battery
Implementation Method 2
The battery chiller may be configured to cool the traction battery
Data Source
AI summary
A method controlling a battery management system is provided. The method may include commanding by a controller a heat exchanger of a vehicle to pre-cool a traction battery of the vehicle key-off responsive to the vehicle being within a predetermined range of a predicted parking location, a current temperature of the traction battery being less than a temperature threshold, and a predicted parked temperature for the traction battery being greater than the temperature threshold.