EV Battery Preheating via Charging Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle batteries operate inefficiently at low ambient temperatures, reducing their capacity and power, and thus the vehicle's range, especially when charging is incomplete or terminated for a long period, leading to additional heating costs and component requirements.
Innovation Solution
A method to preheat the battery by controlling both charging and discharging processes to reach a minimum temperature at the departure time, using the charging current and discharging current to heat the battery, with a charging apparatus that includes temperature sensors and control units to manage the processes based on the departure time and ambient temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the charging process is terminated for a long period to allow off-peak electricity charging, then cost-effective charging is achieved, but the battery temperature drops to ambient temperature causing inefficient operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the battery using the vehicle's heating system before the charging process begins. This ensures the battery reaches optimal operating temperature in advance, preventing temperature drop during extended charging periods while maintaining cost-effective off-peak charging schedules.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle's heating system acts as an intermediary to transfer thermal energy to the battery. By using the existing heating infrastructure as a mediator, the system can maintain battery temperature without requiring dedicated battery heating components, resolving the contradiction between cost-effective charging and operational efficiency.
2Reliability
If additional heating apparatus is used to preheat the battery, then battery temperature is maintained, but additional operating costs and component requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle's existing heating system is designed to serve multiple functions: cabin heating and battery preheating. By making the heating system universal, the patent eliminates the need for separate battery heating components while maintaining reliable temperature control, thus reducing device complexity without sacrificing performance.
3Device complexity
If the battery operates at low ambient temperature, then no additional heating is required, but capacity and power are degraded reducing vehicle range
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the battery before charging or operation begins. This advance preparation ensures the battery operates at optimal temperature from the start, maximizing power and capacity utilization without requiring continuous heating components during operation.
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 method ensures the battery operates at an optimal temperature, preventing capacity and power losses, improving the vehicle's range without additional heating components, and allowing cost-effective use of off-peak electricity.
Implementation Method 1
the charging process and a discharging process are controlled in such a way that a minimum temperature of the battery is reached or set at a departure time of the motor vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A method for preheating a battery of an electrically driven motor vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, controls a charging process and a discharging process of the battery in such a way that a minimum temperature of the battery is attained at a departure time of the motor vehicle.