Predictive Battery Thermal Control for EV Route-Based Preconditioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery thermal management systems in electric vehicles are reactive and inefficient, relying on detecting environmental changes after they occur, leading to excessive cooling or heating and reduced battery lifetime.
Innovation Solution
A predictive battery thermal management system that uses a centralized control strategy, incorporating remote data management and forecasting based on vehicle diagnostics, weather, traffic, and historical data to proactively manage thermal loads, reducing energy consumption and maintenance needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional reactive thermal management is used, then the system can respond to detected thermal conditions, but temperature stabilization requires excessive cooling or heating power due to slow thermal processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting future thermal conditions based on route, weather, and traffic data before the vehicle encounters them. The predictive controller calculates expected thermal loads in advance and pre-adjusts thermal management, eliminating the need for excessive reactive cooling or heating power.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional reactive thermal management is used, then the system operates based on current environmental settings, but it cannot anticipate changes requiring thermal adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The system obtains route information, weather forecasts, and traffic data in advance to predict thermal conditions before the vehicle encounters them. This preliminary action allows the system to anticipate environmental changes and prepare appropriate thermal management responses, eliminating detection delays.
3Productivity
If centralized predictive control is implemented, then thermal management efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases due to remote data management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized predictive controller that acts as an intermediary between multiple vehicles and the thermal management execution system. This mediator consolidates data processing and prediction algorithms centrally, reducing individual vehicle complexity while maintaining high thermal management efficiency through coordinated control.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a battery thermal management system for an electric vehicle, and to a method and vehicle control system. More specifically, the battery thermal management system comprises a communication unit for transmitting and receiving data packets, a control unit connected to the communication unit. The control unit is configured to retrieve vehicle diagnostic data from a plurality of electric vehicles, the data comprising a battery temperature. Furthermore, the control unit is configured to retrieve a planned route of a first vehicle, and environmental data associated with the planned route, determine a thermal management scheme for the first vehicle based on the vehicle diagnostic data and the environmental data. The thermal management scheme comprising instructions for controlling heating and/or cooling of the traction battery pack of the first vehicle. The inventive system allows for precise predictions of the thermal load for traction batteries of electric vehicles, and therefore improved thermal management which reduces maintenance requirements and prolongs the expected lifetime of the electric vehicle.