EV Battery Thermal Management Subcircuit Heating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling the temperature of high-voltage batteries in electric vehicles are inefficient, leading to excessive energy consumption and potential damage due to extreme temperatures when the vehicle is parked, and fail to maintain optimal operating conditions.

Innovation Solution

A device and method that integrates a fluid circuit with a heating and cooling system, allowing selective heating of a portion of the temperature control fluid, which is then pumped to the battery, reducing energy consumption and thermal losses, and maintaining optimal battery temperature without a separate heating circuit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the entire temperature control fluid circuit is heated to maintain battery temperature when parked, then the battery temperature is maintained, but energy consumption is excessive

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

Solution Approach 1:

The fluid circuit is divided into a first subcircuit containing the heating device and a second subcircuit that connects to the battery. The heating device only heats a portion of the temperature control fluid in the first subcircuit, and this heated fluid is then supplied to the battery via the second subcircuit. This segmentation allows localized heating rather than heating the entire fluid circuit, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining battery temperature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If a separate heating circuit is implemented, then heating functionality is provided, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating functionalityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating circuit is integrated into the existing cooling circuit structure. The fluid circuit includes both cooling and heating functionality by incorporating a heating device within the first subcircuit of the existing fluid circuit architecture. This merging approach provides heating functionality without requiring a completely separate heating system, thus reducing overall device complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Temperature

If heating is applied to the entire fluid circuit, then complete thermal coverage is achieved, but thermal losses increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal coverageVSAvoidthermal losses
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Heating is applied locally only in the first subcircuit where the heating device is positioned, rather than heating the entire fluid circuit. The heated fluid is then selectively supplied to the battery area that requires temperature maintenance. This local quality approach ensures thermal coverage where needed while minimizing thermal losses in other parts of the fluid circuit that do not require heating.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Efficient heating of the battery while parked, minimizing energy consumption and preventing thermal damage, ensuring the battery remains operational and extends its service life.

Implementation Method 1

a heating device (9) for heating the temperature control fluid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

a cooling device (8) for cooling the temperature control fluid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Implementation Method 3

a pump device for transporting the temperature control fluid through the fluid circuit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPumping: Pump

Implementation Method 4

a valve device, wherein the control device (2) is designed to control a fluidic coupling of the partial circuit (4) with the fluid circuit (3) and a supply and discharge of tempering fluid heated in the partial circuit (4) to the energy storage device (5)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectValve control: Valve

Implementation Method 5

a flow-through region (6) in a wall region of the energy storage device (5), through which the temperature control fluid can flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4029076B1Device and method for maintaining the temperature of an energy storage device for electrical energie for a vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.06.25 MAN TRUCK & BUS SE
  • EP4029076B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4029076B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4029076B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a device (1) for controlling the temperature of an energy store (5) for electrical energy of a motor vehicle. The device comprises an energy store (5) for electrical energy and a fluid circuit (3) which is and/or can be thermally coupled to the energy store in order to control the temperature of the energy store, wherein a temperature control fluid can be supplied to and discharged from the energy store (5) through the fluid circuit. The fluid circuit (3) furthermore comprises a pump device (10, 11) for transporting the temperature control fluid through the fluid circuit (3), a valve device (12), a cooling device (8) for cooling the temperature control fluid and a heating device (9) for heating the temperature control fluid. The fluid circuit (3) has a sub-circuit (4) in which the heating device (9) is arranged; wherein the device (1) is designed to activate a heating operation of the heating device (9) when the motor vehicle is shut down and a predetermined heating condition is fulfilled. A fluidic coupling of the sub-circuit to the fluid circuit and a supply and discharge of temperature control fluid heated in the sub-circuit to and from the energy store (5) for electrical energy are controllable by means of the valve device (12). The invention furthermore relates to a method for controlling the temperature of an energy store for electrical energy of a motor vehicle and to a motor vehicle having said device.