EV Thermal Loop Switching for Battery Heating and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric powersport vehicles face challenges in maintaining optimal battery temperatures due to high discharge rates generating heat and cold temperatures reducing battery performance, while existing liquid-based thermal management systems are complex, expensive, and unsuitable for powersport vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight liquid-based thermal management system (TMS) for electric powersport vehicles, employing a pump, heater, heat exchanger, and controllable 3-way valves to create different circulation paths for active and passive battery heating modes, as well as full cooling mode, maintaining optimal battery and motor/controller temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a liquid-based thermal management system is implemented to maintain optimal battery temperatures, then battery performance and longevity are improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the battery thermal management system with the motor controller thermal management system into a single integrated liquid-based thermal management system. The system uses a common coolant circulation loop with a pump, heat exchanger, and valves that can serve both the battery pack and motor controller, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective thermal management for both components.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal management system is designed with multi-functionality to handle different thermal management modes (active battery heating, passive battery heating, full cooling) using the same core components. The controllable 3-way valves enable the system to redirect coolant flow to different components based on thermal requirements, making the system versatile without requiring separate dedicated systems for each function.
2Power
If high discharge rates are used to increase power output, then vehicle performance is improved, but heat generation increases and battery temperature control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal management system incorporates temperature sensors that continuously monitor battery temperature and provide feedback to the control system. Based on this feedback, the system automatically adjusts coolant flow distribution and pump operation to maintain optimal battery temperature even during high discharge rates, enabling sustained high power output without thermal damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses controllable 3-way valves that can dynamically redirect coolant flow between the battery pack and motor controller based on real-time thermal conditions. During high discharge operations, the valves can increase coolant flow to the battery pack to prevent overheating, while during normal operation, flow can be redirected to the motor controller, providing adaptive thermal management that supports variable power demands.
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 TMS effectively maintains batteries within an optimal temperature range across varying environmental conditions, ensuring the performance and longevity of electric powersport vehicles while being lightweight and cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
heater
Data Source
AI summary
One example provides a thermal management system for an electric vehicle including a pump to pump a thermal transfer fluid through a number of circulation loops, an electric heater to heat the thermal transfer fluid, a heat exchanger to expel heat from the thermal transfer fluid, a number of valves, and a number of fluid pathways fluidically interconnecting the pump, heater, heat exchanger and valves. The valves being controllable to a number of different positions to form the number of circulation loops, the number of circulation loops including a battery heating circulation loop extending through the heater for heating a battery pack of the vehicle, a secondary components cooling circulation loop extending through the heat exchanger to cool secondary components of the vehicle, including a motor and a motor controller, and a battery cooling circulation loop extending through the heat exchanger to cool the battery pack.