EV Thermal Management Using Wall Power Preconditioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electric vehicles face challenges in extending their electric range due to limited battery energy storage, with heating systems consuming valuable battery power, necessitating efficient preconditioning strategies to optimize energy use.
Innovation Solution
A control strategy and method that utilizes a coolant circuit, heat pump, and controller to selectively heat the traction battery and cabin using wall power, prioritizing heating based on the time to next planned usage and ambient temperature, ensuring efficient energy allocation by circulating coolant to either the heater core or battery, and energizing the heat pump when wall power is available.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the heating system uses battery power to heat the cabin, then the cabin temperature is maintained, but the electric range is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the cabin using wall power before the vehicle is driven. The controller detects when the vehicle is parked and connected to an external power source, and activates the heating system in advance of when the driver needs the cabin heated, thereby preserving battery power for propulsion during actual driving.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the vehicle's own heating infrastructure (heater core, coolant circuit) but powers it from an external source rather than the battery. The vehicle's thermal management system serves the cabin heating function using alternative power, reducing the burden on the battery.
2Temperature
If the heating system prioritizes battery heating over cabin heating, then the battery temperature is optimized for performance, but the cabin remains cold
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of both the battery and cabin using wall power before driving begins. By detecting parking conditions and external power availability, the controller activates heating in advance to prepare both systems, ensuring the battery is at optimal temperature and the cabin is comfortable when the driver enters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the battery thermal management circuit and cabin heating circuit into a shared coolant circulation system. The same coolant loop serves both the battery heater and the cabin heater core, allowing simultaneous or sequential heating of both components from a single thermal source powered by wall electricity.
3Quantity of substance
If the vehicle uses a larger battery to extend electric range, then the energy storage capacity increases, but the vehicle weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses external wall power to perform heating functions that would otherwise consume battery energy. By making the vehicle self-sufficient for thermal management during parking periods, the system reduces the need for oversized batteries that would be required to provide both propulsion energy and heating energy for extended range.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary thermal conditioning using external power sources before driving begins. This advance preparation reduces the immediate energy demands on the battery during driving, effectively extending the usable electric range without requiring a larger battery pack.
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 effectively extends the vehicle's electric range by preserving battery power for propulsion by preconditioning the battery and cabin using available wall power, optimizing energy use and reducing emissions.
Implementation Method 1
energize the heat pump to supply heat to the coolant circuit via the heat exchanger when an ambient air temperature exceeds a threshold temperature
Implementation Method 2
actuate the valving to circulate coolant to the heater core and not the battery
Implementation Method 3
circulate coolant to the heater core
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a cabin, a traction battery configured to receive wall power from a charging station, a coolant circuit, a heat pump and a controller. The coolant circuit includes the battery, a heater core, a heat exchanger, and valving. The heat pump is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger. The controller is programmed to, in response to a request to heat the battery and the cabin, and a time to next planned usage of the vehicle being less than a first threshold time, actuate the valving to circulate coolant to the heater core and not the battery when wall power is available, and energize the heat pump to supply heat to the coolant circuit via the heat exchanger when an ambient air temperature exceeds a threshold temperature. The disclosure also includes a method for preconditioning a vehicle.