Ground-Based Battery Thermal Conditioning via Heat Transfer Fluid
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to manage the temperature of vehicle batteries during charging to prevent overheating, which can lead to thermal damage and reduce the service life of batteries, especially in vehicles like aircraft where on-board cooling systems are not feasible due to mass and volume constraints, resulting in increased recharging times and potential thermal damage.
Innovation Solution
A charging system that includes a thermal conditioning module using a heat transfer fluid circulation system, regulated by a control-command module to maintain battery temperatures within an optimal range during charging, without the need for on-board equipment, ensuring the batteries are cooled efficiently and effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an on-board battery cooling system is incorporated in the vehicle, then the battery temperature can be controlled during charging, but the mass and volume of the vehicle increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is extracted from the vehicle and relocated to the ground-based charging station. The charging system includes a cooling circuit with a pump, heat exchanger, and temperature sensors positioned at the charging station, allowing battery cooling during charging without adding mass to the vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat transfer fluid serves as an intermediary between the battery and the ground-based cooling system. The fluid circulates through pipes connected to the battery, absorbing heat during charging and transporting it to the heat exchanger at the charging station, enabling thermal management without on-board cooling equipment.
2Temperature
If an on-board battery cooling system is incorporated in the vehicle, then the battery temperature can be controlled during charging, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex cooling system components (pump, heat exchanger, control valves, and reservoir) are extracted from the vehicle and installed at the charging station. Only simple connection pipes and sensors remain on the vehicle, dramatically reducing system complexity while maintaining effective battery temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground-based charging station integrates multiple functions: electrical charging, battery cooling, and temperature monitoring. The cooling circuit serves both to cool the battery during charging and to manage thermal conditions for extended battery service life, consolidating functions that would otherwise require separate systems.
3Productivity
If batteries are recharged immediately after operation, then productivity is improved, but the battery temperature exceeds permissible limits causing thermal damage
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is activated simultaneously with the charging process rather than after. Temperature sensors continuously monitor battery temperature, and the cooling pump and heat exchanger are engaged in advance to prevent temperature rise, allowing immediate recharging without exceeding thermal limits.
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature sensors positioned on the battery provide real-time feedback to the control system. Based on this feedback, the control system dynamically adjusts the cooling fluid flow rate and charging current to maintain battery temperature within safe operating limits, enabling fast charging without thermal damage.
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 solution allows for the preservation of the vehicle's mass and energy efficiency while ensuring battery health by maintaining temperatures within a safe range, reducing service time losses and preventing thermal damage, thus extending battery life and optimizing operational effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a heat transfer fluid distribution circuit which is designed to be conducive to heat transfers between the fluid and the battery or batteries
Implementation Method 2
a system for the thermal conditioning of the battery or batteries, by the circulation of a heat transfer fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A charging system for electrical accumulator vehicle batteries, comprising a charging station principally designed to generate a charging current for the batteries, a system for thermally conditioning the batteries, by the circulation of a heat transfer fluid. A vehicle-mounted segment comprises a component for measuring the battery temperatures, a system for measuring the state of charge of the batteries, and a heat transfer fluid distribution circuit. A non-vehicle-mounted segment comprises a ground module of the thermal conditioning system for generating a flux of a heat transfer fluid, a control-command module designed to determine, during charging, as a function of the states of charge of the batteries and the battery temperatures, the flow rates and temperatures of the heat transfer fluid and a charging current required to achieve a target final state, characterized by a target temperature and a target charge at the end of a given charging time.