Heating Foil for Emergency Battery Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency systems for motor vehicles struggle to reliably trigger a radio emergency call at extremely low temperatures, as commercially available battery systems significantly reduce capacity and voltage below 0°C, potentially leading to system failure in cold conditions.
Innovation Solution
An emergency system with a back-up battery and an electric heating device, where the heating device, such as a thin heating foil with heating resistors laminated between insulating foils, is used to maintain the battery temperature above a lower limit value, ensuring the system can function even at temperatures below -40°C, and is powered by the on-board power supply system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a back-up battery is used to supply the radio communication device, then the system can operate independently of the on-board power supply, but the battery capacity significantly decreases at low temperatures below 0°C
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device is activated before the battery temperature would naturally drop to critical levels, or simultaneously with temperature monitoring. By preemptively heating the battery when ambient temperature is low, the system ensures the battery maintains sufficient capacity and voltage to trigger the emergency call, rather than waiting for performance degradation to occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the battery from a sub-optimal state (below 0°C) to an optimal state (above 0°C) by applying external heat. This parameter change restores the battery's electrochemical performance, ensuring adequate voltage and capacity for emergency operation independent of the on-board power supply.
2Reliability
If the back-up battery is dimensioned significantly greater to ensure operation at low temperatures, then reliability at extreme temperatures improves, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
A heating device acts as an intermediary between the ambient environment and the back-up battery. Instead of relying solely on a larger battery to withstand cold temperatures, the heating device mediates the thermal environment, actively warming the battery to maintain optimal performance. This allows a compact battery to function reliably in extreme cold.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating device, powered by the on-board power supply when available, provides thermal management functionality to the back-up battery system. This multi-functional approach allows the same system to support both normal operation (using on-board power) and emergency operation (using back-up battery), with the heating device serving as a universal support mechanism across different operating modes.
3Reliability
If a heating device is used to maintain battery temperature, then battery performance is maintained at low temperatures, but additional power consumption from the on-board power supply occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device operates periodically or intermittently rather than continuously, activated only when temperature sensors detect that battery temperature is approaching or has dropped below the critical threshold. This periodic operation maintains battery performance while minimizing unnecessary power consumption from the on-board power supply during warmer conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates temperature monitoring that provides feedback to control the heating device. When the battery temperature is within the acceptable range, heating is deactivated; when temperature drops below the threshold, heating is activated. This feedback control ensures battery performance is maintained while optimizing power consumption by heating only when necessary.
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 system ensures reliable operation of the radio emergency call functionality regardless of the on-board power supply state, maintaining battery performance within an optimal temperature range and preventing system failure at low temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
an electric heating device supplied with power by the on-board power supply system with which the back-up battery can be heated when its temperature is below or drops below a lower limit value, wherein the electric heating device is a heating foil including heating resistors
Data Source
AI summary
An emergency system for a motor vehicle having an onboard power supply system which triggers in an emergency a radio emergency call regardless of the state of the on-board power supply system of the motor vehicle, including a radio communication device that triggers the emergency call, a back-up battery including one or more electrochemical cells that supply the radio communication device with electric energy, and an electric heating device supplied with power by the on-board power supply system with which the back-up battery can be heated when its temperature is below or drops below a lower limit value, wherein the electric heating device is a heating foil including heating resistors laminated between electrically insulating foils and having a thickness <2 mm, and the heating foil is arranged in a substantially planar, two-dimensional contact to the electrochemical cell(s) of the battery.