Range Extender Waste-Heat Recovery for EV Battery Thermoregulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicles face inefficiencies in maintaining optimal battery temperatures during cold weather conditions, leading to reduced performance and energy consumption, and there is a need for a system that maintains battery temperatures without compromising energy reserves.
Innovation Solution
An on-board internal combustion engine (ICE) range extender system coupled with a thermal-energy management module, utilizing heat exchangers to recover waste heat from the ICE and direct it to the battery pack or vehicle compartments for thermoregulation, ensuring optimal battery temperatures for charging and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If electric heating elements are used to warm the battery pack before driving, then battery temperature is improved, but energy consumption increases and range is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the battery pack using the ICE generator before the vehicle needs to operate in cold conditions. By activating the range extender in advance, the battery is warmed up while the vehicle is still plugged in or before departure, avoiding the need to deplete battery reserves during operation for heating purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the waste heat generated by the ICE generator into a useful resource for heating the battery pack. Instead of dissipating this heat to the environment, the thermal management system captures and redirects it to warm the battery, thereby improving battery temperature while the generator charges the battery, turning a potential energy loss into a beneficial dual-function outcome.
2Quantity of substance
If the ICE range extender is activated to charge the battery, then energy reserves are improved, but excess heat generation occurs that requires management
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful excess heat generated by the ICE generator into a beneficial resource for heating the battery pack and climate-controlled areas. The thermal management system captures this waste heat and redirects it through heat exchangers to warm the battery and cabin, thereby eliminating the harmful effect while providing additional heating capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ICE generator serves multiple functions simultaneously: it charges the battery pack to replenish energy reserves and generates waste heat that is captured and used for heating the battery pack and climate-controlled areas. This multi-functionality allows the system to address both energy deficiency and heating needs with a single component.
3Device complexity
If waste heat from the ICE is dissipated to the environment, then thermal management is simplified, but energy efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful waste heat that would otherwise be dissipated to the environment into a useful resource. By installing heat exchangers and thermal management components, the system captures this waste heat and redirects it to heat the battery pack and climate-controlled areas, thereby improving energy efficiency while managing thermal loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers waste heat from the ICE generator that would otherwise be discarded to the environment. Through the thermal management system with heat exchangers, the captured waste heat is recovered and put to productive use for heating the battery and cabin, thereby improving overall energy efficiency and reducing energy losses.
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 effectively maintains battery temperatures within the optimal range, reducing degradation and increasing battery longevity, while minimizing energy consumption and range reduction.
Implementation Method 1
A thermal-energy management module is made up of at least one fluid path and at least one heat exchanger. In one example the heat exchanger recovers waste heat from the ICE cooling process and directs the heat to a heat exchanger in the EV battery pack for thermoregulation
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is an on-board electric-vehicle-range-extender system made up of an internal combustion engine (ICE) that drives an electrical generator that is electrically coupled with the vehicle's EV battery pack. A thermal-energy management module is made up of at least one fluid path and at least one heat exchanger. In one example the heat exchanger recovers waste heat from the ICE cooling process and directs the heat to a heat exchanger in the EV battery pack for thermoregulation of the EV battery pack, or to an inhabited space in the vehicle, or to a heat exchanger exposed to the ambient environment. Thermoregulation may occur in advance of a scheduled charge particularly in advance of high-speed DC charging, or to keep the battery pack at an optimum operating temperature during use. Heating batteries to an optimal temperature ahead of a scheduled heavy use may reduce battery degradation.