BALANCING BATTERY HEATING AND CABIN HEATING WITH SHARED THERMAL-MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• Main Authors: March, Zachary, Mazaira, Jordan, Dunn, Brett Allen, Gutowski, Alan, Porras, Angel Fernando
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.03.2023
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS OR ADAPTATIONS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING,OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY FOR PASSENGER OR GOODSSPACES OF VEHICLES; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT OR PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLEDVEHICLES; ELECTRICITY; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES, IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

A vehicle includes a traction battery, an electric machine powered by the traction battery and configured to power wheels of the vehicle, and a thermal-management system. The thermal-management system includes a battery loop, a cabin heating loop, and a valve configured to fluidly connect the battery loop and the cabin heating loop when in a first position and configured to fluidly isolate the battery loop and the cabin heating loop when in a second position. A controller is programmed to, responsive to (i) battery heating being requested, (ii) a temperature of the battery being greater than a lower threshold, and (iii) cabin heating being requested, actuate the valve to the first position to heat a cabin and the battery.