Proactive thermal management system
A thermal management system proactively provides cooling to powered components and/or the battery of an aircraft based on expected temperature rises of the components. The thermal management system may monitor maneuver commands input by a pilot and/or may monitor a flight plan including maneuver commands and associated trigger events to determine when to take proactive steps. The thermal management system may adjust a coolant flow rate and/or may adjust a refrigerant flow rate to increase or decrease the level of cooling provided to various components.
1 . A method of operating a thermal management system of an aircraft, the thermal management system comprising a first cooling circuit for cooling a battery of the aircraft and a second cooling circuit for cooling a motor arrangement of the aircraft, the second cooling circuit operating independently of the first cooling circuit; the method comprising:
sharing a refrigeration circuit between the first and second cooling circuits, wherein the refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve;
operating the thermal management system in a normal operating mode;
identifying an imminent temperature rise of each of the battery and the motor arrangement; and
in response to the identification, increasing a flow rate of a pump of the first cooling circuit and increasing a flow rate of a pump of the second cooling circuit, and increasing a flow rate of the compressor of the refrigeration circuit to chill the first and second cooling circuits before a temperature of the battery and the motor arrangement rises.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying an imminent temperature rise of the battery or the motor arrangement comprises:
monitoring maneuver commands provided to a system controller from a user interface, each maneuver command being associated with a power output level of the battery or the motor arrangement of the aircraft; and
identifying the power output level of each maneuver command, wherein the imminent temperature rise is identified when the power output level is high.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein coolant flow to the battery or the motor arrangement is increased before the maneuver command is implemented by the system controller.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying an imminent temperature rise of the battery or the motor arrangement comprises:
receiving a flight plan including a plurality of maneuver commands;
monitoring progress of a flight of the aircraft relative to the flight plan to determine upcoming maneuver commands; and
identifying a power output level of each upcoming maneuver command, wherein the imminent temperature rise is identified when the power output level is identified as high.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein coolant flow to the battery or the motor arrangement is increased a predetermined period of time before the maneuver command is provided to a system controller.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein increasing a flow rate of a pump of the first cooling circuit and a flow rate of a pump of the second cooling circuit comprises running the pumps at a maximum speed.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises increasing power supplied to the compressor after identifying an imminent temperature rise of the battery or the motor arrangement.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring a temperature of the battery or the motor arrangement; and
adjusting coolant flow to each of the battery and the motor arrangement based on the temperature of the battery or the motor arrangement regardless of whether an imminent temperature rise has been identified.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting coolant flow to each of the battery and the motor arrangement includes reducing the coolant flow when the temperature of the battery or the motor arrangement drops below a second threshold.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting coolant flow to each of the battery and the motor arrangement includes increasing the coolant flow when the temperature of the battery or the motor arrangement rises above a third threshold.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a temperature of the battery or the motor arrangement has dropped below a first threshold;
determining that another temperature rise of the battery or the motor arrangement is not imminent; and
reducing coolant flow to each of the battery and the motor arrangement to a normal level.
12 . An electronic controller of an aircraft that each include a memory and processor configured to store and implement instructions for operating a thermal management system of the aircraft, the thermal management system comprising a first cooling circuit for cooling a battery of the aircraft and a second cooling circuit for cooling a motor arrangement of the aircraft, the second cooling circuit operating independently of the first cooling circuit, the instructions comprising:
sharing a refrigeration circuit between the first and second cooling circuits, wherein the refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve;
operating the thermal management system in a normal operating mode;
identifying an imminent temperature rise of each of the battery and the motor arrangement; and
in response to the identification, increasing a flow rate of a pump of the first cooling circuit and increasing a flow rate of a pump of the second cooling circuit, and increasing a flow rate of the compressor of the refrigeration circuit to chill the first and second cooling circuits before a temperature of the battery and the motor arrangement rises.
13 . The electronic controller of claim 12 , wherein identifying an imminent temperature rise of the battery or the motor arrangement comprises:
monitoring maneuver commands provided to a system controller from a user interface, each maneuver command being associated with a power output level of the battery or the motor arrangement of the aircraft; and
identifying the power output level of each maneuver command, wherein the imminent temperature rise is identified when the power output level is high.
14 . The electronic controller of claim 12 , wherein identifying an imminent temperature rise of the battery or the motor arrangement comprises:
receiving a flight plan including a plurality of maneuver commands;
monitoring progress of a flight of the aircraft relative to the flight plan to determine upcoming maneuver commands; and
identifying a power output level of each upcoming maneuver command, wherein the imminent temperature rise is identified when the power output level is identified as high.
15 . The electronic controller of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
monitoring a temperature of the battery or the motor arrangement; and
adjusting coolant flow to each of the battery and the motor arrangement based on the temperature of the battery or the motor arrangement regardless of whether an imminent temperature rise has been identified.