Thermal management system for vehicles with an electric powertrain
This patent application is directed to thermal management systems of vehicles with an electric powertrain. More specifically, the battery system and one or more powertrain components and/or cabin climate control components of a vehicle share the same thermal circuit as the battery module through which heat can be exchanged between the battery module and one or more powertrain or climate control components as needed.
1. A thermal management system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a control system;
a shared thermal circuit comprising a fluid transfer module and one or more switches, the one or more switches being configured to operate based on signals received from the control system;
a powertrain component thermally coupled to the shared thermal circuit; and
a battery module being thermally coupled to the thermal circuit,
wherein the control system is configured to cause the heat dissipated by the powertrain component to transfer to the battery module when the battery module is lower than a predetermined temperature, and
wherein the vehicle does not comprise an internal combustion engine.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the powertrain component comprises an electric motor.
3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an external heat exchanger module comprising one or more heat rejection devices configured to dissipate heat away from the thermal management system.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery module comprises a cycle life of at least 100 cycles and is capable of operating at a temperature between about 40° C. and 150° C.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shared thermal circuit comprises one or more pumping devices for transferring the working fluid in a first direction or a second direction within the circuit.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature is 75° C.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery module is a 16 kWh battery module.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery module further comprises a solid-state battery.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery module further comprises a battery comprising a solid-state electrolyte.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery module further comprises a battery comprising a lithium-stuffed garnet electrolyte.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises an electric vehicle.
12. A thermal management system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a control system;
a shared thermal circuit comprising a fluid transfer module and one or more switches, the one or more switches being configured to operate based on signals received from the control system;
a powertrain component thermally coupled to the shared thermal circuit; and
a battery module being thermally coupled to the thermal circuit,
wherein the control system is configured to cause the heat dissipated by the powertrain component to transfer to the battery module when the battery module is lower than a predetermined temperature, and
wherein the vehicle comprises an electric vehicle.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the powertrain component comprises an electric motor.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the battery module comprises a cycle life of at least 100 cycles and is capable of operating at a temperature between about 40° C. and 150° C.
15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising an external heat exchanger module comprising one or more heat rejection devices configured to dissipate heat away from the thermal management system.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the shared thermal circuit comprises one or more pumping devices for transferring the working fluid in a first direction or a second direction within the circuit.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined temperature is 75° C.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the battery module is a 16 kWh battery module.
19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the battery module further comprises a solid-state battery.
20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the battery module further comprises a battery comprising a solid-state electrolyte.
21. The system of claim 12 , wherein the battery module further comprises a battery comprising a lithium-stuffed garnet electrolyte.