Method and apparatus for operating a battery arrangement of a motor vehicle

1. A method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ), having the steps of:

determining ( 42 ), by a device ( 16 ), anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters of the motor vehicle ( 10 ),

determining ( 44 ), by the device ( 16 ), an anticipated energy withdrawal from an electric energy storage device of the battery arrangement ( 14 ),

calculating ( 46 ), by the device ( 16 ), heat loss from the battery arrangement ( 14 ) on the basis of the anticipated energy withdrawal,

predicting ( 48 ), by the device ( 16 ), a temperature progression ( 30 ) of the battery arrangement ( 14 ) on the basis of the calculated heat loss and the anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters, and

setting ( 54 ), by the device ( 16 ), a temperature for the battery arrangement ( 14 ) on the basis of the predicted temperature progression ( 30 );

wherein, when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies within a pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is not heated or cooled, when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies within a pre-defined second temperature range ( 34 ) that extends the pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) for less than a pre-defined period of time, the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is not heated or cooled, when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies outside the pre-defined second temperature range ( 34 ) the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled, and when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies within the pre-defined second temperature range ( 34 ) for more than the pre-defined period of time, the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled.

2. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled by a medium that is surrounding the motor vehicle ( 10 ).

3. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature is set by artificially heating or cooling the battery arrangement ( 14 ).

4. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a lower temperature threshold ( 39 ) of the pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) is set based upon the anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters.

5. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled if the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is operated for a pre-defined period of time outside the pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) in order to set the temperature of the battery arrangement ( 14 ) to a temperature within the pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ).

6. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled if the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is operated outside the pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) and the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies outside the pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) in order to set the temperature of the battery arrangement ( 14 ) to a temperature within the first temperature range ( 32 ).

7. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in any claim 1 , wherein the anticipated energy withdrawal is determined on the basis of the anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating conditions.

8. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in any claim 1 , wherein the temperature is set during a driving operation and/or during a period of time in which the motor vehicle ( 10 ) is shut down.

9. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is pre-cooled or pre-heated during the shut-down period in the case of the motor vehicle ( 10 ) being connected to an external electric energy source ( 24 ) on the basis of the anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters.

10. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature progression ( 30 ) is predicted regularly at a pre-defined time interval.

11. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters comprise at least one of the following features:

a route profile of a route to be traveled by the motor vehicle ( 10 ),

an ambient temperature along the route to be traveled,

an ambient temperature progression during the period of time in which the motor vehicle ( 10 ) is shut down.

12. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the anticipated environment conditions and/or operating parameters are determined using a route guidance system ( 20 ) that is allocated to the motor vehicle ( 10 ) and/or using a communication network ( 22 ).

13. A device ( 16 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ), wherein the device ( 16 ) can be electrically coupled to a heating/cooling arrangement ( 18 ) for the purpose of heating or cooling the battery arrangement ( 14 ), and wherein the device ( 16 ) is designed so as to perform the method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 .

14. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the battery arrangement ( 14 ) includes a traction battery.

15. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the medium is ambient air that is surrounding the motor vehicle ( 10 ).

16. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in any claim 1 , wherein the temperature is set during a period of time in which the motor vehicle ( 10 ) is shut down.

17. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature is set during a driving operation of the motor vehicle ( 10 ).

18. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled if the temperature of the battery arrangement ( 14 ) moves outside the predefined second temperature range.

19. The method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled if the temperature of the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is outside the predefined first temperature range ( 32 ) and is within the predefined second temperature range, and if no temperature of the temperature progression ( 30 ) of the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is expected to fall within the predefined first temperature range.

20. A method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ), having the steps of:

determining ( 42 ), by a device ( 16 ), anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters of the motor vehicle ( 10 ),

determining ( 44 ), by the device ( 16 ), an anticipated energy withdrawal from an electric energy storage device of the battery arrangement ( 14 ),

calculating ( 46 ), by the device ( 16 ), heat loss from the battery arrangement ( 14 ) on the basis of the anticipated energy withdrawal,

predicting ( 48 ), by the device ( 16 ), a temperature progression ( 30 ) of the battery arrangement ( 14 ) on the basis of the calculated heat loss and the anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters, and

setting ( 54 ), by the device ( 16 ), a temperature for the battery arrangement ( 14 ) on the basis of the predicted temperature progression ( 30 );

wherein, when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies within a pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is not heated or cooled, when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies within a pre-defined second temperature range ( 34 ) that extends the pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) for less than a pre-defined period of time, the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is not heated or cooled, when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies outside the pre-defined second temperature range ( 34 ) the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled, and when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies within the pre-defined second temperature range ( 34 ) for more than the pre-defined period of time, the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled;

wherein the temperature is set in such a manner that the temperature progression ( 30 ) lies within the pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ); and

wherein a lower temperature threshold ( 39 ) of the pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) is set based upon the anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters including an expected power output.

21. A method ( 40 ) for operating a battery arrangement ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle ( 10 ), having the steps of:

determining ( 42 ), by a device ( 16 ), anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters of the motor vehicle ( 10 ),

determining ( 44 ), by the device ( 16 ), an anticipated energy withdrawal from an electric energy storage device of the battery arrangement ( 14 ),

calculating ( 46 ), by the device ( 16 ), heat loss from the battery arrangement ( 14 ) on the basis of the anticipated energy withdrawal,

predicting ( 48 ), by the device ( 16 ), a temperature progression ( 30 ) of the battery arrangement ( 14 ) on the basis of the calculated heat loss and the anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters, and

setting ( 54 ), by the device ( 16 ), a temperature for the battery arrangement ( 14 ) on the basis of the predicted temperature progression ( 30 );

wherein, when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies within a pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is not heated or cooled, when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies within a pre-defined second temperature range ( 34 ) that extends the pre-defined first temperature range ( 32 ) for less than a pre-defined period of time, the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is not heated or cooled, when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies outside the pre-defined second temperature range ( 34 ) the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled, and when the predicted temperature progression ( 30 ) lies within the pre-defined second temperature range ( 34 ) for more than the pre-defined period of time, the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is heated or cooled,

wherein the temperature is set during a driving operation and/or during a period of time in which the motor vehicle ( 10 ) is shut down,

wherein the battery arrangement ( 14 ) is pre-cooled or pre-heated during the shut-down period in the case of the motor vehicle ( 10 ) being connected to an external electric energy source ( 24 ) on the basis of the anticipated environmental conditions and/or operating parameters.