DE102021108855B4 - Thermal management system, powertrain, vehicle, and method of heating a battery in a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A thermal management system (1) for a vehicle (20) is disclosed, the thermal management system (1) being set up to manage thermal loads of a battery (3) provided in the vehicle (20). The thermal management system includes a heater (5), which is set up to heat the battery (3), a heat exchanger (7). The thermal management system (1) further comprises a battery coolant circuit (11) which is arranged in thermal communication with the battery (3), the heat exchanger (7) and the heater (5). The battery coolant circuit (11) includes a bypass line (13) configured to allow coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit (11) to bypass the heat exchanger (7). The thermal management system (1) also includes a control arrangement (15) which is set up to, when the battery (3) requires heating and a temperature of the air around the heat exchanger (7), Tair, a first threshold value, Tschwell, exceeds allowing flow through the heat exchanger (11) for at least a portion of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit (7) and reducing the use of the heater (5). The present disclosure further relates to a powertrain (22), a vehicle ( 20), a method (100) for heating a battery (3) of a vehicle (20).

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present disclosure relates to a thermal management system. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a powertrain including a thermal management system, a vehicle including a powertrain, and a method for heating a battery of a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

A vast majority of vehicles on the road today use an internal combustion engine, Internal Combustion (IC) engine, for propulsion. IC motors use fossil fuels such as gasoline or diesel. Fossil fuels have long been used as an energy carrier because they have a high energy density that allows them to operate over long distances. However, the burning of fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases (GHG), above all carbon dioxide (CO2). An increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is associated with an increase in the Earth's mean temperature, triggering local and global climate changes that in turn increase the likelihood of extreme weather events. In addition, when vehicles are powered by burning fossil fuels, other harmful gases such as nitrogen oxides, NOx, and unburned coal in the form of particulate matter, PM, are also produced in various sizes. These gases and particulate matter are very harmful to both humans and animals. Therefore, today there is a great need to reduce the burning of fossil fuels worldwide.

Electric vehicles offer a promising alternative to vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. In electric vehicles, an electric motor drives the vehicle. The energy that the engine needs to drive the vehicle can come from non-fossil sources such as e.g. B. water, nuclear power, wind or sun can be obtained, whereby the climate impact and the release of harmful gases is significantly reduced.

The energy can be stored in batteries, e.g. B. lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, or stored in hydrogen for the use of fuel cells in vehicles. The range of the vehicle is proportional to the amount of stored energy on board the vehicle and is crucial for a large-scale introduction of fossil-free vehicles.

If the energy for driving the electric vehicle is stored in batteries, the temperature of the battery cell is decisive for the life and performance of the battery cell. Li-ion batteries, for example, should ideally be kept at around 20-40 degrees Celsius. Therefore, a thermal management system is used to heat and cool the battery as needed. The thermal management system may include a coolant loop for circulating a coolant. The coolant can be used to heat or cool the batteries as needed, and in turn can be used e.g. B. heated by an electric heater or z. B. be cooled by a heat exchanger. The thermal management system requires energy to operate and thus influences the energy requirements of the vehicle and the range of the vehicle. In addition, when starting the vehicle from an off state, the thermal system may take some time to reach an optimal battery operating temperature, potentially operating the vehicle under sub-optimal conditions for an extended period of time, increasing energy consumption and battery life Battery shortened.

DE 11 2012 002 441 B4 discloses a thermal control device for a vehicle including a battery, a cold-hot thermal device, a controller and a coolant circuit. The coolant circuit includes an ambient air heat exchanger and a heater arranged in a bypass thereof. The thermal control device is configured to supply ambient heat to the battery via the heat exchanger.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least mitigate, at least some of the above problems and disadvantages.

• - Ermöglichen eines Flusses durch den Wärmetauscher für zumindest einen Teil des Kühlmittels in dem Batteriekühlmittelkreislauf, und
• - Reduzieren des Einsatzes des Heizers.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a thermal management system for a vehicle, the thermal management system being set up to manage thermal loads of the battery arranged in the vehicle. The thermal management system includes a heater configured to heat the battery, a heat exchanger, and a battery coolant circuit arranged in thermal communication with the battery, the heat exchanger, and the heater. The battery coolant circuit further includes a bypass line configured to allow coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit to bypass the heat exchanger. Further, the thermal system includes a control arrangement configured to determine when the battery requires heating and ambient air temperature of the heat exchanger, T _air , exceeds a first threshold value, T _threshold :

• - allowing at least a portion of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit to flow through the heat exchanger, and
• - Reducing the use of the heater.

The thermal management system is referred to herein as thermal management system, thermal system, or system interchangeably. The battery coolant circuit may include a heat exchanger that is in thermal communication with the battery.

Because the thermal management system includes a bypass line configured to allow the coolant flowing in the battery coolant loop to bypass the heat exchanger, the thermal system can reduce the amount of heat transferred from the air near the heat exchanger to the inside Coolant circuit of the battery flowing coolant is transferred in an efficient manner. Furthermore, since the thermal system includes a control arrangement configured to reduce the use of the heater while allowing at least a portion of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit to flow through the heat exchanger when the battery requires heating and the temperature of the air near the heat exchanger exceeds a first threshold, the heat from the air near the heat exchanger can be used to heat the coolant flowing in the battery coolant loop while reducing the energy demand of the system by reducing the power of the heater. This reduces the amount of energy required to heat the battery to an optimal operating temperature.

Reducing the consumption of the heater here means taking measures that reduce the activity and thus the power consumption of the heater in one way or another. In this way, the consumption can be reduced compared to a consumption of the heater that would be required to heat up the batteries if there were no other heating of the coolant. The consumption of the heater can therefore be reduced in various ways. One possibility is to reduce the power of the heater. The heater can B. be operated with 50% - 70% of the maximum possible power of the heater or any other percentage of the maximum power. Another alternative is to reduce the heater duty cycle. The heater can therefore operate at 100% power, but for a shorter time than would be necessary if heat could not be extracted from the air near the heat exchanger. The heater could z. B. be on for 70% of the time at 100% power than when all heat is to be dissipated by the heater.

Accordingly, a thermal management system is provided that overcomes or at least mitigates at least some of the problems and disadvantages noted above. As a result, the above object is achieved.

The battery may be a traction battery intended to propel the vehicle. The thermal management system may include control means that regulates or controls the control arrangement to allow at least a portion of the coolant in the battery coolant loop to flow through the heat exchanger. The remaining part of the coolant can then flow through the bypass line. The control means can also be arranged to control the flow of coolant through the bypass line. The control means may, for example, comprise one or more valves, one or more pumps or other control means suitable for controlling coolant flow. For example, the control means may be located at the intersection between the bypass line of the heat exchanger and the line of the heat exchanger. For example, the control means may be arranged for stepless adjustability, so that the amount of coolant flowing to the heat exchanger can be adjusted in a stepless manner. As the thermal system comprises control means arranged to control the flow of a coolant through a bypass line, the flow of a coolant through the bypass line and therefore also through the heat exchanger can be continuously controlled.

Optionally, the control arrangement is configured to reduce the use of the heater such that the resulting reduction in the amount of heat transferred from the heater to the coolant is equal to the amount of heat transferred from the air surrounding the heat exchanger to the coolant of the Heat exchanger is transferred. At this time, the amount of heat transferred to the coolant will remain the same after the amount of heat transferred, which is lost by reducing the power consumption of the heater, is compensated by the amount of heat transferred, which is gained by allowing coolant to flow through the heat exchanger. This ensures that the temperature of the coolant remains the same even if the heater output is reduced. In this way the batteries can be heated in a robust and reliable manner with reduced energy consumption. With the amount of heat transferred from the heater to the coolant equal to the amount of heat transferred from the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger to the coolant in the heat exchanger, it is meant here that the amount of heat transferred from the heater to the coolant is substantially equal to that of the air in the proximity of the heat exchanger is the amount of heat transferred to the coolant in the heat exchanger, ie subject to an accuracy as accurate as the method used to measure or calculate the heat transfer. Determining the amount of heat transferred in the heat exchanger as well as from the heater can be done in a variety of ways known in the art. So e.g. B. measured the temperature of the coolant before and after the components and derived from these measurements, the heat transfer. The temperature of the air before and after the heat exchanger can be compared. The power of the heater can be used. This is well known to those skilled in the art and is therefore not further discussed here.

• - kontinuierliches Steuern der Menge des Kühlmittels, dem es ermöglicht wird, durch den Wärmetauscher zu fließen, basierend auf einem aktuellen Heizpotenzial des Wärmetauschers.

Optionally, the control arrangement is further set up to, when the battery requires heating and the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger exceeds the first threshold value:

• - continuously controlling the amount of coolant allowed to flow through the heat exchanger based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger.

The actual heating potential of the heat exchanger here means the potential of the heat exchanger to heat the coolant flow within it. The heating potential depends on a large number of different parameters. However, some of these are constant, such as the configuration of the heat exchanger itself in terms of material, heat exchanger geometry, properties such as the specific heat capacity of the coolant, which is nearly constant over at least a range of pressure and temperature. Other parameters are variable and contribute to a varying heating potential of the heat exchanger. One or more of these varying parameters can therefore be measured or detected either directly or indirectly to determine the actual heating potential knowing the constant parameters. Examples of parameters that can be detected are, for example, the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger, the temperature of the coolant entering and/or leaving the heat exchanger, the difference between the temperature of the coolant entering the entering the heat exchanger and the coolant exiting the heat exchanger, the difference in temperature of the air on different sides of the heat exchanger, etc. Based on the constant and varying parameters, the heating potential can be determined by calculation, look-up tables or other means known to those skilled in the art are.

Because the control arrangement is configured to continuously control the amount of coolant that is allowed to flow through the heat exchanger based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger, the amount of coolant that flows through the heat exchanger can be adapted to the current heating potential of the heat exchanger can be adjusted during operation. This ensures that the greatest possible amount of heat is transferred from the heat exchanger to the coolant at all times. In this way, the heating of the batteries can be achieved with a further reduced expenditure of energy. The control arrangement can control the amount of coolant that is allowed to flow through the heat exchanger by controlling the control means, for example by sending electronic signals to the control means.

• - kontinuierliches Steuern der Batteriekühlmittelkreislaufpumpe basierend auf einem aktuellen Heizpotenzial des Wärmetauschers.

Optionally, the system includes a battery coolant circuit pump. The control arrangement can also be set up to, when the battery requires heating and the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger exceeds the first threshold value:

• - Continuous control of the battery coolant circuit pump based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger.

Because the thermal system continuously controls the battery coolant loop pump based on the current heat exchanger heating potential, the coolant flow through the heat exchanger can be adjusted to match the heat exchanger heating potential. As a result, the coolant flow in the heat exchanger can be adapted to the amount of energy that can be transferred from the heat exchanger to the coolant. This ensures that the greatest possible amount of energy is transferred from the heat exchanger to the coolant. In this way, the heating of the batteries can be achieved with a further reduced expenditure of energy. Furthermore, if a valve is used to control the flow of coolant into the heat exchanger to absorb heat in the air surrounding the heat exchanger and the valve is fully open so that no more coolant can be provided to the heat exchanger via the valve, then the pump can be used to further increase the coolant flow into the heat exchanger.

• - kontinuierliches Steuern der Drehzahl des Ventilators basierend auf einem aktuellen Heizpotenzial des Wärmetauschers.

Optionally, the system includes a fan configured to create airflow over the heat exchanger. The control arrangement can then be further configured to, when the battery requires heating and the temperature of the air around the heat exchanger exceeds the first threshold:

• - Continuous control of the fan speed based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger.

Since the thermal system controls the speed of the fan based on the current heating potential of the heat exchanger, the amount of air flowing over the heat exchanger can be adjusted to the heating potential. For example, the speed of the fan can be increased when the air around the heat exchanger is at a high temperature since more heat can be transferred to the coolant flowing in the heat exchanger. The increased energy demand of the fan can then be compensated, or even more than that, by the increased heat transfer to the coolant and the reduced energy demand of the heater. Therefore, in this way, the heating of the batteries can be achieved in an efficient manner with a reduced expenditure of energy.

The optional control as explained above can be done individually or simultaneously, for example the control arrangement can control only the control means, the pump or the fan or any combination of these can be controlled simultaneously. Furthermore, the current operating parameters of the pump, the fan and the control means can also be used for control. For example, adjusting the coolant flow based on the speed of the fan can be done in addition to the other parameters mentioned above, etc. The latter controlling can be more efficient, e.g. allow a larger energy consumption decrease, but require a more complex control scheme.

The first threshold is configured to vary continuously during operation of the thermal system. Thus, the threshold at which the power of the heater is reduced and at which at least some of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit pump is allowed to flow through the heat exchanger can be continuously adjusted during operation. This allows for an adaptable control strategy, using the heat available in the air only when it makes sense to do so. For example, at certain times it may be more important to heat up the batteries quickly than to conserve energy. The first threshold can then be set higher to allow air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger to heat the coolant if it is hot enough to make a noticeable difference. Furthermore, the opposite may be the case, namely that the reduction in energy expenditure is more important than the rapid heating of the batteries. A low threshold can then be set to allow the battery temperature to rise slowly with little use of energy. In this way, a thermal management system can thus be provided that is continuously adaptable to changing conditions, which increases the usefulness and robustness of the system.

Optionally, the heat exchanger is positioned as a first heat exchanger in the battery coolant loop downstream of the battery, or as a first heat exchanger in the battery coolant loop downstream of a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the battery. This makes the heat exchanger the first heat exchanger to exchange heat with the coolant after the coolant has thermally interacted with the battery. Thus no other heat exchangers influence the temperature of the coolant before the heat exchanger. Since heat transfer from heat exchangers can vary considerably depending on actual conditions, this increases the reliability of the system. Controlling the system is also simplified. For example, a coolant outlet leading from the battery, or leading from a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the battery, may be connected directly to an inlet of the heat exchanger, for example without any additional components interposed therebetween. As an alternative, components such as pumps, sensors, etc. can be placed between the battery and the heat exchanger.

By "upstream" and "downstream" is meant here the intended flow direction of the coolant in the circuit during the operation of the system.

The heater is optionally arranged between an output line of the heat exchanger and an input line of the battery in the battery coolant circuit. Thus, coolant flowing in the coolant loop will first flow through the heat exchanger and absorb heat from the air, whereupon the coolant will flow past the heater and on to the batteries. In this way, the coolant entering the heat exchanger will be as cool as possible, which increases the efficiency of energy transfer in the heat exchanger. The heater can then be used to increase the final temperature of the coolant before the coolant is fed into the battery pack to heat the batteries. In this way, therefore, a thermal management system can be achieved which has a high thermal efficiency.

The heater is optionally arranged in the bypass line. By locating the heater in the bypass line, the coolant flowing through the heater will be at a low temperature, which increases the efficiency of the heater.

Optionally, the heat exchanger is set up to only cool and/or heat the battery. By being configured to only cool and/or heat the battery, the heat exchanger does not have to cool and/or heat other systems that require heating or cooling within the vehicle. The heat exchanger can then be sized based on battery requirements only and need not be oversized for applications where multiple systems require heating or cooling. The heat exchanger can then be made smaller and can be easily accommodated inside the vehicle. The cost of production will also be reduced as less material is required. In this way, therefore, less space and production costs are required for the thermal system.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a vehicle powertrain comprising a battery configured to provide electrical energy for an electric motor of the vehicle, which comprises the powertrain, the powertrain having a thermal management system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes.

As the powertrain includes a thermal management system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a powertrain is provided having a thermal system that can adjust the amount of energy that can be transferred from the air to the coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit in an efficient manner. Additionally, since the thermal management system includes a control arrangement configured to reduce the power of the heater while allowing at least a portion of the coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit to flow through the heat exchanger when the battery needs heating and the temperature of the air surrounding the heat exchanger exceeds a first threshold, heat from the air surrounding the heat exchanger can be used to heat the coolant flowing in the coolant circuit, while at the same time reducing the energy needs of the system by reducing the power of the heater. This allows the amount of energy required to heat the battery to be reduced to an optimal operating temperature.

Accordingly, a powertrain is provided that overcomes or at least mitigates at least some of the problems and disadvantages noted above.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a vehicle including a powertrain according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As the vehicle includes a powertrain according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided with a thermal system that can efficiently adjust the amount of heat transferred from the air surrounding the heat exchanger to the coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit . Further, since the thermal system includes a control arrangement configured to reduce the power of the heater while allowing at least a portion of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit to flow through the heat exchanger when heating is needed and the temperature of the When air surrounding the heat exchanger exceeds a first threshold, heat from the air surrounding the heat exchanger can be used to heat coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit while reducing the power requirements of the system by reducing the power of the heater. This reduces the amount of energy required to heat the battery to an optimal operating temperature.

Thus, a vehicle is provided that overcomes or at least mitigates at least some of the problems and disadvantages noted above. As a result, the above object is achieved.

• - einen Heizer, der dazu eingerichtet ist, die Batterie zu heizen,
• - einen Wärmetauscher,
• - einen Batteriekühlmittelkreislauf, der in thermischer Kommunikation mit der Batterie, dem Wärmetauscher und dem Heizer angeordnet ist, wobei der Batteriekühlmittelkreislauf eine Bypass-Leitung umfasst, die dazu eingerichtet ist, es Kühlmittel zu ermöglichen, das in dem Batteriekühlmittelkreislauf fließt, den Wärmetauscher zu umgehen,

wobei das Verfahren umfasst, dann, wenn die Batterie ein Heizen benötigt und eine Temperatur der Luft in der Umgebung des Wärmetauschers, T_Luft, einen ersten Schwellenwert, T_Schwell, überschreitet:

• - Ermöglichen eines Flusses durch den Wärmetauscher für zumindest einen Teil des Kühlmittels in dem Batteriekühlmittelkreislauf, und
• - Reduzieren des Einsatzes des Heizers;

wobei der erste Schwellenwert dazu eingerichtet ist, während dem Betrieb des Thermomanagementsystems kontinuierlich zu variieren.According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a method for heating a battery in a vehicle, the vehicle comprising the battery and a thermal management system. The thermal management system includes:

• - a heater designed to heat the battery,
• - a heat exchanger,
• - a battery coolant circuit arranged in thermal communication with the battery, the heat exchanger and the heater, the battery coolant circuit comprising a bypass line configured to allow coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit to bypass the heat exchanger,

the method comprising if the battery requires heating and a temperature of the air surrounding the heat exchanger, T _air , exceeds a first threshold value, T _thresh :

• - allowing at least a portion of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit to flow through the heat exchanger, and
• - Reducing the use of the heater;

wherein the first threshold is configured to vary continuously during operation of the thermal management system.

Because the method includes the steps of allowing at least a portion of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit to flow through the heat exchanger, and reducing the use of the heater, a method is provided in which heat from the air surrounding the heat exchanger can be utilized to heat the coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit while simultaneously reducing the power requirements of the system by reducing the power of the heater. This can reduce the amount of energy needed to heat the battery to an optimal operating temperature.

Thus, a method can be provided that overcomes or at least mitigates at least some of the problems and disadvantages noted above. As a result, the above object is achieved.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of the method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As a result, the same advantages are achieved as described above in connection with the method.

Thus, a computer program product is provided that overcomes or at least mitigates at least some of the problems and disadvantages noted above. As a result, the above object is achieved.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of the method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As a result, the same advantages are achieved as described above in connection with the method.

Thus, a computer-readable medium is provided that overcomes, or at least alleviates, at least some of the problems and disadvantages noted above. As a result, the above object is achieved.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent when the appended claims and the following detailed description are studied.

character list

• 1 schematisch ein Thermomanagementsystem darstellt, gemäß einigen Ausführungsformen der vorliegenden Offenbarung,
• 2 ein Fahrzeug gemäß einigen Ausführungsformen der vorliegenden Offenbarung darstellt,
• 3 ein Verfahren zum Heizen einer Batterie eines Fahrzeugs darstellt, und
• 4 ein computerlesbares Medium darstellt, gemäß einigen Ausführungsformen.

Various aspects of the invention, including its distinctive features and advantages, are readily understood from the embodiments described in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

• 1 schematically illustrates a thermal management system, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure,
• 2 illustrates a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure,
• 3 Figure 12 illustrates a method for heating a battery of a vehicle, and
• 4 represents a computer-readable medium, according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the present invention will now be described in more detail. The same reference numbers refer to the same elements throughout. Well-known functions or constructions are not necessarily described in detail for the sake of brevity and/or clarity.

1 1 schematically illustrates a thermal management system 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The thermal management system is configured to manage thermal loads of a battery 3, as will be described in more detail herein. The battery 3 is set up to store electrical energy that is required by an electric motor 24 to drive a vehicle 20, see 1 . The battery 3 can therefore be a traction battery 3 . The energy stored in the battery 3 is therefore primarily intended to be used to drive the electric motor 24 , ie to drive the vehicle 20 . However, it is envisaged that the energy from the battery will also be used to operate auxiliary electrical systems and equipment within the Vehicle 20 can be used, such as. B. the air conditioning (AC), various sensors, pumps, heaters, etc. The battery 3 can z. B. consist of Li-ion batteries, but other types of batteries that are suitable for the operation of an electric motor are considered, such. B. lead-acid, NiCd, Li-ion polymer, etc. The battery 3 can be a battery pack. The battery pack may include a variety of battery modules. Each battery module can in turn include a large number of battery cells. The battery cells and/or the battery modules can be electrically connected in series and/or in parallel in order to achieve a desired electrical voltage in the battery pack. The number of battery packs assembled in a vehicle can be chosen such that the electrical storage capacity of the batteries is suitable for a vehicle 20, such as. As a bus or a truck to drive over long distances. The thermal management system 1 described here can cool and/or heat one or more battery packs.

The thermal management system 1 includes a heater 5 which is set up to heat the battery 3 . The heater 5 can be an electric heater, for example. The heater 5 can use electric power for heating the battery 3 stored in the battery 3 . The heater 5 may be arranged upstream or downstream of the battery 3 .

The thermal management system 1 further comprises a heat exchanger 7, which can be used for heating or cooling the battery 3, as will be described in more detail here. The heat exchanger 7 may be formed with a plurality of passages for a coolant flowing therein, for example, within the plurality of passages. Air can flow on the outside of the heat exchanger 7 to cool or heat the coolant flowing in the heat exchanger. A fan 9 can be arranged in the immediate vicinity of the heat exchanger. The fan can be set up to generate an air flow over the heat exchanger 7, i.e. the fan 9 can blow or suck the air over the heat exchanger 7 and thereby adjust the heat exchange between the coolant inside the heat exchanger 7 and the air outside the heat exchanger 7. The heat exchanger 7 may also be finned and have other geometric configurations that increase heat exchange, as are known in the art. The heat exchanger 7 can be set up to cool and/or heat the battery 3 only, i. H. the heat exchanger 7 may be a heat exchanger dedicated to managing the thermal loads of the battery 3 . The heat exchanger 7 can then be dimensioned specifically for the battery 3, which can save space and material.

The thermal management system 1 further includes a battery coolant circuit 11. The battery coolant circuit 11 is provided to convey a coolant for transferring heat between the various components of the thermal management system. The battery coolant circuit 11 is placed in thermal communication with the battery 3 . For example, the battery 3 may be arranged within a housing (not shown) that includes coolant channels configured to convey a coolant for cooling the battery 3 within the housing. Alternatively, the battery coolant loop 11 may include a battery heat exchanger (not shown) in thermal communication with the battery 3 . Thereby, the coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11 cools or heats the battery 3 by means of the battery heat exchanger. Alternatively and/or additionally, the batteries 3 can be cooled by ambient air and/or additional cooling circuits such as an AC coolant circuit. Other solutions known from the prior art can also be provided. The coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11 can cool or heat the battery 3 depending on the temperature of the coolant and the temperature of the battery 3 . The coolant is preferably a liquid coolant. The coolant can be water, for example, but other coolants can of course also be considered.

The battery coolant circuit 11 is further arranged in thermal communication with the heat exchanger 7 . The heat exchanger 7 may include a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet that are connected to the lines inside the heat exchanger 7 . The coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11 can therefore flow through the coolant inlet of the heat exchanger 7 to the lines inside the heat exchanger and out through the coolant outlet of the heat exchanger 7 . The coolant can give off heat in the heat exchanger 7 or absorb heat depending on the temperature of the coolant and the temperature of the air flowing outside the pipes of the heat exchanger.

The battery circuit 11 further includes a bypass line 13 configured to allow coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit 11 to bypass the heat exchanger 7 .

The battery coolant circuit 11 is also in thermal communication with the heater 5 in arranged in a usual manner so that the heater 5 can heat the coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11 . The heater 5 can be arranged in the bypass line 13 . The heater 5 can alternatively be arranged upstream or downstream of the heat exchanger 7 . According to the 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the heater 5 is arranged between an outlet pipe 25a of the heat exchanger and an inlet pipe 25b of the battery 3. According to the 1 embodiment shown, the heat exchanger 7 is arranged as the first heat exchanger in the battery coolant circuit 11 downstream of the battery 3 . The heat exchanger 7 is in 1 located downstream of the battery 3 but upstream of the heater 5 in the intended coolant flow direction as seen from the battery 3.

The thermal management system 1 may further comprise an expansion tank 17 for compensating for pressure fluctuations in the system 1 as well as for allowing the system 1 to be vented in a known manner. Furthermore, the thermal management system 1 can include a coolant circuit pump 19 which is set up to move the coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11 . One or more control means 21 may be arranged in the battery coolant circuit 11 to control the flow of coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11, as will be described in more detail here. Furthermore, one or more sensors 23 can be provided to monitor parameters related to the operation of the thermal management system 1 .

The thermal management system 1 also includes a control arrangement 15 which is set up to control the coolant flow in the battery coolant circuit 11 . The control arrangement 15 is also set up to control the heater 5, as will be described in more detail here.

As described above, the thermal management system 1 can include control means 21 which are set up to control the flow of coolant through the bypass line 13 . The control means 21 can be used as in 1 shown represent a two-way valve 21, which is arranged downstream of the heat exchanger 7. Alternatively, the two-way valve 21 can be arranged upstream of the heat exchanger 7, at the junction with the bypass line 13, ie at the position indicated by reference number 21' in Fig 1 is marked. As a further alternative, a valve 21 can be arranged in the bypass line 13 to control the coolant flow in the bypass line 13 and a valve can be arranged close to the inlet of the heat exchanger 7 . Other configurations are of course also possible. The control means 21 can be steplessly adjustable, ie it can control the amount of coolant that is allowed to flow to the heat exchanger 7 steplessly. The control arrangement 15 can control the control means 21 .

The control arrangement 15 can also be set up to control the pump 19 and/or the fan 9 . Furthermore, the control arrangement 15 can receive data from the one or more sensors 23 arranged in the system 1 and use this data to control the various components of the system 1, as will be described in more detail below. In 1 dashed lines represent control and/or information signals sent from and/or to the control arrangement 15.

The cell temperature of the battery 3 is crucial for cell life and cell performance. It is therefore of great importance to manage the battery 3 temperature. The optimal cell temperature varies depending on the electrochemical properties of the battery, i. H. the type of battery, but is typically in the range of 20-40 degrees Celsius for lithium-ion batteries.

If the temperature of the battery is higher than an optimal operating temperature, the battery 3 needs cooling. If the temperature of the air flowing over the heat exchanger 7 is lower than the temperature of the battery 3 , then the heat exchanger 7 can be used to cool coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit 11 . This is the most common case when the vehicle 20 is being driven, since the air outside is normally at a lower temperature than the battery's optimal temperature, especially when compressed air is used to cool the coolant in the heat exchanger 7 . When the air temperature is too hot to cool the batteries, a refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and an expansion valve can be used to cool the refrigerant. Such a system, which is not in 1 is shown, in addition to the in 1 provided components can be provided. However, such systems are well known in the art and will not be described in detail in this disclosure.

• - Ermöglichen eines Flusses durch den Wärmetauscher 7 für zumindest einen Teil des Kühlmittels in dem Batteriekühlmittelkreislauf 11, und
• - Reduzieren des Einsatzes des Heizers 5.

In winter climates there is often a need to heat the traction batteries 3 . Since this energy is often obtained from the battery 3, this heating affects the energy available for traction. Thus, the electric range of the vehicle 20 may be significantly reduced by the battery 3 heating requirements. If the vehicle 20 is parked, for example overnight or over the weekend, and is in a cold climate, then the traction batteries will run out 3 be cooled to low temperatures. These therefore require heating in order to provide full performance. If the temperature of the air around the heat exchanger 7 is higher than the temperature of the battery 3 , then the heat exchanger 7 can be used to heat the coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11 . When the vehicle 20 is stationary, the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger 7 often has the same temperature as the ambient air. Because the thermal mass of the battery 3 is large, it can take a significant amount of time to heat the battery 3 to an optimal operating temperature. In some meteorological conditions the temperature of the ambient air can rise considerably faster than that of the traction batteries 3, for example during sunshine or when a warm air front blows during the morning hours. During part of the heating sequence, the temperature of the ambient air and therefore also the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger can therefore be considerably higher than the temperature of the battery 3. In order to make use of this energy, the control arrangement 15 is arranged to then, when the battery 3 requires heating and a temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger 7, T _air , exceeds a first threshold value, T _threshold :

• - allowing at least part of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11 to flow through the heat exchanger 7, and
• - Reduce the use of the heater 5.

Thus, when the battery 3 requires heating, the heat in the air can be used to heat the coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11 by allowing the coolant to flow through the heat exchanger. Since the coolant absorbs the heat in the heat exchanger 7, the heater 5 is not required too much to heat the coolant, and the use of the heater 5 can be reduced, for example, by reducing the power of the heater 5 or by reducing the time required. in which the heater 5 is active. In some circumstances, the heater 5 may be completely off. Considerable energy savings can be realized in this way. It can be determined that the battery 3 needs heating when the temperature of the battery 3 is below an optimum temperature of the battery 3 determined beforehand, for example by testing the battery 3 or by knowing the optimum temperature for the type of battery 3 used in the specific application.

The first threshold value T _Schwell can be, for example, the current temperature of the battery 3 and can be determined in a conventional manner by a temperature sensor 23 . Alternatively, the first threshold value T _Schwell can be a predefined value that is above the current temperature of the battery 3 . As another alternative, the first threshold value T _thresh can be a fixed predetermined value which has been determined to be statistically advantageous, when air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger 7 exceeds the predetermined value, to use the energy in the air to to heat the battery 3. The temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger 7 can be measured in a conventional manner by means of a temperature probe or sensor 23. The first threshold value T _threshold can be determined by measuring the temperature of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11 at several locations along the battery coolant circuit 11 and using the data obtained to calculate or determine the first threshold. The first threshold value T _Schwell can be determined based on the temperature of the coolant at a coolant outlet of the battery 3. Alternatively, the first threshold value T _Schwell can be determined based on the temperature of the coolant at a coolant inlet of the heat exchanger 7. The first threshold value T _Schwell can do this be set up to vary continuously during operation of the thermal management system 1. The first threshold value T _thresh may vary depending on a temperature difference between the coolant circulating in the battery coolant circuit 11 and the temperature of the air around the heat exchanger 7 . As an alternative or in addition, the first threshold value T _Schwell can vary depending on the heating requirement of the battery 3 , a current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7 and/or the temperature of the battery 3 .

The control arrangement 15 may be configured to reduce the use of the heater 5 such that the resulting reduction in the amount of heat transferred from the heater to the coolant is substantially equal to the amount of heat removed from the air surrounding the Heat exchanger 7 is transferred to the coolant in the heat exchanger 7. To determine the amount of heat transferred from the air to the coolant in the heat exchanger 7, a first temperature sensor may be located upstream of the heat exchanger in the battery coolant circuit 11, and a second temperature sensor 23b may be located downstream of the heat exchanger 7 in the battery coolant circuit 11 . By comparing the temperature of the coolant as determined by the first sensor 23a and the second sensor 23b, the amount of energy transferred to the coolant in the heat exchanger 7 can be determined. Other ways of determining the amount of energy transferred are also possible, for example by implementing similar measurements of the temperature of the air before and after passing through the heat exchanger 7.

The control arrangement 15 can receive signals from the sensor 23 , which signals can be used to determine a current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7 . The sensors 23 can, for example, measure the temperature of the coolant before and after the heat exchanger 7, the temperature of the air before it flows over the heat exchanger 7 and after it flows over the heat exchanger 7, the speed of the fan 9, the flow of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11, etc. determine. If some or all of these inputs are given, the control arrangement 15 can determine the current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7 . It should be noted that the heating potential determined does not have to correspond exactly to the actual heating potential. However, for control purposes, a certain error can be allowed.

The control arrangement 15 can be configured to continuously control the amount of coolant that is allowed to flow through the heat exchanger 7 based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7. The control arrangement 15 can, for example, control means 21 based on the current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7 continuously control.

The control arrangement 15 can additionally or alternatively be set up to continuously control the battery coolant circuit pump 19 based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7 . The battery coolant circulation pump 19 may be arranged upstream or downstream of the heat exchanger 7 .

The control arrangement 15 can additionally or alternatively be set up to continuously control the speed of the fan 9 based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7 .

The control arrangement 15 can therefore control at least one of the pump 19, the control means 21 and the fan based on the current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7. According to some embodiments disclosed herein, the control arrangement 15 can control the pump 19, the control means 21 and the fan 9 in combination based on the current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7. Since the speed of the fan 9 and the flow of the coolant affect the heating potential, information on these parameters can also be used in the control. Feedback information relating to these parameters can thus also be used to determine the heating potential of the heat exchanger 7 .

2 1 illustrates the vehicle 20 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The vehicle 20 includes a powertrain 22 including a battery 3 and a thermal management system 1 according to some embodiments. The battery 3 is set up to provide electrical energy for the electric motor 24 . The vehicle 20 may also include an internal combustion engine (not shown). The vehicle 20 can therefore be an all-electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. The engine 24 is configured to provide motive power to the vehicle 20 via the wheels 26 of the vehicle 20 . According to the illustrated embodiments, the vehicle 20 is a truck. However, according to other embodiments, the vehicle 20 referred to herein may be another type of manned or unmanned vehicle for land or water-based propulsion, such as. B. a truck, a bus, a construction vehicle, a tractor, a car, a ship, a boat or the like.

• - einen Heizer 5, der dazu eingerichtet ist, die Batterie 3 zu heizen,
• - einen Wärmetauscher 7,
• - einen Batteriekühlmittelkreislauf 11, der in thermischer Kommunikation mit der Batterie 3, dem Wärmetauscher 7 und dem Heizer 5 angeordnet ist, wobei der Batteriekühlmittelkreislauf 11 eine Bypass-Leitung 13 umfasst, die dazu eingerichtet ist, es in dem Batteriekühlmittelkreislauf 11 fließendem Kühlmittel zu ermöglichen, den Wärmetauscher 7 zu umgehen,
  • wobei das Verfahren dann, wenn die Batterie 3 ein Heizen benötigt und eine Temperatur der Luft in der Umgebung des Wärmetauschers 7, T_Luft, einen ersten Schwellenwert, T_Schwell, überschreitet, umfasst:
    • - Ermöglichen 110 eines Flusses durch den Wärmetauscher für zumindest einen Teil des Kühlmittels in dem Batteriekühlmittelkreislauf, und
    • - Reduzieren 120 des Einsatzes des Heizers 5.

3 10 illustrates a method 100 for heating a battery in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes the battery and a thermal management system. The battery and the thermal management system can be a battery 3 and a thermal management system 1 according to the embodiments as shown in FIG 1 are shown. Rather, the vehicle may be a vehicle 20 in accordance with the embodiments as described in 2 are shown. Therefore, in the following, reference is also made to 1 - 3 . The procedure in 3 is a method for heating a battery 3 in a vehicle 20, the vehicle comprising the battery 3 and the thermal management system 1, which comprises:

• - a heater 5 arranged to heat the battery 3,
• - a heat exchanger 7,
• - a battery coolant circuit 11 arranged in thermal communication with the battery 3, the heat exchanger 7 and the heater 5, the battery coolant circuit 11 comprising a bypass line 13 adapted to allow coolant to flow in the battery coolant circuit 11, to bypass the heat exchanger 7,
  • wherein when the battery 3 requires heating and a temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger 7, T _air , exceeds a first threshold value, T _thresh , the method comprises:
    • - allowing 110 a flow through the heat exchanger for at least a portion of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit, and
    • - Reduce 120 use of heater 5.

• - Kontinuierliches Steuern 130 der Menge an Kühlmittel, der es ermöglicht wird, durch den Wärmetauscher zu fließen, basierend auf einem aktuellen Heizpotential des Wärmetauschers.

As in 3 As illustrated, the method 100 may include the following step:

• - Continuously controlling 130 the amount of coolant allowed to flow through the heat exchanger based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger.

• - kontinuierliches Steuern 140 der Batteriekühlmittelkreislaufpumpe 19 basierend auf einem aktuellen Heizpotenzial des Wärmetauschers 7.

According to some embodiments, the thermal management system 1 includes a battery coolant circuit pump 19, wherein the method may further include the following step:

• - Continuous control 140 of the battery coolant circuit pump 19 based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7.

• - kontinuierliches Steuern 150 der Drehzahl des Ventilators basierend auf einem aktuellen Heizpotenzial des Wärmetauschers 7.

According to some embodiments, the thermal management system 1 includes a fan 9 configured to generate an airflow over the heat exchanger 7, wherein the method 100 may further include the following step:

• - continuously controlling 150 the speed of the fan based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger 7.

It becomes clear that the various embodiments described for the method 100 can all be combined with the control arrangement 15 described here. That is, the control arrangement 15 can be set up to carry out any of the method steps 110 , 120 , 130 , 140 and 150 of the method 100 .

4 12 illustrates a computer-readable medium 200 comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform method 100 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

According to some embodiments, the computer-readable medium 200 comprises a computer program product comprising instructions that, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method 100 according to some embodiments.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the method 100 for heating a battery 3 of a vehicle 20 can be implemented using programmed instructions. These programmed instructions are typically formed by a computer program which, when executed in the control assembly 15, causes the control assembly 15 to perform the desired control, such as method steps 110 and 120 described herein. The computer program is usually part of a computer program product that includes a suitable digital storage medium on which the computer program is stored.

The control arrangement 15 may comprise a computing unit which may be in the form of essentially any suitable processor circuit or microcomputer, for example a digital signal processing circuit, e.g. B. a digital signal processor (DSP) circuit, a central processing unit (CPU), a processing unit, a processing circuit, a processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microprocessor or other processing logic, the instructions interpret and execute. The term "processing unit" as used herein can represent a processing circuit that includes a plurality of processing circuits, such as. B. one, some or all of the above.

The control arrangement 15 can further comprise a memory unit, wherein the computing unit can be connected to the memory unit, which is connected to the computing unit z. B. can provide stored program code and / or stored data that the computing unit requires in order to perform calculations. The computing unit can also be set up to store partial or final results of calculations in the memory unit. The storage unit may comprise a physical device used for temporarily or permanently storing data or programs, e.g. H. of command sequences, is used. According to some embodiments, the memory unit may include integrated circuits with silicon-based transistors. The storage unit can e.g. B. a memory card, a flash memory, a USB memory, a hard drive or other similar volatile or non-volatile memory device for storing data such. ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM), etc. in various embodiments.

The control arrangement 15 can be connected to one or more components of the battery 3, the electric motor 24, the thermal management system 1, the sensors 23 and/or one or more components of the vehicle 20 for receiving and/or sending input and output signals den be the procedure 100 as in 3 is shown to perform. These input and output signals may comprise a waveform, pulses, or other characteristics that the devices receiving the input signal can receive as information and that can be converted into signals that can be processed by the control arrangement 15. These signals can then be made available to the computing unit. One or more devices sending an output signal may be configured to convert calculation results from the calculation unit into output signals for transmission to other parts of the vehicle's control system and/or the component or components for which the signals are intended. Each of the connections to the respective components for receiving or sending input or output signals may take the form of at least one of a cable, a data bus, e.g. a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus, a MOST (Media Orientated Systems Transport) bus or another bus configuration, or a wireless connection.

In the illustrated embodiments, the thermal management system 1 comprises a control arrangement 15, but could alternatively also be fully or partially implemented in two or more control arrangements or two or more control units.

Control systems in modern vehicles generally include a communication bus system consisting of one or more communication buses to connect a number of electronic control units (ECUs) or controllers to various components on board the vehicle. Such a control system may include a large number of controllers and responsibility for a particular function may be shared between two or more of them. Vehicles of the type in question are therefore often provided with significantly more control arrangements than in 1 shown, as a person skilled in the art can certainly recognize.

The computer program product can e.g. B. be provided in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing at least some of the method steps 110 and 120 according to some embodiments, when it is loaded into one or more computing units of the control arrangement 15. The disk can z. a CD-ROM disk, a ROM (read-only memory), a PROM (programmable read-only memory), an EPROM (erasable PROM), a flash memory, an EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM), a hard disk, a memory stick, an optical storage medium, a magnetic storage medium or any other suitable medium, such as e.g. e.g., a disk or tape, which may contain machine-readable data in a non-transitory manner. The computer program product can also be provided as computer program code on a server and can be operated remotely, e.g. B. downloaded to the control arrangement 15 via an Internet or intranet connection, or via other wired or wireless communication systems.

It should be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of various embodiments and that the invention is defined only by the appended claims. One skilled in the art will recognize that the exemplary embodiments can be modified and that various features of the exemplary embodiments can be combined to create embodiments other than those described herein, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. to deviate

Here, terms such as “upstream” or “downstream” mean upstream or downstream, respectively, in the flow direction of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit 11 during normal operation of the thermal management system 1, unless expressly stated otherwise.

As used herein, the term "comprising" or "comprising" is open-ended and includes one or more specified features, elements, steps, components or functions, but includes the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, steps, components, Functions or groups do not assume this.

Claims (14)

Thermal management system (1) for a vehicle (20), the thermal management system (1) being set up to manage thermal loads of a battery (3) provided in the vehicle (20), the thermal management system (1) comprising: - a heater (5 ) arranged to heat the battery (3), - a heat exchanger (7), - a battery coolant circuit (11), which is in thermal communication with the battery (3), the heat exchanger (7) and the heater (5 ) is arranged, wherein the battery coolant circuit (11) comprises a bypass line (13) which is adapted to allow coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit (11) to bypass the heat exchanger (7), and - a control arrangement (15) set up to do so if the battery (3) needs heating and a temperature of the air surrounding the heat exchanger (7), T _air , exceeds a first threshold value, T _thresh : - allowing a flow through the heat exchanger (7) for at least a part of the coolant in the battery coolant circuit (11), and - reducing the use of the heater (5); wherein the first threshold value T _Schwell is set up to vary continuously during operation of the thermal management system (1). System (1) after claim 1 , wherein the control arrangement (15) is adapted to reduce the use of the heater (5) such that the resulting reduction in the amount of heat transferred from the heater (5) to the coolant is equal to the amount of heat transferred from the Air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger (7) is transferred to the coolant of the heat exchanger (7). System (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control arrangement (15) is further arranged to, when the battery (3) requires heating and the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger (7) the first threshold value T _threshold exceeds: - continuously controlling the amount of coolant allowed to flow through the heat exchanger (7) based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger (7). System (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system comprises a battery coolant circulation pump (19) and wherein the control arrangement (15) is further arranged when the battery (3) requires heating and the temperature of the air in the environment of the heat exchanger (7) exceeds the first threshold value T _Schwell : - continuous control of the battery coolant circuit pump (19) based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger (7). System (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a fan (9) arranged to generate an air flow over the heat exchanger (7), wherein the control arrangement (15) is further arranged to when the battery (3) requires heating and the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger (7) exceeds the first threshold value T _thresh : - continuously controlling the speed of the fan (9) based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger (7). Vehicle drive train (22), comprising a battery (3), which is set up to provide electrical energy for an electric motor (24) of a vehicle comprising a drive train (22), the drive train (22) having a thermal management system (1) according to one of the preceding claims included. Vehicle (20) comprising a drive train (22). claim 6 . Method (100) for heating a battery (3) of a vehicle (20), the vehicle (20) comprising the battery (3) and a thermal management system (1), the thermal management system (1) comprising: - a heater (5) , which is arranged to heat the battery (3), - a heat exchanger (7), - a battery coolant circuit (11), which is in thermal communication with the battery (3), the heat exchanger (7) and the heater (5) is arranged, wherein the battery coolant circuit (11) comprises a bypass line (13) which is arranged to allow coolant flowing in the battery coolant circuit (11) to bypass the heat exchanger (7), the method then comprising when the battery (3) needs heating and a temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger (7), T _air , exceeds a first threshold value, T _threshold : - allowing (110) a flow through the heat exchanger (7) for at least part of the coolant in the batter iecoolant circuit (11), and - reducing (120) the use of the heater (5); wherein the first threshold value, T _Schwell , is set up to vary continuously during operation of the thermal management system (1). Method (100) according to claim 8 , wherein the use of the heater (5) is reduced such that the resulting reduction in the amount of heat transferred from the heater (5) to the coolant is equal to the amount of heat removed from the air surrounding the heat exchanger (7 ) is transferred to the coolant of the heat exchanger (7). Method (100) according to any one of Claims 8 - 9 , the method further comprising, when the battery (3) requires heating and the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger (7) exceeds the first threshold value T _thresh : - continuously controlling (130) the amount of coolant, dem being allowed to flow through the heat exchanger (7) based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger (7). Method (100) according to any one of Claims 8 - 10 , wherein the thermal management system (1) comprises a battery coolant circuit pump (19). and wherein the method (100) further comprises, if the battery (3) requires heating and the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger (7), T _air , exceeds the first threshold value T _threshold : - continuously controlling (140 ) of the battery coolant circuit pump (19) based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger (7). Method (100) according to any one of Claims 8 - 11 , wherein the thermal management system (1) further comprises a fan (9) adapted to generate an air flow over the heat exchanger (7), the method further comprising when the battery (3) needs heating and the Temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat exchanger (7), T _air , the first threshold value T _Schwell exceeds: - continuous control (150) of the speed of the fan (9) based on a current heating potential of the heat exchanger (7). A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of the method of any one of Claims 8 - 12 to execute. A computer-readable medium (200) comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of the method of any one of Claims 8 - 12 to execute.

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