DE102022117584A1 - Cooling module for a charging station for an at least partially electrically operated vehicle and system for charging an energy storage device of a motor vehicle with such a cooling module - Google Patents

Abstract

A cooling module 10 for a charging station 20 for an at least partially electrically operated vehicle 40 is proposed. The cooling module has a fan 11 for generating an air flow and a control unit 13. The control unit has a data interface 14, which is set up to receive vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data. The control unit 13 is set up to control the fan 11 depending on the received vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data in order to cool a vehicle cooling module 41 of the vehicle.

Description

The invention generally relates to the field of charging options for purely electrically powered vehicles and/or hybrid vehicles. In particular, the invention relates to a cooling module for a charging station for an at least partially electrically operated vehicle, a system for charging an energy storage device of a motor vehicle with such a cooling module and a method for cooling for a charging process of a motor vehicle that can be operated with electrical energy using such a cooling module.

When charging an energy storage unit in a vehicle, such as an electric car, the vehicle may need to be cooled. In general, the temperature of the vehicle needs to be managed during a charging process. Current charging stations or fast charging stations can be equipped to cool the charging infrastructure itself, such as the charging cable or the power electronics. Covering charging stations, and thus reducing solar radiation, is used in some countries with a hot climate. However, this represents a passive measure for vehicle cooling.

High ambient temperatures can affect the charging process of the vehicle or reduce its efficiency.

Even at low ambient temperatures, the charging process and its efficiency can be affected by hot air. The hot air roller phenomenon may worsen vehicle cooling. The hot air roller phenomenon refers to the fact that the vehicle cooling module sucks in air, some of which has already been heated by the vehicle. The temperature of the air sucked in is therefore above the ambient temperature. This limits the efficiency of the vehicle cooling module and subsequently the charging performance, which can lead to increased charging time.

An excessively high temperature can be partially compensated for by activating the vehicle fan or a vehicle cooling module to generate an air mass flow. However, this is generally associated with a higher noise level. Since the noise level is partially limited by legal requirements, this compensation cannot be used in all situations.

The object of the invention is to create a preferably earth-fixed and external cooling module with which the temperature of a vehicle cooling module can be controlled during a charging process of an at least partially electrically operated vehicle with a charging station, in particular can be controlled in such a way that the efficiency of the vehicle cooling is increased can be.

To solve this problem, a cooling module with the features of claim 1 is created. Generally speaking, the invention provides an external cooling module that can increase the efficiency of vehicle cooling. The invention further creates a cooling module which can increase the efficiency of a charging process with a charging station for an at least partially electrically operated vehicle by cooling a vehicle cooling module. A charging station can be equipped with such a cooling module or can be retrofitted.

The invention is defined in the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention result from the dependent claims and the following description.

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a cooling module for a charging station for an at least partially electrically powered vehicle. The cooling module has a fan for generating an airflow and a control unit. The control unit has a data interface which is set up to receive vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data. In addition, the control unit is set up to control the fan depending on the received vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data in order to cool a vehicle cooling module of the vehicle.

In other words, a cooling module is proposed which can generate an air flow to cool the vehicle cooling module of the vehicle while the vehicle is connected to a charging station. The air flow can be generated depending on received data so that the cooling of the vehicle cooling module can be carried out as efficiently as possible.

The fan, also referred to as a blower or flow device, can therefore be set up to produce or generate a specific air flow. The control unit can receive vehicle data, charging station data and/or environmental data via its data interface and control the fan accordingly based on this.

The term “vehicle data” can be understood to mean any data that is vehicle-related data. This can include, for example, the state of charge of an energy storage unit in the vehicle, the temperature of an energy storage unit in the vehicle, the temperature of the vehicle cooling module, the vehicle cooling module speed and / or the idle time of the vehicle fall.

The term “charging station data” can refer to any data that is dependent on the charging station. Charging station data can therefore have a charging speed and/or charging power. The charging station data can be received from the charging station itself via a radio interface.

The environmental data can be the ambient temperature, solar radiation, wind speed and/or air pressure. For example, if a certain wind speed is measured with a sensor and sent to the data interface, the fan may be able to ventilate or cool less intensively, since the wind can already achieve part of the effect that can be achieved with the air flow.

In general, the fan can be used depending on e.g. B. the time of day and date, the ambient temperature, sunlight, air humidity, noise level and / or other environmental conditions, information from the charging station, information from the surrounding charging stations and / or information from the vehicle to be charged can be controlled by the control unit. It should be noted that the above list is by no means exhaustive. The various data or information can nevertheless belong to vehicle data, charging station data and/or environmental data.

Based on such data, the control unit can control the fan accordingly in order to generate an air flow with a specific flow speed, with a specific flow direction, with a defined fan power and/or for a specific time. In general, the control unit can control the fan so that the vehicle cooling module of the vehicle can be cooled in such a way that the charging process can proceed as efficiently as possible.

The cooling module can therefore enable higher cooling efficiency of the vehicle cooling module. This can increase the efficiency of the charging process. The cooling module can alternatively or additionally enable a shorter charging time for the same charging quantity. Alternatively or additionally, such a cooling module can enable increased air conditioning comfort in the vehicle cabin. In addition, the overall noise pollution during a charging process can be reduced. A reduction in noise pollution can be made possible in particular if a fan with a large cross-section works at low speeds and low sound radiation and the vehicle cooling module, i.e. H. the vehicle fan is not running.

According to one embodiment, the cooling module further has a recording unit which is set up to record vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data.

Such a detection unit can have one or more sensors. A part of the detection unit can be arranged in a housing of the cooling module. However, part of the detection unit can be physically separated from the rest of the cooling module and, for example, can be arranged around the vehicle. It is also conceivable that part of the detection unit is arranged in the charging station.

The term detection unit is to be understood broadly in the context of the present invention and can refer to several measuring devices, which can be physically separated from one another.

The captured data can be forwarded by the capture unit to the data interface, for example via radio and/or via a line.

According to one embodiment, the cooling module further has an air humidifier, which is designed to supply water to the generated air flow in order to reduce the temperature of the generated air flow.

With such a humidifier, the effect of the air flow, i.e. H. the cooling of the vehicle cooling module and thus increasing the efficiency of the vehicle charging process can be further improved. The humidifier can also be called evaporative cooling.

According to one embodiment, the cooling module further has an air conditioning condenser, which is designed to reduce the temperature of the air flow generated. With such an air conditioning condenser, the effect of the air flow, i.e. H. the cooling of the vehicle cooling module and thus increasing the efficiency of the vehicle charging process can be further improved.

According to one embodiment, at least part of the fan is arranged to be adjustable in position. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit is also set up to adjust the position of at least part of the fan.

In other words: the fan can have a mechanical device which Can specify the direction of the air flow. This may, for example, allow the airflow to flow at the height of the vehicle cooling module. This can prove to be advantageous if, for example, the charging station is used by different vehicles. In vehicles, the vehicle modules are generally located at different locations and/or heights. This allows the air supply to the vehicle's cooling inlet to be actively adjusted.

According to one embodiment, the cooling module further has a checking device, in particular a checking device with a camera system, which is set up to determine a position of at least part of the fan depending on a position of the vehicle cooling module.

The checking device can have one or more cameras that can take images. Based on such images, the checking device can determine whether the fan should be adjusted or whether an air supply to the fan is set such that the air flow flows in the direction of the vehicle cooling module.

In other words, the checking device can be set up to check whether further better cooling of the vehicle cooling module can be achieved by adjusting the fan. The checking device can thus determine a position of the fan at which the vehicle cooling module can be cooled most efficiently.

According to one embodiment, the cooling module further has an air duct which is designed to suck in a cold air stream and/or to supply a cold air stream to the fan.

For example, such an air duct can suck in air from cooler zones. Cooler zones can be another floor of a parking garage or an area that is away from surfaces or floors heated by the sun.

According to one embodiment, the cooling module can be controlled in reverse operation, so that instead of an air flow from the cooling module to the vehicle, an air flow from the vehicle to the cooling module is created. Such control can be advantageous, for example, for vehicles parked backwards.

According to one embodiment, the fan of the cooling module has at least one air flow control, which is set up to control the air flow.

The term “airflow control” is to be understood broadly in the context of the present disclosure. These can be mechanical devices that can control the air flow. An air flow control can refer to flaps, gates and/or hoses.

Furthermore, it is conceivable to support natural air convection through structural elements, such as the roof and/or walls, with the aim of quickly dissipating the heat generated by the vehicle and generating the highest possible air mass flow around the vehicle.

A further aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system for charging an energy storage unit of a motor vehicle, comprising a cooling module as described above and below, and a charging station. The cooling module is connected to the charging station in a data-communicating manner, in particular via radio data communication.

• • Es werden Fahrzeugdaten und/oder Ladestationsdaten und/oder Umgebungsdaten durch eine Datenschnittstelle (14) empfangen; und
• • der Lüfter (11) wird basierend auf den Fahrzeugdaten und/oder Ladestationsdaten und/oder Umgebungsdaten durch eine Steuereinheit (13) gesteuert, um einen Luftstrom zu erzeugen, der einem Fahrzeugkühlmodul (41) des Kraftfahrzeugs (40) zugeführt wird.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for cooling for a charging process of a motor vehicle that can be operated with electrical energy by a cooling module, in particular by a cooling module, as described above and below. The procedure has the following steps:

• • Vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data are received through a data interface (14); and
• • The fan (11) is controlled by a control unit (13) based on the vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data in order to generate an air flow which is supplied to a vehicle cooling module (41) of the motor vehicle (40).

• • • Aufladen eines Energiespeichers eines Kraftfahrzeugs mit einer Ladestation eines Systems 30, insbesondere eines Systems, wie vorstehend und nachfolgend beschrieben, wobei die Schritte des Erzeugens eines Luftstroms und des Aufladens eines Energiespeichers eines Kraftfahrzeugs zusammenhängen.

A further aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for charging an energy storage unit of a motor vehicle with temperature control, comprising the steps of the method as described above and below, and further comprising the following step:

• • • Charging an energy storage device of a motor vehicle with a charging station of a system 30, in particular a system as described above and below, wherein the steps of generating an air flow and charging an energy storage device of a motor vehicle are related.

All of the above statements regarding the cooling module also apply equally to a method for cooling for a charging process of a motor vehicle that can be operated with electrical energy using a cooling module and to a system for charging an energy storage unit of a motor vehicle.

• 1 zeigt ein System gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel.
• 2 zeigt ein System gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the figures.

• 1 shows a system according to an exemplary embodiment.
• 2 shows a system according to a further exemplary embodiment.

Similar, similar-acting, identical or identical-acting elements are provided with similar or identical reference numerals in the figures. The figures are only schematic and not to scale.

1 shows a system 30 according to an exemplary embodiment. The system 30 of 1 has a charging station 20, such as a quick charging station 20, and a cooling module 10. The charging station 20 1 is electrically connected to a vehicle 40 with a charging cable. The vehicle 40 is supplied with power via the charging cable 21. The cooling module 10 of the 1 is connected to the charging station 20 for data communication.

The vehicle 40 can be parked for the charging process such that the vehicle cooling module 41 is opposite the cooling module 10. The vehicle 40 may be located in a region with high outside temperatures.

The cooling module 10 has a fan 11 and a control unit 13. The control unit 13 in turn has a data interface 14, which is set up to receive data, in particular vehicle data, charging station data and/or environmental data. The data interface 14 can receive data, for example, from the charging station 20 and/or from a detection unit 12 of the cooling module 10.

The fan 11 the 1 generates an air flow which is used to cool the vehicle cooling module 41 during the charging process. Thereby, the hot air roller phenomenon can be avoided and/or interrupted. The fan 11 can be controlled accordingly by the control unit 11 depending on the received vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data.

The waste heat due to the charging losses in the vehicle and due to the vehicle air conditioning can be released into the environment via the vehicle cooling module 41 at the front of the vehicle. The fan 11 generates an air flow, which can reduce the hot air roller of the vehicle, so that the vehicle can better emit heat.

The fan 11 is controlled by the control unit 13 in such a way that the best possible cooling of the vehicle can be achieved, that the lowest possible power consumption of the fan can be achieved and/or that a lower or permissible noise level can be achieved. To control the fan 11, the received data is taken into account, as described above.

With the cooling module 10 1 A charging station can be expanded to include an active, permanently installed fan. The cooling module 10 supplies cool air as specifically as possible to the vehicle cooling module 41 or the cooling inlets of the vehicle and/or transports away the warm air emitted by the vehicle in such a way that the temperature of the vehicle 40 or the vehicle cooling module 41 is regulated as best as possible.

2 shows a system 30 according to a further exemplary embodiment. Unless otherwise described, the system of 2 the same elements and/or components as the system 30 of 1 on.

The cooling module 10 of the 2 also has an air flow control 16 in the form of several flaps. The air is guided via the air flow control 16 in such a way that it is directed specifically to the cooling inlet of the vehicle. In addition, the cooling module 10 has the 2 a humidifier 15, through which water is added to the air so that it evaporates. This allows the air temperature to be reduced. Furthermore, the air flow can be sucked in via an air duct 17 from an area which has the lowest possible temperature. If necessary, the air duct 17 is insulated so that solar radiation heats the air as little as possible.

It should be noted that although the cooling module 10 and the charging station 20 of the system 30 the 2 separately on the 2 are shown, both elements can nevertheless represent a single device. In other words, it is conceivable that the cooling module 10 and the charging station 20 are a single device, such as a charging station equipped with a cooling module.

Furthermore, the cooling module 10 can have a checking device 18. The checking device can check the setup of the fan 11 and/or the air flow control 16 fen or determine. If necessary, the setting of the fan 11 and / or the air flow control 16 can be done via the checking device, which z. B. has a camera, are supported.

It is also conceivable that the flow through and around the vehicle 40 is supported by additional structural measures, such as the design of the roof or walls.

Finally, it should be noted that the terms "comprising" and "having" do not exclude other elements, and the indefinite articles "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features and steps that have been described with reference to one of the above-described exemplary embodiments can also be used in combination with other features and steps of other above-described embodiments. Reference symbols in the claims are not to be regarded as limitations.

Reference symbol list

10

Cooling module

11

Fan

12

Acquisition unit

13

Control unit

14

Data interface

15

Humidifier or air conditioning condenser

16

Airflow control

17

Airflow

18

Verification device

20

Charging station

30

system

40

motor vehicle

41

Vehicle cooling module

Claims (12)

Cooling module (10) for a charging station (20) for an at least partially electrically operated vehicle (40). a fan (11) for generating an air flow; and a control unit (13); wherein the control unit has a data interface (14) which is set up to receive vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data; and wherein the control unit (13) is set up to control the fan (11) depending on the received vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data in order to cool a vehicle cooling module (41) of the vehicle. Cooling module (10). Claim 1 , further comprising a capture unit (12) which is set up to capture vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data. Cooling module (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising an air humidifier (15), which is designed to supply water to the air flow generated. to reduce the temperature of the generated air flow. Cooling module (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising an air conditioning condenser (15) which is designed to reduce the temperature of the air flow generated. Cooling module (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least part of the fan (11) is arranged to be adjustable in position and/or wherein the control unit (13) is further set up to adjust the position of at least part of the fan (11). Cooling module (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a checking device (18), in particular a checking device with a camera system, which is set up to determine a position of at least part of the fan (11) depending on a position of the vehicle cooling module (41). determine. Cooling module (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising an air duct (17) which is designed to suck in a cold air stream and/or to supply a cold air stream to the fan (11). Cooling module (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a reverse operation that can be controlled by the control, so that instead of a flow from the cooling module to the vehicle, a flow from the vehicle to the cooling module arises. Cooling module (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the fan has at least one air flow control (16) which is set up to control the air flow. System (30) for charging an energy storage device of a motor vehicle (40), comprising a cooling module (10) according to one of Claims 1 until 7 and a charging station (20); wherein the cooling module (10) is connected to the charging station (20) in a data-communicating manner, in particular via radio data communication. Method for cooling for a charging process of a motor vehicle (40) that can be operated with electrical energy by means of a cooling module, in particular by means of a cooling module according to one of Claims 1 until 7 , comprising the following steps: • Vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data are received through a data interface (14); and • the fan (11) is controlled by a control unit (13) based on the vehicle data and/or charging station data and/or environmental data in order to generate an air flow which is supplied to a vehicle cooling module (41) of the motor vehicle (40). Method for charging an energy storage device of a motor vehicle with temperature control, comprising the steps of the method according to Claim 9 and further comprising the following step: • charging an energy storage device of a motor vehicle with a charging station of a system (30), in particular a system (30). Claim 8 ; wherein the steps of generating an air flow and charging an energy storage unit of a motor vehicle are related.

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