JP2024062129A - Battery Temperature Control System - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a battery temperature adjustment system capable of efficiently adjusting the temperature of a battery. [Solution] The battery temperature adjustment system includes an adsorbent 10 that adjusts the temperature of a battery B mounted on a vehicle by generating heat when adsorbing an adsorbate A and absorbing heat when the adsorbate A is desorbed, a storage section 11 having a storage space 11s in which the adsorbent 10 is stored, a flow path L2 connected to the storage section 11 and through which the adsorbate A flows, and a suction device 12 that desorbs the adsorbate A from the adsorbent 10 by sucking the adsorbate A from a connection port 11b of the storage space 11s with the flow path L2. [Selected Figure] Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a battery temperature regulation system.

Various techniques for adjusting the temperature of a battery mounted on a vehicle have been disclosed to obtain good performance from the battery (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle battery cooling system that includes an air conditioning means for cooling the vehicle interior by circulating a refrigerant, an electrical equipment cooling means for cooling the motor and electrical equipment with cooling water, a battery module that is connected to the electrical equipment cooling means via a battery cooling line and is cooled by the cooling water, a chiller that adjusts the temperature of the cooling water by selectively exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the cooling water, and a heater that heats the cooling water.

Patent Document 2 discloses a secondary battery heating device in which the battery is covered with a paraffin-based latent heat storage material, a cooling water storage tank is placed underneath, and an adsorption heat storage material is placed between the latent heat storage material and the cooling water storage tank. In the secondary battery heating device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the battery is heated by supplying water vapor to the adsorption heat storage material, and the adsorption heat storage material is heated by the high-temperature cooling water, causing water to be desorbed from the adsorption heat storage material, and the adsorption heat storage material is regenerated.

JP 2017-105425 A JP 2017-216097 A

In a configuration equipped with a heater for heating the coolant, such as the vehicle battery cooling system disclosed in Patent Document 1, there is an issue that the proportion of power consumption required for adjusting the battery temperature to the total power consumption of the vehicle during driving is large. In a configuration in which the adsorption heat storage material is regenerated with high-temperature coolant, such as the secondary battery heating device disclosed in Patent Document 2, water is desorbed from the parts close to the coolant, but water is difficult to desorb from the parts far from the coolant, and there is a risk that the desired warm-up performance cannot be achieved when reused. In addition, there is an issue that a separate coolant storage tank or the like must be provided, which increases the size.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a battery temperature adjustment system that can efficiently adjust the temperature of a battery.

The battery temperature adjustment system according to the present invention is characterized in that it includes an adsorbent that adjusts the temperature of a battery mounted on a vehicle by generating heat when it adsorbs an adsorbed substance and absorbing heat when the adsorbed substance is desorbed, a storage section having a storage space in which the adsorbent is stored, a flow path connected to the storage section through which the adsorbed substance flows, and a suction device that desorbs the adsorbed substance from the adsorbent by sucking the adsorbed substance from a connection port between the storage space and the flow path.

According to this configuration, the temperature of the battery is adjusted by the adsorbent generating or absorbing heat, so that the power consumption required for adjusting the temperature of the battery can be reduced. In addition, according to this configuration, a common flow path is used for supplying the adsorbent to the adsorbent to generate heat, and a common flow path is used for absorbing the adsorbent from the adsorbent by the suction device and absorbing heat from the adsorbent. As a result, the battery temperature adjustment system is not complicated, and space and weight can be reduced. Furthermore, since the suction device is provided to detach the adsorbent from the adsorbent by sucking the adsorbent from the connection port with the flow path of the storage space, the adsorbent can be forcibly detached from the adsorbent, and the desired amount of heat can be obtained even when the adsorbent is reused.

As another feature, the device may further include an on-off valve that opens and closes the flow path upstream of the storage unit in the flow direction of the adsorbent, and the suction device may include a vacuum pump that is connected to the flow path upstream of the on-off valve in the flow direction of the adsorbent and downstream of the storage unit in the flow direction.

According to this configuration, the vacuum pump connected to the flow path upstream of the on-off valve in the flow direction of the adsorbent and downstream of the storage section in the flow direction reduces the pressure in the storage space. This allows the adsorbent to be uniformly desorbed from the adsorbent, and a sufficient amount of heat can be obtained from the next heat generation of the adsorbent. In addition, because the storage space is reduced in pressure, the boiling point of the adsorbent adsorbed to the adsorbent is lowered, and the adsorbent can be vaporized at a lower temperature compared to a configuration in which the storage space is not reduced in pressure. As a result, the adsorbate can be efficiently collected.

As another feature, the device may further include a control unit that controls the opening and closing of the on-off valve, and the control unit may open the on-off valve when it determines that the temperature of the battery is equal to or lower than a first threshold value that is set in advance.

According to this configuration, when it is determined that the battery temperature is equal to or lower than a preset first threshold, the on-off valve opens and the adsorbent is supplied to the adsorbent, causing the adsorbent to generate heat and raise the temperature of the battery. Therefore, it is possible to heat the battery in a low-temperature environment, and the battery temperature can be appropriately adjusted.

As another feature, the control unit may close the on-off valve when it determines that the temperature of the battery has exceeded the first threshold after opening the on-off valve, and may activate the suction device when it determines that the temperature of the battery has exceeded a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold.

According to this configuration, if it is determined that the battery temperature exceeds the first threshold after the on-off valve is opened, the on-off valve is closed, so that the supply of the adsorbent to the adsorbent is stopped and the adsorbent stops generating heat, thereby preventing the battery temperature from rising excessively. In addition, if the battery temperature exceeds a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold, the suction device is activated, so that the adsorbent can be desorbed from the adsorbent in preparation for the next time the battery is heated. As a result, the adsorbent absorbs heat and the rise in the battery temperature can be suppressed. Therefore, the battery temperature can be appropriately adjusted.

As another feature, the storage section may be arranged on the inlet side of the housing that contains the battery, through which a cooling fluid that adjusts the temperature of the battery flows in.

With this configuration, the storage section that stores the adsorbent is provided on the inlet side of the housing that stores the battery, where the cooling fluid that adjusts the temperature of the battery flows in, so that heat from the adsorbent can be efficiently transferred to the battery via the cooling fluid.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cooling circuit of the battery according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a battery and a temperature adjustment unit according to the embodiment. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III shown in FIG. 2. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a battery temperature regulating system according to an embodiment; 5 is a flowchart showing a battery temperature adjustment process according to the embodiment.

The battery temperature adjustment system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[Battery temperature regulation system overview]
1 is a diagram showing an example of a cooling circuit for a battery B whose temperature is adjusted by a battery temperature adjustment system 100. The battery temperature adjustment system 100 adjusts the temperature of a battery B that supplies power to an electric traction motor (not shown) mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. The traction motor functions as a generator by performing regenerative braking when the vehicle is decelerating, for example, when going down a slope, and generates power. The power generated by the traction motor is charged to the battery B. The charging performance of the battery B decreases in a low-temperature environment, for example, below 0 degrees, so the battery temperature adjustment system 100 adjusts the temperature of the battery B to be within a predetermined temperature range.

As shown in FIG. 1, the temperature of the battery B is adjusted by the cooling fluid R1 flowing through the first flow path L1. In this embodiment, the cooling fluid R1 is a cooling water such as long-life coolant (LLC), insulating oil such as paraffin, or a refrigerant such as hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) or hydrofluoroolefin (HFO).

The first flow path L1 includes a chiller C that exchanges heat between the cooling fluid R1 and a second cooling fluid (not shown), a circulation pump P that circulates the cooling fluid R1 in the first flow path L1, and a temperature adjustment unit 1 that adjusts the temperature of the cooling fluid R1. The temperature adjustment unit 1, the battery B, the chiller C, and the circulation pump P are connected via the first flow path L1, and the cooling fluid R1 flows through the first flow path L1 in the order of the circulation pump P, the temperature adjustment unit 1, the battery B, the chiller C, and the circulation pump P. In this embodiment, the second cooling fluid is a refrigerant for adjusting the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, such as a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant.

The temperature adjustment unit 1 includes an adsorbent 10 having a temperature adjustment function for the battery B, and a storage unit 11 having a storage space 11s in which the adsorbent 10 is stored. The adsorbent 10 generates heat by adsorbing the adsorbent A, and absorbs heat by desorbing the adsorbent A, thereby adjusting the temperature of the battery B. In this embodiment, the adsorbent 10 is zeolite, and the adsorbent A is water (liquid or gaseous water vapor). Note that the adsorbent 10 may be other than zeolite, such as silica gel or activated carbon, and the adsorbent A may be changed appropriately depending on the type of the adsorbent 10 to something other than water, such as ethanol.

As shown in FIG. 2, the storage section 11 is of a size and shape capable of storing the adsorbent 10 and being placed in the first flow path L1, and is made of a material with a relatively high thermal conductivity (e.g., a metal containing aluminum).

The temperature adjustment unit 1 further includes a second flow path L2 (an example of a flow path) through which the adsorbate A flows, a suction device 12 that reduces the pressure in the storage space 11s (to a vacuum state in this embodiment), and an on-off valve 13 that opens and closes the second flow path L2. The storage unit 11, the suction device 12, and the on-off valve 13 are connected via the second flow path L2, and the adsorbate A flows through the second flow path L2 in the order of the suction device 12, the on-off valve 13, the storage unit 11, and the suction device 12. Hereinafter, the direction in which the adsorbate A flows is referred to as the flow direction D.

[Temperature adjustment unit]
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the storage section 11 is disposed inside the first flow path L1 in a state in which the adsorbent 10 is accommodated in the accommodation space 11s. In FIG. 1, the storage section 11 for accommodating the adsorbent 10 is depicted as being disposed only upstream of the battery B in the flow direction of the cooling fluid R1, but in this embodiment, the storage section 11 is disposed downstream of the battery B and upstream of the battery B in the flow direction of the cooling fluid R1. Specifically, the storage section 11 is provided on the inlet (the inlet of the cooling fluid R1 into the housing H; hereinafter, referred to as the "first inlet Ha") side and the outlet (the outlet of the cooling fluid R1 from the housing H; hereinafter, referred to as the "first outlet Hb") side of the first flow path L1 of the housing H. In addition, the first flow path L1 is disposed inside the housing H so as to be in close contact with each of the plurality of battery modules M constituting the battery B. In more detail, the first flow path L1 is disposed inside the housing H so as to fill the gaps between the plurality of battery modules M arranged side by side (the gaps between the adjacent battery modules M). The multiple battery modules M are composed of multiple cells CE.

The second flow path L2 of the temperature adjustment unit 1 includes a supply path L21 that supplies the adsorbent A to the storage space 11s and a recovery path L22 that recovers the adsorbent A from the storage space 11s. The supply path L21 also includes an upstream supply path L21a upstream of the on-off valve 13 in the flow direction D, and a downstream supply path L21b downstream of the on-off valve 13. The downstream supply path L21b and the recovery path L22 communicate with the storage space 11s of the storage unit 11. Hereinafter, the inlet through which the adsorbent A flows into the storage unit 11 (the connection port between the storage unit 11 and the downstream supply path L21b) is referred to as the "second inlet 11a," and the outlet through which the adsorbent A flows out of the storage unit 11 (the connection port between the storage unit 11 and the recovery path L22) is referred to as the "second outlet 11b."

In this embodiment, the suction device 12 is a vacuum pump with a check valve. The vacuum pump is not particularly limited as long as it can reduce the pressure in the downstream supply path L21b, the storage space 11s, and the recovery path L22, but may be, for example, a rotary type, a piston type, or other vacuum pump.

The suction device 12 is connected upstream of the on-off valve 13 in the flow direction D. That is, the suction device 12 is connected to the storage space 11s via the second flow path L2.

The on-off valve 13 opens and closes the second flow path L2. The on-off valve 13 is not particularly limited in type as long as it can open and close the second flow path L2, but is an electromagnetic or electric valve such as a gate valve or a butterfly valve. When the on-off valve 13 is closed (hereinafter referred to as the "closed state"), the suction device 12 operates to generate a difference (hereinafter referred to as the "differential pressure") between the internal pressure upstream of the on-off valve 13 in the flow direction D (upstream supply path L21a) and the internal pressure downstream of the on-off valve 13 in the flow direction D (downstream supply path L21b, storage space 11s, and recovery path L22). In this embodiment, the suction device 12 operates to place the storage space 11s, downstream supply path L21b, and recovery path L22 in a vacuum state. That is, the suction device 12 reduces the pressure in the storage space 11s (downstream supply path L21b, and recovery path L22) through the second flow path L2. As the storage space 11s is depressurized, the adsorbate A is sucked in by the suction device 12 from the second outlet 11b.

As shown in FIG. 4, the temperature adjustment unit 1 further includes a temperature sensor 14 that acquires the temperature of the battery B, and a control unit 15 that controls the operation of the temperature adjustment unit 1.

The temperature sensor 14 acquires the temperature of battery B and outputs information indicating the temperature to the control unit 15.

The control unit 15 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 15 may include a main memory device configured with a semiconductor memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory). The control unit 15 controls the operation of the temperature adjustment unit 1, for example, by executing a control program stored in the main memory device.

In this embodiment, the control unit 15 controls the operation of the suction device 12 and the on-off valve 13 (see Figures 1 and 2) based on information indicating the temperature of battery B output from the temperature sensor 14. In detail, the control unit 15 controls the operation and stop of the suction device 12, and controls the opening and closing of the on-off valve 13. Hereinafter, the temperature of battery B indicated by the information output from the temperature sensor 14 will be referred to as "battery temperature TB."

[Battery temperature adjustment process]
Next, the battery temperature adjustment process executed by the control unit 15 will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the battery temperature adjustment process. The battery temperature adjustment process is started when the system start button of the vehicle is pressed to start the vehicle system. The system start button is pressed, for example, by a vehicle occupant. At the start of the battery temperature adjustment process, the upstream side of the on-off valve 13 in the flow direction D is at a higher pressure than the downstream side of the on-off valve 13. Also, it is assumed that no adsorbate A is adsorbed to the adsorbent 10 (in this embodiment, no adsorbate A is adsorbed to the adsorbent 10).

As shown in FIG. 5, when the battery temperature adjustment process is started, the control unit 15 determines whether the battery temperature TB is equal to or lower than a preset first threshold value T1 based on the information output from the temperature sensor 14 (step S101). The first threshold value T1 is preset to a value indicating the lower limit temperature at which the optimal performance of the battery B can be achieved. The first threshold value T1 is set to a value indicating "0 degrees", for example.

When the control unit 15 determines that the battery temperature TB is not equal to or lower than the first threshold T1, i.e., that the battery temperature TB is greater than the first threshold T1 (step S101; No), it terminates the battery temperature adjustment process.

On the other hand, when the control unit 15 determines that the battery temperature TB is equal to or lower than the first threshold T1 (step S101; Yes), it controls the operation of the on-off valve 13 to transition the on-off valve 13 to an open state (hereinafter referred to as the "open state") (step S103). As described above, the upstream side of the on-off valve 13 in the flow direction D is at a higher pressure than the downstream side of the on-off valve 13. Therefore, when the on-off valve 13 transitions to the open state, the adsorbent A is supplied from the supply path L21 along the flow direction D to the storage space 11s in which the adsorbent 10 is stored. As a result, the adsorbent 10 generates heat. As described above, the storage section 11 that stores the adsorbent 10 is disposed inside the first flow path L1. Therefore, when the adsorbent 10 generates heat, the heat from the adsorbent 10 is transferred to the cooling fluid R1 flowing through the first flow path L1 via the storage section 11, and the temperature of the cooling fluid R1 increases. During the first predetermined period after the on-off valve 13 transitions to the open state, the adsorbent A continues to be supplied to the storage space 11s in which the adsorbent 10 is stored, and heat generation by the adsorbent 10 continues.

After the on-off valve 13 transitions to the open state, the control unit 15 determines whether the battery temperature TB exceeds the first threshold value T1 (step S105). The control unit 15 waits until the battery temperature TB exceeds the first threshold value T1 (step S105; No), and when it is determined that the battery temperature TB has exceeded the first threshold value T1 (step S105; Yes), it transitions the on-off valve 13 to the closed state (step S107). Note that if the supply of the adsorbent A to the storage space 11s is continuing, when the on-off valve 13 transitions to the closed state, the supply of the adsorbent A to the storage space 11s is stopped and the heat generation by the adsorbent 10 is stopped.

Next, the control unit 15 determines whether the battery temperature TB exceeds the second threshold T2 (step S109). The second threshold T2 is a value higher than the first threshold T1, and is set in advance to indicate the upper limit temperature at which the optimal performance of the battery B can be achieved. The second threshold T2 is set to a value indicating, for example, "30 to 40 degrees." Note that the first threshold T1 and the second threshold T2 can be changed as appropriate by the designer, engineer, etc. of the battery temperature adjustment system 100, and information indicating the first threshold T1 and the second threshold T2 is stored in advance, for example, in a memory area (not shown) provided in the battery temperature adjustment system 100.

The control unit 15 waits until the battery temperature TB exceeds the second threshold T2 (step S109; No). When the control unit 15 determines that the battery temperature TB exceeds the second threshold T2 (step S109; Yes), it operates (starts operation) the suction device 12 (in this embodiment, a vacuum pump) (step S111) to generate a pressure difference. In detail, when the opening/closing valve 13 is closed and the operation of the suction device 12 starts, the pressure reduction is started downstream of the opening/closing valve 13 (the downstream supply path L21b, the storage space 11s, and the recovery path L22). As a result, the adsorbent A adsorbed to the adsorbent 10 is desorbed from the adsorbent 10, and the adsorbent 10 absorbs heat. As a result, the temperature of the cooling fluid R1 flowing through the first flow path L1 can be reduced. Note that, for a second predetermined period after the suction device 12 is operated, the adsorbent A continues to be desorbed from the adsorbent 10, and the heat absorption by the adsorbent 10 continues. In this embodiment, the control unit 15 operates the suction device 12 so that the downstream supply path L21b, the storage space 11s, and the recovery path L22 are in a vacuum state. This allows the adsorbate A to be efficiently desorbed from the adsorbent 10. Note that the first and second predetermined periods may be the same or different.

Next, the control unit 15 determines whether or not a predetermined amount of the adsorbent A has been desorbed from the adsorbent 10, i.e., whether or not the suction device 12 has recovered a predetermined amount of the adsorbent A from the adsorbent 10 (step S113). In this embodiment, the predetermined amount is the same as the amount of the adsorbent A supplied to the adsorbent 10 (all of the adsorbent A supplied to the adsorbent 10).

The control unit 15 waits until a predetermined amount of the adsorbent A can be recovered from the adsorbent 10 (step S113; No). The control unit 15 waits until a recovery time (in this embodiment, a second predetermined period) has elapsed, which is a time period during which a predetermined amount of the adsorbent A can be recovered from the adsorbent 10, to determine whether or not a predetermined amount of the adsorbent A has been recovered from the adsorbent 10. The recovery time (second predetermined period) is measured, for example, by a timer function of the control unit 15.

When the control unit 15 determines that a predetermined amount of adsorbed material A has been collected from the adsorbent 10 (step S113; Yes), it stops the suction device 12 (step S115) and the battery temperature adjustment process ends.

[Effects of the embodiment]
Thus, according to this embodiment, the adsorbent 10 generates or absorbs heat to adjust the temperature of the battery B (cooling fluid R1), thereby reducing the power consumption required for adjusting the temperature of the battery B. This makes it possible to improve power consumption and increase the cruising distance. In addition, it becomes easier to select whether or not to install the battery temperature adjustment system 100 in a vehicle (making it an option for a vehicle intended to be supplied to extremely low temperature regions), improving the freedom of vehicle design.

In addition, for example, in the case of a configuration in which the adsorbent is heated to recover the adsorbed matter, a heat source for heating the adsorbent, a supply pipe for supplying the heat source to the adsorbent, and a recovery pipe for recovering the heat source from the adsorbent are required in addition to the supply path for supplying the adsorbent and the recovery path for recovering it, and the configuration of the entire system becomes complicated. However, according to this embodiment, the suction device 12 sucks the adsorbed matter A adsorbed to the adsorbent 10 through the second flow path L2 that supplies the adsorbed matter A to the adsorbent 10, so that a heat source for heating the adsorbent 10, a supply pipe, and a recovery pipe are not required. In other words, according to this embodiment, the flow path (second flow path L2) for supplying the adsorbed matter A to the adsorbent 10 to generate heat and the flow path (second flow path L2) for desorbing the adsorbed matter A and absorbing heat from the adsorbent 10 are shared. As a result, the battery temperature adjustment system 100 can be avoided from becoming complicated, and space and weight can be saved. Furthermore, the device is equipped with a suction device 12 that desorbs the adsorbed substance A from the adsorbent 10 by sucking the adsorbed substance A through a connection port (second outlet 11b) with the flow path (second flow path L2) of the storage space 11s, so that the adsorbed substance A can be forcibly desorbed from the adsorbent 10, and the desired amount of heat can be obtained even when the adsorbent 10 is reused.

In addition, for example, in the case of a configuration in which the adsorbent is recovered by raising the temperature of the adsorbent, the portion close to the heat source that raises the temperature of the adsorbent is easy to dry, but the portion far from the heat source is difficult to dry, and there is a risk that the recovery of the adsorbent from the adsorbent will be insufficient (unevenness will occur). If the recovery of the adsorbent is insufficient, there is a risk that the amount of heat generated by the adsorbent the next time will not be sufficient. However, according to this embodiment, since the suction device 12 (vacuum pump) puts the storage space 11s into a vacuum state, the adsorbent A adsorbed to the adsorbent 10 can be uniformly desorbed from the adsorbent 10, and the amount of heat generated by the adsorbent 10 the next time can be sufficiently obtained. Furthermore, since the storage space 11s is in a vacuum state, the boiling point of the adsorbent A adsorbed to the adsorbent 10 is lowered, and the adsorbent A can be vaporized at a lower temperature than in a configuration in which the storage space 11s is not in a vacuum state. As a result, the adsorbent A can be efficiently recovered.

When the control unit 15 determines that the battery temperature TB is equal to or lower than a preset first threshold value T1, it transitions the on-off valve 13 that separates the supply path L21 between the storage space 11s and the suction device 12 to an open state. This allows the adsorbate A to be supplied to the adsorbent 10 via the supply path L21, causing the adsorbent 10 to generate heat and raise the battery temperature TB. This makes it possible to heat the battery B in a low-temperature environment, and the battery temperature TB can be appropriately adjusted.

In addition, after the control unit 15 transitions the on-off valve 13 to the open state, if it determines that the battery temperature TB exceeds the first threshold value T1, the control unit 15 transitions the on-off valve 13 to the closed state, so that the supply of the adsorbent A to the adsorbent 10 is stopped, the adsorbent 10 stops generating heat, and the battery temperature TB can be prevented from rising excessively.

When the control unit 15 determines that the battery temperature TB exceeds the second threshold value T2, it activates the suction device 12, so that the adsorbent A can be desorbed from the adsorbent 10 in preparation for the next time the battery B (cooling fluid R1) is heated. This allows the adsorbent 10 to absorb heat and suppress an increase in the battery temperature TB. In particular, it is possible to suppress an increase in the battery temperature TB while the vehicle is running. Therefore, the battery temperature TB can be appropriately adjusted.

In addition, since the adsorbent A is provided on the first inlet Ha side of the housing H that contains the battery B, where the cooling fluid R1 flows in, the heat from the adsorbent A can be efficiently transferred to the battery B via the cooling fluid R1.

In addition, in this embodiment, the storage section 11 that stores the adsorbent 10 is disposed inside the first flow path L1, so that heat (heat generation and heat absorption) is transferred from the entire surface of the storage section 11 to the cooling fluid R1 (battery B), and the heat from the adsorbent 10 can be efficiently transferred to battery B via the cooling fluid R1.

[Another embodiment]
The present invention may be configured as follows other than the above-described embodiment (common numbers and symbols as in the embodiment are used for components having the same functions as in the embodiment).

(1) In this embodiment, the adsorbent 10 stored in the storage section 11 is provided on the first inlet Ha side of the housing H and the first outlet Hb side of the housing H, but the position at which the adsorbent 10 is provided can be changed as appropriate as long as the temperature of the cooling fluid R1 flowing through the first flow path L1 can be adjusted. For example, the adsorbent 10 may be provided on only one of the first inlet Ha side of the housing H and the first outlet Hb side of the housing H. Alternatively, the adsorbent 10 stored in the storage section 11 may be provided upstream of the housing H in the flow direction of the cooling fluid R1.

(2) In this embodiment, the control unit 15 determines whether a predetermined amount of the adsorbent A has been recovered from the adsorbent 10 by timing a recovery time that is preset as the time required for a predetermined amount of the adsorbed material A to be recovered from the adsorbent 10. However, the method for determining whether a predetermined amount of the adsorbed material A has been recovered from the adsorbent 10 is not limited to the above. For example, a flow meter may be provided in the second flow path L2, and the control unit 15 may determine whether a predetermined amount of the adsorbed material A has been recovered from the adsorbent 10 based on the value output from the flow meter. Alternatively, the control unit 15 may determine whether a predetermined amount of the adsorbed material A has been recovered from the adsorbent 10 based on a change in the weight of the adsorbent 10.

(3) In this embodiment, a vacuum pump is given as an example of the suction device 12, but the suction device 12 is not limited to a vacuum pump as long as it can suck the adsorbent A from the storage space 11s.

(4) In this embodiment, the case where there is one suction device 12 has been described as an example, but there may be two suction devices 12. The two suction devices 12 include, for example, a pump that sends the adsorbate A stored in a tank that stores the adsorbate A to the storage space 11s, and a pump that sucks the adsorbate A from the storage space 11s and recovers it in the tank. In this case, the tank that stores the adsorbate A to be sent to the storage space 11s and the tank that stores the adsorbate A recovered from the storage space 11s may be the same or different.

(5) In this embodiment, the control unit 15 acquires the temperature of battery B measured by the temperature sensor 14, but the temperature of battery B may be estimated from the temperature of the cooling fluid R1, the outside air temperature, etc.

(6) In this embodiment, the battery temperature adjustment system 100 is selected to be installed in the vehicle in advance, but it may be retrofitted to an existing vehicle. In this case, it is preferable that the battery temperature adjustment system 100 is a unit that can be connected to the first flow path L1 upstream of the battery B.

The present invention can be used in a battery temperature adjustment system that adjusts the temperature of a battery installed in a vehicle, etc.

10: Adsorbent 11: Storage section 11b: Second outlet (connection port)
11s: Storage space 12: Suction device (vacuum pump)
13: Opening/closing valve 15: Control unit 100: Battery temperature adjustment system A: Adsorbed object B: Battery D: Flow direction H: Housing Ha: First inlet (inlet)
T1: First threshold T2: Second threshold TB: Battery temperature L2: Second flow path (flow path)
R1: Cooling fluid

Claims (5)

an adsorbent that generates heat by adsorbing an adsorbate and absorbs heat by desorbing the adsorbate, thereby adjusting the temperature of a battery mounted on a vehicle;
a storage section having a storage space in which the adsorbent is stored;
a flow path connected to the storage unit and through which the adsorbate flows;
a suction device that sucks the adsorbate from a connection port of the storage space to the flow path, thereby desorbing the adsorbate from the adsorbent. an on-off valve configured to open and close the flow path upstream of the storage unit in the flow direction of the adsorbent,
The battery temperature adjustment system according to claim 1 , wherein the suction device includes a vacuum pump connected to the flow path upstream of the opening/closing valve in the flow direction of the adsorbent and downstream of the storage section in the flow direction. A control unit that controls opening and closing of the on-off valve is further provided,
The battery temperature regulation system according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit opens the opening/closing valve when it determines that the temperature of the battery is equal to or lower than a first threshold value set in advance. The battery temperature regulation system according to claim 3, wherein the control unit closes the on-off valve when it determines that the temperature of the battery has exceeded the first threshold after opening the on-off valve, and activates the suction device when it determines that the temperature of the battery has exceeded a second threshold higher than the first threshold. The battery temperature adjustment system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage section is disposed on the inlet side of the housing that stores the battery, through which a cooling fluid that adjusts the temperature of the battery flows in.

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