KR20230042752A - Method, Electric Vehicle, and Combined Cooling and Charging Apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for controlling an integrated external cooling and charging process of an electric vehicle 10 in an integrated cooling and charging device 20 is provided, comprising at least the following steps: exchanging the first set of parameters between the control unit 30 and the control unit 40 assigned to the charging device (S100), - starting the external cooling process (S100), - after starting the external cooling process, exchanging a second set of parameters between the control unit 30 assigned to the vehicle and the control unit 40 assigned to the charging device, with the second set of parameters at least the following parameters: Characterized in that information is transmitted about the physical state parameter and whether the physical state parameter has reached a predetermined limit value.

Description

Method, Electric Vehicle, and Combined Cooling and Charging Apparatus

The present invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 , an electric vehicle according to claim 9 , and a combined cooling and charging device according to claim 10 .

An electric vehicle includes a battery that provides electrical energy to drive the vehicle. In most cases, this battery can be electrically charged through an external interface. In particular, during the fast charging process, more intense heating of the battery occurs than during ferry operation. This results in a higher cooling demand during the charging process than during driving. In the prior art, additional cooling capacity is provided by the charging device during the charging process to cover this higher cooling demand.

In this regard, document DE 11 2012 003 109 T5 discloses a method for charging an electric vehicle with an electric battery as a vehicle drive system. At this time, the charging includes supplying a coolant to the electric vehicle to cool the electric battery during the charging process.

It is an object of the present invention to at least partially improve upon the known prior art.

This object is achieved according to the present invention by a method having the features according to claim 1 , an electric vehicle according to claim 9 , and a combined cooling and charging device according to claim 10 . Advantageous developments of the invention are characterized by the dependent claims. The features individually recited in the claims may be combined with one another in a technically meaningful manner and may be supplemented by descriptive facts from the detailed description and/or details from the drawings, which include additional features of the invention. Example variations are shown.

A method according to the present invention relates to a method for controlling a hybrid external cooling and charging process of an electric vehicle in a hybrid cooling and charging device. The charging method here includes at least the following steps:

- exchanging a first set of parameters between a control unit assigned to the vehicle and a control unit assigned to the charging device before the start of the external cooling process;

- initiating an external cooling process,

- exchanging a second set of parameters between a control unit assigned to the vehicle and a control unit assigned to the charging device after initiation of the external cooling process;

As a second set of parameters, at least the following parameters:

- parameters of the physical state of the cooling medium;

- It is characterized in that information is transmitted whether the physical state parameter has reached a predetermined limit value.

The transmission of the physical state parameters of the cooling medium during the cooling process and the information whether these state parameters have reached a limit value advantageously improves the control of the cooling or heating output delivered to the electric vehicle's traction battery.

The combined external cooling and charging process is characterized in that cooling output is supplied at least temporarily by the charging device to the electric vehicle during the charging process. To this end, a cooling medium is exchanged between the cooling system of the charging unit and the cooling system of the vehicle. This cooling medium is then used to cool the traction battery in the vehicle. This can be done directly so that the cooling medium from the charging device flows directly through the cooling device of the traction battery, for example a cooling channel. However, indirect cooling can also be achieved by thermally coupling the cooling device of the traction battery with the cooling medium from the charging device via an additional heat exchanger.

The cooling system includes devices for controlling and/or regulating operating parameters. These include in particular valves, heat exchangers and/or sensors, preferably temperature and/or pressure sensors. A cooling medium is conveyed through a fluid interface comprising at least a forward flow and a return flow. In the forward flow, the fluid flows from the cooling system of the charging device to the cooling system of the vehicle, and in the return flow, the fluid flows from the cooling system of the vehicle back to the cooling system of the charging device. The interface is preferably designed as a plug connection. A hose package is used in particular to cover the distance between the charging device and the vehicle. The plug connection may be provided on the charging device side as well as on the vehicle side, or on both sides. Both the cooling system of the vehicle and the cooling system of the charging device preferably include shut-off valves in both the forward flow and the return flow. In one group of embodiments, operating parameters set during the cooling process, such as for example the temperature of the coolant in the flow, are set exclusively by the device of the cooling system of the charging device. This has the advantage that the number of parts required for the vehicle is reduced.

In some embodiments, in addition to exchange of coolant, conditionally exchange of other fluids suitable for cooling is also provided. This includes in particular gas, preferably air. This can be used to flush the cooling system at the end of the cooling process and/or to perform a pressure test which can be used to detect leaks, for example, before the start of the cooling process.

According to the invention, a parameter set is one or more parameters transmitted from the first control unit to the second control unit. Here, exchange can be understood to mean not only one-way transmission of parameter sets from one control unit to another control unit, but also transmission of parameter sets by each control unit to each other control device. Preferably at least two parameters are transmitted. If at least two parameters are transmitted, the parameters of the parameter set are preferably transmitted simultaneously. The word simultaneous is not to be strictly understood here. Rather, this means that the parameters are transmitted within a time interval of 1 second, preferably 0.1 second, particularly preferably 0.01 second. Transmission is possible through each arbitrary communication interface. In some embodiments, the parameter set is transmitted over the air, for example over a mobile wireless network and/or a wire-less network. These are preferably made via cable connections, particularly preferably routed in the charging cable and/or cooling hose package and/or contacted in the charging and/or coolant plug. This has the advantage that in particular a connection that is less susceptible to interference can be established, and a communication line for other necessary data exchanges between the vehicle and the charging device is essentially required.

The parameter set can be transferred respectively from the control unit assigned to the vehicle to the control unit assigned to the charging device and vice versa.

In addition to the two parameter sets explicitly mentioned herein, in some embodiments additional first and/or second parameter sets are exchanged.

The control unit is preferably a control unit spatially related to the vehicle or charging device, ie a control device arranged for example inside the vehicle or charging device or directly on the vehicle or charging device. However, in some embodiments it may also be a virtual control unit implemented as a cloud service, for example.

Parameters preparing the cooling process are preferably transmitted as a first parameter set. This includes, for example, the charging device and the characteristics of the device required for the delivery of the cooling medium in the vehicle. This may be, for example, the maximum permissible temperature and/or pressure of the cooling medium for component protection, but may also be the cooling capacity required for cooling during the charging process. In some embodiments, this is used for initial determination of operating parameters set by the cooling system, such as flow temperature and/or mass flow rate of the cooling medium. In particular, it is used to determine the starting point of the cooling process, ie the point at which the cooling medium flows, for example, from the cooling system of the charging device to the cooling system of the vehicle.

The second set of parameters is transmitted during the external cooling process, ie during in particular when the fluid is exchanged between the cooling systems of the vehicle and the charging device. It is used in particular for recrystallizing and/or controlling operating parameters set by the cooling system, such as flow temperature and/or mass flow of the cooling medium.

The limit value of the state parameter preferably results from the technical characteristics of the cooling systems of the vehicle and charging device. However, it may also represent a target value determined using an optimization algorithm as an optimal operating variable for cooling the traction battery during the charging process.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, the second parameter set is exchanged multiple times between the control unit assigned to the vehicle and the control unit assigned to the charging device during the external cooling process. In this way, it may be possible to constantly adapt the operating parameters of the cooling system to changing boundary conditions, eg external temperature changes.

In another preferred embodiment, the first set of parameters is exchanged once between the control unit assigned to the vehicle and the control unit assigned to the charging device before the start of the external cooling process. This advantageously reduces data exchanged between control units.

In a further group of embodiments, the method provides a second set of parameters, the physical state parameters of the cooling medium:

- the current fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet,

- the current fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet,

- the current temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet,

- the current temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet,

- the current mass flow of the cooling medium is transmitted, and

Information on whether a physical state parameter has reached a predetermined limit value, such as:

- whether the limit value of the fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet has been reached;

- whether the limit value of the fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet has been reached;

- whether the limit value of the temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet has been reached;

- whether the limit value of the temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet has been reached;

- It is characterized in that whether or not the limit value of the mass flow rate of the cooling medium is reached is transmitted.

These parameters are particularly relevant for efficient cooling of the traction battery. For this reason, this version of the second parameter set is particularly well suited to influencing the operating parameters during an external cooling process.

Preferably, information on the type of coolant is transmitted in addition to the second set of parameters. This advantageously enables the fluid used to be changed during the cooling process. Via this parameter, a change from one cooling medium to another, for example a gas, preferably air, can also be indicated and/or initiated.

In some embodiments, the method:

- characterized in that it comprises the additional step of changing the cooling medium.

This may mean switching from one cooling medium, eg glycol, to another refrigerant, eg water. This has the advantage that the properties of the coolant can be tuned particularly precisely to the boundary conditions of the current cooling process. This may also mean that other fluids, in particular gases, preferably air, are exchanged between the cooling systems instead of conventional coolants. In this way, additional functions such as leak testing or cleaning of the cooling system can advantageously be implemented. Particularly preferably, the cooling system of the vehicle is flushed in this case. When air is used as the gas, it is preferably compressed from ambient air by a compressor and introduced into the cooling system, where the compressor and introduction device are preferably provided on the side of the filling device.

In a further embodiment, the method provides a first set of parameters, including at least the following parameters:

- a request for a pressure test;

- target pressure value,

- the target state of the valve at the coolant inlet,

- the target state of the valve at the coolant outlet,

- It is characterized in that the status of the pressure test is transmitted.

These parameters may be incorporated directly into the first parameter set or may also be transmitted as a separate first parameter set.

For environmental protection, safety, and component protection, before starting the cooling process, it must be ensured that the cooling systems of the vehicle and the charging device are sealed so that no coolant leaks during the cooling process. This can advantageously be ensured by carrying out a pressure test before the cooling process starts. For this purpose, the cooling system is preferably pressurized with air. The valves at the coolant inlet and outlet are then closed. Then, if the pressure in the system drops, you can infer that there is a leak.

In a further group of embodiments, the method comprises:

- an additional step of establishing in an automated way a plug connection between the coolant plug of the charging unit and the cooling system of the electric vehicle or between the coolant plug of the electric vehicle and the cooling system of the charging unit in an automated manner. do.

The automated establishment of the plug connection is performed using a device suitable for this purpose, for example a robotic arm. The automated establishment of the plug connection has the advantage that, for example, the driver of the vehicle does not have to manually operate the often heavy coolant plug.

The invention also relates to an electric vehicle comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit is designed to perform the method according to the invention. In addition to the control unit, the vehicle contains all the necessary components for external cooling of the traction battery.

The invention also relates to a combined cooling and charging device comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit is designed to carry out the method according to the invention. In the present case, a combined cooling and charging device is to be understood as meaning any electrical charging device that includes devices necessary for external cooling.

Further advantages and advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention are presented on the basis of the following description with reference to the drawings.

1 shows an exemplary sequence of a method according to the invention.
2 shows an electric vehicle and a combined cooling and charging device.

Embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the drawings.

1 shows an exemplary sequence of a method according to the invention. In step S10, initially a first parameter set is exchanged. It contains 2 parameters:

- whether a device (70, 90, 120) for external cooling is available;

- Is a device 100 available for automated establishment of a plug connection between a coolant plug of a charging device and a cooling system of an electric vehicle.

These parameters at least indicate whether the device in question is available. These enable the control systems of the vehicle and charging device to determine whether external cooling during the charging process is often technically possible.

In step S20, another first parameter set is exchanged. It includes the following parameters:

- maximum cooling capacity, preferably on the order of 20, 40 and 80 kW

- cooling medium

- coolant pressure

- coolant temperature

- Plug connection type

In this case, the parameter set is initially transmitted from the control unit assigned to the charging device to the control unit assigned to the vehicle. The parameters each specify a value that can be provided by the charging device.

In step S30, parameter sets having the same parameters are transmitted as target parameters from the control unit assigned to the vehicle to the control unit assigned to the charging device.

In step S40, an initial target value for the cooling process is determined from the pair of parameter sets exchanged in steps S10 to S30. This relates in particular to the cooling medium temperature of the flow, which in the embodiment shown here will later be set via the regulating device of the cooling system of the charging device.

In step S50, the coolant plug 70 is finally plugged using the robot arm 100. This is a composite charge and coolant plug 70 in this example. To ensure backward compatibility with electric vehicles not configured for external cooling, the coolant connection of the coolant plug 70 can be retracted into the plug. During the plugging process, the coolant connection remains retracted into the plug housing until the electrical charging connection is contacted and the correct positioning of the coolant connection is determined, for example via a camera sensor. Thereafter, the coolant connecting portion is taken out of the plug housing in the next step (S60), connected, and locked by the charging device.

In step S70, a set of parameters indicating that the coolant connections have been successfully immersed are exchanged.

In step S80, the control unit assigned to the vehicle exchanges a first parameter set having the following parameters with the control unit assigned to the charging device:

- a request for a pressure test;

- target pressure value,

- the target state of the valve at the coolant inlet,

- the target state of the valve at the coolant outlet,

- Status of pressure test.

Then, air is introduced into the cooling system of the vehicle through the cooling system of the charging unit, and the pressure rises to the target pressure value. The control unit assigned to the vehicle then commands the valves at the coolant inlet and coolant outlet of the charging unit to be closed. The control unit assigned to the vehicle transmits the successful completion of the pressure test as the status of the pressure test in the updated transmission of the parameter set to the control unit assigned to the charging device. Then, in step S90, the charging device starts a cooling process.

In step S100, the following physical state parameters of the cooling medium between control units using a second set of parameters at regular time intervals:

- the current fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet

- the current fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet

- the current temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet,

- the current temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet,

- the current mass flow of the cooling medium is exchanged, and

Information on whether a physical state parameter has reached a predetermined limit value, such as:

- whether the limit value of the fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet has been reached;

- whether the limit value of the fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet has been reached;

- whether the limit value of the temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet has been reached;

- whether the limit value of the temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet has been reached;

- whether the limit value of the mass flow rate of the cooling medium has been reached is exchanged.

This allows the vehicle's cooling request to be constantly adjusted to the cooling capacity provided by the charging unit.

The method steps recited herein may not necessarily occur in the order specified herein in other exemplary embodiments. Moreover, not all method steps need to be performed in practice in all cases.

2 schematically shows an electric vehicle 10 according to the invention with a traction battery 110 having a cooling channel thermally coupled to a coolant connection 90 via a heat exchanger 120 . The traction battery 110 may be externally charged through a charging connection. In addition, the electric vehicle 10 includes a control device 30 as a related control unit. The control device 30 is connected to the control device 40 of the combined cooling and charging device 20 through a communication interface 60 . Both cooling capacity and power are transferred from the charging device 20 by the composite cooling medium hose and cable package 50 and finally through the composite cooling medium and charging plug 70, where the plug 70 is the loading It can be automatically plugged in by a robot.

S10 - S100 method steps 1-10
10 electric vehicles
20 Combined cooling and charging units
30 Control units assigned to electric vehicles
40 Control unit assigned to combined cooling and charging unit
50 Coolant Hose and Cable Package
60 communication interface
70 Combined cooling medium and charging plug
80 charging connection
90 coolant connection
100 loading robot
110 traction battery
120 heat exchanger

Claims (10)

A method for controlling a composite external cooling and charging process of an electric vehicle 10 in a composite cooling and charging device 20,
At least the following steps:
- exchanging a first set of parameters between the control unit 30 assigned to the vehicle and the control unit 40 assigned to the charging device before the start of the external cooling process (S100);
- initiating the external cooling process (S100);
- exchanging a second set of parameters between a control unit (30) assigned to the vehicle and a control unit (40) assigned to the charging device after initiation of the external cooling process;
With the second set of parameters, at least the following parameters:
- parameters of the physical state of the cooling medium;
- information on whether said physical state parameter has reached a predetermined limit value;
A method characterized in that is transmitted. According to claim 1,
characterized in that the second parameter set is exchanged a plurality of times between the control unit (30) assigned to the vehicle and the control unit (40) assigned to the charging device during the external cooling process. According to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that the first parameter set is exchanged once between the control unit (30) assigned to the vehicle and the control unit (40) assigned to the charging device before the start of the external cooling process. According to any one of claims 1 to 3,
With the second set of parameters, the following physical state parameters of the cooling medium:
- the current fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet,
- the current fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet,
- the current temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet,
- the current temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet,
- the current mass flow rate of the cooling medium
is sent, and
As information on whether the physical state parameter has reached a predetermined limit value, the following parameters:
- whether the limit value of the fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet has been reached,
- whether the limit value of the fluid pressure of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet has been reached,
- whether the limit value of the temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant inlet has been reached,
- whether the limit value of the temperature of the cooling medium at the coolant outlet has been reached,
- whether the limit value of the mass flow rate of the cooling medium has been reached
A method characterized in that is transmitted. According to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The method according to claim 1 , wherein, with the second set of parameters, information on the type of coolant is additionally transmitted. According to any one of claims 1 to 5,
- a further step of changing the cooling medium. According to any one of claims 1 to 6,
With the first set of parameters, at least the following parameters:
- a request for a pressure test;
- target pressure value,
- the target state of the valve at the coolant inlet,
- the target state of the valve at the coolant outlet,
- the status of the pressure test
A method characterized in that is transmitted. According to any one of claims 1 to 7,
- Establishing in an automated way a plug connection between the coolant plug 70 of the charging device and the cooling system of the electric vehicle or an automated plug connection between the coolant plug of the electric vehicle and the cooling system of the charging device. characterized in that it comprises the additional step of establishing in a manner. As an electric vehicle 10 comprising a control unit 30,
The electric vehicle (10), wherein the control unit is designed to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8. As a combined cooling and charging device (20) comprising a control unit (40),
The combined cooling and charging device (20), wherein the control unit is designed to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images