Systems and methods for thermal battery control
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDavid Karl Bidner, W. Cary Cole, Phillip Bonkoski, Sunil Katragadda, Michael Levin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and system for operating a thermal storage device of a vehicle system are provided. In one example, a method comprises estimating a temperature of a thermal battery after the battery and coolant included therein have reached thermal equilibrium, and determining a state of charge of the battery based on the estimated temperature and one or more chemical properties of two phase change materials included within the battery. Specifically, the thermal battery may include two phase change materials with different melting points for providing thermal energy to warm coolant in a vehicle coolant system.
Claims5
A method for operating a thermal storage device of an engine cooling system, comprising:
- flowing each of a coolant and a second fluid through the thermal storage device via separate tubes, the second fluid heated from exhaust gases of an engine;
- stopping the coolant flow through the thermal storage device, the thermal storage device comprising two phase change materials with different melting points, for a duration;
- resuming coolant flow through the thermal storage device after the duration and estimating a temperature of coolant exiting the thermal storage device based on outputs from a temperature sensor positioned at a coolant outlet of the thermal storage device;
- and
- calculating a state of charge of the thermal storage device based on the estimated coolant temperature and one or more chemical properties of the phase change materials, the thermal storage device adapted to charge via receiving thermal energy from the heated second fluid and discharge via transfer of thermal energy to the coolant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.