Actively controlled thermal conductivity for powertrain thermal management
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsQuazi Ehtesham Hussain, Mark John Jennings, Chad Allan Baker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle powertrain component includes a thermal transfer surface that transfers thermal energy out of a powertrain component and a thermally active material disposed over the thermal transfer surface. The thermally active material includes a variable thermal conductivity and an actuator coupled to the thermally active material induces changes in the thermal conductivity of the thermally active material. A controller governs operation of the actuator to adjust the thermal conductivity of the thermally active material responsive to a vehicle operating condition to maintain the powertrain component within a predefined temperature range.
Claims25
A vehicle powertrain component comprising:
- a thermal transfer surface that transfers thermal energy out of a powertrain component;
- a thermally active material disposed over the thermal transfer surface, the thermally active material including a variable thermal conductivity;
- an actuator coupled to the thermally active material for inducing changes in the thermal conductivity of the thermally active material;
- a controller governing operation of the actuator to adjust the thermal conductivity of the thermally active material responsive to a vehicle operating condition to maintain the powertrain component within a predefined temperature range.
A vehicle battery pack assembly comprising:
- a battery pack including thermal transfer surface through which thermal energy is directed out of the battery pack;
- a thermally active material disposed over the thermal transfer surface, the thermally active material including a thermal conductivity that varies through a plurality of thermal conductivities between a first thermal conductivity and a second thermal conductivity;
- an actuator coupled to the thermally active material for inducing changes in the thermal conductivity;
- and
- a controller governing operation of the actuator to adjust the thermal conductivity of the thermally active material responsive to a vehicle operating condition to provide a predefined rate of thermal transfer from the battery pack.
A method of controlling a temperature of a battery pack comprising:
- providing a thermally active material over a thermal transfer surface of a battery pack;
- measuring an operating parameter of the battery pack with a sensor;
- operating an actuator coupled to the thermally active material to induce a change in thermal conductivity in the thermally active material responsive to the measured operating parameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.