# US 11,440,392 B2 · Battery system of an electric vehicle

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- Number: US 11,440,392 B2
- Document ID: US11440392B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/847,917
- Filed: 2020-04-14
- Published: 2020-07-30
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-02
- Assignees: Proterra Operating Company, Inc.
- Applicants: Proterra Operating Company, Inc.
- Inventors: Dustin Grace; Brian Pevear
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440392B2

## CPC

- B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60L 1/02: to electric heating circuits
- B60L 3/0046: {relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors}
- B60L 3/04: Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions (protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H)
- B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
- B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries}
- B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC]
- B60L 58/13: Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
- B60L 58/18: of two or more battery modules
- B60L 58/21: having the same nominal voltage
- B60L 58/22: Balancing the charge of battery modules
- B60L 58/26: by cooling
- B60L 58/27: by heating
- H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
- H01M 10/4207: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially}
- H01M 10/441: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially}
- H01M 10/443: {in response to temperature}
- H01M 10/48: Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569)
- H01M 10/482: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially}
- H01M 10/486: {for measuring temperature}
- H01M 10/615: Heating or keeping warm
- H01M 10/625: Vehicles
- H01M 10/637: characterised by the use of reversible temperature-sensitive devices, e.g. NTC, PTC or bimetal devices; characterised by control of the internal current flowing through the cells, e.g. by switching (means for preventing undesired use or discharge H01M50/572)
- H01M 10/6568: characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
- H01M 10/657: by electric or electromagnetic means
- H01M 10/6571: Resistive heaters (arrangements for heating the battery by its resistance to the internal current H01M10/637)
- H01M 50/249: specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64)
- B60K 2001/005: {the electric storage means}
- B60K 2001/008: {with means for heating the electrical propulsion units}
- B60K 2001/0438: {Arrangement under the floor}
- B60L 2200/18: Buses
- B60L 2240/545: Temperature
- B60L 2240/547: Voltage
- B60L 2250/10: by alarm
- B60L 2250/12: by confirmation, e.g. of the input
- B60Y 2200/143: Busses
- H01M 50/572: Means for preventing undesired use or discharge
- H01M 2010/4271: {Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing}
- H01M 2200/00: Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A battery system for an electric vehicle includes a first battery module with a first heater and a second battery module with a second heater. The battery system also includes a control system configured to selectively activate the first or the second heater to dissipate energy from the first or the second battery module.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A battery system for an electric vehicle, comprising:
a first battery module including:
a first heater positioned within a first casing of the first battery module, the first casing enclosing a plurality of battery cells, wherein the first heater is configured to be powered solely by the first battery module, and
a first cooling loop passing by the plurality of battery cells within the first casing and comprising an inlet and an outlet positioned on a common side of the first casing opposite the first heater;
a second battery module including:
a second heater positioned within a second casing of the second battery module, the second casing enclosing a plurality of battery cells, wherein the second heater is configured to be powered solely by the second battery module, and
a second cooling loop passing by the plurality of battery cells within the second casing and comprising an inlet and an outlet positioned on a common side of the second casing opposite the second heater; and
a control system configured to:
selectively activate at least one of the first or second heaters to modify a temperature of at least one of the first and second battery modules; and
selectively open or close the inlet and/or the outlet of the cooling loop included in each of the first and second battery modules to modify the temperature of at least one of the first and second battery modules.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The battery system of claim 1, wherein the cooling loops of the first and second battery modules circulate cooling air.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The battery system of claim 2, wherein the first and second heaters are positioned in thermal contact with a path of the cooling air.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The battery system of claim 3, wherein the control system is further configured to selectively control the circulation of cooling air as a function of the activation of the first or second heaters.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The battery system of claim 4, wherein the selective control of the circulation of cooling air includes closing one or more valves of the at least one of the inlet and the outlet controlling the circulation of cooling air when the first or second heater is activated.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The battery system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to selectively activate at least one of the first or second heaters to allow the battery system to charge and discharge at higher power levels.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The battery system of claim 1, wherein the one or more heaters are activated when a respective battery module is less than a threshold temperature.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The battery system of claim 1, wherein the selective activation includes activating the first heater while not activating the second heater.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The battery system of claim 1, wherein the first battery module includes a plurality of heaters powered solely by the first battery module.

### Claim 10

A method of operating an electric vehicle including a battery system having a plurality of battery modules electrically connected together and a battery management system configured to control the operation of the battery system, wherein each battery module of the plurality of battery modules includes (a) a casing enclosing a plurality of battery cells therein, and (b) one or more heaters positioned within the casing and powered solely by the plurality of battery cells enclosed in the casing, the method comprising:
selectively activating, by a controller of the battery management system, the one or more heaters of a battery module of the plurality of battery modules to modify a temperature of the battery module;
passing a cooling loop within each casing by each of the plurality of battery cells, each cooling loop comprising an inlet and an outlet positioned on a common side of the respective casing, the one or more heaters being positioned within the cooling loop adjacent a central portion of the cooling loop; and
selectively opening or closing, by the controller of the battery management system, the inlet and/or the outlet of the cooling loop positioned within the casing of the battery module to modify the temperature of the battery module.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the selectively activating includes activating the one or more heaters of a battery module of the plurality of battery modules without activating the one or more heaters of another battery module of the plurality of battery modules, and wherein the central portion is midway in the cooling loop.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the cooling loop of each of the plurality of battery modules circulate cooling air, and wherein the common side is positioned opposite the one or more heaters.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more heaters of each the plurality of battery modules are positioned in thermal contact with a path of the cooling air.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising selectively controlling the circulation of cooling air as a function of the activation of the one or more heaters of the battery module of the plurality of battery modules.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the selective control of the circulation of cooling air includes closing one or more valves of the at least one of the inlet and the outlet controlling the circulation of cooling air when the one or more heaters of the battery module is activated.

### Claim 16

A battery pack, comprising:
at least one battery module, including:
a casing;
a fluid loop configured to pass a fluid through a volume enclosed by the casing, the fluid loop comprising an inlet and an outlet positioned on a common side of the casing;
a heater positioned within the casing opposite the common side of the casing, and configured to heat the fluid within the fluid loop;
a plurality of battery cells configured and positioned within the volume so that a temperature of the plurality of cells and a temperature of the fluid in the fluid loop are related to each other, such that the heater is operable to heat the plurality of battery cells via the fluid in the fluid loop passing by each of the battery cells;
a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the at least one battery module; and
a battery controller configured to: selectively operate the heater of the at least one battery module and selectively open or close the inlet and/or the outlet of the fluid loop of the at least one battery module to modify the temperature of the at least one battery module.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The battery pack of claim 16, further comprising:
a coolant circuit, wherein:
the battery pack comprises at least two of the battery modules;
the casing of each of the battery modules includes the inlet and the outlet that couple the fluid loop of the respective battery module to the coolant circuit, such that the coolant circuit is configured to cool the plurality of battery cells in each of the battery modules being in thermal contact with the respective fluid loop.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The battery pack of claim 17, wherein the at least two battery modules are arranged in series or parallel in the coolant circuit.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The battery pack of claim 17, wherein the battery controller is configured to selectively activate the heater of one or more of the at least two battery modules in response to determining, via the temperature sensors of the at least two battery modules, that the temperature of the one or more of the at least two battery modules is below a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The battery pack of claim 16, wherein the heater is positioned so as to be at least partially submerged in the fluid within the fluid loop.