# US 12,218,326 B2 · Temperature control system, a vehicle provided therewith and a method for controlling the operation thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,218,326 B2 - Document ID: US12218326B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/912,161 - Filed: 2021-03-16 - Published: 2023-04-27 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-23 - Assignees: Scania CV AB - Applicants: Scania CV AB - Inventors: Martin Mohlin; Ola Hall - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12218326B2 ## CPC - B60K 11/02: with liquid cooling - H01M 10/625: Vehicles - F28F 27/00: Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05) - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - H01M 10/6568: characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings - H01M 10/663: the system being an air-conditioner or an engine - B60K 2001/005: {the electric storage means} - F28F 2250/08: Fluid driving means, e.g. pumps, fans - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using 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 - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A temperature control system for a vehicle, comprising a main circuit comprising a tubing in which there is provided a coolant, a main circuit pump configured to pump said coolant through the tubing in a first direction. Connected in parallel to the main circuit are first and second sub-circuits for cooling or heating of components connected thereto. In the sub-circuits there are provided first and second pumps that pump coolant through said sub-circuits from a first end to second end at which the respective sub-circuit is connected the main circuit. The first end is upstream the second end as seen in the first direction in the first circuit, and the first end of the first sub-circuit and the first end of the at least one second sub-circuit are joined to a common tubing section which in its turn is connected to the tubing of the main circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A temperature control system for a vehicle, comprising: a main circuit comprising a tubing in which there is provided a coolant, a main circuit pump configured to pump said coolant through a tubing of the main circuit in a first direction, and at least one unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit; a first sub-circuit for cooling or heating a first component, said first sub-circuit comprising a tubing that has a first end and a second end, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit at a position upstream of the position at which the second end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit as seen in said first direction; at least one second sub-circuit for cooling or heating a second component, said at least one second sub-circuit comprising a tubing that has a first end and a second end, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit at a position upstream the position at which the second end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit as seen in said first direction, wherein the first sub-circuit comprises a first pump configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end of the tubing of the first sub-circuit to the second end thereof, wherein the at least one second sub-circuit comprises a second pump configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end of the tubing of the at least one second sub-circuit to the second end thereof, and wherein the first end of the first sub-circuit and the first end of the at least one second sub-circuit are joined to a common tubing section which in its turn is connected to the tubing of the main circuit; and a control unit configured in at least one mode to control an output, as measured in volume per time unit, of each of the main circuit pump, the first pump of the first sub-circuit, and the second pump of the at least one second sub-circuit, such that a sum of an output of the first pump of the first sub-circuit and an output of the second pump of the at least one second sub-circuit exceeds an output of the main circuit pump. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein said common tubing section has a length which is sufficient for mixing in said common tubing section a flow of coolant delivered by the main circuit pump and a flow of coolant delivered by said first pump of the first sub-circuit and by said second pump of the at least one second sub-circuit such that a temperature of the coolant is homogenous at an end of the common tubing section where the first and second sub-circuits depart from each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A temperature control system according to claim 1 further comprising: a first sensor configured to measure a parameter reflecting a temperature t1 of said first component; and a second sensor configured to measure a parameter reflecting a temperature t2 of said second component, wherein the control unit is connected to the first sensor and to the second sensor and, wherein the control unit is further configured to control operation of the first pump on basis of input received from the first sensor and to control operation of the second pump on basis of input received from the second sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A temperature control system according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is connected to the pump of the main circuit and to the at least one unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit and is configured to control the operation of the pump of the main circuit and said unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit on basis of input received from the first sensor and the second sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A temperature control system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to activate the pump of the main circuit and/or said unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit, as a response to input received from said first or second sensor, or from a sensor that measures a temperature of the coolant in the first sub-circuit and the at least one second sub-circuit, that indicates that sufficient heating or cooling of the first component or second component is not achieved by control of the first and second pump. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein the pump of the main circuit has a lower maximum output, measured in units of fluid per minute, than a sum of a maximum output of the first and second pumps. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the tubing of the main circuit that presents the openings to which first and second ends of the first sub-circuit and the at least one second sub-circuit are connected is separable from an upstream part of said tubing and a downstream part of said tubing by means of tubing connections via which it is connected to said upstream part and downstream part, respectively. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein said first component and said second component are components of a vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A temperature control system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the first component and the second component is a battery for the accumulation of electric energy. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein the first component has a preferred operation temperature range a-b, and the second component has a preferred operation temperature range c-d, and that a-b overlaps c-d. ### Claim 11 A vehicle, comprising: a first component which has a preferred operating temperature range a-b; at least one second component which has a preferred operating temperature range c-d; and a temperature control system comprising: a main circuit comprising a tubing in which there is provided a coolant, a main circuit pump configured to pump said coolant through the tubing of the main circuit in a first direction, and at least one unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit; a first sub-circuit for cooling or heating the first component, said first sub-circuit comprising a tubing that has a first end and a second end, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit at a position upstream the position at which the second end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit as seen in said first direction; at least one second sub-circuit for cooling or heating the second component, said second sub-circuit comprising a tubing that has a first end and a second end, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit at a position upstream the position at which the second end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit as seen in said first direction, wherein the first sub-circuit comprises a first pump configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end of the tubing of the first sub-circuit to the second end thereof, wherein the at least one second sub-circuit comprises a second pump configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end of the tubing of the at least one second sub-circuit to the second end thereof, and wherein the first end of the first sub-circuit and the first end of the at least one second sub-circuit are joined to a common tubing section which in its turn is connected to the tubing of the main circuit; and a control unit configured in at least one mode to control an output, as measured in volume per time unit, of each of the main circuit pump, the first pump of the first sub-circuit, and the second pump of the at least one second sub-circuit, such that a sum of an output of the first pump of the first sub-circuit and an output of the second pump of the at least one second sub-circuit exceeds an output of the main circuit pump, wherein the first component is provided in connection to the first sub-circuit and configured to be heated or cooled by heat exchange with coolant flowing through the first sub-circuit, and wherein the second component is provided in connection to the at least one second sub-circuit and configured to be heated or cooled by heat exchange with coolant flowing through the at least one second sub-circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said first component and second component is any one of: a battery for accumulation of electric energy; a compressor; an electric heater device; a condenser; and power electronics. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A vehicle according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second component is a battery for the accumulation of electric energy. ### Claim 14 A method of controlling the operation of a temperature control system comprising: a main circuit comprising a tubing in which there is provided a coolant, a main circuit pump configured to pump said coolant through a tubing of the main circuit in a first direction, and at least one unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit; a first sub-circuit for cooling or heating a first component, said first sub-circuit comprising a tubing that has a first end and a second end, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit at a position upstream of the position at which the second end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit as seen in said first direction; at least one second sub-circuit for cooling or heating a second component, said at least one second sub-circuit comprising a tubing that has a first end and a second end, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit at a position upstream the position at which the second end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit as seen in said first direction, wherein the first sub-circuit comprises a first pump configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end of the tubing of the first sub-circuit to the second end thereof, wherein the at least one second sub-circuit comprises a second pump configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end of the tubing of the at least one second sub-circuit to the second end thereof, and wherein the first end of the first sub-circuit and the first end of the at least one second sub-circuit are joined to a common tubing section which in its turn is connected to the tubing of the main circuit; and a control unit configured in at least one mode to control an output, as measured in volume per time unit, of each of the main circuit pump, the first pump of the first sub-circuit, and the second pump of the at least one second sub-circuit, such that a sum of an output of the first pump of the first sub-circuit and an output of the second pump of the at least one second sub-circuit exceeds an output of the main circuit pump, said method comprising the following steps: measuring a parameter reflecting a temperature t1 of a first component; comparing the measured parameter to a preferred operational temperature range a-b of the first component; controlling the output of the first pump on basis of said comparison such that a