System and method for dynamic fluid heating in electric vehicles

A method for heating a vehicle component, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an electrical connection to a high voltage battery being at least partially used for vehicle propulsion;
• providing one or more cells for retaining a fluid, each cell including one or more electrode pairs positioned therein;
• arranging the one or more cells along a flow path, the flow path including an inlet to and an outlet from the one or more cells;
• determining at the one or more cells the electrical conductivity, or specific conductance, of the fluid;
• determining from the electrical conductivity, or specific conductance, of the fluid a voltage to apply from the high voltage battery, or an external power source located outside of the vehicle, across the one or more electrode pairs at a current sufficient to heat the fluid therein;
• and
• passing the current from the one or more electrode pairs to the fluid to produce a heated fluid, wherein the heated fluid transfers heat to one or more vehicle components via the outlet.

A method for heating a vehicle component, the method comprising the steps of:

• passing a fluid along a flow path from an inlet to an outlet, the flow path including at least first and second cells positioned along the flow path such that the fluid passing the first cell subsequently passes the second cell, each cell including at least one electrode pair between which an electric current is passed through the fluid to produce heat therein during its passage along the flow path, and wherein at least one of the cells includes at least one segmented electrode, the segmented electrode comprising a plurality of electrically separable segments allowing an effective surface area of the segmented electrode to be controlled by selectively activating the segments such that upon application of a voltage to the activated electrode segment(s), current drawn will depend in part upon the effective surface area;
• determining the fluid conductivity, or specific conductance at the inlet;
• determining from measured fluid conductivity, or specific conductance a required voltage and current to be delivered to the fluid by the first cell to raise the temperature of the fluid therein by a first amount;
• determining a heated fluid conductivity, or specific conductance resulting from operation of the first cell;
• determining from the heated fluid conductivity, or specific conductance a required voltage and current to be delivered to the fluid by the second cell to raise the temperature of the fluid therein by a second amount;
• activating segments of the segmented electrode in a manner to effect delivery of desired current and voltage by the segmented electrode;
• and transferring heat to one or more vehicle components via the outlet from the heated fluid.