Temperature-based control of battery heating and load activation
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsHaider MHIESAN, Timothy HARRIS, Kirk PULAY, Christopher Bernard TROMBETTA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A home energy system includes a controller, a standby battery that energizes the controller during a grid loss condition, and a heating element thermally coupled to the standby battery. When a sensed temperature is below a cold threshold, the controller operates the heating element to apply thermal energy to the standby battery and, upon a new load request, adjusts power to the heating element to reduce active load demand. When the sensed temperature is above a hot threshold, the controller adjusts a state of a controllable switch to reduce active load demand.
Claims20
A home energy system comprising:
- a controller;
- a standby battery configured to energize the controller during a grid loss condition;
- and
- a heating element;
- the controller configured to:
- when a sensed temperature is below a cold threshold, operate the heating element to apply thermal energy to the standby battery and, upon a new load request, adjust power to the heating element to reduce active load demand;
- and
- when the sensed temperature is above a hot threshold, adjust a state of a controllable switch to reduce active load demand.
A controller for a home energy system, comprising processing hardware and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to:
- when a temperature sensed at a standby battery is below a cold threshold, activate a heating element thermally coupled to the standby battery;
- upon a new load request while the temperature remains below the cold threshold, adjust power applied to the heating element to preserve margin for a new load;
- and
- when the margin remains insufficient after the adjustment, suspend operation of the heating element to allow activation of the new load.
A method of operating a home energy system including a controller, a standby battery, and a heating element thermally coupled to the standby battery, the method comprising:
- during a temperature condition below a cold threshold at the standby battery, operating the heating element at a power level;
- upon a new load request while the temperature condition persists, the new load request exceeding an available system capacity:
- reducing a power level of the heating element to increase the available system capacity;
- when the available system capacity remains less than the new load request with the heating element operating at the reduced power level, disconnecting a home load to increase the available system capacity;
- and
- when the available system capacity remains less than the new load request with the home load disconnected, suspending operation of the heating element to increase the available system capacity;
- and
- upon achieving sufficient available system capacity, activating a new load associated with the new load request.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.