Thermal management of multi-string, multi-pack battery system

A system for managing a plurality of battery strings of a battery system in a work machine, the system comprising:

• a plurality of heating circuits associated with the plurality of battery strings;
• an external electrical power source electrically connectable with the plurality of battery strings and the plurality of heating circuits;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• determine that a temperature of the plurality of battery strings is below a predetermined operating temperature range,
• determine whether charge levels of the plurality of battery strings are out of balance or in balance, and
• electrically connect one or more of the plurality of heating circuits with subset of the plurality of battery strings to cause activation of the one or more heating circuits to control and maintain the temperature of the plurality of battery strings withinthe predefined operating temperature range,
• wherein the controller is configured to selectively implement a plurality of battery charge level control schemes performed under condition where the temperature of the plurality of battery strings is determined to be below the predefined operating temperature range,
• wherein a first battery charge level control scheme is performed under a first condition where the charge levels of the plurality of the plurality of battery strings are determined to be out of balance and includes successively connecting and disconnecting different battery strings of the plurality as the subset starting from a first battery string having a highest charge level and proceeding according to a second battery string having a next highest charge level, and
• wherein a second battery charge level control scheme is performed under a second condition where the charge levels of the plurality of battery strings are determined to be in balance and includes successively connecting and disconnecting different battery strings as the subset starting from a randomly selected one of the battery strings and proceeding to a next of the battery strings based on a predefined charge level threshold difference associated with said selected one of the battery strings relative to remaining ones of the plurality of battery strings.