Battery temperature regulation system

An enclosure for controlling the ambient temperature of a plurality of batteries utilizing a quantity of water for thermal transfer and thermal mass, said enclosure comprising:

• a housing having a thermally insulated interior defining an internal cavity adapted to contain a plurality of batteries, the upper portion of said housing including a pair of spaced plates forming a radiator with a hollow interior, said spaced plates being inclined from horizontal so that the radiator has a high end and a low end;
• a flexible water container within the cavity in thermal contact with each of the batteries;
• and
• warm supply and cold return conduits extending from the hollow interior of the radiator to the interior of the water container, the cold return conduit extending from proximate the low end of the radiator to a first position within the water container and the warm supply conduit extending from between the low and high ends of the radiator to a second position within the water container relatively above the first position so that water occupying the water container, the conduits and the hollow interior of the radiator circulates upwardly through the warm supply conduit, through the radiator and downwardly through the cold supply conduit when the temperature of the water is above about 45 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature of the radiator is less than the temperature of the water in the water container, and circulation of the water ceases below a temperature of about 45 degrees Fahrenheit and when the temperature of the radiator is greater than the temperature of the water in the water container.

An enclosure for controlling the ambient temperature of a battery utilizing a quantity of water for thermal transfer and thermal mass, said enclosure comprising:

• a housing having a thermally insulated interior defining an internal cavity adapted to contain the battery, the upper portion of said housing including a pair of spaced plates peripherally sealed to one another and forming a radiator with a hollow interior, said spaced plates being inclined from horizontal so that the radiator has a high end and a low end;
• a flexible, unpressurized water container within the cavity surrounding and flush with the battery;
• warm supply and cold return conduits extending from the hollow interior of the radiator to the interior of the water container, the cold return conduit extending from proximate the low end of the radiator to a first position within the water container and the warm supply conduit extending from between the low and high ends of the radiator to a second position within the water container relatively above the first position;
• means attached to the radiator for applying suction to the hollow interior thereof to draw water upwardly through the warm supply and cold return conduits and into the radiator to charge the system;
• and
• means for sealing the suction means to maintain the pressure of the water in the radiator at less than atmospheric pressure, whereby water occupying the water container, the conduits and the hollow interior of the radiator circulates upwardly through the warm supply conduit, through the radiator and downwardly through the cold supply, when the temperature of the water is above about 45 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature of the radiator is less than the temperature of the water in the water container, and circulation of the water ceases below its water temperature of about 45 degrees Fahrenheit and when the temperature of the radiator is greater than the temperature of the water in the water container.

A method for controlling the ambient temperature of a battery comprising:

• providing a housing having a thermally insulated interior defining an internal cavity adapted to contain the battery;
• providing a flexible water container within the housing in thermal contact with the battery;
• providing a radiator including pair of spaced plates peripherally sealed and having a hollow interior;
• locating the spaced plates above the level of the water container proximate the housing and inclined from horizontal so that the radiator has a high end and a low end;
• extending warm supply and cold return conduits from the hollow interior of the radiator to the interior of the water container so that the cold return conduit extends from proximate the low end of the radiator to a first position within the water container, and the warm supply conduit extends from between the high and low ends of the radiator to a second position within the water container relatively above the first position;
• filling the fluid container with water;
• drawing the water upwardly through the warm supply and cold return conduits into the hollow interior of the radiator by applying suction to a fitting attached to the radiator;
• and
• sealing the fitting so that the water in the radiator is maintained at less than atmospheric pressure, whereby the water circulates upwardly through the warm supply conduit, through the radiator and downwardly through the cold return conduit when the temperature of the water is above about 45 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature of the radiator is less than the temperature of the water in the water container, and circulation of the water ceases below a water temperature of about 45 degrees Fahrenheit and when the temperature of the radiator is greater than the temperature of the water in the water container.