# US 8,786,260 B2 · Thermal control of electric storage device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,260 B2 - Document ID: US8786260B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/769,425 - Filed: 2007-06-27 - Published: 2008-01-17 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-07-03 - Assignees: Mazda Motor Corporation - Applicants: Hideyasu Takatsuji; Michio Yoshino; Seiji Sadahira - Inventors: Hideyasu Takatsuji; Michio Yoshino; Seiji Sadahira - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786260B2 ## CPC - B60L 58/26: by cooling - B60H 1/00: Heating, cooling or ventilating devices - B60L 3/0046: {relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors} - B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion - B60L 50/61: by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles - B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles - B60L 58/14: Preventing excessive discharging - B60L 58/15: Preventing overcharging - H01M 10/42: Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells (H01M10/60 takes precedence) - H01M 10/48: Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) - H01M 10/486: {for measuring temperature} - H01M 10/60: Heating or cooling; Temperature control - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - H01M 10/625: Vehicles - H01M 10/633: characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like - H01M 10/651: characterised by parameters specified by a numeric value or mathematical formula, e.g. ratios, sizes or concentrations - B60L 2260/56: Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract There is provided a method of thermally controlling an electric storage device. The method comprises increasing cooling medium supplied to the electric storage as an electric charge stored in the electric storage device increases. According to the method, by increasing the cooling medium supplied to the electric storage device as an electric charge stored in the electric storage device increases, the electric storage device may be kept at a temperature that increases the efficiency of charging or discharging the electric storage device. It is asserted to be more efficient to lower the temperature of the electric storage device when more electric charge is stored in the electric storage device. Also, an adequate amount of the cooling medium may be supplied to the electric storage. As a result, the overall efficiency of the electric system may be improved. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of thermally controlling an electric storage device, comprising, in a control loop: estimating an electric charge stored in said electric storage device; and controlling a cooler to increase an amount of cooling medium supplied to said electric storage device as said estimated electric charge stored in said electric storage device increases. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, further comprising: determining a temperature of said electric storage device; wherein controlling the cooler to increase the amount of cooling medium includes increasing the amount of cooling medium supplied to said electric storage device as said determined temperature of said electric storage device increases. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as described in claim 2, wherein controlling the cooler to increase the amount of cooling medium includes increasing the amount of cooling medium supplied to said electric storage device as a rate of temperature rise of said electric storage device increases. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, further comprising: maintaining a temperature of said electric storage device at a first temperature; and decreasing the temperature of said electric storage device to a second temperature as the electric charge stored in said electric storage device increases. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, wherein controlling the cooler to increase the amount of cooling medium includes increasing the amount of cooling medium supplied to said electric storage device as a temperature rise of said electric storage device is anticipated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method as described claim 5, wherein the temperature rise of said electric storage device is anticipated when charging of said electric storage device is expected. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method as described in claim 6, wherein said electric storage device stores power recovered from a land vehicle, and the method further comprising determining if the charging of said electric storage device is expected based on a travel route of said land vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method as described in claim 5, wherein the temperature rise of said electric storage device is anticipated when discharging of said electric storage device is expected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method as described in claim 8, wherein said electric storage device stores power to propel a land vehicle, and the method further comprising determining if the discharging of said electric storage device is expected based on a travel route of said land vehicle. ### Claim 10 A method of thermally controlling an electric storage device, comprising, in a control loop: maintaining a temperature of said electric storage device at a first temperature; estimating an electric charge stored in said electric storage device; and controlling a cooler to decrease the temperature of said electric storage device to a second temperature as said estimated electric charge stored in said electric storage device increases. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as described in claim 10, wherein controlling the cooler to decrease the temperature of said electric storage device includes decreasing said first and second temperatures as a temperature rise of said electric storage device increases. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method as described in claim 10, further comprising: estimating a future rise of temperature of said electric storage device; wherein controlling the cooler to decrease the temperature of said electric storage device includes decreasing said first and second temperatures as said estimated rise of temperature is greater. ### Claim 13 A system comprising: an electric storage device capable of charging and discharging electricity; a cooling device capable of supplying cooling medium to said electric storage device; a controller configured to: estimate an electric charge stored in said electric storage device; and control said cooling device to increase an amount of the cooling medium supplied to said electric storage device as said estimated electric charge stored in said electric storage device increases. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system as described in claim 13, further comprising: a voltage sensor detecting a voltage across said electric storage device, and wherein said controller is further configured to estimate said electric charge stored in said electric storage device based on said detected voltage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system as described in claim 13, further comprising: a voltage sensor detecting a voltage across said electric storage device; and a current sensor detecting current through said electric storage device, and wherein said controller is further configured to estimate said electric charge stored in said electric storage device based on said detected voltage and said detected current. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system as described in claim 13, further comprising a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of said electric storage device, and wherein said controller is further configured to control said cooling device to increase the cooling medium supplied to said electric storage device as said detected temperature is higher. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system as described in claim 13, further comprising a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of said electric storage device, and wherein said controller is further configured to: control said cooling device to supply the cooling medium to said electric storage device when said detected temperature is higher than a threshold temperature; and decrease said threshold temperature as the electric charge stored in said electric storage device increases. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system as described in claim 17, wherein said controller is further configured to: determine a temperature rise of said electric storage device from the temperature of said electric storage device detected by said temperature sensor; and decrease said threshold temperature as said determined temperature rise of said electric storage device increases. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system as described in claim 18, wherein said controller is further configured to decrease said threshold temperature when said determined temperature rise of said electric storage device is greater than a threshold rising rate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system as described in claim 19, further comprising: a vehicle power-train system configured to drive a land vehicle at least with electricity discharged from said electric storage device and charge said electric storage device; and a vehicle navigation system configured to identify a current position of said vehicle and a grade that said vehicle will encounter, and wherein said controller is further configured to decrease said threshold temperature as said identified grade is greater.