Battery warm-up apparatus and method thereof

Abstract

A the battery warm-up apparatus includes an electric motor, a battery, an electric generator for charging the battery, an engine for driving the electric generator, a refrigeration circuit arranged to pass through inside the engine in a manner that a temperature medium flows through an inside thereof, a heat exchanger, a battery-heating channel branched from the refrigeration circuit, arranged to pass through the battery and connected to the refrigeration circuit again, a first switching valve arranged at a first portion of the refrigeration circuit, the battery-heating channel being branched from the refrigeration circuit at the first portion, the first switching valve connecting and disconnecting the battery-heating channel relative to the refrigeration circuit, a battery temperature sensor, and a controller for operating the first switching valve on the basis of temperature of the battery and for allowing the temperature medium to flow through the battery-heating channel.

1 . A battery warm-up apparatus, comprising:
 an electric motor for driving a wheel;   a battery for supplying electric power to the electric motor;   an electric generator for charging the battery;   an engine for driving the electric generator without driving the wheel;   a refrigeration circuit arranged to pass through inside the engine and constituting a closed circuit in a manner that a temperature medium flows through an inside of the refrigeration circuit;   a heat exchanger arranged on the refrigeration circuit;   a battery-heating channel branched from the refrigeration circuit, arranged to pass through the battery and connected to the refrigeration circuit again;   a first switching valve arranged at a first portion of the refrigeration circuit, the battery-heating channel being branched from the refrigeration circuit at the first portion, the first switching valve connecting and disconnecting the battery-heating channel relative to the refrigeration circuit;   a battery temperature sensor for detecting temperature of the battery; and   a controller for operating the first switching valve on the basis of the temperature of the battery which is detected by the battery temperature sensor and for allowing the temperature medium to flow through the battery-heating channel.   
     
     
         2 . The battery warm-up apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heater core for a vehicle cabin heater, the heater core being arranged on the battery-heating channel.   
     
     
         3 . The battery warm-up apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an engine temperature sensor for detecting temperature of the engine is provided at the engine,   a bypass path is connected to the refrigeration circuit in a manner that the bypass path bypasses the heat exchanger,   a second switching valve is arranged at a second portion of the refrigeration circuit, the bypass path is branched from the refrigeration circuit at the second portion, the second switching valve selectively allows the temperature medium to flow into the heat exchanger and into the bypass path, and   the controller operates the second switching valve on the basis of the temperature of the battery which is detected by the battery temperature sensor or on the basis of the temperature of the engine which is detected by the engine temperature sensor, and thereby stops the temperature medium from flowing to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         4 . The battery warm-up apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the controller actuates the engine thereby disconnecting the battery-heating channel from the refrigeration circuit by means of the first switching valve and disconnecting the heat exchanger from the refrigeration circuit by means of the second switching valve and allows the temperature medium to circulate inside the refrigeration circuit and the bypass path in a case where the temperature of the engine which is detected by the engine temperature sensor is less than a first threshold temperature which is predetermined or in a case where the temperature of the engine which is detected by the engine temperature sensor is equal to or less than the first threshold temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The battery warm-up apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller actuates the engine, operates the first switching valve thereby connecting the battery-heating channel to the refrigeration circuit, and allows the temperature medium to circulate inside the refrigeration circuit, the battery-heating channel and the bypass path and to be supplied to the battery in a case where the temperature of the engine which is detected by the engine temperature sensor reaches the first threshold temperature or in a case where the temperature of the engine which is detected by the engine temperature sensor exceeds the first threshold temperature, and in a case where the temperature of the battery is less than a second threshold temperature which is higher than the first threshold temperature, or in a case where the temperature of the battery is equal to or less than the second threshold temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The battery warm-up apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the controller actuates the engine, operates the second switching valve thereby disconnecting the bypass path from the refrigeration circuit, and allows the temperature medium to circulate inside the refrigeration circuit and the battery-heating channel and to be supplied to the battery and to the heat exchanger in a case where the temperature of the battery which is detected by the battery temperature sensor reaches the second threshold temperature or in a case where the temperature of the battery which is detected by the battery temperature sensor exceeds the second threshold temperature. 
     
     
         7 . A method of warming up a battery for a vehicle, the vehicle including
 an electric motor for driving a wheel,   a battery for supplying electric power to the electric motor,   an electric generator for charging the battery,   an engine for driving the electric generator without driving the wheel,   a refrigeration circuit arranged to pass through inside the engine and constituting a closed circuit in a manner that a temperature medium flows through an inside of the refrigeration circuit,   a heat exchanger arranged on the refrigeration circuit,   a battery-heating channel branched from the refrigeration circuit, arranged to pass through the battery and connected to the refrigeration circuit again,   a first switching valve arranged at a first portion of the refrigeration circuit, the battery-heating channel being branched from the refrigeration circuit at the first portion, the first switching valve connecting and disconnecting the battery-heating channel relative to the refrigeration circuit, and   a battery temperature sensor for detecting temperature of the battery, the method of warming up the battery comprising the steps of:   operating the first switching valve on the basis of the temperature of the battery which is detected by the battery temperature sensor and allowing the temperature medium to flow through the battery-heating channel.