System and method for thermally managing battery

Abstract

A system and method for thermally managing a battery, capable of effectively performing thermal management (cooling or heating) of a battery is provided. The system for thermally managing a battery includes a thermal manager performing a thermal management of a battery by means of a coolant, a coolant circulation line being connected to the thermal manager, and a heat exchanger being installed to the coolant circulation line.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for thermally managing a battery, the system comprising:
 a thermal manager configured to perform thermal management of a battery by a coolant;   a coolant circulation line being connected to the thermal manager; and   a heat exchanger being installed to the coolant circulation line.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises:
 a heat exchange member being installed to the coolant circulation line to cool or heat the coolant;   a thermoelectric element being attached to the heat exchange member; and   a heat sink being attached to the thermoelectric element.   
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein a pair of thermoelectric elements are symmetrically attached to the heat exchange member, and a pair of heat sinks are attached to the thermoelectric elements such that the pair of heat sinks are symmetrically disposed with respect to the heat exchange member. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the thermoelectric element comprises a first surface in contact with the heat exchange member and a second surface in contact with the heat sink, and a polarity change switch changing polarity is connected to the thermoelectric element. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a cooling fan being disposed to face the heat sink.   
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchange member comprises a plurality of heat exchange plates being spaced apart from one another at a predetermined interval, and
 a heat exchange tube penetrating through the plurality of heat exchange plates, and   the coolant moves through the heat exchange tube.   
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein the heat exchange tube is a straight tube. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein a plurality of inner fins are formed on an inner surface of the heat exchange tube. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchange member comprises a serpentine heat exchange tube being connected to the coolant circulation line and a heat exchange block covering an outer surface of the serpentine heat exchange tube. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the heat exchange member further comprises a heat exchange duct being connected to the coolant circulation line, and a grid frame in which a plurality of grid flow channels are formed at a predetermined interval is installed inside the heat exchange duct. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the heat exchange duct comprises an inlet through which the coolant is introduced, and an outlet through which the coolant is discharged, wherein the inlet and outlet are respectively formed at both end portions of the heat exchange duct which includes a structural bent forming a U-shape. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchange duct include a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the heat exchange duct, and the inlet and the outlet are connected to a first end and a second end of the heat exchange duct by medium of expansion type connection portions. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein a baffle having a plurality of small through holes is installed inside the expansion type connection portions. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first temperature sensor being installed in the battery to detect a temperature of the battery; and   a second temperature sensor being installed to the coolant circulation line to detect a temperature of the coolant.   
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermal manager comprises a thermal jacket comprising an inlet through which the coolant is introduced and an outlet through which the coolant is discharged. 
     
     
         16 . A system for thermally managing a battery, the system comprising:
 a thermal manager allowing a coolant to flow therein to cool or heat a battery and including an inlet through which the coolant is introduced and an outlet through which the coolant is discharged;   a coolant circulation line connecting the inlet and the outlet of the thermal manager;   a coolant circulation pump pumping the coolant to the thermal manager; and   a heat exchanger including a thermoelectric element installed to the coolant circulation line to cool or heat the coolant by changing polarity.   
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the battery is installed in any one of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), and an electric vehicle (EV). 
     
     
         18 . A method of thermally managing a battery including a thermal manager having a coolant which exchanges heat with a battery and flows in the thermal manager, a coolant circulation line being connected to the thermal manager, and a heat exchanger being installed to the coolant circulation line, having a thermoelectric element, and cooling or heating the coolant by changing polarity, the method comprising:
 measuring a temperature of the battery;   performing selectively a cooling operation of the thermoelectric element to cool the coolant when a measured temperature of the battery exceeds an upper limit threshold value of the battery; and   performing selectively a heating operation of the thermoelectric element to heat the coolant when the measured temperature of the battery is lower than a lower limit threshold value of the battery.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein a temperature of the battery and a temperature of the coolant are measured, and when the measured temperature of the battery exceeds the upper limit threshold value of the battery and the measured temperature of the coolant is lower than the measured temperature of the battery, the coolant is cooled by a cooling operation of the thermoelectric element and the coolant is pumped to the thermal manager. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein a temperature of the battery and a temperature of the coolant are measured, and when the measured temperature of the battery exceeds the upper limit threshold value of the battery and the measured temperature of the coolant is higher than the measured temperature of the battery, pumping of the coolant to the thermal manager is interrupted and the coolant is cooled by a cooling operation of the thermoelectric element. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein a temperature of the battery and a temperature of the coolant are measured, and when the measured temperature of the battery is lower than a lower limit threshold value of the battery and the measured temperature of the coolant is higher than the measured temperature of the battery, the coolant is heated by a heating operation of the thermoelectric element and the coolant is pumped to the thermal manager. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein a temperature of the battery and a temperature of the coolant are measured, and when the measured temperature of the battery is lower than the lower limit threshold value of the battery and the measured temperature of the coolant is lower than the measured temperature of the battery, pumping of the coolant to the thermal manager is interrupted and the coolant is heated by a heating operation of the thermoelectric element.