Cooling system for a battery system and a method for cooling the battery system

Abstract

A cooling system for a battery system and a method for cooling the battery system are provided. The cooling system includes a housing having first and second enclosed portions, and a first evaporator and a first evaporator fan disposed in the first enclosed portion that recirculates air in a first closed flow path loop within the first enclosed portion. The first evaporator extracts heat energy from the air in the first closed flow path loop to reduce a temperature level of a first battery module in the first enclosed portion. The cooling system further includes a condenser disposed in the second enclosed portion and fluidly coupled to the first evaporator, which receives heat energy in a refrigerant from the first evaporator and dissipates the heat energy. The cooling system further includes a compressor disposed in the second enclosed portion that recirculates the refrigerant through the first evaporator and the condenser.

1 . A cooling system for a battery system, comprising:
 a housing having a first enclosed portion and a second enclosed portion, the first enclosed portion configured to receive a first battery module therein;   a first evaporator disposed in the first enclosed portion;   a first evaporator fan disposed proximate to the first evaporator in the first enclosed portion configured to recirculate air in a first closed flow path loop within the first enclosed portion, the first evaporator configured to extract heat energy from the air in the first closed flow path loop to reduce a temperature level of the first battery module;   a condenser disposed in the second enclosed portion and fluidly coupled to the first evaporator, the condenser configured to receive heat energy in a refrigerant from the first evaporator and to dissipate the heat energy; and   a compressor disposed in the second enclosed portion that recirculates the refrigerant through the first evaporator and the condenser.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the first closed flow path loop comprises a flow path through the first evaporator fan and past the first evaporator and then through air flow channels in the first battery module and then back through the first evaporator fan. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first temperature sensor generating a first signal indicative of a temperature level of the first battery module. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a condenser fan disposed in the second enclosed portion;   a microprocessor operably coupled to the first temperature sensor that receives the first signal, the microprocessor configured to generate a second signal to induce the compressor to recirculate the refrigerant through the first evaporator and the condenser to cool the first battery module when the first signal indicates the temperature level of the first battery module is greater than a threshold temperature level;   the microprocessor further configured to generate a third signal to induce the first evaporator fan to recirculate air in the first closed flow path loop within the first enclosed portion when the first signal indicates the temperature level of the first battery module is greater than the threshold temperature level; and   the microprocessor further configured to generate a fourth signal to induce the condenser fan to urge air past the condenser to induce the condenser to dissipate heat energy when the first signal indicates the temperature level of the first battery module is greater than the threshold temperature level.   
     
     
         5 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second evaporator disposed in the first enclosed portion, the second evaporator fluidly coupled to the condenser;   a second evaporator fan disposed proximate to the second evaporator in the first enclosed portion, the second evaporator fan configured to recirculate air in a second closed flow path loop within the first enclosed portion, the second evaporator configured to extract heat energy from the air in the second closed flow path loop to reduce a temperature level of a second battery module disposed in the first enclosed portion;   the condenser further fluidly coupled to the second evaporator, the condenser further configured to receive heat energy in refrigerant from the first and second evaporators and to dissipate the heat energy; and   the compressor further configured to recirculate the refrigerant through the first and second evaporators and the condenser.   
     
     
         6 . The cooling system of  claim 5 , wherein the second closed flow path loop comprises a flow path through the second evaporator fan and past the second evaporator and then through air flow channels in the second battery module and then back through the second evaporator fan. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a first temperature sensor generating a first signal indicative of a temperature level of the first battery module, and   a second temperature sensor generating a second signal indicative of a temperature level of the second battery module.   
     
     
         8 . The cooling system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a condenser fan disposed in the second enclosed portion;   a microprocessor operably coupled to the first and second temperature sensors that receives the first and second signals, respectively;   the microprocessor configured to determine a first temperature difference value by subtracting the first signal from the second signal;   the microprocessor further configured to generate a third signal to induce the compressor to recirculate the refrigerant through the first evaporator, the second evaporator, and the condenser to cool the second battery module when the first temperature difference value is greater than a threshold difference value;   the microprocessor further configured to generate a fourth signal to induce the second evaporator fan to recirculate air in the second closed flow path loop within the first enclosed portion when the first temperature difference value is greater than the threshold difference value; and   the microprocessor further configured to generate a fifth signal to induce the condenser fan to urge air past the condenser to induce the condenser to dissipate heat energy in the refrigerant when the first temperature difference value is greater than the threshold difference value.   
     
     
         9 . The cooling system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a condenser fan disposed in the second enclosed portion;   a microprocessor operably coupled to the first and second temperature sensors that receives the first and second signals, respectively;   the microprocessor configured to determine a first temperature difference value by subtracting the second signal from the first signal;   the microprocessor further configured to generate a third signal to induce the compressor to recirculate the refrigerant through the first evaporator, the second evaporator, and the condenser to cool the first battery module when the first temperature difference value is greater than a threshold difference value;   the microprocessor further configured to generate a fourth signal to induce the first evaporator fan to recirculate air in the first closed flow path loop within the first enclosed portion when the first temperature difference value is greater than the threshold difference value; and   the microprocessor further configured to generate a fifth signal to induce the condenser fan to urge air past the condenser to induce the condenser to dissipate the heat energy in the refrigerant when the first temperature difference value is greater than the threshold difference value.   
     
     
         10 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling coil that receives a liquid therein to remove heat energy from the refrigerant in the condenser. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the first enclosed portion is an airtight enclosed portion. 
     
     
         12 . A method for cooling a battery system utilizing a cooling system, the cooling system having a housing, a first evaporator, a first evaporator fan, and a condenser, the housing having a first enclosed portion and a second enclosed portion, the first enclosed portion configured to receive a first battery module therein, the method comprising:
 recirculating air in a first closed flow path loop within the first enclosed portion utilizing the first evaporator fan, the first evaporator configured to extract heat energy from the air in the first closed flow path loop to reduce a temperature level of the first battery module in the first enclosed portion of the housing;   receiving heat energy in a refrigerant from the first evaporator in a condenser disposed in the second enclosed portion of the housing and dissipating the heat energy utilizing the condenser; and   recirculating the refrigerant through the first evaporator and the condenser utilizing a compressor disposed in the second enclosed portion.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling system further has a condenser fan, a temperature sensor, and a microprocessor, the method further comprising:
 generating a first signal indicative of a temperature level of the first battery module utilizing a temperature sensor;   generating a second signal to induce the compressor to recirculate the refrigerant through the first evaporator and the condenser to cool the first battery module utilizing the microprocessor when the first signal indicates the temperature level of the first battery module is greater than a threshold temperature level;   generating a third signal to induce the first evaporator fan to recirculate air in the first closed flow path loop within the first enclosed portion when the first signal indicates the temperature level of the first battery module is greater than the threshold temperature level; and   generating a fourth signal to induce the condenser fan to urge air past the condenser to induce the condenser to dissipate heat energy when the first signal indicates the temperature level of the first battery module is greater than the threshold temperature level.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling system further comprises a second evaporator and a second evaporator fan disposed in the first enclosed portion, the second evaporator fluidly coupled to the condenser, the first enclosed portion configured to receive a second battery module therein, further comprising:
 recirculating air in a second closed flow path loop within the first enclosed portion utilizing the second evaporator fan, the second evaporator configured to extract heat energy from the air in the second closed flow path loop to reduce a temperature level of the second battery module in the first enclosed portion;   receiving heat energy in refrigerant from the first and second evaporators in the condenser disposed in the second enclosed portion and dissipating the heat energy in the refrigerant utilizing the condenser; and   recirculating the refrigerant through the first evaporator, the second evaporator, and the condenser utilizing the compressor disposed in the second enclosed portion.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first enclosed portion is an airtight enclosed portion.