Thermal management system for range extender vehicle

Abstract

An electric drivetrain for installation in a vehicle chassis. A generator coupled to an engine generates electric power for charging an array of batteries. The vehicle, including components and subsystems, may be powered electrically from the batteries, allowing the engine and generator to be easily replaced or customized for an industry, geographic region, fuel type, or a set of emission requirements. A thermal management system may determine a battery temperature for the set of batteries and cause one or more of a coolant system, a refrigerant system, an exhaust gas system, or an ambient air heat exchanger to add heat to the set of batteries or transfer heat away from the set of batteries.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal management system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a refrigerant system comprising a refrigerant system battery heat exchanger and configured to selectively provide a flow of coolant through the refrigerant system battery heat exchanger;   a coolant system comprising a coolant system battery heat exchanger and configured to selectively provide a flow of coolant through the coolant system battery heat exchanger and the refrigerant system battery heat exchanger; and   a controller configured to:
 monitor a temperature of a set of batteries; 
 determine an ambient air temperature; and 
 transfer heat from the engine, the refrigerant system, or a combination thereof through the coolant system to the set of batteries in response to the battery temperature, the ambient air temperature, or a combination thereof being below a minimum operating temperature. 
   
     
     
         2 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant system is configured to transfer heat through the refrigerant system battery heat exchanger to the coolant system to increase a temperature of the set of batteries. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal management system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the transfer of heat between the refrigerant system and the coolant system. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the engine is configured to transfer heat through the coolant system battery heat exchanger to the coolant system to increase a temperature of the set of batteries. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal management system of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the transfer of heat between the engine and the coolant system. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant system is configured to transfer heat to ambient environment in response to the temperature of the set of batteries exceeding the minimum operating temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein the refrigerant system external heat exchanger is connected in fluid communication with the refrigerant system. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal management system of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the transfer of heat between the refrigerant system and the ambient environment. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the coolant system is configured to transfer heat to ambient environment in response to the temperature of the set of batteries exceeding the minimum operating temperature. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal management system of  claim 9 , wherein the ambient air heat exchanger is connected in fluid communication with the coolant system. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal management system of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the transfer of heat between the refrigerant system and the ambient environment. 
     
     
         12 . A method of operating a thermal management system for a vehicle and performed using a system controller of the thermal management system, the method comprising:
 monitoring a temperature of a set of batteries;   determining an ambient air temperature; and   transferring heat from an engine, a refrigerant system, or a combination thereof through a coolant system to the set of batteries in response to the battery temperature, the ambient air temperature, or a combination thereof being below a minimum operating temperature, the refrigerant system comprising a refrigerant system battery heat exchanger and configured to selectively provide a flow of coolant through the refrigerant system battery heat exchanger, the coolant system comprising a coolant system battery heat exchanger and configured to selectively provide a flow of coolant through the coolant system battery heat exchanger and the refrigerant system battery heat exchanger.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the refrigerant system is configured to transfer heat through the refrigerant system battery heat exchanger to the coolant system to increase a temperature of the set of batteries. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising selectively controlling the transfer of heat between the refrigerant system and the coolant system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the engine is configured to transfer heat through the coolant system battery heat exchanger to the coolant system to increase a temperature of the set of batteries. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising selectively controlling the transfer of heat between the engine and the coolant system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the refrigerant system is configured to transfer heat to ambient environment in response to the temperature of the set of batteries exceeding the minimum operating temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the refrigerant system external heat exchanger is connected in fluid communication with the refrigerant system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising selectively controlling the transfer of heat between the refrigerant system and the ambient environment. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coolant system is configured to transfer heat to ambient environment in response to the temperature of the set of batteries exceeding the minimum operating temperature. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the ambient air heat exchanger is connected in fluid communication with the coolant system. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising selectively controlling the transfer of heat between the refrigerant system and the ambient environment.