US 12,291,996 B2
Energy storage system heater control methods
Stephen Andrew Long, Indianapolis, IN (US); Michael Dougherty, Indianapolis, IN (US); Tomasz Marek Lubecki, Singapore (SG); Firman Sasongko, Singapore (SG); Chandana Jayampathi Gajanayake, Singapore (SG); and Michael Adam Zagrodnik, Singapore (SG)
Assigned to Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Aug. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/891,872.
Application 17/891,872 is a continuation of application No. 17/860,895, filed on Jul. 8, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0011438 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F02C 7/32 (2006.01); B64D 27/357 (2024.01); F02C 6/08 (2006.01); F02C 6/14 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 6/14 (2013.01) [B64D 27/357 (2024.01); F02C 6/08 (2013.01); F02C 7/32 (2013.01); F05D 2220/323 (2013.01); F05D 2260/213 (2013.01); F05D 2260/232 (2013.01); F05D 2260/42 (2013.01); F05D 2260/606 (2013.01); F05D 2270/303 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of controlling an in-line heater for an energy storage device, the method comprising:
activating, at a first time, a pump;
determining, at a second time that is after the first time, whether the pump is running, wherein when running, the pump circulates a thermal management fluid through a thermal management conditioning loop, which includes the in-line heater and a heat transfer hardware configured to transfer heat between the thermal management fluid and the energy storage device, wherein the in-line heater is in thermal communication with the thermal management fluid;
measuring, by a temperature sensor fluidically positioned upstream from the in-line heater, a temperature of the thermal management fluid;
responsive to determining that the pump is running and that the measured temperature of the thermal management fluid is below a lower control limit, turning, at a third time that is after the second time, the in-line heater on;
responsive to determining that the measured temperature of the thermal management fluid is above an upper safety limit, turning the in-line heater off;
cooling, by a heat exchanger positioned fluidically downstream from the energy storage device, the thermal management fluid, wherein the temperature sensor is a first temperature sensor fluidically positioned upstream from the in-line heater and downstream from the heat exchanger that measures a first temperature of the thermal management fluid; and
measuring, by a second temperature sensor fluidically positioned downstream from the heat transfer hardware and upstream from the heat exchanger, a second temperature of the thermal management fluid, wherein turning the in-line heater off comprises turning the in-line heater off responsive to determining that either the first temperature or the second temperature is above the upper safety limit.