Inventors:
Michael T. Reher - Grafton WI
Ronald L. Piontkowski - Brookfield WI
John J. Weier - Milwaukee WI
Bradley N. Koeppel - Watertown WI
Assignee:
Globe-Union, Inc. - Milwaukee WI
International Classification:
G01R 1900
G01K 108
Abstract:
A vehicle control unit estimates a temperature of the vehicle's battery including the temperature of each of the battery's plurality of cells. The control unit includes a memory unit having stored therein heat transfer coefficients of three types. The first type is representative of heat transfer between the cells of the battery; the second type is representative of heat transfer between the surrounding air and the middle cells of the battery; and the third type is representative of heat transfer between the surrounding air and the end cells of the battery. A microprocessor retrieves the heat transfer coefficients from the memory unit and determines individual cell temperatures of the battery based on the heat transfer coefficients, temperature of the ambient air, and the drive state of the vehicle.