In electric, fuel cell (“FC”), and/or hybrid vehicles, a high voltage (“HV”) battery system may be used to power electric drivetrain components of the vehicle (e.g., electric drive motors and the like). For example, an HV rechargeable energy storage system (“ESS”) included in a vehicle may be used to power electric drivetrain components of the vehicle.
Monitoring a temperature of one or more components or portions of such a battery system may allow for more accurate battery system control and/or management decisions to be made based on such information, thereby improving overall battery performance. Accurate knowledge of the temperature of a battery system may further allow for improved diagnostics and/or prognostic methods to identify potential battery system issues. Conventional methods for estimating the temperature of a battery system may utilize a plurality of temperature sensors (e.g., thermistors) within the battery system configured to provide an indication of temperature. Such methods, however, may not provide a particularly accurate estimate of average temperature within a vehicle battery system, thereby leading to poorer vehicle drivability and/or increased vehicle energy usage and/or more rapid battery capacity degradation. Moreover, utilizing a plurality of temperature sensors to estimate temperature within a vehicle battery system may introduce increased initial production costs as well and ongoing repair and/or warranty costs.
Contactors used in high-current applications, such as performance batteries, in particular are known to overheat at high load. At approximately 150 degrees Celsius, the varnish used to coat the wires making up the contactor electromagnets typically break down. This may cause the contactors to fail and may open the pack circuit, resulting in loss of vehicle propulsion. Currently, there are no software controls in place to prevent drivers from inadvertently overheating and damaging components.
The present inventors have therefore determined that it would be desirable to provide methods, apparatus, and systems for monitoring battery temperatures and/or adjusting current distribution that overcome one or more of the foregoing limitations and/or other limitations of the prior art.