Patent ID: 11901533
Assignee: CATERPILLAR INC.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  Y | IPC H

Claim 15:
16. A method, comprising:
connecting a first side plate to a first end plate;
connecting the first side plate to a second end plate disposed opposite the first end plate, the first side plate extending substantially perpendicular to the first end plate and the second end plate;
connecting a second side plate to the first end plate and the second end plate, the second side plate extending substantially parallel to the first side plate, the first end plate, the second end plate, the first side plate, and the second side plate forming at least part of a battery module housing;
connecting a center plate to the first end plate and the second end plate, the center plate extending substantially parallel to the first side plate and the second side plate;
connecting a front plate to the first end plate, the front plate having a set of high voltage terminals configured to form an electrical connection with a plurality of battery cells disposed adjacent to the center plate;
providing a cooling plate comprised of a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
adhering a heating pad to the first surface of the cooling plate, the heating pad having a third surface and a fourth surface in contact with the cooling plate opposite the third surface, at least part of the center plate extending through the heading pad from the third surface to the fourth surface;
applying a thermal interface material to the third surface of the heating pad;
connecting the cooling plate to the battery module housing such that the cooling plate is in thermal communication with the plurality of battery cells, the cooling plate securing the thermal interface material in contact with the plurality of battery cells and the heating pad in thermal communication with the plurality of battery cells;
providing a temperature sensor disposed at a location within the battery module housing and proximate at least one battery cell of the plurality of battery cells;
providing a controller operably connected to a component of the heating pad and the temperature sensor; and
programming a controller to:
receive a temperature indication determined by the temperature sensor,
determine the temperature of the plurality of battery cells based at least in part on the temperature indication and using a stored thermal model corresponding to the plurality of battery cells, and
control operation of the component of the heating pad or operation of a coolant pump fluidly connected to the cooling plate based at least in part on the determined temperature.