Patent ID: 8449997

Claim:
A power source, comprising: a first battery pack comprising a plurality of metal-air batteries; a second battery pack comprising a plurality of non-metal-air batteries; and a thermal energy transfer system coupled to said first and second battery packs, wherein said thermal energy transfer system is configured to operate in at least a first mode and a second mode, wherein in said first mode said thermal energy transfer system transfers thermal energy generated by said first battery pack to said second battery pack for heating said second battery pack, and wherein in said second mode said thermal energy transfer system reduces the thermal energy transferred from said first battery pack to said second battery pack, said thermal energy transfer system comprising: a first battery pack subsystem comprised of an air inlet coupled to said first battery pack, an air outlet coupled to said first battery pack, at least one valve for controlling air flow from said air outlet, and an exhaust coupled to said at least one valve for exhausting air from said first battery pack; a second battery pack cooling system comprised of a coolant within a coolant loop, said coolant loop in thermal communication with said second battery pack; and a heat exchanger in thermal communication with said coolant loop and in thermal communication with an air duct, said air duct coupled to said air outlet, wherein said at least one valve controls flow from said air outlet to said heat exchanger via said air duct.