Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a first battery module having a first capacity, a second battery module having a second capacity different than the first capacity, a DC-DC converter coupled to the first battery module and the second battery module, and a control module coupled to the DC-DC converter. The control module is configured to sense a first parameter associated with the first battery module and a second parameter associated with the second battery module, and control the DC-DC converter based on the first parameter and the second parameter to balance a state of charge of the first battery module and a state of charge of the second battery module. Other example systems and methods for controlling DC-DC converters to balance state of charges of battery modules are also disclosed.

Abstract: An axial flux electric motor includes a rotationally fixed stator defining a rotational axis and having a plurality of conductive stator magnetic poles arranged radially about the rotational axis. The electric motor also includes a rotor spaced axially from one side of the stator, rotatably mounted coaxially with the rotational axis, and having a plurality of permanent magnets (PMs) arranged symmetrically around the rotational axis and facing the stator. A torque is generated on the at least one rotor by a rotating magnetic field established via interaction between the corresponding PMs and the magnetic poles when an electrical current is passed through the magnetic poles. The stator additionally includes a plurality of cooling channel loops, together surrounding each of the stator magnetic poles, and configured to receive and pass therethrough a fluid to remove thermal energy from the stator magnetic poles resulting from an electrical current passed therethrough.

Abstract: An electrical system includes a battery pack assembly that includes a first cell set and a second cell set. The first cell set includes a first battery chemistry and the second cell set includes a second battery chemistry that is different than the first battery chemistry. Switches selectively connect the first cell set and the second cell set in series with battery connection terminals. A DC-DC converter provides dynamic energy distribution between the first and second cell sets. A controller controls the switches and the DC-DC converter. The controller is configured to determine an operating strategy and places the first cell set, the second cell set, or both the first and second cell sets in electrical communication with the battery connection terminals in response to the operating strategy of the battery pack assembly.

Abstract: A rechargeable energy storage system includes a housing including a tray and a sidewall structure. A plurality of beam assemblies extend in parallel across the housing, the plurality of beam assemblies each include a bottom cap having a base plate and pair of parallel ribs extending from the base plate. A coolant passage plate is sandwiched between a pair of undulating plates with a first end disposed between the pair of parallel ribs of the bottom cap. The coolant passage plate is connected to a coolant source. A plurality of battery cells are disposed in the housing and in contact with the undulating plates of adjacent beam assemblies.

Abstract: A battery monitoring system for a battery pack of an electric vehicle. The battery monitoring system may include a virtual cell model configured for generating a definitive output based on a current through the battery pack and a definitive equivalent circuit model (ECM) for a virtual cell and a physical cell model configured for generating an indefinitive output based on the current and an indefinitive ECM for the battery pack. The battery monitoring system may include an SOC transformation module configured for generating a battery SOC for the battery pack based at least in part on the definitive and indefinitive outputs.

Abstract: An electric drive system includes a permanent magnet motor, rotor magnets connected to a rotor thereof, a heating source such as a resistive heating element connected to the rotor magnets, and an electronic controller. The controller selectively heats the rotor magnets via the heating source during a predetermined low-load/high-speed operating mode of the electric drive system. The controller may preemptively cool the rotor magnets, e.g., via pre-chilled electrical coolant, in response to a predicted or impending high-load/low-speed operating mode. The heating element may include a positive temperature coefficient heating element disposed between a rotor yoke and the rotor magnets. A method includes detecting the low-load/high-speed operating mode, and selectively heating the rotor magnets via a heating source during such a mode. A motor vehicle includes road wheels and the electric drive system, the motor of which powers one or more of the road wheels.

Abstract: An axial flux motor assembly is disclosed and includes: an axial flux motor comprising a rotor, and a first stator; and a power inverter assembly. The power module assembly includes: a printed circuit board; a control module mounted on the printed circuit board; power module assemblies connected to the printed circuit board and controlled by the control module; and a cold plate. The cold plate is disposed between the first stator and the power module assemblies and includes a first side and a second side, which is opposite the first side. The cold plate cools the power module assemblies via the first side and the first stator via the second side.

Abstract: An example rotor includes a rotor yoke having an outer circumference and an inner circumference. The rotor further includes a plurality of rotor ribs on a surface the rotor yoke and extending between the outer circumference and the inner circumference. The rotor further includes a plurality of magnets, each of the plurality of magnets being disposed adjacent to and between two of the plurality of rotor ribs.

Abstract: An axial flux motor includes: a ring-shaped stator, a ring-shaped rotor and a planetary gear set. The ring-shaped stator includes a stator core and segments arranged on the stator core, where each of the segments includes a laminated stack and windings wrapped around the laminated stack. The ring-shaped rotor defines an inner open area and including a body and permanent magnets arranged on the body adjacent to and spaced from the segments. The planetary gear set is disposed within the inner open area and configured to receive an input torque from the rotor and provide an output torque, which is greater than the input torque.

Abstract: A rotor for mounting on a rotational axis in an axial flux electric motor includes a ferromagnetic rotor core. The rotor also includes a plurality of alternating south and north pole permanent magnets (PMs) arranged on the ferromagnetic rotor core symmetrically around the rotational axis and facing the stator. The ferromagnetic rotor core includes a plurality of core saliencies extending to the rotor exterior surface. Each of the core saliencies is arranged between one south pole PM and one north pole PM. The plurality of core saliencies is phase-angle shifted relative to the plurality of alternating south and north pole PMs to thereby alter magnetic reluctance of the electric motor. An axial flux electric motor employing the above-described rotor is also contemplated.

Abstract: An electric machine includes a housing having an inner surface; and a stator including a stator core mounted in the housing. The stator core includes a plurality of stator windings, a thermal bridge extends between the stator core and the inner surface of the housing. The thermal bridge is formed from a non-magnetic material and includes a plurality of individual thermal bridge elements.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a multi-function, integrated Super Beam assembly structure with integrated structural, cooling, and transverse elastic compliance functions; and Thermal Management Propagation (TMP) protection. The Super Beam assembly includes a pair of parallel face plates, coolant channel cover plates, and coolant channels that are defined by the face plate and the one or more coolant channel cover plates. The structural design of the cooling channels, and the corresponding air gaps formed in-between them, allows a transverse elastic compliance of the Super Beam assembly to be tuned to different amounts of elasticity. Top, bottom and/or end structural channels may be included. A pair of TMP suppression channels may be attached to the Super Beam assembly structure with an adhesive “thermal fuse” that preferentially melts and causes the pair of TMP suppression channels to detach from the Super Beam assembly during overheating in a TMP event.

Abstract: An electrical machine includes a rotationally-fixed stator defining a rotational axis of the electrical machine and having a plurality of stator magnetic poles, the stator magnetic poles disposed about the rotational axis. The electrical machine also has a rotor rotatably mounted coaxially with the rotational axis and axially spaced from the stator, the rotor having a plurality of permanent magnets facing the stator magnetic poles. Each stator magnetic pole includes a plurality of ferromagnetic laminations in a lamination stack that extends from a radially-inward extent to a radially-outward extent relative to the rotational axis, and a ferromagnetic composite pole portion affixed to the radially-outward extent or the radially-inward extent of the lamination stack of the stator magnetic pole.

Abstract: A cooled axial flux electric motor includes a rotationally-fixed stator defining a rotational axis and having a plurality of conductive stator magnetic poles arranged radially about the axis. The motor also includes a rotor spaced axially from one side from the stator and rotatably mounted coaxially with the rotational axis and defined by inside and outside diameters. The rotor has a first exterior surface facing the stator and a second exterior surface arranged opposite the first exterior surface. A ferromagnetic rotor core defines the rotor second exterior surface. The rotor also includes alternating south and north pole permanent magnets (PMs) arranged on the rotor core symmetrically around the axis and facing the stator. The rotor additionally includes channels extending radially outwardly across the rotor and configured to direct a coolant, via centrifugal force, from the inside diameter toward the outside diameter as the rotor rotates about the axis.

Abstract: A stator for an electrical machine defines a central axis and has a first stator face facing parallel to the central axis and a second stator face facing parallel to the central axis, with the first stator face and the second stator face facing in opposite directions. The stator includes a plurality of ferromagnetic segments disposed about the central axis, each segment having a pair of parallel faces that face parallel to the central axis of the stator. On each stator face, faces of adjacent segments of the plurality of segments form gaps therebetween, the gaps extending radially relative to the central axis, the gaps on the first stator face being angularly offset relative to the central axis from the gaps on the second stator face.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a first header having a first conduit and a second header having a second conduit. The battery pack also includes an energy storage system having energy storage cells arranged between the first header and the second header. A coolant plate assembly is arranged between the first header and the second header and abuts the plurality of energy storage cells. The coolant plate assembly includes a coolant channel having a first end fluidically connected to the first conduit, a second end fluidically connected to the second conduit, and an intermediate portion defining a flow path. The coolant plate assembly also includes a first planar section having a first surface facing the energy storage cells and a second surface having protrusions extending into the coolant channel.

Abstract: A power control system for a vehicle includes a charge port and a contactor connected to the charge port and including a first plurality of switches. An energy storage system includes a second plurality of switches and one or more battery packs. A bi-directional DC-DC converter is connected between the energy storage system and a plurality of vehicle loads. A controller is configured to control states of the first and second plurality of switches to configure in a plurality of modes including a range improvement mode, a first charging mode to perform charging at a first voltage level, a second charging mode to perform charging at a second voltage level, a battery preconditioning mode; and an accessory load support mode.

Abstract: An electrical system includes a high-voltage battery pack assembly having a first cell set with a first group of energy storage cells and a second cell set having a second group of energy storage cells connectable to the first cell set. The first cell set includes at least one first battery chemistry cell and the second cell set includes at least one second battery chemistry cell. At least one switch is in electrical communication with the first or second cell set. Battery connection terminals are in electrical communication with at least one of the first or second cell sets. A controller is configured to determine an operating strategy of the high-voltage battery pack assembly and place at least one of the first cell set or the second cell set in electrical communication with the battery connection terminals in response to the operating strategy of the high-voltage battery pack.

Abstract: Embodiments include balancing modules during charging of a mixed chemistry battery pack having a first battery module connected in series to a second battery module. Aspects include monitoring a first state-of-charge (SOC) of the first battery module having a first battery chemistry and monitoring a second SOC of the second battery module having a second battery chemistry. Aspects also include selectively activating one of a first bypass switch and a first activation switch of the first battery module based on the first SOC and the second SOC and selectively activating one of a second bypass switch and a second activation switch of the second battery module based on the first SOC and the second SOC. The activation of the first bypass switch prevents the first battery module from charging and activation of the second bypass switch prevents the second battery module from charging.

Abstract: A mixed chemistry battery having a first battery cell having a first chemistry and a second battery cell having a second chemistry that is different than the first chemistry is provided. The first battery cell is connected to the second battery cell in series. The mixed chemistry battery includes a battery monitoring system configured to obtain a first SOC of the first battery cell and a second SOC of the second battery cell and based on a determination that an absolute value of a difference between the first SOC and the second SOC is greater than a threshold value, obtain a first capacity retention rate for the first battery cell and a second capacity retention rate for the second battery cell; and update the second SOC based on the first SOC, the first capacity retention rate, and the second capacity retention rate.