Thermal management system and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a thermal management system and a vehicle, and the thermal management system comprises a compressor which is provided with an exhaust port and an air inlet; the outdoor condenser is provided with a first inlet and a first outlet, and the first inlet is communicated with the exhaust port; the electric drive system comprises an electric drive direct cooling plate, the electric drive direct cooling plate is provided with a second inlet and a second outlet, the second outlet is communicated with the air inlet and the first inlet, and the second inlet is communicated with the first outlet; one end of the first pipeline is connected between the exhaust port and the first inlet, and the other end of the first pipeline is connected between the air inlet and the second outlet; the second pipeline and the third pipeline are connected between the first outlet and the second inlet in parallel, a refrigerant pump is arranged on the second pipeline, and a first electronic expansion valve is arranged on the third pipeline. According to the thermal management system, flexible switching between the two modes can be achieved according to the actual heat dissipation requirement of the electric drive system and the whole vehicle operation working condition.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vehicles, and more particularly to a thermal management system and a vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the occurrence of global warming, environmental pollution, energy crisis and a series of problems, electric vehicles with energy-saving and environmentally friendly advantages have attracted global attention. With the gradual popularization of super-fast charging, high-voltage platforms and solid-state batteries, the demand for electric drive heat dissipation is further increased. The existing liquid cooling system has a low heat exchange coefficient, and in the existing vehicle architecture, the heat exchanger, water pump, cooling fan and water storage tank are often increased to provide more heat dissipation for the electric drive, which requires more front compartment space. The limitation of vehicle space makes it difficult for electric drive liquid cooling to meet the development of electric vehicles, and other heat dissipation methods are urgently needed. SUMMARY

[0003] The present application aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present application proposes a thermal management system which can flexibly switch between two modes according to the actual heat dissipation demand of the electric drive system and the vehicle operating condition, reduce the thermal management energy consumption of the vehicle, save energy, reduce the risk of power system failure leading to vehicle power limitation or parking lot, and reduce the number of independent heat dissipation components and pipelines in the front compartment, reduce the complexity of front compartment layout and vehicle weight, and further improve the comprehensive performance and economy of the vehicle.

[0004] The present application also proposes a vehicle comprising the above-mentioned thermal management system.

[0005] The thermal management system according to the embodiments of the present application is used for a vehicle, and characterized in that it comprises: a compressor having an exhaust port and an intake port; an outdoor condenser having a first inlet and a first outlet, the first inlet being in communication with the exhaust port; an electric drive system comprising an electric drive direct cooling plate, the electric drive direct cooling plate having a second inlet and a second outlet, the second outlet being in communication with the intake port and the first inlet respectively, and the second inlet being in communication with the first outlet; a first pipeline having one end connected between the exhaust port and the first inlet and the other end connected between the intake port and the second outlet; a second pipeline and a third pipeline being connected in parallel between the first outlet and the second inlet, a refrigerant pump being arranged on the second pipeline, and a first electronic expansion valve being arranged on the third pipeline.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the thermal management system of the present invention, a compressor has an exhaust port and an intake port, an outdoor condenser has a first inlet and a first outlet, the first inlet being connected to the exhaust port, an electric drive system includes an electric drive direct cooling plate, the electric drive direct cooling plate has a second inlet and a second outlet, the second outlet being connected to the intake port and the first inlet respectively, the second inlet being connected to the first outlet, one end of a first pipeline is connected between the exhaust port and the first inlet, the other end is connected between the intake port and the second outlet, a second pipeline and a third pipeline are connected in parallel between the first outlet and the second inlet, a refrigerant pump is disposed on the second pipeline, and a first electronic expansion valve is provided. By placing it on the third pipeline, the refrigerant can form a low-energy, low-flow circulation driven by the refrigerant pump, and also form a compression refrigeration circulation under the action of the compressor and the first electronic expansion valve. This allows the thermal management system to flexibly switch between the two modes according to the actual heat dissipation requirements of the electric drive system and the vehicle's operating conditions. While meeting heat dissipation requirements, it reduces the vehicle's thermal management energy consumption, saves energy, and reduces the risk of power limitation or breakdown caused by power system failure. It also reduces the number of independent heat dissipation components and pipelines in the front compartment, reduces the complexity of the front compartment layout and the weight of the vehicle, and further improves the overall performance and economy of the vehicle.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the invention further includes: a first control valve connected in series between the exhaust port and the first inlet; a second control valve, and / or, the second control valve being disposed on the first pipeline; and / or, a third control valve connected in series between the air inlet and the second outlet; and a fourth control valve, and / or, the fourth control valve being disposed on the second pipeline.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the invention further includes: a first liquid storage tank connected in series between the second inlet and the first outlet; and / or a gas-liquid separator, wherein the inlet of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the second outlet, and the outlet of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the air inlet.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the battery system further includes a battery pack cold plate having a first inlet and a second inlet and a second inlet and a third inlet and a fourth electronic expansion valve connected in series between the first inlet and the air inlet and the air inlet, the second inlet and a third electronic expansion valve connected in series between the second inlet and the first outlet and the second inlet and a fourth electronic expansion valve connected in series between the second outlet and the air inlet and a fifth electronic expansion valve connected in series between the exhaust port and the first inlet.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first inlet / outlet is also connected to the exhaust port, and a sixth electronic expansion valve is connected in series between the first inlet / outlet and the exhaust port.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, an air conditioning system is further included, the air conditioning system including an indoor evaporator having a third inlet and a third outlet, the third inlet being connected to the first outlet, a seventh electronic expansion valve being connected in series between the third inlet and the first outlet, and the third outlet being connected to the air inlet.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioning system further includes: an indoor condenser having a fourth inlet and a fourth outlet, the fourth inlet being connected to the exhaust port and the second outlet respectively, the fourth outlet being connected to the first outlet, and an eighth electronic expansion valve being connected in series between the fourth outlet and the first outlet.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the air inlet includes a make-up air inlet and a return air inlet, and the thermal management system further includes a fourth pipeline, one end of which is connected to the make-up air inlet, and the other end is connected to the first inlet / outlet, the second outlet, and the return air inlet, respectively. The second electronic expansion valve is connected in series between the fourth pipeline and the first inlet / outlet, and the fourth electronic expansion valve is connected in series between the fourth pipeline and the return air inlet.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the invention further includes: a second liquid storage tank disposed on the second pipeline; and / or a one-way valve disposed between the first outlet and the second inlet and between the first outlet and the second inlet / outlet, allowing refrigerant to flow only from the first outlet to the second inlet and from the first outlet to the second inlet / outlet.

[0015] The vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the thermal management system described above.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle is provided with a thermal management system. The compressor has an exhaust port and an intake port. The outdoor condenser has a first inlet and a first outlet, with the first inlet communicating with the exhaust port. The electric drive system includes an electric drive direct cooling plate with a second inlet and a second outlet. The second outlet communicates with both the intake port and the first inlet, and the second inlet communicates with the first outlet. One end of a first pipeline is connected between the exhaust port and the first inlet, and the other end is connected between the intake port and the second outlet. A second pipeline and a third pipeline are connected in parallel between the first outlet and the second inlet. A refrigerant pump is located on the second pipeline. A first electronic expansion... The expansion valve is located on the third pipeline, allowing the refrigerant to form a low-energy, low-flow circulation driven by the refrigerant pump, and also to form a compression refrigeration circulation driven by the compressor and the first electronic expansion valve. This enables the thermal management system to flexibly switch between the two modes according to the actual heat dissipation requirements of the electric drive system and the vehicle's operating conditions. While meeting heat dissipation requirements, it reduces the vehicle's thermal management energy consumption, saves energy, and reduces the risk of power limitation or breakdown caused by power system failure. It also reduces the number of independent heat dissipation components and pipelines in the front compartment, reduces the complexity of the front compartment layout and the weight of the vehicle, and further improves the overall performance and economy of the vehicle.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure label: 100. Thermal management system; 1. Compressor; 11. Exhaust port; 12. Inlet port; 121. Return port; 122. Make-up port; 2. Outdoor condenser; 21. First inlet; 22. First outlet; 23. Fan; 3. Electric-driven direct cooling plate; 31. Second inlet; 32. Second outlet; 4. Battery pack cold plate; 41. First inlet / outlet; 42. Second inlet / outlet; 61. Indoor evaporator; 611. Third inlet; 612. Third outlet; 62. Indoor condenser; 621. Fourth inlet; 622. Fourth outlet; 63. Electric auxiliary heating; 71. First pipeline; 72. Second pipeline; 73. Third pipeline; 74. Fourth pipeline; 81. First control valve; 82. Second control valve; 83. Third control valve; 84. Fourth control valve; 85. Fifth control valve; 86. First liquid storage tank; 87. Second liquid storage tank; 88. Gas-liquid separator; 89. Check valve; 91. First electronic expansion valve; 92. Second electronic expansion valve; 93. Third electronic expansion valve; 94. Fourth electronic expansion valve; 95. Fifth electronic expansion valve; 96. Sixth electronic expansion valve; 97. Seventh electronic expansion valve; 98. Eighth electronic expansion valve; 10. Refrigerant pump. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] A thermal management system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] like Figures 1-3 As shown, a thermal management system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is used in a vehicle. The thermal management system 100 includes a compressor 1, an outdoor condenser 2, an electrically driven direct cooling plate 3, a first pipeline 71, a second pipeline 72, a third pipeline 73, a refrigerant pump 10, and a first electronic expansion valve 91.

[0024] The compressor 1 has an exhaust port 11 and an intake port 12. The outdoor condenser 2 has a first inlet 21 and a first outlet 22. The first inlet 21 is connected to the exhaust port 11. The electric drive system includes an electric drive direct cooling plate 3. The electric drive direct cooling plate 3 has a second inlet 31 and a second outlet 32. The second outlet 32 ​​is connected to the intake port 12 and the first inlet 21 respectively. The second inlet 31 is connected to the first outlet 22. One end of the first pipeline 71 is connected between the exhaust port 11 and the first inlet 21, and the other end is connected between the intake port 12 and the second outlet 32. The second pipeline 72 and the third pipeline 73 are connected in parallel between the first outlet 22 and the second inlet 31. The refrigerant pump 10 is installed on the second pipeline 72, and the first electronic expansion valve 91 is installed on the third pipeline 73.

[0025] Understandably, when the heat dissipation requirements of the electric drive system are low, the thermal management system 100 can adopt a refrigerant pump circulation mode, where the compressor does not run, thus saving energy and reducing operating power consumption. In refrigerant pump circulation mode, the compressor 1 stops working, and the refrigerant pump 10 starts and provides circulation pressure. Specifically, the liquid refrigerant output from the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2 is driven by the refrigerant pump 10 and enters the second inlet 31 of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 along the second pipeline 72. Inside the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, the refrigerant directly exchanges heat with the electric drive components (such as the drive motor or motor controller), and after absorbing the heat generated by the electric drive system, the refrigerant flows out from the second outlet 32 ​​to the first pipeline 71. The refrigerant then flows back into the outdoor condenser 2 from the first pipeline 71 to the first inlet 21 to release heat and condense into liquid refrigerant again. After that, it is output from the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2 to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 again. This cycle repeats. The refrigerant forms a closed loop between the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the outdoor condenser 2 driven by the refrigerant pump 10. While ensuring that the electric drive system is basically cooled, the compressor 1 does not need to be activated, which greatly reduces the thermal management energy consumption of the whole vehicle under low load conditions and reduces the number of start-stop cycles of the compressor 1, which is beneficial to improving the life and reliability of the compressor 1.

[0026] When the electric drive system has high heat dissipation requirements, the thermal management system 100 adopts a compression cycle loop mode, with the compressor running to achieve rapid heat dissipation of the electric drive and reduce the degradation of the electric drive's high-temperature performance. In the compression cycle loop mode, the compressor 1 starts and continues to work, while the refrigerant pump 10 stops working. Specifically, the high-pressure liquid refrigerant output from the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2 is throttled and depressurized by the first electronic expansion valve 91 on the third pipeline 73 and then enters the second inlet 31 of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3. Inside the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, the refrigerant directly exchanges heat with the electric drive components (such as the drive motor or motor controller). After absorbing the heat generated by the electric drive system, the refrigerant flows out from the second outlet 32 ​​in the form of a gas-liquid two-phase or superheated gaseous state to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1 and enters the compressor. The compressor 1 compresses the low-pressure refrigerant from the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 into a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which is discharged from the exhaust port 11 and then enters the first inlet 21 of the outdoor condenser 2. After returning to the outdoor condenser 2 to release heat and condense into liquid refrigerant, it is output from the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2 to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 again, and so on in a continuous cycle.

[0027] Therefore, in the same thermal management system 100, the electric drive system is directly cooled by the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, and a refrigerant pump 10 and a first electronic expansion valve 91 are respectively configured on the second pipeline 72 and the third pipeline 73. This allows the refrigerant to form a low-energy, low-flow circulation under the drive of the refrigerant pump 10, and a compression refrigeration circulation under the action of the compressor 1 and the first electronic expansion valve 91. This enables the thermal management system 100 to flexibly switch between the two modes according to the actual heat dissipation requirements of the electric drive system and the vehicle's operating conditions. While meeting the heat dissipation requirements, it reduces the thermal management energy consumption of the vehicle, saves energy, and reduces the risk of power limitation or breakdown of the vehicle due to power system failure.

[0028] Furthermore, the electric drive system includes a drive motor for driving the vehicle wheels and a motor controller for driving the motor. An electric drive direct cooling plate 3 is fixedly installed near the electric drive system. The electric drive direct cooling plate 3 has internal cooling channels for refrigerant flow. The outer surface of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 is tightly fitted to the motor housing and / or the housing of the electronic controller, allowing the refrigerant flowing through the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 to directly exchange heat with the heat-generating components in the motor and electronic controller, thereby directly removing the heat generated by the electric drive system. Compared to traditional methods that indirectly cool the electric drive through coolant jackets or cooling water plates, the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 of this application uses refrigerant as the working fluid for phase change heat transfer, resulting in a high heat transfer coefficient. This allows for greater heat dissipation capacity within the same volume and space, making it more suitable for applications with high heat dissipation requirements, such as supercharging, fast charging, and high-voltage platforms. Meanwhile, during the overall vehicle layout, the outdoor condenser 2 can be integrated with the existing radiator module in the front compartment of the vehicle, reducing the number of independent heat dissipation components and pipes in the front compartment, reducing the complexity of the front compartment layout and the weight of the whole vehicle, thereby ensuring reliable heat dissipation of the electric drive system while further improving the overall performance and economy of the vehicle.

[0029] In some embodiments, the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 can also be connected in series and / or in parallel with the motor cooling plate, the electronic control cooling plate and the intelligent driving cooling plate, so as to perform thermal management on the heat dissipation components such as the drive motor, the motor controller and the intelligent driving control unit respectively.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thermal management system 100 includes a compressor 1 having an exhaust port 11 and an intake port 12, an outdoor condenser 2 having a first inlet 21 and a first outlet 22, the first inlet 21 being connected to the exhaust port 11, an electric drive system including an electric drive direct cooling plate 3 having a second inlet 31 and a second outlet 32, the second outlet 32 ​​being connected to the intake port 12 and the first inlet 21 respectively, the second inlet 31 being connected to the first outlet 22, one end of a first pipe 71 being connected between the exhaust port 11 and the first inlet 21, and the other end being connected between the intake port 12 and the second outlet 32, the second pipe 72 and the third pipe 73 being connected in parallel between the first outlet 22 and the second inlet 31, and a refrigerant... Pump 10 is installed on the second pipeline 72, and the first electronic expansion valve 91 is installed on the third pipeline 73. This allows the refrigerant to form a low-energy, low-flow circulation under the drive of the refrigerant pump 10, and also to form a compression refrigeration circulation under the action of the compressor 1 and the first electronic expansion valve 91. This enables the thermal management system 100 to flexibly switch between the two modes according to the actual heat dissipation requirements of the electric drive system and the vehicle's operating conditions. While meeting the heat dissipation requirements, it reduces the thermal management energy consumption of the vehicle, saves energy, and reduces the risk of power limitation or breakdown caused by power system failure. It also reduces the number of independent heat dissipation components and pipelines in the front compartment, reduces the complexity of the front compartment layout and the weight of the vehicle, and further improves the overall performance and economy of the vehicle.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes a first control valve 81, which is connected in series between the exhaust port 11 and the first inlet 21. The first control valve 81 controls whether the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 flows into the outdoor condenser 2. When the thermal management system 100 is in refrigerant pump circulation mode, the first control valve 81 is closed to prevent an invalid path from forming between the high-pressure side and the outdoor condenser 2 when the compressor 1 stops. When the thermal management system 100 is in compression circulation loop mode, the first control valve 81 is opened, allowing the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 to release heat and condense in the outdoor condenser 2 before returning to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 to participate in the compression refrigeration cycle.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes a second control valve 82, which is located on the first pipeline 71 and is used to control whether the first pipeline 71 participates in the refrigerant circulation. In refrigerant pump circulation mode, the second control valve 82 is open, allowing the refrigerant flowing from the second outlet 32 ​​of the electric direct cooling plate 3 to flow back through the first pipeline 71 to the first inlet 21 of the outdoor condenser 2, thereby forming a closed loop driven by the refrigerant pump 10 between the outdoor condenser 2 and the electric direct cooling plate 3. In compression circulation loop mode, the second control valve 82 is closed to avoid excess flow diversion and energy loss caused by the bypass flow path.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes a third control valve 83, which is connected in series between the inlet 12 and the second outlet 32 ​​to control the connection between the second outlet 32 ​​of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the inlet 12 of the compressor 1. In the compression cycle mode, the third control valve 83 is open, allowing the low-pressure refrigerant from the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 to directly enter the inlet 12 of the compressor 1 through the second outlet 32, thereby forming a complete compression refrigeration cycle. In the refrigerant pump circulation mode, the third control valve 83 is closed, allowing the refrigerant flowing out of the second outlet 32 ​​to circulate through the first pipeline 71 and the outdoor condenser 2, so as to adjust the flow direction and flow rate distribution of the refrigerant at the outlet of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 as needed.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 1-3As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes a fourth control valve 84, which is located on the second pipeline 72 and is used to control whether the second pipeline 72, where the refrigerant pump 10 is located, is open. When the thermal management system 100 is operating in the refrigerant pump circulation mode, the fourth control valve 84 is open, allowing the liquid refrigerant output from the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2 to flow along the second pipeline 72 to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 under the drive of the refrigerant pump 10; when the thermal management system 100 switches to the compression circulation loop mode, the fourth control valve 84 is closed to prevent the second pipeline 72 from forming a bypass, which would affect the flow and pressure distribution of the main refrigeration cycle driven by the compressor 1.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes a first control valve 81, a second control valve 82, a third control valve 83, and a fourth control valve 84. The first control valve 81 is connected in series between the exhaust port 11 and the first inlet 21. The second control valve 82 is located on the first pipeline 71. The third control valve 83 is connected in series between the air inlet 12 and the second outlet 32. The fourth control valve 84 is located on the second pipeline 72. In the compression cycle mode, the first control valve 81 and the third control valve 83 are in the open state, and the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 are in the closed state, so that the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 flows sequentially through the outdoor condenser 2 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and then returns to the compressor 1 inlet 12. In the refrigerant pump cycle mode, the first control valve 81 and the third control valve 83 are in the closed state, and the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 are in the open state, so that the main circuit between the compressor 1 and the outdoor condenser 2 is cut off. The liquid refrigerant output from the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2 flows through the fourth control valve 84 and the refrigerant pump 10 along the second pipeline 72 to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, and then flows back to the outdoor condenser 2 through the first pipeline 71 controlled by the second control valve 82, realizing the electric drive direct cooling closed small circuit driven by the refrigerant pump 10. Therefore, by combining the control of the first control valve 81, the second control valve 82, the third control valve 83 and the fourth control valve 84, the system can flexibly switch between the refrigerant pump circulation mode and the compression circulation loop mode, taking into account the heat dissipation requirements and system energy consumption under different operating conditions.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 1-3As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes a first liquid storage tank 86, which is connected in series between the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2 and the second inlet 31 of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3. It is used to temporarily store and buffer the liquid refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor condenser 2, so that the refrigerant flow and pressure entering the second pipeline 72 and the third pipeline 73 are more stable, and a certain amount of refrigerant is provided when switching between different operating conditions. This avoids insufficient liquid supply or excessive liquid level fluctuation at the inlet of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 due to changes in the system charge, thereby improving the operational stability of the thermal management system 100 under multiple operating conditions.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes a gas-liquid separator 88. The inlet of the gas-liquid separator 88 is connected to the second outlet 32 ​​of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, and the outlet of the gas-liquid separator 88 is connected to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1. It is used to separate the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flowing out of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, so that the gas phase refrigerant is drawn into the compressor 1 through the air inlet 12, while the separated liquid refrigerant is retained in the gas-liquid separator 88 or slowly flows back into the system in a predetermined manner. This avoids the risk of liquid slugging caused by a large amount of liquid refrigerant directly entering the compressor 1, ensures the suction quality of the compressor 1, and improves the operating safety and reliability of the compressor 1.

[0038] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes a battery system. The battery system includes a battery pack cold plate 4, which has a first inlet / outlet 41 and a second inlet / outlet 42. The first inlet / outlet 41 is connected to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1. A second electronic expansion valve 92 is connected in series between the first inlet / outlet 41 and the air inlet 12. The second inlet / outlet 42 is connected to the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2. A third electronic expansion valve 93 is connected in series between the second inlet / outlet 42 and the first outlet 22. A fourth electronic expansion valve 94 is connected in series between the second outlet 32 ​​and the air inlet 12 of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3. A fifth electronic expansion valve 95 is connected in series between the exhaust port 11 of the compressor 1 and the first inlet 21 of the outdoor condenser 2. Thus, the battery pack cold plate 4 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 share the refrigerant circuit where the compressor 1 and the outdoor condenser 2 are located. Through the opening and closing states of the second electronic expansion valve 92, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, and the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, multiple operating modes are achieved, including electric drive cooling, battery cooling, and simultaneous electric drive cooling and battery cooling.

[0039] Specifically, in electric drive cooling mode, only the electric drive system can be cooled without cooling the battery system. In this mode, the second electronic expansion valve 92 and the third electronic expansion valve 93 are closed, cutting off the flow path between the first inlet / outlet 41 of the battery pack cold plate 4 and the air inlet 12, as well as the flow path between the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2 and the second inlet / outlet 42 of the battery pack cold plate 4. This prevents refrigerant from flowing inside the battery pack cold plate 4, avoiding unnecessary cooling of the battery. The electric drive direct cooling plate 3 operates according to the aforementioned electric drive cooling mode: when the electric drive heat dissipation demand is small, the compressor 1 can be turned off, the refrigerant pump 10 can be turned on, and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 and the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 can be turned off, so that the refrigerant forms a small loop driven by the refrigerant pump 10 between the outdoor condenser 2 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3; when the electric drive heat dissipation demand is large, the refrigerant pump 10 is turned off, the compressor 1 and the throttling elements related to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the outdoor condenser 2 are turned on, so that the low-pressure refrigerant flowing out from the second outlet 32 ​​of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 flows to the inlet 12 through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, is sucked in and compressed by the compressor 1, and completes heat release and condensation through the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 and the outdoor condenser 2, and then returns to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 after being throttled by the first electronic expansion valve 91, thereby cooling the electric drive system. At this time, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 and the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 are at their maximum opening and do not have a throttling effect.

[0040] In battery cooling mode, only the battery system is cooled, not the electric drive system. At this time, the throttling elements associated with the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 (such as the first electronic expansion valve 91 and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94) are closed, so that the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 does not participate in the circulation. At the same time, the compressor 1 is turned on, so that the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged by the compressor 1 flows from the exhaust port 11 through the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 to the first inlet 21 of the outdoor condenser 2. After releasing heat and condensing into medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant in the outdoor condenser 2, it flows out from the first outlet 22. The liquid refrigerant from the first outlet 22 is throttled and depressurized by the third electronic expansion valve 93 and enters the second inlet and outlet 42 of the battery pack cold plate 4 and flows into the internal flow channel of the battery pack cold plate 4. In the battery pack cold plate 4, it directly exchanges heat with the heat-generating components of the battery pack, absorbs the heat generated by the battery, and then flows out from the first inlet and outlet 41. It then flows through the second electronic expansion valve 92 to the air inlet 12 and is sucked in by the compressor 1 to complete the circulation. Meanwhile, by adjusting the opening of the second electronic expansion valve 92 and the third electronic expansion valve 93, the refrigerant mass flow rate and evaporation pressure entering the battery pack cold plate 4 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the battery cooling capacity according to the battery pack temperature and charging / discharging conditions, and keeping the battery within a suitable operating temperature range.

[0041] In some embodiments, the refrigerant from the outlet of the battery pack cold plate 4 can also flow through the gas-liquid separator 88 before entering the inlet 12, in order to further stabilize the dryness and flow rate of the refrigerant and reduce the risk of liquid refrigerant directly entering the compressor 1 and causing liquid slugging.

[0042] In the mode where battery cooling and electric drive cooling are performed simultaneously, the battery system and electric drive system are cooled at the same time to meet the heat dissipation requirements of the vehicle under extreme conditions such as high load, high ambient temperature or high power charging and discharging. At this time, the first electronic expansion valve 91, the second electronic expansion valve 92, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, and the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 are opened, and the compressor 1 runs. The fifth electronic expansion valve 95 is opened, allowing the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant to enter the first inlet 21 of the outdoor condenser 2 from the exhaust port 11. In the outdoor condenser 2, it releases heat and condenses into a medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant, which flows out from the first outlet 22. The liquid refrigerant from the first outlet 22 is divided into two paths after the first liquid storage tank 86: one path is throttled and depressurized by the first electronic expansion valve 91 and enters the second inlet 31 of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3. After absorbing the heat of the electric drive components in the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, it flows out from the second outlet 32 ​​and flows to the air inlet 12 through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94; the other path is throttled and depressurized by the third electronic expansion valve 93 and enters the second inlet / outlet 42 of the battery pack cold plate 4. After absorbing the heat of the battery pack in the battery pack cold plate 4, it flows out from the first inlet / outlet 41 and flows to the air inlet 12 through the second electronic expansion valve 92. However, the low-pressure refrigerant from the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the battery pack cooling plate 4 is drawn into and compressed by the compressor 1 after merging at the inlet 12, and then completes heat release and condensation again through the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 and the outdoor condenser 2, thereby achieving simultaneous cooling of the electric drive system and the battery system in the same refrigerant circuit.

[0043] Meanwhile, by adjusting the opening of the first electronic expansion valve 91, the second electronic expansion valve 92, and the third electronic expansion valve 93 respectively, the refrigerant flow to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the battery pack cooling plate 4 can be allocated as needed under the condition that the total cooling capacity is fixed or limited, so as to realize the flexible allocation between the electric drive cooling capacity and the battery cooling capacity, so as to adapt to the comprehensive requirements of electric drive performance and battery life under different working conditions.

[0044] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the first inlet / outlet 41 is also connected to the exhaust port 11, and a sixth electronic expansion valve 96 is connected in series between the first inlet / outlet 41 and the exhaust port 11. Thus, battery heating and electric drive cooling can be achieved. Furthermore, when battery heating and electric drive cooling are performed simultaneously, the thermal management system 100 can further divide the operation into the following two modes based on the relative magnitude of the electric drive cooling demand and the battery heating demand.

[0045] Specifically, when the cooling demand of the electric drive is greater than or equal to the heating demand of the battery, the heat in the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 is transferred to the battery pack cooling plate 4 through the refrigerant pump 10, and the excess heat is dissipated through the outdoor condenser 2. At this time, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 are opened, the second electronic expansion valve 92 and the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 are opened, the first electronic expansion valve 91 is closed, the compressor 1 does not work, the refrigerant pump 10 works, and the refrigerant absorbs the heat of the electric drive components in the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and flows out from the second outlet 32. After passing through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 and the second electronic expansion valve 92, the refrigerant splits into two paths. One path flows through the battery pack cold plate 4, where it transfers the heat carried by the electric drive system to the battery pack before returning to the confluence point via the third electronic expansion valve 93. The other path passes through the sixth electronic expansion valve 96 and the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, then enters the outdoor condenser 2 to release excess heat. After merging with the refrigerant flowing out of the third electronic expansion valve 93, the refrigerant is pressurized by the refrigerant pump 10 and enters the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 through the second inlet 31, completing the cycle. Simultaneously, the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, the second electronic expansion valve 92, and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 are all at their maximum opening, serving as flow lines. The opening of the third electronic expansion valve 93 and the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 regulates the heat dissipation through the battery pack cold plate 4 and the outdoor condenser 2.

[0046] When the cooling demand of the electric drive is less than the heating demand of the battery, the heat from the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the heat generated by the compressor 1 are transferred to the battery pack cooling plate 4. At this time, the first electronic expansion valve 91, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 and the sixth electronic expansion valve 96 are open, the second electronic expansion valve 92 and the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 are closed, the compressor 1 works, and the refrigerant pump 10 does not work. The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from compressor 1 enters the battery pack cold plate 4 through the exhaust port 11 via the sixth electronic expansion valve 96. Within the cold plate 4, the refrigerant heats and releases heat, changing from a high-temperature, high-pressure state to a medium-temperature, high-pressure state. It then passes through the third electronic expansion valve 93 for throttling and pressure reduction, and then through the first electronic expansion valve 91 into the electric drive direct cooling plate 3. After absorbing heat from the electric drive components within the direct cooling plate 3, it flows out through the second outlet 32 ​​and through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 into the gas-liquid separator 88. In the gas-liquid separator 88, gas-liquid separation occurs, and the separated gaseous refrigerant returns to the compressor 1's inlet 12 to complete the cycle. Simultaneously, the first electronic expansion valve 91 and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 are at their maximum opening, primarily used as flow lines. By adjusting the opening of the third electronic expansion valve 93 and the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, the flow rate and temperature of the refrigerant entering the battery pack cold plate 4 can be adjusted, thereby regulating the heating effect of the battery pack.

[0047] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in battery heating mode, only the heat generated by the compressor 1 is used to heat the power battery, while some heat is also carried away by the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 to maintain the temperature of the electric drive system within a reasonable range. At this time, the compressor 1 is running, the refrigerant pump 10 stops working, the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 remain closed, cutting off the small circulation loop of the refrigerant pump 10, and the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the first electronic expansion valve 91, and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 are in the open state, while the second electronic expansion valve 92, which is mainly used for air conditioning and battery cooling, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, which is used for regulating the inlet of the outdoor condenser 2, the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, which is used for the indoor evaporator 61, and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98, which is used for the indoor condenser 62 circuit, remain in the closed state.

[0048] Specifically, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 through the exhaust port 11 first enters the first inlet / outlet 41 of the battery pack cold plate 4 through the sixth electronic expansion valve 96. Inside the battery pack cold plate 4, it directly exchanges heat with the cooling circuit of the power battery and releases heat before flowing out from the second inlet / outlet 42. At this point, the refrigerant changes from a high-temperature, high-pressure state to a medium-temperature, high-pressure state and carries the heat required for battery heating. Subsequently, the refrigerant undergoes a first throttling and pressure reduction through the third electronic expansion valve 93, and then a second throttling and pressure reduction through the first electronic expansion valve 91. It then enters the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 from the second inlet 31 as a low-pressure, low-temperature, gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. Inside the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, it directly exchanges heat with the electric drive components such as the motor and / or motor controller, absorbing heat and carrying some of the electric drive heat dissipation into the refrigerant. The refrigerant further vaporizes and flows out from the second outlet 32. The low-pressure refrigerant flowing out from the second outlet 32 ​​continues to enter the gas-liquid separator 88 through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94. After completing the gas-liquid separation in the gas-liquid separator 88, it returns to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1 in the form of low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, completing the cycle.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes a second liquid storage tank 87. The second liquid storage tank 87 is located on the second pipeline 72 and is used to temporarily store and buffer the liquid refrigerant from the first outlet 22 when the battery pack cold plate 4 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 are in small circulation through the refrigerant pump 10 or linked with other circuits. This reduces the flow and pressure fluctuations caused by operating condition switching and valve opening adjustment, thereby making the liquid supply to the refrigerant pump 10 and the downstream heat exchanger more stable, which is beneficial to improving the operational stability of the thermal management system 100 under battery cooling and electric drive cooling conditions.

[0050] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes a one-way valve 89. The one-way valve 89 is located between the first outlet 22 and the second inlet 31, and between the first outlet 22 and the second inlet / outlet 42. It only allows refrigerant to flow from the first outlet 22 to the second inlet 31 and from the first outlet 22 to the second inlet / outlet 42. This prevents refrigerant from flowing back from the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 or the battery pack cooling plate 4 to the outlet section of the outdoor condenser 2 under different operating modes, avoids cross-flow between branches or reverse pressure relief from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side, and ensures clear flow direction and stable pressure zoning in the electric drive cooling branch and the battery cooling / heating branch during switching and combined operation.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, since the second liquid storage tank 87 and the gas-liquid separator 88 are simultaneously arranged at key locations near the inlet of compressor 1 and refrigerant pump 10, they can buffer refrigerant level fluctuations caused by changes in vehicle posture and inertia under conditions such as rapid acceleration and deceleration, frequent start-stop, or steep road gradients. This results in smoother changes in the dryness and flow rate of the refrigerant entering compressor 1 and refrigerant pump 10, reducing the risk of liquid droplet intake or local vapor lock under instantaneous operating conditions. Therefore, this improves the operational stability of compressor 1 and refrigerant pump 10, reduces the probability of failures such as shaft seal leakage, impeller or piston impact, and mechanical fatigue, thereby enhancing the robustness of the thermal management system 100 under actual road conditions.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the thermal management system 100 also includes an air conditioning system. The air conditioning system includes an indoor evaporator 61, which has a third inlet 611 and a third outlet 612. The third inlet 611 is connected to the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2. A seventh electronic expansion valve 97 is connected in series between the third inlet 611 and the first outlet 22. The third outlet 612 is connected to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1. Thus, the indoor evaporator 61, the battery pack cold plate 4, and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 share the refrigerant circuit of the compressor 1 and the outdoor condenser 2. Through the opening and closing states of the second electronic expansion valve 92, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, and the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, multiple operating modes are achieved, including indoor air conditioning cooling, indoor air conditioning cooling combined with electric drive cooling, and indoor air conditioning cooling combined with battery cooling.

[0053] Specifically, in the indoor air conditioning cooling mode, that is, when only the air conditioning system is used to provide cooling for the vehicle passenger compartment without activating the battery system and electric drive system, the compressor 1 runs, the refrigerant pump 10 stops working, the first electronic expansion valve 91, the second electronic expansion valve 92, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 and the sixth electronic expansion valve 96 are closed, and the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 is opened. The compressor 1 discharges high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant through the exhaust port 11 into the first inlet 21 of the outdoor condenser 2. After exchanging heat with the ambient air in the outdoor condenser 2, the refrigerant condenses from gaseous state into medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant and flows out from the first outlet 22. The outflowing liquid refrigerant flows sequentially through the first liquid storage tank 86 and the one-way valve 89. After further reducing the refrigerant dryness and stabilizing the liquid supply state in the first liquid storage tank 86, it enters the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 through the one-way valve 89. At the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, the pressure is reduced and throttled to form a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. After throttling, the refrigerant enters the indoor evaporator 61 through the third inlet 611. In the indoor evaporator 61, it fully exchanges heat with the air inside the vehicle and absorbs heat, becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant. It is then discharged from the third outlet 612 and enters the gas-liquid separator 88. After the dryness of the refrigerant is further increased in the gas-liquid separator 88, it returns to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1 through the gas phase outlet, completing the air conditioning refrigeration cycle and thus achieving efficient cooling of the passenger compartment.

[0054] In air conditioning and battery cooling modes, the system cools the passenger compartment while simultaneously cooling the power battery. Compressor 1 operates, refrigerant pump 10 stops working, and the first electronic expansion valve 91, the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98 are closed. The second electronic expansion valve 92, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, and the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 are open. At the same time, the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 corresponding to the refrigerant pump 10 circuit are closed, and the small circulation circuit where the refrigerant pump 10 is located is not activated.

[0055] The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 through the exhaust port 11 enters the first inlet 21 of the outdoor condenser 2. Inside the outdoor condenser 2, it exchanges heat with the ambient air and releases heat, condensing into a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant. This liquid refrigerant then flows out from the first outlet 22 and sequentially through the first liquid receiver 86 and the one-way valve 89. In the first liquid receiver 86, the refrigerant dryness is further reduced and the liquid supply is stabilized. Then, through the one-way valve 89, it is divided into two paths at the branch pipeline: one path passes through the third electronic expansion valve 93 to throttle and reduce pressure, forming a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, which then enters the battery pack from the second inlet 42. Cold plate 4, within the battery pack, exchanges heat with the power battery components, causing the refrigerant to change from a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid to a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous state. It then flows out from the first inlet / outlet 41, and after the evaporation pressure is regulated by the second electronic expansion valve 92, it enters the gas-liquid separator 88. Another path, after being throttled and depressurized by the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 to form a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, enters the indoor evaporator 61 from the third inlet 611. In the indoor evaporator 61, it fully exchanges heat with the vehicle's interior air, becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which flows out from the third outlet 612 and also enters the gas-liquid separator 88. In the gas-liquid separator 88, the two returning refrigerants mix and undergo further gas-liquid separation. The refrigerant, in the form of a high-dryness gaseous refrigerant, returns to the compressor 1's inlet 12 through the gas phase outlet, where it is drawn back into the compressor 1 to complete the combined cycle. Meanwhile, by adjusting the opening of the third electronic expansion valve 93, the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, and the second electronic expansion valve 92, the refrigerant flow can be distributed between the battery pack cold plate 4 and the indoor evaporator 61, ensuring the cooling performance of the passenger compartment while precisely adjusting the battery cooling capacity according to the heat dissipation requirements of the power battery.

[0056] In both air conditioning and electric drive cooling modes, when the electric drive system is directly cooled while the passenger compartment is being cooled, compressor 1 operates, refrigerant pump 10 stops working, the eighth electronic expansion valve 98, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, and the second electronic expansion valve 92 are closed, the first electronic expansion valve 91, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, and the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 are open, and the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 are also closed, thus the small circulation loop containing refrigerant pump 10 is not activated.

[0057] The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 through the exhaust port 11 also flows sequentially through the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 and enters the first inlet 21 of the outdoor condenser 2. After exchanging heat with the ambient air and releasing heat in the outdoor condenser 2, it condenses into a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant. After flowing out from the first outlet 22, it sequentially enters the first liquid storage tank 86 and the one-way valve 89. In the first liquid storage tank 86, the refrigerant dryness is further reduced and the liquid supply is stabilized. Then, through the one-way valve 89, it is divided into two paths at the branch pipeline: one path is throttled and depressurized by the first electronic expansion valve 91 to form a low-pressure, low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, and then enters the electric-driven direct-cooling plate from the second inlet 31. 3. The refrigerant directly exchanges heat with the motor and / or motor controller and other electric drive components within the electric drive direct cooling plate 3. When the refrigerant flows out from the second outlet 32, it is in a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous state or a gas-liquid two-phase condition. It then enters the gas-liquid separator 88 through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, where it undergoes gas-liquid separation together with the refrigerant from other branches. Another path passes through the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 for throttling and pressure reduction, then enters the indoor evaporator 61 through the third inlet 611. In the indoor evaporator 61, it exchanges heat fully with the vehicle interior air and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which flows out from the third outlet 612 and also enters the gas-liquid separator 88. Within the gas-liquid separator 88, the two returning refrigerants mix and their dryness is further increased before returning to the compressor 1's inlet 12 in gaseous form through the gas phase outlet. Meanwhile, by adjusting the opening of the first electronic expansion valve 91, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 and the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, the refrigerant flow can be distributed between the indoor evaporator 61 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, so as to ensure the cooling comfort of the passenger compartment and meet the heat dissipation requirements of the electric drive system under high load conditions.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioning system also includes an indoor condenser 62. The indoor condenser 62 has a fourth inlet 621 and a fourth outlet 622. The fourth inlet 621 is connected to the exhaust port 11 and the second outlet 32, respectively. The fourth outlet 622 is connected to the first outlet 22. An eighth electronic expansion valve 98 is connected in series between the fourth outlet 622 and the first outlet 22. This enables multiple operating modes, including air conditioning heating mode, air conditioning heating and dehumidification mode, and air conditioning heating and electric cooling mode.

[0059] Specifically, in the air conditioning heating mode, the system provides heating to the passenger compartment while simultaneously cooling the electric drive system. The compressor 1 operates, the refrigerant pump 10 stops working, the second electronic expansion valve 92, the third electronic expansion valve 93, and the sixth electronic expansion valve 96 related to the battery system are closed, the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 related to the indoor evaporator 61 is closed, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 related to the inlet of the outdoor condenser 2 is closed, the first electronic expansion valve 91, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98 related to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the indoor condenser 62 are open, and the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 corresponding to the refrigerant pump 10 circuit are closed to prevent the small circulation bypass from being activated.

[0060] Specifically, the low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant from the compressor 1 inlet 12 is compressed into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant within the compressor 1. After being discharged from the outlet 11, it enters the interior condenser 62 through the fourth inlet 621. In the interior condenser 62, it exchanges heat with the passenger compartment airflow, releasing the heat generated by the compressor 1 and some of the heat from the electric direct-cooling plate 3, thereby heating the air inside the vehicle. After the refrigerant condenses from a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous state to a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant in the interior condenser 62, it flows out from the fourth outlet 622 and is throttled at the first electronic expansion valve 91. The refrigerant is depressurized to form a low-pressure, low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, which enters the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 through the second inlet 31. In the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, it directly exchanges heat with the electric drive components such as the motor and / or motor controller, removing the heat generated by the electric drive system during the drive process. The refrigerant is discharged at the second outlet 32 ​​of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 as a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous state or a gas-liquid two-phase condition. It then enters the gas-liquid separator 88 through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94. After gas-liquid separation and dryness improvement in the gas-liquid separator 88, it returns to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1 in the form of a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, completing the air conditioning and heating cycle.

[0061] In the air conditioning heating and dehumidification mode, the system provides heating to the passenger compartment while dehumidifying the air inside the vehicle. Compressor 1 operates, and refrigerant pump 10 stops working. The second electronic expansion valve 92, the third electronic expansion valve 93, and the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, which are related to the battery system, remain closed. The first electronic expansion valve 91 and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, which are related to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, are closed. The fifth electronic expansion valve 95, which is related to the inlet of the outdoor condenser 2, is closed, allowing only the indoor evaporator 61 and the indoor condenser 62 to participate in the circulation. The seventh electronic expansion valve 97 and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98 are open, while the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 remain closed.

[0062] Specifically, the low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant from the compressor 1 intake port 12 is compressed by the compressor 1 and discharged from the exhaust port 11 in the form of high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. It first enters the indoor condenser 62 through the fourth inlet 621. In the indoor condenser 62, it exchanges heat with the circulating air in the vehicle, causing the air temperature to rise significantly. At the same time, the refrigerant condenses from a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous state to a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant in the indoor condenser 62. It then flows out from the fourth outlet 622 and is throttled by the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 to form a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase condition before entering the indoor evaporator 61 through the third inlet 611. In the indoor evaporator 61, the refrigerant deeply cools the return air from the vehicle through its finned channels, significantly reducing the air temperature and condensing the moisture in the air to achieve dehumidification. During this process, the refrigerant absorbs the sensible and latent heat of the air and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which is discharged from the third outlet 612 and enters the gas-liquid separator 88. After the dryness of the refrigerant is further increased in the gas-liquid separator 88, it returns to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1 in the form of gaseous refrigerant, completing the heating and dehumidification cycle of the indoor evaporator 61 to the indoor condenser 62.

[0063] Furthermore, the air conditioning system can also be equipped with an electric auxiliary heater 63. Based on the actual heating needs of the passenger compartment, the controller can activate and deactivate the electric auxiliary heater 63 as needed: when the heat provided by the compressor 1 and the indoor condenser 62 is sufficient to meet the heating needs of the passenger compartment, the electric auxiliary heater 63 is off to reduce overall vehicle energy consumption; when the ambient temperature is low or the heating demand is high, and relying solely on air conditioning heating is insufficient to meet passenger comfort requirements, the electric auxiliary heater 63 is activated, acting as an auxiliary heat source to supplement heat to the air supply side of the air conditioning unit. This ensures a rapid and stable rise in vehicle interior temperature while avoiding the energy consumption and response lag issues associated with solely relying on compressor heating.

[0064] In both air conditioning heating and electric drive cooling modes, the system can provide heating for the passenger compartment while directly cooling the electric drive system. The thermal management system 100 can flexibly select between compressor drive and refrigerant pump drive based on the relative size of the electric drive cooling demand and the passenger compartment heating demand.

[0065] When the cooling demand of the electric drive is greater than or equal to the heating demand of the air conditioning, a small circulation mode driven by the refrigerant pump 10 is adopted. At this time, the compressor 1 stops working, the refrigerant pump 10 runs, the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 related to air conditioning cooling is closed, the third electronic expansion valve 93 and the sixth electronic expansion valve 96 related to the battery system remain closed, the first electronic expansion valve 91 is closed, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98 related to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the indoor condenser 62 are open, and the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 are open.

[0066] Specifically, the liquid refrigerant output from the first outlet 22 of the outdoor condenser 2 passes through the first liquid storage tank 86 and the one-way valve 89. With the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 open and the refrigerant pump 10 working, it enters the second inlet 31 of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 through the second pipeline 72 under the pressure of the refrigerant pump 10. After directly exchanging heat with the electric drive components such as the motor and / or motor controller inside the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, it flows out from the second outlet 32 ​​and enters the diversion node. From the branching node, the refrigerant from the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 is divided into two paths via the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 and the pipeline connected to the inlet side of the indoor condenser 62: one path enters the indoor condenser 62 through the fourth inlet 621 connecting the second outlet 32 ​​and the indoor condenser 62, where it exchanges heat with the air inside the vehicle and releases heat to provide heating for the passenger compartment. Here, the refrigerant condenses from a high-temperature gas-liquid two-phase or superheated vapor into a medium-temperature liquid refrigerant, which flows out from the fourth outlet 622 and then into the electric drive direct cooling plate 3; the other path enters the outdoor condenser 2 through the first inlet 21 connecting the second outlet 32 ​​and the outdoor condenser 2, where it exchanges heat with the ambient air and releases heat. After dissipating excess heat to the environment, it flows out from the first outlet 22 in the form of liquid refrigerant, passes through the first liquid storage tank 86 and the one-way valve 89, and then flows into the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, completing a closed loop. Meanwhile, the refrigerant flow and heat exchange through the indoor condenser 62 are adjusted by regulating the opening of the eighth electronic expansion valve 98, and the heat dissipation through the outdoor condenser 2 is adjusted by regulating the opening of the fifth electronic expansion valve 95. Thus, under the premise of meeting the electric drive cooling requirements, an appropriate amount of electric drive waste heat is used for crew cabin heating, and excess heat is discharged through the outdoor condenser 2.

[0067] When the cooling demand of the electric drive is less than the heating demand of the air conditioning, the heat generated by the compressor 1 and the heat carried by the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 are transferred to the indoor condenser 62 through the compression refrigeration cycle to provide sufficient heating capacity for the passenger compartment. At this time, the compressor 1 is running, the refrigerant pump 10 stops working, the first electronic expansion valve 91 is open, the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 used for air conditioning is closed, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 related to the outdoor condenser 2 and the second electronic expansion valve 92, third electronic expansion valve 93, and sixth electronic expansion valve 96 related to the battery system are all closed, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98 are open, and the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 are closed.

[0068] Specifically, the low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator 88 enters the inlet 12 of the compressor 1. After being compressed by the compressor 1, it is discharged from the outlet 11 as a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, directly entering the fourth inlet 621 of the indoor condenser 62. In the indoor condenser 62, it exchanges heat with the air inside the vehicle and releases heat, providing the main heating heat for the passenger compartment. Here, the refrigerant condenses from a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous state into a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant, flowing out from the fourth outlet 622 and then undergoing the first... After the initial throttling and pressure reduction, the refrigerant is further throttled by the first electronic expansion valve 91 to form a low-pressure, low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. This refrigerant enters the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 through the second inlet 31, where it directly exchanges heat with the electric drive components inside the plate 3, absorbing some of the heat generated during the operation of the electric drive system. It then flows out from the second outlet 32 ​​and enters the gas-liquid separator 88 through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94. After vapor-liquid separation in the separator 88, it returns to the compressor 1's inlet 12 as a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant. Simultaneously, the first and fourth electronic expansion valves 91 and 94 can maintain a large opening as flow channels. By adjusting the opening of the eighth electronic expansion valve 98, the heat dissipation of the indoor condenser 62 can be finely adjusted, thereby allowing more heat to enter the passenger compartment for heating while ensuring the cooling safety of the electric drive system.

[0069] In some embodiments, the indoor condenser 62 and the outdoor condenser 2 are arranged in parallel. In the air conditioning cooling mode, the refrigerant does not flow through the indoor condenser 62, so that no additional heat is generated in the air conditioning unit to cause heat damage to the air inside the vehicle and to avoid affecting the air conditioning cooling effect.

[0070] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in both air conditioning cooling and battery heating modes, the system provides cooling for the passenger compartment while simultaneously heating the power battery. At this time, compressor 1 operates, refrigerant pump 10 stops working, and the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 are closed. Depending on the relative magnitude of the battery heating demand and the air conditioning cooling demand, this mode can be divided into the following two operating conditions.

[0071] When the battery heating demand is less than or equal to the air conditioning cooling demand, the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 is not activated for heat exchange. At this time, the first electronic expansion valve 91 and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 are closed, the second electronic expansion valve 92, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98 remain closed, and the third electronic expansion valve 93, the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, and the sixth electronic expansion valve 96 are open. Specifically, the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged by the compressor 1 through the exhaust port 11 first enters the first inlet and outlet 41 of the battery pack cooling plate 4 after being depressurized by the sixth electronic expansion valve 96. After exchanging heat with the power battery in the battery pack cooling plate 4, it flows out from the second inlet and outlet 42 and transforms into a medium-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant. Subsequently, the refrigerant undergoes two-stage throttling and pressure reduction through the third electronic expansion valve 93 and the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, forming a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. It then enters the indoor evaporator 61 from the third inlet 611, where it fully exchanges and absorbs heat with the air inside the vehicle to provide cooling for the passenger compartment. The refrigerant thus becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which flows out from the third outlet 612 and enters the gas-liquid separator 88. After its dryness is further increased in the gas-liquid separator 88, it returns to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1 in the form of gaseous refrigerant, completing the cycle.

[0072] When the battery heating demand exceeds the air conditioning cooling demand, the first electronic expansion valve 91 and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 open, allowing the refrigerant downstream of the battery circuit to be partially diverted to the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 before entering the indoor evaporator 61; the second electronic expansion valve 92, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98 remain closed.

[0073] Specifically, the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged by the compressor 1 through the exhaust port 11 still first enters the first inlet and outlet 41 of the battery pack cold plate 4 through the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, and after exchanging heat with the power battery in the battery pack cold plate 4, it flows out from the second inlet and outlet 42. The refrigerant flowing out first undergoes throttling and pressure reduction through the third electronic expansion valve 93. At the outlet of the third electronic expansion valve 93, it splits into two paths: the first path continues to undergo secondary throttling and pressure reduction through the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, forming a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant that enters the indoor evaporator 61 through the third inlet 611. After exchanging heat with the air inside the vehicle and absorbing heat, it flows out through the third outlet 612 and enters the gas-liquid separator 88; the second path undergoes further throttling and pressure reduction through the first electronic expansion valve 91 and enters the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 through the second inlet 31. After absorbing heat generated by the electric drive components inside the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, it flows out through the second outlet 32 ​​in a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous state or a gas-liquid mixture state. It then enters the gas-liquid separator 88 through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, merges with the refrigerant from the indoor evaporator 61, and returns to the compressor 1 inlet 12.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in both air conditioning heating and battery heating modes, heating is provided to the passenger compartment while simultaneously heating the power battery. At this time, compressor 1 operates, refrigerant pump 10 stops, and the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 are closed to prevent ineffective bypassing of the refrigerant pump's small circuit. The first electronic expansion valve 91, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98 are open, while the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, and the second electronic expansion valve 92 are closed.

[0075] Specifically, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 through the exhaust port 11 is divided into two paths at the outlet: the first path enters the first inlet / outlet 41 of the battery pack cold plate 4 through the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, and after exchanging heat with the power battery in the battery pack cold plate 4, it flows out from the second inlet / outlet 42. At this time, the refrigerant has already transferred some heat to the battery. The refrigerant flowing out from the second inlet / outlet 42 is throttled and depressurized by the third electronic expansion valve 93 before entering the confluence node; the second path directly enters the fourth inlet 621 of the indoor condenser 62, where it exchanges heat with the air inside the vehicle and provides heating for the passenger compartment. The refrigerant condenses from a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous state into a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid. The refrigerant, after flowing out from the fourth outlet 622, is throttled and depressurized by the eighth electronic expansion valve 98. Similarly, at the confluence node, it mixes with the refrigerant from the outlet of the third electronic expansion valve 93 and enters the first electronic expansion valve 91 for further throttling and depressurization. Then, it enters the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 from the second inlet 31. In the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, it directly exchanges heat with the electric drive components and absorbs heat, carrying some of the heat dissipation of the electric drive into the refrigerant. The refrigerant is further vaporized and flows out from the second outlet 32. It enters the gas-liquid separator 88 through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94. After completing the gas-liquid separation in the gas-liquid separator 88, it returns to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1 in the form of low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, forming a closed loop.

[0076] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and ​ As shown, in air conditioning cooling, battery cooling, and electric drive cooling modes, a complete compression refrigeration cycle is established using compressor 1 and outdoor condenser 2, while providing cooling for the passenger compartment, power battery, and electric drive system through different branches. At this time, compressor 1 is running, refrigerant pump 10 is not working, second control valve 82 and fourth control valve 84 remain closed, first electronic expansion valve 91, second electronic expansion valve 92, third electronic expansion valve 93, fourth electronic expansion valve 94, fifth electronic expansion valve 95, and seventh electronic expansion valve 97 are open, and eighth electronic expansion valve 98 and sixth electronic expansion valve 96 are closed.

[0077] Specifically, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 through the exhaust port 11 first enters the first inlet 21 of the outdoor condenser 2 through the fifth electronic expansion valve 95. After exchanging heat with the ambient air in the outdoor condenser 2, it condenses into a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant, which flows out from the first outlet 22 and enters the first liquid storage tank 86. In the first liquid storage tank 86, the refrigerant dryness is further reduced and the liquid supply is stabilized. Subsequently, it is divided into three paths at the downstream node through the one-way valve 89: First path (electric drive cooling branch): Liquid refrigerant from the first outlet 22 is throttled and depressurized by the first electronic expansion valve 91, and then enters the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 from the second inlet 31 in the form of low-pressure, low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. After directly exchanging heat with the electric drive components such as the motor and / or motor controller inside the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, the refrigerant becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, flows out from the second outlet 32, enters the gas-liquid separator 88 through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, and returns to the air inlet 12 of the compressor 1 after completing the gas-liquid separation in the gas-liquid separator 88.

[0078] The second route (battery cooling branch): The liquid refrigerant from the first outlet 22 becomes a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant after being throttled and depressurized by the third electronic expansion valve 93. It enters the battery pack cold plate 4 from the second inlet and outlet 42. After directly exchanging heat with the power battery in the battery pack cold plate 4, it flows out from the first inlet and outlet 41. At this time, the refrigerant is mainly in a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous state. After being regulated by the second electronic expansion valve 92, it enters the gas-liquid separator 88 and merges with the refrigerant from other branches before returning to the compressor 1.

[0079] The third route (air conditioning cooling branch): The liquid refrigerant from the first outlet 22 is throttled and depressurized by the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, and then enters the indoor evaporator 61 from the third inlet 611 in the form of a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. In the indoor evaporator 61, it exchanges heat with the air in the vehicle and absorbs heat, and then becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant. After flowing out from the third outlet 612, it also enters the gas-liquid separator 88, mixes with the refrigerant in the electric drive cooling branch and the battery cooling branch, and then returns to the compressor 1 inlet 12.

[0080] Meanwhile, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95 maintains a large opening as the flow pipeline for the inlet of the outdoor condenser 2. The seventh electronic expansion valve 97, the first electronic expansion valve 91, and the third electronic expansion valve 93 determine the refrigerant flow rate into the indoor evaporator 61, the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, and the battery pack cooling plate 4, respectively. By comprehensively adjusting the opening of the first electronic expansion valve 91, the second electronic expansion valve 92, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, and the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, the cooling capacity can be flexibly allocated among "passenger compartment cooling", "battery cooling" and "electric drive cooling" to adapt to the thermal management needs under different operating conditions.

[0081] In some embodiments, such as ​ and​ As shown, in air conditioning cooling, battery heating, and electric drive cooling modes, the heat generated by the compressor 1 is used to heat the power battery. Simultaneously, some heat is carried away through the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the indoor evaporator 61 for electric drive cooling and passenger compartment cooling. At this time, the compressor 1 is running, the refrigerant pump 10 is stopped, the second control valve 82 and the fourth control valve 84 are closed, the first electronic expansion valve 91, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, the sixth electronic expansion valve 96, and the seventh electronic expansion valve 97 are open, and the second electronic expansion valve 92, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98 remain closed.

[0082] Specifically, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 through the exhaust port 11 first enters the first inlet / outlet 41 of the battery pack cold plate 4 via the sixth electronic expansion valve 96. After exchanging heat with the power battery within the battery pack cold plate 4, it flows out from the second inlet / outlet 42 and transforms into a medium-temperature, high-pressure state. The outflowing refrigerant enters the third electronic expansion valve 93, where it undergoes throttling and pressure reduction before splitting into two paths at its outlet: First path (electric drive cooling branch): After further throttling and pressure reduction by the first electronic expansion valve 91, part of the refrigerant enters the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 from the second inlet 31 in the form of low-pressure, low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. After absorbing the heat generated by the electric drive components such as the motor and / or motor controller inside the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, it flows out from the second outlet 32, enters the gas-liquid separator 88 through the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, and then returns to the compressor 1 inlet 12 in the form of gaseous refrigerant, realizing direct cooling of the electric drive system.

[0083] Second route (air conditioning cooling branch): Another part of the refrigerant is throttled and depressurized by the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, and then enters the indoor evaporator 61 from the third inlet 611 in the form of low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. In the indoor evaporator 61, it exchanges heat with the air in the vehicle and absorbs heat. After completing the cooling of the passenger compartment, it flows out from the third outlet 612 and enters the gas-liquid separator 88. After merging with the refrigerant from the electric drive cooling branch, they return to the suction port of the compressor 1.

[0084] Meanwhile, the sixth electronic expansion valve 96 and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 are at their maximum opening and are used as flow lines. By adjusting the opening of the first electronic expansion valve 91, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the sixth electronic expansion valve 96 and the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, a precise energy distribution can be achieved among "battery heating", "crew compartment cooling" and "electric drive cooling", ensuring that the battery temperature is within a suitable range while also taking into account crew comfort and the reliability of the electric drive system.

[0085] Furthermore, through the aforementioned thermal management system 100 using refrigerant as the unified working fluid, the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, the battery pack cooling plate 4, and the indoor evaporator 61 and indoor condenser 62 in the air conditioning system are coupled in the same refrigerant circuit. Different branches can be dynamically distributed within the same cooling capacity or the same heat pool. When the vehicle is under extreme conditions such as high ambient temperature, strong power demand, or fast charging, the controller can prioritize ensuring the cooling capacity of the power battery and electric drive system, allocating more refrigerant mass flow and lower evaporation pressure to the battery pack cooling plate 4 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3. At the same time, without sacrificing passenger cabin comfort, the air conditioning load is moderately reduced, allowing the vehicle to release power and charging / discharging capacity as much as possible within safe boundaries.

[0086] Conversely, under conditions where the heat load of the power battery and electric drive system is low, but the comfort requirements of the passenger compartment are high (such as low-speed commuting in winter, long-term idling in rainy or snowy weather, etc.), the evaporation pressure of the battery pack cold plate 4 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 branch can be appropriately increased, and their refrigerant flow reduced, so that more heat exchange capacity can be allocated to the indoor evaporator 61 or the indoor condenser 62, allowing the passenger compartment temperature to quickly reach the target range. Through the coordinated control of the opening of the first electronic expansion valve 91, the second electronic expansion valve 92, the third electronic expansion valve 93, the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, the fifth electronic expansion valve 95, the seventh electronic expansion valve 97, and the eighth electronic expansion valve 98, the thermal management system 100 can establish an adjustable priority logic among vehicle energy consumption, power performance, battery life, and passenger comfort, and calibrate for different vehicle models and different usage scenarios, thereby achieving integrated thermal management for multiple vehicle models and multiple operating conditions on the same platform.

[0087] Furthermore, since the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, battery pack cooling plate 4, and air conditioning heat exchanger share the outdoor condenser 2 and some piping layout, compared to the traditional three-loop scheme of "air conditioning system + independent battery liquid cooling system + independent electric drive liquid cooling system," this embodiment of the invention can significantly reduce the number of heat exchangers, types of cooling media, and the number of pipes and joints while meeting the same or even higher heat dissipation / heating capacity. This reduces the risk of refrigerant or coolant leakage, reduces potential failure points, improves the reliability of the vehicle's thermal management system, and allows for a more compact layout of the vehicle's front compartment and chassis, which helps to leave more space for collision energy absorption and functional integration, thus achieving a better overall balance between safety, cost, and vehicle layout freedom.

[0088] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as ​As shown, the air inlet 12 includes a makeup air inlet 122 and a return air inlet 121, and the thermal management system 100 also includes a fourth pipeline 74. One end of the fourth pipeline 74 is connected to the makeup air inlet 122, and the other end is connected to the first inlet / outlet 41 of the battery pack cold plate 4, the second outlet 32 ​​of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, and the return air inlet 121, respectively. A second electronic expansion valve 92 is connected in series between the fourth pipeline 74 and the first inlet / outlet 41, and a fourth electronic expansion valve 94 is connected in series between the fourth pipeline 74 and the return air inlet 121. Thus, the refrigerant from the outlet side of the battery pack cold plate 4 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 can selectively flow into the makeup air inlet 122 of the compressor 1 via the fourth pipeline 74, or, when needed, return to the compressor 1 from the low-pressure suction side after connecting to the return air inlet 121 via the fourth electronic expansion valve 94, thereby providing a hardware basis for suction pressure management and flow direction switching under different operating conditions.

[0089] It is understandable that the optimal evaporation pressure of the indoor evaporator 61 of the air conditioner is usually about 300 kPa, while the optimal evaporation pressure of the battery pack cold plate 4 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 under high temperature multi-operation cooling combination conditions is often significantly higher than 300 kPa. If the evaporation pressure of the three is forcibly unified to about 300 kPa in the scheme using a single suction port compressor, additional throttling components need to be set on the outlet side of the battery pack cold plate 4 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 to artificially reduce the pressure at the outlet of the battery and electric drive cooling circuit to be consistent with the air conditioner evaporation pressure, and then merge with the refrigerant at the outlet of the indoor evaporator 61 into the compressor 1. This not only increases the throttling loss, but also reduces the effective heat exchange on the battery and electric drive side, resulting in a decrease in the system energy efficiency coefficient (COP).

[0090] The intake port 12 includes a make-up port 122 and a return port 121. In a single working mode (e.g., only electric drive cooling, only battery cooling, or only air conditioning cooling) and under conditions such as electric drive cooling and battery cooling, the switch valve set on the branch of the make-up port 122 can be controlled to be closed, and the second electronic expansion valve 92 and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 can be opened in coordination, so that the make-up port 122 is in a state of no flow. All the refrigerant from the battery pack cold plate 4, the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the indoor evaporator 61 is drawn into the compressor 1 from the low-pressure side through the return port 121. The system behavior is equivalent to a single intake port compressor.

[0091] In multi-operational modes (such as air conditioning cooling + electric drive cooling, air conditioning cooling + battery cooling, air conditioning cooling + battery cooling + electric drive cooling, etc.), the switching valve on the gas inlet 122 branch is controlled to open, and the opening of the second electronic expansion valve 92 and the fourth electronic expansion valve 94 are adjusted simultaneously. This allows the refrigerant from the outlet of the indoor evaporator 61 to preferentially enter the compressor 1 from the low-pressure suction side through the return gas inlet 121, while the refrigerant from the outlets of the battery pack cold plate 4 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 converges into the gas inlet 122 through the fourth pipeline 74 and enters the compressor 1 from the medium-pressure suction side. In this way, the air conditioning evaporator 61 can maintain an optimal evaporation pressure of approximately 300 kPa, while the battery pack cold plate 4 and the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 can operate at a higher evaporation pressure. This avoids unnecessary throttling at their outlets to match the pressure, significantly reducing throttling losses and heat exchange attenuation caused by inconsistent evaporation pressures in multi-operational modes. This is beneficial for improving the energy efficiency and stability of the vehicle thermal management system 100 during multi-operational mode operation.

[0092] Furthermore, the fifth control valve 85 is located on the fourth pipeline 74 and is used to control the opening and closing of the fourth pipeline 74.

[0093] Furthermore, in practical engineering applications, the electric drive direct cooling plate 3, the battery pack cooling plate 4, the indoor evaporator 61, and the indoor condenser 62 can adopt a modular design. By adjusting the heat exchange area, internal flow channel arrangement, and number of parallel branches of the electric drive direct cooling plate 3 and the battery pack cooling plate 4, different vehicle platforms can be adapted to various electric drive systems and battery capacity levels ranging from medium to high power, without changing the overall loop topology of the thermal management system 100. Thus, the factory can develop multiple vehicle models on the same thermal management assembly platform. Only the opening strategies of each electronic expansion valve and control valve need to be recalibrated at the calibration level for different vehicle models to meet various operating conditions. This shortens the development cycle of new models, reduces the cost of core components through large-scale procurement, and facilitates spare parts management and system maintenance in after-sales service.

[0094] Furthermore, current new energy vehicles typically require separate temperature management for the air conditioning system, power battery, electric drive system, and other electronic components, often resulting in two or more independent thermal management systems. For example, the air conditioning circuit is coupled with the battery circuit, using refrigerant and direct cooling plates to control battery temperature, while electric drive cooling often employs a liquid cooling system forming an independent temperature control circuit. The need for two or more cooling systems in the vehicle leads to low integration, complex system structure, a large number of pipes and components, and high manufacturing and maintenance costs.

[0095] This application designs a refrigerant direct-cooling electric drive cooling system and a vehicle thermal management system using dual-power drive. The electric drive cooling circuit is coupled with the air conditioning circuit and battery circuit, allowing the entire vehicle to have only one thermal management system, using the same medium (refrigerant) for both cooling and heating. Because refrigerant cooling has a higher heat transfer coefficient than liquid cooling systems, it can provide more cooling capacity when using heat exchange components of the same size, better adapting to the increasing heat dissipation of the electric drive. Simultaneously, the refrigerant pump 10 and compressor 1 are coupled within the same refrigerant circuit: when the electric drive's heat dissipation demand is low, a small cycle driven by the refrigerant pump 10 dissipates heat from the electric drive system; when the electric drive's heat dissipation demand is high or when it needs to operate in conjunction with the air conditioning and battery systems, the compressor 1 is activated to establish a compression refrigeration cycle. The vehicle thermal management system uses refrigerant as the working fluid, enabling the system to save energy under different operating conditions while also meeting the thermal management needs of other key components such as the air conditioning and battery. It also boasts advantages such as high integration, simple layout, low weight, and low overall cost.

[0096] The vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a thermal management system 100.

[0097] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle is provided with a thermal management system 100. A compressor 1 has an exhaust port 11 and an intake port 12. An outdoor condenser 2 has a first inlet 21 and a first outlet 22, with the first inlet 21 communicating with the exhaust port 11. An electric drive system includes an electric drive direct cooling plate 3, which has a second inlet 31 and a second outlet 32. The second outlet 32 ​​communicates with both the intake port 12 and the first inlet 21, and the second inlet 31 communicates with the first outlet 22. One end of a first pipe 71 is connected between the exhaust port 11 and the first inlet 21, and the other end is connected between the intake port 12 and the second outlet 32. The second pipe 72 and a third pipe 73 are connected in parallel between the first outlet 22 and the second inlet 31. The refrigerant pump 10 is installed on the second pipeline 72, and the first electronic expansion valve 91 is installed on the third pipeline 73. This allows the refrigerant to form a low-energy, low-flow circulation under the drive of the refrigerant pump 10, and also to form a compression refrigeration circulation under the action of the compressor 1 and the first electronic expansion valve 91. This enables the thermal management system 100 to flexibly switch between the two modes according to the actual heat dissipation requirements of the electric drive system and the vehicle's operating conditions. While meeting the heat dissipation requirements, it reduces the thermal management energy consumption of the vehicle, saves energy, and reduces the risk of power limitation or breakdown caused by power system failure. It also reduces the number of independent heat dissipation components and pipelines in the front compartment, reduces the complexity of the front compartment layout and the weight of the vehicle, and further improves the overall performance and economy of the vehicle.

[0098] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0099] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for a vehicle, characterized by, Comprise: A compressor (1) having an exhaust port (11) and an intake port (12); An outdoor condenser (2) having a first inlet (21) and a first outlet (22), the first inlet (21) being in communication with the exhaust port (11); An electric drive system comprising an electric drive direct cooling plate (3), the electric drive direct cooling plate (3) having a second inlet (31) and a second outlet (32), the second outlet (32) being in communication with the intake port (12) and the first inlet (21) respectively, the second inlet (31) being in communication with the first outlet (22); A first pipeline (71) having one end connected between the exhaust port (11) and the first inlet (21) and the other end connected between the intake port (12) and the second outlet (32); A second pipeline (72) and a third pipeline (73) connected in parallel between the first outlet (22) and the second inlet (31), the second pipeline (72) being provided with a refrigerant pump (10), and the third pipeline (73) being provided with a first electronic expansion valve (91).

2. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein, Further comprise: A first control valve (81) connected in series between the exhaust port (11) and the first inlet (21); And / or, a second control valve (82) provided on the first pipeline (71); And / or, a third control valve (83) connected in series between the intake port (12) and the second outlet (32); And / or, a fourth control valve (84) provided on the second pipeline (72).

3. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein, Further comprise: A first liquid storage tank (86) connected in series between the second inlet (31) and the first outlet (22); And / or, a gas-liquid separator (88) having an inlet in communication with the second outlet (32) and an outlet in communication with the intake port (12).

4. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein, Further comprise: A battery system comprising a battery pack cooling plate having a first inlet and outlet (41) and a second inlet and outlet (42), the first inlet and outlet (41) being in communication with the intake port (12), a second electronic expansion valve (92) being connected in series between the first inlet and outlet (41) and the intake port (12), the second inlet and outlet (42) being in communication with the first outlet (22), a third electronic expansion valve (93) being connected in series between the second inlet and outlet (42) and the first outlet (22), a fourth electronic expansion valve (94) being connected in series between the second outlet (32) and the intake port (12), and a fifth electronic expansion valve (95) being connected in series between the exhaust port (11) and the first inlet (21).

5. The thermal management system of claim 4, wherein, The first inlet and outlet (41) also communicates with the exhaust port (11), and a sixth electronic expansion valve (96) is connected in series between the first inlet and outlet (41) and the exhaust port (11).

6. The thermal management system of claim 4 or 5, wherein, Further comprising: The air conditioning system further comprises:

7. The thermal management system of claim 6, wherein, The air conditioning system further comprises: The air conditioning system further comprises:

8. The thermal management system of claim 4 or 5, wherein, The air conditioning system further comprises:

9. The thermal management system of claim 4 or 5, wherein, The air conditioning system further comprises: Further comprising: A second liquid storage tank (87) is arranged on the second pipeline (72); And / or, a one-way valve (89) is arranged between the first outlet (22) and the second inlet (31) and between the first outlet (22) and the second inlet and outlet (42), allowing only the flow of refrigerant from the first outlet (22) to the second inlet (31) and from the first outlet (22) to the second inlet and outlet (42).

10. A vehicle comprising the thermal management system (100) according to any one of claims 1-9.

Images