Heat pump system for vehicle

Abstract

A heat pump system for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a battery coolant line connected to a battery module, into which coolant flows. A cooling device includes a radiator and a first water pump connected to the coolant line, for circulating coolant in the line to cool electrical equipment, and is selectively connected to the battery coolant line via a first valve. A cooler is disposed in the battery coolant line, connected to the refrigerant line of an air conditioner via a connecting line, and regulates the temperature of the coolant or refrigerant by selectively exchanging heat between the coolant and the refrigerant flowing into the cooler. An integrated control valve is connected to the refrigerant line and the connecting line to regulate the direction of refrigerant flow and selectively expand the refrigerant passing through the interior of the integrated control valve.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0126604, filed on October 23, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a heat pump system for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a heat pump system for a vehicle that cools a battery module by using a single cooler in which a refrigerant and a coolant perform heat exchange and improves heating efficiency by recovering waste heat of electrical equipment and the battery module. Background Art

[0004] Typically, a vehicle air conditioner includes an air conditioning system that circulates refrigerant to heat or cool the vehicle's interior. This air conditioning system (which maintains fresh indoor conditions by keeping the vehicle's interior temperature at an appropriate level, regardless of outdoor temperature fluctuations) is configured to heat or cool the vehicle's interior by performing heat exchange using an evaporator during the following process: Refrigerant discharged by driving a compressor is recirculated to the compressor via a condenser, a receiver drier, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. In other words, in summer cooling mode, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant compressed by the compressor is condensed by the condenser and then evaporated by the evaporator through the receiver drier and expansion valve to reduce the indoor temperature and humidity.

[0005] Recently, as concerns about energy efficiency and environmental pollution have gradually increased, environmentally friendly vehicles that can basically replace vehicles with internal combustion engines have been developed, and environmentally friendly vehicles are generally divided into electric vehicles that are generally driven using fuel cells or electricity as a power source, and hybrid vehicles that are driven using an engine and a battery.

[0006] In environmentally friendly electric and hybrid vehicles, unlike conventional vehicles using air conditioning, a separate heater is omitted, and the air conditioning system used in environmentally friendly vehicles is generally called a heat pump system. In electric vehicles using fuel cells, the chemical reaction energy of oxygen and hydrogen is converted into electrical energy to generate driving force. In this process, heat energy is generated by the chemical reaction in the fuel cell. Therefore, it is necessary to effectively remove the generated heat to ensure the performance of the fuel cell.

[0007] Even in hybrid vehicles, driving force is generated by using electricity supplied from a fuel cell or electric battery and an engine driven by a conventional fuel to drive an electric motor. Consequently, the performance of the electric motor can only be ensured by effectively removing the heat generated by the fuel cell or battery and the electric motor. Therefore, in conventional hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles, the battery cooling system, cooling components, and heat pump system must be configured with corresponding independent circuits to prevent heating of the electric motor, electrical equipment, and batteries including the fuel cell.

[0008] As a result, the size and weight of the cooling module located at the front of the vehicle increased, and the layout of the connecting pipes used to supply refrigerant or coolant to the heat pump system, cooling components, and the battery cooling system within the engine compartment became complicated. Furthermore, because the battery cooling system independently provides heating or cooling for the battery based on the vehicle's state so that the battery can operate in optimal conditions, multiple valves are used to connect the various connecting pipes. As a result, noise and vibration are transmitted to the vehicle interior, resulting in poor ride comfort.

[0009] The above information disclosed in this section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The present invention is directed to providing a heat pump system for a vehicle that can cool a battery module using a single cooler in which a coolant and a refrigerant perform heat exchange, and can simplify the system by employing an integrated control valve configured to regulate the flow rate of the refrigerant, thereby reducing the number of valves. Furthermore, the present invention is directed to providing a heat pump system for a vehicle that can improve heating efficiency by using another cooler that recovers waste heat from electrical equipment and the battery module.

[0011] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a heat pump system for a vehicle, which may include: a battery coolant line, configured to be connected to a battery module and into which a coolant flows; a cooling device, configured to include a radiator and a first water pump connected to the coolant line so that the coolant circulates in the coolant line to cool the electrical equipment, and is selectively connected to the battery coolant line via a first valve; a cooler, disposed in the battery coolant line, connected to a refrigerant line of an air conditioner through a connecting line, and regulating the temperature of the coolant or increasing the temperature of the refrigerant by selectively exchanging heat between the coolant and the refrigerant flowing into the cooler; an integrated control valve, configured to be connected to the refrigerant line and the connecting line, to regulate a flow direction of the refrigerant circulating in the air conditioner, and to selectively expand the refrigerant passing through an inside of the integrated control valve.

[0012] The air conditioner may include: a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) module, which is connected to the air conditioner via a refrigerant line, and an opening / closing door is set in the HVAC so that outside air passing through the evaporator selectively flows into the internal condenser based on the vehicle's cooling, heating and heating / dehumidification modes; a compressor, which is connected between the evaporator and the internal condenser via a refrigerant line; an accumulator, which is set in the refrigerant line between the compressor and the evaporator; a first condenser, which is connected to the internal condenser via a refrigerant line and is set inside the radiator; a second condenser, which is connected to the first condenser via a refrigerant line and is set at the front of the vehicle; and an expansion valve, which is set in the refrigerant line connecting the second condenser and the evaporator.

[0013] The refrigerant line connecting the internal condenser and the first condenser and the refrigerant line connecting the second condenser and the evaporator can be connected to the integrated control valve, respectively. The connecting line can be connected to the accumulator to allow the refrigerant passing through the cooler to be supplied to the accumulator.

[0014] The secondary heat exchanger may be provided between the evaporator and the accumulator, and the refrigerant line connecting the integrated control valve and the expansion valve and the refrigerant line connecting the evaporator and the accumulator may be connected to the secondary heat exchanger, respectively. The secondary heat exchanger may be a double-pipe heat exchanger. The secondary heat exchanger may be configured to condense the refrigerant condensed in the second condenser by heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant discharged from the evaporator to flow into the expansion valve. When the refrigerant is used to cool the battery module, the integrated control valve may expand the refrigerant supplied from the second condenser through the refrigerant line, and then the refrigerant may be discharged to the connecting line to allow the refrigerant to flow into the cooler.

[0015] A first valve may be provided between the radiator and the cooler to selectively connect a coolant line connected to the electrical device and a battery coolant line connected to the battery module, and a first branch line may be provided in the battery coolant line. The first branch line may be connected to the battery coolant line via the first valve, and may selectively connect the cooler and the battery module based on the operation of the first valve, a second valve may be provided in the coolant line between the electrical device and the radiator, a third valve selectively connecting the battery coolant line may be provided in the coolant line into which the coolant discharged from the radiator flows, a second branch line connecting the radiator and the electrical device through the third valve may be provided in the coolant line connected between the electrical device and the first valve, and the third branch line is selectively connected to the coolant line through the second valve, and is configured to circulate the coolant passing through the electrical device to the coolant line connected thereto through the second valve without passing through the radiator.

[0016] When the battery module is cooling, the first and third valves block the connection between the refrigerant line and the battery coolant line, opening the first and second branch lines. In the vehicle's heating or heating / dehumidification modes, the second valve opens the third branch line. A reservoir can be located in the refrigerant line between the radiator and the third valve, connected to the third branch line, and connected to the first branch line via a vent line.

[0017] In particular, the vent line can discharge bubbles generated in the coolant into the reservoir through the first branch line, thereby maintaining a pressure balance between the coolant line and the battery coolant line. Alternatively, the vent line can allow bubbles generated and collected in the coolant circulating in the coolant line to flow into the first branch line. The cooler can be selectively connected to the coolant line via a third branch line opened by operation of the second valve to recover waste heat generated from the electrical equipment or from the electrical equipment and battery modules in the vehicle's heating mode. The first condenser can be a water-cooled heat exchanger, and the second condenser can be an air-cooled heat exchanger.

[0018] When the refrigerant is used to cool the battery modules in the vehicle's cooling mode, the integrated control valve may open the connection line in the vehicle's heating mode or heating / dehumidification mode. When the battery modules are not cooled in the vehicle's cooling mode, the integrated control valve may close the connection line to the cooler. A second water pump may be provided in the battery coolant line between the cooler and the battery modules. A heater may be provided in the battery coolant line between the battery modules and the cooler, and when the temperature of the battery modules rises, the heater may be turned on, thereby heating the coolant circulating in the battery coolant line before flowing into the battery modules.

[0019] According to the heat pump system for a vehicle of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the system of the heat pump system for a vehicle can be simplified by using a single cooler in which a coolant and a refrigerant are heat-exchanged to cool the battery modules in an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. In addition, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, since the battery modules can be efficiently heated and cooled according to the mode of the vehicle, the battery modules can be operated at optimal performance, and the total mileage of the vehicle can be increased through efficient management of the battery modules.

[0020] Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the number of valves used to regulate refrigerant flow can be reduced by utilizing an integrated control valve for regulating refrigerant flow. Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a single cooler can selectively recover waste heat from electrical equipment and battery modules, thereby reducing compressor power consumption and improving heating efficiency. Furthermore, by simplifying the entire system associated with the vehicle heat pump system, manufacturing costs and weight can be reduced, and space utilization can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above and other features of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to certain exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, which are given hereinafter by way of illustration only and thus not limitation of the present invention, and in which:

[0022] Figure 1 A block diagram showing a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 An operation state diagram showing a cooling mode of a vehicle in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 An operation state diagram showing a heating mode of a vehicle in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 An operating state diagram showing cooling a battery module using a refrigerant in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 An operating state diagram illustrating cooling a battery module in a cooling mode of a vehicle in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 an operating state diagram showing a heating / dehumidification mode in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[0028] Figure 7 An operation state diagram for cooling a battery module in a heating / dehumidification mode in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Explanation of symbols

[0030] 1: Heat pump system

[0031] 10: Cooling device

[0032] 11: Coolant lines

[0033] 12: Radiator

[0034] 13: Cooling fan

[0035] 14: First water pump

[0036] 15: Electrical equipment

[0037] 16: Liquid storage tank

[0038] 20: Air conditioning

[0039] 21: Refrigerant pipeline

[0040] 22: HVAC module

[0041] 23: Internal condenser

[0042] 25: Internal heater

[0043] 27: Evaporator

[0044] 29: Open / Close Door

[0045] 31: Compressor

[0046] 33: Accumulator

[0047] 34: Integrated control valve

[0048] 35: First condenser

[0049] 37: Second condenser

[0050] 39: Expansion valve

[0051] 101: Battery coolant lines

[0052] 103: Second water pump

[0053] 110: Cooler

[0054] 111: Connecting pipeline

[0055] 120, 130, 140: first, second, and third branch pipelines

[0056] 150: Exhaust line

[0057] B: Battery module

[0058] V1, V2, V3: first, second, and third valves. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] It is understood that the term "vehicle" or "vehicular" or other similar terms used herein include general motor vehicles, such as passenger cars including sport utility vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including various boats and ships, aircraft, etc., and include hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., fuels from non-petroleum resources). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle having two or more power sources, such as gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles.

[0060] Although the exemplary embodiments are described as using multiple units to perform the exemplary processes, it should be understood that the exemplary processes can also be performed by one or more modules. In addition, it should be understood that the term controller / control unit refers to a hardware device that includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store the modules, and the processor is specifically configured to execute the modules to perform one or more processes described further below.

[0061] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to also include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that when used in this specification, the terms "include" and / or "comprise" specify the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0062] Unless otherwise indicated or apparent from the context, as used herein, the term "about" should be understood as within the normal tolerance range in the art, for example, within 2 standard deviations of the mean. "About" can be understood as within 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05%, or 0.01% of the stated value. Unless otherwise indicated from the context, all numerical values ​​provided herein are modified by the term "about."

[0063] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Since the exemplary embodiments described in the specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred exemplary embodiments and configurations of the present invention, they do not represent all technical concepts of the present invention, and it should be understood that various equivalents and modified examples that can replace the exemplary embodiments are possible when filing this application.

[0064] Parts not related to the description will be omitted to clarify the present disclosure, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the specification to denote the same elements. Since the dimensions and thickness of each configuration shown in the drawings are arbitrarily illustrated for ease of description, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the configurations shown in the drawings, and exaggerated thicknesses are shown to clearly illustrate several components and regions. Furthermore, terms such as "unit," "device," "portion," and "member" described in the specification refer to a unit of a comprehensive configuration having at least one function or operation.

[0065] Figure 1 A block diagram of a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. The heat pump system 1 for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can improve heating efficiency by cooling a battery module B mounted on the vehicle or selectively using waste heat generated from the battery module B or from electrical equipment 15.

[0066] like Figure 1 As shown, in a hybrid vehicle or electric vehicle, a heat pump system 1 is interlocked with a cooling device 10 configured to cool electrical equipment 15 and an air conditioner 20 configured to cool or heat the vehicle interior. Specifically, the cooling device 10 may include a radiator 12 and a first water pump 14 connected to a coolant line 11, and is configured to circulate coolant to cool the electrical equipment 15. The electrical equipment 15 may include an electric motor 15a, an on-board charger (OBC) 15b, an electric power control unit (EPCU) 15c or a power controller, etc. The electric motor 15a and the electric power control unit 15c may be configured to generate heat when driven, and the charger 15b may be configured to generate heat while the battery module B is being charged.

[0067] In this exemplary embodiment, the radiator 12 can be set at the front of the vehicle, and the cooling fan 13 can be set behind the radiator 12, so that the coolant can be cooled by the operation of the cooling fan 13 and by heat exchange with the outside air. Specifically, the electrical device 15 can be set on the coolant line 11 between the radiator 12 and the first water pump 14. The cooling device 10 configured as described above can be configured to circulate the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 along the coolant line 11 by the operation of the first water pump 14, thereby cooling the electrical device 15 and preventing overheating. The air conditioner 20 may include a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) module 22, and a compressor 31, an accumulator 33, a first condenser 35, a second condenser 37 and an expansion valve 39 connected via the refrigerant line 21.

[0068] First, an opening / closing door 29 (e.g., door 29) may be provided within the HVAC module 22, and the opening / closing door 29 may be connected to the HVAC module 22 via the refrigerant line 21 and may be configured to regulate (e.g., control, adjust a flow path, etc.) the flow of outside air through the evaporator 27 to selectively flow into the interior condenser 23 and the interior heater 25 based on the vehicle's cooling, heating, and heating / dehumidification modes. In other words, in the vehicle's heating mode, the opening / closing door 29 may be opened to allow outside air to flow through the evaporator 27 into the interior condenser 23 and the interior heater 25. Conversely, in the vehicle's cooling mode, the opening / closing door 29 may be closed to block the interior condenser 23 and the interior heater 25, and thus, outside air cooled while passing through the evaporator 27 may flow directly into the vehicle. Notably, the door 29 may be operated by the vehicle's overall controller.

[0069] The compressor 31 may be connected between the evaporator 27 and the interior condenser 23 via the refrigerant line 21. The compressor 31 may be configured to compress gaseous refrigerant. A temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, etc. may be provided in the refrigerant line 21 between the compressor 31 and the interior condenser 23. An accumulator 33 may be provided in the refrigerant line 21 between the compressor 31 and the evaporator 27. The accumulator 33 improves the efficiency and durability of the compressor 31 by supplying only gaseous refrigerant to the compressor 31.

[0070] In the present exemplary embodiment, the first condenser 35 may be connected to the interior condenser 27 via the refrigerant line 21. The first condenser 35 may be disposed within the radiator 12. Thus, the first condenser 35 may be configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing therein and the refrigerant passing through the radiator 12. In other words, the first condenser 35 may be a water-cooled heat exchanger.

[0071] The second condenser 37 may be connected to the first condenser 35 via a refrigerant line 21. The second condenser 37 may be disposed in front of the radiator 12 to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing into the second condenser 37 and the outside air. The second condenser 37 may be an air-cooled heat exchanger. An expansion valve 39 may be disposed in the refrigerant line 21 connecting the second condenser 37 and the evaporator 27. The expansion valve 39 may be configured to receive the refrigerant passing through the second condenser 37 and expand the refrigerant. A secondary heat exchanger 41 may be disposed in the refrigerant line 21 between the evaporator 27 and the accumulator 33. The refrigerant line 21 connecting the second condenser 37 and the expansion valve 39 and the refrigerant line 21 connecting the evaporator 27 and the accumulator 33 may be connected to the secondary heat exchanger 41, respectively.

[0072] Therefore, the secondary heat exchanger 41 can be configured to further condense the refrigerant condensed in the second condenser 37 by exchanging heat with the low-temperature refrigerant discharged from the evaporator 27, allowing the refrigerant to flow into the expansion valve 39. The secondary heat exchanger 41 can be a double-pipe heat exchanger. Specifically, the heat pump system 1 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a battery coolant line 101, a cooler 110, and an integrated control valve 34.

[0073] First, the battery coolant line 101 can be connected to the battery module B. The coolant can circulate in the battery coolant line 101. The battery module B is configured to supply power to the electrical device 15. The battery module B can be formed as a water-cooled type cooled by the coolant. In other words, the battery module B can be selectively connected to the coolant line 11 of the cooling device 10 via the battery coolant line 101, and the coolant can circulate inside the battery module B based on the operation of the second water pump 103. The second water pump 103 can be arranged in the battery coolant line 101 between the cooler 110 and the battery module B. The second water pump 103 can be configured to circulate the coolant through the battery coolant line 101. Both the first water pump 14 and the second water pump 103 can be electric water pumps.

[0074] The cooler 110 may be disposed in the battery coolant line 101 and may be connected to the refrigerant line 21 via a connecting line 111. The cooler 110 may be configured to adjust the temperature of the coolant by selectively exchanging heat between the coolant flowing into the cooler 110 and the refrigerant. Furthermore, the cooler 110 may be configured to heat the high-temperature coolant flowing into the cooler by recovering waste heat from the heat generated by the electrical device 15 or the electrical device 15 and the battery module B, and to exchange heat between the coolant and the refrigerant, thereby increasing the temperature of the refrigerant.

[0075] A connecting line 111 connected to the cooler 110 can be connected to the refrigerant line 21 between the evaporator 27 and the secondary heat exchanger 41. Furthermore, the connecting line 111 can be connected to the refrigerant line 21 between the evaporator 27 and the secondary heat exchanger 41, so that the refrigerant passing through the cooler 110 can be supplied to the accumulator 33. A heater 105 can be provided in the battery coolant line 101 between the battery module B and the cooler 110. When it is necessary to increase the temperature of the battery module B, the heater 105 can be turned on (by the controller) to heat the coolant circulating in the battery coolant line 101, so that the coolant with the increased temperature can be supplied to the battery module B.

[0076] In addition, the heater 105 can be selectively turned on in the vehicle's heating mode or heating / dehumidification mode to heat the coolant circulating in the battery coolant line 101. Specifically, the cooling device 10 can be selectively connected to the battery coolant line 101 via a first valve V1. The first valve V1 can be provided between the radiator 12 and the cooler 110 to selectively connect the coolant line 11 connected to the electrical device 15 and the battery coolant line 101.

[0077] A first branch line 120 may be provided, which is connected to the battery coolant line 101 via a first valve V1 and selectively connects the cooler 110 and the battery module B based on the operation of the first valve V1. In other words, the first branch line 120 can selectively connect the corresponding battery coolant line 101 between the cooler 110 and the battery module B. Therefore, the battery coolant line 101 can form a closed loop independent of the cooling device 10 through the first branch line 120. The first valve V1 can selectively connect the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 101, or selectively connect the battery coolant line 101 and the first branch line 120 to regulate the flow of coolant. In other words, when cooling the battery module B using the coolant cooled in the radiator 12, the first valve V1 can connect the coolant line 11 connected to the radiator 12 to the battery coolant line 101 and can close the first branch line 120. In addition, when increasing the temperature of the battery module B, or when cooling the battery module B using the coolant exchanging heat with the refrigerant, the first valve V1 may open the first branch line 120 and may block the connection between the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 101 .

[0078] Therefore, the low-temperature coolant, having completed heat exchange with the refrigerant in the cooler 110 , can flow into the battery module B along the battery coolant line 101 via the first branch line 120 opened by the first valve V1, thereby effectively cooling the battery module B. When the temperature of the battery module B increases, the coolant circulating along the battery coolant line 101 can be prevented from flowing into the radiator 12 by the operation of the first valve V1, thereby allowing the coolant heated by the operation of the battery module B to flow into the battery module B, thereby quickly increasing the temperature of the battery module B.

[0079] In this exemplary embodiment, a second valve V2 may be provided in the coolant line 11 between the electrical device 15 and the radiator 12. An integrated control valve 34 may be connected to the refrigerant line 21 and the connecting line 111, respectively, to adjust the flow direction of the refrigerant circulating in the air conditioner 20 and selectively expand the refrigerant passing through the integrated control valve 34. The integrated control valve 34 may be connected to the refrigerant line 21 connecting the interior condenser 23 and the first condenser 35, and to the refrigerant line 21 connecting the second condenser 37 and the evaporator 27, respectively. When the refrigerant is used to cool the battery module in the vehicle's cooling mode, the integrated control valve 34 may open the connecting line 111.

[0080] In particular, the integrated control valve 34 can allow the refrigerant in an expanded state to flow into the connecting line 111. When the refrigerant is used to cool the battery module B, the integrated control valve 34 can expand the refrigerant supplied from the second condenser 37 via the refrigerant line 21, and then discharge the refrigerant to the connecting line 111 to flow into the cooler 110. Therefore, since the refrigerant discharged from the second condenser 37 can expand in the integrated control valve 34 and its temperature can be reduced, and the refrigerant with reduced temperature can flow into the cooler 110, the temperature of the coolant passing through the inside of the cooler 110 can be further reduced.

[0081] The coolant, whose temperature has been lowered by passing through the cooler 110, can then flow into the battery module B. Consequently, the battery module B can be cooled more efficiently. Furthermore, the integrated control valve 34 can open the connecting line 111 in the vehicle's heating mode or heating / dehumidification mode. Furthermore, when cooling of the battery module B is not required in the vehicle's cooling mode, the integrated control valve 34 can close the connecting line 111 connected to the cooler 110.

[0082] In this exemplary embodiment, a third valve V3, which selectively connects the battery coolant line 101 connected to the battery module B, may be provided in the coolant line 11 into which the coolant discharged from the radiator 12 flows. A second branch line 130, which connects the radiator 12 and the electrical device 15 via the third valve V3, may be provided in the refrigerant line 101 connected between the electrical device 15 and the first valve V1. In this exemplary embodiment, when the refrigerant is used to cool the battery module B, the first valve V1 and the third valve V3 may block the connection between the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 101, and may open the first branch line 120 and the second branch line 130, respectively.

[0083] Furthermore, when coolant is used to cool electrical device 15, third valve V3 can block the connection between coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101 and open second branch line 130. In other words, coolant cooled in radiator 12 can flow into electrical device 15 through second branch line 130, thereby rapidly cooling electrical device 15. When coolant is used to cool battery module B in heat exchange with the refrigerant, or when battery module B is being preheated or heated, third valve V3 can open second branch line 130 and block the connection between coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101.

[0084] A third branch line 140 may be provided in the cooling device 10. The third branch line 140 is selectively connected to the coolant line 11 via the second valve V2 and configured to circulate the coolant passing through the electrical device 15 to the coolant line 11 connected thereto via the second valve V2, rather than the radiator 12. In the vehicle's heating mode or heating / dehumidification mode, the third branch line 140 may be opened by the operation of the second valve V2. Simultaneously, the second valve V2 may close the coolant line 11 connected to the radiator 12.

[0085] Therefore, when cooling the electrical device 15, the coolant heated can flow along the third branch line 140 into the coolant line 11 without passing through the radiator 12. The heated coolant can then flow into the cooler 110 along the battery coolant line 101 connected by the operation of the third valve V3, through the battery module B. In other words, the cooler 110 can be selectively connected to the coolant line 11 through the operation of the first valve V1, the second valve V2, and the third valve V3 to recover waste heat generated from the electrical device 15 or from the electrical device 15 and the battery module B in the vehicle's heating mode. When recovering waste heat from the battery module B and the electrical device 15 in the vehicle's heating mode, the third branch line 140 can be opened by operating the second valve V2 while the coolant line 11 connected to the radiator 12 is closed. It is worth noting that the valves described herein can be operated by a controller.

[0086] The reservoir 16 may be provided in the coolant line 11 between the radiator 12 and the third valve V3. The reservoir 16 may be configured to store cooled coolant flowing out of the radiator 12. The reservoir 16 may be connected to the third branch line 140 via the second valve V2 provided in the coolant line 11 between the radiator 12 and the electrical device 15. Furthermore, the reservoir 16 may be connected to the first branch line 120 via the vent line 150. The vent line 150 may discharge bubbles generated in the coolant passing through the first branch line 120 into the reservoir 16 to maintain pressure balance between the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 101, or may allow bubbles generated and collected in the coolant circulating in the coolant line 11 to flow into the first branch line 120.

[0087] In addition, when the coolant is not circulating in the coolant line 11 and the battery module B is cooled using the coolant that exchanges heat with the refrigerant, the exhaust line 150 can allow some bubbles contained in the coolant passing through the first branch line 120 to flow into the reservoir 16, thereby preventing a pressure difference from occurring between the coolant line 11 and the first branch line 120.

[0088] In the present exemplary embodiment, it is exemplarily described that the reservoir tank 16 is provided in the coolant line 11 between the radiator 12 and the battery module B, and the exhaust line 150 is connected to the first branch line 120, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the reservoir tank 16 may be provided in the battery cooling water line 101 between the radiator 12 and the battery module B, and in this case, the exhaust line 150 may be connected to the second branch line 130. In the present exemplary embodiment, the first valve V1, the second valve V2, and the third valve V3 configured as described above may each be a three-way valve capable of distributing flow rates.

[0089] In the following, reference will be made to Figures 2 to 7 The operation and function of each mode of the heat pump system 1 for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail. First, in the heat pump system 1 for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, reference will be made to Figure 2 Operation of a cooling mode for a vehicle is described.

[0090] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an operation state of a cooling mode of a vehicle in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 , the cooling device 10 may be operated to cool the electrical equipment 15. The cooling device may be operated by a controller having a processor and a memory.

[0091] Specifically, third valve V3 connects coolant line 11 connected to radiator 12 and second branch line 130, while blocking the connection to battery coolant line 101. First valve V1 blocks the connection between battery coolant line 101 and coolant line 11, while simultaneously closing first branch line 120. In this situation, second valve V2 opens coolant line 11 connecting radiator 12 and electrical device 15 and closes third branch line 140. Coolant line 11 can then be connected to second branch line 130 through the operation of first valve V1, second valve V2, and third valve V3, forming a closed loop separate from battery coolant line 101.

[0092] Therefore, the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 can be circulated in the coolant line 11 and the second branch line 130 by the operation of the first water pump 14 to cool the electrical equipment 15. Specifically, the circulation of the coolant in the battery coolant line 101 can be stopped. In other words, the cooled coolant discharged from the radiator 12 can pass through the electrical equipment 15 through the coolant line 11 and the second branch line 130 and can flow into the radiator 12 again. The exhaust line 150 can allow bubbles generated and collected in the coolant circulating in the coolant line 11 to flow into the first branch line 120, thereby maintaining the pressure balance in the coolant line 11.

[0093] The air conditioner 20 can be configured to circulate refrigerant along the refrigerant line 21 to cool the vehicle interior. Specifically, the integrated control valve 34 can block the connecting line 111 to regulate the flow of refrigerant. Therefore, the refrigerant can be discharged from the second condenser 37 by the operation of the integrated control valve 34, and can flow in the refrigerant line 21 to cool the interior of the vehicle, and then can subsequently pass through the expansion valve 39, the evaporator 27, the accumulator 33, the compressor 31, the interior condenser 23, and the first condenser 35.

[0094] Specifically, the outside air flowing into the HVAC module 22 can be cooled by the low-temperature refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 27 when passing through the evaporator 27. A portion of the opening / closing door 29 passing through the interior condenser 23 can be closed (for example, the door opening toward the interior condenser can be partially closed) to prevent the cooled outside air from passing through the interior condenser 23 and the interior heater 25. Therefore, the cooled outside air can flow directly into the vehicle interior, thereby cooling the vehicle interior. The refrigerant can then pass through the first condenser 35 to flow into the second condenser 37, and can be condensed by heat exchange with the outside air when passing through the second condenser 35. In other words, the refrigerant can cool the interior of the vehicle while repeating the above process in the cooling mode of the vehicle.

[0095] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 3Operation according to the heating mode of the vehicle is described. Figure 3 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation state of a vehicle in a heating mode in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 In a heating mode of the vehicle, the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 101 may be connected by operation of the first valve V1 and the third valve V3 , and the first branch line 120 and the second branch line 130 may be closed.

[0096] Specifically, the second valve V2 can close the connection of the coolant line 11 and simultaneously open the third branch line 140 to disconnect the electrical device 15 from the radiator 12. Therefore, the cooling device 10 can form a closed loop connected to the battery coolant line 101 via the second branch line 130 and the third branch line 140 closed by the operation of the first valve V1 and the third valve V3, as well as the coolant line 11.

[0097] Therefore, the temperature of the coolant circulating in the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 101 may be increased due to the waste heat generated in the electric device 15 and the battery module B. The coolant with the increased temperature may circulate through the operation of the first water pump 14 and the second water pump 103 and may pass through the chiller 110. On the other hand, in the air conditioner 20, the refrigerant may pass through the compressor 31 and the interior condenser 23 along the refrigerant line 21 and may then flow into the integrated control valve 34.

[0098] The integrated control valve 34 can close the refrigerant line 21 connected to the first condenser 35 and the second condenser 37. Therefore, the refrigerant passing through the internal condenser 23 can flow into the cooler 110 through the connecting line 111 opened by the operation of the integrated control valve 34. In addition, the integrated control valve 34 can be configured to discharge the refrigerant to the connecting line 111 without expanding the refrigerant. Therefore, the refrigerant discharged from the internal condenser 23 can flow to the connecting line 111 by the operation of the integrated control valve 34.

[0099] The refrigerant can then flow into the cooler 110 through the connecting line 111 and can perform heat exchange with the heated coolant flowing into the cooler 110. In other words, the waste heat generated in the electrical device 15 and the battery module B can increase the temperature of the refrigerant in the cooler 110. The refrigerant with a raised temperature can flow into the refrigerant line 21 connected to the secondary heat exchanger 41. Therefore, the refrigerant with a raised temperature can pass through the secondary heat exchanger 41 and the accumulator 33, and then can flow into the compressor 31.

[0100] The refrigerant is compressed at a high temperature and high pressure by the compressor 31 and flows into the interior condenser 23. Specifically, the opening / closing door 29 can be opened to allow outside air to flow into the HVAC module 22 and pass through the evaporator 27 to pass through the interior condenser 23. Thus, the outside air introduced from the outside can flow at room temperature, which would not be cooled by passing through the evaporator 27 without refrigerant supply. The introduced outside air can be converted to a high temperature while passing through the interior condenser 23 and can be flowed into the interior of the vehicle by selectively operating the interior heater 25, thereby heating the interior of the vehicle.

[0101] In other words, in the vehicle's heating mode, the heat pump system 1 according to this exemplary embodiment can use the waste heat generated by the electrical equipment 15 and battery module B to increase the temperature of the refrigerant, thereby reducing the power consumption of the compressor 31 and improving heating efficiency. When collecting only the waste heat generated by the battery module B, the connection between the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 101 can be blocked by operating the first valve V1 and the third valve V3, and the first branch line 120 and the second branch line 130 can be opened. As a result, the cooler 110 can be connected to the battery coolant line 101 via the first branch line 120.

[0102] In addition, the coolant whose temperature is increased due to the waste heat generated in the battery module B can pass through the cooler 110 by the operation of the second water pump 103. In other words, the waste heat generated in the battery module B can increase the temperature of the refrigerant in the cooler 110. The refrigerant with a temperature increase can flow into the refrigerant line 21 connected to the secondary heat exchanger 41. Therefore, the refrigerant with a temperature increase can pass through the secondary heat exchanger 41 and the accumulator 33, and then can flow into the compressor 31.

[0103] The refrigerant can be compressed in a high temperature state and a high pressure state by the compressor 31 and can flow into the interior condenser 23. Specifically, the opening / closing door 29 can be opened so that outside air flows into the HVAC module 22 and passes through the evaporator 27 to pass through the interior condenser 23. Therefore, the outside air introduced from the outside can flow in a room temperature state, in which the outside air is not cooled when passing through the evaporator 27 without supplying refrigerant. The introduced outside air can be converted into a high temperature state while passing through the interior condenser 23 and flow into the vehicle interior by selectively operating the interior heater 25, thereby heating the vehicle interior. In other words, the heat pump system 1 according to this exemplary embodiment can be used to heat the interior of the vehicle by selectively using the waste heat of the electrical equipment 15 and the battery module B or the waste heat of the battery module B.

[0104] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 4 An operation of cooling the battery module B using the coolant is described. Figure 4FIG. 1 shows an operation state diagram for cooling a battery module using a refrigerant in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 , the cooling device 10 can be operated to cool the electrical equipment 15.

[0105] Specifically, first valve V1 can open first branch line 120 and close the connection between coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101. Third valve V3 can close the connection between coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101 and open second branch line 130. Second valve V2 can close third branch line 140 and open coolant line 11 connecting radiator 12 and electrical device 15. Thus, coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101 can form a closed loop, in which coolant can circulate independently through first branch line 120 and second branch line 130, respectively.

[0106] In other words, the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 can circulate in the coolant line 11 and the second branch line 130 to cool the electric device 15 by the operation of the first water pump 14. In addition, the coolant passing through the cooler 110 can circulate in the battery coolant line 101 and the first branch line 120 to cool the battery module B by the operation of the second water pump 103. The coolant circulating in the battery coolant line 101 can exchange heat with the refrigerant in the cooler 110 and be cooled, and can be supplied to the battery module B. Therefore, the battery module B can be cooled by the cooled coolant.

[0107] Exhaust line 150 can discharge bubbles generated in the coolant passing through first branch line 120 into reservoir tank 16 to maintain pressure balance between coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101, or can allow bubbles generated and collected in the coolant circulating in coolant line 11 to flow into first branch line 120. Air conditioner 20 can be configured to circulate refrigerant along refrigerant line 21. Specifically, integrated control valve 34 can open connecting line 111. As a result, refrigerant that has sequentially passed through first condenser 35 and second condenser 37 can flow into connecting line 111.

[0108] The refrigerant flowing into the connecting line 111 may flow into the cooler 110. The integrated control valve 34 may allow the refrigerant in an expanded state to flow into the connecting line 111. Therefore, the refrigerant discharged from the second condenser 37 may be expanded to enter a low temperature and low pressure state by the operation of the integrated control valve 34, and may flow into the cooler 110 connected to the connecting line 111.

[0109] Thereafter, the refrigerant flowing into the cooler 110 can exchange heat with the coolant, pass through the secondary heat exchanger 41 and the accumulator 33, and then flow into the compressor 31. In other words, the coolant, whose temperature has risen when cooling the battery module B, can be cooled by heat exchange with the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant in the cooler 110. The cooled coolant can be supplied to the battery module B again through the battery coolant line 101. In other words, by repeating the above operation, the battery B can be effectively cooled by the coolant.

[0110] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 5 The operation of cooling the battery module in the cooling mode of the vehicle is described. Figure 5 An operation state diagram for cooling a battery module in a cooling mode of a vehicle in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 5 , the cooling device 10 can be operated to cool the electrical equipment 15.

[0111] Specifically, first valve V1 can open first branch line 120 and close the connection between coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101. Third valve V3 can close the connection between coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101 and open second branch line 130. Second valve V2 can close third branch line 140 and open coolant line 11 connecting radiator 12 and electrical device 15. Thus, coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101 can form a closed loop, in which coolant can circulate independently through first branch line 120 and second branch line 130, respectively.

[0112] In other words, the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 can circulate in the coolant line 11 and the second branch line 130 to cool the electric device 15 by the operation of the first water pump 14. In addition, the coolant passing through the cooler 110 can circulate in the battery coolant line 101 and the first branch line 120 to cool the battery module B by the operation of the second water pump 103. The coolant circulating in the battery coolant line 101 can exchange heat with the refrigerant in the cooler 110 and be cooled, and can be supplied to the battery module B. Therefore, the battery module B can be cooled by the cooled coolant.

[0113] Vent line 150 can discharge bubbles generated in the coolant passing through first branch line 120 into reservoir tank 16 to maintain pressure balance between coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101, or can allow bubbles generated and collected in the coolant circulating in coolant line 11 to flow into first branch line 120. Meanwhile, air conditioner 20 can be configured to circulate refrigerant along refrigerant line 21 to cool the vehicle interior, thereby cooling the vehicle interior. Furthermore, integrated control valve 34 can connect interior condenser 23 to first condenser 35 and second condenser 37, and also to second condenser 37 and evaporator 27.

[0114] At the same time, the integrated control valve 34 can open the connecting line 111. Therefore, some of the refrigerant that has sequentially passed through the first condenser 35 and the second condenser 37 can flow into the connecting line 111 (e.g., a first amount of refrigerant), and the remaining refrigerant can flow into the evaporator 27 (e.g., a second amount of refrigerant). The refrigerant flowing into the connecting line 111 can flow into the cooler 110. Specifically, the integrated control valve 34 can allow the refrigerant in an expanded state to flow into the connecting line 111. Therefore, among the refrigerant discharged from the second condenser 37, the refrigerant flowing into the connecting line 111 can expand by the operation of the integrated control valve 34 to enter a low-temperature and low-pressure state, and can flow into the cooler 110 connected to the connecting line 111.

[0115] Afterwards, the refrigerant flowing into the cooler 110 can exchange heat with the coolant, pass through the secondary heat exchanger 41 and the accumulator 33, and then flow into the compressor 31. In other words, the coolant, whose temperature has increased when cooling the battery module B, can be cooled by heat exchange with the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant in the cooler 110. The cooled coolant can be supplied to the battery module B again through the battery coolant line 101. In other words, when the above operation can be repeated, the battery B can be effectively cooled by the coolant.

[0116] On the other hand, the remaining refrigerant discharged from the second condenser 37 can flow through the refrigerant line 21 to cool the vehicle interior, and sequentially passes through the secondary heat exchanger 41, the expansion valve 39, the evaporator 27, the accumulator 33, the compressor 31, and the interior condenser 23. Specifically, the outside air flowing into the HVAC module 22 can be cooled by the low-temperature refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 27 while passing through the evaporator 27. A portion of the opening / closing door 29 passing through the interior condenser 23 can be closed to prevent the cooled outside air from passing through the interior condenser 23 and the interior heater 25. In other words, the door that opens toward the interior condenser and enters the interior condenser can be partially closed. As a result, the cooled outside air can flow directly into the vehicle interior, thereby cooling the vehicle interior.

[0117] Thereafter, the refrigerant may exchange heat with the coolant of the radiator 12 while passing through the first condenser 35, and may be condensed by heat exchange with the outside air while passing through the second condenser 37. In other words, while repeating the above process, the refrigerant may cool the interior of the vehicle in the cooling mode of the vehicle, and at the same time, may be cooled by heat exchange while passing through the cooler 110.

[0118] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 6 Describe the operation of the vehicle's heating / dehumidification mode. Figure 6 1 shows an operation state diagram of a heating / dehumidification mode in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 In the heating / dehumidification mode of the vehicle, the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 101 may be connected by the operation of the first valve V1 and the third valve V3 , and the first branch line 120 and the second branch line 130 may be closed.

[0119] Second valve V2 can close the connection of coolant line 11 and simultaneously open third branch line 140 to isolate electrical device 15 from radiator 12. Thus, cooling device 10 can form a closed loop connected to battery coolant line 101 and coolant line 11, wherein the closed loop is connected to battery coolant line 101 via second branch line 130 and third branch line 140, which are closed by operation of first valve V1 and third valve V3. Therefore, the temperature of the coolant circulating in coolant line 11 and battery coolant line 101 can be increased due to waste heat generated by electrical device 15 and waste heat generated by battery module B. The increased temperature of the coolant can be circulated by operation of first water pump 14 and second water pump 103 and can pass through chiller 110.

[0120] On the other hand, in the air conditioner 20, the refrigerant can pass through the compressor 31 and the interior condenser 23 along the refrigerant line 21, and then, by the operation of the integrated control valve 34, some of the refrigerant can flow into the connecting line 111 and the rest thereof can flow into the evaporator 27. Specifically, the integrated control valve 34 can close the refrigerant line 21 connected to the first condenser 35 and the second condenser 37. In addition, the integrated control valve 34 can be configured to discharge the refrigerant to the connecting line 111 without expanding the refrigerant. Therefore, some of the refrigerant discharged from the interior condenser 23 can flow to the connecting line 111 by the operation of the integrated control valve 34.

[0121] The refrigerant may then flow into the cooler 110 through the connecting line 111 and may perform heat exchange with the heated coolant in the cooler 110. In other words, the waste heat generated in the electrical device 15 and the battery module B may increase the temperature of the refrigerant in the cooler 110. The refrigerant with the increased temperature may pass through the secondary heat exchanger 41 and the accumulator 33 through the connecting line 111, and may then flow into the compressor 31. The refrigerant may be compressed in a high temperature and high pressure state by the compressor 31 and flow into the internal condenser 23.

[0122] Furthermore, the remaining refrigerant discharged from the interior condenser 23 passes from the integrated control valve 34 along the refrigerant line 21 in sequence through the sub-heat exchanger 41, the expansion valve 39, the evaporator 27, the accumulator 33, the compressor 31, and the interior condenser 23. In other words, the remaining refrigerant discharged from the integrated control valve 34 can flow into the evaporator 27 in an expanded state in the expansion valve 39. Specifically, the sub-heat exchanger 41 can also condense the refrigerant passing through the integrated control valve 34 by heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant discharged from the evaporator 27, so as to flow into the expansion valve 39.

[0123] In this state, the open / close door 29 can be opened to allow outside air to flow into the HVAC module 22 and pass through the evaporator 27 to pass through the interior condenser 23. Therefore, the outside air flowing into the HVAC module 22 can be dehumidified by the low-temperature refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 27 while passing through the evaporator 27. Thereafter, the outside air can be converted to a high-temperature state while passing through the interior condenser 23 and flow into the vehicle interior by selectively operating the interior heater 25, thereby heating / dehumidifying the vehicle interior. In other words, in the vehicle's heating / dehumidification mode, the heat pump system 1 according to this exemplary embodiment can use the waste heat generated in the electrical equipment 15 and the battery module B to increase the temperature of the refrigerant, thereby reducing the power consumption of the compressor 31 and improving heating efficiency.

[0124] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 7 The operation of cooling the battery module B in the heating / dehumidification mode of the vehicle is described. Figure 7 FIG. 1 shows an operation state diagram for cooling a battery module in a heating / dehumidification mode in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 , in the heating / dehumidification mode of the vehicle, when the battery module B is cooled, the connection between the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 101 can be blocked by the operation of the first valve V1 and the third valve V3, and the first branch line 120 and the second branch line 130 can be opened.

[0125] Second valve V2 can close the connection to coolant line 11 and simultaneously open third branch line 140 to disconnect electrical device 15 from radiator 12. Thus, cooling device 10 forms a closed loop, which is separate from battery coolant line 101 and coolant line 11. This closed loop is separated from battery coolant line 101 by second branch line 130 and third branch line 140, which are opened by operation of first valve V1 and third valve V3. Furthermore, battery coolant line 101, together with first branch line 120, can circulate coolant through battery module B and cooler 110, forming a closed loop separate from coolant line 11.

[0126] The coolant passing through the cooler 110 can circulate through the battery coolant line 101 and the first branch line 120 to cool the battery module B by operating the second water pump 103. The coolant circulating in the battery coolant line 101 can exchange heat with the refrigerant in the cooler 110 and be cooled, and can be supplied to the battery module B. As a result, the battery module B can be cooled by the cooled coolant. The exhaust line 150 can discharge bubbles generated in the coolant passing through the first branch line 120 into the reservoir 16 to maintain pressure balance between the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 101, or can allow bubbles generated and collected in the coolant circulating in the coolant line 11 to flow into the first branch line 120.

[0127] On the other hand, in the air conditioner 20, the refrigerant may pass through the compressor 31 and the interior condenser 23 along the refrigerant line 21, and then, by operation of the integrated control valve 34, a first portion of the refrigerant may flow into the connecting line 111 and a second portion (e.g., the remaining portion) of the refrigerant may flow into the evaporator 27. At the same time, the integrated control valve 34 may close the refrigerant line 21 connected to the first condenser 35 and the second condenser 37.

[0128] The refrigerant flowing into the connecting line 111 may flow into the cooler 110. Specifically, the integrated control valve 34 may allow the refrigerant in an expanded state to flow into the connecting line 111. Therefore, some of the refrigerant discharged from the internal condenser 23 may expand by operation of the integrated control valve 34 to enter a low temperature and low pressure state and flow into the cooler 110 connected to the connecting line 111.

[0129] Thereafter, the refrigerant flowing into cooler 110 can exchange heat with the coolant, pass through secondary heat exchanger 41 and accumulator 33 via connecting line 111, and then flow into compressor 31. The refrigerant can be compressed at a high temperature and high pressure by compressor 31 and flow into internal condenser 23. In other words, the coolant, whose temperature rises when cooling battery module B, can be cooled by heat exchange with the low temperature and low pressure refrigerant within cooler 110. The cooled coolant can be supplied to battery module B again via battery coolant line 101. Therefore, by repeating the above operation, battery B can be effectively cooled by the coolant circulating in battery coolant line 101.

[0130] On the other hand, the remaining refrigerant discharged from the interior condenser 23 may pass from the integrated control valve 34 along the refrigerant line 21 in sequence through the sub-heat exchanger 41, the expansion valve 39, the evaporator 27, the accumulator 33, the compressor 31, and the interior condenser 23. In other words, the remaining refrigerant discharged from the integrated control valve 34 may flow into the evaporator 27 in an expanded state in the expansion valve 39. The sub-heat exchanger 41 may be configured to further condense the refrigerant passing through the integrated control valve 34 by heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant discharged from the evaporator 27, so as to flow into the expansion valve 39.

[0131] In this state, the opening / closing door 29 can be opened to allow outside air to flow into the HVAC module 22 and pass through the evaporator 27 to pass through the interior condenser 23. Therefore, the outside air flowing into the HVAC module 22 can be dehumidified by the low-temperature refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 27 while passing through the evaporator 27. Thereafter, the outside air can be converted into a high-temperature state while passing through the interior condenser 23 and can flow into the vehicle interior by selectively operating the interior heater 25, thereby heating / dehumidifying the vehicle interior.

[0132] While this exemplary embodiment has been described as one in which waste heat from both the electrical device 15 and the battery module B can be recovered in the vehicle's heating mode, the present invention is not limited thereto, and waste heat generated in the battery module B can be recovered in either the heating mode or the heating / dehumidification mode. Furthermore, when it is necessary to increase the temperature of the battery module B, the heater 105 can be turned on, thereby heating the coolant circulating in the battery coolant line 101 and allowing it to flow into the battery module B.

[0133] Therefore, when the heat pump system 100 for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention described above is applied, by using a single cooler 110 in which the coolant and the refrigerant perform heat exchange in an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, the temperature of the battery module B can be increased or decreased based on the vehicle mode, thereby simplifying the system. In addition, the battery module B can be efficiently heated and cooled according to the vehicle mode, so that the battery module B can operate at an optimal performance state, and the total mileage of the vehicle can be increased by effectively managing the battery module B.

[0134] Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, by utilizing an integrated control valve 34 for regulating refrigerant flow, the number of valves used to regulate refrigerant flow can be reduced. Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a single cooler 110 can selectively recover waste heat from electrical equipment 15 and battery module B, thereby reducing power consumption of compressor 31 and improving heating efficiency. Furthermore, by simplifying the overall system associated therewith, the heat pump system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can reduce manufacturing costs and weight, and improve space utilization.

[0135] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A heat pump system for a vehicle, comprising: a battery coolant line connected to the battery module and into which coolant flows; a cooling device including a radiator and a first water pump connected to a coolant line to circulate coolant in the coolant line to cool the electrical equipment, wherein the cooling device is selectively connected to the battery coolant line via a first valve; a cooler provided in the battery coolant line, connected to a refrigerant line of an air conditioner via a connecting line, and configured to adjust a temperature of the coolant or increase a temperature of the refrigerant by selectively exchanging heat between the coolant and the refrigerant flowing into the cooler; and an integrated control valve connected to the refrigerant line and the connecting line to adjust a flow direction of the refrigerant circulating in the air conditioner and selectively expand the refrigerant passing through an interior of the integrated control valve, Wherein, the air conditioner comprises: a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning module connected to the air conditioner via the refrigerant line and having a door provided therein to allow outside air to selectively flow through the evaporator into the interior condenser according to cooling, heating, and heating / dehumidification modes of the vehicle; a compressor connected between the evaporator and the internal condenser via the refrigerant line; an accumulator disposed in the refrigerant line between the compressor and the evaporator; a first condenser connected to the internal condenser via the refrigerant line and disposed inside the radiator, the radiator being connected to the first water pump via the coolant line; a second condenser connected to the first condenser through the refrigerant line and disposed at the front of the vehicle; and an expansion valve, provided in the refrigerant line connecting the second condenser and the evaporator, wherein the connecting line is connected to the accumulator to allow the refrigerant passing through the cooler to be supplied to the accumulator, wherein, when cooling the battery module using the refrigerant, the integrated control valve expands the refrigerant supplied from the second condenser through the refrigerant line and then discharges the refrigerant to the connecting line to flow into the cooler, wherein the refrigerant line connecting the internal condenser and the first condenser and the refrigerant line connecting the second condenser and the evaporator are respectively connected to the integrated control valve, wherein the integrated control valve is configured to close the refrigerant lines connected to the first condenser and the second condenser in a heating mode or a heating / dehumidification mode; The connecting pipeline is connected from the integrated control valve to the accumulator through the cooler and the secondary heat exchanger.

2. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: A sub-heat exchanger is provided between the evaporator and the accumulator, and the refrigerant line connecting the integrated control valve and the expansion valve and the refrigerant line connecting the evaporator and the accumulator are respectively connected to the sub-heat exchanger.

3. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: The secondary heat exchanger is a double-pipe heat exchanger.

4. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: The sub-heat exchanger is configured to further condense the refrigerant condensed in the second condenser by exchanging heat with the low-temperature refrigerant discharged from the evaporator to flow into the expansion valve.

5. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein The first valve is provided between the radiator and the cooler to selectively connect the coolant line connected to the electric device and the battery coolant line connected to the battery module. a first branch line provided in the battery coolant line, wherein the first branch line is connected to the battery coolant line through the first valve and selectively connects the cooler and the battery module according to operation of the first valve; A second valve is provided in the coolant line between the electrical device and the radiator, A third valve selectively connecting the battery coolant line is provided in the coolant line into which the coolant exhausted from the radiator flows. a second branch line connecting the radiator and the electric device via the third valve is provided in the coolant line connected between the electric device and the first valve, and The third branch line selectively connected to the coolant line through the second valve circulates the coolant passing through the electric device to the coolant line connected to the third branch line via the second valve without passing through the radiator.

6. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein: When the battery module is cooled, the first valve and the third valve block the connection of the coolant line and the battery coolant line and open the first branch line and the second branch line.

7. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein: In the heating mode or the heating / dehumidification mode of the vehicle, the third branch line is opened by operation of the second valve.

8. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising: a liquid reservoir provided in the coolant line between the radiator and the third valve, The liquid storage tank is connected to the third branch line and is connected to the first branch line through an exhaust line.

9. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein: The exhaust line discharges bubbles generated in the coolant into the reservoir tank through the first branch line to maintain pressure balance between the coolant line and the battery coolant line, or allows bubbles generated and collected in the coolant circulating in the coolant line to flow into the first branch line.

10. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein The cooler is selectively connected to the coolant line via the third branch line opened by operation of the second valve to recover waste heat generated from the electric device or from the electric device and the battery module in the heating mode of the vehicle.

11. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein The first condenser is a water-cooled heat exchanger, and the second condenser is an air-cooled heat exchanger.

12. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein When the refrigerant is used to cool the battery module in the cooling mode of the vehicle, the integrated control valve opens the connecting line in the heating mode or the heating / dehumidification mode of the vehicle, and when the cooling of the battery module is not required in the cooling mode of the vehicle, the integrated control valve closes the connecting line connected to the cooler.

13. The heat pump system for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: a second water pump disposed in the battery coolant line between the cooler and the battery module; as well as a heater provided in the battery coolant line between the battery module and the cooler, The heater is turned on when the temperature of the battery module increases, so that the coolant circulating in the battery coolant line is heated to flow into the battery module.

Images