Vehicle thermal management system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermal management system for a vehicle. The system may include: a cooling device, a battery cooling device, a chiller, and a heating circuit. The cooling device includes a radiator, a first water pump, a first valve, and a liquid storage tank connected through a coolant pipeline; the battery cooling device includes a battery coolant pipeline connected to the liquid storage tank through a second valve, and a second water pump and a battery module connected through the battery coolant pipeline; the chiller is arranged in a branch pipeline connected to the battery coolant pipeline through the second valve and connected to a refrigerant pipeline of an air conditioning device through a refrigerant connecting pipeline; the heating circuit includes a heater connected to the coolant pipeline and the branch pipeline through a first connecting pipeline and a second connecting pipeline.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0074084 filed on Jun. 21, 2019, the entire contents of which application is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a thermal management system for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a thermal management system for a vehicle that adjusts the temperature of a battery module by using a chiller that performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a coolant and improves heating efficiency by using waste heat generated by electrical components. Background Art

[0004] In recent years, as environmental and energy issues have become increasingly prominent, electric vehicles have become increasingly popular as a future means of transportation. Electric vehicles use a battery module that forms a battery pack with multiple rechargeable batteries as the main power source, so that they do not generate exhaust gas and have very low noise.

[0005] Such an electric vehicle is driven by a drive motor that is operated by power supplied from a battery module. In addition, the electric vehicle includes an electrical component for controlling and managing the drive motor and a plurality of electronic convenience devices and charging the battery module.

[0006] On the other hand, since batteries and electrical components as well as the drive motor used as the main power source of electric vehicles generate a lot of heat and require effective cooling, effective temperature management of electrical components and battery modules can be a very important issue.

[0007] Traditionally, separate cooling systems are used to regulate the temperature of electrical components and battery modules, but the cooling capacity of the cooling system needs to be increased according to the situation of the electrical components and battery modules, which leads to space limitations. In addition, when the cooling capacity of the cooling system increases, the power required to operate the cooling system also increases.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need to develop technology for effectively utilizing waste heat generated by electrical components and regulating the temperature of the electrical components and batteries to maximize energy efficiency while ensuring the durability of the electrical components and battery modules in electric vehicles.

[0009] The information contained in this Background of the Invention section is only intended to enhance understanding of the overall background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this information constitutes the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. Summary of the invention

[0010] Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a thermal management system for a vehicle that adjusts the temperature of a battery module by using a chiller that performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a coolant and improves heating efficiency by using waste heat generated by electrical components.

[0011] Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a thermal management system for a vehicle, comprising: a cooling device, a battery cooling device, a chiller, and a heating circuit, wherein the cooling device is configured to include a radiator, a first water pump, a first valve, and a reservoir tank connected by a coolant line so that the coolant circulates in the coolant line to cool at least one electrical component arranged in the coolant line; the battery cooling device is configured to include a battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank by a second valve and a second water pump and a battery module connected by the battery coolant line so that the coolant circulates through the battery module; the chiller is arranged in a branch line connected to the battery coolant line by the second valve and connected to a refrigerant line of an air conditioning device by a refrigerant connecting line to adjust the temperature of the coolant by heat exchange between the coolant selectively supplied to the branch line and the refrigerant selectively supplied by the air conditioning device; the heating circuit is configured to include a heater connected to the coolant line and the branch line by a first connecting line and a second connecting line to receive the coolant whose temperature rises when passing through the electrical component.

[0012] The first end of the first connecting pipeline can be connected to the coolant pipeline through the first valve and the second end of the first connecting pipeline can be connected to the heater; the first end of the second connecting pipeline can be connected to the branch pipeline between the second valve and the chiller and the second end of the second connecting pipeline can be connected to the heater, and the heater can be set in the HVAC module of the air-conditioning device.

[0013] The battery cooling device may further include a coolant heater provided in the battery coolant line between the battery module and the second valve.

[0014] When the battery module is heated, the branch line can be connected by operation of the second valve; based on the branch line, a part of the battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank can be shut off; by operation of the second water pump, the coolant can circulate along the battery coolant line and the branch line; the coolant heater can work to heat the coolant supplied to the battery module along the battery coolant line and the branch line.

[0015] The air conditioning device includes: an HVAC module, a condenser, a compressor, a sub-condenser, a first expansion valve and a second expansion valve, the HVAC module is configured to include an evaporator and a door, the evaporator is connected to the refrigerant line, the door is configured to control the external air passing through the evaporator to be selectively introduced into the heater according to the vehicle's cooling, heating and heating / dehumidification modes; the condenser is connected to the refrigerant line and the coolant line to perform heat exchange between the coolant and the refrigerant supplied through the refrigerant line; the compressor is connected between the evaporator and the condenser through the refrigerant line; the sub-condenser is arranged in the refrigerant line between the condenser and the evaporator; the first expansion valve is arranged in the refrigerant line between the sub-condenser and the evaporator; the second expansion valve is arranged in the refrigerant connecting line.

[0016] A first end portion of the refrigerant connecting line may be connected to the refrigerant line between the sub-condenser and the first expansion valve, and a second end portion of the refrigerant connecting line may be connected to the refrigerant line between the evaporator and the compressor.

[0017] Each of the chiller and the condenser may be a water-cooled heat exchanger, and the sub-condenser may be an air-cooled heat exchanger.

[0018] The HVAC module may further include an air heater disposed at an opposite side of the evaporator, the heater being disposed between the air heater and the evaporator to selectively heat external air passing through the heater.

[0019] When the temperature of the coolant supplied to the heater is lower than a target temperature for heating the vehicle interior, the air heater may operate to increase the temperature of the outside air passing through the heater.

[0020] When the battery module is cooled in the vehicle's cooling mode, in the cooling device, the coolant can circulate through the coolant pipeline by operating the first water pump; the first connecting pipeline can be shut off by operating the first valve to shut off the second connecting pipeline; the branch pipeline can be connected by operating the second valve, and in the battery cooling device, in a state where a part of the battery coolant pipeline connected to the storage tank relative to the branch pipeline is shut off, the coolant can circulate along the battery coolant pipeline and the branch pipeline by operating the second water pump; in the air-conditioning device, the refrigerant pipeline connecting the auxiliary condenser and the evaporator can be connected by operating the first expansion valve; the refrigerant connecting pipeline can be connected by operating the second expansion valve; the second expansion valve can expand the refrigerant supplied to the refrigerant connecting pipeline and supply the expanded refrigerant to the chiller.

[0021] When cooling the electrical components and the battery modules, the first connecting line, the second connecting line and the branch line can be shut off by operating the first valve and the second valve; the coolant cooled in the radiator and stored in the reservoir tank can be supplied to the electrical components by operating the first water pump; the coolant stored in the reservoir tank can circulate in the battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank to be supplied to the battery modules by operating the second valve.

[0022] When waste heat of electrical components is recovered in the heating mode of the vehicle, the first connecting line can be connected and the second connecting line can be connected by operating the first valve; in the cooling device, the part of the coolant line connected to the radiator based on the first connecting line and the part of the coolant line connecting the radiator and the reservoir can be shut off; the branch line can be connected by operating the second valve to shut off the battery coolant line except for the part of the battery coolant line connected to the reservoir relative to the branch line; some coolant whose temperature is raised by the electrical components can be supplied to the heater along the first connecting line without passing through the radiator by operating the first water pump; the coolant discharged from the heater can be introduced into the branch line along the second connecting line, and then can be introduced into the reservoir by a part of the battery coolant line that is connected to connect the branch line and the reservoir.

[0023] When the electric component is overheated, the first valve may connect the coolant line connected to the radiator so that some of the coolant passing through the electric component flows into the first connecting line and the rest of the coolant flows into the radiator.

[0024] Each of the first valve and the second valve may be a three-way valve configured to distribute flow.

[0025] The electrical components may include an electric power control unit (EPCU), a motor, an inverter or an on-board charger (OBC).

[0026] As described above, according to the thermal management system of a vehicle based on an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, by using a chiller that performs heat exchange between coolant and refrigerant, the temperature of the battery module can be adjusted according to the mode of the vehicle, and the interior of the vehicle can be heated by the use of coolant, thereby simplifying the entire system.

[0027] According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, heating efficiency can also be improved by recovering waste heat from electrical components and using it to heat the interior of the vehicle.

[0028] Furthermore, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to optimize the performance of the battery module by effectively controlling the temperature of the battery module, and to increase the total driving distance of the vehicle through effective management of the battery module.

[0029] In addition, the entire system can be simplified to reduce manufacturing cost and weight, and improve space utilization.

[0030] The methods and apparatus of the present invention have other features and advantages, which will be apparent from, or will be described in detail in, the accompanying drawings and subsequent detailed descriptions incorporated herein, which together serve to explain the specific principles of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 A block diagram of a thermal management system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0032] Figure 2 An operation state diagram of cooling electric components and a battery module by using a radiator in a thermal management system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0033] Figure 3 An operation state diagram is shown of cooling a battery module by using a refrigerant in a cooling mode of a vehicle in a thermal management system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 4 An operational state diagram of recovering waste heat of electric components in a heating mode of a vehicle in a thermal management system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0035] Figure 5 An operation state diagram of recovering waste heat of electric components and cooling the electric components in a heating mode of the vehicle in a thermal management system of the vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0036] Figure 6 A detailed perspective view illustrating a heating battery module in a thermal management system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0037] It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale, but are merely appropriately simplified representations of various features for illustrating the basic principles of the present invention. The specific design features of the present invention included herein (including, for example, specific dimensions, directions, locations and shapes) will be determined in part by the specific intended application and use environment.

[0038] In the drawings, like or equivalent parts are labeled with the same reference numerals throughout the several views of the drawing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Now will be shown in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, the examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings and are described as follows. Although the present invention will be described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that this specification is not intended to limit the present invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the present invention is intended to not only cover the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, but also cover various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments that may be included in the spirit and scope of the present invention defined by the appended claims.

[0040] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Since the exemplary embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the accompanying drawings are merely the most preferred exemplary embodiments and configurations of the present invention, they do not represent all of the technical concepts of the present invention, and it is understood that at the time of filing this application, various equivalent and modified examples that may replace the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are possible.

[0042] In order to clearly describe the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and the same or similar constituent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

[0043] Since the size and thickness of each configuration shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of description, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the configurations shown in the drawings, and an exaggerated thickness is shown in order to clearly show several components and regions.

[0044] In addition, throughout the specification, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprising” or “including”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.

[0045] In addition, terms such as “unit”, “means”, “component” and “member” described in the present specification refer to a unit of a comprehensive configuration having at least one function or operation.

[0046] Figure 1 A block diagram of a thermal management system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0047] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the thermal management system of the vehicle can adjust the temperature of the battery module 24 by using a chiller 40 for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the coolant, and can recover the waste heat generated by the electrical components 15 to utilize it to heat the interior of the vehicle.

[0048] This thermal management system can be applied to electric vehicles.

[0049] Reference Figure 1 The thermal management system may include: a cooling device 10 , a battery cooling device 20 , a heating circuit 30 and a chiller 40 .

[0050] First, the cooling device 10 includes a radiator 12 connected to a coolant line 11 , a first water pump 14 , a first valve V1 , and a liquid storage tank 16 .

[0051] The radiator 12 is mounted at the front of the vehicle, and the cooling fan 13 is mounted at the rear of the radiator 12 so that the coolant is cooled by the operation of the cooling fan 13 and heat exchange with the outside air.

[0052] In addition, the electric components 15 may include an electric power control unit (EPCU), a motor, an inverter, or an on-board charger (OBC).

[0053] The electrical component 15 configured as described above may be disposed in the coolant line 11 and cooled by water cooling.

[0054] Therefore, when the waste heat of the electric components 15 is recovered in the heating mode of the vehicle, the heat generated by the EPCU, the motor, the inverter, or the OBC may be recovered.

[0055] The cooling device 10 may circulate the coolant in the coolant line 11 , thereby supplying the coolant to the electric components 15 provided in the coolant line 11 .

[0056] The battery cooling device 20 includes a battery coolant line 21 connected to the reservoir tank 16 through a second valve V2 , a second water pump 22 connected to the battery coolant line 21 , and a battery module 24 .

[0057] The battery cooling device 20 may selectively circulate the coolant through the battery module 24 through operation of the second water pump 22 .

[0058] Here, the first water pump 14 and the second water pump 22 may each be an electric water pump.

[0059] Meanwhile, the battery cooling device 20 may further include a coolant heater 26 provided in the battery coolant line 21 between the battery module 24 and the second valve V2 .

[0060] When the temperature of the coolant supplied to the battery module 24 is lower than the target temperature, the coolant heater 26 may be activated to heat the coolant circulating in the battery coolant line 21. Thus, the coolant whose temperature is increased when passing through the coolant heater 26 may be supplied to the battery module 24 to increase the temperature of the battery module 24.

[0061] That is, when the temperature of the battery module 24 is increased, the coolant heater 26 may be selectively operated.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the chiller 40 is provided in the branch line 31 connected to the battery coolant line 21 through the second valve V2 .

[0063] The chiller 40 is connected to the refrigerant line 51 of the air conditioning device 50 through the refrigerant connection line 61. That is, the chiller 40 may be a water-cooled heat exchanger into which the coolant flows.

[0064] Therefore, the chiller 40 may adjust the temperature of the cooling liquid by performing heat exchange between the cooling liquid selectively supplied to the branch line 31 and the refrigerant selectively supplied by the air conditioning device 50 .

[0065] The heating circuit 30 includes a heater 52 a connected to the coolant line 11 and the branch line 31 through the first connecting line 33 and the second connecting line 35 to supply the heater 52 a with coolant whose temperature is increased while passing through the electric component 15 .

[0066] Here, a first end of the first connecting line 33 may be connected to the coolant line 11 through the first valve V1 , and a second end of the first connecting line 33 may be connected to the heater 52 a .

[0067] A first end of the second connecting line 35 may be connected to the branch line 31 between the second valve V2 and the chiller 40 , and a second end of the second connecting line 35 may be connected to the heater 52 a .

[0068] In addition, the heater 52 a may be provided in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) module 52 included in the air conditioning device 50 .

[0069] Therefore, when the interior of the vehicle is heated, the heating circuit 30 can supply high-temperature coolant to the heater 52a through the branch line 31, the first connecting line 33 and the second connecting line 35 (the branch line 31, the first connecting line 33 and the second connecting line 35 are connected by operating the first valve V1 and the second valve V2).

[0070] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning device 50 includes an HVAC module 52 , a condenser 53 , a sub-condenser 54 , a first expansion valve 55 , an evaporator 56 , and a compressor 59 connected through a refrigerant line 51 .

[0071] First, the HVAC module 52 includes an evaporator 56 connected through a refrigerant line 51, and a door 52b for controlling external air passing through the evaporator 56 to be selectively introduced into the heater 52a according to cooling, heating, and heating / dehumidification modes of the vehicle.

[0072] That is, in the heating mode of the vehicle, the door 52b is opened so that the outside air passing through the evaporator 56 is introduced into the heater 52a. In contrast, in the cooling mode of the vehicle, the door 52b closes the heater 52a so that the outside air cooled when passing through the evaporator 56 flows directly into the vehicle.

[0073] The HVAC module 52 may further include an air heater 52 c disposed at an opposite side of the evaporator 56 (with the heater 52 a interposed between the evaporator 56 and the air heater 52 c ) to selectively heat the outside air passing through the heater 52 a .

[0074] When the temperature of the coolant supplied to the heater 52 a is lower than a target temperature for heating the vehicle interior, the air heater 52 c may operate to increase the temperature of the outside air passing through the heater 52 a .

[0075] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the condenser 53 is connected to the refrigerant line 51 so that the refrigerant passes through the condenser 53 , and is connected to the cooling liquid line 11 so that the cooling liquid circulating in the cooling device 10 passes through the condenser 53 .

[0076] The condenser 53 may condense the refrigerant by exchanging heat with the coolant supplied through the coolant line 11. That is, the condenser 53 may be a water-cooled heat exchanger into which the coolant flows.

[0077] The condenser 53 configured as described above may perform heat exchange between the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 59 and the coolant supplied from the cooling device 10 to condense the refrigerant.

[0078] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a sub-condenser 54 may be provided in the refrigerant line 51 between the condenser 53 and the evaporator 56 .

[0079] Here, the sub-condenser 54 may further condense the refrigerant condensed in the condenser 53 by heat exchange with the outside air. In other words, the sub-condenser 54 is arranged in front of the radiator 12 to exchange heat between the refrigerant introduced into the sub-condenser 54 and the outside air.

[0080] Therefore, the sub-condenser 54 may be an air-cooled heat exchanger for condensing the refrigerant using the outside air.

[0081] Therefore, the sub-condenser 54 may further condense the refrigerant condensed in the condenser 53 to increase secondary cooling of the refrigerant, thereby improving the coefficient of performance (COP), which is a coefficient of cooling capacity relative to the power required by the compressor.

[0082] The first expansion valve 55 is provided in the refrigerant line 51 between the sub-condenser 54 and the evaporator 56. The first expansion valve 55 receives the refrigerant passing through the sub-condenser 54 and expands it.

[0083] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a first end of the refrigerant connecting line 61 is connected to the refrigerant line 51 between the sub-condenser 54 and the first expansion valve 55. A second end of the refrigerant connecting line 61 may be connected to the refrigerant line 51 between the evaporator 56 and the compressor 59.

[0084] Here, the second expansion valve 63 is provided in the refrigerant connection line 61. When the battery module 24 is cooled by the refrigerant, the second expansion valve 63 may expand the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant connection line 61 to introduce it into the chiller 40.

[0085] Here, when the battery module 24 is cooled by using the refrigerant in a cooling mode of the vehicle, the second expansion valve 63 operates to expand the refrigerant.

[0086] The second expansion valve 63 may introduce the refrigerant discharged from the sub-condenser 54 into the chiller 40 in a state where the temperature of the refrigerant is reduced by expanding the refrigerant, so as to further reduce the temperature of the cooling liquid passing through the inside of the chiller 40 .

[0087] Therefore, the coolant whose temperature is reduced while passing through the chiller 40 is introduced into the battery module 24 so that the battery module 24 is cooled more effectively.

[0088] The compressor 59 is connected between the evaporator 56 and the condenser 53 through the refrigerant line 51. The compressor 59 may compress the gaseous refrigerant and supply the compressed refrigerant to the condenser 53.

[0089] Here, the first expansion valve 55 and the second expansion valve 63 may be electronic expansion valves that selectively expand the refrigerant while controlling the flow of the refrigerant through the refrigerant line 51 or the refrigerant connection line 61 .

[0090] Alternatively, each of the first valve V1 and the second valve V2 may be a three-way valve configured to distribute flow.

[0091] In the following, reference will be made to Figures 2 to 6The operation and function of the thermal management system of the vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention configured as described above are described in detail.

[0092] First, refer to Figure 2 Operation of a case where the radiator 12 is used to cool the electric component 15 and the battery module 24 in the thermal management system for the vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0093] Figure 2 An operation state diagram of cooling electric components and a battery module by using a radiator in a thermal management system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0094] Reference Figure 2 , the branch line 31 and the first and second connecting lines 33 and 35 are shut off by the operations of the first and second valves V1 and V2.

[0095] Furthermore, the battery coolant line 21 is connected to the reservoir tank 16 by the operation of the second valve V2 .

[0096] In the present state, in the cooling device 10 , the first water pump 14 operates to cool the electric components 15 . Therefore, the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 and stored in the reservoir tank 16 is supplied to the electric components 15 .

[0097] In the current state, in the battery cooling device 20 , the second water pump 22 operates to cool the battery module 24 .

[0098] Therefore, the coolant stored in the reservoir tank 16 is supplied to the battery module 24 while circulating through the battery coolant line 21 (which is connected to the reservoir tank 16 by the operation of the second valve V2 ).

[0099] That is, the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 and stored in the reservoir tank 16 circulates through the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 21 by operations of the first water pump 14 and the second water pump 22 , respectively, thereby effectively cooling the electric components 15 and the battery module 24 .

[0100] Since the cooling mode of the vehicle is not activated, the air conditioning device 50 does not operate.

[0101] On the other hand, although it has been described in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention that both the electronic component 15 and the battery module 24 are cooled, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first water pump 14 and the second water pump 22 can operate selectively when one of the electronic component 15 and the battery module 24 is cooled separately.

[0102] Will refer to Figure 3 The operation of the case where the battery module 24 is cooled in the cooling mode of the vehicle is described.

[0103] Figure 3 An operation state diagram of cooling a battery module by using a refrigerant in a cooling mode of a vehicle in a thermal management system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0104] Reference Figure 3 , in the cooling device 10 , the coolant circulates in the coolant line 11 by the operation of the first water pump 14 .

[0105] Here, the first connecting line 33 is shut off by the operation of the first valve V1 to shut off the second connecting line 35 .

[0106] Therefore, the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 may be supplied to the condenser 53 by the operation of the first water pump 14 .

[0107] In the battery cooling device 20, by the operation of the second valve V2, the branch line 31 is connected. Based on the branch line 31, a part of the battery coolant line 21 connected to the reservoir tank 16 is shut off.

[0108] In the present state, by operation of the second water pump 22 , the coolant having passed through the chiller 40 may be supplied to the battery module 24 while circulating along the branch line 31 and the battery coolant line 21 connected to the branch line 31 without passing through the reservoir tank 16 .

[0109] That is, in the battery cooling device 20 , when the connection with the liquid storage tank 16 is cut off by the operation of the second valve V2 , a closed loop in which the coolant circulates independently can be formed by connecting the connected branch line 31 to the battery coolant line 21 .

[0110] In the air conditioning device 50 , each component operates to cool the vehicle interior. Therefore, the refrigerant circulates along the refrigerant line 51 .

[0111] Here, the refrigerant line 51 connecting the sub-condenser 54 and the evaporator 56 is connected by the operation of the first expansion valve 55. The refrigerant connection line 61 is connected by the operation of the second expansion valve 63.

[0112] Therefore, the refrigerant having passed through the sub-condenser 54 may circulate along the refrigerant line 51 and the refrigerant connecting line 61 .

[0113] Here, the first expansion valve 55 and the second expansion valve 63 may expand the refrigerant so that the expanded refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator 56 and the chiller 40 , respectively.

[0114] The condenser 53 condenses the refrigerant by using the coolant flowing along the coolant line 11. The sub-condenser 54 may further condense the refrigerant introduced from the condenser 53 through heat exchange with external air.

[0115] The coolant passing through the chiller 40 circulates in the battery coolant line 21 and the branch line 31 without passing through the reservoir tank 16 to cool the battery module by the operation of the second water pump 22 .

[0116] The cooling liquid passing through the chiller 40 is cooled by heat exchange with the expanded refrigerant supplied to the chiller 40. The cooling liquid cooled in the chiller 40 is supplied to the battery module 24. Therefore, the battery module 24 is cooled by the cooled cooling liquid.

[0117] That is, the second expansion valve 63 expands some of the refrigerant passing through the sub-condenser 54 to supply the expanded refrigerant to the chiller 40 , and connects the refrigerant connection line 61 .

[0118] Therefore, the refrigerant discharged from the sub-condenser 54 is expanded to enter a low-temperature and low-pressure state by the operation of the second expansion valve 63 , and flows into the chiller 40 connected to the refrigerant connection line 61 .

[0119] Thereafter, the refrigerant flowing into the chiller 40 exchanges heat with the cooling liquid and flows into the compressor 59 through the first connecting line 61 .

[0120] The coolant whose temperature is increased when cooling the battery module 24 is cooled by heat exchange with the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant in the chiller 40. The cooled coolant is supplied to the battery module 24 again through the battery coolant line 21 and the branch line 31.

[0121] Therefore, when the above-mentioned operation is repeated, the coolant can effectively cool the battery module 24.

[0122] On the other hand, the remaining refrigerant discharged from the sub-condenser 54 flows through the refrigerant line 51, passes through the first expansion valve 55, the evaporator 56, the compressor 59, and the condenser 53 in sequence to cool the vehicle interior.

[0123] Here, the outside air flowing into the HVAC module 52 is cooled by the low-temperature refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 56 while passing through the evaporator 56 .

[0124] In this case, the door 52b closes a portion of the heater 52a through which the cooled outside air passes, so that the outside air does not pass through the heater 52a. Therefore, the cooled outside air directly flows into the vehicle interior, thereby cooling the vehicle interior.

[0125] On the other hand, the refrigerant having an increased condensation amount while sequentially passing through the condenser 53 and the sub-condenser 54 may be expanded and supplied to the evaporator 56 so that the refrigerant evaporates at a lower temperature.

[0126] Therefore, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the condenser 53 condenses the refrigerant and the sub-condenser 54 further condenses the refrigerant, which facilitates secondary cooling of the refrigerant.

[0127] In addition, the secondary cooled refrigerant can evaporate at a lower temperature in the evaporator 56, thereby improving cooling performance and efficiency.

[0128] While repeating the above process, the refrigerant may cool the interior of the vehicle in a cooling mode of the vehicle, and at the same time, the refrigerant may cool the coolant through heat exchange while passing through the chiller 40 .

[0129] The low-temperature coolant cooled in the chiller 40 is introduced into the battery module 24. Therefore, the battery module 24 can be effectively cooled by the supplied low-temperature coolant.

[0130] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, reference will be made to Figure 4 The operation of the case where waste heat of the electric component 15 is recovered in the heating mode of the vehicle is described.

[0131] Figure 4 An operational state diagram of recovering waste heat of electric components in a heating mode of a vehicle in a thermal management system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0132] Reference Figure 4 , the thermal management system can recover waste heat from the electrical components 15 and use it to heat the vehicle interior.

[0133] First, in the cooling device 10, the first water pump 14 operates to circulate the coolant. In this case, the air conditioning device 50 stops operating.

[0134] Here, the first connecting line 33 is connected by the operation of the first valve V1. At the same time, the second connecting line 35 is connected.

[0135] Furthermore, based on the first connecting line 33 , a portion of the coolant line 11 connected to the radiator 12 and a portion of the coolant line 11 connecting the radiator 12 and the reservoir tank 16 are blocked by the operation of the first valve V1 .

[0136] The branch line 31 is opened by the operation of the second valve V2 to shut off the battery coolant line 21 except for the portion of the battery coolant line 21 connected to the reservoir tank 16 with respect to the branch line 31 .

[0137] That is, the battery coolant line 21 connecting the second water pump 22 , the battery module 24 , and the coolant heater 26 is shut off, and the battery cooling device 20 is deactivated.

[0138] In the present state, the coolant having a raised temperature through the electric components 15 by the operation of the first water pump 14 is supplied to the heater 52 a along the first connecting line 33 without passing through the radiator 12 .

[0139] The coolant discharged from the heater 52 a is introduced into the branch line 31 along the second connecting line 35 , and then introduced into the reservoir tank 16 through a portion of the coolant line 21 opened to connect the branch line 31 and the reservoir tank 16 .

[0140] That is, the coolant that has passed through the electrical component 15 continues to circulate along the coolant line, the first connecting line 33, the second connecting line 35, the branch line 31, and a portion of the battery coolant line 21 without passing through the radiator 12, and absorbs waste heat from the electrical component 15, thereby increasing the coolant temperature.

[0141] The coolant having the increased temperature is supplied to the heater 52 a through the connected first connecting line 33 without passing through the radiator 12 .

[0142] The high-temperature coolant supplied to the heater 52 a exchanges heat with the outside air and is then introduced into the coolant line 11 through the second connecting line 35 , the branch line 31 , and a portion of the battery coolant line 21 without passing through the radiator 12 .

[0143] Here, the door 52 b is opened so that the outside air flowing into the HVAC module 52 passes through the heater 52 a .

[0144] Therefore, the outside air introduced from the outside flows in at room temperature without being cooled when passing through the evaporator 56 without supplying refrigerant. The introduced outside air may be converted into a high temperature state when passing through the heater 52a and flows into the vehicle, thereby heating the vehicle interior.

[0145] Meanwhile, the air heater 52c may be selectively operated according to the temperature of the outside air passing through the heater 52a. The air heater 52c may be operated when the temperature of the outside air passing through the heater 52a is lower than a target temperature, thereby heating the outside air flowing into the vehicle interior.

[0146] When the temperature of the outside air that completes heat exchange with the high-temperature coolant when passing through the heater 52a is lower than the predetermined temperature or the target heating temperature, the air heater 52c is operated. Therefore, when the air heater 52c is operated, the outside air can be heated when passing through the air heater 52c, and thus introduced into the vehicle interior in a state where the temperature is increased.

[0147] In other words, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, waste heat generated in the electrical component 15 can be recovered while repeating the above process and used to heat the vehicle interior, thereby reducing power consumption and improving overall heating efficiency.

[0148] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, reference will be made to Figure 5 Operations for the case of recovering waste heat of the electric components 15 and cooling the electric components 15 in the heating mode of the vehicle will be described.

[0149] Figure 5 An operation state diagram of recovering waste heat of electric components and cooling the electric components in a heating mode of the vehicle in a thermal management system of the vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0150] Reference Figure 5 In the cooling device 10, the first water pump 14 operates to circulate the coolant. In this case, the air conditioning device 50 stops operating.

[0151] Here, by the operation of the first valve V1, the first connecting line 33 is connected, and the second connecting line 35 is connected. At the same time, the first valve V1 allows a portion of the coolant line 11 connected to the radiator 12 to be connected.

[0152] The branch line 31 is opened by the operation of the second valve V2 to shut off the battery coolant line 21 except for the portion of the battery coolant line 21 connected to the reservoir tank 16 with respect to the branch line 31 .

[0153] That is, the battery coolant line 21 connecting the second water pump 22 , the battery module 24 , and the coolant heater 26 is shut off, and the battery cooling device 20 is deactivated.

[0154] In the present state, by the operation of the first water pump 14 , some of the coolant having an increased temperature passing through the electric components 15 is supplied to the heater 52 a along the first connecting line 33 without passing through the radiator 12 .

[0155] The coolant discharged from the heater 52 a is introduced into the branch line 31 along the second connecting line 35 , and then introduced into the reservoir tank 16 through the portion of the battery coolant line 21 opened to connect the branch line 31 and the reservoir tank 16 .

[0156] That is, some of the coolant passing through the electrical component 15 continues to circulate along the coolant line, the first connecting line 33, the second connecting line 35, the branch line 31, and a portion of the battery coolant line 21 without passing through the radiator 12, and absorbs waste heat from the electrical component 15, thereby increasing the temperature of the coolant.

[0157] Therefore, some of the coolant having the increased temperature is supplied to the heater 52 a through the turned-on first connecting line 33 without passing through the radiator 12 .

[0158] The high-temperature coolant supplied to the heater 52 a exchanges heat with the outside air and is then introduced into the coolant line 11 through the second connecting line 35 , the branch line 31 , and a portion of the battery coolant line 21 without passing through the radiator 12 .

[0159] Here, the door 52 b is opened so that the outside air flowing into the HVAC module 52 passes through the heater 52 a .

[0160] Therefore, the outside air introduced from the outside flows in at room temperature without being cooled when passing through the evaporator 56 without supplying refrigerant. The introduced outside air may be converted into a high temperature state when passing through the heater 52a and flows into the vehicle, thereby heating the vehicle interior.

[0161] Meanwhile, the remaining coolant that is not supplied to the heater 52 a is cooled by the radiator 12 .

[0162] The coolant that has been completely cooled and introduced into the reservoir tank 16 through the second connecting line 35 , the branch line 31 , and a portion of the battery coolant line 21 can recover waste heat while passing through the electric components 15 , while effectively cooling the electric components 15 .

[0163] When the electric component 15 is overheated, the first valve V1 may connect the coolant line 11 connected to the radiator 12 so that some coolant passing through the electric component 15 flows into the first connecting line 33 and the rest of the coolant flows into the radiator 12 .

[0164] Therefore, some of the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 may be supplied to the electric components 15 , thereby preventing the electric components 15 from overheating.

[0165] Therefore, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to recover waste heat generated in the electric component 15 and use the waste heat for heating the vehicle interior, thereby reducing power consumption and improving overall heating efficiency.

[0166] At the same time, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, some coolant can be introduced into the radiator 12 to be cooled by the operation control of the first valve V1 configured to distribute the flow, and then supplied to the electrical component 15, thereby effectively cooling the electrical component 15 and ensuring the cooling performance of the electrical component 15.

[0167] Will refer to Figure 6 The operation in the case of heating the battery module 26 is described.

[0168] Figure 6A detailed perspective view illustrating a heating battery module in a thermal management system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0169] Reference Figure 6 , the cooling device 10, the heating circuit 30 and the air conditioning device 50 stop working.

[0170] Here, the branch line 31 is opened by the operation of the second valve V2 to shut off the portion of the battery coolant line 21 connected to the reservoir tank 16 with respect to the branch line 31 .

[0171] That is, in the battery cooling device 20 , the battery coolant line 21 connecting the second water pump 22 , the battery module 24 , and the coolant heater 26 is opened to be connected to the branch line 31 .

[0172] In the present state, the coolant circulates along the battery coolant line 21 and the branch line 31 by the operation of the second water pump 22 .

[0173] Here, the coolant heater 26 operates to heat the coolant supplied to the battery module 24 along the connected battery coolant line 21 and the branch line 31 .

[0174] Therefore, the coolant circulating in the battery coolant line 21 and the branch line 31 increases in temperature when passing through the coolant heater 26. Therefore, the coolant increased in temperature when passing through the coolant heater 26 can be supplied to the battery module 24 to increase the temperature of the battery module 24.

[0175] Therefore, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the temperature of the battery module 24 may be rapidly increased while repeating the above-mentioned process, thereby effectively managing the temperature of the battery module 24 .

[0176] Therefore, as described above, according to the thermal management system of the vehicle based on the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, by using a chiller 40 for performing heat exchange between the coolant and the refrigerant, the temperature of the battery module 24 can be adjusted according to the mode of the vehicle, and the interior of the vehicle can be heated by the use of the coolant, thereby simplifying the entire system.

[0177] According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, heating efficiency can also be improved by recovering waste heat from the electrical components 15 and using it to heat the vehicle interior.

[0178] Furthermore, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the performance of the battery module 24 may be optimized by effectively controlling the temperature of the battery module 24 , and the total driving distance of the vehicle may be increased through effective management of the battery module 24 .

[0179] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller is connected to the thermal management system, for example, to the first valve V1 and the second valve V2, to control the thermal management system. According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the controller may be at least one microprocessor operated by a predetermined program, which may include a series of commands for controlling the heat pump system.

[0180] In addition, the entire system can be simplified to reduce manufacturing cost and weight, and improve space utilization.

[0181] For ease of interpretation and precise definition in the appended claims, the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "upward", "downward", "upwardly", "downwardly", "front", "rear", "backside", "inner side", "outer side", "inwardly", "outwardly", "inner", "outer", "inner", "external", "forward", and "rearward" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures with reference to their positions. It will be further understood that the term "connect" or its derivatives refer to both direct and indirect connections.

[0182] The foregoing description of the specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention is presented for the purpose of illustration and description. The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed, and it is apparent that many modifications and variations can be made in accordance with the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments are selected and described in order to explain the specific principles of the present invention and its practical application, so that other technical personnel in the art can realize and utilize the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention and its different selected forms and modified forms. The scope of the present invention is intended to be limited by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a cooling device including a radiator, a first water pump, a first valve, and a liquid storage tank connected by a coolant line, the cooling device circulates coolant in the coolant line to cool at least one electrical component installed in the coolant line; a battery cooling device including a battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank through a second valve and a second water pump and a battery module connected through the battery coolant line to circulate the coolant through the battery module; a chiller installed in a branch line connected to the battery coolant line through a second valve and connected to a refrigerant line of an air conditioning device through a refrigerant connecting line to adjust the temperature of the coolant by exchanging heat between the coolant selectively supplied to the branch line and the refrigerant selectively supplied by the air conditioning device; A heating circuit includes a heater connected to the coolant line through a first connecting line and to the branch line through a second connecting line to receive the coolant whose temperature is increased when passing through at least one electrical component, so that the heater is heated using the received coolant with the increased temperature.

2. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: A first end of the first connecting line is connected to a coolant line through a first valve and a second end of the first connecting line is connected to a heater; A first end of the second connecting line is connected to a branch line between the second valve and the chiller and a second end of the second connecting line is connected to a heater; The heater is installed in a heating, ventilation and air conditioning module of an air conditioning device.

3. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The battery cooling device further includes a coolant heater installed in the battery coolant line between the battery module and the second valve.

4. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein: When the battery module is heated: The branch line is connected by operation of the second valve; Based on the branch line, a portion of the battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank is shut off; The coolant circulates along the battery coolant line and the branch line through the operation of the second water pump; The coolant heater operates to heat the coolant supplied to the battery modules along the battery coolant line and the branch line.

5. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The air conditioning device comprises: a heating, ventilation and air conditioning module including an evaporator connected to a refrigerant line and a door configured to control external air passing through the evaporator to be selectively introduced into the heater according to cooling, heating and heating / dehumidification modes of the vehicle; a condenser connected to the refrigerant line and the cooling liquid line to perform heat exchange between the cooling liquid and the refrigerant supplied through the refrigerant line; A compressor connected between the evaporator and the condenser via a refrigerant line; A subcondenser installed in the refrigerant line between the condenser and the evaporator; a first expansion valve installed in the refrigerant line between the sub-condenser and the evaporator; A second expansion valve is installed in the refrigerant connecting line.

6. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein: The first end of the refrigerant connecting line is connected to the refrigerant line between the auxiliary condenser and the first expansion valve; The second end of the refrigerant connecting line is connected to the refrigerant line between the evaporator and the compressor.

7. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein: The second expansion valve is installed in the refrigerant connecting line between the chiller and the first end of the refrigerant connecting line.

8. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein: Each of the chiller and the condenser is a water-cooled heat exchanger, and the sub-condenser is an air-cooled heat exchanger.

9. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein: The HVAC module further includes an air heater installed at one side of the evaporator, the heater being disposed between the air heater and the evaporator, the air heater selectively heating external air passing through the heater.

10. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein: The air heater operates to increase the temperature of outside air passing through the heater when the temperature of the coolant supplied to the heater is lower than a predetermined target temperature for heating the interior of the vehicle.

11. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein: When cooling the battery module in the vehicle's cooling mode: In the cooling device, the coolant is circulated through the coolant line by operation of the first water pump; The first connecting line is shut off by operation of the first valve to shut off the second connecting line; The branch line is connected by operation of the second valve, and in the battery cooling device, in a state where a portion of the battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank relative to the branch line is shut off, the coolant circulates along the battery coolant line and the branch line by operation of the second water pump; In the air conditioning device, a refrigerant pipeline connecting the sub-condenser and the evaporator is connected by operation of the first expansion valve; Through the operation of the second expansion valve, the refrigerant connecting pipeline is connected; The second expansion valve expands the refrigerant supplied to the refrigerant connecting line and supplies the expanded refrigerant to the chiller.

12. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: When cooling at least one electrical component and a battery module: Through the operation of the first valve and the second valve, the first connecting pipeline, the second connecting pipeline and the branch pipeline are shut off; The coolant cooled in the radiator and stored in the reservoir tank is supplied to at least one electrical component through operation of the first water pump; By the operation of the second valve, the coolant stored in the reservoir tank circulates in the battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank to be supplied to the battery module.

13. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: When recovering waste heat from at least one electrical component in the vehicle's heating mode: By operating the first valve, the first connecting line is connected, and the second connecting line is connected; In the cooling device, a portion of the coolant line connected to the radiator based on the first connecting line and a portion of the coolant line connecting the radiator and the reservoir tank are shut off; The branch line is opened by operation of the second valve to shut off the battery coolant line except for a portion of the battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank with respect to the branch line; The coolant whose temperature is increased by at least one electrical component is supplied to the heater along the first connecting line by operation of the first water pump without passing through the radiator; The coolant discharged from the heater is introduced into the branch line along the second connecting line, and then introduced into the reservoir tank through a portion of the battery coolant line that is opened to connect the branch line and the reservoir tank.

14. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein: When the at least one electric component is overheated, the first valve connects the coolant line connected to the radiator so that a portion of the coolant passing through the at least one electric component flows into the first connecting line and the rest of the coolant flows into the radiator.

15. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the first valve and the second valve is a three-way valve.

16. The thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one electrical component includes a power control unit, a motor, an inverter or an on-board charger.

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