Vehicle thermal management system

Abstract

This invention relates to a vehicle thermal management system. The thermal management system includes a refrigerant line and a battery line. The refrigerant line includes a compressor, a water-cooled condenser, and a cooling core of an interior air conditioner connected to the water-cooled condenser, such that refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser is introduced into the cooling core of the interior air conditioner. The battery line includes a high-voltage battery heat exchange module and a heater core of the interior air conditioner. The battery line is connected to the refrigerant line via the water-cooled condenser in a heat-exchangeable manner, such that the high-voltage battery heat exchange module and the heater core of the interior air conditioner are connected in parallel to the water-cooled condenser via a first valve, so that cooling water heated while passing through the water-cooled condenser is selectively introduced into either the high-voltage battery heat exchange module or the heater core of the interior air conditioner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a thermal management system for vehicles, which, in the field of vehicle thermal management, can effectively manage the energy required for interior air conditioning and battery cooling and heating. Background Technology

[0002] Environmentally friendly vehicles (hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, etc.) include electric motors, chargers, inverters, power converters, and lithium-ion batteries. These components are typically heat-generating, so cooling water is used to remove this heat. Lithium-ion batteries contain flammable internal materials, so they can catch fire or explode in the event of abnormal conditions such as overcharging or puncture.

[0003] To address these issues, solid-state batteries have been developed, in which a solid electrolyte replaces the polymer electrolyte. By replacing the polymer electrolyte with a solid electrolyte, solid-state batteries not only achieve chemical stability but also solve problems such as solution leakage and fire.

[0004] Because solid-state batteries exhibit low ionic conductivity at low temperatures and high ionic conductivity at high temperatures, their output performance degrades at low temperatures. For this reason, to improve output performance, solid-state batteries can be kept at high temperatures where they exhibit high ionic conductivity.

[0005] The information included in the background section of this invention is intended only to enhance the understanding of the general background of this invention and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that such information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Various aspects of the present invention are dedicated to providing a thermal management system for a vehicle, configured to, together with an interior air conditioner or the like, appropriately maintain the temperature of the battery by increasing the battery temperature.

[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, the above and other objectives can be achieved by providing a vehicle thermal management system comprising: a refrigerant line and a battery line, the refrigerant line including a compressor, a water-cooled condenser, and a cooling core of an interior air conditioner connected to the water-cooled condenser, such that refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser is introduced into the cooling core of the interior air conditioner; the battery line including a high-voltage battery heat exchange module and a heater core of the interior air conditioner, the battery line being connected to the refrigerant line in a heat-exchangeable manner via the water-cooled condenser, such that the high-voltage battery heat exchange module and the heater core of the interior air conditioner are connected in parallel to the water-cooled condenser via a first valve, such that cooling water heated upon passing through the water-cooled condenser is selectively introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module or the heater core of the interior air conditioner.

[0008] The high-voltage battery that is connected to the high-voltage battery heat exchange module in a heat-exchangeable manner can be a solid-state battery.

[0009] The thermal management system may further include a water heater installed downstream of the water-cooled condenser to heat the cooling water in the battery line during operation of the water heater.

[0010] The thermal management system may further include: a controller connected to the first valve and the compressor; and the controller is configured to: in a first mode requiring indoor cooling and battery heating, control the compressor and the first valve such that cooling water heated in the water-cooled condenser using refrigerant that has absorbed heat in the cooling core of the indoor air conditioner is introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module.

[0011] The thermal management system may further include: electrical component lines and refrigerant heating lines, through which cooling water flows, and in which a radiator and a quencher are connected in parallel to the electrical component core via a second valve, such that cooling water flowing from the electrical component core is selectively introduced into the radiator or the quencher; the refrigerant heating line has a branch located upstream of the cooling core of the indoor air conditioner, such that the refrigerant heating line connects to the refrigerant line while bypassing the cooling core of the indoor air conditioner. The refrigerant heating line may include: a third valve located at the point where the refrigerant heating line branches from or connects to the refrigerant line. The refrigerant heating line may be connected to the electrical component lines in a heat-exchangeable manner via a quencher.

[0012] The thermal management system may further include a controller configured to control a second valve in a second mode where cooling of the electrical components is required, such that cooling water flowing from the core of the electrical components is introduced into the radiator.

[0013] The thermal management system may further include: a controller configured to: in a third mode requiring cooling of electrical components and heating of the battery, control a first valve to introduce cooling water flowing from a water-cooled condenser into a high-voltage battery heat exchange module; control a second valve to introduce cooling water flowing from the core of the electrical components into a quench; and control a third valve to introduce refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser into the quench.

[0014] The thermal management system may further include: a refrigerant cooling line comprising an air-cooled condenser, the refrigerant cooling line being installed between a point where it branches off from the refrigerant line downstream of a water-cooled condenser and a point where it rejoins the refrigerant line downstream of the water-cooled condenser. The refrigerant cooling line may further include: a fourth valve installed at the point where the refrigerant cooling line branches off from or rejoins the refrigerant line, the fourth valve being configured to regulate the flow ratio between the refrigerant line and the refrigerant cooling line.

[0015] The thermal management system may further include: a controller connected to a fourth valve; and the controller is configured to: in a fourth mode utilizing the electrical components for cooling and the battery for heating, control a first valve such that cooling water flowing from a water-cooled condenser is introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module; control a second valve such that cooling water flowing from the electrical component core is introduced into a quench; control a third valve such that refrigerant flowing from the air-cooled condenser is introduced into the quench; and control a fourth valve such that refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser is introduced into a refrigerant cooling line.

[0016] The thermal management system may further include: a controller configured to: in a fifth mode requiring electrical component cooling, battery heating, and indoor cooling, control a first valve to introduce cooling water flowing from a water-cooled condenser into a high-voltage battery heat exchange module; control a second valve to introduce cooling water flowing from the electrical component core into a quencher; and control a third valve to introduce refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser into the cooling core and refrigerant heating lines of the indoor air conditioner.

[0017] The thermal management system may further include: a controller configured to: in a sixth mode requiring electrical component cooling, battery heating, and indoor heating, the controller controls a first valve to introduce cooling water flowing from the water-cooled condenser into the heater core of the high-voltage battery heat exchange module and the indoor air conditioner; controls a second valve to introduce cooling water flowing from the electrical component core into the quencher; and controls a third valve to introduce refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser into the refrigerant heating line.

[0018] The thermal management system may further include: a controller configured to: in a seventh mode requiring electrical component cooling, battery heating, and indoor dehumidification, control a first valve to introduce cooling water flowing from a water-cooled condenser into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module and the heater core of the indoor air conditioner; control a second valve to introduce cooling water flowing from the electrical component core into the quencher; and control a third valve to introduce refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser into the cooling core of the indoor air conditioner and the refrigerant heating line.

[0019] The thermal management system may further include: an air conditioning unit that includes a heater core for an interior air conditioner and is configured to allow air recirculated inside the vehicle or air introduced from outside the vehicle to flow through the vehicle interior. The air conditioning unit may further include an air heater for heating the airflow during operation.

[0020] The methods and apparatus of the present invention have other features and advantages that will be apparent from or will be set forth in detail in the accompanying drawings and following detailed description, which together serve to explain the particular principles of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a vehicle thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 A first mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein indoor cooling and battery heating are required;

[0023] Figure 3 A second mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electronic components require cooling;

[0024] Figure 4 A third mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical component cooling and battery heating are required;

[0025] Figure 5 A fourth mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical components of an air-cooled condenser are used for cooling and batteries for heating;

[0026] Figure 6 A fifth mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical component cooling, battery heating, and indoor cooling are required;

[0027] Figure 7A sixth mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical cooling, battery heating, and indoor heating are required;

[0028] Figure 8 A seventh mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical component cooling, battery heating, and indoor dehumidification are required.

[0029] It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather present simplified representations of the features illustrating the basic principles of the invention. Specific design features of the invention as contained herein (including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes) will be determined in part by the specific environment in which they are intended for application and use.

[0030] Throughout these figures, the same reference numerals denote the same or equivalent parts of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Referring now to various embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. Although the invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood that this specification is not intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments thereof, but also various alternative, modified, equivalent, or other embodiments, which are included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0032] The specific structural or functional descriptions of the embodiments of the present invention included herein are exemplary and are only used to describe exemplary implementations of the present invention. Furthermore, the exemplary implementations of the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the exemplary implementations described in the exemplary implementations of the present invention.

[0033] Since various modifications can be made and multiple embodiments can be applied to exemplary embodiments according to the concept of the present invention, specific embodiments will be described and detailed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these specific embodiments should not be construed as limiting the exemplary embodiments according to the concept of the present invention, but can be interpreted as extending to all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions included within the concept and scope of the present invention.

[0034] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first and / or second may be used to describe various elements, but these elements may not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element may be renamed a second element, and similarly, a second element may be renamed a first element, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0035] When one element is "connected" or "linked" to another element, it can be understood that the element can be directly connected or linked to the other element, or that another element can exist between them. On the other hand, when one element is "directly connected" or "directly linked" to another element, it can be understood that there are no other elements between them. Other expressions describing the relationships between elements, such as "between" and "directly between," or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to," can be interpreted in a similar way.

[0036] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. Incidentally, unless explicitly used otherwise, singular expressions include the plural meaning. In this application, the terms "comprising," "including," etc., are intended to indicate the presence of features, values, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence of another feature, value, step, operation, element, component, or any combination thereof, or the addition of any feature, value, step, operation, element, component, or any combination thereof.

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, the terms used herein (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms used herein should be interpreted not only based on the definitions in any dictionary but also on their meaning as used in the art to which this invention pertains. Furthermore, unless explicitly defined, the terms used herein should not be interpreted in an overly idealistic or formal manner.

[0038] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a vehicle thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] refer to Figure 1According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a thermal management system includes: a refrigerant line 10, which includes a compressor 11, a water-cooled condenser 12, and a cooling core 13 of an indoor air conditioner, wherein the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner is connected to the water-cooled condenser 12 such that refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner. The thermal management system further includes: a battery line 20, which includes a high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21 and a heater core 22 of the indoor air conditioner, and the battery line 20 is connected to the refrigerant line 10 in a heat-exchangeable manner through the water-cooled condenser 12, such that the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21 and the heater core 22 of the indoor air conditioner are connected in parallel to the water-cooled condenser 12 via a first valve 24, so that cooling water heated when passing through the water-cooled condenser 12 is selectively introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21 or the heater core 22 of the indoor air conditioner.

[0041] Refrigerant can flow through refrigerant line 10. The refrigerant can absorb ambient heat as it vaporizes from a liquid state in the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner. An expansion valve is installed at the upstream end of the cooling core 13 to vaporize the liquid refrigerant. The vaporized refrigerant can be compressed to a high temperature and high pressure state as it passes through compressor 11, and then condensed as it is cooled by a water-cooled condenser 12 or an air-cooled condenser 31 (described later).

[0042] Cooling water flows through battery line 20. In the water-cooled condenser 12, the cooling water can exchange heat with the refrigerant in refrigerant line 10. A pump is provided in battery line 20 to circulate the cooling water within it.

[0043] Cooling water flowing from the battery line 20 of the water-cooled condenser 12 can exchange heat with the high-voltage battery when introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module via the first valve 24, thereby heating the high-voltage battery. Alternatively, cooling water flowing from the battery line 20 of the water-cooled condenser 12 can be introduced into the heater core 22 of the interior air conditioner via the first valve 24, thereby heating the air used for vehicle interior air conditioning. In other words, the first valve 24 can control the flow of cooling water so that cooling water flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21 or the heater core 22 of the interior air conditioner.

[0044] In other words, according to various aspects of the present invention, a heat pump function can be performed by using heat recovered from the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner to heat the high-voltage battery, thereby improving the thermal management energy efficiency of the vehicle.

[0045] In this case, the high-voltage battery can have a different operating temperature range than ordinary lithium-ion batteries. The high-voltage battery of the present invention can operate within a higher temperature range than ordinary lithium-ion batteries. Therefore, the high-voltage battery of the present invention does not require separate cooling.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the high-voltage battery connected to the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21 in a heat-exchangeable manner can be a solid-state battery. The operating temperature range of the solid-state battery can be 60°C to 100°C.

[0047] Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the high-voltage battery can be heated by heat exchange with the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21 installed adjacent to it, and the high-voltage battery using the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21 does not require cooling.

[0048] Furthermore, the thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include: a water heater 23, which is installed at a downstream point of the water-cooled condenser 12 to heat the cooling water in the battery line 20 during operation.

[0049] The water heater 23 can be a heater that uses electrical energy or the like to heat the cooling water flowing into the battery line 20. When the heat required to heat the high-voltage battery is greater than the heat absorbed by the water-cooled condenser 12, the controller 70 (described later) can operate the water heater 23 to heat the cooling water in the battery line 20.

[0050] The thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include: an electrical component line 40 and a refrigerant heating line 50, wherein a radiator 42 and a quencher 43 are connected in parallel to an electrical component core 41 via a second valve 44 in the electrical component line 40, such that cooling water flowing from the electrical component core 41 is selectively introduced into the radiator 42 or the quencher 43; the refrigerant heating line 50 has a branch portion disposed upstream of the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner, such that the refrigerant heating line 50 is connected to the refrigerant line 10 while bypassing the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner. The refrigerant heating line 50 includes: a third valve 51 installed at the point where the refrigerant heating line 50 branches from or connects to the refrigerant line 10. The refrigerant heating line 50 is connected to the electrical component line 40 in a heat-exchangeable manner via the quencher 43.

[0051] Cooling water flows through the electrical component pipeline 40 and is thus introduced into the electrical component core 41. Therefore, the cooling water can cool the electrical component that exchanges heat with the electrical component core 41.

[0052] In a vehicle, electrical components such as an electronic control unit (ECU), an on-board charger (OBC), and a motor can be installed. Such electrical components may generate heat when the vehicle is in motion. Therefore, the electrical component core 41 can be a concept that includes both a heat dissipation unit directly connected to the electrical components and the like, and a heat dissipation unit indirectly connected to the electrical components and the like via a separate cooling water line.

[0053] The electrical component line 40 may also include a radiator 42 exposed to ambient air for heat exchange with it. Therefore, heat can be introduced into the radiator 42 after heat recovery. Furthermore, a quencher 43, heat-exchangeably connected to the refrigerant heating line 50, may be included in the electrical component line 40. Cooling water heated by the electrical components can be cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant in the quencher 43.

[0054] Radiator 42 and quench 43 are connected to the electrical component core 41 via a second valve 44. Therefore, the flow of cooling water can be controlled by the second valve 44, allowing cooling water flowing from the electrical component core 41 to be selectively introduced into the radiator 42 or the quench 43. A pump is also provided in the electrical component line 40 to circulate cooling water within the electrical component line 40.

[0055] The refrigerant in the refrigerant line 10 can be selectively introduced into the refrigerant heating line 50 under the control of the third valve 51. That is, the third valve 51 can control the flow of refrigerant in the refrigerant line 10, so that the refrigerant flows through the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner or flows through the quencher 43 after bypassing the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner.

[0056] The thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include: a refrigerant cooling line 30, which includes an air-cooled condenser 31, and the refrigerant cooling line 30 is installed between a point where it branches off from the refrigerant line 10 downstream of the water-cooled condenser 12 and a point where it rejoins the refrigerant line 10 downstream of the water-cooled condenser 12. The refrigerant cooling line 30 also includes a fourth valve 32. The fourth valve 32 is installed at the point where the refrigerant cooling line 30 branches off from or rejoins the refrigerant line 10. The fourth valve 32 can adjust the flow ratio between the refrigerant line 10 and the refrigerant cooling line 30.

[0057] The refrigerant cooling line 30 may include an air-cooled condenser 31 exposed to ambient air for heat exchange with the ambient air. The fourth valve 32 may control the flow of refrigerant from the water-cooled condenser 12, such that the refrigerant flows through or around the air-cooled condenser 31 after being introduced into the refrigerant cooling line 30.

[0058] The refrigerant cooling line 30, the air-cooled condenser 31, and the fourth valve 32 can be omitted to reduce manufacturing costs. However, these components can be added when additional cooling of the refrigerant is required.

[0059] The thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include: an air conditioning unit 60, which includes a heater core 22 for an indoor air conditioner and is used to allow air recirculated inside the vehicle or air introduced from outside the vehicle to flow through the vehicle interior. The air conditioning unit 60 may further include an air heater 61 for heating the airflow during operation.

[0060] In other words, air circulating inside the vehicle or air introduced from outside the vehicle can flow through the air conditioning unit 60. The heater core 22 and the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioning unit can be installed in the air conditioning unit 60.

[0061] An air heater 61, additionally included in the air conditioning unit 60, can receive external electrical energy to heat the air flowing into the air conditioning unit 60. When the heat required for indoor air conditioning exceeds the heat discharged from the heater core 22, the controller 70 can operate the air heater 61. The air heater 61 can be a low-pressure positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater.

[0062] Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 Various control modes of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are shown.

[0063] Specifically, Figure 2 A first mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein indoor cooling and battery heating are required. Figure 3 A second mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical components require cooling. Figure 4 A third mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical component cooling and battery heating are required. Figure 5 A fourth mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical components of an air-cooled condenser are used for cooling and batteries for heating. Figure 6 A fifth mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical component cooling, battery heating, and indoor cooling are required. Figure 7A sixth mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical component cooling, battery heating, and indoor heating are required. Figure 8 A seventh mode of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein electrical component cooling, battery heating, and indoor dehumidification are required.

[0064] According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the controller 70 can be implemented using a non-volatile memory and a processor, the non-volatile memory being configured to store: algorithms configured to control the operation of various constituent elements of the vehicle, or data for executing software commands for the algorithms; the processor being configured to utilize the data stored in the memory to perform the operations described below. Here, the memory and the processor can be implemented as separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and the processor can be implemented as a single unified chip. The processor can take the form of one or more processors.

[0065] In the first mode requiring indoor cooling and battery heating, the controller can be configured to control the compressor 11 and the first valve 24 so that cooling water heated in the water-cooled condenser 12 using the refrigerant that has absorbed heat in the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner is introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21.

[0066] The first mode can be a state where the ambient air temperature is relatively high, thus requiring relatively large indoor cooling and relatively small battery heating.

[0067] Specifically, in the first mode, the controller 70 can control the first valve 24 so that cooling water flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21. In addition, the controller 70 can control the third valve 51 so that refrigerant in the refrigerant line 10 is introduced into the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner.

[0068] Therefore, in the first mode, the following effect can be achieved: the high-voltage battery can be heated by using the heat absorbed through indoor cooling.

[0069] In the second mode where electrical component cooling is required, the controller 70 can control the second valve 44 so that cooling water flowing from the electrical component core 41 is introduced into the radiator 42.

[0070] In the second mode, the electrical components can be cooled by the radiator 42. The controller 70 can control the second valve 44 so that cooling water flowing from the core 41 of the electrical components is introduced into the radiator.

[0071] The first mode and the second mode are independent of each other, so the controller 70 can control the first mode and the second mode simultaneously.

[0072] In the third mode, which requires cooling of electrical components and heating of the battery, the controller 70 can control the first valve 24 so that cooling water flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21; the controller 70 can control the second valve 44 so that cooling water flowing from the electrical component core 41 is introduced into the quencher 43; and the controller 70 can control the third valve 51 so that refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the quencher 43.

[0073] The third mode can be a state where the ambient air temperature is suitable, so that neither indoor heating nor indoor cooling is required, but an appropriate level of heating of the high-voltage battery and cooling of the electrical components are required.

[0074] In the third mode, the controller 70 can control the first valve 24 so that cooling water flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21. In addition, the controller 70 can control the second valve 44 so that cooling water flowing from the electrical component core 41 is introduced into the quencher 43; and the controller 70 can control the third valve 51 so that refrigerant in the refrigerant line 10 is introduced into the quencher 43 of the refrigerant heating line 50.

[0075] Therefore, in the third mode, the following effect can be achieved: the high-voltage battery can be heated using heat recovered from the electrical components.

[0076] In the fourth mode, which utilizes the air-cooled condenser 31 for electrical component cooling and battery heating, the controller 70 can control the first valve 24 to introduce cooling water flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21; the controller 70 can control the second valve 44 to introduce cooling water flowing from the electrical component core 41 into the quencher 43; the controller 70 can control the third valve 51 to introduce refrigerant flowing from the air-cooled condenser 31 into the quencher 43; and the controller 70 can control the fourth valve 32 to introduce refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 into the refrigerant cooling line 30.

[0077] In the fourth mode, while performing the same control as in the third mode, the controller 70 can control the refrigerant flowing out of the water-cooled condenser 12 to be introduced into the air-cooled condenser 31 of the refrigerant cooling line 30 by controlling the fourth valve 32.

[0078] In other words, when the refrigerant in the refrigerant line 10 requires additional heat dissipation, the controller 70 can perform control to make the refrigerant flow through the air-cooled condenser 31.

[0079] In the fifth mode, which requires cooling of electrical components, heating of the battery, and indoor cooling, the controller 70 can control the first valve 24 so that cooling water flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21; the controller 70 can control the second valve 44 so that cooling water flowing from the electrical component core 41 is introduced into the quencher 43; and the controller 70 can control the third valve 51 so that refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the cooling core 13 and refrigerant heating line 50 of the indoor air conditioner.

[0080] In the fifth mode, while performing the same control as in the third mode, the controller 70 can control the third valve 51, so that the refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is simultaneously introduced into the cooling core 13 and the refrigerant heating line 50 of the indoor air conditioner. That is, the refrigerant through the third valve 51 can be simultaneously introduced into the cooling core 13 and the quencher 43 of the indoor air conditioner.

[0081] Therefore, the following effect can be achieved: by recovering the heat absorbed by the indoor air conditioner and the heat from the electrical components, the high-voltage battery can be heated, thereby eliminating the need for the air-cooled condenser 31.

[0082] In the sixth mode, which requires cooling of electrical components, heating of the battery, and heating of the room, the controller 70 can control the first valve 24 so that the cooling water flowing out of the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21 and the heater core 22 of the indoor air conditioner; the controller 70 can control the second valve 44 so that the cooling water flowing out of the electrical component core 41 is introduced into the quencher 43; and the controller 70 can control the third valve 51 so that the refrigerant flowing out of the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the refrigerant heating line 50.

[0083] The sixth mode could be used when the ambient air temperature is relatively low, such as in winter. In the sixth mode, a relatively large battery heating may be required, and indoor heating may also be necessary.

[0084] In the sixth mode, the controller 70 can utilize the heat recovered from the electrical components via the quencher 43 to perform battery heating and indoor heating. For this operation, the controller 70 can control the first valve 24 so that cooling water flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is simultaneously introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21 and the heater core 22 of the indoor air conditioner; the controller 70 can control the second valve 44 so that cooling water flowing from the electrical component core 41 is introduced into the quencher 43; and the controller 70 can control the third valve 51 so that refrigerant flowing from the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the refrigerant heating line 50.

[0085] In addition, the controller 70 can further operate the air heater 61 of the air conditioning unit 60.

[0086] In the seventh mode, which requires cooling of electrical components, heating of the battery, and dehumidification of the room, the controller 70 can control the first valve 24 so that the cooling water flowing out of the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the high-voltage battery heat exchange module 21 and the heater core 22 of the indoor air conditioner; the controller 70 can control the second valve 44 so that the cooling water flowing out of the electrical component core 41 is introduced into the quencher 43; and the controller 70 can control the third valve 51 so that the refrigerant flowing out of the water-cooled condenser 12 is introduced into the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner and the refrigerant heating line 50.

[0087] The seventh mode is similar to the sixth mode, but the seventh mode achieves indoor dehumidification by utilizing the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner to perform additional indoor cooling.

[0088] The controller 70 can control the third valve 51 so that the refrigerant flowing out of the water-cooled condenser 12 is simultaneously introduced into the cooling core 13 of the indoor air conditioner and the refrigerant heating line 50.

[0089] It is evident from the above description that the thermal management system according to the present invention can achieve the following effect: by utilizing the heat recovered via indoor air conditioning to heat the battery, thermal efficiency is improved.

[0090] In addition, it can achieve the following effect: by recovering the waste heat from electrical components to heat the battery, thermal management efficiency can be improved.

[0091] For ease of interpretation and precise definition of the appended claims, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “inner,” “outer,” “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “front,” “back,” “inner,” “outer,” “inward,” “outer,” “internal,” “external,” “inner side,” “outer side,” “forward,” and “backward” are used to describe the location of features in the exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It will be further understood that the term “connection” or its derivatives refer to both direct and indirect connections.

[0092] The foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the invention is for illustrative and descriptive purposes. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed, and it will be apparent that various modifications and variations can be made in accordance with the foregoing teachings. The exemplary embodiments chosen and described are intended to explain certain principles of the invention and its practical application, enabling others skilled in the art to make and use the various exemplary embodiments of the invention, as well as their alternatives and modifications. The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A thermal management system of a vehicle, the system comprising: a refrigerant line including a compressor, a water-cooled condenser, and a cooling core of a room air conditioner, such that refrigerant flowing out of the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the cooling core of the room air conditioner; a battery line including a battery heat exchange module and a heater core of the room air conditioner, the battery line being connected to the refrigerant line through the water-cooled condenser; an electrical component line through which cooling water flows, and in which a radiator and a chiller are connected in parallel to an electrical component core via a second valve, such that cooling water flowing out of the electrical component core is selectively introduced to the radiator or the chiller via the second valve; a refrigerant heating line having a branch portion at an upstream of the cooling core of the room air conditioner of the refrigerant line, such that the refrigerant heating line is configured to be in fluid communication to the refrigerant line while bypassing the cooling core of the room air conditioner; the refrigerant heating line including a third valve installed on the refrigerant line at a point where the refrigerant heating line selectively fluidly communicates to the refrigerant line, the refrigerant heating line being connected to the electrical component line through the chiller; wherein the battery heat exchange module and the heater core of the room air conditioner are connected in parallel to the water-cooled condenser via a first valve, such that cooling water heated while passing through the water-cooled condenser is selectively introduced to the battery heat exchange module or the heater core of the room air conditioner via the first valve; further comprising: a controller connected to the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve; and the controller is configured to, in a third mode in which electrical component cooling and battery heating are required, control the first valve such that cooling water flowing out of the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the battery heat exchange module, control the second valve such that cooling water flowing out of the electrical component core is introduced to the chiller, and control the third valve such that refrigerant flowing out of the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the chiller.

2. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, a battery connected to the battery heat exchange module is a solid-state battery.

3. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: a water heater installed on the battery line at a downstream of the water-cooled condenser to heat cooling water in the battery line during operation of the water heater.

4. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, the controller is connected to the first valve and the compressor; and the controller is configured to, in a first mode in which room cooling and battery heating are required, control the compressor and the first valve such that cooling water heated in the water-cooled condenser with refrigerant that absorbed heat in the cooling core of the room air conditioner is introduced to the battery heat exchange module.

5. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, a first end of the radiator and a first end of the electrical component core are connected to a first end of the chiller via the second valve, and a second end of the radiator and a second end of the electrical component core are connected to a second end of the chiller.

6. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, the controller is connected to the second valve; and the controller is configured to, in a second mode in which electrical component cooling is required, control the second valve such that cooling water flowing out of the electrical component core is introduced to the radiator.

7. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: a refrigerant cooling line including an air-cooled condenser, the refrigerant cooling line being connected to the refrigerant line at a first point upstream of the water-cooled condenser of the refrigerant line and at a second point downstream of the water-cooled condenser of the refrigerant line; wherein the refrigerant cooling line further includes a fourth valve installed at the first point at which the refrigerant cooling line is selectively fluidly connected to the refrigerant line, the fourth valve being configured to regulate a flow ratio between the refrigerant line and the refrigerant cooling line.

8. The thermal management system of the vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the controller being configured to, in a fourth mode in which the electrical component cooling with the air-cooled condenser and the battery heating are utilized, control the first valve such that the cooling water flowing out from the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the battery heat exchange module; control the second valve such that the cooling water flowing out from the electrical component core is introduced to the chiller; control the third valve such that the refrigerant flowing out from the air-cooled condenser is introduced to the chiller; and control the fourth valve such that the refrigerant flowing out from the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the refrigerant cooling line. the controller being configured to, in a fifth mode in which the electrical component cooling, the battery heating, and the indoor cooling are required, control the first valve such that the cooling water flowing out from the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the battery heat exchange module; control the second valve such that the cooling water flowing out from the electrical component core is introduced to the chiller; and control the third valve such that the refrigerant flowing out from the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the cooling core of the indoor air conditioner and the refrigerant heating line. the controller being configured to, in a sixth mode in which the electrical component cooling, the battery heating, and the indoor heating are required, control the first valve such that the cooling water flowing out from the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the battery heat exchange module and the heater core of the indoor air conditioner; control the second valve such that the cooling water flowing out from the electrical component core is introduced to the chiller; and control the third valve such that the refrigerant flowing out from the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the refrigerant heating line.

9. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, the controller being configured to, in a seventh mode in which the electrical component cooling, the battery heating, and the indoor dehumidification are required, control the first valve such that the cooling water flowing out from the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the battery heat exchange module and the heater core of the indoor air conditioner; control the second valve such that the cooling water flowing out from the electrical component core is introduced to the chiller; and control the third valve such that the refrigerant flowing out from the water-cooled condenser is introduced to the cooling core of the indoor air conditioner and the refrigerant heating line.

12. The thermal management system of the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

10. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, an air conditioning device including a heater core of an indoor air conditioner and configured to circulate air inside the vehicle or air introduced from outside the vehicle through the inside of the vehicle. the air conditioning device further including an air heater for heating air during operation of the air heater.

11. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, ​ ​ ​ ​ 13. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein, ​

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