Thermal management system for a vehicle

Abstract

A thermal management system for a vehicle may include: a cooling device that circulates a coolant in a coolant pipeline to cool at least one electrical component disposed in the coolant pipeline; a battery cooling device that circulates the coolant to a battery module; a cooler that exchanges heat between the coolant and a refrigerant to control the coolant temperature; a heater that uses the coolant to heat the interior of the vehicle; a branch pipeline; a cooler connection pipeline that connects the cooler and a valve; and wherein, a storage tank is disposed in the coolant pipeline between the radiator and the valve and is connected to the coolant pipeline connecting the valve and the first water pump through a supply pipeline, and wherein, a condenser included in the air conditioner is connected to the coolant pipeline to enable the coolant to circulate through the cooling device.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2020 - 0079936, filed on Jun. 30, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 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 regulates the temperature of a battery module by using a cooler that performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a coolant, and that utilizes waste heat generated from electrical components to improve heating efficiency. Background art

[0004] In recent years, as environmental and energy resources have become important issues, electric vehicles have become popular as future means of transportation. Electric vehicles use a battery module in which a plurality of rechargeable batteries are formed into one package as a main power source, and thus do not generate exhaust gas and have very low noise.

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

[0006] On the other hand, since a large amount of heat is generated in the battery, electrical components, and the drive motor that serves as the main power source of the electric vehicle, effective cooling is required, and thus effective temperature management of the electrical components and the battery module may be a very important issue.

[0007] Conventionally, separate cooling systems have been applied to regulate the temperature of the electrical components and the battery module, but it is necessary to increase the capacity of the cooling system according to them, which leads to space limitations. In addition, when the capacity of the cooling system is increased, the power required to operate the cooling system also increases.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need to develop technologies for effectively utilizing waste heat generated from electrical components, regulating the temperature of the electrical components and the battery to maximize energy efficiency, and ensuring the durability of the electrical components and the battery module in an electric vehicle.

[0009] The information included in the background art section of the present invention is only for enhancing the understanding of the general background of the present invention and cannot be regarded as an admission or any form of suggestion that this information constitutes the prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the invention

[0010] Aspects of the present invention are directed to a thermal management system for a vehicle that regulates the temperature of a battery module by using a chiller that performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a coolant, and that uses waste heat generated from an electrical component to improve heating efficiency.

[0011] Aspects of the present invention are directed to a thermal management system for a vehicle, the system including: a cooling device including a radiator, a first water pump, a valve, and a storage tank connected by a coolant line, and circulating coolant in the coolant line to cool at least one electrical component disposed in the coolant line; a battery cooling device including: a battery coolant line connected to the coolant line through a valve, and a second water pump and a battery module connected to the battery coolant line to circulate coolant in the battery module; a chiller disposed in the battery coolant line between the valve and the battery module and connected to a refrigerant line of an air conditioner through a refrigerant connection line to regulate the temperature of the coolant by performing heat exchange between the coolant circulating in the battery coolant line and the refrigerant selectively supplied from the air conditioner; a heater disposed in the coolant line between the electrical component and the radiator to heat the interior of the vehicle using the coolant supplied from the cooling device; a branch line having a first end connected to the coolant line between the radiator and the heater and a second end connected to the valve; and a chiller connection line connecting the chiller and the valve independent of the battery coolant line; wherein the storage tank is disposed in the coolant line between the radiator and the valve and connected to the coolant line connecting the valve and the first water pump through a supply line, and wherein a condenser included in the air conditioner is connected to the coolant line to circulate coolant through the cooling device.

[0012] The valve may include: a first port connected to the coolant line connected to the storage tank; a second port connected to the coolant line connected to the first water pump; a third port connected to the chiller connection line; a fourth port connected to the branch line; a fifth port connected to the battery coolant line connected to the chiller; and a sixth port connected to the battery coolant line connected to the second water pump.

[0013] The valve may be operated to discharge coolant through the port adjacent to the other port into which coolant is introduced among the first port, the second port, the third port, the fourth port, the fifth port, and the sixth port.

[0014] The air conditioner may include: a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) module including an evaporator connected to a refrigerant pipeline and an opening and closing door configured to control outside air passing through the evaporator to selectively introduce it into a heater according to a cooling mode, a heating mode, and a heating and dehumidifying mode of the vehicle; a condenser disposed in a coolant pipeline between the refrigerant pipeline and a radiator and the heater to circulate coolant in the condenser for heat exchange between the coolant and the refrigerant supplied through the refrigerant pipeline; a compressor connected between the evaporator and the condenser through the refrigerant pipeline; a sub-condenser disposed in the refrigerant pipeline between the condenser and the evaporator; a first expansion valve disposed in the refrigerant pipeline between the sub-condenser and the evaporator; and a second expansion valve disposed in the refrigerant connection pipeline.

[0015] When cooling the battery module with coolant, the second expansion valve may expand the refrigerant introduced through the refrigerant connection pipeline to flow to the cooler.

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

[0017] Each of the cooler 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 on a side opposite to the evaporator with respect to a heater inserted between the air heater and the evaporator to selectively heat outside air passing through the heater.

[0019] When the temperature of the coolant supplied to the heater is lower than a target temperature for internal heating, the air heater may be operated to raise the temperature of the outside air passing through the heater.

[0020] When the battery module is cooled in the cooling mode of the vehicle, in the cooling device, the coolant may be circulated in the coolant pipeline by the operation of a first water pump, and the supply pipeline may be opened; through the operation of a valve, the branch pipeline and the cooler connection pipeline may be closed; the coolant pipeline and the battery coolant pipeline may form an independent closed loop through the operation of a valve; in the battery cooling device, the coolant passing through the cooler may be supplied to the battery module along the battery coolant pipeline by the operation of a second water pump; in the air conditioner, through the operation of the first expansion valve, the refrigerant pipeline connecting the sub-condenser and the evaporator may be opened; through the operation of the second expansion valve, the refrigerant connection pipeline may be opened; and the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve may respectively expand the refrigerant supplied to the refrigerant pipeline and the refrigerant connection pipeline and supply the expanded refrigerant to the evaporator and the cooler.

[0021] The condenser can condense the refrigerant by exchanging heat with the coolant, and the auxiliary condenser can additionally condense the refrigerant introduced from the condenser by exchanging heat with the external air.

[0022] When using the coolant to cool the electrical components and the battery module, the branch pipeline can be closed by the operation of the valve; the cooler connection pipeline can be opened by the operation of the valve, and the supply pipeline can be opened; the part of the battery coolant pipeline connecting the cooler and the valve can be closed by the operation of the valve; the coolant pipeline connecting the storage tank and the valve can be connected to the battery coolant pipeline by the operation of the valve; by the operation of the first water pump and the second water pump, the coolant cooled in the radiator can flow from the valve along the battery coolant pipeline through the battery module; and the coolant passing through the battery module can be introduced from the cooler into the valve along the opened cooler connection pipeline, and then can be supplied to the electrical components when flowing along the coolant pipeline connected to the first water pump.

[0023] When using the waste heat of the electrical components in the heating mode of the vehicle, the branch pipeline and the cooler connection pipeline can be opened by the operation of the valve; in the cooling device, based on the branch pipeline, the coolant pipeline connecting to the radiator storage tank and the valve can be closed; the supply pipeline can be opened; the battery coolant pipeline except the part connecting to the cooler can be closed by the operation of the valve; the coolant whose temperature rises when passing through the electrical components by the operation of the first water pump can be supplied to the heater along the opened coolant pipeline without passing through the radiator; the coolant discharged from the heater can be introduced into the valve along the opened coolant pipeline and the opened branch pipeline; the coolant introduced into the valve can pass through the cooler along the opened part of the battery coolant pipeline and then be introduced into the valve again along the opened cooler connection pipeline; and the coolant introduced into the valve again can be supplied to the electrical components along the opened coolant pipeline.

[0024] When using the waste heat of the electrical components and needing to cool at least one electrical component in the heating mode of the vehicle, the branch pipeline and the cooler connection pipeline can be closed by the operation of the valve; in the cooling device, the coolant pipeline can be opened; the supply pipeline can be opened; the battery cooling device can be deactivated; the coolant whose temperature rises when passing through the electrical components by the operation of the first water pump can be supplied to the heater along the coolant pipeline; and by the operation of the first water pump, the coolant discharged from the heater can be cooled while passing through the radiator along the coolant pipeline, and then, while passing through the electrical components, can recover the waste heat from the electrical components and cool the electrical components at the same time.

[0025] The valve can be a six-way valve.

[0026] The electrical component may include a power control unit (EPCU), or an electric motor, or an inverter, or an autonomous driving controller or an on-board charger (OBC).

[0027] When the coolant is circulated to the coolant line by the operation of the first water pump, the supply line may be connected to the coolant line.

[0028] The battery cooling device may further include a first coolant heater in the battery coolant line disposed between the battery module and the chiller.

[0029] When the battery module is heated, the first coolant heater may be operated to heat the coolant supplied to the battery module along the battery coolant line.

[0030] When heating the battery module, the battery coolant line may be disconnected from the coolant line by the operation of a valve; by the operation of the valve, the branch line and the chiller connection line may be closed; by the operation of the second water pump, the coolant may be circulated along the battery coolant line; and the first coolant heater may be operated to heat the coolant supplied to the battery module along the battery coolant line.

[0031] As described above, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, according to the thermal management system for a vehicle, the temperature of the battery module may be adjusted by using one chiller for heat exchange between the coolant and the refrigerant according to the mode of the vehicle, and the interior of the vehicle may be heated by using the coolant, thereby simplifying the entire system.

[0032] According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the heating efficiency may also be improved by recovering waste heat from the electrical component and using the waste heat for internal heating.

[0033] In addition, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the performance of the battery module may be optimized by effectively controlling the temperature of the battery module, and the total driving distance of the vehicle may be increased by effectively managing the battery module.

[0034] In addition, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, by using a condenser and a sub-condenser to increase the condensation performance of the refrigerant, the cooling performance may be improved and the power consumption of the compressor may be reduced.

[0035] In addition, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the manufacturing cost may be reduced and the weight may be reduced by simplifying the entire system, and the space utilization rate may be improved.

[0036] The method and apparatus of the present invention have other features and advantages that will be more clearly elucidated or described in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and in the following detailed description, and together they are used to explain certain principles of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] Figure 1 FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 2 is Figure 1 an enlarged view of part A of

[0039] Figure 3 FIG. 2 shows an operating state diagram for cooling an electrical component and a battery module by using a radiator in a thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 4 FIG. 3 shows an operating state diagram for cooling a battery module by using a refrigerant in a cooling mode of a vehicle in a thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 5 FIG. 4 shows an operating state diagram for performing a heating mode by using waste heat of an electrical component in a thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 6 FIG. 5 shows an operating state diagram for performing a heating mode by using waste heat of an electrical component while cooling the electrical component in a thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 7 FIG. 6 shows a detailed perspective view of heating a battery module in a thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0044] It will be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features showing the basic principles of the present invention. Specific design features of the present invention included herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes, will be determined in part by the intended application and use environment.

[0045] In the drawings, throughout the several views of the drawings, reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. 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 cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0047] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] The exemplary embodiments described in the exemplary embodiments and the configurations shown in the accompanying drawings are only the most preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention, but do not limit the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, it can be understood that various equivalents and modifications may be configured to replace them when this application is filed.

[0049] To clarify the present invention, parts irrelevant to the specification will be omitted, and throughout the specification, the same elements or equivalents will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0050] In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions and thicknesses of each element are arbitrarily shown, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and in the accompanying drawings, the thicknesses of layers, films, panels, regions, etc. are exaggerated for clarity.

[0051] Throughout this specification and the appended claims, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, the word "comprise" or variations such as "have" or "include" will be understood to imply the inclusion of the stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.

[0052] Furthermore, the terms "…… unit", "…… mechanism", "…… part", "…… component", etc. used herein refer to units of inclusive components that perform at least one or more functions or operations.

[0053] Figure 1 A block diagram of a thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is shown, and Figure 2 is Figure 1 an enlarged view of a part of

[0054] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a thermal management system for a vehicle can regulate the temperature of a battery module 24 by using a cooler 30 in which a refrigerant and a coolant exchange heat, and can recover waste heat generated from an electrical component 15 to use the waste heat for internal heating.

[0055] Such a thermal management system can be applied to an electric vehicle.

[0056] Refer toFigure 1 , the thermal management system may include a cooling device 10, a battery cooling device 20, a cooler 30, and a heater 52a.

[0057] First, the cooling device 10 includes a radiator 12 connected to a coolant line 11, a first water pump 14, a valve V, and a storage tank 16.

[0058] The radiator 12 is installed at the front of the vehicle, and a cooling fan 13 is installed behind the radiator 12, so as to cool the coolant by the operation of the cooling fan 13 and heat exchange with the external air.

[0059] In addition, the electrical component 15 may include an electric power control unit (EPCU), or an electric motor, or an inverter, or an autonomous driving controller or an on-board charger (OBC).

[0060] The electrical component 15 configured as described above may be disposed in the coolant line 11 so as to be cooled in a water-cooling manner.

[0061] Therefore, when recovering the waste heat of the electrical component 15 in the heating mode of the vehicle, the heat generated from the EPCU, the electric motor, the inverter, the autonomous driving controller, or the OBC can be recovered.

[0062] In addition, the storage tank 16 is disposed on the coolant line 11 between the radiator 12 and the first water pump 14. The coolant cooled in the radiator 12 can be stored in the storage tank 16.

[0063] The cooling device 10 can circulate the coolant in the coolant line 11 through the operation of the first water pump 14, so that the coolant is supplied to the electrical component 15 disposed in the coolant line 11.

[0064] Meanwhile, the storage tank 16 can be connected to the coolant line 11 connecting the valve V and the first water pump 14 through a supply line 17.

[0065] When the coolant is circulated to the coolant line 11 through the operation of the first water pump 14, the supply line 17 can be connected to the coolant line 11.

[0066] That is, when the first water pump 14 is operated, the storage tank 16 can always make a part of the stored coolant flow into the coolant line 11 through the supply line 17.

[0067] Therefore, when the first water pump 14 is operated, cavitation in the first water pump 14 can be prevented. In addition, damage to the first water pump 14 caused by cavitation can be prevented in advance.

[0068] In addition, the cooling device 10 may further include a branch line 18.

[0069] The first end of the branch pipeline 18 is connected to the coolant pipeline 11 between the radiator 12 and the electrical component 15. The second end of the branch pipeline 18 can be connected to the valve V.

[0070] When recovering the waste heat of the electrical component 15, the branch pipeline 18 can be selectively opened and closed by the operation of the valve V, so that the coolant that has passed through the electrical component 15 can be re-supplied to the electrical device 15 without passing through the radiator 12.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the battery cooling device 20 includes a battery coolant pipeline 21 connected to the coolant pipeline 11 through the valve V, and a second water pump 22 and a battery module 24 connected to the battery coolant pipeline 21.

[0072] The battery cooling device 20 can selectively circulate the coolant in the battery module 24 through the operation of the second water pump 22.

[0073] Here, the first water pump 14 and the second water pump 22 can be electric water pumps.

[0074] Meanwhile, the battery cooling device 20 can also include a first coolant heater 26 disposed in the battery coolant pipeline 21 between the battery module 24 and the valve V.

[0075] When it is necessary to raise the temperature of the battery module 24, the first coolant heater 26 is turned on to heat the coolant circulating in the battery coolant pipeline 21, so that the heated coolant can be supplied to the battery module 24.

[0076] The first coolant heater 26 can be an electric heater that operates according to the power supply.

[0077] That is, when the temperature of the coolant supplied to the battery module 24 is lower than the target temperature, the first coolant heater 26 operates, so that the coolant circulating in the battery coolant pipeline 21 can be heated.

[0078] Therefore, the coolant whose temperature has risen when passing through the first coolant heater 26 can be supplied to the battery module 24 to raise the temperature of the battery module 24.

[0079] That is, when the temperature of the battery module 24 rises, the first coolant heater 26 can be selectively operated.

[0080] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a cooler 30 is disposed in the battery coolant pipeline 21 between the valve V and the battery module 24.

[0081] The cooler 30 is connected to the refrigerant pipeline 51 of the air conditioner 50 through the refrigerant connection pipeline 61. That is, the cooler 30 can be a water-cooled heat exchanger into which the coolant flows.

[0082] Here, the cooler 30 can be connected to the valve V through the cooler connection pipeline 31.

[0083] That is, the cooler connection pipeline 31 can connect the cooler 30 and the valve V independently of the battery coolant pipeline 21 through the operation of the valve V.

[0084] Therefore, the cooler 30 can adjust the temperature of the coolant by exchanging heat between the coolant selectively supplied to the battery coolant pipeline 21 and the cooler connection pipeline 31, and the refrigerant selectively supplied from the air conditioner 50.

[0085] Here, the first end of the cooler connection pipeline 31 is connected to the valve V. The second end of the cooler connection pipeline 31 can be connected to the cooler 30.

[0086] The cooler connection pipeline 31 can connect the cooler 30 to the valve V according to the operation of the valve V.

[0087] The heater 52a is provided in the coolant pipeline 11 between the electrical component 15 and the radiator 12 to heat the vehicle interior by using the coolant.

[0088] Therefore, when heating the vehicle interior, the high-temperature coolant that has passed through the electrical component 15 can be supplied to the heater 52a.

[0089] That is, in the heating mode of the vehicle, through the operation of the first water pump 14, the high-temperature coolant that has passed through the electrical component 15 is supplied to the heater 52a, thereby heating the vehicle interior.

[0090] The heater 52a can be provided inside the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) module 52 included in the air conditioner 50.

[0091] Here, a second coolant heater 43 can be provided in the coolant pipeline 11 between the electrical component 15 and the heater 52a to selectively heat the coolant circulating in the coolant pipeline 11.

[0092] When the temperature of the coolant supplied to the heater 52a in the heating mode of the vehicle is lower than the target temperature, the second coolant heater 43 starts to operate to heat the coolant circulating in the coolant pipeline 11, and the heated coolant flows into the heater 52a.

[0093] The second coolant heater 43 can be an electric heater that operates according to the power supply.

[0094] On the other hand, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a second coolant heater 43 provided in the coolant line 11 is described. However, it is not limited thereto, and instead of the second coolant heater 43, an air heater 45 may be applied to increase the temperature of the outside air flowing into the vehicle interior.

[0095] The air heater 45 may be installed at the rear of the heater 52a toward the vehicle interior inside the HVAC module 52 to selectively heat the outside air passing through the heater 52a.

[0096] That is, either the second coolant heater 43 or the air heater 45 may be applied to the heater 52a.

[0097] In the heating mode of the vehicle, by the operation of the first water pump 14, the coolant whose temperature has risen when passing through the electrical component 15 is supplied to the heater 52a configured as described above to heat the vehicle interior.

[0098] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner 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, which are connected by a refrigerant line 51.

[0099] First, the HVAC module 52 includes an evaporator 56 connected thereto by a refrigerant line 51 and includes an opening / closing door 52b for controlling the outside air passing through the evaporator 56 to be selectively introduced into the heater 52a according to the cooling mode, heating mode, and heating and dehumidifying mode of the vehicle therein.

[0100] That is, in the heating mode of the vehicle, the opening / closing door 52b is opened to allow the outside air passing through the evaporator 56 to be introduced into the heater 52a. On the contrary, in the cooling mode of the vehicle, the opening / closing door 52b closes the heater 52a so that the outside air cooled when passing through the evaporator 56 directly flows into the vehicle.

[0101] Here, when the second coolant heater 43 is not provided in the coolant line 11, the air heater 45 provided in the HVAC module 52 may be provided on the opposite side of the evaporator 56, and the heater 52a may be inserted therebetween.

[0102] When the temperature of the coolant supplied to the heater 52a is lower than the target temperature for internal heating, the air heater 45 may be operated to increase the temperature of the outside air flowing into the heater 52a.

[0103] On the other hand, when the second coolant heater 43 is not provided in the coolant line 11, the air heater 45 may be provided inside the HVAC module 52.

[0104] That is, in the thermal management system according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, only one of the second coolant heater 43 and the air heater 45 can be applied.

[0105] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the condenser 53 is connected to the refrigerant line 51 to allow the refrigerant to pass therethrough. The condenser 53 is provided on the coolant line 11 between the heater 52a and the radiator 12 so that the coolant circulating in the coolant line 11 passes through.

[0106] The condenser 53 can condense the refrigerant by exchanging heat with the coolant circulating in the coolant line 11. That is, the condenser 53 can be a water-cooled heat exchanger into which the coolant flows.

[0107] The condenser 53 configured as described above can exchange heat between the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 59 and the coolant supplied from the cooling device 10 to condense the refrigerant.

[0108] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the sub-condenser 54 can be provided in the refrigerant line 51 between the condenser 53 and the evaporator 56.

[0109] Here, the sub-condenser 54 can further condense the refrigerant condensed in the condenser 53 by exchanging heat with the external air. In other words, the sub-condenser 54 is installed in front of the radiator 12 so that the refrigerant that has flowed into it exchanges heat with the external air.

[0110] As a result, the sub-condenser 54 can be an air-cooled heat exchanger for condensing the refrigerant by using the external air.

[0111] Therefore, the sub-condenser 54 can further condense the refrigerant condensed in the condenser 53 to increase the subcooling degree of the refrigerant, thereby improving the coefficient of performance (COP), which is a cooling capacity coefficient relative to the power required by the compressor.

[0112] 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 that has passed through the sub-condenser 54 to expand it.

[0113] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first end of the refrigerant connection line 61 is connected to the refrigerant line 51 between the sub-condenser 54 and the first expansion valve 55. The second end of the refrigerant connection line 61 can be connected to the refrigerant line 51 between the evaporator 56 and the compressor 59.

[0114] Here, the second expansion valve 63 is provided in the refrigerant connection pipeline 61. When the battery module 24 is cooled by the coolant that exchanges heat with the refrigerant, the second expansion valve 63 can expand the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant connection pipeline 61 to introduce the refrigerant into the cooler 30.

[0115] When cooling the battery module 24 by using the coolant to exchange heat with the refrigerant, the second expansion valve 63 is operated to expand the refrigerant.

[0116] That is, the second expansion valve 63 can introduce the refrigerant discharged from the sub-condenser 54 into the cooler 30 in a state where the temperature of the refrigerant is lowered by expanding the refrigerant, so as to further lower the temperature of the coolant passing through the inside of the cooler 30.

[0117] As a result, the coolant with a lowered temperature when passing through the cooler 30 is introduced into the battery module 24, so that the battery module is cooled more effectively.

[0118] The compressor 59 is connected between the evaporator 56 and the condenser 53 through the refrigerant pipeline 51. This compressor 59 can compress the gaseous refrigerant and supply the compressed refrigerant to the condenser 53.

[0119] Here, the first expansion valve 55 and the second expansion valve 63 can be electronic expansion valves, which selectively expand the refrigerant while controlling the flow of the refrigerant through the refrigerant pipeline 51 or the refrigerant connection pipeline 61.

[0120] In addition, the valve V can be a six-way valve.

[0121] Here, reference will be made to Figure 2 The structure of the valve V will be described in more detail.

[0122] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the valve V may include a first port P1, a second port P2, a third port P3, a fourth port P4, a fifth port P5, and a sixth port P6.

[0123] First, the first port P1 is connected to the coolant pipeline 11 connected to the storage tank 16.

[0124] The second port P2 is connected to the coolant pipeline 11 connected to the first water pump 14.

[0125] Here, the supply pipeline 17 may be connected to the coolant pipeline 11 connected to the second port P2 and the first water pump 14.

[0126] The third port P3 is connected to the cooler connection pipeline 31, and the fourth port P4 is connected to the branch pipeline 18.

[0127] The fifth port P5 is connected to the battery coolant line 21 that connects the cooler 30 between the cooler 30 and the valve V.

[0128] The sixth port P6 is connected to the battery coolant line 21 that is connected to the second water pump 22.

[0129] Here, the valve V can be operated to discharge the coolant through the port adjacent to the port through which the coolant is introduced among the first port P1, the second port P2, the third port P3, the fourth port P4, the fifth port P5, and the sixth port P6.

[0130] For example, according to the operation of the valve V, the coolant introduced into the first port P1 can be discharged through the second port P2 or the sixth port P6 installed adjacent to the first port P1.

[0131] That is, the valve V is configured to simplify the structure, and for the convenience of valve control, when two adjacent ports are closed, the remaining four ports are opened so that the two adjacent ports are connected to each other, thereby controlling the flow rate of the coolant.

[0132] In addition, when four adjacent ports are closed, the valve V can be operated to connect the remaining two ports to each other to control the flow of the coolant.

[0133] Hereinafter, reference will be made to Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7 to describe in detail the operation and function of the thermal management system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention configured as described above.

[0134] First, reference will be made to Figure 3 to describe the operation of cooling the electrical component 15 and the battery module 24 using the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 in the thermal management system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0135] Figure 3 The operation state diagrams of cooling the electrical component and the battery module by using the radiator in the thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0136] Referring to Figure 3 , the branch line 18 is closed by the operation of the valve V. The cooler connection line 31 is opened by the operation of the valve V.

[0137] The supply line 17 is opened. That is, a part of the coolant stored in the storage tank 16 can circulate along the coolant line 11 through the opened supply line 17.

[0138] Here, by operating the valve V, the part of the battery coolant line 21 connecting the cooler 30 and the valve V is closed.

[0139] In addition, the battery coolant line 21 is connected to the coolant line 11 by operating the valve V.

[0140] The coolant line 11 connecting the storage tank 16 and the valve V is connected to the battery coolant line 21 by operating the valve V.

[0141] In the current state, in the cooling device 10, the first water pump 14 is operated to cool the electrical components 15.

[0142] In the battery cooling device 20, the second water pump 22 is operated to cool the battery module 24.

[0143] Therefore, the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 and stored in the storage tank 16 is supplied to the battery module 24 while circulating through the battery coolant line 21 by operating the valve V and the second water pump 22.

[0144] That is, the coolant introduced into the valve V from the storage tank 16 through the first port P1 is introduced into the battery coolant line 21 through the sixth port P6.

[0145] The coolant introduced into the battery coolant line 21 passes through the battery module 24 and is introduced into the cooler 30.

[0146] Therefore, the coolant passing through the battery module 24 is introduced from the cooler 30 into the valve V along the open cooler connection line 31. Thereafter, by operating the first water pump 14, the coolant can be supplied to the electrical components 15 while flowing along the coolant line 11 connected to the first water pump 14.

[0147] That is, the coolant discharged from the cooler 30 is introduced into the third port P3 of the valve V along the open cooler connection line 31 and is discharged through the second port P2 to the coolant line 11 connected to the first water pump 14.

[0148] Here, a part of the coolant stored in the storage tank 16 can circulate along the coolant line 11 through the open supply line 17.

[0149] That is, by operating the first water pump 14 and the second water pump 22, the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 and stored in the storage tank 16 circulates through the coolant line 11 and the battery coolant line 21 respectively to effectively cool the electrical components 15 and the battery module 24.

[0150] Since the cooling mode of the vehicle is deactivated, the air conditioner 50 does not operate.

[0151] On the other hand, although it has been described in the exemplary embodiments of the present invention that both the electrical component 15 and the battery module 24 are cooled, the present invention is not limited thereto, and when one of the electrical component 15 and the battery module 24 is cooled alone, the first water pump 14, the second water pump 22, and the valve V can be selectively operated.

[0152] Reference will be made to Figure 4 Describe the operation in the case of cooling the battery module 24 in the cooling mode of the vehicle.

[0153] Figure 4 The operation state diagrams of cooling the battery module by using a coolant in the cooling mode of the vehicle in the thermal management system for the vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0154] Referring to Figure 4 , in the cooling device 10, by the operation of the first water pump 14, the coolant circulates in the coolant pipeline 11. At the same time, the supply pipeline 17 is opened.

[0155] That is, a part of the coolant stored in the storage tank 16 can circulate along the coolant pipeline 11 through the opened supply pipeline 17.

[0156] Here, the branch pipeline 18 and the refrigerator connection pipeline 31 are closed by the operation of the valve V.

[0157] Therefore, the coolant introduced into the valve V from the storage tank 16 through the first port P1 can be introduced into the coolant pipeline 11 through the second port P2.

[0158] In the battery cooling device 20, the second water pump 22 is operated to cool the battery module 24.

[0159] Therefore, in the battery cooling device 20, the coolant can circulate in the battery coolant pipeline 21 by the operation of the second water pump 22.

[0160] Here, the cooling device 10 and the battery cooling device 20 can form independent closed loops, and through the operation of the valve V, each coolant circulates separately through the closed loop.

[0161] That is, the battery cooling device 20 is not connected to the coolant pipeline 11 by the operation of the valve V.

[0162] In the current state, the battery cooling device 20 can form a closed loop, and through this closed loop, the coolant circulates independently in the battery coolant pipeline 21 by the operation of the second water pump 22.

[0163] That is, the coolant pipeline 11 and the battery coolant pipeline 21 form independent closed loops respectively by the operation of the valve V.

[0164] Therefore, in the battery cooling device 20, the coolant passing through the cooler 30 can be supplied to the battery module 24 along the battery coolant line 21 by the operation of the second water pump 22.

[0165] The coolant introduced into the battery coolant line 21 passes through the battery module 24 and is introduced into the cooler 30.

[0166] Therefore, the coolant passing through the battery module 24 is introduced from the cooler 30 into the valve V along the open battery coolant line 21. Thereafter, the coolant can be supplied to the battery module 24 while flowing along the battery coolant line 21 by the operation of the second water pump 22.

[0167] That is, the coolant discharged from the cooler 30 is introduced into the fifth port P5 of the valve V along the battery coolant line 21 and discharged through the sixth port P6 to the battery coolant line 21 connected to the second water pump 22.

[0168] Meanwhile, in the cooling device 10, the coolant circulates in the coolant line 11 by the operation of the first water pump 14.

[0169] Therefore, the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 can be supplied to the condenser 53 by the operation of the first water pump 14 after passing through the electrical component 15.

[0170] In the air conditioner 50, each component is used to cool the interior of the vehicle. Therefore, the refrigerant circulates along the refrigerant line 51.

[0171] Here, by the operation of the first expansion valve 55, the refrigerant line 51 connecting the sub-condenser 54 and the evaporator 56 is opened. By the operation of the second expansion valve 63, the refrigerant connection line 61 is opened.

[0172] Therefore, the refrigerant that has passed through the sub-condenser 54 can circulate along the refrigerant line 51 and the refrigerant connection line 61.

[0173] Here, the first expansion valve 55 and the second expansion valve 63 can expand the refrigerant so that the expanded refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator 56 and the cooler 30 respectively.

[0174] The condenser 53 condenses the refrigerant by using the coolant flowing along the coolant line 11. In addition, the sub-condenser 54 can further condense the refrigerant introduced from the condenser 53 by exchanging heat with the external air.

[0175] The coolant passing through the cooler 30 circulates in the battery coolant line 21 to cool the battery module 24 by the operation of the second water pump 22.

[0176] The coolant passing through the cooler 30 is cooled by heat exchange with the expanded refrigerant supplied to the cooler 30. The coolant cooled in the cooler 30 is supplied to the battery module 24. Thus, the battery module 24 is cooled by the cooled coolant.

[0177] That is, the second expansion valve 63 expands some of the refrigerant passing through the sub-condenser 54 and opens the refrigerant connection line 61 to supply the expanded refrigerant to the cooler 30.

[0178] Therefore, the refrigerant discharged from the sub-condenser 54 expands through the operation of the second expansion valve 63 to enter a low-temperature and low-pressure state and flows into the cooler 30 connected to the refrigerant connection line 61.

[0179] Thereafter, the refrigerant flowing into the cooler 30 exchanges heat with the coolant and then is introduced into the compressor 59 through the refrigerant connection line 61.

[0180] In other words, the coolant whose temperature has risen due to cooling the battery module 24 is cooled by heat exchange with the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant in the cooler 30. The cooled coolant is again supplied to the battery module 24 through the battery coolant line 21.

[0181] That is, the coolant can effectively cool the battery module 24 while repeating the above operations.

[0182] On the other hand, the remaining refrigerant discharged from the sub-condenser 54 flows through the refrigerant line 51 to cool the interior of the vehicle and sequentially flows through the first expansion valve 55, the evaporator 56, the compressor 59, and the condenser 53.

[0183] 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.

[0184] In the current situation, a part of the heater 52a through which the cooled outside air passes is closed by the opening / closing door 52b so that the outside air does not pass through the heater 52a. Thus, the cooled outside air directly flows into the interior of the vehicle, thereby cooling the interior of the vehicle.

[0185] On the other hand, the amount of condensation of the refrigerant increases when sequentially passing through the condenser 53 and the sub-condenser 54, and can be expanded and supplied to the evaporator 56, thereby allowing the refrigerant to be evaporated to a lower temperature.

[0186] As a result, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the condenser 53 condenses the refrigerant, and the sub-condenser 54 further condenses the refrigerant, which is advantageous in forming subcooling of the refrigerant.

[0187] In addition, since the supercooled refrigerant can evaporate to a lower temperature in the evaporator 56, the temperature of the outside air passing through the evaporator 56 can be further reduced, thereby improving the cooling performance and efficiency.

[0188] The refrigerant can cool the interior of the vehicle in the cooling mode of the vehicle while repeating the above process, and at the same time, it can cool the coolant through heat exchange while passing through the chiller 30.

[0189] The low-temperature coolant cooled in the chiller 30 is introduced into the battery module 24. Therefore, the battery module 24 can be effectively cooled by the low-temperature coolant supplied thereto.

[0190] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the operation in the heating mode of the vehicle without using the waste heat of the electrical component 15 when the air conditioner 50 is not used will be described with reference to Figure 5 ...

[0191] Figure 5 The operation state diagrams for performing the heating mode by using the waste heat of the electrical component in the thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0192] With reference to Figure 5 ... the thermal management system can perform heating of the interior of the vehicle by using the waste heat from the electrical component 15 without operating the air conditioner 50.

[0193] First, in the cooling device 10, the first water pump 14 is operated to circulate the coolant. In the current case, the air conditioner 50 is deactivated.

[0194] Here, the branch pipeline 18 and the chiller connection pipeline 31 are opened by the operation of the valve V. The supply pipeline 17 is opened.

[0195] Therefore, a part of the coolant stored in the storage tank 16 can circulate along the coolant pipeline 11 through the opened supply pipeline 17.

[0196] Therefore, based on the branch pipeline 18, by the operation of the valve V, a part of the coolant pipeline 11 connected to the radiator 12 and a part of the coolant pipeline 11 connecting the radiator 12 and the storage tank 16 are closed.

[0197] That is, based on the branch pipeline 18, the parts of the coolant pipeline 11 connected to the radiator 12, the storage tank 16, and the valve V can be closed.

[0198] In addition, by the operation of the valve V, the battery coolant pipeline 21 except for the battery coolant pipeline 21 connected to the chiller 30 is closed.

[0199] In the current state, the coolant passing through the electrical component 15 can be circulated along the open branch pipeline 18 and the open part of the coolant pipeline 11 by the operation of the first water pump 14 without passing through the radiator 12.

[0200] Here, the coolant introduced into the valve V through the branch pipeline 18 can be introduced into the cooler 30 along a part of the battery coolant pipeline 21 connecting the cooler 30 and the valve V.

[0201] The coolant passing through the cooler 30 is introduced into the valve V along the open cooler connection pipeline 31. Thereafter, the coolant circulates in the coolant pipeline 11 connected to the electrical component 15 through the valve V.

[0202] Meanwhile, in the battery cooling device 20, the second water pump 22 is deactivated.

[0203] That is, the battery coolant pipeline 21 connecting the second water pump 22 and the battery module 24 is closed, and the operation of the battery cooling device 20 is deactivated.

[0204] Therefore, the coolant passing through the electrical component 15 continuously circulates along the coolant pipeline 11, the branch pipeline 18, the open part of the battery coolant pipeline 21, and the cooler connection pipeline 31 without passing through the radiator 12, and absorbs waste heat from the electrical component 15, causing the temperature to rise.

[0205] That is, the coolant introduced into the valve V through the fourth port P4 from the branch pipeline 18 is introduced into the battery coolant pipeline 21 connected to the cooler through the fifth port P5.

[0206] Thereafter, the coolant passing through the cooler 30 is introduced into the third port P3 of the valve V along the open cooler connection pipeline 31. The coolant introduced into the third port P3 is discharged to the coolant pipeline 11 connected to the first water pump 14 through the second port P2 adjacent to the third port P3.

[0207] While repeating this operation, the coolant absorbs waste heat from the electrical component 15 and may cause the temperature to rise.

[0208] During the operation of the first water pump 14, the coolant whose temperature has risen when flowing through the electrical component 15 is supplied to the heater 52a along the open coolant pipeline 11 without passing through the radiator 12.

[0209] The coolant discharged from the heater 52a is introduced into the valve V along the open coolant pipeline 11 and the open branch pipeline 18.

[0210] The coolant introduced into the valve V is introduced into the valve V again along the open cooler connection pipeline 31 after passing through the cooler 30 along the open part of the battery coolant pipeline 21.

[0211] The coolant re-introduced into valve V is supplied along the open coolant line 11 to the electrical component 15.

[0212] That is, the coolant that has passed through the electrical component 15 continues to circulate along the open coolant line 11, the open portions of the branch line 18, the battery coolant line 21, and the chiller connection line 31, without passing through the radiator 12, and absorbs the waste heat from the electrical component 15, causing its temperature to rise.

[0213] The coolant with the elevated temperature is introduced into the heater 52a along the coolant line 11 without passing through the radiator 12.

[0214] Here, when the temperature of the coolant circulating along the coolant line 11 is lower than the target temperature, the second coolant heater 43 operates, so that the coolant circulating in the coolant line 11 can be heated.

[0215] On the other hand, when the air heater 45 is applied instead of the second coolant heater 43, the air heater 45 can be selectively operated according to the temperature of the outside air passing through the heater 52a.

[0216] That is, when the temperature of the outside air passing through the heater 52a is lower than the target temperature, the air heater 45 can operate to heat the outside air flowing into the vehicle interior.

[0217] When the temperature of the outside air that has completed 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 45 operates.

[0218] When the air heater 45 operates, the outside air can be heated when passing through the air heater 45 and thus introduced into the vehicle interior in a state of elevated temperature.

[0219] At the same time, the high-temperature coolant supplied to the heater 52a exchanges heat with the outside air and then is introduced into the coolant line 11.

[0220] Thereafter, the coolant is introduced into valve V along the open branch line 18 without passing through the radiator 12.

[0221] The coolant introduced into valve V sequentially passes through the open battery coolant line 21, the chiller 30, and the chiller connection line 31, and is re-introduced into the coolant line 11 connected to the electrical component 15.

[0222] At the same time, the open / close door 52b is opened so that the outside air flowing into the HVAC module 52 passes through the heater 52a.

[0223] As a result, when passing through the evaporator 56 not supplied with refrigerant, the outside air flowing in from the outside flows into the interior in an uncooled temperature state. The introduced outside air is converted into a high-temperature state when passing through the heater 52a and is introduced into the vehicle interior, thereby achieving heating of the vehicle interior.

[0224] In other words, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the waste heat generated in the electrical component 15 can be recovered while repeating the above process, and the waste heat can be used for interior heating, thereby reducing power consumption and improving the overall heating efficiency.

[0225] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, reference will be made to Figure 6 to describe the operation in the heating mode of the vehicle when using the waste heat of the electrical component 15 without using the air conditioner 50 and when it is necessary to cool the electrical component 15.

[0226] Figure 6 The operation state diagram shows the operation of cooling the electrical component when using the waste heat of the electrical component to execute the heating mode in the thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0227] Refer to Figure 6 , the thermal management system heats the vehicle interior by utilizing the waste heat from the electrical component 15 without using the air conditioner 50 and cools the electrical component 15 at the same time.

[0228] First, in the cooling device 10, the first water pump 14 is operated to circulate the coolant.

[0229] Here, the branch pipeline 18 and the cooler connection pipeline 31 are closed by the operation of the valve V. The supply pipeline 17 is opened.

[0230] Therefore, a part of the coolant stored in the storage tank 16 can circulate along the coolant pipeline 11 through the opened supply pipeline 17.

[0231] Therefore, the coolant introduced into the valve V from the storage tank 16 through the first port P1 can be introduced into the coolant pipeline 11 through the second port P2.

[0232] The battery coolant pipeline 21 connecting the second water pump 22 and the battery module 24 is closed, and the operation of the battery cooling device 20 is deactivated.

[0233] In the current state, by the operation of the first water pump 14, the coolant whose temperature has risen when passing through the electrical component 15 is supplied to the heater 52a along the coolant pipeline 11.

[0234] The coolant discharged from the heater 52a is introduced into the coolant pipeline 11.

[0235] Thereafter, the coolant introduced into the coolant line 11 is cooled while passing through the radiator 12, and is introduced into the electrical component 15 again along the coolant line 11 by the operation of the first water pump 14.

[0236] That is, the coolant passing through the electrical component 15 absorbs waste heat from the electrical component 15, causing its temperature to rise, and is supplied to the heater 52a through the coolant line 11.

[0237] Through this operation, the coolant whose temperature has risen by absorbing the waste heat of the electrical component 15 circulates in the heater 52a. After that, the coolant is cooled while flowing through the radiator 12 by the operation of the first water pump 14.

[0238] The coolant that has been completely cooled can recover waste heat when passing through the electrical component 15, and can effectively cool the electrical component 15 at the same time.

[0239] At the same time, by the operation of the first water pump 14, the coolant that has been heated when passing through the electrical component 15 circulates along the coolant line 11 to the heater 52a.

[0240] Here, when the temperature of the coolant circulating along the coolant line 11 is lower than the target temperature, the second coolant heater 43 operates, so that the coolant circulating in the coolant line 11 can be heated.

[0241] On the other hand, when the air heater 45 is applied instead of the second coolant heater 43, the air heater 45 can be selectively operated according to the temperature of the outside air passing through the heater 52a.

[0242] That is, when the temperature of the outside air passing through the heater 52a is lower than the target temperature, the air heater 45 can operate to heat the outside air flowing into the vehicle interior.

[0243] When the temperature of the outside air that has completed 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 45 operates.

[0244] When the air heater 45 operates, the outside air can be heated when passing through the air heater 45, and thus is introduced into the vehicle interior in a state of increased temperature.

[0245] Here, the opening and closing door 52b is opened so that the outside air flowing into the HVAC module 52 passes through the heater 52a.

[0246] As a result, when passing through the evaporator 56 that is not supplied with refrigerant, the outside air flowing in from the outside flows into the interior in an uncooled temperature state. The introduced outside air is converted into a high-temperature state while passing through the heater 52a and is introduced into the vehicle interior, thereby achieving heating of the vehicle interior.

[0247] On the other hand, by the operation of the first water pump 14, the coolant discharged from the heater 52a is cooled when passing through the radiator 12 along the coolant line 11.

[0248] Thereafter, the cooled coolant can recover waste heat from the electrical component 15 and cool the electrical component 15 simultaneously when passing through the electrical component 15.

[0249] As a result, the coolant cooled in the radiator 12 can be supplied to the electrical component 15, thereby preventing the electrical component 15 from overheating.

[0250] In other words, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the above process can be repeated, the waste heat generated in the electrical component 15 can be recovered, and the waste heat can be used for internal heating, thereby reducing power consumption and improving the overall heating efficiency.

[0251] In addition, in various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, since the coolant that has passed through the heater 52a is cooled in the radiator 12 and supplied to the electrical component 15, the coolant can recover waste heat when passing through the electrical component 15 and effectively cool the electrical component 15 simultaneously.

[0252] Reference will be made to Figure 7 describe the operation in the case of heating the battery module 24.

[0253] Figure 7 Shows a detailed perspective view of heating a battery module in a thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0254] Reference Figure 7 , deactivate the cooling device 10 and the air conditioner 50.

[0255] By the operation of the valve V, the branch line 18 and the cooler connection line 31 are closed.

[0256] In addition, by the operation of the valve V, the battery coolant line 21 is not connected to the coolant line 11.

[0257] 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 first coolant heater 26 is opened.

[0258] In the current state, by the operation of the second water pump 22, the coolant circulates along the battery coolant line 21.

[0259] That is, the coolant passing through the cooler 30 is introduced into the fifth port P5 of the valve V and then discharged through the sixth port P6 into the battery coolant line 21 connected to the second water pump 22.

[0260] Here, the first coolant heater 26 is operated to heat the coolant supplied to the battery module 24 along the open battery coolant line 21.

[0261] Therefore, the temperature of the coolant circulating in the battery coolant line 21 rises when passing through the first coolant heater 26. Thus, the coolant whose temperature has risen when passing through the first coolant heater 26 can be supplied to the battery module 24 to raise the temperature of the battery module 24.

[0262] As a result, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the temperature of the battery module 24 can be rapidly increased when the above process is repeated, thereby effectively managing the temperature of the battery module 24.

[0263] Therefore, if the thermal management system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention as described above is applied, the temperature of the battery module 24 can be adjusted by using the cooler 30 for heat exchange between the coolant and the refrigerant according to the mode of the vehicle, and the interior of the vehicle can be heated by using the coolant, thus simplifying the entire system.

[0264] According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the heating efficiency can also be improved by recovering waste heat from the electrical component 15 and using the waste heat for interior heating.

[0265] In addition, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, by effectively controlling the temperature of the battery module 24, the performance of the battery module 24 can be optimized, and the total driving distance of the vehicle can be increased by effectively managing the battery module 24.

[0266] The present invention also improves the condensation or evaporation performance of the refrigerant by using the condenser 53 and the sub-condenser 54, thereby improving the cooling performance and reducing the power consumption of the compressor 59.

[0267] In addition, the entire system can be simplified to reduce the manufacturing cost and weight and improve the space utilization rate.

[0268] In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the controller is connected to at least one element of the thermal management system to control its operation.

[0269] In addition, terms related to a control device, such as "controller", "control unit", "control device", or "control module", etc., refer to a hardware device including a memory and a processor, and the processor is configured to execute one or more steps interpreted as an algorithmic structure. The memory stores the algorithm steps, and the processor executes the algorithm steps to perform one or more processes of the method according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The controller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be implemented by a non-volatile memory and a processor. The non-volatile memory is configured to store algorithms for controlling the operations of various components of a vehicle or data regarding software commands for executing the algorithms, and the processor is configured to perform the above operations using the data stored in the memory. The memory and the processor can be separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and the processor can be integrated in a single chip. The processor can be implemented as one or more processors.

[0270] The control device can be at least one microprocessor operated by a predetermined program, and the predetermined program can include a series of commands for executing the methods included in the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention described above.

[0271] The foregoing invention can also be embodied as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device capable of storing data that can be read by a computer system thereafter. Examples of computer-readable recording mediums include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid state drives (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, etc., and are implemented as a carrier wave (e.g., transmitted via the Internet).

[0272] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each of the above operations can be performed by a controller, and the controller can be composed of multiple controllers or an integrated single controller.

[0273] For the sake of easy explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "above", "below", "upward", "downward", "front", "rear", "back", "inward", "outward", "inside", "outside", "internal", "external", "inner", "outer", "forward", and "backward" are used to describe the features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of these features shown in the drawings. It will be further understood that the term "connected" or its derivatives refer to direct and indirect connections.

[0274] The foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and its practical application to enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize the various exemplary embodiments of the invention and various alternatives and modifications thereof. The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for a vehicle, the thermal management system comprising: A cooling device, comprising a radiator, a first pump, a valve and a storage tank connected by a coolant pipeline, and configured to circulate coolant in the coolant pipeline to cool at least one electrical component disposed in the coolant pipeline; A battery cooling device, comprising a battery coolant pipeline connected to the coolant pipeline through the valve; And a second pump and a battery module, the second pump and the battery module being connected to the battery coolant pipeline to circulate the coolant in the battery module; A cooler, disposed in the battery coolant pipeline between the valve and the battery module, and connected to a refrigerant pipeline of an air conditioner through a refrigerant connection pipeline to regulate the temperature of the coolant by exchanging heat between the coolant circulating in the battery coolant pipeline and the refrigerant selectively supplied from the air conditioner; A heater, disposed in the coolant pipeline between the at least one electrical component and the radiator, to heat the interior of the vehicle using the coolant supplied from the cooling device; A branch pipeline, a first end of the branch pipeline being connected to the coolant pipeline between the radiator and the heater, and a second end of the branch pipeline being connected to the valve; And A cooler connection pipeline, connecting the cooler and the valve independently of the battery coolant pipeline; Wherein, the storage tank is disposed in the coolant pipeline between the radiator and the valve, and is connected to the coolant pipeline connecting the valve and the first pump through a supply pipeline bypassing the valve, and Wherein, a condenser included in the air conditioner is connected to the coolant pipeline to circulate the coolant through the cooling device.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, The valve includes: A first port, connected to the coolant pipeline connected to the storage tank; A second port, connected to the coolant pipeline connected to the first pump; A third port, connected to the cooler connection pipeline; A fourth port, connected to the branch pipeline; A fifth port, connected to the battery coolant pipeline connected to the cooler; and A sixth port, connected to the battery coolant pipeline connected to the second pump.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 2, wherein, The valve is configured to operate to discharge the coolant through a port adjacent to another port introducing the coolant among the first port, the second port, the third port, the fourth port, the fifth port and the sixth port.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, The air conditioner includes: A heating, ventilation and air conditioning module, including a door and an evaporator connected to the refrigerant pipeline, the door being configured to control the external air passing through the evaporator to be selectively introduced into the heater according to the cooling mode, heating mode and heating and dehumidifying mode of the vehicle; A condenser, disposed in the refrigerant pipeline and the coolant pipeline between the radiator and the heater, to circulate the coolant in the condenser to exchange heat between the coolant and the refrigerant supplied through the refrigerant pipeline; A compressor, connected between the evaporator and the condenser through the refrigerant pipeline; Auxiliary condenser, disposed in the refrigerant pipeline between the condenser and the evaporator; First expansion valve, disposed in the refrigerant pipeline between the auxiliary condenser and the evaporator; and Second expansion valve, disposed in the refrigerant connection pipeline.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 4, wherein, When the battery module is cooled by the coolant, the second expansion valve expands the refrigerant introduced through the refrigerant connection pipeline so that the refrigerant flows to the cooler.

6. The thermal management system according to claim 4, wherein, wherein, The first end of the refrigerant connection pipeline is connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the auxiliary condenser and the first expansion valve, and wherein, the second end of the refrigerant connection pipeline is connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the evaporator and the compressor.

7. The thermal management system according to claim 4, wherein, Each of the cooler and the condenser is a water-cooled heat exchanger, and the auxiliary condenser is an air-cooled heat exchanger.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 4, wherein, The heating, ventilation and air conditioning module further includes an air heater, which is disposed on a side opposite to the evaporator with respect to the heater inserted between the air heater and the evaporator to selectively heat the external air passing through the heater.

9. The thermal management system according to claim 8, wherein, The air heater is configured to raise the temperature of the external air passing through the heater when the temperature of the coolant supplied to the heater is lower than the target temperature of internal heating.

10. The thermal management system according to claim 4, wherein, When the battery module is cooled in the cooling mode of the vehicle, In the cooling device, the coolant circulates in the coolant pipeline by the operation of the first pump, and the supply pipeline is opened; By the operation of the valve, the branch pipeline and the cooler connection pipeline are closed; The coolant pipeline and the battery coolant pipeline form an independent closed loop by the operation of the valve; In the battery cooling device, the coolant passing through the cooler is supplied to the battery module along the battery coolant pipeline by the operation of the second pump; In the air conditioner, by the operation of the first expansion valve, the refrigerant pipeline connecting the auxiliary condenser and the evaporator is opened; By the operation of the second expansion valve, the refrigerant connection pipeline is opened; And The first expansion valve and the second expansion valve respectively expand the refrigerant supplied to the refrigerant pipeline and the refrigerant connection pipeline, and supply the expanded refrigerant to the evaporator and the cooler.

11. The thermal management system according to claim 10, wherein, The condenser condenses the refrigerant by exchanging heat with the coolant, and the auxiliary condenser additionally condenses the refrigerant introduced from the condenser by exchanging heat with the external air.

12. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein when using the coolant to cool the at least one electrical component and the battery module, by the operation of the valve, the branch pipeline is closed; by the operation of the valve, the cooler connection pipeline is opened, and the supply pipeline is opened; by the operation of the valve, the part of the battery coolant pipeline connecting the cooler and the valve is closed; by the operation of the valve, the coolant pipeline connecting the storage tank and the valve is connected to the battery coolant pipeline; By the operation of the first pump and the second pump, the coolant cooled in the radiator passes through the battery module along the battery coolant pipeline from the valve; And The coolant passing through the battery module is introduced into the valve from the cooler along the opened cooler connection pipeline, and then is supplied to the at least one electrical component when flowing along the coolant pipeline connected to the first pump.

13. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, When using the waste heat of the at least one electrical component in the heating mode of the vehicle, By operating the valve, the branch pipeline and the cooler connection pipeline are opened; In the cooling device, based on the branch pipeline, the coolant pipeline connected to the radiator, the storage tank and the valve is closed; The supply pipeline is opened; By operating the valve, the battery coolant pipeline other than the battery coolant pipeline connected to the cooler is closed; The coolant whose temperature rises when passing through the at least one electrical component by operating the first pump is supplied to the heater along the opened coolant pipeline without passing through the radiator; The coolant discharged from the heater is introduced into the valve along the opened coolant pipeline and the opened branch pipeline; The coolant introduced into the valve is introduced into the valve again along the opened cooler connection pipeline after passing through the cooler along the opened part of the battery coolant pipeline; And The coolant introduced into the valve again is supplied to the at least one electrical component along the opened coolant pipeline.

14. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein When in the heating mode of the vehicle, using the waste heat of the at least one electrical component and when cooling of the at least one electrical component is required, By the operation of the valve, the branch pipeline and the cooler connection pipeline are closed; In the cooling device, the coolant pipeline is opened; The supply pipeline is opened; The battery cooling device is deactivated; The coolant whose temperature rises when passing through the at least one electrical component by operating the first pump is supplied to the heater along the coolant pipeline; And The coolant discharged from the heater is cooled when passing through the radiator along the coolant pipeline by operating the first pump, and then, when passing through the at least one electrical component, the coolant recovers waste heat from the at least one electrical component and cools the at least one electrical component at the same time.

15. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, The valve is a six-way valve.

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

17. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, When the coolant circulates to the coolant pipeline by operating the first pump, the supply pipeline is connected to the coolant pipeline.

18. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, The battery cooling device further includes a first coolant heater provided in the battery coolant pipeline between the battery module and the cooler.

19. The thermal management system according to claim 18, wherein, When heating the battery module, the first coolant heater is operated to heat the coolant supplied to the battery module along the battery coolant pipeline.

20. The thermal management system according to claim 18, wherein, When heating the battery module, The battery coolant pipeline is not connected to the coolant pipeline by operating the valve; By operating the valve, the branch pipeline and the cooler connection pipeline are closed; The coolant circulates along the battery coolant pipeline by operating the second pump; And The first coolant heater is operated to heat the coolant supplied to the battery module along the battery coolant pipeline.

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