Thermal management system for a vehicle electric power system

Abstract

The present application relates to a thermal management system for a vehicle electrical power system. The thermal management system for a vehicle electrical power system allows to reduce the production cost of the system by reducing the number of three-way valves when compared to a conventional system, and at the same time enables to achieve equivalent cooling and heating performance as the conventional system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a thermal management system for a vehicle electrical system. Background Art

[0002] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

[0003] Typically, electric vehicles are equipped with a thermal management system that uses cooling water to thermally manage the power system that provides the vehicle's driving force. The thermal management system is configured to manage the heat of the power system by cooling or heating the cooling water circulating in the power system.

[0004] A conventional thermal management system includes a storage tank for storing cooling water, a radiator and a cooler for cooling the cooling water, a cooling water heater for heating the cooling water, two electronic water pumps for pressure-delivering the cooling water, a thermal management loop formed by a combination of two three-way valves for controlling the flow of cooling water, and a controller for controlling the temperature of the cooling water in the thermal management loop and controlling the flow of the cooling water.

[0005] The thermal management system may control the temperature of the electric system components and the battery system by circulating cooling water in cooling water channels of the electric system components used to drive the vehicle and the battery system that supplies power to the electric system components.

[0006] Additionally, the thermal management system separates the power system components from the battery system to cool the power system components and the battery system individually or as a whole as needed.

[0007] To this end, the thermal management system controls the operation of two three-way valves to determine the flow direction of the cooling water.

[0008] However, the three-way valve is an expensive component when compared to a conventional one-way valve. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present disclosure provides a thermal management system for a vehicle electric system that allows for lower production costs of the system by reducing the number of three-way valves when compared to conventional systems, while enabling cooling and heating performance equivalent to that of conventional systems.

[0010] In one form, the present disclosure provides a thermal management system for a vehicle power system, the thermal management system comprising: a first channel, the first channel including a fifth channel and a sixth channel defined based on a first position and a second position of a cooling water flow direction, wherein the power system components, a radiator, and a first water pump are disposed in the fifth channel; a second channel including a seventh channel and an eighth channel defined based on the first position and the second position of the cooling water flow direction, wherein the battery system, the cooler, and the second water pump are disposed in the seventh channel; a third channel configured to connect the first position of the first channel to the first position of the second channel to allow cooling water to flow between the first channel and the second channel; a fourth channel configured to connect the second position of the first channel to the second position of the second channel to allow cooling water to flow between the first channel and the second channel; a three-way valve installed at a connection position between the first channel and the fourth channel and configured to control the cooling water flow direction at the connection position between the first channel and the fourth channel; and a controller configured to control the operation of the three-way valve according to a thermal management mode of the power system to determine the cooling water flow direction of the three-way valve at the connection position between the first channel and the fourth channel.

[0011] According to one form of the present disclosure, the first channel may be configured to allow cooling water to circulate to the power system components and the radiator due to the first water pump, and a storage tank configured to store the cooling water may be installed in the fifth channel. In addition, the second channel may be configured to allow cooling water to circulate to the battery system and the cooler due to the second water pump, and a cooling water heater configured to heat the cooling water may be installed in the seventh channel. In addition, the thermal management system may further include a tenth channel branching from the eighth channel to connect to the storage tank, and a one-way valve configured to control the flow of cooling water between the eighth channel and the storage tank may be installed in the tenth channel. In addition, the three-way valve may include a first port communicating with the fifth channel, a second port communicating with the sixth channel, and a third port communicating with the fourth channel.

[0012] In addition, according to one form of the present disclosure, the thermal management mode of the power system can be divided into an integrated mode and a separated mode. When the three-way valve is controlled in the integrated mode, the three-way valve can open the first and third ports and close the second port. When the first and third ports are open and the second port is closed, cooling water can be allowed to flow from the first position of the second channel to the first position of the first channel, and cooling water can be allowed to flow from the second position of the first channel to the second position of the second channel. In addition, when the first and third ports are open and the second port is closed, the flow of cooling water can branch from the first position of the second channel to the eighth channel.

[0013] In addition, when the three-way valve is controlled in the separation mode, the three-way valve can open the first port and the second port and close the third port. When the first port and the second port are opened and the third port is closed, the cooling water does not flow in the third channel and the fourth channel.

[0014] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when controlling the three-way valve in the integrated mode or the separated mode, the controller may operate the one-way valve to close to block the flow of cooling water in the tenth passage. Furthermore, when cooling water is injected into the storage tank, the controller may operate the one-way valve to open to allow the flow of cooling water in the tenth passage.

[0015] In addition, according to one form of the present disclosure, when the three-way valve is controlled in an integrated mode, the controller may control the speed of the first water pump using a speed value obtained by adding the speed of the second water pump to a set reference speed, and when the three-way valve is controlled in a separated mode, the controller may control the speed of the first water pump and the speed of the second water pump separately.

[0016] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein.It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order that the present invention may be better understood, various forms thereof will now be described, given by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] The above and other features of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to certain exemplary forms of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are given hereinafter by way of example only and are therefore not limiting of the present disclosure, and in which:

[0019] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a thermal management system for a vehicle power system according to one form of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the flow of cooling water according to a separation mode of a thermal management system according to one form of the present disclosure; and

[0021] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the flow of cooling water according to an integrated mode of a thermal management system according to one form of the present disclosure.

[0022] It should be understood that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and that they present somewhat simplified schematic diagrams of various preferred features illustrating the basic principles of the present disclosure. Specific design features of the present disclosure as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes, will be determined in part by the specific intended application and use environment.

[0023] The drawings described herein are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts or features.

[0025] Hereinafter, various forms of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The items shown in the drawings are schematically shown in order to facilitate easy description of various forms of the present disclosure, and thus the items can be different from actually implemented items.

[0026] It should be understood that the term "vehicle" or "vehicular" or other similar terms used herein generally include motor vehicles such as passenger automobiles including sport utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, passenger automobiles including sport utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles; watercraft including various ships and boats; aircraft, etc.; and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., those that use a fuel other than petroleum-based fuels). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has two or more sources of power, such as an electric motor and a gasoline engine. Figure 1 is a view showing a configuration of a thermal management system of a vehicle power system according to a form of the present disclosure.

[0027] The thermal management system of the present disclosure is a system that performs thermal management of a vehicle power system using cooling water. As Figure 1 indicated, the thermal management system is configured to be able to manage heat of the power system by cooling or heating cooling water circulating in the vehicle power system.

[0028] The vehicle power system includes power system components 54 for providing driving force and a battery system 74 for supplying power to the power system components 54. Specifically, the power system components 54 can include an electric motor for driving the vehicle and a power conversion device for converting power supplied to the electric motor. In addition, the power system components 54 are also referred to as Power Electric (PE) components. The battery system 74 includes a battery that supplies driving power of the vehicle.

[0029] The thermal management system can include passages through which cooling water can circulate to the power system components 54 and the battery system 74, and members for adjusting the temperature of the cooling water and controlling the flow thereof.

[0030] The passages of the thermal management system include a first passage 10, a second passage 20, a third passage 30, and a fourth passage 40.

[0031] The first passage 10 is a passage formed in a closed loop, and is configured such that cooling water circulates due to a first water pump 52 to flow in the electric system component 54 and the radiator 56 .

[0032] The power system component 54 may be disposed in the first passage 10 and cooled or heated by the cooling water flowing in the first passage 10 .

[0033] The radiator 56 is configured to cool the cooling water by exchanging heat with the outside air of the vehicle.

[0034] The first water pump 52 is installed in the first passage 10 and serves to allow cooling water to flow in the first passage 10. The first water pump 52 is an electric water pump to which electrical control is applicable.

[0035] Cooling water pressure-delivered by the first water pump 52 circulates in the first passage 10 to allow thermal management of the power system components 54 .

[0036] In addition, a storage tank 58 storing cooling water may be provided in the first passage 10. The first water pump 52 pumps the cooling water in the storage tank 58 to allow the cooling water to flow in the first passage 10.

[0037] refer to Figure 1 , the first passage 10 may be configured such that the cooling water circulates through the first water pump 52 , the electric system component 54 , the radiator 56 , and the storage tank 58 in this order.

[0038] The second channel 20 is a channel formed in a closed loop, and is configured such that cooling water circulates due to the second water pump 72 to flow in the battery system 74 and the cooler 76 .

[0039] The battery system 74 may be disposed in the second channel 20 and cooled or heated by cooling water flowing in the second channel 20 .

[0040] The cooler 76 is configured to cool the cooling water using a refrigerant. Specifically, the cooler 76 may cool the cooling water using a refrigerant of the vehicle air conditioning device 80. The air conditioning device 80 may be connected to the cooler 76 via the ninth passage 26.

[0041] The second water pump 72 is installed in the second passage 20 and serves to allow cooling water to flow in the second passage 20. The second water pump 72 is an electric water pump to which electrical control is applicable.

[0042] Cooling water pressure-delivered by the second water pump 72 circulates in the second passage 20 to allow thermal management of the battery system 74 .

[0043] In addition, a cooling water heater 78 for heating cooling water may be installed in the second passage 20 .

[0044] refer to Figure 1 , the second channel 20 may be configured such that the cooling water circulates in the order of the second water pump 72 , the battery system 74 , the cooling water heater 78 , and the cooler 76 .

[0045] The first channel 10 may be connected to the second channel 20 through the third channel 30 and the fourth channel 40 .

[0046] The third passage 30 is formed to connect the first position P1 of the first passage 10 to the first position P3 of the second passage 20 to allow cooling water to flow between the first passage 10 and the second passage 20 .

[0047] Depending on the direction of the pressure delivery of the cooling water by the first water pump 52 and the second water pump 72, a flow of cooling water may occur in the third channel 30. Specifically, in the third channel 30, depending on the direction of the pressure delivery of the cooling water by the first water pump 52 and the second water pump 72, a flow of cooling water may occur from the second channel 20 to the first channel 10. When the direction of the pressure delivery of the cooling water by the first water pump 52 and the second water pump 72 changes, a flow of cooling water may also occur from the first position P1 of the first channel 10 to the first position P3 of the second channel 20.

[0048] refer to Figure 1 , the first position P1 of the first passage 10 may be a position between the first water pump 52 and the storage tank 58. Specifically, when the cooling water flows from the first water pump 52 in the order of the power system component 54, the radiator 56, and the storage tank 58, the first position P1 of the first passage 10 may be a position between the front end of the first water pump 52 and the rear end of the storage tank 58 based on the cooling water flow direction.

[0049] In addition, the first position P3 of the second passage 20 may be a position between the second water pump 72 and the cooler 76. Specifically, when the cooling water flows from the second water pump 72 in the order of the battery system 74, the cooling water heater 78, and the cooler 76, the first position P3 of the second passage 20 may be a position between the front end of the second water pump 72 and the rear end of the cooler 76 based on the cooling water flow direction.

[0050] The fourth passage 40 is formed to connect the second position P2 of the first passage 10 to the second position P4 of the second passage 20 to allow cooling water to flow between the first passage 10 and the second passage 20 .

[0051] Depending on the direction of the pressure transmission of the cooling water by the first water pump 52 and the second water pump 72, a flow of cooling water may occur in the fourth channel 40. Specifically, depending on the direction of the pressure transmission of the cooling water by the first water pump 52 and the second water pump 72, a flow of cooling water may occur from the first channel 10 to the second channel 20 in the fourth channel 40. In addition, when the direction of the pressure transmission of the cooling water by the first water pump 52 and the second water pump 72 changes, a flow of cooling water may occur in the fourth channel 40 from the second position P4 of the second channel 20 to the second position P2 of the first channel 10.

[0052] refer to Figure 1 , the second position P2 of the first passage 10 may be a position between the first position P1 of the first passage 10 and the storage tank 58. Specifically, when the cooling water flows from the first water pump 52 in the order of the power system component 54, the radiator 56, and the storage tank 58, the second position P2 of the first passage 10 may be a position between the first position P1 of the first passage 10 and the rear end of the storage tank 58 based on the cooling water flow direction.

[0053] In addition, the second position P4 of the second channel 20 may be a position between the first position P3 of the second channel 20 and the second water pump 72. Specifically, when the cooling water flows from the second water pump 72 in the order of the battery system 74, the cooling water heater 78, and the cooler 76, the second position P4 of the second channel 20 may be a position between the front end of the second water pump 72 and the first position P3 of the second channel 20 based on the cooling water flow direction.

[0054] In addition, based on the first position P1 and the second position P2, the first channel 10 may be divided into the fifth channel 12 and the sixth channel 14. That is, the first channel 10 may be formed of the fifth channel 12 and the sixth channel 14 defined based on the first position P1 and the second position P2.

[0055] Specifically, based on the first position P1 and the second position P2 of the first channel 10, the fifth channel 12 is a portion where the first water pump 52, the electric system component 54, the radiator 56 and the storage tank 58 are set, and the sixth channel 14 is a portion where the first water pump 52, the electric system component 54, the radiator 56 and the storage tank 58 are not set.

[0056] In other words, the first passage 10 may be configured by the fifth passage 12 provided with the first water pump 52 , the electric system component 54 , the radiator 56 and the storage tank 58 and the sixth passage 14 connected to the fifth passage 12 at the first position P1 and the second position P2 of the first passage 10 .

[0057] In addition, the second passage 20 can be divided into a seventh passage 22 and an eighth passage 24 based on the first position P3 and the second position P4. That is, the second passage 20 can be formed of the seventh passage 22 and the eighth passage 24 defined based on the first position P3 and the second position P4.

[0058] Specifically, based on the first position P3 and the second position P4 of the second passage 20, the seventh passage 22 is a portion in which the second water pump 72, the battery system 74, the cooling water heater 78, and the cooler 76 are provided, and the eighth passage 24 is a portion in which the second water pump 72, the battery system 74, the cooling water heater 78, and the cooler 76 are not provided.

[0059] In other words, the second passage 20 can be configured of the seventh passage 22 in which the second water pump 72, the battery system 74, the cooling water heater 78, and the cooler 76 are provided, and the eighth passage 24 connected to the seventh passage 22 at the first position P3 and the second position P4 of the second passage 20.

[0060] In this case, the seventh passage 22 can be connected to the ninth passage 26 through the cooler 76, and the air conditioning device 80 can be provided in the ninth passage 26.

[0061] In addition, the tenth passage 28 can be connected to the eighth passage 24. The tenth passage 28 can be branched at one position of the eighth passage 24 to be connected to the storage tank 58. The one-way valve 90 can be installed in the tenth passage 28.

[0062] The one-way valve 90 can be operated by the controller 100 to be opened and closed, thereby controlling the flow of the cooling water between the eighth passage 24 and the storage tank 58. Specifically, when the electric power system components 54 and the battery system 74 are cooled or heated, the one-way valve 90 is operated to be closed, and when the cooling water is injected, the one-way valve 90 is operated to be opened.

[0063] For example, when the cooling water is re-injected into the cooling water circuit of the thermal management system, the one-way valve 90 is operated to be opened. When a component of the thermal management system is replaced, the cooling water is removed from the cooling water circuit, and after the component is replaced, the cooling water is re-injected into the cooling water circuit. When the cooling water is re-injected into the thermal management system, the first water pump 52 and the second water pump 72 are operated in a state in which the one-way valve 90 and the three-way valve 60 are opened, and when the injection of the cooling water is completed, the one-way valve 90 is closed.

[0064] Meanwhile, the three-way valve 60 is installed at a connection position between the first passage 10 and the fourth passage 40. In other words, the three-way valve 60 is installed at the second position P2 of the first passage 10.

[0065] The three-way valve 60 is configured to control the flow direction of cooling water at the connection point between the first channel 10 and the fourth channel 40. To this end, the three-way valve 60 is provided with three ports 61, 62, and 63 for the entry and exit of cooling water. Specifically, the three-way valve 60 includes a first port 61 that communicates with the fifth channel 12, a second port 62 that communicates with the sixth channel 14, and a third port 63 that communicates with the fourth channel 40. When open, the first port 61, the second port 62, and the third port 63 communicate with each other to allow the flow of cooling water. When closed, the first port 61, the second port 62, and the third port 63 block the entry and exit of cooling water.

[0066] The operation of the three-way valve 60 may be controlled by the controller 100 installed in the vehicle. In the three-way valve 60, in order to allow the cooling water to flow, two or more ports among the first port 61, the second port 62, and the third port 63 may be opened.

[0067] The controller 100 may control the operation of the three-way valve 60 according to the thermal management mode of the power system of the thermal management system. The controller 100 may control the operation of the three-way valve 60 according to the thermal management mode of the power system to determine the flow direction of the cooling water at the connection position between the first channel 10 and the fourth channel 40 (i.e., at the second position P2 of the first channel 10).

[0068] The thermal management mode of the power system includes an integrated mode and a separated mode. That is, the thermal management mode of the power system can be divided into an integrated mode and a separated mode.

[0069] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the flow of cooling water according to the separation mode of the thermal management system, and Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the flow of cooling water according to an integrated mode of a thermal management system.

[0070] like Figure 2 As shown, when the flow of cooling water in the thermal management system is controlled in the split mode, a circulation flow of cooling water occurs in the first channel 10 and the second channel 20, respectively. Specifically, the cooling water flows in the first channel 10 due to the first water pump 52, and the cooling water flows in the second channel 20 due to the second water pump 72. In this case, the cooling water also flows in the third channel 30 and the fourth channel 40.

[0071] More specifically, the flow of the cooling water in the first passage 10 circulates in the order of the first water pump 52 → the power system components 54 → the radiator 56 → the storage tank 58 → the three-way valve 60 → the first water pump 52, and the flow of the cooling water in the second passage 20 circulates in the order of the second water pump 72 → the battery system 74 → the cooling water heater 78 → the cooler 76 → the second water pump 72. In this case, the cooling water flows in the power system components 54 and the battery system 74.

[0072] In addition, in this case, the cooling water does not flow from the first position P3 of the second passage 20 to the first position PI of the first passage 10, and the flow of the cooling water from the second position P2 of the first passage 10 to the second position P4 of the second passage 20 is blocked.

[0073] For such a flow of the cooling water, the three-way valve 60 is operated to open the first port 61 and the second port 62, and to close the third port 63. That is, when the three-way valve 60 is controlled by the controller 100 in the separation mode, the three-way valve 60 opens the first port 61 and the second port 62, and closes the third port 63. In this case, the one-way valve 90 operated by the controller 100 is in the closed mode to block the flow of the cooling water in the tenth passage 28.

[0074] In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, when the flow of the cooling water in the thermal management system is controlled in the integrated mode, the integrated circulation flow of the cooling water occurs in the first passage 10 and the second passage 20. Figure 3

[0075] Specifically, when the thermal management system is controlled in the integrated mode of the cooling water, the flow of the cooling water circulates in the order of the fifth passage 12, the fourth passage 40, the seventh passage 22, and the third passage 30 due to the first water pump 52 and the second water pump 72. In this case, the flow of the cooling water is blocked so that the flow of the cooling water does not occur in the sixth passage 14, and the flow of the cooling water occurs in the eighth passage 24.

[0076] More specifically, in the thermal management system, the cooling water flows in the order of the first water pump 52 → the power system components 54 → the radiator 56 → the storage tank 58 → the three-way valve 60 → the second water pump 72 → the battery system 74 → the cooling water heater 78 → the cooler 76 → the first water pump 52, and the cooling water flow is branched from the rear end of the cooler 76 (i.e., the first position P3 of the second passage 20) to the eighth passage 24.

[0077] ​Therefore, a portion of the cooling water in the thermal management system forms a first flow of cooling water, which circulates in the order: first water pump 52 → power system components 54 → radiator 56 → reservoir 58 → three-way valve 60 → second water pump 72 → battery system 74 → cooling water heater 78 → cooler 76 → first water pump 52. The remaining cooling water in the thermal management system forms a second flow of cooling water, which circulates in the order: second water pump 72 → battery system 74 → cooling water heater 78 → cooler 76 → second water pump 72. In this case, the power system components 54 and battery system 74 are connected in series based on the first flow of cooling water passing through radiator 56, and cooling water continuously flows through the power system components 54 and battery system 74. Furthermore, in this case, the cooling water according to the second flow does not pass through the power system components 54 and radiator 56.

[0078] To allow such cooling water to flow, the three-way valve 60 is operated to open the first port 61 and the third port 63, and to close the second port 62. Specifically, when the three-way valve 60 is controlled by the controller 100 in the integrated mode, the three-way valve 60 opens the first port 61 and the third port 63, and closes the second port 62. Consequently, cooling water is allowed to flow from the first position P3 of the second channel 20 to the first position P1 of the first channel 10, from the second position P2 of the first channel 10 to the second position P4 of the second channel 20, and from the first position P3 of the second channel 20 to the second position P4 of the second channel 20. Furthermore, in this case, the one-way valve 90 is operated in the closed mode.

[0079] More specifically, when the three-way valve 60 is controlled to operate in the integrated mode, all of the cooling water passing through the radiator 56 passes through the battery system 74, a portion of the cooling water at the first position P3 of the second channel 20 flows to the battery system 74, and the remaining portion of the cooling water at the first position P3 of the second channel 20 flows to the radiator 56 via the power system component 54.

[0080] Therefore, when the thermal management system is controlled in the split mode, the power system component 54 can be cooled in the first channel 10 using the radiator 56, and the battery system 74 can be cooled in the second channel 20 using the cooler 76. In addition, the battery system 74 can even be heated uniformly in the second channel 20 using the cooling water heater 78.

[0081] In addition, when the thermal management system is controlled in the integrated mode, at least one of the radiator 56 and the cooler 76 may be used to cool the power system component 54 and the battery system 74. In addition, the cooling water heater 78 may be used to uniformly heat the power system component 54 and the battery system 74.

[0082] Additionally, when the thermal management system is controlled in the split mode, the driving speed of each of the first and second water pumps 52 and 72 may be controlled by the controller 100. For example, the first and second water pumps 52 and 72 may be driven at different speeds or at the same speed.

[0083] In addition, when the thermal management system is controlled in the integrated mode, in response to the extension of the flow path of the cooling water, the driving speed rpm1 of the first water pump 52 can be controlled to a speed value rpm2+α obtained by adding the driving speed rpm2 of the second water pump 72 to the reference speed α. Here, the reference speed α can be determined as a speed value derived through preliminary testing and evaluation.

[0084] At the same time, when cooling water is injected into the storage tank 58, the one-way valve 90 is operated to open to allow the cooling water to flow through the tenth passage 28. When the cooling water is injected into the storage tank 58, the cooling water is not only filled into the storage tank 58, but also into all the cooling water passages in the thermal management system. Therefore, the power system component 54 and the battery system 74 can always be kept in a state where they can perform heat exchange through contact with the cooling water.

[0085] As in a conventional thermal management system applying two three-way valves, the thermal management system of the vehicle electric system of the present disclosure configured as described above can control the flow of cooling water in the integrated mode and the separated mode even using only one three-way valve 60 .

[0086] Therefore, the thermal management system of the present disclosure has advantages of being able to ensure cooling and heating performance equivalent to those of conventional thermal management systems and allowing reduction in production costs compared to conventional thermal management systems.

[0087] The present disclosure can provide the following effects.

[0088] First, even if only one three-way valve is used, the flow of cooling water can be controlled in the integrated mode and the separated mode as in a conventional thermal management system using two three-way valves.

[0089] Second, the form of the present disclosure can ensure cooling and heating performance equivalent to that of a conventional thermal management system applying two three-way valves, and allows for reduced production costs compared to conventional thermal management systems.

[0090] Although various forms of the present disclosure have been described in detail, the terms or words used in the specification and the appended claims should not be interpreted as limited to the ordinary or dictionary meanings, and since the forms described herein and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely exemplary, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these forms, and various modifications and improvements designed by those skilled in the art using the basic concepts of the present disclosure are defined by the appended claims and further fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for a vehicle power system, the thermal management system comprising: a first channel including a fifth channel and a sixth channel defined at a first position and a second position based on a cooling water flow direction, wherein the fifth channel includes a power system component, a radiator, and a first water pump disposed therein; a second channel including a seventh channel and an eighth channel defined based on a first position and a second position of a flow direction of the cooling water, wherein the seventh channel includes a battery system, a cooler, and a second water pump disposed therein; a third channel configured to connect the first location of the first channel to the first location of the second channel and allow cooling water to flow between the first channel and the second channel; a fourth channel configured to connect the second position of the first channel to the second position of the second channel and allow the cooling water to flow between the first channel and the second channel; a three-way valve installed at a connection position between the first channel and the fourth channel and configured to control a flow direction of the cooling water; a tenth channel branched from the eighth channel and configured to be connected to a storage tank; wherein the storage tank configured to store the cooling water is installed in the fifth channel; a one-way valve disposed in the tenth channel; and a controller configured to determine the cooling water flow direction and control the three-way valve based on a thermal management mode of the power system, The controller is configured to control the one-way valve and the flow of the cooling water between the eighth channel and the storage tank.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The first passage is configured to allow the cooling water to circulate to the power system component and the radiator through the first water pump.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The second channel is configured to allow the cooling water to circulate to the battery system and the cooler through the second water pump.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: A cooling water heater configured to heat the cooling water is installed in the seventh passage.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The ninth passage is connected to the seventh passage through the cooler and includes an air conditioning device disposed therein. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , wherein: The three-way valve includes a first port configured to communicate with the fifth channel, a second port configured to communicate with the sixth channel, and a third port configured to communicate with the fourth channel.

7. The thermal management system according to claim 6, wherein: The thermal management mode of the power system includes an integrated mode and a separated mode, and When the controller controls the three-way valve in the integrated mode, the three-way valve opens the first port and the third port, and closes the second port.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein: When the first port and the third port are open and the second port is closed, the cooling water is allowed to flow from a first position of the second channel to a first position of the first channel and from a second position of the first channel to a second position of the second channel.

9. The thermal management system according to claim 8, wherein: When the first port and the third port are opened and the second port is closed, the flow of the cooling water branches from the first position of the second channel to the eighth channel.

10. The thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein: When the controller controls the three-way valve in the separation mode, the three-way valve opens the first port and the second port and closes the third port.

11. The thermal management system according to claim 10, wherein: When the first port and the second port are open and the third port is closed, the cooling water does not flow in the third passage and the fourth passage.

12. The thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein: When the controller controls the three-way valve in the integrated mode, the controller is configured to operate the one-way valve to be closed and block the flow of the cooling water in the tenth passage.

13. The thermal management system according to claim 10, wherein: In the separation mode, the controller is configured to control the one-way valve to be closed and block the flow of the cooling water in the tenth channel.

14. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: When the cooling water is injected into the storage tank, the controller is configured to control the one-way valve to be opened and allow the cooling water to flow in the tenth passage.

15. The thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein: In the integrated mode, the controller is configured to control the speed of the first water pump using a speed value obtained by adding a set reference speed to the speed of the second water pump.

16. The thermal management system according to claim 10, wherein: In the split mode, the controller is configured to independently control the speed of the first water pump and the speed of the second water pump.

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