A thermal management system and method of controlling the same

Abstract

The application discloses a heat management system and a control method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of hybrid electric vehicles. The heat management system comprises an insulation box, a power battery is arranged in the insulation box, and an inner wall of the insulation box is formed with a cooling liquid flow channel; a first liquid storage tank is arranged in the insulation box, and the first liquid storage tank is used for storing first cooling liquid; a cooling element is arranged in the first liquid storage tank, and the cooling element is used for cooling the first cooling liquid, so that the temperature of the first cooling liquid is within a cooling temperature range, and the first cooling liquid can flow into the cooling liquid flow channel to reduce the temperature in the insulation box; a second liquid storage tank is arranged in the insulation box, and the second liquid storage tank is used for storing second cooling liquid; a heating element is arranged in the second liquid storage tank, and the heating element is used for heating the second cooling liquid, so that the temperature of the second cooling liquid is within a heating temperature range, and the second cooling liquid can flow into the cooling liquid flow channel to increase the temperature in the insulation box. The heat management system can timely make the power battery be in a suitable temperature range under extremely low or extremely high ambient temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of hybrid vehicles, and in particular to a thermal management system and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] The power batteries in hybrid vehicles are influenced by their materials and manufacturing processes, resulting in a variety of factors that limit their activity. Temperature has the most significant impact on battery activity. For example, in winter, when ambient temperatures are too low, the capacity and lifespan of the battery will drop significantly, severely impacting the vehicle's all-electric range. In summer, when ambient temperatures are too high, prolonged exposure to the sun can damage the battery's internal structure, further impacting its capacity and lifespan. Therefore, prolonged exposure to high or low temperatures accelerates aging and energy degradation, which is irreversible. Therefore, only by maintaining a power battery within the appropriate temperature range can its activity be optimized, fully realizing its performance and extending its lifespan.

[0003] Therefore, in hybrid vehicles, a thermal management system is currently used to cool or heat the power battery to prevent the power battery from being in an environment with too high or too low temperature for a long time, so that the power battery can be in a suitable temperature range.

[0004] However, since the current thermal management system cannot heat or cool the power battery in a timely manner at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, the power battery cannot be in the appropriate temperature range in a timely manner at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, and the capacity of the power battery cannot be guaranteed at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, resulting in a decrease in the pure electric range of the power battery.

[0005] In summary, there is an urgent need to design a thermal management system and a control method thereof to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One object of the present invention is to provide a thermal management system that can keep a power battery in a suitable temperature range in a timely manner under extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures.

[0007] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0008] A thermal management system for managing the temperature of a power battery, comprising:

[0009] A heat preservation box, wherein the power battery is arranged in the heat preservation box, and a coolant flow channel is formed on the inner wall of the heat preservation box;

[0010] a first liquid storage tank storing a first coolant, wherein a cooling element is provided in the first liquid storage tank, the cooling element being used to cool the first coolant so that the temperature of the first coolant is within a cooling temperature range and the first coolant can flow into the coolant flow channel to reduce the temperature in the insulation box;

[0011] A second liquid storage tank stores a second coolant. A heating element is provided in the second liquid storage tank. The heating element is used to heat the second coolant so that the temperature of the second coolant is within a heating temperature range. The lower limit of the heating temperature range is higher than the upper limit of the cooling temperature range, and the second coolant can flow into the coolant flow channel to increase the temperature in the insulation box.

[0012] Furthermore, the thermal management system further comprises:

[0013] A first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor and a third temperature sensor are respectively arranged in the heat preservation box, the first liquid storage tank and the second liquid storage tank.

[0014] Furthermore, the thermal management system further comprises:

[0015] A first pipeline, one end of the first pipeline is connected to the first liquid storage tank, the other end of the first pipeline is connected to the coolant flow channel, and a first valve for controlling the opening and closing of the first pipeline is provided on the first pipeline.

[0016] Furthermore, the thermal management system further comprises:

[0017] a first pump disposed in the first liquid storage tank, the first pump being used to drive the first coolant to flow between the coolant flow channel and the first liquid storage tank;

[0018] A first controller is provided on the first liquid storage tank. The first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are both communicatively connected to the first controller, and the first controller is controllably connected to the cooling element, the first valve, and the first pump.

[0019] Furthermore, the thermal management system further comprises:

[0020] A second pipeline, one end of the second pipeline is connected to the second liquid storage tank, the other end of the second pipeline is connected to the coolant flow channel, and a second valve for controlling the opening and closing of the second pipeline is provided on the second pipeline.

[0021] Furthermore, the thermal management system further comprises:

[0022] a second pump disposed in the second liquid storage tank, the second pump being used to drive the second coolant to flow between the coolant flow channel and the second liquid storage tank;

[0023] A second controller is provided on the second liquid storage tank. The first temperature sensor and the third temperature sensor are both communicatively connected to the second controller, and the second controller is controllably connected to the heating element, the second valve, and the second pump.

[0024] Furthermore, a corrugated wall tube is provided around the inner wall of the heat preservation box, the corrugated wall tube forms the coolant flow channel, and the shape of the corrugated wall tube is a straight line and a semicircle arranged in sequence.

[0025] Furthermore, the first liquid storage tank is made of a heat dissipation material, and the second liquid storage tank is made of a heat insulation material.

[0026] Furthermore, the cooling element is a fan.

[0027] Furthermore, the heating element is an electric heating wire.

[0028] Furthermore, the thermal management system is also used to manage the temperature of the engine, and the thermal management system also includes:

[0029] An engine cooling system, wherein an engine coolant is provided therein, and the engine coolant is used to cool or heat the engine;

[0030] a third pipe, one end of which is connected to the engine cooling system and the other end of which is connected to the first liquid storage tank, and a third valve is provided on the third pipe, and the third valve is used to control the opening and closing of the third pipe;

[0031] A fourth pipeline has one end connected to the engine cooling system and the other end connected to the second liquid storage tank, and a fourth valve is provided on the fourth pipeline, and the fourth valve is used to control the opening and closing of the fourth pipeline.

[0032] Furthermore, the thermal management system further comprises:

[0033] A third pump is provided in the engine cooling system, and is used for driving the engine coolant and the first coolant to flow in the third pipe, or the engine coolant and the second coolant to flow in the fourth pipe.

[0034] Furthermore, the thermal management system further comprises:

[0035] A fourth temperature sensor and a third controller, wherein the fourth temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system, the fourth temperature sensor is communicatively connected to the third controller, and the third controller is respectively controlled and connected to the third valve, the fourth valve and the third pump.

[0036] Furthermore, the thermal management system further includes:

[0037] A fifth temperature sensor is disposed outside the engine cooling system, and is used to detect ambient temperature. The fifth temperature sensor is in communication with the third controller.

[0038] Another object of the present invention is to provide a control method for a thermal management system, which can keep the power battery in a suitable temperature range at all times.

[0039] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0040] A control method for a thermal management system, based on the thermal management system as described above, the control method for the thermal management system comprises the following steps:

[0041] S1: When the temperature in the insulation box is higher than a first set temperature range, the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank flows into the coolant flow channel to reduce the temperature in the insulation box to within the first set temperature range, and when the temperature of the first coolant is higher than the cooling temperature range, the cooling element cools the first coolant to within the cooling temperature range;

[0042] S2: When the temperature in the insulation box is lower than the first set temperature range, the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank flows into the coolant flow channel to increase the temperature in the insulation box to within the first set temperature range, and when the temperature of the second coolant is lower than the heating temperature range, the heating element heats the second coolant to within the heating temperature range.

[0043] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0044] By arranging a first liquid storage tank and a second liquid storage tank connected to the insulation box, when the temperature in the insulation box is higher than the first set temperature range, the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank flows into the coolant flow channel, so that the first coolant can lower the temperature in the insulation box to the first set temperature range; wherein, if in the process of cooling the insulation box, the temperature of the first coolant is higher than the cooling temperature range, the cooling component can cool the first coolant to within the cooling temperature range, thereby making the first coolant have a better cooling effect on the insulation box, so that the temperature of the power battery in the insulation box will not be too high; when the temperature in the insulation box is lower than the first set temperature range, the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank flows into the coolant flow channel, so that the second coolant can raise the temperature in the insulation box to within the first set temperature range; wherein, if in the process of heating the insulation box, the temperature of the second coolant is lower than the heating temperature range, the heating component can heat the second coolant to within the heating temperature range, thereby making the second coolant have a better effect on heating the insulation box The effect is better, so that the temperature of the power battery in the insulation box will not be too low; thereby, the temperature of the power battery will not be too high or too low, so that it can be in a suitable temperature range; since a second liquid storage tank containing a second coolant with a higher temperature is provided, when the ambient temperature is extremely low, the second coolant with a higher temperature and within the heating temperature range can be directly used to heat the insulation box and the power battery in time; at the same time, a first liquid storage tank containing a first coolant with a lower temperature is provided, and when the ambient temperature is extremely high, the first coolant with a lower temperature and within the cooling temperature range can be directly used to cool the insulation box and the power battery in time; it solves the current problem that the power battery cannot be heated or cooled in time at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, and realizes that the power battery can be kept in a suitable temperature range in time at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, thereby ensuring the capacity of the power battery at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures and avoiding a decrease in the pure electric cruising range of the power battery. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the thermal management system provided by the present invention;

[0046] Figure 2 It is a control schematic diagram of the control method of the thermal management system provided by the present invention.

[0047] Reference numerals:

[0048] 1-Insulation box; 2-Power battery; 3-Coolant flow channel; 4-Fifth temperature sensor; 5-First temperature sensor; 6-First valve; 7-Second valve; 8-Third valve; 9-Fourth valve; 10-First liquid storage tank; 11-Second liquid storage tank; 12-Cooling element; 13-Heating element; 14-First controller; 15-Second controller; 16-Third controller; 17-First pump; 18-Second pump; 19-Third pump; 20-Second temperature sensor; 21-Third temperature sensor; 22-Engine cooling system; 23-Fourth temperature sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] All features disclosed in this specification, or all steps in the disclosed methods or processes, except mutually exclusive features and / or steps, can be combined in any manner.

[0050] Any feature disclosed in this specification, unless otherwise stated, may be replaced by an equivalent or similar alternative feature. That is, unless otherwise stated, each feature is merely an example of a set of equivalent or similar features. Throughout this specification, like reference numerals indicate like elements.

[0051] In order to make the technical problems solved by the present invention, the technical solutions adopted and the technical effects achieved more clear, the technical solutions of the present invention are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific implementation methods.

[0052] Example 1

[0053] At present, in hybrid vehicles, the power battery is cooled or heated by a thermal management system to prevent the power battery from being in an environment with too high or too low temperature for a long time, so that the power battery can be kept in a suitable temperature range; however, since the thermal management system in the current hybrid vehicle cannot heat or cool the power battery in a timely and rapid manner at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, the power battery cannot be kept in a suitable temperature range in a timely manner at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, and the capacity of the power battery cannot be guaranteed at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, resulting in a decrease in the pure electric range of the power battery.

[0054] To this end, a thermal management system is proposed in this embodiment, which can not only be used to manage the temperature of the power battery so as to directly and promptly heat or cool the power battery at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures; it can also be used to manage the temperature of the engine so that the temperature of the engine coolant can be quickly increased or decreased; that is, the thermal management system can make the temperatures of the power battery and the engine both within a suitable temperature range; and, the thermal management system can also recover part of the engine coolant with a higher temperature to achieve energy recovery and maximize utilization.

[0055] Specifically, if Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system includes an insulation box 1, a first liquid storage tank 10 and a second liquid storage tank 11; wherein the power battery 2 is arranged in the insulation box 1, and a coolant flow channel 3 is formed on the inner wall of the insulation box 1; a first coolant is stored in the first liquid storage tank 10, and a cooling element 12 is provided in the first liquid storage tank 10, the cooling element 12 is used to cool the first coolant so that the temperature of the first coolant is always within the cooling temperature range, and the first coolant can flow into the coolant flow channel 3 to reduce the temperature in the insulation box 1; a second coolant is stored in the second liquid storage tank 11, and a heating element 13 is provided in the second liquid storage tank 11, the heating element 13 is used to heat the second coolant so that the temperature of the second coolant is always within the heating temperature range, the lower limit of the heating temperature range is higher than the upper limit of the cooling temperature range, and the second coolant can flow into the coolant flow channel 3 to increase the temperature in the insulation box 1; that is, the first coolant is a low-temperature coolant, and the second coolant is a high-temperature coolant.

[0056] By setting a first liquid storage tank 10 and a second liquid storage tank 11 connected to the heat preservation box 1, when the temperature in the heat preservation box 1 is higher than the first set temperature range, the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10 flows into the coolant flow channel 3, so that the first coolant can reduce the temperature in the heat preservation box 1 to within the first set temperature range; wherein, if the temperature of the first coolant is higher than the cooling temperature range during the cooling of the heat preservation box 1, the cooling member 12 can cool the first coolant to within the cooling temperature range, thereby making the first coolant have a better cooling effect on the heat preservation box 1, so that the temperature of the power battery 2 in the heat preservation box 1 will not be too high; when the heat preservation box 1 is cooled, the first coolant is cooled to within the first set temperature range. 1 is lower than the first set temperature range, the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11 flows into the coolant flow channel 3, so that the second coolant can raise the temperature in the insulation box 1 to within the first set temperature range; wherein, if the temperature of the second coolant is lower than the heating temperature range during the heating of the insulation box 1, the heating element 13 can heat the second coolant to within the heating temperature range, thereby making the second coolant have a better heating effect on the insulation box 1, so that the temperature of the power battery 2 in the insulation box 1 will not be too low; thereby, the temperature of the power battery 2 will not be too high or too low, so that it can be in a suitable temperature range. wherein, the outer wall of the insulation box 1 is made of high-quality insulation material, thereby minimizing the interference of the external environment on the temperature in the insulation box 1, so that the temperature in the insulation box 1 can be within the first set temperature range.

[0057] Among them, the first set temperature range can be selected according to the various characteristic parameters of the power battery 2, such as different brands, capacities, types, etc.; the cooling temperature range of the first coolant and the heating temperature range of the second coolant both need to be selected based on the bench test data, vehicle calibration data, actual application conditions and the specific operating conditions of the vehicle.

[0058] Compared with the prior art, the thermal management system in this embodiment is additionally provided with a second liquid storage tank 11 storing a second coolant with a higher temperature, and a first liquid storage tank 10 storing a first coolant with a lower temperature; when the ambient temperature is extremely low, the second coolant with a higher temperature and within the heating temperature range can be used in time to heat the insulation box 1 and the power battery 2; when the ambient temperature is extremely high, the first coolant with a lower temperature and within the cooling temperature range can be used in time to cool the insulation box 1 and the power battery 2; this solves the current problem of being unable to heat or cool the power battery 2 in time at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, and enables the power battery 2 to be quickly and timely placed in a suitable temperature range at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, thereby ensuring the capacity of the power battery 2 at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures and avoiding a decrease in the pure electric cruising range of the power battery 2.

[0059] Specifically, the first liquid storage tank 10 is made of a material with good heat dissipation performance, so that the first liquid storage tank 10 can have a good cooling effect on the first coolant, thereby making the temperature of the first coolant within the cooling temperature range; the second liquid storage tank 11 is made of a material with good heat preservation performance, so that the second liquid storage tank 11 can have a good heat preservation effect on the second coolant, thereby making the temperature of the second coolant within the heating temperature range.

[0060] Furthermore, if Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system also includes a first temperature sensor 5, a second temperature sensor 20 and a third temperature sensor 21. The first temperature sensor 5, the second temperature sensor 20 and the third temperature sensor 21 are respectively arranged in the insulation box 1, the first liquid storage tank 10 and the second liquid storage tank 11, so that the first temperature sensor 5, the second temperature sensor 20 and the third temperature sensor 21 are used to detect the temperature inside the insulation box 1, the temperature of the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10 and the temperature of the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11, respectively.

[0061] Specifically, the thermal management system also includes a first pipe, one end of the first pipe is connected to the first liquid storage tank 10, and the other end of the first pipe is connected to the coolant flow channel 3, and a first valve 6 for controlling the opening and closing of the first pipe is provided on the first pipe. The first pipe provides a flow path for the first coolant to flow between the coolant flow channel 3 and the first liquid storage tank 10.

[0062] Furthermore, if Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system also includes a first pump 17 and a first controller 14; wherein the first pump 17 is arranged in the first liquid storage tank 10, and the first pump 17 is used to drive the first coolant to flow between the coolant flow channel 3 and the first liquid storage tank 10; the first controller 14 is arranged on the first liquid storage tank 10, and the first temperature sensor 5 and the second temperature sensor 20 are both communicatively connected to the first controller 14, and the first controller 14 is control-connected to the cooling element 12, the first valve 6 and the first pump 17, that is, the first controller 14 can open or close the first valve 6 and the first pump 17 according to the detection signal of the first temperature sensor 5, and the first controller 14 can open or close the cooling element 12 according to the detection signal of the second temperature sensor 20. The first controller 14 in this embodiment is a common controller in the prior art, and the control principle of the first controller 14 is not described in detail here. In this embodiment, the cooling element 12 can specifically be a fan. In other embodiments, the cooling element 12 can also be other structures as long as it can ensure the cooling effect on the first coolant.

[0063] Specifically, the thermal management system also includes a second pipe, one end of the second pipe is connected to the second liquid storage tank 11, and the other end of the second pipe is connected to the coolant flow channel 3, and a second valve 7 for controlling the opening and closing of the second pipe is provided on the second pipe. The second pipe provides a flow path for the second coolant to flow between the coolant flow channel 3 and the second liquid storage tank 11.

[0064] Furthermore, if Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system also includes a second pump 18 and a second controller 15; wherein, the second pump 18 is arranged in the second liquid storage tank 11, and the second pump 18 is used to drive the second coolant to flow between the coolant flow channel 3 and the second liquid storage tank 11; the second controller 15 is arranged on the second liquid storage tank 11, and the first temperature sensor 5 and the third temperature sensor 21 are both communicatively connected to the second controller 15, and the second controller 15 is controlled and connected with the heating element 13, the second valve 7 and the second pump 18, that is, the second controller 15 can open or close the second valve 7 and the second pump 18 according to the detection signal of the first temperature sensor 5, and the second controller 15 can open or close the heating element 13 according to the detection signal of the third temperature sensor 21. The second controller 15 in this embodiment is a common controller in the prior art, and the control principle of the second controller 15 will not be described in detail here. In this embodiment, the heating element 13 can specifically be an electric heating wire. In other embodiments, the heating element 13 can also be other structures, as long as the heating effect on the second coolant can be guaranteed. Among them, the specific flow paths of the first coolant and the second coolant are as follows Figure 1 As shown by the arrow in .

[0065] Specifically, a corrugated-wall tube is provided around the inner wall of the insulated box 1, forming a coolant flow channel 3. The corrugated-wall tubes are arranged in a linear and semicircular pattern. The number and shape of the corrugated-wall tubes on the inner wall of the insulated box 1 are not specifically limited, as long as the corrugated-wall tubes can heat or cool the insulated box 1.

[0066] By making the shape of the corrugated wall tube a straight line and a semicircle in sequence, the corrugated wall tube can form a coolant flow channel 3 with a special structure, so as to enhance the flow field disturbance when the first coolant or the second coolant flows in the coolant flow channel 3, thereby strengthening the heat exchange, and thus allowing the low-temperature energy in the first coolant or the high-temperature energy in the second coolant to be quickly dissipated into the insulation box 1, thereby quickly reducing or increasing the temperature in the insulation box 1.

[0067] In hybrid vehicles, the use of an engine cooling system 22 with built-in engine coolant can ensure that the engine is within a suitable temperature range under all operating conditions; however, under extreme conditions such as low or high temperatures, the engine cooling system 22 needs to have the ability to quickly restore the coolant therein to a suitable temperature range; however, the current engine cooling system 22 is unable to quickly increase or decrease the temperature of the coolant therein in a very short time, thereby affecting the performance of the engine.

[0068] For this reason, Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system also includes an engine cooling system 22, a third pipe, and a fourth pipe. The engine cooling system 22 contains engine coolant, which is used to cool or heat the engine to ensure that the engine is within a suitable temperature range under various operating conditions, thereby ensuring the engine's performance. One end of the third pipe is connected to the engine cooling system 22, and the other end of the third pipe is connected to the first liquid storage tank 10. A third valve 8 is provided on the third pipe to control the on / off of the third pipe. One end of the fourth pipe is connected to the engine cooling system 22, and the other end of the fourth pipe is connected to the second liquid storage tank 11. A fourth valve 9 is provided on the fourth pipe to control the on / off of the fourth pipe. The engine cooling system 22 specifically refers to the entire cooling system in the engine that uses engine coolant to cool or heat the engine.

[0069] By connecting the engine cooling system 22 to the first liquid storage tank 10 and the second liquid storage tank 11 respectively; when the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 is higher than the second set temperature range, the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10 flows into the engine cooling system 22, so that the first coolant can reduce the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 to within the second set temperature range; wherein, if in the process of cooling the engine coolant, the temperature of the first coolant is higher than the cooling temperature range, the cooling member 12 can cool the first coolant to within the cooling temperature range, thereby making the first coolant have a better cooling effect on the engine coolant, so that the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 will not be too high; when the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 When the coolant temperature is below the second set temperature range, the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11 is caused to flow into the engine cooling system 22, so that the second coolant can raise the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 to within the second set temperature range. If, during the heating process of the engine coolant, the temperature of the second coolant is below the heating temperature range, the heating element 13 can heat the second coolant to within the heating temperature range, thereby achieving a better heating effect of the second coolant on the engine coolant, so that the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 does not drop too low. This ensures that the temperature of the engine coolant is neither too high nor too low, and remains within the second set temperature range, thereby ensuring the cooling or heating effect of the engine coolant on the engine. The second set temperature range can be selected based on engine characteristics such as engine type, displacement, power, comprehensive test bench data, and vehicle calibration data.

[0070] Since the engine cooling system 22 is connected to the first liquid storage tank 10 and the second liquid storage tank 11 respectively; when the ambient temperature is extremely low, the second coolant with a higher temperature and within the heating temperature range can be directly heat-exchanged with the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22, so as to achieve the purpose of quickly heating the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 at an extremely low ambient temperature; when the ambient temperature is extremely high, the first coolant with a lower temperature and within the cooling temperature range can be directly heat-exchanged with the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22, so as to achieve the purpose of quickly cooling the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 at an extremely high ambient temperature; and thus the temperature of the engine coolant can be made more suitable at either extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures, so as to ensure the performance of the engine at extremely low or extremely high ambient temperatures.

[0071] The insulation box 1 is connected to the engine cooling system 22 through the first liquid storage tank 10 and the second liquid storage tank 11, that is, the thermal management of the power battery 2 and the thermal management of the engine are linked to each other, and the thermal management of the power battery 2 or the thermal management of the engine is no longer optimized unilaterally, so that the structure of the entire thermal management system is simple, and the power battery 2 and the engine of the hybrid vehicle can always be in a more appropriate temperature range, and thus the performance of the power battery 2 and the engine can be guaranteed through a thermal management system.

[0072] Furthermore, if Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system also includes a third pump 19, which is arranged in the engine cooling system 22. The third pump 19 is used to drive the engine coolant and the first coolant to flow in the third pipe, or drive the engine coolant and the second coolant to flow in the fourth pipe, thereby realizing heat exchange.

[0073] Specifically, if Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system also includes a fourth temperature sensor 23 and a third controller 16. The fourth temperature sensor 23 is used to detect the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22. The fourth temperature sensor 23 is communicatively connected to the third controller 16. The third controller 16 is respectively controlled and connected to the third valve 8, the fourth valve 9 and the third pump 19. That is, the third controller 16 can open or close the third valve 8, the fourth valve 9 and the third pump 19 according to the detection signal of the fourth temperature sensor 23.

[0074] Furthermore, if Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system also includes a fifth temperature sensor 4, which is arranged on the outside of the engine cooling system 22. The fifth temperature sensor 4 is used to detect the ambient temperature, and the fifth temperature sensor 4 is communicatively connected to the third controller 16, that is, the third controller 16 can also open or close the third pump 19 and the fourth valve 9 according to the detection signal of the fifth temperature sensor 4.

[0075] Specifically, when the fifth temperature sensor 4 detects that the outdoor ambient temperature is too low, and the vehicle is in operation at this time, and the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 is within the second set temperature range, the third controller 16 can control the fourth valve 9 to open without affecting the normal operation of the engine cooling system 22, and enable the third pump 19 to extract part of the high-temperature engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 into the second liquid storage tank 11 for storage, so that the extracted high-temperature engine coolant can be used to increase the temperature in the insulation box 1 when needed, thereby realizing the recovery and secondary utilization of part of the energy in the engine cooling system 22, improving the energy utilization efficiency, reducing energy loss, and realizing maximum energy utilization.

[0076] Example 2

[0077] This embodiment proposes a control method for a thermal management system. Based on the thermal management system in the first embodiment, the control method for the thermal management system includes the following steps:

[0078] S1: When the temperature in the thermal insulation box 1 is higher than the first set temperature range, the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10 flows into the coolant flow channel 3 to reduce the temperature in the thermal insulation box 1 to within the first set temperature range, and when the temperature of the first coolant is higher than the cooling temperature range, the cooling member 12 cools the first coolant to within the cooling temperature range;

[0079] S2: When the temperature in the insulation box 1 is lower than the first set temperature range, the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11 flows into the coolant flow channel 3 to increase the temperature in the insulation box 1 to within the first set temperature range, and when the temperature of the second coolant is lower than the heating temperature range, the heating element 13 heats the second coolant to within the heating temperature range; thereby, the temperature in the insulation box 1 can always be within the first set temperature range.

[0080] Specifically, if Figure 2 As shown, the specific control process of the control method of the thermal management system in this embodiment is as follows:

[0081] For the temperature management of power battery 2:

[0082] When the first temperature sensor 5 detects that the temperature in the heat preservation box 1 is higher than the first set temperature range:

[0083] First, the first temperature sensor 5 transmits the detection signal to the first controller 14. At this time, the first controller 14 controls the first valve 6 to open, and controls the first pump 17 to operate to transfer the first coolant stored in the first liquid storage tank 10 to the coolant flow channel 3 of the insulation box 1 through the first pipe, so that the first coolant circulates in the coolant flow channel 3, thereby taking away the heat in the insulation box 1, so as to reduce the temperature in the insulation box 1, thereby reducing the temperature of the power battery 2.

[0084] Afterwards, when the first temperature sensor 5 detects that the temperature inside the insulation box 1 has dropped to within the first set temperature range, the first temperature sensor 5 transmits the detection signal to the first controller 14. At this time, the first controller 14 controls the first pump 17 to pump the first coolant in the insulation box 1 back into the first liquid storage tank 10, and closes the first valve 6, thereby completing the cooling process of the insulation box 1 and the power battery 2.

[0085] Among them, in the process of the first coolant cooling the insulation box 1, when the second temperature sensor 20 detects that the temperature of the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10 is higher than the cooling temperature range, the first controller 14 controls the cooling component 12 to start working, so that the cooling component 12 can cool the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10, and then restore the temperature of the first coolant to within the cooling temperature range; when the second temperature sensor 20 detects that the temperature of the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10 is restored to within the cooling temperature range, the first controller 14 controls the cooling component 12 to stop working to ensure that the temperature of the first coolant flowing into the coolant flow channel 3 is always within the cooling temperature range.

[0086] When the first temperature sensor 5 detects that the temperature in the heat preservation box 1 is lower than the first set temperature range:

[0087] First, the first temperature sensor 5 transmits the detection signal to the second controller 15. At this time, the second controller 15 controls the second valve 7 to open and controls the second pump 18 to operate to transfer the second coolant stored in the second liquid storage tank 11 to the coolant flow channel 3 of the insulation box 1 through the second pipe, so that the second coolant circulates in the coolant flow channel 3, thereby increasing the temperature in the insulation box 1, thereby increasing the temperature of the power battery 2.

[0088] Afterwards, when the first temperature sensor 5 detects that the temperature in the insulation box 1 has risen to the first set temperature range, the first temperature sensor 5 transmits the detection signal to the second controller 15. At this time, the second controller 15 controls the second pump 18 to pump the second coolant in the insulation box 1 back to the second liquid storage tank 11, and closes the second valve 7, thereby completing the heating process of the insulation box 1 and the power battery 2.

[0089] Among them, in the process of the second coolant heating the insulation box 1, when the third temperature sensor 21 detects that the temperature of the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11 is lower than the heating temperature range, the second controller 15 controls the heating element 13 to start working, so that the heating element 13 can heat the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11, and thereby restore the temperature of the second coolant to within the heating temperature range; when the third temperature sensor 21 detects that the temperature of the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11 is restored to within the heating temperature range, the second controller 15 controls the heating element 13 to stop working, so as to ensure that the temperature of the second coolant flowing into the coolant flow channel 3 is always within the heating temperature range.

[0090] For engine temperature management:

[0091] When the fourth temperature sensor 23 detects that the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 is higher than the second set temperature range:

[0092] First, the fourth temperature sensor 23 transmits the detection signal to the third controller 16, and the third controller 16 controls the third valve 8 to open and controls the third pump 19 to operate, so as to extract the first coolant stored in the first liquid storage tank 10 and flow it into the engine cooling system 22 through the third pipeline, so as to replace an equal amount of engine coolant with a higher temperature in the engine cooling system 22, thereby reducing the temperature of the engine coolant.

[0093] Afterwards, when the fourth temperature sensor 23 detects that the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 has dropped to within the second set temperature range, the fourth temperature sensor 23 transmits the detection signal to the third controller 16 again. At this time, the third controller 16 controls the third pump 19 to stop extracting the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10 and closes the third valve 8, thereby completing the cooling process of the engine coolant.

[0094] Among them, in the process of cooling the engine coolant, when the second temperature sensor 20 detects that the temperature of the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10 is higher than the cooling temperature range, the first controller 14 controls the cooling component 12 to start working, so that the cooling component 12 can cool the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10, and then restore the temperature of the first coolant to within the cooling temperature range; when the second temperature sensor 20 detects that the temperature of the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank 10 is restored to within the cooling temperature range, the first controller 14 controls the cooling component 12 to stop working to ensure that the temperature of the first coolant flowing into the engine cooling system 22 is always within the cooling temperature range.

[0095] When the fourth temperature sensor 23 detects that the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 is lower than the second set temperature range:

[0096] First, the fourth temperature sensor 23 transmits the detection signal to the third controller 16. The third controller 16 controls the fourth valve 9 to open and controls the third pump 19 to operate, so as to extract the second coolant stored in the second liquid storage tank 11 and flow it into the engine cooling system 22 through the fourth pipeline to replace the same amount of engine coolant with lower temperature in the engine cooling system 22, thereby completing the process of heating the engine coolant.

[0097] Afterwards, when the fourth temperature sensor 23 detects that the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 has risen to the second set temperature range, the fourth temperature sensor 23 transmits the detection signal to the third controller 16 again. At this time, the third controller 16 controls the third pump 19 to stop extracting the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11 and closes the fourth valve 9, thereby completing the heating process of the engine coolant.

[0098] Among them, in the process of heating the engine coolant, when the third temperature sensor 21 detects that the temperature of the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11 is lower than the heating temperature range, the second controller 15 controls the heating element 13 to start working, so that the heating element 13 can heat the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11, and thereby restore the temperature of the second coolant to within the heating temperature range; when the third temperature sensor 21 detects that the temperature of the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank 11 is restored to within the heating temperature range, the second controller 15 controls the heating element 13 to stop working to ensure that the temperature of the second coolant flowing into the engine cooling system 22 is always within the heating temperature range.

[0099] For energy recovery in the engine cooling system 22:

[0100] When the fifth temperature sensor 4 detects that the outdoor ambient temperature is too low, and the vehicle is in operation at this time, and the engine coolant in the engine cooling system 22 is within the second set temperature range, the third controller 16 can control the fourth valve 9 to open and control the third pump 19 to operate without affecting the normal operation of the engine cooling system 22, so that the third pump 19 can extract part of the engine coolant with a higher temperature in the engine cooling system 22 into the second liquid storage tank 11 for storage, so that this part of the stored high-temperature engine coolant can be used to increase the temperature in the insulation box 1 when needed, so that part of the energy in the engine cooling system 22 can be recovered and reused, thereby completing the energy recovery process.

[0101] Through the above control process, when the hybrid vehicle is in an extremely hot or extremely cold environment and the vehicle is parked outdoors for a long time, the first coolant stored in the first liquid storage tank 10 or the second coolant stored in the second liquid storage tank 11 can be used to cool or heat the insulation box 1 respectively, thereby avoiding damage to the internal structure of the power battery 2 due to being in an extremely hot or extremely cold environment for a long time, ensuring the capacity and service life of the power battery 2, and thus ensuring the pure electric range of the vehicle.

[0102] Furthermore, through the above-mentioned control process, when the hybrid vehicle is in an extremely hot or extremely cold environment and the vehicle is driving normally, the first coolant stored in the first liquid storage tank 10 or the second coolant stored in the second liquid storage tank 11 can be used to ensure that the power battery 2 and the engine coolant are always in the optimal operating temperature range, thereby ensuring that the power battery 2 and the engine can always operate at good performance.

[0103] The above contents are only preferred embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, according to the concept of the present invention, there may be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scopes. The contents of this specification should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for managing the temperature of a power battery (2), characterized in that: include: A heat preservation box (1), wherein the power battery (2) is arranged in the heat preservation box (1), and a coolant flow channel (3) is formed on the inner wall of the heat preservation box (1); A first liquid storage tank (10) stores a first coolant therein, wherein a cooling element (12) is provided in the first liquid storage tank (10), and the cooling element (12) is used to cool the first coolant so that the temperature of the first coolant is within a cooling temperature range, and the first coolant can flow into the coolant flow channel (3) to reduce the temperature in the insulation box (1); a second liquid storage tank (11) storing a second coolant, wherein a heating element (13) is provided in the second liquid storage tank (11), and the heating element (13) is used to heat the second coolant so that the temperature of the second coolant is within a heating temperature range, wherein the lower limit of the heating temperature range is higher than the upper limit of the cooling temperature range, and the second coolant can flow into the coolant flow channel (3) to increase the temperature in the insulation box (1); It is also used to manage the temperature of the engine. The thermal management system also includes: An engine cooling system (22) containing an engine coolant, the engine coolant being used to cool or heat the engine; a third pipe, one end of which is in communication with the engine cooling system (22) and the other end of which is in communication with the first liquid storage tank (10), and a third valve (8) is provided on the third pipe, the third valve (8) being used to control the on-off of the third pipe; a fourth pipeline, one end of which is in communication with the engine cooling system (22) and the other end of which is in communication with the second liquid storage tank (11); and a fourth valve (9) is provided on the fourth pipeline, and the fourth valve (9) is used to control the opening and closing of the fourth pipeline; The control method based on the thermal management system comprises the following steps: S1: When the temperature in the heat preservation box (1) is higher than a first set temperature range, the first coolant in the first liquid storage tank (10) flows into the coolant flow channel (3) to reduce the temperature in the heat preservation box (1) to within the first set temperature range, and when the temperature of the first coolant is higher than the cooling temperature range, the cooling element (12) cools the first coolant to within the cooling temperature range; S2: When the temperature in the heat preservation box (1) is lower than the first set temperature range, the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank (11) flows into the coolant flow channel (3) to increase the temperature in the heat preservation box (1) to within the first set temperature range, and when the temperature of the second coolant is lower than the heating temperature range, the heating element (13) heats the second coolant to within the heating temperature range; When the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system (22) is higher than a second set temperature range, the first coolant stored in the first liquid storage tank (10) is drawn into the engine cooling system (22) to replace an equal amount of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system (22); When the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system (22) is lower than the second set temperature range, the second coolant in the second liquid storage tank (11) is drawn into the engine cooling system (22) to replace an equal amount of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system (22); When it is detected that the outdoor ambient temperature is too low and the vehicle is in operation, and the engine coolant in the engine cooling system (22) is within the second set temperature range, the high-temperature engine coolant in the engine cooling system (22) is extracted and stored in the second liquid storage tank (11), and the stored engine coolant is used to increase the temperature in the insulation box (1).

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises: A first temperature sensor (5), a second temperature sensor (20), and a third temperature sensor (21); the first temperature sensor (5), the second temperature sensor (20), and the third temperature sensor (21) are respectively arranged in the thermal insulation box (1), the first liquid storage tank (10), and the second liquid storage tank (11).

3. The thermal management system according to claim 2, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises: A first pipeline, one end of the first pipeline is connected to the first liquid storage tank (10), the other end of the first pipeline is connected to the coolant flow channel (3), and a first valve (6) for controlling the opening and closing of the first pipeline is provided on the first pipeline.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 3, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises: a first pump (17) disposed in the first liquid storage tank (10), the first pump (17) being used to drive the first coolant to flow between the coolant flow channel (3) and the first liquid storage tank (10); A first controller (14) is provided on the first liquid storage tank (10); the first temperature sensor (5) and the second temperature sensor (20) are both communicatively connected to the first controller (14); and the first controller (14) is controllably connected to the cooling element (12), the first valve (6), and the first pump (17).

5. The thermal management system according to claim 2, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises: A second pipeline, one end of the second pipeline is connected to the second liquid storage tank (11), the other end of the second pipeline is connected to the coolant flow channel (3), and a second valve (7) for controlling the opening and closing of the second pipeline is provided on the second pipeline.

6. The thermal management system according to claim 5, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises: a second pump (18) disposed in the second liquid storage tank (11), the second pump (18) being used to drive the second coolant to flow between the coolant flow channel (3) and the second liquid storage tank (11); A second controller (15) is provided on the second liquid storage tank (11); the first temperature sensor (5) and the third temperature sensor (21) are both communicatively connected to the second controller (15); and the second controller (15) is controllably connected to the heating element (13), the second valve (7), and the second pump (18).

7. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The inner wall of the heat preservation box (1) is provided with a corrugated wall tube, the corrugated wall tube forms the coolant flow channel (3), and the shape of the corrugated wall tube is a straight line and a semicircle arranged in sequence.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The first liquid storage tank (10) is made of a heat dissipation material, and the second liquid storage tank (11) is made of a heat insulation material.

9. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The cooling element (12) is a fan.

10. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The heating element (13) is an electric heating wire.

11. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises: A third pump (19) is provided in the engine cooling system (22), and the third pump (19) is used to drive the engine coolant and the first coolant to flow in the third pipe, or the engine coolant and the second coolant to flow in the fourth pipe.

12. The thermal management system according to claim 11, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises: A fourth temperature sensor (23) and a third controller (16), wherein the fourth temperature sensor (23) is used to detect the temperature of the engine coolant in the engine cooling system (22), the fourth temperature sensor (23) and the third controller (16) are communicatively connected, and the third controller (16) is respectively controlled and connected with the third valve (8), the fourth valve (9) and the third pump (19).

13. The thermal management system according to claim 12, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises: A fifth temperature sensor (4) is provided outside the engine cooling system (22), the fifth temperature sensor (4) is used to detect the ambient temperature, and the fifth temperature sensor (4) is communicatively connected to the third controller (16).

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