Motor vehicle with electric powertrain equipped with a heat carrier fluid distributor

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle equipped with an electric powertrain and a heat carrier fluid distributor comprising a body (2) comprising a hot circuit input (6, 8) and a hot circuit output (14), a cold circuit input (26) and a cold circuit output (20) and a three-way controlled valve (24), the body (2) comprising a check valve (12) which prevents passage from the cold circuit output (14) towards the cold circuit input (4, 6) and comprising a channel (22) with calibrated section from the cold circuit input (4, 6) towards the hot circuit output (20) which has an inlet arranged lower than its outlet.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application claims priority from French application N°2005527 filed on May 26, 2020, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present application relates to a motor vehicle equipped with a thermal fluid distributor, having an electric powertrain. BACKGROUND

[0003] A thermal fluid circuit of a known type for electric or hybrid motor vehicles is notably illustrated by the document FR3078386A1 and comprises a first ultra-low temperature circuit comprising the supply battery of the traction electric machine and the air conditioning cooler of the vehicle, a second high temperature circuit comprising an electrical re-heater of the thermal fluid and a heating blower of the passenger compartment, and a third low temperature circuit comprising the traction electric machine, the control inverter and a heat exchanger in thermal exchange with the ambient air.

[0004] In a first variant proposed by this document, the fluid circuit comprises two three-way valves which, by piloting, allow the interaction between the three circuits. In particular, the re-heating of the battery or the heating of the passenger compartment of the vehicle can be implemented on the basis of the electrical re-heater or on the basis of the heat generated by the electric machine and its inverter, as a function of the driving conditions and the ambient temperature.

[0005] Once the battery has reached temperature, the heat generated by this battery can be used to re-heat the passenger compartment. The excess heat produced which is not used is evacuated by the heat exchanger in thermal exchange with the ambient air.

[0006] However, these types of thermal fluid circuit require, in addition to the three-way valves, other functions necessary to ensure their operation, which generally each time form a sub-assembly arranged with a body comprising the ducts for implementing the various constituent elements.

[0007] It is thus necessary to arrange a plurality of sub-assemblies in the engine compartment of the vehicle, each comprising a body which provides a large volume which can be difficult to install in the engine compartment. Furthermore, these sub-assemblies require to be each installed in the vehicle by a large number of linkers which can cause a risk of leaks and the assembly time can lead to costs.

[0008] A thermal management system in the field of the present application is also known from the patent document US2008251235A1. SUMMARY

[0009] The object of the present application is notably to avoid these problems of the prior art.

[0010] The application provides for this purpose a motor vehicle equipped with an electric powertrain and a heat carrier fluid distributor comprising a body comprising a hot circuit input and a hot circuit output, a cold circuit input and a cold circuit output and a three-way controlled valve implementing in a first position a passage from the hot circuit input towards the hot circuit output and from the cold circuit input towards the cold circuit output and in a second position a passage from the hot circuit input towards the cold circuit output and from the cold circuit input towards the hot circuit output, characterized in that the body comprises a non-return valve which blocks the passage from the cold circuit output towards the cold circuit input and in that the body comprises a passage with calibrated section from the cold circuit input towards the hot circuit output, the passage with calibrated section having an inlet arranged lower than its outlet.

[0011] The motor vehicle has the advantage that by grouping the three-way valve, the non-return valve and the passage with calibrated section, which has a difference in level at its ends in its mounted position, in the same body of the fluid distributor, an assembly is implemented in a compact and economical manner, which is easily and quickly installed in the vehicle, while providing a first passage position and a second passage position.

[0012] In the first position, by virtue of the difference in level of the ends of the calibrated passage, a strong limitation of the heat exchange by thermal syphoning between the hot circuit output and the cold circuit input is obtained, which would direct the hot fluid towards this output. In the second passage position, by virtue of the non-return valve, an obstruction to the passage of the hot circuit input towards the cold circuit input is obtained, so as to direct the hot fluid towards the cold circuit output.

[0013] The motor vehicle according to the application can also comprise one or more of the following features which can be combined with each other.

[0014] Advantageously, the passage with calibrated section couples a first high chamber comprising the cold circuit input with a low chamber comprising the hot circuit output.

[0015] In this case, advantageously, the centre of the first high chamber and the centre of the low chamber have a difference in level greater than 100 mm in the operating position of the distributor.

[0016] Advantageously, the three-way valve is a proportional valve.

[0017] Advantageously, the non-return valve comprises a calibrated leakage passage allowing an annexe flow of no more than one litre per minute when the circuit is placed in a load state.

[0018] Advantageously, the non-return valve separates the first high chamber from the second high chamber, the two high chambers being arranged to prolong each other at the same height.

[0019] In particular, the cold circuit can comprise two input ports inputting into the first high chamber.

[0020] Advantageously, the body is implemented in plastic material by moulding.

[0021] In particular, the fluid distributor can be arranged on a heat carrier fluid circuit for regulating the temperature of a traction electric machine of the electric power system and the temperature of a supply battery of the electric machine.

[0022] In this case, in particular, the hot circuit can pass through the traction electric machine and the cold circuit can pass through a heat exchanger in thermal exchange with the ambient air. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] The application will be better understood and other features and advantages thereof will become more apparent from reading the detailed description of the application as an example given hereafter, and the appended drawings, in which:

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a heat carrier fluid distributor of a motor vehicle according to the application, in which the controlled valve is in its first position; and

[0025] Figure 2 is a schematic view of the distributor, in which the controlled valve is in its second position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Figure 1 A distributor is shown, comprising a body 2 in the form of a substantially parallelepiped, which in its assembled and operating position is horizontally elongated, comprising along the length of the upper portion a first high chamber 4 receiving above a first cold circuit input port 6 and a second cold circuit input port 8, which is flush with a second high chamber 10 receiving at its end a cold circuit output port 14. In a variant not shown, the high chamber receives only a single cold circuit input port 6.

[0027] When the pressure in the first high chamber 4 is greater than the pressure of the second high chamber 10 by a difference which is sufficiently great, a non-return valve 12 comprising a calibrated spring opens by compressing its spring, the non-return valve closing below this difference.

[0028] When the input pressure of the cold circuit is sufficiently greater than the output pressure of the cold circuit to compress the spring of the check valve 12, the main flow of the circuit from the first cold circuit input 6 and the second cold circuit input 8 towards the cold circuit output 14 is obtained.

[0029] The check valve 12 comprises a calibrated leakage channel which allows a small (not more than one liter per minute) accessory flow in order to allow the external electric pump to put the distributor in load condition in all operating conditions, avoiding the obstruction of the calibrated leakage channel.

[0030] The body of the distributor 2 comprises along the length of its lower portion a low chamber 16 which comprises at its end arranged below the second high chamber 10 a three-way valve 24 and at the other end below the first high chamber 4 a linking cavity 18 which receives below the hot circuit output 20.

[0031] The three-way valve 24 is a proportional solenoid valve which follows its adjustment to distribute in variable proportions the heat carrier fluid from a first passage (formed by the hot circuit input 26 arranged below) towards a second passage 28 coupled with the low chamber 16 to be directed towards the hot circuit output 20 and a third passage 30 coupled with the second high chamber 10 by an ascending intermediate duct 32 to be directed towards the cold circuit output 14.

[0032] For a fluid distributor arranged in its position of use, the passage 22 with calibrated section (with defined diameter D) comprises an upper outlet end which opens below the first high chamber 4 and a lower inlet end which opens above the linking cavity 18, with the inlet lower than the outlet.

[0033] By the three-way valve 24 closed towards the third passage 30 and completely open towards the second passage 28, the hot fluid circuit is obtained which enables the main flow from the hot circuit input 26 towards the hot circuit output 20.

[0034] In particular, the height difference H greater than 100 mm between the center of the first high chamber 4 and the center of the low chamber 16 provides at the end of the passage 22 with calibrated section a height difference which complements the reduction of the passage section to avoid or limit the thermosyphon effect which would cause the hot circuit hot fluid present in the low chamber to automatically rise towards the cold circuit cold fluid present in the first high chamber.

[0035] In particular, said hot loop can be used in this configuration to direct the hot fluid towards a heat exchanger which dissipates the heat generated by the traction electric machine, then said cold loop can be used to recover the cold fluid at the output of this exchanger and direct it towards the electric machine.

[0036] Advantageously, the main body 2 is implemented by moulding from a plastic material, so as to be able to form complex shapes, including the chambers 4, 10, 16 and the different passages between them, by means of an injection operation for injecting the material.

[0037] Figure 2 A three-way valve 24 is shown, which is closed towards the second passage 28 and completely open towards the third passage 30, so as to provide a direct passage from the hot loop input 26 towards the cold loop output 14.

[0038] The hot fluid which exits from this cold loop output 14 is next passed in the different constituent elements, in particular in the electric battery of the traction machine, so as to bring it to temperature, then next arrives in the cold loop, including the first cold loop input 6 and the second cold loop input 8, to enter into the first high chamber 4.

[0039] Said cold fluid is next passed from the first high chamber 4 towards the hot loop output 20 by passing through the passage 22 with calibrated section, so as to return to the traction electric machine which re-heats it.

[0040] The section of said passage 22 is adjusted so as to find the best compromise between the constraints of the heat exchange by thermosyphon (between the low chamber 16 and the first high chamber 4) and the low load losses (during the passage of the fluid from this first high chamber towards the low chamber).

Claims

1. A motor vehicle equipped with an electric power system and a heat transfer fluid distributor, the heat transfer fluid distributor comprising a body (2) including a cold loop inlet (6, 8) and a cold loop outlet (14), a hot loop inlet (26) and a hot loop outlet (20), and a three-way controlled valve (24), the three-way controlled valve being configured to allow passage from the hot loop inlet (26) toward the hot loop outlet (20) and from the cold loop inlet (6, 8) toward the cold loop outlet (14) in a first position, and to allow passage from the hot loop inlet (26) toward the cold loop outlet (14) and from the cold loop inlet (6, 8) toward the hot loop outlet (20) in a second position, characterized in that, The body (2) includes a check valve (12) that prevents passage from the cold loop outlet (14) toward the cold loop inlet (6, 8), and the body includes a channel (22) with a calibrated cross section from the cold loop inlet (6, 8) toward the hot loop outlet (20), the channel having a calibrated cross section having an inlet arranged lower than its own outlet.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The channel (22) with the calibrated cross section connects the first high chamber (4) including the cold loop inlet (6, 8) to the low chamber (16) including the hot loop outlet (20).

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The center of the first high-level chamber (4) and the center of the low-level chamber (16) have a height difference (H) greater than 100 mm at the operating position of the heat transfer fluid distributor.

4. The motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The three-way controlled valve (24) is a proportional valve.

5. The motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The check valve (12) includes a calibrated leak channel that allows an auxiliary flow of no more than one liter per minute when the circuit is under load.

6. The motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The check valve (12) separates the first high chamber (4) from the second high chamber (10), which are arranged to extend from each other at the same height.

7. The motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The cold loop includes two input ports (6, 8) that feed into the first high-level chamber (4).

8. The motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The main body (2) is made of plastic material by molding.

9. The motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The heat transfer fluid distributor is arranged on the heat transfer fluid circuit, which is used to regulate the temperature of the traction motor of the electric power system and the temperature of the power supply battery of the traction motor.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that, The hot loop passes through the traction motor, and the cold loop passes through a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the surrounding air.

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