Thermal management system

Abstract

The present application discloses a thermal management system. The second interface of the multi-pass device can communicate with the second port of the first heat exchanger, and the first flow regulating device can be connected in series between the first port of the first heat exchanger and the first port of the second heat exchanger. When the thermal management system operates in the heating mode, the first heat exchanger is connected to the compressor, and heating is achieved through the first heat exchanger; when the thermal management system operates in the cooling mode, the first heat exchanger is not connected to the compressor, and the heat transfer medium does not flow through the first heat exchanger, reducing the pressure loss of the heat transfer medium, thereby improving the system energy efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of thermal management, and particularly to a thermal management system. Background Art

[0002] The thermal management system of a vehicle (such as an electric vehicle) can adjust the ambient temperature in the passenger compartment through an indoor heat exchanger.

[0003] In related technologies, the thermal management system further includes an outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger includes an indoor evaporator and an indoor condenser. The outlet of the compressor is communicated with the inlet of the indoor condenser. The refrigerant flowing out of the indoor condenser is selectively flowed into the outdoor heat exchanger or the indoor evaporator through a valve member. In the heating mode, the compressor, the indoor condenser, and the outdoor heat exchanger are connected in a loop. The outdoor heat exchanger absorbs heat from the atmospheric environment, and the passenger compartment is heated through the indoor condenser. In the cooling mode, the compressor, the indoor condenser, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor evaporator are connected in a loop. The indoor condenser is used as a pipeline, the outdoor heat exchanger releases heat to the atmospheric environment, and the passenger compartment is cooled through the indoor evaporator.

[0004] In the cooling mode, the refrigerant flows through the indoor condenser, but there is no heat exchange at the indoor condenser, which will cause pressure loss of the refrigerant, thereby reducing the energy efficiency of the thermal management system. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems existing in the related technologies, this application provides a thermal management system with improved energy efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above object, this application adopts the following technical solutions: A thermal management system includes: a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, a first flow regulating device, a second flow regulating device, and a multi-way device;

[0007] The first flow regulating device can be connected in series between the first port of the first heat exchanger and the first port of the second heat exchanger, and the second flow regulating device can be connected in series between the first port of the second heat exchanger and the first port of the third heat exchanger;

[0008] The multi-way device includes a first interface, a second interface, a third interface, and a fourth interface. The outlet of the compressor can be communicated with the first interface, the second interface can be communicated with the second port of the first heat exchanger, the third interface can be communicated with the inlet of the compressor, and the fourth interface can be communicated with the second port of the second heat exchanger;

[0009] The multi-way device has a first working state and a second working state. In the first working state, the first interface communicates with the second interface, and the third interface communicates with the fourth interface; in the second working state, the first interface communicates with the fourth interface.

[0010] The thermal management system has a heating mode and a cooling mode. In the heating mode, the multi-way device is in the first working state, and the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the first flow regulating device, and the second heat exchanger are in communication; in the cooling mode, the multi-way device is in the second working state, the compressor, the second heat exchanger, the second flow regulating device, and the third heat exchanger are in communication, and the first heat exchanger is not in communication with the compressor.

[0011] In this application, the second interface of the multi-way device can communicate with the second port of the first heat exchanger, and the first flow regulating device can be connected in series between the first port of the first heat exchanger and the first port of the second heat exchanger. When the thermal management system operates in the heating mode, the first heat exchanger communicates with the compressor, and heating is achieved through the first heat exchanger; when the thermal management system operates in the cooling mode, the first heat exchanger is not in communication with the compressor, and the heat exchange medium does not flow through the first heat exchanger, reducing the pressure loss of the heat exchange medium, thereby improving the system energy efficiency. Description of the Drawings

[0012] Figure 1 is a connection schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the thermal management system of this application;

[0013] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the heating mode of the first embodiment of the thermal management system of this application;

[0014] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the cooling mode of the first embodiment of the thermal management system of this application;

[0015] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the heating and dehumidifying mode of the first embodiment of the thermal management system of this application;

[0016] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the heating mode of the second embodiment of the thermal management system of this application;

[0017] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the cooling mode of the second embodiment of the thermal management system of this application;

[0018] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the cooling mode of the third embodiment of the thermal management system of this application;

[0019] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the cooling mode of the fourth embodiment of the thermal management system of this application;

[0020] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration mode of an embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the thermal management system of the present application;

[0021] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration mode of another embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the thermal management system of the present application;

[0022] Figure 11 It is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration mode of yet another embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the thermal management system of the present application.

[0023] Marking description:

[0024] 1. Compressor; 2. First heat exchanger; 21. First heat exchange part; 22. Second heat exchange part; 3. Second heat exchanger; 4. Third heat exchanger; 5. First flow regulating device; 51. Throttle unit; 52. Check unit; 6. Second flow regulating device; 7. Multiport device; 71. First interface; 72. Second interface; 73. Third interface; 74. Fourth interface; 8. Gas-liquid separator; 9. Warm air core; 10. Valve device; 100. Air conditioning box; 200. Control system. Detailed implementation manners

[0025] Here, the exemplary embodiments will be described in detail, and the examples are shown in the drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The implementation manners described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementation manners consistent with the present application. On the contrary, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0026] The terms used in the present application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. The singular forms of "a", "the" and "said" used in the present application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0027] It should be understood that the terms "first", "second" and similar terms used in the description and claims of this application do not denote any order, quantity or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, terms such as "a" or "an" do not denote a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the existence of at least one; "a plurality" means two or more quantities. Unless otherwise specified, terms such as "front part", "rear part", "lower part" and / or "upper part" are for convenience of description only and are not limited to a particular position or a particular spatial orientation. The terms "comprising" or "including" and similar terms mean that the elements or items appearing before "comprising" or "including" cover the elements or items listed after "comprising" or "including" and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or items.

[0028] The following will describe in detail the thermal management system of the exemplary embodiments of this application with reference to the accompanying drawings. Without conflict, the features in the following embodiments and implementation manners can be supplemented or combined with each other.

[0029] According to the first embodiment of the thermal management system of this application, as Figure 1 shown, the thermal management system includes a compressor 1, a first heat exchanger 2, a second heat exchanger 3, a third heat exchanger 4, a first flow regulating device 5, a second flow regulating device 6 and a multi-way device 7. The above components can be indirectly connected to each other through pipelines or valve components.

[0030] The multi-way device 7 includes a first interface 71, a second interface 72, a third interface 73 and a fourth interface 74. The first interface 71, the second interface 72, the third interface 73 and the fourth interface 74 are not in communication on the surface of the multi-way device 7. In this embodiment, the multi-way device 7 has a first working state and a second working state. When the multi-way device 7 is in the first working state, the first interface 71 is in communication with the second interface 72, and the third interface 73 is in communication with the fourth interface 74; when the multi-way device 7 is in the second working state, the first interface 71 is in communication with the fourth interface 74, and the second interface 72 is not in communication with the third interface 73. Optionally, the multi-way device 7 is a four-way valve, and the first interface 71, the second interface 72, the third interface 73 and the fourth interface 74 are the four ports of the four-way valve. In some other embodiments, the multi-way device 7 can also be a combination of multiple stop valves, and the first working state and the second working state of the multi-way device 7 are achieved by designing the connection relationship of the multiple stop valves.

[0031] In this embodiment, the outlet of the compressor 1 is connected to the first interface 71, the second interface 72 is connected to the second port of the first heat exchanger 2, the third interface 73 is connected to the inlet of the compressor 1, and the fourth interface 74 is connected to the second port of the second heat exchanger 3. The first port of the second heat exchanger 3 is connected to the second port of the first flow regulating device 5, and the first port of the first flow regulating device 5 is respectively connected to the first port of the first heat exchanger 2 and the second port of the second flow regulating device 6. The first port of the second flow regulating device 6 is connected to the first port of the third heat exchanger 4, and the second port of the third heat exchanger 4 is connected to the inlet of the compressor 1.

[0032] The first flow regulating device 5 is a valve member having a conducting state, a throttling state, and a cut-off state. Optionally, the first flow regulating device 5 is an electronic expansion valve with a full-pass function. The second flow regulating device 6 is a valve member having a throttling state and a cut-off state. Optionally, the first flow regulating device 5 is an electronic expansion valve or a thermal expansion valve.

[0033] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 1 , a gas-liquid separator 8 is provided in front of the inlet of the compressor 1. Specifically, the third interface 73 and the second port of the third heat exchanger 4 are connected to the inlet of the gas-liquid separator 8, and the outlet of the gas-liquid separator 8 is connected to the inlet of the compressor 1. The gas-liquid separator 8 is used to perform gas-liquid separation on the refrigerant before it flows into the compressor 1, and improve the liquid slugging phenomenon of the compressor 1. After the refrigerant flows through the gas-liquid separator 8, the liquid refrigerant is stored in the gas-liquid separator 8, and the gaseous refrigerant flows to the inlet of the compressor 1. Of course, in some other embodiments, if the compressor 1 itself has a gas-liquid separation function, the gas-liquid separator 8 may not be provided either.

[0034] The thermal management system provided by the embodiment of the present application can be applied to an electric vehicle, and the electric vehicle has an air conditioner box 100 that exchanges heat with the air in the passenger compartment. In this embodiment, the first heat exchanger 2 and the third heat exchanger 4 are arranged in the air conditioner box 100, and the first heat exchanger 2 and the third heat exchanger 4 are used for heat exchange with the air in the air conditioner box 100. The third heat exchanger 4 is located on the downstream side of the air flow relative to the first heat exchanger 2. A blower is provided in the air conditioner box 100 to guide the flow of the air in the air conditioner box 100. The second heat exchanger 3 is arranged near the front air intake grille of the vehicle and can exchange heat with the air in the atmospheric environment. The first heat exchanger 2, the second heat exchanger 3, and the third heat exchanger 4 are all air-cooled heat exchangers, and the design principle of the air-cooled heat exchanger is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated in this application.

[0035] The thermal management system of this embodiment has multiple working modes, including a heating mode, a cooling mode, a heating and dehumidifying mode, etc. The thermal management system of this embodiment is not only applicable to vehicles, but also applicable to other heat exchange systems that require thermal management. For the convenience of description, the specification of this application takes vehicles as an example for illustration.

[0036] When the ambient air temperature is relatively low, there is a heating demand in the passenger compartment, and the vehicle operates in the heating mode. Refer to Figure 2 , the thick solid line represents the refrigerant flow path, and the arrow represents the refrigerant flow direction. The compressor 1 is turned on, the first flow regulating device 5 is in the throttling state, the second flow regulating device 6 is in the cut-off state, and the multi-way device 7 is in the first working state. The outlet of the compressor 1, the first heat exchanger 2, the first flow regulating device 5, the second heat exchanger 3, and the inlet of the compressor 1 are connected in sequence to form a loop.

[0037] The high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 1 flows into the first heat exchanger 2. The refrigerant in the first heat exchanger 2 condenses and releases heat to heat the surrounding air, and the temperature of the refrigerant decreases. The heated air is blown into the passenger compartment under the guidance of the fan to achieve heating of the passenger compartment. The refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchanger 2 is throttled and depressurized by the first flow regulating device 5, and the temperature of the refrigerant decreases again. The cooled refrigerant flows into the second heat exchanger 3, and the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger 3 evaporates and absorbs heat from the ambient air. The refrigerant flowing out of the second heat exchanger 3 flows back to the compressor 1, and the cycle repeats.

[0038] When the ambient air temperature is relatively high, there is a cooling demand in the passenger compartment, and the vehicle operates in the cooling mode. Refer to Figure 3 , the thick solid line represents the refrigerant flow path, and the arrow represents the refrigerant flow direction. The compressor 1 is turned on, the first flow regulating device 5 is in the conducting state, the second flow regulating device 6 is in the throttling state, and the multi-way device 7 is in the second working state. The outlet of the compressor 1, the second heat exchanger 3, the first flow regulating device 5, the second flow regulating device 6, the third heat exchanger 4, and the inlet of the compressor 1 are connected in sequence to form a loop.

[0039] The high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 1 flows into the second heat exchanger 3. The refrigerant in the second heat exchanger 3 releases heat to the ambient air, and the temperature of the refrigerant decreases. The refrigerant flowing out of the second heat exchanger 3 is throttled and depressurized by the second flow regulating device 6, and the temperature of the refrigerant decreases again. The cooled refrigerant flows into the third heat exchanger 4, and the refrigerant in the third heat exchanger 4 evaporates and absorbs heat, and the temperature of the surrounding air decreases. The cooled air is blown into the passenger compartment under the guidance of the fan to achieve cooling of the passenger compartment. The refrigerant flowing out of the third heat exchanger 4 flows back to the compressor 1, and the cycle repeats.

[0040] In this application, the first heat exchanger 2 is connected between the second interface 72 and the first flow regulating device 5. One end of the second flow regulating device 6 is connected to the first flow regulating device 5 and the first heat exchanger 2 respectively. When the multi-way device 7 is in the second working state, the second interface 72 is not connected to the third interface 73, so that in the refrigeration mode, the refrigerant flowing out of the first flow regulating device 5 does not flow through the first heat exchanger 2, reducing the pressure loss of the refrigerant, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the system.

[0041] When there is a demand for heating and dehumidifying in the passenger compartment, the vehicle operates in the heating and dehumidifying mode. Refer to Figure 4 , the thick solid line is the flow path of the refrigerant, and the arrow is the flow direction of the refrigerant. The compressor 1 is turned on, the first flow regulating device 5 is in the throttling state, the second flow regulating device 6 is in the throttling state, and the multi-way device 7 is in the first working state. The outlet of the compressor 1, the first heat exchanger 2, the first flow regulating device 5, the second heat exchanger 3, and the inlet of the compressor 1 are connected in series to form a loop, and the outlet of the compressor 1, the first heat exchanger 2, the second flow regulating device 6, the third heat exchanger 4, and the inlet of the compressor 1 are connected in series to form a loop.

[0042] The high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 1 flows into the first heat exchanger 2, and the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger 2 condenses and releases heat to heat the surrounding air. The refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchanger 2 is divided into two paths. One path flows to the first flow regulating device 5, and after being throttled and depressurized by the first flow regulating device 5, it flows into the second heat exchanger 3. The refrigerant in the second heat exchanger 3 evaporates and absorbs heat, obtaining heat from the atmospheric environment. The other path flows to the second flow regulating device 6, and after being throttled and depressurized by the second flow regulating device 6, it flows into the third heat exchanger 4. The third heat exchanger 4 is located on the upwind side of the first heat exchanger 2. Since the temperature of the third heat exchanger 4 is relatively low, the moisture in the air condenses and precipitates when flowing through the third heat exchanger 4. The dehumidified air flows through the first heat exchanger 2 and is heated, and under the action of the fan, the heated dry air is blown into the passenger compartment to achieve heating and dehumidifying. The refrigerant flowing out of the second heat exchanger 3 and the third heat exchanger 4 flows back to the compressor 1 and circulates in this way.

[0043] In some other embodiments, in the heating and dehumidifying mode, the first flow regulating device 5 is in the cut-off state, the second flow regulating device 6 is in the throttling state, and the multi-way device 7 is in the first working state. The outlet of the compressor 1, the first heat exchanger 2, the second flow regulating device 6, the third heat exchanger 4, and the inlet of the compressor 1 are connected in series to form a loop, and no heat exchange occurs at the second heat exchanger 3.

[0044] According to the second embodiment of the thermal management system of the present application, as Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the second embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment. For the same parts, reference can be made to the relevant description of the first embodiment. The difference is that the thermal management system further includes a heater core 9, which is disposed in the air conditioning box 100. The first heat exchanger 2 is a two-channel heat exchanger and does not directly exchange heat with the air in the air conditioning box 100. Specifically, the first heat exchanger 2 includes a first heat exchange part 51 and a second heat exchange part 52. The first heat exchange part 51 and the second heat exchange part 52 can exchange heat with each other. Both the first heat exchange part 51 and the second heat exchange part 52 are provided with flow channels, and the flow channels of the first heat exchange part 51 and the second heat exchange part 52 are isolated from each other and not connected. The flow channel of the first heat exchange part 51 circulates refrigerant, and the flow channel of the second heat exchange part 52 circulates coolant. The refrigerant can exchange heat with the coolant through the first heat exchanger 2. Optionally, the first heat exchanger 2 can be one of a plate heat exchanger, a parallel-flow liquid-cooled heat exchanger, or other liquid-cooled heat exchangers.

[0045] The second interface 72 is connected to the second port of the first heat exchange part 51. The first port of the first heat exchange part 51 is respectively connected to the first port of the first flow regulating device 5 and the second port of the second flow regulating device 6. The second heat exchange part 52 and the heater core 9 are sequentially connected in a loop, and a pump device can be provided in this loop to drive the circulation of the coolant. It can be understood that the first port of the first heat exchange part 51 is the first port of the first heat exchanger 2, and the second port of the first heat exchange part 51 is the second port of the first heat exchanger 2.

[0046] Refer to Figure 5 , in the heating mode, the outlet of the compressor 1, the first heat exchange part 51, the first flow regulating device 5, the second heat exchanger 3, and the inlet of the compressor 1 are sequentially connected, and the second heat exchange part 52 and the heater core 9 are connected to form a coolant loop. The refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 1 flows into the first heat exchange part 51. The refrigerant in the first heat exchange part 51 transfers heat to the coolant in the second heat exchange part 52, and the temperature of the coolant rises. The coolant with the increased temperature flows into the heater core 9, and the heater core 9 releases heat to heat the surrounding air. The heated air flows into the passenger compartment under the action of the blower, realizing heating. The refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchange part 51 flows into the second heat exchanger 3 after throttling and pressure reduction by the first flow regulating device 5, and exchanges heat with the atmospheric environment. The refrigerant flowing out of the second heat exchanger 3 flows back to the compressor 1, and so on in a cycle.

[0047] Refer to Figure 6 , in the cooling mode, the refrigerant does not flow through the first heat exchange part 51, and no heat exchange occurs at the first heat exchanger 2, reducing the pressure loss of the refrigerant, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the system.

[0048] According to the third embodiment of the thermal management system of the present application, as Figure 7As shown, the third embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment. For the same parts, reference can be made to the relevant description of the first embodiment. The difference lies in that the first flow rate regulating device 5 includes a throttling unit 51 and a one-way unit 52 arranged in parallel. Specifically, the second port of the throttling unit 51 and the second port of the one-way unit 52 are both connected to the first port of the second heat exchanger 3, and the first port of the throttling unit 51 and the first port of the one-way unit 52 are both connected to the first port of the first heat exchanger 2 and the second port of the second flow rate regulating device 6. It can be understood that the second port of the throttling unit 51 and the second port of the one-way unit 52 together constitute the second port of the first flow rate regulating device 5, and the first port of the throttling unit 51 and the first port of the one-way unit 52 together constitute the first port of the first flow rate regulating device 5.

[0049] Under the same working conditions, the refrigerant flows through the throttling unit 51 or the one-way unit 52. The throttling unit 51 is a valve member having a throttling state and a cut-off state. Optionally, the throttling unit 51 is an electronic expansion valve or a thermostatic expansion valve. The one-way unit 52 has the function of conducting in the forward direction and blocking in the reverse direction. Specifically, the one-way unit 52 conducts in the direction from the second port of the first flow rate regulating device 5 to the first port of the first flow rate regulating device 5, and blocks in the direction from the first port of the first flow rate regulating device 5 to the second port of the first flow rate regulating device 5. Optionally, the one-way unit 52 is a one-way valve. In some other embodiments, the one-way unit 52 may be a stop valve.

[0050] In the refrigeration mode, referring to Figure 7 , the refrigerant flows through the one-way unit 52, the one-way unit 52 is in the forward conduction state, and the throttling unit 51 is in the cut-off state. In the heating mode, the refrigerant flows through the throttling unit 51, the throttling unit 51 is in the throttling state, and the one-way unit 52 is in the reverse cut-off state. In the heating and dehumidifying mode, the throttling unit 51 is in the throttling state or the cut-off state, and the one-way unit 52 is in the reverse cut-off state.

[0051] According to the fourth embodiment of the thermal management system of the present application, as Figure 8 shown, the fourth embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment. For the same parts, reference can be made to the relevant description of the first embodiment. The difference lies in that the position of the first flow rate regulating device 5 in the system is different. Specifically, the first port of the first heat exchanger 2 is connected to the first port of the first flow rate regulating device 5, the first port of the third heat exchanger 4 is connected to the first port of the second flow rate regulating device 6, and the first port of the second heat exchanger 3 is respectively connected to the second port of the first flow rate regulating device 5 and the second port of the second flow rate regulating device 6.

[0052] In the refrigeration mode, referring to Figure 8, the first flow regulating device 5 is in a cut-off state, and the second flow regulating device 6 is in a throttling state. In the heating mode, the first flow regulating device 5 is in a throttling state, and the second flow regulating device 6 is in a cut-off state. In the heating and dehumidifying mode, the first flow regulating device 5 is in a throttling state or a cut-off state, and the second flow regulating device 6 is in a throttling state.

[0053] In this embodiment, in the refrigeration mode, when the multi-way device 7 is in the second working state, the second interface 72 can communicate with the third interface 73. Since the first flow regulating device 5 is in a cut-off state, no refrigerant still flows through the first heat exchanger 2.

[0054] According to the fifth embodiment of the thermal management system of the present application, refer to Figures 9 to 11 , the fifth embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment. The same parts can refer to the relevant description of the first embodiment. The difference is that: between the inlet of the compressor 1 and the third interface 73, between the second interface 72 and the second port of the first heat exchanger 2, and between the first port of the first heat exchanger 2 and the first port of the first flow regulating device 5, at least one of the above three places is provided with a valve device 10, and the valve device 10 is a valve member having a cut-off state and a conducting state. Optionally, the valve device 10 is a globe valve.

[0055] In the refrigeration mode, the valve device 10 is in a cut-off state. In the heating mode and the heating and dehumidifying mode, the valve device 10 is in a conducting state. In this embodiment, in the refrigeration mode, when the multi-way device 7 is in the second working state, the second interface 72 can communicate with the third interface 73. Since the valve device 10 is in a cut-off state, no refrigerant still flows through the first heat exchanger 2.

[0056] The embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other. For example, in the third embodiment, the fourth embodiment, and the fifth embodiment, the first heat exchanger 2 has the structure described in the second embodiment. The first heat exchanger 2 is a two-channel heat exchanger, and the thermal management system is provided with a warm air core 9 located in the air conditioner box 100. For example, in the fifth embodiment, the first flow regulating device 5 has the structure described in the third embodiment. The first flow regulating device 5 includes a one-way unit 52 and a throttling unit 51 arranged in parallel. For example, in the second embodiment, the third embodiment, and the fourth embodiment, a valve device 10 as described in the fifth embodiment can be provided. At this time, when the multi-way device 7 is in the second working state, the second interface 72 can communicate with the third interface 73.

[0057] It should be noted that in this application, "sequentially connected" only describes the sequential relationship of the connections between various components, and there may be other components between these components, such as stop valves. The "connection" between two components in this application can be a direct connection or a connection through a pipeline. There can be only a pipeline between two components, or there can be valve components or other components between them. Similarly, the "communication" between two components in this application can be a direct communication or a communication achieved through a pipeline. There can be only a pipeline connection between two components, or there can be valve components or other components between them before achieving communication.

[0058] This application also provides a control method for a thermal management system. The control method in this application is applied to the thermal management system of the above-described embodiment. The thermal management system further includes a control system 200, and the control system 200 can be used to control the working states of the components in the thermal management system.

[0059] Referring to Figure 1 , the control system 200 includes a controller and multiple sensors. The multiple sensors can be used to obtain the working information of the first heat exchanger 2, the second heat exchanger 3, and the third heat exchanger 4. Optionally, the working information includes temperature. The controller is electrically connected to components such as the compressor 1, the first flow regulating device 5, the second flow regulating device 6, and the fan in the air conditioning box 100. The controller can be used to obtain the working information obtained by the sensors. The controller can be used to adjust the working states of the compressor 1, the first flow regulating device 5, the second flow regulating device 6, and the fan in the air conditioning box 100. The adjustment of the working state includes at least one of turning on the component, turning off the component, speed regulation, opening degree regulation, and power regulation. The controller can be used to execute the control method of the thermal management system.

[0060] The control method of the thermal management system includes:

[0061] Obtaining the needs of the passengers and the working information obtained by the sensors;

[0062] According to the needs of the passengers and the working information obtained from the sensors, the controller adjusts the working states of the various components in the thermal management system, so that the thermal management system executes an appropriate air conditioning operation mode, thereby achieving the thermal management of the passenger compartment.

[0063] The thermal management system further includes an interaction device. The controller is electrically connected to the interaction device, and the controller can obtain the needs of the passengers through the interaction device, such as the target temperature or operation mode required by the passengers. Optionally, the interaction device can be the control panel of an electric vehicle. The air conditioning operation modes include a refrigeration mode, a heating mode, and a heating and dehumidification mode. The connection states of the thermal management system in the refrigeration mode, the heating mode, and the heating and dehumidification mode can be referred to the previous description and will not be elaborated here.

[0064] In the related art, in the refrigeration mode, the refrigerant still needs to flow through the first heat exchanger 2. In a system where the first heat exchanger 2 is disposed in the air conditioner box 100 and the first heat exchanger 2 directly exchanges heat with the air in the air conditioner box 100, since the first heat exchanger 2 is located on the downwind side of the third heat exchanger 4, in the refrigeration mode, the air cooled by the third heat exchanger 4 will flow through the relatively hot first heat exchanger 2 again, and the air temperature will increase, resulting in poor refrigeration effect. Therefore, by providing a damper between the first heat exchanger 2 and the third heat exchanger 4, and electrically connecting the damper to the controller of the control system 200, the damper is controlled to be closed in the refrigeration mode, so that the air after heat exchange with the third heat exchanger 4 does not flow through the first heat exchanger 2, thereby ensuring the refrigeration effect.

[0065] Similarly, in a system where the first heat exchanger 2 includes a first heat exchange portion 21 and a second heat exchange portion 22 and exchanges heat with the air in the air conditioner box 100 through the heater core 9, by providing a damper between the heater core 9 and the third heat exchanger 4 and closing the damper in the refrigeration mode, the refrigeration effect can be ensured.

[0066] In the present application, in the refrigeration mode, the refrigerant does not flow through the first heat exchanger 2. At this time, no heat exchange occurs at the first heat exchanger 2, and the damper can be omitted, which is beneficial to the miniaturization of the air conditioner box 100. On the other hand, omitting a component that needs to be controlled can reduce the control difficulty of the thermal management system.

[0067] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present application, and do not impose any form of limitation on the present application. Although the present application has been disclosed above with the preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present application. Any person skilled in the art can make some changes or modifications to the equivalent embodiments by using the above-disclosed technical content within the scope of the technical solution of the present application. However, as long as the content does not depart from the technical solution of the present application, any simple modification, equivalent change and modification made to the above embodiments according to the technical essence of the present application still fall within the scope of the technical solution of the present application.

Claims

1. A thermal management system, characterized in that, Including: A compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, a first flow regulating device, a second flow regulating device, and a multi-way device; The first flow regulating device can be connected in series between the first port of the first heat exchanger and the first port of the second heat exchanger, and the second flow regulating device can be connected in series between the first port of the second heat exchanger and the first port of the third heat exchanger; The multi-way device includes a first interface, a second interface, a third interface, and a fourth interface. The outlet of the compressor can be connected to the first interface, the second interface can be connected to the second port of the first heat exchanger, the third interface can be connected to the inlet of the compressor, and the fourth interface can be connected to the second port of the second heat exchanger; The multi-way device has a first working state and a second working state. In the first working state, the first interface is connected to the second interface, and the third interface is connected to the fourth interface; in the second working state, the first interface is connected to the fourth interface; The thermal management system has a heating mode and a cooling mode. In the heating mode, the multi-way device is in the first working state, and the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the first flow regulating device, and the second heat exchanger are connected; in the cooling mode, the multi-way device is in the second working state, and the compressor, the second heat exchanger, the second flow regulating device, and the third heat exchanger are connected, and the first heat exchanger is not connected to the compressor.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the multi-way device is in the second working state, the second interface is not connected to the third interface.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein The first port of the first flow regulating device is connected to the first port of the first heat exchanger, the first port of the second flow regulating device is connected to the first port of the third heat exchanger, and the first port of the second heat exchanger is respectively connected to the second port of the first flow regulating device and the second port of the second flow regulating device; In the heating mode, the first flow regulating device is in a throttling state, and the second flow regulating device is in a cut-off state; In the cooling mode, the first flow regulating device is in a cut-off state, and the second flow regulating device is in a throttling state.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that The first port of the second heat exchanger is connected to the second port of the first flow regulating device, the first port of the first flow regulating device is respectively connected to the first port of the first heat exchanger and the second port of the second flow regulating device, and the first port of the second flow regulating device is connected to the first port of the third heat exchanger; In the heating mode, the first flow regulating device is in a throttling state, and the second flow regulating device is in a cut-off state; In the cooling mode, the first flow regulating device is in a conducting state, and the second flow regulating device is in a throttling state.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first flow regulating device includes a throttling unit and a one-way unit arranged in parallel. The one-way unit is conductive in the direction from the second port of the first flow regulating device to the first port of the first flow regulating device, and is cutoff in the direction from the first port of the first flow regulating device to the second port of the first flow regulating device. In the heating mode, the throttling unit is in a throttling state and the one-way unit is in a cutoff state. In the cooling mode, the throttling unit is in a cutoff state and the one-way unit is in a conductive state.

6. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, The thermal management system further includes a valve device, which is connected in series between the compressor inlet and the third interface, or the valve device is connected in series between the second interface and the second port of the first heat exchanger, or the valve device is connected in series between the first port of the first heat exchanger and the first port of the second heat exchanger. When the multi-way device is in the first working state, the valve device is in a conductive state. When the multi-way device is in the second working state, the valve device is in a cutoff state.

7. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that In the heating mode, the outlet of the compressor is communicated with the second port of the first heat exchanger, the first port of the first heat exchanger is communicated with the inlet of the first flow regulating device, the outlet of the first flow regulating device is communicated with the first port of the second heat exchanger, the second port of the second heat exchanger is communicated with the inlet of the compressor, and the first flow regulating device is in a throttling state.

8. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that In the cooling mode, the outlet of the compressor is communicated with the second port of the second heat exchanger, the first port of the second heat exchanger is communicated with the inlet of the second flow regulating device, the outlet of the second flow regulating device is communicated with the first port of the third heat exchanger, the second port of the third heat exchanger is communicated with the inlet of the compressor, the second flow regulating device is in a throttling state, and the first port of the first heat exchanger is not communicated with the first port of the second heat exchanger.

9. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The second flow regulating device can be connected in series between the first port of the first heat exchanger and the first port of the third heat exchanger. The thermal management system has a heating and dehumidifying mode. In the heating and dehumidifying mode, the outlet of the compressor is communicated with the second port of the first heat exchanger, the first port of the first heat exchanger is communicated with the inlet of the second flow regulating device, the outlet of the second flow regulating device is communicated with the first port of the third heat exchanger, the second port of the third heat exchanger is communicated with the inlet of the compressor, and the second flow regulating device is in a throttling state. Or, the outlet of the compressor is communicated with the second port of the first heat exchanger, the first port of the first heat exchanger is communicated with the inlets of the first flow regulating device and the second flow regulating device, the outlet of the first flow regulating device is communicated with the first port of the second heat exchanger, the outlet of the second flow regulating device is communicated with the first port of the third heat exchanger, the second ports of the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger are communicated with the inlet of the compressor, and both the first flow regulating device and the second flow regulating device are in a throttling state.

10. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The thermal management system further includes a gas-liquid separator, the second port of the second heat exchanger or the second port of the third heat exchanger can be communicated with the inlet of the gas-liquid separator, and the outlet of the gas-liquid separator is communicated with the inlet of the compressor.

Images