Multi-port valve thermal management system, thermal management method, and vehicle

Abstract

The application discloses a multi-way valve heat management system, a heat management method and a vehicle, wherein a heat exchanger, a motor electric control cooling device, a low-temperature radiator, a condenser, a water heating PTC, a warm air core and a power battery pack are connected with a multi-way valve through a flow channel plate to form a branch for making the cooling liquid flow; the motor electric control cooling device and the low-temperature radiator are connected in series with the multi-way valve to form a motor electric control branch; the power battery pack is connected in series with the multi-way valve to form a battery branch; the condenser, the water heating PTC and the warm air core are connected in series with the multi-way valve to form a passenger cabin heating branch; the heat exchanger is connected in series with the multi-way valve to form a heat exchanger branch; the multi-way valve comprises at least one movable valve core, and the motor electric control branch, the battery branch, the passenger cabin heating branch and the heat exchanger branch are connected in series or disconnected with each other by switching the movable valve core. The application realizes the series connection or disconnection between the pipelines by switching the movable valve core of the multi-way valve, is more convenient for controlling the heat management system and simplifies the management method of the heat management system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of thermal management technology for new energy vehicles, and particularly to a multi-way valve thermal management system, thermal management method, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Compared to new energy vehicles, the thermal management system of existing fuel vehicles involves fewer components, has a simpler function, and uses a more limited range of thermal management methods.

[0003] New energy vehicles are powered by electricity, and their functions, such as the heating and cooling of the passenger compartment, the temperature balance of the battery pack, and the cooling of the motor and electronic control system, all require electrical energy. Compared with existing fuel vehicles, the energy management of new energy vehicles involves significantly more aspects, and the thermal management system is more complex. Therefore, the thermal management system and methods of new energy vehicles are becoming increasingly important in improving their energy efficiency and ensuring the vehicle's range and battery pack safety.

[0004] The thermal management system of new energy vehicles includes a refrigerant circuit and a coolant circuit; in particular, the coolant circuit plays an important role in the function and effectiveness of the thermal management system of new energy vehicles.

[0005] Current thermal management systems for new energy vehicles are still primarily decentralized, with heat exchange between functional components such as the passenger compartment, battery, and motor mainly relying on coolant, and these components are distributed in different circuits. To achieve connectivity between different circuits, existing thermal management systems generally use multiple three-way valves and four-way valves in each circuit, switching between different water valve combinations to achieve different system functions.

[0006] Because the components of the thermal management system are distributed across different locations throughout the vehicle and connected by pipelines before being fixed to the vehicle, the integration level of the thermal management system is relatively low. For vehicle manufacturers, this results in a wide variety of materials, a large space requirement, and complex system control, leading to insufficient energy utilization. These combined negative factors ultimately result in long development cycles, high costs, complex vehicle assembly, and inconvenient maintenance for the thermal management systems of new energy vehicles.

[0007] Therefore, in the thermal management system of new energy vehicles, how to improve the integration of the coolant circuit, reduce the number of parts, save space, and manage the decentralized thermal management system in a coordinated manner to reduce energy waste has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the shortcomings of existing thermal management systems for new energy vehicles, such as low integration of coolant circuits, complex structure, and large space occupation, this application provides a multi-way valve thermal management system, thermal management method, and vehicle.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a multi-port valve thermal management system, including a heat exchanger, a motor electronic control cooling device, a low-temperature radiator, a condenser, a water-cooled PTC, a heater core, and a power battery pack.

[0010] The heat exchanger, the motor electronic control cooling device, the low-temperature radiator, the condenser, the water heating PTC, the heater core and the power battery pack are all connected to the multi-way valve through the flow channel plate to form a branch for the flow of coolant;

[0011] The motor electronic control cooling device, the low-temperature radiator, and the multi-way valve are connected in series to form a motor electronic control branch;

[0012] The power battery pack and the multi-way valve are connected in series to form a battery branch;

[0013] The condenser, the PTC water heater, the heater core, and the multi-way valve are connected in series to form a heating branch circuit for the passenger compartment;

[0014] The heat exchanger and the multi-way valve are connected in series to form a heat exchanger branch;

[0015] The multi-way valve includes at least one movable valve core, and by switching the movable valve core, the motor control branch, the battery branch, the passenger compartment heating branch, and the heat exchanger branch can be connected in series or disconnected from each other.

[0016] Due to the above structural design, this invention uses a multi-way valve to connect the various branches, reducing the number of components in the thermal management system, improving the integration of the coolant circuit, reducing the space occupied by the thermal management system, and facilitating the overall management of the dispersed thermal management system to reduce energy waste.

[0017] This invention achieves series or disconnection between various pipelines by switching the movable valve core in the multi-way valve, which makes it easier to control and adjust the connection mode of the thermal management system and simplifies the management method of the thermal management system.

[0018] Preferably, the multi-way valve is an eight-way valve, including C1 interface, C2 interface, C3 interface, C4 interface, C5 interface, C6 interface, C7 interface and C8 interface;

[0019] The C1 interface and the C2 interface are respectively connected to the outlet and inlet of the crew cabin heating branch;

[0020] The C3 interface and the C4 interface are respectively connected to the inlet and outlet of the battery branch;

[0021] The C5 interface and the C6 interface correspond to the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger branch, respectively;

[0022] The C7 interface and the C8 interface correspond to the inlet and outlet of the motor control branch, respectively.

[0023] More preferably, the heat exchanger branch and the battery branch are interconnected through the multi-way valve, the crew cabin heating branch is isolated from the motor control branch, the battery branch and the heat exchanger branch, the C1 interface and the C2 interface are interconnected, the C3 interface and the C6 interface are interconnected, the C4 interface and the C5 interface are interconnected, and the C7 interface and the C8 interface are interconnected.

[0024] More preferably, the heat exchanger branch and the motor control branch (10) are interconnected through the multi-way valve, the crew cabin heating branch (12) and the battery branch are interconnected through the multi-way valve, the C1 interface and the C3 interface are interconnected, the C2 interface and the C4 interface are interconnected, the C6 interface and the C7 interface are interconnected, and the C5 interface and the C8 interface are interconnected.

[0025] More preferably, the motor control branch, the battery branch, and the passenger compartment heating branch are interconnected through the multi-way valve, the C1 interface and the C7 interface are interconnected, the C2 interface and the C4 interface are interconnected, and the C3 interface and the C8 interface are interconnected.

[0026] More preferably, the motor control branch, the battery branch, and the heat exchanger branch are interconnected through the multi-way valve, the C1 interface and the C2 interface are interconnected, the C3 interface and the C8 interface are interconnected, the C6 interface and the C7 interface are interconnected, and the C4 interface and the C5 interface are interconnected.

[0027] More preferably, the motor control branch is interconnected with the heat exchanger branch, the C1 interface and the C2 interface are interconnected, the C3 interface and the C4 interface are interconnected, the C5 interface and the C8 interface are interconnected, and the C6 interface and the C7 interface are interconnected.

[0028] More preferably, the crew compartment heating branch includes two parallel short-circuit lines on the side connected to the multi-way valve, and at least one of the two short-circuit lines can be closed by a first proportional three-way valve; and / or,

[0029] The outlet side of the motor control cooling device in the motor control branch is provided with a second proportional three-way valve, which enables the motor control branch to have a bypass function and distribute the corresponding flow rate of coolant through the second proportional three-way valve (17).

[0030] More preferably, a circuit for refrigerant flow is provided between the heat exchanger and the condenser, and the circuit for refrigerant flow includes an evaporator; and / or,

[0031] The circuit through which the refrigerant flows is provided with an outdoor heat exchanger; and / or,

[0032] A blower is installed in the heating core to accelerate the air passing through the heating core and achieve heat exchange.

[0033] The condenser, the evaporator, and the blower are all located inside the crew compartment.

[0034] More preferably, the flow channel plate includes multiple flow channels for conveying coolant. The multiple flow channels are arranged in parallel to each other, and one end of each is connected to the multi-way valve, and the other end of each is connected to the corresponding heat exchanger, the motor electronic control cooling device, the low-temperature radiator, the condenser, the water heating PTC, the heater core, or the power battery pack.

[0035] The present invention also provides a thermal management method, which applies any of the above-mentioned multi-way valve thermal management systems, and includes the following steps:

[0036] Step 1: Determine the expected operating mode of the multi-port valve thermal management system based on the usage scenario;

[0037] Step 2: Control the movable valve core of the multi-way valve to make the multi-way valve thermal management system work in the expected working mode.

[0038] The present invention also provides a vehicle employing any of the above-described multi-port valve thermal management systems.

[0039] The following will further explain the concept, specific structure, and technical effects of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, so as to fully understand the purpose, features, and effects of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 A structural view of a multi-port valve thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0041] Figure 2 This diagram shows a refrigerant connection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 3 This diagram shows a connection loop for operating condition 1 in mode 1 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 4 This diagram shows a connection loop for condition 2 in mode 1 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 5This diagram shows a connection loop for operating condition 3 in mode 2 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 6 This diagram shows a connection loop for condition 4 in mode 2 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 7 This diagram shows a connection loop for condition 5 in mode 2 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 8 This diagram shows a connection loop for condition 6 in mode 3 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 9 This diagram shows a connection loop for condition 7 in mode 3 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 10 This diagram shows a connection loop for condition 8 in mode 4 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 11 This diagram shows a connection loop for condition 9 in mode 4 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 12 This diagram shows a connection loop of operating condition 10 in mode 4 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 13 This diagram shows a connection loop for condition 11 in mode 5 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 14 This diagram shows a connection loop for condition 12 in mode 5 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 15 This diagram shows a connection loop for condition 13 in mode 5 of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 16 This diagram illustrates the interface arrangement of a multi-way valve in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 17 The diagram shows the interface connection method of the multi-way valve in mode 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 18 This diagram illustrates the interface connection method of the multi-way valve in mode 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 19 The diagram shows the interface connection method of the multi-way valve in mode 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 20The diagram shows the interface connection method of the multi-way valve in mode 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 21 This diagram illustrates the interface connection method of the multi-way valve in mode 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] Among them, 1. Heat exchanger; 2. Motor and electronic control cooling device; 3. Low temperature radiator; 4. Condenser; 5. Water heating PTC; 6. Heater core; 7. Power battery pack; 8. Coolant circulating water pump; 9. Evaporator; 10. Motor and electronic control branch; 11. Battery branch; 12. Passenger compartment heating branch; 13. Heat exchanger branch; 14. Outdoor heat exchanger; 15. Short circuit pipeline; 16. First proportional three-way valve; 17. Second proportional three-way valve. Detailed Implementation

[0062] Example

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, the multi-port valve thermal management system includes a heat exchanger 1, a motor and electronic control cooling device 2, a low-temperature radiator 3, a condenser 4, a water-cooled PTC 5, a heater core 6, and a power battery pack 7.

[0064] Among them, heat exchanger 1, motor and electronic control cooling device 2, low temperature radiator 3, condenser 4, water heating PTC 5, heating core 6 and power battery pack 7 are all connected to multi-way valve through flow channel plate to form branch circuits for coolant circulation.

[0065] The motor control cooling device 2, the low-temperature radiator 3, and the multi-way valve are connected in series to form the motor control branch 10;

[0066] The power battery pack 7 is connected in series with the multi-way valve to form the battery branch 11;

[0067] The condenser 4, water heating PTC 5, and heater core 6 are connected in series with the multi-way valve to form the crew cabin heating branch circuit 12;

[0068] Heat exchanger 1 is connected in series with a multi-way valve to form heat exchanger branch 13;

[0069] The multi-way valve includes at least one movable valve core, which can be used to connect or disconnect the motor control branch 10, battery branch 11, passenger compartment heating branch 12 and heat exchanger branch 13 in series by switching the movable valve core.

[0070] The application of this invention improves the integration of the coolant circuit by using multi-way valves to connect various branches, reducing the number of components in the thermal management system, shrinking the space occupied by the thermal management system, and reducing energy waste by unifying the management of the dispersed thermal management system. By switching the movable valve core in the multi-way valve to connect or disconnect the various pipelines, it is easier to control the connection mode of the thermal management system and simplify the management method.

[0071] In practical applications, heat exchanger 1 is typically a plate heat exchanger. It usually has channels for the coolant and channels for the refrigerant, thus its main function is to facilitate heat exchange between the coolant and the refrigerant. The motor control cooling device 2 is connected to the motor control unit and assists in heat exchange between the motor control unit and the coolant. The low-temperature radiator 3 primarily serves to dissipate heat. The condenser 4 is typically an indirect condenser (I-COND) with four ports: two for coolant flow (connected to the coolant circuit) and two for refrigerant flow (connected to the refrigerant circuit). The water-cooled PTC heater 5 heats the coolant. The coolant exchanges heat with the air through the heater core 6.

[0072] In some embodiments, the crew compartment heating branch 12 includes two parallel short-circuit lines 15 on the side connected to the multi-way valve. At least one of the two short-circuit lines 15 can be closed by a first proportional three-way valve 16. Thus, by adjusting the first proportional three-way valve 16, the coolant flow rate in the crew compartment heating branch 12 is adjusted to control the coolant temperature.

[0073] Furthermore, when coolant flows through the crew cabin heating branch 12, it can heat the crew cabin.

[0074] The heating process of crew cabin heating branch circuit 12 has two working states:

[0075] 1. In heat pump heating mode, in the passenger compartment heating branch 12, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor enters the condenser 4. In the condenser 4, on the refrigerant side, the refrigerant releases heat and becomes a medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant that flows out. On the coolant side, the coolant absorbs heat, and the increased-temperature coolant flows through the water heating PTC5 (at this time, the water heating PTC5 only serves as a pipeline for circulation and does not perform temperature regulation) and enters the heater core 6. Under the action of the blower, the heat in the coolant is released into the passenger compartment through the heater core 6. The coolant flowing out of the heater core passes through the first proportional three-way valve 16 and enters the next cycle.

[0076] 2. In water heating mode, when the ambient temperature drops and the heating efficiency of the heat pump decreases, the water heating PTC5 needs to be started simultaneously to heat the coolant in the passenger compartment heating branch 12 to the target temperature to ensure the heating requirements of the passenger compartment.

[0077] In some embodiments, the cryogenic radiator 3 is connected in parallel with a short-circuit bypass controlled by a second proportional three-way valve 17, which distributes the corresponding coolant flow rate. When the coolant flows through the cryogenic radiator 3, the second proportional three-way valve 17 is closed; when the coolant bypasses the cryogenic radiator 3 and flows through the short-circuit bypass, the second proportional three-way valve 17 is open. By controlling whether the coolant passes through the cryogenic radiator 3, the temperature of the coolant can be adjusted, enabling the multi-way valve thermal management system of this application to operate under more temperature conditions and broadening its application scenarios.

[0078] In some embodiments, the multi-way valve and the condenser 4 are connected by multiple tees at the location where the condenser 4 is connected to the two short-circuit lines 15;

[0079] The multi-way valve and the heater core 6 are connected by multiple tees at the point where the heater core 6 connects to the two short-circuit pipelines 15, so as to achieve the function of diverting the coolant.

[0080] It should be noted that the refrigerant and coolant in this application are different media and play different roles. Specifically, refrigerant usually refers to a cooling medium, which is a working substance that achieves an active cooling effect by changing its own state; coolant usually refers to a mixture of water and ethylene glycol, etc., which is a medium for passive heat exchange.

[0081] refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, a refrigerant flow loop is provided between the heat exchanger 1 and the condenser 4;

[0082] Thus, the heat exchange between heat exchanger 1 and condenser 4 is achieved through heat transfer via refrigerant and coolant. When the crew cabin heating circuit 12 is in crew cabin heating or dehumidification mode, the heat comes from condenser 4. If the heat is insufficient, the water-cooled PTC 5 operates to heat the coolant in the crew cabin heating branch to meet the demand for warm air.

[0083] The refrigerant carries heat and transfers it to the coolant in the crew compartment heating circuit 12 via the condenser 4.

[0084] When heat needs to be dissipated through condenser 4, it needs to absorb heat from other sources. Heat exchanger 1, as an outdoor heat exchanger, can also absorb some heat from the coolant. In the battery circuit, if there is excess heat in the battery pack, it is carried away by the coolant and then absorbed by the refrigerant through heat exchanger 1, thereby lowering the coolant temperature in the circuit.

[0085] Furthermore, by setting up a refrigerant circuit between heat exchanger 1 and condenser 4, waste heat can be indirectly recovered through heat exchanger 1. When there is excess heat in heat exchanger branch 13 where heat exchanger 1 is located, the heat can be transferred to condenser 4 located in the crew cabin heating branch through the refrigerant circuit, which can further promote heat transfer and circulation.

[0086] In some embodiments, the refrigerant circuit also includes an evaporator 9 and an outdoor heat exchanger 14. Specifically, the evaporator 9 is located inside the passenger compartment, and the outdoor heat exchanger 14 is located outside the passenger compartment. Figure 2 The refrigerant circuit shown can achieve heating or cooling of the crew cabin.

[0087] The refrigerant circuit heats the crew compartment by raising the temperature of condenser 4. The working principle is as follows:

[0088] 1. Waste heat recovery raises the temperature of condenser 4. Heat exchanger 1 absorbs heat from heat exchanger branch 13 into refrigerant circuit and can transfer heat to condenser 4 located in crew cabin heating branch 12.

[0089] 2. The outdoor environment causes the condenser 4 to heat up. The outdoor heat exchanger 14 absorbs the temperature of the outside environment and transfers the heat to the condenser 4 through the refrigerant circuit.

[0090] The refrigerant circuit cools the passenger compartment by cooling the evaporator 9. The working principle is as follows: the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 14 enters the evaporator 9. The evaporator 9 absorbs heat from the environment and causes the refrigerant to vaporize. The evaporator 9 is located inside the passenger compartment, thereby achieving the cooling of the passenger compartment.

[0091] In some embodiments, a blower is also provided at the heater core 6. By providing a blower, air circulation in the vehicle's passenger compartment is enhanced, achieving ventilation within the passenger compartment.

[0092] In some embodiments, a condenser fan is provided at the low-temperature radiator 3;

[0093] A condenser fan is used to assist in heat dissipation.

[0094] In some embodiments, the multi-way valve is an eight-way valve, including ports C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, and C8.

[0095] Specifically, the C1 and C2 interfaces are connected to the outlet and inlet of the crew cabin heating branch 12, respectively; the C3 and C4 interfaces are connected to the inlet and outlet of the battery branch 11, respectively; the C5 and C6 interfaces are connected to the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger branch 13, respectively; and the C7 and C8 interfaces are connected to the inlet and outlet of the motor and electronic control branch 10, respectively.

[0096] In other embodiments, the number of ports of the multi-way valve may also be 9, 10, 11, etc., as long as the above connection method can be achieved.

[0097] The multi-port valve thermal management system of the present invention can realize the following five operating modes, including but not limited to:

[0098] Mode 1

[0099] In Mode 1, the heat exchanger branch 13 and the battery branch 11 are interconnected via a multi-way valve, which helps to cool the power battery pack 7, thus preventing thermal runaway due to excessive heat. Furthermore, the passenger compartment heating branch 12 is isolated from the motor and electronic control branch 10, the battery branch 11, and the heat exchanger branch 13, reducing the thermal correlation between the passenger compartment and the power battery pack and preventing heat transfer from the passenger compartment to the power battery pack 7 during the heating process.

[0100] Furthermore, in the multi-way valve, interfaces C1 and C2 are interconnected, interfaces C3 and C6 are interconnected, interfaces C4 and C5 are interconnected, and interfaces C7 and C8 are interconnected.

[0101] By adjusting the opening and closing of the first proportional three-way valve 16 and the second proportional three-way valve 17 in mode 1, or the working status of the heat exchanger 1, motor and electronic control cooling device 2, low-temperature radiator 3, condenser 4, water heating PTC 5, heater core 6, and power battery pack 7, two working conditions can be achieved: Working condition 1, cooling or blowing of the passenger compartment, cooling of the motor and electronic control, and strong cooling of the battery pack; Working condition 2, heating or dehumidification of the passenger compartment, cooling of the motor and electronic control, and waste heat recovery of the battery pack.

[0102] refer to Figure 3 The working principle of operating condition 1 is as follows: the coolant does not flow through the passenger compartment heating branch 12, the evaporator 9 in the refrigerant circuit works to achieve the cooling of the passenger compartment. When neither the evaporator 9 nor the heating core works, only the blower works and only air blows in the passenger compartment; the motor control cooling device 2 and the low temperature radiator 3 are connected in series to achieve the cooling of the motor control; the power battery pack 7 and the heat exchanger 1 are connected in series to achieve the strong cooling of the battery pack.

[0103] refer to Figure 4The working principle of operating condition 2 is as follows: the coolant flows through the passenger compartment heating branch 12, the condenser 4 heats or the condenser 4 and the water heating PTC 5 heat together to achieve the heating of the passenger compartment, or the evaporator 9 cools at the same time to achieve the dehumidification of the passenger compartment; the motor and electronic control cooling device 2 is connected in series with the low temperature radiator 3 to achieve the cooling of the motor and electronic control; the power battery pack 7 is connected in series with the heat exchanger 1 to achieve the strong cooling of the battery pack, and at the same time the heat exchanger 1 transfers the heat generated by the power battery pack 7 to the condenser 4 through the refrigerant circuit to assist the heating of the passenger compartment.

[0104] Mode 2

[0105] In Mode 2, the heat exchanger branch 13 and the motor control branch 10 are interconnected through a multi-way valve, which can recover waste heat from the motor control. The passenger compartment heating branch 12 and the battery branch 11 are interconnected through a multi-way valve, which can heat the battery.

[0106] Furthermore, in the multi-way valve, interfaces C1 and C3 are interconnected, interfaces C2 and C4 are interconnected, interfaces C6 and C7 are interconnected, and interfaces C5 and C8 are interconnected.

[0107] By adjusting the opening and closing of the first proportional three-way valve 16 and the second proportional three-way valve 17 in mode 1, or the working status of the heat exchanger 1, motor and electronic control cooling device 2, low-temperature radiator 3, condenser 4, water heating PTC 5, heater core 6, and power battery pack 7, three working conditions can be achieved: Working condition 3, indirect waste heat recovery of the motor and electronic control, heating or dehumidification of the passenger compartment, and heating of the power battery pack; Working condition 4, cooling of the motor and electronic control, dehumidification of the passenger compartment, and heating of the power battery pack; Working condition 5, cooling of the motor and electronic control, air blowing in the passenger compartment, and heating of the battery pack.

[0108] refer to Figure 5 The working principle of operating condition 3 is as follows: the motor and electronic control cooling device 2 is connected in series with the heat exchanger 1. The heat exchanger 1 transfers the heat generated by the motor and electronic control cooling device 2 to the condenser 4 through the refrigerant circuit to assist in heating the passenger compartment and realize the indirect waste heat recovery of the motor and electronic control. The first proportional three-way valve 16 in the passenger compartment heating branch 12 connects the two short-circuit pipelines 15. The coolant heated by the condenser 4 and the water heating PTC 5 flows through the heater core 6 and the power battery pack 7 to realize the heating of the passenger compartment and the heating of the power battery pack 7. If the evaporator 9 is turned on at the same time, the passenger compartment can be dehumidified.

[0109] refer to Figure 6 The working principle of operating condition 4 is as follows: the low temperature radiator 3 flows through the motor and electronic control cooling device 2 to absorb the heat of the coolant. At this time, the heat exchanger 1 does not work and only serves as a flow pipe to achieve the cooling of the motor and electronic control. The dehumidification of the passenger compartment and the heating principle of the power battery pack are the same as those in operating condition 3.

[0110] refer to Figure 7 The working principle of operating condition 5 is as follows: the cooling principle of the motor and electronic control is the same as that in operating condition 4; the first proportional three-way valve 16 makes only one short-circuit pipeline 5 connected, and the heat of the condenser 4 and water heating PTC 5 are used to heat the power battery pack 7 to achieve the heating of the battery pack. At this time, the heater core 6 only serves as a circulation pipe and does not dissipate heat to the passenger compartment. By turning on the blower, the passenger compartment is ventilated.

[0111] Mode 3

[0112] In Mode 3, the motor control branch 10, battery branch 11, and passenger compartment heating branch 12 are interconnected via a multi-way valve. This serves to recover waste heat from the motor control branch 10 into the power battery pack 7, which is then connected to the passenger compartment heating branch 12. When the waste heat from the motor control branch cannot meet the heating requirements of the battery pack, the first proportional three-way valve 16 is adjusted to transfer some or all of the heat from the passenger compartment heating branch 12 into the battery branch 11.

[0113] Furthermore, the C1 and C7 ports in the multi-way valve are interconnected, the C2 and C4 ports are interconnected, and the C3 and C8 ports are interconnected.

[0114] By adjusting the opening and closing of the first proportional three-way valve 16 and the second proportional three-way valve 17 in mode 1, or the working status of the heat exchanger 1, motor and electronic control cooling device 2, low-temperature radiator 3, condenser 4, water heating PTC 5, heater core 6, and power battery pack 7, two working conditions can be achieved: Working condition 6, the power battery pack recovers the waste heat from the motor and electronic control, heats or dehumidifies the passenger compartment, and heats the power battery pack 7; Working condition 7, the power battery pack 7 recovers the waste heat from the motor and electronic control, blows air into the passenger compartment, and heats the power battery pack 7.

[0115] refer to Figure 8 The working principle of operating condition 6 is as follows: the first proportional three-way valve 16 in the passenger compartment heating branch 12 connects the two short-circuit pipelines 15. The coolant heated by the condenser 4 and the water heating PTC 5 flows through the heater core 6 and the power battery pack 7 to achieve heating of the passenger compartment and the power battery pack 7. If the evaporator 9 is turned on at the same time, the passenger compartment can be dehumidified. The heat of the motor and electronic control cooling device 2 is directly transferred to the power battery pack 7 through the coolant circuit, so that the battery pack can recover the waste heat of the motor and electronic control.

[0116] refer to Figure 9The working principle of Condition 7 is as follows: The first proportional three-way valve 16 makes only one short-circuit pipeline 5 connected. The heat from the condenser 4 and the water heating PTC 5 is used to heat the power battery pack 7, thereby heating the battery pack. At this time, the heater core 6 only serves as a flow pipe and does not dissipate heat to the passenger compartment. By turning on the blower, the passenger compartment is ventilated. The battery pack recovers the waste heat from the motor and electronic control and the heating principle of the power battery pack 7 are the same as in Condition 6.

[0117] Mode 4

[0118] In Mode 4, the motor control branch 10, battery branch 11, and heat exchanger branch 13 are interconnected via a multi-way valve, allowing for heat balance among them. Excess heat from the motor control cooling device 2 and the power battery pack 7 can be absorbed by the heat exchanger 1. The passenger compartment heating branch 12 is isolated from the motor control branch 10, battery branch 11, and heat exchanger branch 13, reducing the thermal correlation between the passenger compartment heating branch 12 and the first circuit, thus making their temperatures independent.

[0119] Furthermore, in the multi-way valve, interfaces C1 and C2 are interconnected, interfaces C3 and C8 are interconnected, interfaces C6 and C7 are interconnected, and interfaces C4 and C5 are interconnected.

[0120] By adjusting the opening and closing of the first proportional three-way valve 16 and the second proportional three-way valve 17 in mode 1, or the working status of the heat exchanger 1, motor and electronic control cooling device 2, low-temperature radiator 3, condenser 4, water heating PTC 5, heater core 6, and power battery pack 7, three working conditions can be achieved: Working condition 8, when the heat exchanger 1 is working, the passenger compartment is heated or dehumidified, the power battery pack 7 is weakly cooled, and the waste heat from the motor and electronic control is indirectly recovered to the passenger compartment; when the heat exchanger 1 is not working, the passenger compartment is also heated or dehumidified, the power battery pack 7 is weakly cooled, and the motor and electronic control is cooled; Working condition 9, the passenger compartment is heated or dehumidified, and the waste heat from the power battery pack 7 and the motor and electronic control is recovered; Working condition 10, the passenger compartment is cooled or blown, the power battery pack is weakly cooled, and the motor and electronic control is cooled.

[0121] refer to Figure 10 The working principle of operating condition 8 is as follows: the coolant flows through the passenger compartment heating branch 12 to heat the passenger compartment, and at the same time, the evaporator 9 is turned on to dehumidify the passenger compartment; when the heat exchanger 1 is working, the waste heat generated by the motor and electronic control cooling device 2 is transferred to the condenser 4 in the passenger compartment through the refrigerant circuit to realize the indirect waste heat recovery of the motor and electronic control; when the heat exchanger 1 is not working, the heating and dehumidification principle of the passenger compartment remains unchanged, and the power battery pack 7 and the motor and electronic control cooling device 2 are both cooled by the coolant flowing through the low temperature radiator 3; the second proportional three-way valve 17 makes the coolant flow through the low temperature radiator 3 to realize the weak cooling of the power battery pack 7.

[0122] refer to Figure 11 The working principle of operating condition 9 is as follows: the heating or dehumidification principle of the passenger compartment is the same as that of operating condition 9; the second proportional three-way valve 17 allows the coolant to flow through the bypass pipeline without passing through the low temperature radiator 3, the heat exchanger 1 works, and transfers the waste heat generated by the motor and electronic control cooling device 2 and the power battery pack 7 to the condenser 4 in the passenger compartment through the refrigerant circuit, so as to realize the recovery of waste heat of the power battery pack 7 and the motor and electronic control.

[0123] refer to Figure 12 The working principle of operating condition 10 is as follows: the coolant does not flow through the passenger compartment heating branch 12, the evaporator 9 in the refrigerant circuit works or the blower works to achieve cooling or blowing in the passenger compartment; the heat exchanger 1 does not work, the second proportional three-way valve 17 makes the coolant flow through the low temperature radiator 3 to achieve weak cooling of the power battery pack 7 and cooling of the motor and electronic control.

[0124] Mode 5

[0125] In mode 5, the motor control branch 10 and the heat exchanger branch 13 are interconnected, enabling the heat exchanger 1 to utilize or assist in dissipating the heat generated by the motor control cooling device 2, which helps to achieve uniform temperature of the power battery pack 7 and cooling of the motor control cooling device 2, thereby achieving efficient utilization of heat.

[0126] Furthermore, in the multi-way valve, interfaces C1 and C2 are interconnected, interfaces C3 and C4 are interconnected, interfaces C5 and C8 are interconnected, and interfaces C6 and C7 are interconnected.

[0127] By adjusting the opening and closing of the first proportional three-way valve 16 and the second proportional three-way valve 17 in mode 1, or the working status of the heat exchanger 1, motor and electronic control cooling device 2, low-temperature radiator 3, condenser 4, water heating PTC 5, heater core 6, and power battery pack 7, three operating conditions can be achieved: Operating condition 11, heating or dehumidifying the passenger compartment, equalizing the temperature of the power battery pack 7, and indirectly recovering the waste heat from the motor and electronic control to the passenger compartment; Operating condition 12, cooling or blowing air in the passenger compartment, equalizing the temperature of the power battery pack 7, and cooling the motor and electronic control; Operating condition 13, heating or dehumidifying the passenger compartment, equalizing the temperature of the power battery pack 7, and cooling the motor and electronic control.

[0128] refer to Figure 13 The working principle of operating condition 11 is as follows: the coolant circulates in the passenger compartment heating branch 12 to heat the passenger compartment, and at the same time the evaporator 9 is turned on to dehumidify the passenger compartment; the coolant in the battery branch 11 is self-balanced to achieve uniform temperature of the power battery pack 7; the heat exchanger 1 is working, and the motor control cooling device 2 is connected in series with the heat exchanger 1 to achieve waste heat recovery of the motor control.

[0129] refer to Figure 14The working principle of operating condition 12 is as follows: the coolant does not flow through the passenger compartment heating branch 12, the evaporator 9 in the refrigerant circuit works to achieve the cooling of the passenger compartment, when neither the evaporator 9 nor the heater core works, only the blower works and only air blows in the passenger compartment; the coolant in the battery branch 11 is self-balancing, which can achieve the uniform temperature of the power battery pack 7; the heat exchanger 1 does not work, and the motor control cooling device 2 and the low temperature radiator 3 are connected in series to achieve the cooling of the motor control.

[0130] refer to Figure 15 The working principle of operating condition 13 is as follows: the coolant circulates in the passenger compartment heating branch 12 to heat the passenger compartment, and at the same time the evaporator 9 is turned on to dehumidify the passenger compartment; the temperature equalization of the power battery pack 7 and the cooling principle of the motor control are the same as those of operating condition 13.

[0131] In some embodiments, the motor control branch 10, the battery branch 11, and the crew cabin heating branch 12 are all equipped with coolant circulating water pumps 8.

[0132] Specifically, a coolant circulating water pump 8 is installed on the inlet side of the power battery pack 7, and its function is to provide power for the circulation of coolant in the interconnected battery branch 11 and heat exchanger branch 13; a coolant circulating water pump 8 is installed on the inlet side of the motor electronic control cooling device 2, and its function is to provide power for the circulation of coolant in the motor electronic control branch 10; a coolant circulating water pump 8 is installed on the inlet side of the condenser 4, and its function is to provide power for the coolant in the passenger compartment heating branch 12.

[0133] In the above mode, the connection of both C1 and C2 interfaces is intended to enable the multi-way valve to interface with more loops in the existing environment, thereby expanding the application scenarios of the multi-way valve and enabling the thermal management system of this application to adapt to different system requirements.

[0134] refer to Figure 16 In some embodiments where the multi-way valve is an eight-way valve, the C1 to C8 ports are arranged in a 3x3 grid to save space required for the eight-way valve. Corresponding to the specific positions in the 3x3 grid, the C1 port is located in the second row, first column; the C2 port is located in the third row, first column; the C3 port is located in the second row, second column; the C4 port is located in the third row, second column; the C5 port is located in the third row, third column; the C6 port is located in the first row, second column; the C7 port is located in both the first and third columns of the first row; and the C8 port is located in the second row, third column. To facilitate switching of the movable valve core of the eight-way valve, the two C7 ports are equivalent, thereby expanding the application scenarios of the eight-way valve thermal management system.

[0135] refer to Figures 17 to 21 In some embodiments, the specific connection methods of interfaces C1 to C8 in modes 1 to 5 are as follows: Figures 17 to 21 As shown.

[0136] In some embodiments, the flow plate includes multiple flow channels for conveying coolant. The multiple flow channels are arranged in parallel to each other, with one end connected to a multi-way valve and the other end connected to a corresponding heat exchanger 1, motor control cooling device 2, low-temperature radiator 3, condenser 4, water heating PTC 5, heater core 6, or power battery pack 7.

[0137] The present invention also provides a thermal management method, comprising the following steps:

[0138] Step 1: Determine the expected operating mode of the multi-port valve thermal management system based on the usage scenario;

[0139] Step 2: Control the movable valve core of the multi-way valve to make the multi-way valve thermal management system work in the expected working mode.

[0140] In some embodiments, the thermal management method further includes the following steps:

[0141] Step 3: Control the working status of heat exchanger 1, motor electronic control cooling device 2, low temperature radiator 3, condenser 4, water heating PTC 5, heater core 6, power battery pack 7, and the connection status of the first proportional three-way valve 16 and the second proportional three-way valve 17, so that the multi-way valve thermal management system works in the expected working condition in the expected working mode.

[0142] The present invention also provides a vehicle employing the above-described multi-port valve thermal management system.

[0143] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make numerous modifications and variations based on the concept of the present invention without creative effort. Therefore, all technical solutions that can be obtained by those skilled in the art based on the concept of the present invention through logical analysis, reasoning, or limited experimentation on the basis of existing technology should be within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A multi-port valve thermal management system, comprising a heat exchanger (1), a motor-controlled cooling device (2), a low-temperature radiator (3), a condenser (4), a water-cooled PTC (5), a heater core (6), and a power battery pack (7); characterized in that: The heat exchanger (1), the motor control cooling device (2), the low-temperature radiator (3), the condenser (4), the water heating PTC (5), the warm air core (6), and the power battery pack (7) are all connected to the multi-way valve through the flow channel plate to form a branch for the flow of coolant; The motor control cooling device (2), the low-temperature radiator (3), and the multi-way valve are connected in series to form a motor control branch (10). The power battery pack (7) is connected in series with the multi-way valve to form a battery branch (11). The condenser (4), the water heating PTC (5), the warm air core (6) and the multi-way valve are connected in series to form the crew cabin heating branch (12). The heat exchanger (1) is connected in series with the multi-way valve to form a heat exchanger branch (13). The multi-way valve includes at least one movable valve core, and by switching the movable valve core, the motor control branch (10), the battery branch (11), the crew cabin heating branch (12) and the heat exchanger branch (13) can be connected in series or disconnected from each other. The multi-way valve is an eight-way valve, including ports C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, and C8. The C1 interface and the C2 interface are respectively connected to the outlet and inlet of the crew cabin heating branch (12); The C3 interface and the C4 interface are respectively connected to the inlet and outlet of the battery branch (11); The C5 interface and the C6 interface correspond to the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger branch (13), respectively; The C7 interface and the C8 interface correspond to the inlet and outlet of the motor control branch (10), respectively; The motor control branch (10), the battery branch (11), and the crew cabin heating branch (12) are interconnected through the multi-way valve. The C1 interface and the C7 interface are interconnected, the C2 interface and the C4 interface are interconnected, and the C3 interface and the C8 interface are interconnected. The crew cabin heating branch (12) includes two parallel short-circuit lines (15) on the side connected to the multi-way valve. At least one of the two short-circuit lines (15) can be closed by the first proportional three-way valve (16); and / or, The outlet side of the motor control cooling device (2) in the motor control branch (10) is provided with a second proportional three-way valve (17), so that the motor control branch (10) has a bypass function and the corresponding flow rate of coolant is distributed through the second proportional three-way valve (17).

2. The multi-port valve thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchanger branch (13) and the battery branch (11) are interconnected through the multi-way valve. The crew cabin heating branch (12) is isolated from the motor control branch (10), the battery branch (11) and the heat exchanger branch (13). The C1 interface and the C2 interface are interconnected. The C3 interface and the C6 interface are interconnected. The C4 interface and the C5 interface are interconnected. The C7 interface and the C8 interface are interconnected.

3. The multi-port valve thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchanger branch (13) and the motor control branch (10) are interconnected through the multi-way valve. The crew cabin heating branch (12) and the battery branch (11) are interconnected through the multi-way valve. The C1 interface and the C3 interface are interconnected. The C2 interface and the C4 interface are interconnected. The C6 interface and the C7 interface are interconnected. The C5 interface and the C8 interface are interconnected.

4. The multi-port valve thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motor control branch (10), the battery branch (11), and the heat exchanger branch (13) are interconnected through the multi-way valve. The C1 interface and the C2 interface are interconnected, the C3 interface and the C8 interface are interconnected, the C6 interface and the C7 interface are interconnected, and the C4 interface and the C5 interface are interconnected.

5. The multi-port valve thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motor control branch (10) is connected to the heat exchanger branch (13), the C1 interface and the C2 interface are connected to each other, the C3 interface and the C4 interface are connected to each other, the C5 interface and the C8 interface are connected to each other, and the C6 interface and the C7 interface are connected to each other.

6. The multi-port valve thermal management system according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, A circuit for refrigerant flow is provided between the heat exchanger (1) and the condenser (4), and the circuit for refrigerant flow is provided with an evaporator (9); and / or, The circuit through which the refrigerant flows is provided with an outdoor heat exchanger (14); and / or, A blower is provided at the heating core (6) to accelerate the air passing through the heating core (6) and achieve heat exchange; The condenser (4), the evaporator (9) and the blower are all located in the crew compartment.

7. The multi-port valve thermal management system according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The flow channel plate includes multiple flow channels for conveying coolant. The multiple flow channels are arranged in parallel to each other and one end is connected to the multi-way valve. The other end is connected to the corresponding heat exchanger (1), the motor electronic control cooling device (2), the low temperature radiator (3), the condenser (4), the water heating PTC (5), the warm air core (6), or the power battery pack (7).

8. A thermal management method, characterized in that, The multi-port valve thermal management system as described in any one of claims 1-7 includes the following steps: Step 1: Determine the expected operating mode of the multi-port valve thermal management system based on the usage scenario; Step 2: Control the movable valve core of the multi-way valve to make the multi-way valve thermal management system work in the expected working mode.

9. A vehicle, characterized in that, The multi-port valve thermal management system described in any one of claims 1 to 7 is adopted.

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