An electric vehicle thermal management system and its vehicle

By coupling the steam compression circulation system with the coolant circulation system, the efficient integration of the electric vehicle thermal management system is achieved, and the problems of high cost and low efficiency of the existing system are solved, and multifunctional thermal management and efficient energy utilization are achieved.

CN116278596BActive Publication Date: 2025-07-25SOUTH CHINA UNIV OF TECH
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202310182155.0
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-02-27
Publication Date
2025-07-25
Estimated Expiration
2043-02-27

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing electric vehicle thermal management systems have problems such as large number of systems, high cost and low efficiency. There is a lack of effective coupling between various thermal management circuits, resulting in high energy consumption and inability to efficiently utilize heat.

Method used

The integrated electric vehicle thermal management system is adopted to couple the steam compression circulation system with the coolant circulation system, and the coupled thermal management of each thermal management object is realized through valve systems such as three-way valves and four-way valves, including multi-function thermal management of passenger compartments, battery packs, drive motors, inverters, chargers, etc.

Benefits of technology

It improves the integration and energy utilization efficiency of the system, can adapt to various working conditions, achieve efficient heat utilization, reduce vehicle energy loss, and expand heat management functions, including rapid heating, waste heat recovery and efficient refrigeration.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric vehicle thermal management system and a vehicle, belonging to the field of electric vehicle thermal management. The electric vehicle thermal management system includes a vapor compression cycle circuit and a coolant circulation circuit, and the circuits are coupled with each other, and can perform coupled thermal management on the occupant compartment, battery pack, drive motor, inverter, charger, and electronic control unit in the system. The three-way valve, four-way valve, and throttle valve in the system can couple and switch the system circuits according to different thermal management strategies, so as to achieve functions such as occupant compartment refrigeration / heating; battery pack heat dissipation / heating; heat dissipation of electronic control, motor, inverter, and charger; waste heat recovery; low-temperature heating; winter defrosting, etc. The electric vehicle thermal management system provided by the present invention has a compact structure, perfect functions, and high energy utilization rate, and can effectively meet the electric vehicle thermal management requirements under various environmental temperatures.
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Description

1 Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of electric vehicle thermal management, and particularly to an electric vehicle thermal management system and a vehicle thereof. 2 Background Art

[0004] With the aggravation of global warming, greenhouse effect, excessive consumption of fossil fuels and gradual depletion of non-renewable energy sources, the global society is striving to develop clean energy vehicle technologies. Electric vehicles stand out among a variety of new energy vehicles with their mature technologies, low emissions, good economic effects, renewable energy, etc., and have become one of the important development directions in the future automotive field. Similar to traditional vehicles, electric vehicles also face vehicle thermal management problems, such as the thermal management of the passenger compartment and the thermal management of drive train equipment. However, the energy source of electric vehicles is different from fossil fuels, and the power consumption problem of their thermal management equipment is greater than that of traditional vehicles. Moreover, electric vehicles face a severe range anxiety problem and require a more energy-saving, efficient and perfect thermal management system.

[0005] Currently, the thermal management system of electric vehicles tends to be the single-loop mode of the thermal management system of traditional vehicles, that is, there are multiple independent thermal management loops for thermally managing the passenger compartment, battery pack and drive train respectively. For example, in the invention patent "An Electric Vehicle Thermal Management System and an Electric Vehicle (CN114905925A)", an electric vehicle thermal management system is proposed, in which the refrigerant circuit, water heating circuit and water cooling circuit are relatively independent and are coupled to each other through heat exchangers. The functions of the circuits are single and the system coupling degree is low. The disadvantage of this thermal management system mode is that the number of systems is large, the cost is high and the efficiency is low. There is not much connection between systems, resulting in relatively low heat utilization efficiency of the vehicle and high energy consumption. 3 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an integrated electric vehicle whole vehicle thermal management system and its control method. This thermal management system couples the vapor compression cycle system with the coolant circulation system, and can perform coupled thermal management on the passenger compartment, battery pack, drive motor, inverter, charger and electronic control unit in the system. This thermal management system can realize functions such as refrigeration / heating of the passenger compartment; heat dissipation / heating of the battery pack; heat dissipation of the electronic control, motor, inverter and charger; waste heat recovery; low-temperature heating; and defrosting in winter.

[0008] To achieve the object of the present invention, a thermal management system for an electric vehicle provided by the present invention includes a vapor compression cycle system and a coolant circulation system. The vapor compression cycle system includes an outdoor heat exchanger and its first fan, a plate heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger and its second fan, a valve system, a liquid receiver, and a compressor. The outdoor heat exchanger, the plate heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger are connected in parallel. The liquid receiver can communicate with the outdoor heat exchanger, the plate heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger, and the outlet end of the liquid receiver is connected to the inlet end of the compressor. The valve system includes an electronic expansion valve, a plurality of three-way valves, and a throttle valve, which are arranged at corresponding positions of the pipeline.

[0009] The coolant circulation system includes a battery coolant circulation subsystem and a drive chain coolant circulation subsystem. The battery coolant circulation subsystem includes a battery pack, a four-way reversing valve, a second water pump, and a water heating PTC heater that are connected to the plate heat exchanger to form a loop. The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem includes an outdoor radiator, a drive motor, an inverter, an electronic control unit, a water tank, a charger, a first water pump, a first T-shaped three-way valve, and a second T-shaped three-way valve. The outdoor radiator, the drive motor, the inverter, the electronic control unit, the water tank, the charger, the first water pump, and the four-way reversing valve form a series loop. The separation and coupling of the battery coolant circulation subsystem and the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem are achieved through the four-way reversing valve, and the first T-shaped three-way valve and the second T-shaped three-way valve are respectively located at both ends of the outdoor radiator to achieve the bypass of the outdoor radiator.

[0010] Preferably, the vapor compression cycle system further includes two pressure and temperature sensors, which are respectively connected to the inlet and outlet of the compressor.

[0011] Preferably, the vapor compression cycle system is a three-heat-exchanger heat pump system. Among them, the outdoor heat exchanger, the plate heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger can all work as an evaporator or a condenser, so as to realize the functions of refrigerant evaporation and heat absorption or condensation and heat release.

[0012] Specifically, the function of the outdoor heat exchanger is to conduct heat exchange between the vehicle and the ambient air. When the outdoor heat exchanger works as an evaporator, the refrigerant evaporates inside it and absorbs heat from the ambient air. When the outdoor heat exchanger works as a condenser, the refrigerant condenses inside it and releases heat to the ambient air.

[0013] The plate heat exchanger couples the vapor compression cycle system and the coolant circulation system, and its function is to transfer heat under the action of the refrigerant. When the plate heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, the refrigerant evaporates inside it and absorbs heat from the coolant circulation system. When the plate heat exchanger is used as a condenser, the refrigerant condenses inside it and releases heat to the coolant circulation system.

[0014] The function of the indoor heat exchanger is to conduct heat exchange between the occupant compartment and the vapor compression cycle system. When the indoor heat exchanger works as an evaporator, the refrigerant evaporates inside it and absorbs heat from the occupant compartment; when the indoor heat exchanger works as a condenser, the refrigerant condenses inside it and releases heat into the occupant compartment.

[0015] The function of the valve system in the vapor compression cycle system is to control the refrigerant flow rate of the heat exchanger and switch the working mode of the system.

[0016] The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem includes an outdoor radiator, a drive motor, an inverter, an electronic control unit, a water tank, a charger, a four-way reversing valve, a water pump, and a T-shaped three-way valve. Preferably, the above-mentioned devices are connected in series by a coolant circulation system circuit and dissipated heat through the outdoor radiator. The fan can provide additional wind speed for the outdoor radiator and adjust the wind speed in multiple gears to increase or decrease the wind speed.

[0017] The electric vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention can be configured into a first heating mode, a second heating mode, a first cooling mode, and a second cooling mode.

[0018] When the system is configured into the first heating mode, the plate heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger in the vapor compression cycle system work as condensers, and the outdoor heat exchanger works as an evaporator. The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is separated from the battery coolant circulation subsystem under the action of the four-way reversing valve.

[0019] When the system is configured into the second heating mode, the plate heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger in the vapor compression cycle system work as evaporators, and the indoor heat exchanger works as a condenser. The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is coupled with the battery coolant circulation subsystem under the action of the four-way reversing valve.

[0020] When the system is configured into the first cooling mode, the plate heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger in the vapor compression cycle system work as evaporators, and the outdoor heat exchanger works as a condenser. The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is separated from the battery coolant circulation subsystem under the action of the four-way reversing valve.

[0021] When the system is configured into the second cooling mode, the plate heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger in the vapor compression cycle system work as evaporators, and the outdoor heat exchanger works as a condenser. The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is coupled with the battery coolant circulation subsystem under the action of the four-way reversing valve.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are at least:

[0023] 1. The electric vehicle thermal management system provided by the present invention has higher integration, higher energy utilization efficiency, and can adapt to various working conditions compared with the existing systems.

[0024] 2. The electric vehicle thermal management system provided by the present invention adopts a coupling method of a vapor compression cycle loop and a coolant cycle loop, couples various thermal management objects of the vehicle together, and realizes a multi-functional thermal management solution through the valve conversion of the system.

[0025] 3. The electric vehicle thermal management system provided by the present invention can effectively utilize various heat sources, including ambient heat, occupant compartment heat, and drive chain equipment heat, to achieve efficient utilization of heat. For example, rapid heating and waste heat recovery in winter; efficient refrigeration and energy-saving cooling in summer. The thermal management solution can be switched according to different working conditions to reduce the energy loss of the vehicle and improve the refrigeration / heating power.

[0026] 4. The present invention fully couples each sub-loop of the electric vehicle thermal management system, utilizes the functions of components with the highest efficiency, so as to achieve the purpose of improving the energy utilization efficiency of the thermal management system and expanding the functions of the thermal management system. 4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electric vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an electric vehicle thermal management system configured in a first heating mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an electric vehicle thermal management system configured in a second heating mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of an electric vehicle thermal management system configured in a first cooling mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an electric vehicle thermal management system configured in a second cooling mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0034] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments. Among them, the drawings are only for illustrative purposes, showing only schematic diagrams rather than physical diagrams, and should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention. In order to better illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, some components in the drawings are omitted, enlarged or reduced, and they do not represent the actual size of the product. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the present invention, some structures in the drawings can be changed and improved, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0035] The following describes the electric vehicle thermal management system 100 provided by the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[0036] As Figure 1 shown, a thermal management system 100 for an electric vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present invention includes a vapor compression cycle system and a coolant circulation system. The vapor compression cycle system includes an outdoor heat exchanger 112 and its first fan 113, a plate heat exchanger 114, an indoor heat exchanger 119 and its second fan 117, a valve system, a liquid receiver 127, a compressor 128, and pressure and temperature sensors 125, 129. The valve system includes an electronic expansion valve 105, a third T-shaped three-way valve 106, a fourth T-shaped three-way valve 120, a fifth T-shaped three-way valve 121, a sixth T-shaped three-way valve 122, a seventh T-shaped three-way valve 123, an eighth T-shaped three-way valve 124, a ninth T-shaped three-way valve 133, a first throttle valve 107, a second throttle valve 110, a third throttle valve 130, a fourth throttle valve 131, and an L-shaped three-way valve 132.

[0037] The vapor compression cycle system is a three-heat-exchanger heat pump system. Among them, the outdoor heat exchanger 112, the plate heat exchanger 114, and the indoor heat exchanger 119 can all work as an evaporator or a condenser, so as to realize the functions of refrigerant evaporation and heat absorption or condensation and heat release.

[0038] Specifically, the function of the outdoor heat exchanger 112 is to perform heat exchange between the vehicle and the ambient air. When the outdoor heat exchanger 112 works as an evaporator, the refrigerant evaporates inside it and absorbs heat from the ambient air; when the outdoor heat exchanger 112 works as a condenser, the refrigerant condenses inside it and releases heat to the ambient air. Further, when the outdoor heat exchanger 112 works as a condenser, the first fan 113 correspondingly arranged with the outdoor heat exchanger 112 can blow the heat released by the refrigerant condensation to the outside of the vehicle, and the first fan 113 can be adjusted in multiple gears to increase or decrease the wind speed.

[0039] The plate heat exchanger 114 couples the vapor compression cycle system and the coolant circulation system, and its function is to transfer heat under the action of the refrigerant. Specifically, when the plate heat exchanger 114 is used as an evaporator, the refrigerant evaporates inside it and absorbs heat from the coolant circulation system; when the plate heat exchanger 114 is used as a condenser, the refrigerant condenses inside it and releases heat to the coolant circulation system.

[0040] The function of the indoor heat exchanger 119 is to perform heat exchange between the passenger compartment and the vapor compression cycle system. When the indoor heat exchanger 119 works as an evaporator, the refrigerant evaporates inside it and absorbs heat from the passenger compartment; when the indoor heat exchanger 119 works as a condenser, the refrigerant condenses inside it and releases heat to the passenger compartment.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present invention, the in - vehicle heat exchanger 119, the air - heating PTC heater 118, and the second fan 117 constitute the HVAC box, which can provide multiple functions such as refrigeration, heating, and ventilation for the passenger compartment. Among them, the air - heating PTC heater 118, as an auxiliary heat source, can consume electrical energy to generate heat for heating the passenger compartment. The function of the second fan 117 is to supply hot air, cold air, or natural air to the passenger compartment, and can be adjusted in multiple gears to change the wind speed to meet the needs of passengers.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present invention, the accumulator 127 functions to absorb the liquid refrigerant and prevent the liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor and causing liquid slugging, thereby avoiding damage to the compressor. The pressure - temperature sensors 125 and 129 are respectively used to monitor the refrigerant pressure and temperature at the inlet and outlet of the compressor. The electronic control unit 104 precisely regulates the compressor power according to the data collected by the pressure - temperature sensors.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, the valve system in the vapor - compression cycle system functions to control the refrigerant flow rate of the heat exchanger and switch the working mode of the system. Specifically, the first throttle valve 107, the second throttle valve 110, the third throttle valve 130, and the fourth throttle valve 131 can control the refrigerant flow rate into the plate heat exchanger 114 and the in - vehicle heat exchanger 119 to adjust the refrigeration / heating power; the third T - type three - way valve 106, the fourth T - type three - way valve 120, the fifth T - type three - way valve 121, the sixth T - type three - way valve 122, the seventh T - type three - way valve 123, the eighth T - type three - way valve 124, and the ninth T - type three - way valve 133 are used to switch the refrigerant passage of the vapor - compression cycle system, change the connection mode of the system circuit, and configure the electric vehicle thermal management system into different working modes; the electronic expansion valve 105 is used to expand the coolant after condensation and throttle - depressurize the coolant.

[0044] The coolant circulation system can be divided into a battery coolant circulation subsystem and a drive - chain coolant circulation subsystem.

[0045] The battery coolant circulation subsystem includes a battery pack 115, a four - way reversing valve 126, a plate heat exchanger 114, a second water pump 108, and a water - heating PTC heater 109 that are connected to form a loop.

[0046] When the plate heat exchanger 114 is used as an evaporator, it can absorb the heat in the battery coolant circulation subsystem and reduce the temperature of the battery pack 115; when the plate heat exchanger 114 is used as a condenser, it can transfer heat to the battery coolant circulation subsystem and increase the temperature of the battery pack 115. Preferably, the water - heating PTC heater can consume electrical energy to provide additional heating power for the battery coolant circulation subsystem and assist the battery pack 115 to heat up quickly.

[0047] The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem includes an outdoor radiator 111, a drive motor 102, an inverter 103, an electronic control unit 104, a water tank 135, a charger 136, a four-way reversing valve 126, a first water pump 137, a first T-shaped three-way valve 101, and a second T-shaped three-way valve 134. Preferably, the above devices are connected in series by a coolant circulation system circuit and dissipated heat through the outdoor radiator 111. The first fan 113 can provide additional wind speed for the outdoor radiator 111 and perform multi-gear adjustment to increase or decrease the wind speed.

[0048] Preferably, the battery coolant circulation subsystem and the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem are coupled or separated through the four-way reversing valve 126. By switching the spool position of the four-way reversing valve 126, the battery coolant circulation subsystem can be connected in series or parallel with the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem, thereby indirectly coupling or separating from the vapor compression cycle system.

[0049] The specific implementation of the control method of the electric vehicle thermal management system will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be clear that, for the convenience of understanding the working principle of the specific implementation, some valves and pipelines are omitted in the accompanying Figure 2 to Figure 5 drawings, and only the schematic diagram after the system configuration is shown. It should be understood that the electric vehicle thermal management system shown in the accompanying drawings is the same type of system as the Figure 1 electric vehicle thermal management system shown, and their only difference lies in the different configuration methods.

[0050] As Figure 2 shown, the electric vehicle thermal management system is configured in the first heating mode. In the vapor compression cycle system of the first heating mode, the plate heat exchanger 114 and the indoor heat exchanger 119 act as condensers, and the outdoor heat exchanger 112 acts as an evaporator. The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is separated from the battery coolant circulation subsystem under the action of the four-way reversing valve 126.

[0051] Specifically, the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 128 is branched by the ninth T-shaped three-way valve 133. A part enters the third throttle valve 130, and the other part enters the fourth throttle valve 131. The refrigerant passing through the third throttle valve 130 enters the plate heat exchanger 114 to condense, releasing heat to the battery coolant circulation subsystem. The second water pump 108 pumps the coolant heated by the plate heat exchanger 114 to the battery pack 115 and heats it. On the other hand, the refrigerant passing through the fourth throttle valve 131 enters the indoor condenser 119 to condense, releasing heat to the HVAC box. The second fan 117 blows the hot air in the HVAC box to the passenger compartment to heat the passenger compartment. The condensed liquid refrigerant converges at the third T-shaped three-way valve 106, flows through the electronic expansion valve 105 to throttle down the pressure, and then evaporates in the outdoor evaporator 112, absorbing heat from the environment. The gaseous refrigerant after absorbing heat by evaporation enters the accumulator 127 for drying, and finally returns to the compressor 128, forming a closed-loop flow of the refrigerant.

[0052] Preferably, changing the opening degrees of the third throttle valve 130 and the fourth throttle valve 131 can distribute the refrigerant flow rate in the corresponding branches, thereby changing the heating power. When the refrigerant flow rate increases, the heat released during the condensation process of the refrigerant increases, and the heating power of the vapor compression cycle system increases; when the refrigerant flow rate decreases, the heat released during the condensation process of the refrigerant decreases, and the heating power of the vapor compression cycle system decreases.

[0053] In some embodiments of the present invention, for example, in cold working conditions (the ambient temperature is in the range of -10°C to 10°C), the battery pack 115 and the passenger compartment have heating requirements. Turning on the first heating mode can utilize the vehicle's vapor compression cycle system to absorb heat from the environment and heat the battery pack 115 and the passenger compartment.

[0054] In other embodiments, for example, in extremely cold working conditions (the ambient temperature is less than -10°C), or when the vehicle is cold-started, at this time both the battery pack 115 and the passenger compartment need to be quickly heated, and the heat in the environment cannot meet the needs. At this time, the working efficiency of the vehicle's vapor compression cycle system is low, and the vapor compression cycle system can be turned off, and the water heater PTC heater 109 and the air heater PTC heater 118 can be powered on to provide heat for the battery pack 115 and the passenger compartment, providing rapid heating for the objects to be heated at the cost of consuming part of the vehicle's electrical energy. Preferably, when the temperature of the drive chain device is low, the first T-shaped three-way valve 101 and the second T-shaped three-way valve 134 can be controlled to bypass the outdoor radiator 111 to avoid heat loss of the coolant flowing through the outdoor radiator 111.

[0055] As Figure 3As shown, the electric vehicle thermal management system 100 is configured in a second heating mode. In the vapor compression cycle system of the second heating mode, the plate heat exchanger 114 and the outdoor heat exchanger 112 act as evaporators, and the indoor heat exchanger 119 acts as a condenser. The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is coupled to the battery coolant circulation subsystem under the action of the four-way reversing valve 126.

[0056] Specifically, the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 128 enters the indoor condenser 119 through the fourth throttle valve 131 for condensation, releasing heat into the HVAC box. The second fan 117 blows the hot air in the HVAC box into the passenger compartment to heat the passenger compartment. After condensation, the refrigerant is branched at the third T-shaped three-way valve 106. Part of the refrigerant enters the plate heat exchanger 114 through the first throttle valve 107 for evaporation, absorbing heat from the battery coolant circulation subsystem, and the other part of the refrigerant enters the outdoor heat exchanger 112 through the electronic expansion valve 105 for evaporation, absorbing heat from the environment. After evaporation and heat absorption, the refrigerant converges at the eighth T-shaped three-way valve 124 and finally returns to the compressor 128, forming a closed-loop flow of the refrigerant.

[0057] Preferably, changing the opening degree of the fourth throttle valve 131 can change the refrigerant flow rate, thereby changing the heating power of the passenger compartment. When the refrigerant flow rate is increased, the heat released during the condensation process of the refrigerant increases, and the heating power of the vapor compression cycle system is improved; when the refrigerant flow rate is decreased, the heat released during the condensation process of the refrigerant decreases, and the heating power of the vapor compression cycle system is reduced.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present invention, for example, when driving for a long time under cold conditions (the ambient temperature is in the range of -10°C to 10°C), the heat generated by the drive chain equipment and the battery pack 115 during operation is recovered by the vapor compression cycle system through the plate heat exchanger 114 for heating the passenger compartment, realizing the waste heat recovery function of the drive chain equipment and the battery pack 114. Preferably, when the vapor compression cycle system cannot absorb enough heat from the ambient air, the electronic expansion valve 105 can be closed, the outdoor heat exchanger 112 can be deactivated, and only the plate heat exchanger 114 is retained as the evaporator function, still ensuring the normal operation of the vapor compression cycle system.

[0059] As Figure 4 As shown, the electric vehicle thermal management system is configured in a first cooling mode. In the vapor compression cycle system of the first cooling mode, the plate heat exchanger 114 and the indoor heat exchanger 119 act as evaporators, and the outdoor heat exchanger 112 acts as a condenser. The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is separated from the battery coolant circulation subsystem under the action of the four-way reversing valve 126.

[0060] Specifically, the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 128 enters the outdoor heat exchanger 112 for condensation, releasing

[0061] heat to the environment. The condensed liquid refrigerant enters the electronic expansion valve 105 for throttling and pressure reduction, and then is split at the third T-shaped three-way valve 106. After splitting, part of the refrigerant passes through the first throttle valve 107 and enters the plate heat exchanger 114 for evaporation, absorbing heat from the battery coolant circulation subsystem; the other part of the refrigerant passes through the second throttle valve 110 and enters the indoor heat exchanger 119 for evaporation, absorbing heat from the HVAC box. The second fan 117 blows the cold air in the HVAC box to the passenger compartment to cool the passenger compartment. The gaseous refrigerant after evaporation and heat absorption converges at the fifth T-shaped three-way valve 121 and finally returns to the compressor 128, forming a closed-loop flow of the refrigerant.

[0062] Preferably, the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is separated from the battery coolant circulation subsystem. The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem dissipates heat through the outdoor radiator 111, and the battery coolant circulation subsystem dissipates heat through the plate heat exchanger 114. In addition, by adjusting the first throttle valve 107 and the second throttle valve 110, the refrigerant flow rates flowing into the plate heat exchanger 114 and the indoor heat exchanger 119 can be controlled respectively, so as to control the cooling effects of the battery pack 115 and the passenger compartment. Further, the battery coolant circulation subsystem is cooled only by the vapor compression cycle system, and can be applied to the working conditions where the vehicle is driving in a high-temperature environment or the vehicle speed has a large fluctuation range.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present invention, for example, under high-temperature conditions (ambient temperature > 35°C), the battery pack 115 and the passenger compartment have strong cooling requirements, while the outdoor radiator 111 and natural wind cannot meet the cooling requirements of the battery pack 115 and the passenger compartment. Turning on the first cooling mode can utilize the vehicle's vapor compression cycle system to cool the battery pack 115 and the passenger compartment. The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem dissipates heat through the outdoor radiator 111 and can be applied to the heat dissipation process of the drive chain equipment under normal driving conditions of the vehicle.

[0064] As Figure 5 shown, the electric vehicle thermal management system is configured in the second cooling mode. The difference between the second cooling mode and the first cooling mode is that the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is coupled with the battery coolant circulation subsystem under the action of the four-way reversing valve 126. The working principle of the vapor compression cycle system in the second cooling mode is the same as that in the first cooling mode.

[0065] In some embodiments, for example, under normal temperature conditions (the ambient temperature is in the range of 20°C to 30°C), the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem and the battery coolant circulation subsystem jointly use the outdoor radiator 111 for heat dissipation. Preferably, when the outdoor radiator 111 can meet the heat dissipation requirements of the drive chain equipment and the battery pack 115, the first throttle valve 107 can be closed, and the plate heat exchanger is not used to cool the battery coolant circulation subsystem, thereby saving power consumption.

[0066] In some other embodiments, for example, under high temperature conditions (the ambient temperature is greater than 35°C), when the outdoor radiator 111 cannot meet the cooling requirements of the drive chain equipment, the first throttle valve 107 can be opened, and the plate heat exchanger 114 is used to cool the drive chain equipment and

[0067] the battery pack 115.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present invention, a vehicle is provided, and the vehicle includes the aforementioned electric vehicle thermal management system.

[0069] The embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are only illustrative rather than restrictive of the technical solutions of the present invention. Although the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings and embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that any modification or equivalent replacement of the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention shall be covered by the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle thermal management system, characterized in that, Comprising: A vapor compression cycle system, the vapor compression cycle system including an outdoor heat exchanger (112) and its first fan (113), a plate heat exchanger (114), an indoor heat exchanger (119) and its second fan (117), a valve system, a liquid accumulator (127) and a compressor (128). The outdoor heat exchanger (112), the plate heat exchanger (114) and the indoor heat exchanger (119) are in parallel. The liquid accumulator (127) can communicate with the outdoor heat exchanger (112), the plate heat exchanger (114) and the indoor heat exchanger (119), and the outlet end of the liquid accumulator (127) is connected to the inlet end of the compressor (128). The valve system includes an electronic expansion valve, a plurality of three-way valves and a throttle valve, which are arranged at corresponding positions of the pipeline. A coolant circulation system, including a battery coolant circulation subsystem and a drive chain coolant circulation subsystem. The battery coolant circulation subsystem includes a battery pack (115) connected to the plate heat exchanger (114) to form a loop, a four-way reversing valve (126), a second water pump (108) and a water heating PTC heater (109). The drive chain coolant circulation subsystem includes an outdoor radiator (111), a drive motor (102), an inverter (103), an electronic control unit (104), a water tank (135), a charger (136), a first water pump (137), a first T-shaped three-way valve (101), a second T-shaped three-way valve (134), an outdoor radiator (111), a drive motor (102), an inverter (103), an electronic control unit (104), a water tank (135), a charger (136), a first water pump (137) and a four-way reversing valve (126) form a series loop. The separation and coupling of the battery coolant circulation subsystem and the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem are realized through the four-way reversing valve (126), and the first T-shaped three-way valve (101) and the second T-shaped three-way valve (134) are respectively located at both ends of the outdoor radiator (111) to realize the bypass of the outdoor radiator (111). The valve system includes an electronic expansion valve (105), a third T-shaped three-way valve (106), a fourth T-shaped three-way valve (120), a fifth T-shaped three-way valve (121), a sixth T-shaped three-way valve (122), a seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123), an eighth T-shaped three-way valve (124), a ninth T-shaped three-way valve (133), a first throttle valve (107), a second throttle valve (110), a third throttle valve (130), a fourth throttle valve (131) and an L-shaped three-way valve (132). The outlet of the compressor (128) is connected to one end of the L-shaped three-way valve (132), and the valve core of the L-shaped three-way valve (132) can switch the flow direction of the refrigerant from the compressor (128) to the ninth T-shaped three-way valve (133) or the seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123). The ninth T-shaped three-way valve (133) is configured with one inlet and two outlets, serving to split the refrigerant. The two outlets of the ninth T-shaped three-way valve (133) are respectively connected to one ends of the third throttle valve (130) and the fourth throttle valve (131). The other ends of the third throttle valve (130) and the fourth throttle valve (131) are respectively connected to one ends of the fourth T-shaped three-way valve (120) and the sixth T-shaped three-way valve (122). The fourth T-shaped three-way valve (120) and the sixth T-shaped three-way valve (122) are configured with one inlet and two outlets, serving to split the refrigerant. The spool of the fourth T-shaped three-way valve (120) can switch the flow direction of the refrigerant to one end of the plate heat exchanger (114) or one end of the fifth T-shaped three-way valve (121). The spool of the sixth T-shaped three-way valve (122) can switch the flow direction of the refrigerant to one end of the indoor heat exchanger (119) or one end of the fifth T-shaped three-way valve (121). The fifth T-shaped three-way valve (121) is configured with two inlets and one outlet, serving to combine the refrigerant. The eighth T-shaped three-way valve (124) is configured with two inlets and one outlet, serving to combine the refrigerant. The outlet end of the eighth T-shaped three-way valve (124) is connected to the inlet end of the accumulator (127). The outlet end of the accumulator (127) is connected to the inlet end of the compressor. One end of the refrigerant side of the plate heat exchanger (114) is connected to the fourth T-shaped three-way valve (120), and the other end is connected to the first throttle valve (107). One end of the indoor heat exchanger (119) is connected to the sixth T-shaped three-way valve (122), and the other end is connected to the second throttle valve (110). The third T-shaped three-way valve (106) is configured with two inlets and one outlet, serving to combine the refrigerant. The outlet of the third T-shaped three-way valve (106) is connected to one side of the electronic expansion valve (105). The other side of the electronic expansion valve (105) is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger (112). The other side of the outdoor heat exchanger (112) is connected to the seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123). The seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123) is configured with one inlet and two outlets, serving to split the refrigerant. One side inlet of the seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123) is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger (112). The other two side outlets are respectively connected to the L-shaped three-way valve (132) and the eighth T-shaped three-way valve (124). The spool of the seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123) can switch the refrigerant circuit to connect the outdoor heat exchanger (112) to the L-shaped three-way valve (132) or connect the outdoor heat exchanger (112) to the eighth T-shaped three-way valve (124). The eighth T-shaped three-way valve (124) is connected to the inlet of the accumulator (127). The outlet of the accumulator (127) is connected to the inlet of the compressor (128).

2. The electric vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vapor compression cycle system further includes two pressure and temperature sensors, which are respectively connected to the inlet and outlet of the compressor (128).

3. The electric vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat transfer medium in the vapor compression cycle system is refrigerant; the heat transfer medium in the coolant circulation system is coolant.

4. The electric vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein, The system is selectively configured into a first heating mode, a second heating mode, a first cooling mode, and a second cooling mode.

5. The electric vehicle thermal management system according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the system is configured into the first heating mode, the valve core of the seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the outdoor heat exchanger (112) to the eighth T-shaped three-way valve (124); the valve core of the L-shaped three-way valve (132) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the outlet of the compressor (128) to the ninth T-shaped three-way valve (133); the valve core of the fourth T-shaped three-way valve (120) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the third throttle valve (130) to the plate heat exchanger (114); the valve core of the sixth T-shaped three-way valve (122) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the fourth throttle valve (131) to the indoor heat exchanger (119); the opening degrees of the first throttle valve (107) and the second throttle valve (110) are adjusted to the maximum, and the valve core of the four-way reversing valve (126) rotates to a position where the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is separated from the battery coolant circulation subsystem.

6. The electric vehicle thermal management system according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the system is configured into the second heating mode, the valve core of the seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the outdoor heat exchanger (112) to the eighth T-shaped three-way valve (124); the valve core of the L-shaped three-way valve (132) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the outlet of the compressor (128) to the ninth T-shaped three-way valve (133); the opening degree of the third throttle valve (130) is adjusted to be closed, the valve core of the sixth T-shaped three-way valve (122) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the fourth throttle valve (131) to the indoor heat exchanger (119); the valve core of the fourth T-shaped three-way valve (120) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the fifth T-shaped three-way valve (121) to the plate heat exchanger (114); the valve core of the four-way reversing valve (126) rotates to a position where the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is coupled with the battery coolant circulation subsystem.

7. The electric vehicle thermal management system according to claim 4, characterized in that When the system is configured into the first cooling mode, the valve core of the seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the outdoor heat exchanger (112) to the L-shaped three-way valve (132); the valve core of the L-shaped three-way valve (132) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the outlet of the compressor (128) to the seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123); the valve core of the fourth T-shaped three-way valve (120) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the fifth T-shaped three-way valve (121) to the plate heat exchanger (114); the valve core of the sixth T-shaped three-way valve (122) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the fifth T-shaped three-way valve (121) to the indoor heat exchanger (119); the valve core of the four-way reversing valve rotates to a position where the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is separated from the battery coolant circulation subsystem.

8. The electric vehicle thermal management system according to claim 4, wherein When the system is configured in the second cooling mode, the valve core of the seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the outdoor heat exchanger (112) with the L-shaped three-way valve (132); the valve core of the L-shaped three-way valve (132) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the outlet of the compressor (128) with the seventh T-shaped three-way valve (123); the valve core of the fourth T-shaped three-way valve (120) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the fifth T-shaped three-way valve (121) with the plate heat exchanger (114); the valve core of the sixth T-shaped three-way valve (122) switches the refrigerant circuit to connect the fifth T-shaped three-way valve (121) with the indoor heat exchanger (119); the valve core of the four-way reversing valve rotates to a position where the drive chain coolant circulation subsystem is coupled with the battery coolant circulation subsystem.

9. A vehicle, characterized in that, An electric vehicle thermal management system according to any one of claims 1-8.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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