Multi-channel cooling piping integration device, thermal management integration module and electric vehicle

Abstract

A multi-channel cooling pipe integration device, a thermal management integration module, and an electric vehicle are disclosed, belonging to the field of vehicle technology. The multi-channel cooling pipe integration device is essentially rectangular, with multiple cooling connection pipes formed within it, and multiple component mounting points and component connection ports provided on its surface. The mounting points are configured to mount at least two thermal management components; each component connection port communicates with a corresponding cooling connection pipe, allowing at least two thermal management components mounted at the mounting points to connect to their respective cooling connection pipes via the connection ports, and enabling the at least two thermal management components to be connected to each other through the multiple cooling connection pipes. This multi-channel cooling pipe integration device can simultaneously serve as a connection channel and a carrier to integrate thermal management components without the need for numerous cooling hoses or nylon tubing for connections, saving on the cost and layout space of the thermal management system and achieving vehicle lightweighting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device, a thermal management integrated module, and an electric vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Electric vehicles, based on their overall vehicle thermal management schematics, often require multiple thermal management components, such as expansion tanks, at least two coolant pumps, heat exchangers, water-cooled condensers, at least two water temperature sensors, four-way solenoid valves, three-way solenoid valves, and cooling connection piping. To improve the driving range of pure electric vehicles, the design requirements for vehicle thermal management schematics are increasingly demanding to adapt to various operating conditions, resulting in a corresponding increase in the number of thermal management components. In existing technologies, these thermal management components are distributed, occupying significant space and requiring numerous cooling EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) hoses or PA12 nylon tubing for connection, leading to increased system cost and weight. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an integrated multi-channel cooling connection piping system that can save costs and space while achieving lightweight design. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above problems, a multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device, a thermal management integrated module, and an electric vehicle are proposed to overcome or at least partially solve the above problems.

[0004] One objective of the first aspect of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device, which can serve as a connection channel and carrier for thermal management components, thereby avoiding the use of a large number of cooling hoses or nylon tubes, thus saving the cost and layout space of the thermal management system and achieving vehicle lightweighting.

[0005] A further objective of the first aspect of the present invention is to make the arrangement of the integrated thermal management components more compact by rationally distributing the component mounting points on the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device, while optimizing the distribution of cooling connection pipelines within the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device and reducing manufacturing difficulty.

[0006] Another further objective of the first aspect of the invention is to minimize the connection pipe between the thermal management object and the external interface of the cooling pipe of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device, so as to further reduce the cost and weight of the vehicle.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention aims to provide a thermal management integrated module that employs the aforementioned multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device to achieve low cost, light weight, and small layout space.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention aims to provide an electric vehicle that employs the above-described thermal management integrated module to reduce the cost and weight of the vehicle.

[0009] In particular, according to one aspect of the present invention, a multi-channel cooling pipe integration device is provided. The multi-channel cooling pipe integration device is substantially rectangular in shape, having multiple cooling connection pipes formed therein, and having multiple component mounting points and multiple component connection ports disposed on its surface; wherein...

[0010] The plurality of component mounting points are configured to mount at least two thermal management components thereon; and

[0011] Each component connection port is connected to the corresponding cooling connection pipe so that at least two thermal management components installed at the plurality of component mounting points are connected to the corresponding cooling connection pipes through the component connection ports, and the at least two thermal management components are connected to each other through the plurality of cooling connection pipes.

[0012] Optionally, the component mounting point includes at least two of the following:

[0013] Installation points for expansion tank, multi-way valve, water pump, heat exchanger, condenser, temperature sensor, and two-way proportional valve.

[0014] Optionally, when the component mounting point includes a water pump mounting point, a plurality of the water pump mounting points are located on one side of one end of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device along its length, and the positions of the plurality of water pump mounting points are distributed such that at least two water pumps can be installed on the same side of one end of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device along its length and arranged along the width direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device; and

[0015] In the case where the component mounting point also includes an expansion tank mounting point, the expansion tank mounting point is located on the other side of the end where the water pump mounting point of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device is located, so that the expansion tank can be installed on the opposite side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device to the water pump.

[0016] Optionally, if the component mounting point includes a multi-way valve mounting point, the multi-way valve mounting point is located in the middle of one side of the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device, so that the multi-way valve can be installed in the middle of one side of the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device.

[0017] Optionally, if the component mounting point also includes a heat exchanger mounting point, the heat exchanger mounting point is located on the same side of the multi-channel cooling piping integration device as the multi-way valve mounting point, and the location of the heat exchanger mounting points is distributed such that the heat exchanger can be installed on the same side of the multi-channel cooling piping integration device as the multi-way valve and adjacent to it.

[0018] Optionally, if the component mounting point also includes a condenser mounting point, the condenser mounting point is located at one end of the length direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device on the same side as the heat exchanger mounting point, and the positional distribution of the condenser mounting point is such that the condenser can be installed on the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device at a position on the same side as and adjacent to the heat exchanger.

[0019] Optionally, the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device is further provided with multiple external cooling pipe interfaces, which are configured to connect to the coolant connection pipes of the vehicle's thermal management object, and the positions of the external cooling pipe interfaces are arranged according to the arrangement of the thermal management object so that the coolant connection pipes of the thermal management object are minimized.

[0020] Optionally, the external interfaces of the cooling pipeline include a radiator inlet interface, a radiator outlet interface, a DC-DC converter inlet interface, a high-pressure liquid heater inlet interface, a high-pressure liquid heater outlet interface, an on-board charger outlet interface, a battery pack inlet interface, and a battery pack outlet interface.

[0021] The radiator inlet, the radiator outlet, and the DC-DC converter inlet are located at one end of the length of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device, and the radiator inlet and outlet extend to one side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device; and

[0022] The high-pressure liquid heater inlet, the vehicle charger outlet, the battery pack outlet, the high-pressure liquid heater outlet, and the battery pack inlet are located at the other end of the length direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device, arranged sequentially along the width direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device, and their extension direction is the same as the extension direction of the radiator inlet.

[0023] Optionally, the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device is further provided with a plurality of mounting ears, each mounting ear protruding outward from the edge of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device, and each mounting ear having a through hole configured to cooperate with fasteners to install the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device to the vehicle body.

[0024] Optionally, the number of mounting ears is three, and the three mounting ears are respectively disposed on the three edges of the generally rectangular outline of the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device.

[0025] Optionally, the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device includes a main body, a first cover plate, and a second cover plate; the main body, the first cover plate, and the second cover plate are sequentially assembled together along the thickness direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device; the main body forms a first set of cooling connection pipes opening toward the first cover plate; the first cover plate seals the first set of cooling connection pipes and forms a second set of cooling connection pipes opening toward the second cover plate; the second cover plate seals the second set of cooling connection pipes.

[0026] Optionally, the multi-channel cooling piping integration unit is made of thermally insulating plastic.

[0027] Optionally, the thermally insulating plastic comprises polypropylene or polyamide 66.

[0028] Optionally, the main body, the first cover plate, and the second cover plate are injection molded.

[0029] Optionally, the main body, the first cover plate, and the second cover plate are assembled by hot plate welding, friction welding, or laser welding.

[0030] Optionally, the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device also includes an expansion tank, which consists of a tank body and a tank side cover. The tank body is integrally formed with the second cover plate, and the tank side cover is injection molded. The tank body and the tank side cover are assembled by hot plate welding, friction welding or laser welding.

[0031] According to another aspect of the present invention, a thermal management integrated module is also provided, comprising:

[0032] The multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device described in any one of the preceding statements; and

[0033] At least two thermal management components are mounted on the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device and are connected to each other through the cooling connection pipeline.

[0034] Optionally, the thermal management component includes at least two of the following components:

[0035] Expansion tank, multi-way valve, water pump, heat exchanger, condenser, temperature sensor, dryer bottle, electronic expansion valve, two-way proportional valve, air conditioning piping.

[0036] According to another aspect of the present invention, an electric vehicle is also provided, including the thermal management integrated module described in any of the preceding embodiments.

[0037] The multi-channel cooling pipe integration device of the present invention has multiple cooling connection pipes formed inside, and its surface is provided with multiple component mounting points and multiple component connection ports. This allows the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device to not only serve as a connection channel between different thermal management components, but also as a carrier for these thermal management components. This allows the thermal management components to be integrated on it and connected to each other without the need to use a large number of cooling hoses or nylon tubes for connection, thereby saving the cost and layout space of the thermal management system and achieving vehicle lightweighting.

[0038] Furthermore, for the thermal management components that need to be integrated, by rationally distributing the corresponding component mounting points (specifically including expansion tank mounting points, multi-way valve mounting points, water pump mounting points, heat exchanger mounting points, condenser mounting points, temperature sensor mounting points, two-way proportional valve mounting points, etc.) on the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device, the arrangement of the integrated thermal management components can be made more compact. At the same time, the distribution of cooling connection pipelines within the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device is optimized, reducing manufacturing difficulty.

[0039] Furthermore, the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device can also provide multiple external cooling pipe interfaces for connecting to the connecting pipes of the thermal management object. The positions of the external cooling pipe interfaces are arranged according to the layout of the thermal management object to minimize the connecting pipes of the thermal management object, thereby further reducing the cost and weight of the vehicle.

[0040] Furthermore, since the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device of the present invention can save a large number of cooling connection pipes, the system's flow resistance and heat leakage value are reduced, which can reduce the power requirements of the water pump and reduce the PTC heating time or power, thereby further reducing the overall vehicle cost and power consumption, and increasing the driving range. Experimental estimates suggest that the water pump power requirement can be reduced by about 20%, the PTC heating power consumption can be reduced by about 200W, and the driving range can be increased by about 10km.

[0041] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and in order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described below.

[0042] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0043] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from one side.

[0045] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device as seen from the other side;

[0046] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the thermal management integrated module according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from one side.

[0048] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the thermal management integrated module as seen from the other side;

[0049] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a thermal management integrated module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0050] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0051] The existing vehicle thermal management system uses a decentralized arrangement of thermal management components, which has the following problems: (1) The increased length of cooling pipes and air conditioning pipes leads to an increase in the flow resistance of the system, requiring the use of high-power water pumps to meet the system requirements; (2) The increased length of cooling pipes and air conditioning pipes also leads to an increase in the heat leakage value of the system, requiring the extension of PTC heating time or an increase in PTC heating power to meet the heating requirements of the system; (3) Thermal management components such as expansion tank, motor water pump assembly, battery water pump assembly, heat exchanger, water-cooled condenser, water temperature sensor, four-way solenoid valve, three-way solenoid valve, two-way proportional valve, air conditioning electronic expansion valve, and air conditioning pipes are arranged in a decentralized manner and connected through cooling pipes and air conditioning pipes, resulting in complex layout requirements; (4) The above thermal management components are supplied by different suppliers and assembled at the base, which increases the working time and is not conducive to supplier management; (5) A large number of cooling pipes and air conditioning pipes are required, which leads to an increase in the cost and weight of the vehicle. Therefore, considering cost savings, lightweight design, and space requirements, there is an urgent need for an integrated multi-channel cooling connection pipeline that can be used to integrate thermal management components.

[0052] To solve or at least partially solve the above problems, embodiments of the present invention propose a multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from one side, is shown. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 as viewed from its other side. See also... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 is basically rectangular in shape, with multiple cooling connection pipes 111 formed therein, and multiple component mounting points and multiple component connection ports 116 provided on its surface. The multiple component mounting points are configured for mounting at least two thermal management components thereon. Each component connection port 116 communicates with a corresponding cooling connection pipe 111, so that the at least two thermal management components mounted on the multiple component mounting points are connected to the corresponding cooling connection pipe 111 through the component connection port 116, and the at least two thermal management components are connected to each other through the multiple cooling connection pipes 111.

[0053] The multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 of this invention has multiple cooling connection pipes 111 inside, and its surface is provided with multiple component mounting points and multiple component connection ports 116. This allows the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 to not only serve as a connection channel between different thermal management components, but also as a carrier for these thermal management components. This allows the thermal management components to be integrated on it and connected to each other without the need to use a large number of cooling hoses or nylon tubes for connection, thereby saving the cost and layout space of the thermal management system and achieving vehicle lightweighting.

[0054] In application, the cooling connection pipes 111 inside the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 are designed according to the connection method of each thermal management component in the actual vehicle thermal management schematic diagram to achieve pipe (such as water) connection between thermal management components. Generally, the routing of each cooling connection pipe 111 within the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 extends roughly along the length direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110. During use, the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 is installed with its length direction roughly parallel to the horizontal direction and its width direction roughly perpendicular to the vehicle chassis, thereby minimizing the flow resistance of the coolant (such as water) flowing in each cooling connection pipe 111 due to gravity.

[0055] The component mounting points on the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 can be selected according to the actual thermal management components required by the vehicle's thermal management. Their positions can be set according to the shape and size of the required thermal management components, as well as their connection and operation methods in the vehicle's thermal management schematic diagram, so that these thermal management components can be spatially integrated and arranged on the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110. Component connection ports 116 can be correspondingly provided according to the component mounting points, so that the thermal management components integrated and arranged on the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 through these component mounting points can be connected via the cooling connection pipes 111 within the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 through these component connection ports 116.

[0056] Generally, the component mounting points on the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device 110 may include at least two of the following: expansion tank mounting point, multi-way valve mounting point 1102, water pump mounting point 1103, heat exchanger mounting point 1104, condenser mounting point 1105, temperature sensor mounting point 1106, two-way proportional valve mounting point 1107, etc., thereby enabling the corresponding integration of at least two of the following into the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device 110: expansion tank, multi-way valve 130, water pump 140, heat exchanger 150, condenser 160 (such as a water-cooled condenser), temperature sensor 170, two-way proportional valve 192, etc.

[0057] In some embodiments, the component mounting points include water pump mounting points 1103. In this case, multiple water pump mounting points 1103 are located on one side of one end of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 in the longitudinal direction, and the distribution of the multiple water pump mounting points 1103 is such that at least two water pumps 140 can be mounted on the same side of one end of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 in the longitudinal direction and arranged along the width direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110. Such an arrangement of water pump mounting points 1103 facilitates the installation and management of the water pumps 140, and also makes more efficient use of the installation space on the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110. In a specific embodiment, for water pumps with cylindrical pump casings, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the water pump mounting point 1103 is a plurality of first fixing blocks evenly distributed and protruding circumferentially on the outer periphery of a first annular fixing member on a multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, each first fixing block having a first through hole. One end of the water pump casing may be correspondingly provided with a second fixing member corresponding to the first fixing member. The outer periphery of the second fixing member is provided with second fixing blocks corresponding to the first fixing blocks, each second fixing block having a second through hole corresponding to the first through hole. During installation, fasteners (such as bolts) are passed through the corresponding second through holes and first through holes to fix the water pump 140 onto the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110. A component connection port 116 corresponding to the water pump 140 is located at the center of the corresponding first fixing member to connect the water pump 140 to the cooling connection pipe 111. In a more specific embodiment, the water pump mounting point 1103 may include a motor water pump mounting point 1103 for mounting a motor water pump and a battery water pump mounting point 1103 for mounting a battery water pump. The motor water pump mounting point 1103 is located below the battery water pump mounting point 1103 (here, "below" refers to the usage state of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110). The motor water pump refers to the water pump configured to flow coolant in the motor cooling circuit for driving the vehicle, and the battery water pump refers to the water pump configured to flow coolant in the battery pack cooling circuit for driving the vehicle.

[0058] In some embodiments, the component mounting point may further include an expansion tank mounting point. The expansion tank mounting point may be located on the opposite side of the end where the water pump mounting point 1103 of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 is located, so that the expansion tank can be installed on the opposite side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 opposite to the water pump 140. Since the expansion tank is relatively large and is typically connected to one of the water pumps 140, this arrangement minimizes the length of the cooling connection pipe 111 (connection channel) between the expansion tank and the water pump 140, thereby reducing flow resistance and more effectively utilizing the installation space on the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, thus saving layout space. In other embodiments, considering the large size of the expansion tank, it is difficult to guarantee its stability using a mounting point, and the material of the expansion tank is similar to that of the cooling connection pipe 111. Therefore, the expansion tank and the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 may be integrally molded, which will be described in detail later. It should be noted that although the location of the expansion tank installation point is not shown in the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art should be able to set a suitable expansion tank installation point on the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 after reading this application, so that the expansion tank can be installed on the other side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 opposite to the water pump 140.

[0059] In some embodiments, the component mounting point may include a multi-way valve mounting point 1102. According to the vehicle thermal management schematic, the ports of the multi-way valve are connected to multiple thermal management components in the vehicle thermal management system to control the on / off state of different thermal management circuits. Therefore, the multi-way valve mounting point 1102 can be located in the middle of one side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, so that the multi-way valve 130 can be installed in the middle of one side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, facilitating the connection of the multi-way valve 130 with other thermal management components. The multi-way valve 130 can be a four-way solenoid valve, a three-way solenoid valve, etc. Preferably, the multi-way valve 130 is a nine-way valve, which can replace one conventional three-way solenoid valve and two four-way solenoid valves in the vehicle thermal management system to achieve nine channels, thereby further reducing the cost and weight of the vehicle. More preferably, the multi-way valve 130 can be an integrated nine-way valve. For the integrated nine-way valve, a flat mounting panel is formed on the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device 110. The nine channel interfaces (i.e., component connection ports 116 of the integrated nine-way valve) for connecting to the nine channels of the integrated nine-way valve are centrally arranged on this mounting panel to achieve uniform interface positions. By adopting the component connection ports 116 and the corresponding multi-way valve mounting points 1102 centrally arranged on the flat mounting panel, the installation of the integrated nine-way valve can be facilitated, thereby further reducing the layout space occupied by the multi-way valve 130, and greatly improving the layout space and aesthetics of the cooling connection pipelines 111 connected to these component connection ports 116.

[0060] In some embodiments, the component mounting point may further include a heat exchanger mounting point 1104. The heat exchanger mounting point 1104 is located on the same side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 as the multi-way valve mounting point 1102, and the positional distribution of the heat exchanger mounting points 1104 allows the heat exchanger 150 to be installed on the same side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 and adjacent to the multi-way valve 130, thereby effectively shortening the length of the connecting pipe between the heat exchanger 150 and the port of the multi-way valve 130. In a specific embodiment, the multi-way valve mounting point 1102 may be installed on the upper side of the middle portion of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 (here, "upper side" refers to the upper vertical direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 in its operating state), and the heat exchanger mounting point 1104 is located on the lower side of this middle portion, specifically as follows: Figure 1 As shown.

[0061] In some embodiments, the component mounting point may further include a condenser mounting point 1105. The condenser mounting point 1105 is located at one end of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 along the same longitudinal direction as the heat exchanger mounting point 1104, and the positional distribution of the condenser mounting point 1105 allows the condenser 160 to be installed on the same side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 and adjacent to the heat exchanger 150. Since the condenser in the vehicle thermal management system is typically large, positioning the condenser mounting point 1105 at one end of the longitudinal direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 ensures that the condenser 160 has sufficient arrangement space. Furthermore, the arrangement of the condenser 160 and the heat exchanger 150 on the same side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 and adjacent to the heat exchanger 150 improves the utilization of the installation space. Of course, those skilled in the art will understand that when the component mounting point includes both the expansion tank mounting point and the condenser mounting point 1105, the expansion tank mounting point and the condenser mounting point 1105 are respectively located at both ends of the length direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, so that the expansion tank 120 and the condenser 160 can be respectively installed at both ends of the length direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, thereby ensuring that they each have sufficient arrangement space.

[0062] In some embodiments, the component mounting point may further include a temperature sensor mounting point 1106. The temperature sensor mounting point 1106 is positioned corresponding to a designated cooling connection pipe 111, such that a temperature sensor 170 mounted on the temperature sensor mounting point 1106 can measure the temperature of the coolant (e.g., water) in the designated cooling connection pipe 111. The number and location of the temperature sensor mounting points 1106 can be configured according to the actual vehicle thermal management schematic diagram; for example, there may be four temperature sensor mounting points 1106 for mounting four temperature sensors 170 respectively.

[0063] In some embodiments, the component mounting point may further include a two-way proportional valve mounting point 1107, which is located at a position corresponding to the cooling connection pipe 111 for connecting one of the water pumps 140 and the condenser 160, so that a two-way proportional valve 192 (such as a smart two-way proportional valve) mounted thereon can control the flow of coolant between the water pump 140 and the condenser 160.

[0064] Of course, those skilled in the art will understand that for thermal management components with large volume or weight, in order to ensure installation stability, each thermal management component may have multiple mounting points. The number of mounting points should be such that the stable installation of the thermal management component is guaranteed, and the present invention does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0065] The embodiments of the present invention target the thermal management components that need to be integrated. By rationally distributing the component mounting points corresponding to these thermal management components on the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device 110 (specifically including expansion tank mounting point, multi-way valve mounting point 1102, water pump mounting point 1103, heat exchanger mounting point 1104, condenser mounting point 1105, temperature sensor mounting point 1106, two-way proportional valve mounting point 1107, etc.), the integrated thermal management components can be arranged more compactly. At the same time, the distribution of cooling connection pipes 111 within the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device 110 is optimized, reducing manufacturing difficulty.

[0066] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 As shown, the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 also has multiple external cooling pipe interfaces. These external cooling pipe interfaces are configured to connect to the coolant connection pipes of the vehicle's thermal management objects, and the positions of the external cooling pipe interfaces are arranged according to the layout of the thermal management objects to minimize the length of the coolant connection pipe for each thermal management object. The thermal management objects here may include, but are not limited to, DC-DC converters, high-voltage coolant heaters (HVCH), on-board chargers (OBC), battery packs, radiators, etc.

[0067] Considering the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 and the heat pipe components to be integrated thereon as a whole, the corresponding thermal management objects (such as the aforementioned DC-DC converter, HVCH, OBC, battery pack, radiator, etc.) can be regarded as counterparts to the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 and the integrated thermal management components. By fully considering the placement of counterparts and uniformly setting the position of the external interface of the cooling pipes, the connection pipes of the thermal management objects are minimized, thereby further reducing the cost and weight of the entire vehicle.

[0068] Specifically, the external interfaces of the cooling pipes include a radiator inlet interface 1108, a radiator outlet interface 1109, a DC-DC converter inlet interface 1110, a high-pressure liquid heater inlet interface 1111, a high-pressure liquid heater outlet interface 1114, an on-board charger outlet interface 1112, a battery pack inlet interface 1115, and a battery pack outlet interface 1113. The radiator inlet interface 1108, the radiator outlet interface 1109, and the DC-DC converter inlet interface 1110 are located at one end of the length direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 (specifically, the end where the water pump mounting point 1103 is located), and the radiator inlet interface 1108 and the radiator outlet interface 1109 extend to one side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 (specifically, the side where the water pump mounting point 1103 is located). The high-pressure liquid heater inlet 1111, the on-board charger outlet 1112, the battery pack outlet 1113, the high-pressure liquid heater outlet 1114, and the battery pack inlet 1115 are located at the other end of the length direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 (specifically, the other end where the condenser mounting point 1105 is located), and are arranged sequentially along the width direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, with their extension direction being the same as that of the radiator inlet 1108. This arrangement balances space utilization, aesthetics, and ease of use of the interfaces.

[0069] In some embodiments, see continue to see Figure 1As shown, the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 is further provided with a plurality of mounting ears 115, configured for mounting and securing the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 to the vehicle body. Each mounting ear 115 protrudes outward from the edge of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, and each mounting ear 115 has a through hole (let's call it a third through hole 1151), configured for engaging with fasteners to mount the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 to the vehicle body. Specifically, each mounting ear 115 includes a root connected to the edge of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 and a head away from the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, the head having a central through hole, i.e., the third through hole 1151. To ensure the stability of the installation, the number of mounting ears 115 is at least three, preferably three, and the three mounting ears 115 can be respectively provided on the three edges of the generally rectangular outline of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110. Furthermore, an annular buffer pad can be provided within the third through hole 1151 of each mounting ear 115. The thickness of the buffer pad is greater than the thickness of the head of the mounting ear 115, so that the surface of the buffer pad protrudes from the third through hole 1151. After the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 is installed and fixed to the vehicle body, the buffer pad can buffer the collision between the mounting ear 115 and the part of the vehicle body to which it is fixed. The buffer pad can be made of rubber.

[0070] To facilitate the molding of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, a split molding method can be adopted. See [link / reference] Figure 3 As shown, the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 may include a main body portion 112, a first cover plate portion 113, and a second cover plate portion 114. The main body portion 112, the first cover plate portion 113, and the second cover plate portion 114 are sequentially assembled together along the thickness direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110. The main body portion 112 forms a first set of cooling connection pipes 111a that open toward the first cover plate portion 113. The first cover plate portion 113 covers at least a portion of the main body portion 112 and seals the first set of cooling connection pipes 111a, and the first cover plate portion 113 forms a second set of cooling connection pipes 111b that open toward the second cover plate portion 114. The second cover plate portion 114 covers at least a portion of the first cover plate portion 113 and seals the second set of cooling connection pipes 111b. This structure allows for the formation of a double-layered multi-cooling connection pipe structure within the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, making the structure of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 more compact, reducing its planar area, and allowing for a more flexible distribution of the cooling connection pipes 111 inside the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110.

[0071] To ensure thermal insulation between the various cooling connection pipes 111 and reduce heat loss, the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 can be made of thermally insulating plastics, such as PP (Polypropylene) or PA66 (Polyamide 66). By using PP or PA66 material, the strength of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 can be guaranteed while ensuring thermal insulation, thereby improving the structural stability and durability of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110.

[0072] In some embodiments, the main body portion 112, the first cover plate portion 113, and the second cover plate portion 114 can be respectively formed by injection molding. Then, the main body portion 112, the first cover plate portion 113, and the second cover plate portion 114 are connected and fixed by welding to obtain a multi-channel cooling pipe integrated device 110. Welding methods include, but are not limited to, hot plate welding, friction welding, and laser welding.

[0073] In some embodiments, to ensure the stability of the expansion tank installation and simplify the installation process, the expansion tank body 120 can be pre-fixed and integrated onto the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the expansion tank 120 consists of a main body 120a and a side cover 120b. The main body 120a and the second cover plate 114 are integrally molded by injection molding, while the side cover 120b is separately injection molded. Then, the main body 120a and the side cover 120b are connected and fixed by welding to form the entire expansion tank 120. The welding methods include, but are not limited to, hot plate welding, friction welding, and laser welding. The top of the expansion tank 120 has a pressure cap mounting point; after installing the pressure cap 121, the complete expansion tank is obtained.

[0074] Based on the same technical concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide a thermal management integrated module. Figure 4 This diagram shows a schematic view of a thermal management integrated module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from one side. Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the thermal management integrated module 100 as viewed from its other side. See also... Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the thermal management integration module 100 generally includes a multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 and at least two thermal management components, based on any of the foregoing embodiments and combinations thereof. The multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 has multiple cooling connection pipes 111 (e.g., water channels) and provides multiple component mounting points and component connection ports 116, enabling it to serve not only as a connection channel between different thermal management components but also as a support for the entire thermal management integration module 100, supporting the thermal management components. The at least two thermal management components are mounted on the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 and connected to each other through the cooling connection pipes 111 within the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110.

[0075] Based on the component mounting points provided on the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device 110, the thermal management components installed on the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device 110 may be at least two of the following: expansion tank, multi-way valve 130, water pump 140, heat exchanger 150, condenser 160, temperature sensor 170, two-way proportional valve 192, etc.

[0076] In some embodiments, the thermal management components integrated into the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device 110 in the thermal management integration module 100 may also include components in the refrigerant circulation loop of the vehicle air conditioning system, such as a dryer bottle, an electronic expansion valve 191, and an air conditioning pipeline 190.

[0077] In one embodiment, the thermal management integrated module 100 includes a dryer bottle, two electronic expansion valves 191, and an air conditioning pipe 190. The dryer bottle and electronic expansion valves 191 are correspondingly installed on the opposite side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integrated device 110, opposite to the heat exchanger 150. The air conditioning pipe 190 is a refrigerant flow pipe, which connects to the dryer bottle, electronic expansion valves 191, heat exchanger 150, and condenser 160 to realize the circulation of refrigerant in the air conditioning compressor. The main body of the air conditioning pipe 190 extends to one side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integrated device 110 where the dryer bottle is located.

[0078] Furthermore, the air conditioning pipe 190 is also equipped with an external air conditioning pipe interface, configured for connecting refrigerant connection pipes to the thermal management objects related to the vehicle's air conditioning system. Specifically, the thermal management objects related to the vehicle's air conditioning system include the built-in condenser and compressor of the air conditioning unit. The external air conditioning pipe interface includes a built-in condenser inlet interface 193, a built-in condenser outlet interface 194, a compressor inlet interface 195, and a compressor outlet interface 196. The built-in condenser inlet interface 193 and the built-in condenser outlet interface 194 are configured to connect to the refrigerant connection pipes of the built-in condenser of the vehicle's air conditioning unit, respectively. The compressor inlet interface 195 and the compressor outlet interface 196 are configured to connect to the refrigerant connection pipes of the vehicle's compressor, respectively. The positions of the built-in condenser inlet interface 193, the built-in condenser outlet interface 194, the compressor inlet interface 195, and the compressor outlet interface 196 are distributed according to the arrangement of the built-in condenser and the compressor to minimize the refrigerant connection pipes of the built-in condenser and the compressor. The external connection interface for air conditioning piping may also include an inlet interface for a built-in evaporator, configured for connecting the refrigerant connection piping to the built-in evaporator of the air conditioning unit. The location of the built-in evaporator inlet interface is distributed according to the layout of the built-in evaporator to minimize the length of the refrigerant connection piping.

[0079] In another embodiment, the thermal management integrated module 100 includes an electronic expansion valve 191 and an air conditioning pipe 190, but does not include a desiccant bottle. In this case, as... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the electronic expansion valve 191 is correspondingly installed on the same side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 as the heat exchanger 150 and adjacent to the heat exchanger 150. The air conditioning pipe 190 is connected to the electronic expansion valve 191, the heat exchanger 150, and the condenser 160. The main body of the air conditioning pipe 190 extends on one side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110 where the expansion tank is located, and forms a compressor outlet interface 196 on the same side as the expansion tank and located below the expansion tank. The built-in condenser outlet interface 194 is formed on the valve seat of the electronic expansion valve 191, and the built-in condenser inlet interface 193 and the compressor inlet interface 195 are formed on the condenser 160 and the heat exchanger 150, respectively, thereby effectively shortening the length of the air conditioning pipe 190 and the length of the connecting pipes between the compressor and the built-in condenser and these corresponding interfaces.

[0080] The components of the thermal management integrated module 100 in this embodiment have been described in detail above. The following section will discuss further details. Figure 6 The implementation principle of the thermal management integrated module 100 in this embodiment will be explained. Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a thermal management integrated module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 6As shown, the multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device 110 integrates two electronic water pumps 140 (referred to as battery water pump and motor water pump respectively), an integrated nine-way valve, a water-cooled condenser 160, a heat exchanger 150, an expansion tank, four temperature sensors 170 (water temperature sensors), an intelligent two-way proportional valve 192, an electronic expansion valve 191, and an air conditioning pipeline 190. Figure 6 The integrated nine-way valve is equivalent to two four-way solenoid valves and one three-way solenoid valve, with the nine ports represented by numbers 1 to 9. Solid lines represent cooling connection pipes 111 in the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, and arrows on the solid lines indicate the flow direction of coolant in cooling connection pipes 111. Dashed lines represent air conditioning pipes 190, and arrows on the dashed lines indicate the flow direction of refrigerant in air conditioning pipes 190. Through the cooling connection pipes 111 and air conditioning pipes 190 in the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device 110, the following can be achieved: Figure 6 The connections between the various thermal management components are shown, and are provided. Figure 6 The multiple external interfaces for cooling pipes and air conditioning pipes shown (specifically, radiator inlet interface 1108, radiator outlet interface 1109, DC-DC converter inlet interface 1110, high-pressure liquid heater inlet interface 1111, high-pressure liquid heater outlet interface 1114, on-board charger outlet interface 1112, battery pack inlet interface 1115, battery pack outlet interface 1113, built-in condenser inlet interface 193, built-in condenser outlet interface 194, compressor inlet interface 195, and compressor outlet interface 196) form different thermal management loops.

[0081] The thermal management integrated module 100 of this invention adopts a multi-channel cooling pipe integrated device 110 design, forming a low-cost, lightweight, and space-saving thermal management integrated module 100. Compared with existing vehicle thermal management systems, using the thermal management integrated module 100 of this invention can reduce the cost per vehicle by approximately RMB 300 and reduce the weight by approximately 2 kg. Furthermore, the thermal management integrated module 100 of this invention can be supplied in a modular fashion, significantly optimizing supplier management and production worker hours.

[0082] Based on the same technical concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide an electric vehicle, which includes a thermal management integrated module 100 of any of the foregoing embodiments or combinations thereof.

[0083] Compared with existing vehicle thermal management systems, electric vehicles using the thermal management integrated module 100 of this invention can reduce costs by more than RMB 300 and reduce weight by more than 2 kg per vehicle.

[0084] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and recognized as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A multi-channel cooling pipe integration device, wherein the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device is substantially rectangular in shape, having multiple cooling connection pipes formed therein, and having multiple component mounting points and multiple component connection ports on its surface; wherein The plurality of component mounting points are configured to mount at least two thermal management components thereon; and Each component connection port is connected to the corresponding cooling connection pipe, so that at least two thermal management components installed on the plurality of component mounting points are connected to the corresponding cooling connection pipes through the component connection ports, and the at least two thermal management components are connected to each other through the plurality of cooling connection pipes; The multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device includes a main body, a first cover plate, and a second cover plate; the main body, the first cover plate, and the second cover plate are sequentially assembled together along the thickness direction of the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device; the main body forms a first set of cooling connection pipelines opening toward the first cover plate; the first cover plate seals the first set of cooling connection pipelines and forms a second set of cooling connection pipelines opening toward the second cover plate; the second cover plate seals the second set of cooling connection pipelines.

2. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device according to claim 1, wherein, The component mounting point includes at least two of the following: Installation points for expansion tank, multi-way valve, water pump, heat exchanger, condenser, temperature sensor, and two-way proportional valve.

3. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device according to claim 2, wherein, When the component mounting point includes a water pump mounting point, a plurality of the water pump mounting points are located on one side of one end of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device along its length, and the positions of the plurality of water pump mounting points are distributed such that at least two water pumps can be installed on the same side of one end of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device along its length and arranged along the width direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device; and In the case where the component mounting point also includes an expansion tank mounting point, the expansion tank mounting point is located on the other side of the end where the water pump mounting point of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device is located, so that the expansion tank can be installed on the opposite side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device to the water pump.

4. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device according to claim 2, wherein, When the component mounting point includes a multi-way valve mounting point, the multi-way valve mounting point is located in the middle of one side of the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device, so that the multi-way valve can be installed in the middle of one side of the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device.

5. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device according to claim 4, wherein, In the case where the component mounting point also includes a heat exchanger mounting point, the heat exchanger mounting point is located on the same side of the multi-channel cooling piping integration device as the multi-way valve mounting point, and the positional distribution of the heat exchanger mounting points allows the heat exchanger to be installed on the same side of the multi-channel cooling piping integration device and adjacent to the multi-way valve.

6. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device according to claim 5, wherein, In the case where the component mounting point also includes a condenser mounting point, the condenser mounting point is located at one end of the length direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device on the same side as the heat exchanger mounting point, and the position distribution of the condenser mounting points is such that the condenser can be installed on the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device at a position on the same side as and adjacent to the heat exchanger.

7. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device according to claim 1, wherein, The multi-channel cooling pipe integration device is also provided with multiple external cooling pipe interfaces. The external cooling pipe interfaces are configured to connect to the coolant connection pipes of the vehicle's thermal management objects. The positions of the external cooling pipe interfaces are arranged according to the layout of the thermal management objects to minimize the length of the coolant connection pipes of the thermal management objects.

8. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device according to claim 7, wherein, The external interfaces of the cooling pipeline include a radiator inlet interface, a radiator outlet interface, a DC-DC converter inlet interface, a high-pressure liquid heater inlet interface, a high-pressure liquid heater outlet interface, an on-board charger outlet interface, a battery pack inlet interface, and a battery pack outlet interface. The radiator inlet, the radiator outlet, and the DC-DC converter inlet are located at one end of the length of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device, and the radiator inlet and outlet extend to one side of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device; and The high-pressure liquid heater inlet, the vehicle charger outlet, the battery pack outlet, the high-pressure liquid heater outlet, and the battery pack inlet are located at the other end of the length direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device, arranged sequentially along the width direction of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device, and their extension direction is the same as the extension direction of the radiator inlet.

9. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device according to claim 1, wherein, The multi-channel cooling pipe integration device is also provided with a plurality of mounting ears, each of which protrudes outward from the edge of the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device and each of which has a through hole configured to cooperate with fasteners to install the multi-channel cooling pipe integration device to the vehicle body.

10. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device according to claim 9, wherein, The number of mounting ears is three, and the three mounting ears are respectively disposed on the three edges of the generally rectangular outline of the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device.

11. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integrated device according to claim 1, wherein, The multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device is made of thermally insulating plastic.

12. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device according to claim 11, wherein, The thermally insulating plastic includes polypropylene or polyamide 66.

13. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device according to claim 11, wherein, The main body, the first cover plate, and the second cover plate are injection molded.

14. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device according to claim 11, wherein, The main body, the first cover plate, and the second cover plate are assembled by hot plate welding, friction welding, or laser welding.

15. The multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device according to claim 13, wherein, The multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device also has an expansion tank body fixedly integrated. The expansion tank body consists of a tank body and a tank side cover. The tank body and the second cover plate are integrally formed. The tank side cover is injection molded. The tank body and the tank side cover are assembled by hot plate welding, friction welding or laser welding.

16. A thermal management integrated module, comprising: Multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device according to any one of claims 1-15; as well as At least two thermal management components are mounted on the multi-channel cooling pipeline integration device and are connected to each other through the cooling connection pipeline.

17. The thermal management integrated module according to claim 16, wherein, The thermal management component includes at least two of the following components: Expansion tank, multi-way valve, water pump, heat exchanger, condenser, temperature sensor, dryer bottle, electronic expansion valve, two-way proportional valve, air conditioning piping.

18. An electric vehicle comprising the thermal management integrated module as described in claim 16 or 17.

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