Aeromobile thermal management system

Abstract

This application discloses a thermal management system for a flying car, including a main road, a first branch road, and a second branch road. Both the first and second branch roads are connected to the main road and are arranged in parallel. The main road is equipped with a compressor and a first heat exchanger. The first branch road is equipped with a second heat exchanger for cabin temperature regulation. The second branch road is equipped with a heat exchange component for heat exchange with the battery pack. The thermal management system also includes a first throttling element and a second throttling element. The first throttling element is located in the first branch road and connected in series with the second heat exchanger. The second throttling element is located in the second branch road and connected in series with the heat exchanger. This application controls the flow rate of refrigerant into the first and second branch roads through the first and second throttling elements, effectively distributing the refrigerant flow and meeting the heat dissipation requirements of the battery pack and cabin.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of thermal management, and in particular to a thermal management system for flying cars. Background Technology

[0002] Flying cars typically refer to electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, primarily used for urban air transportation. During flight, the battery discharge rate of a flying car is relatively high, thus requiring battery cooling to prevent overheating and reduced lifespan. Additionally, in hot weather conditions such as summer, the relatively enclosed cabin generates heat from electronic equipment, human body heat, and solar thermal loads, resulting in high cabin air temperatures.

[0003] In related technologies, air cooling is mainly relied upon, using outside air and forced convection heat transfer for cooling and heat dissipation; however, the cooling effect is poor in hot summer days, and the uniformity of heat dissipation when using air cooling to cool the battery pack of flying cars is poor, which affects the battery output capacity and service life.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a system capable of thermal management for flying cars. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a thermal management system for flying cars that can meet the heat dissipation requirements of the battery pack and cabin during flight.

[0006] The objective of this application is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0007] A thermal management system for a flying car includes a main road, a first branch road, and a second branch road. Both the first branch road and the second branch road are connected to the main road, and the first branch road and the second branch road are arranged in parallel.

[0008] The main circuit is equipped with a compressor and a first heat exchanger, and the first branch circuit is equipped with a second heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is used for cabin temperature regulation, and the second branch circuit is equipped with a heat exchange component for exchanging heat with the battery pack.

[0009] The thermal management system further includes a first throttling element and a second throttling element. The first throttling element is located in the first branch and is connected in series with the second heat exchange device. The second throttling element is located in the second branch and is connected in series with the heat exchange device.

[0010] In this application, the thermal management system for the flying car includes a main road, a first branch road, and a second branch road. The first branch road is equipped with a second heat exchange device for cabin temperature regulation. The second branch road is also equipped with a heat exchange component for exchanging heat with the battery pack. The first and second branches road can exchange heat between the cabin and the battery pack, respectively. The flow rate of the refrigerant flowing into the first and second branches road is controlled by a first throttling element and a second throttling element, which can meet the heat dissipation requirements of the battery pack and the cabin road during the flight of the flying car. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the thermal management system for flying cars according to this application;

[0012] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the middle part of the system;

[0013] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling mode according to the second embodiment of this application;

[0014] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the middle part of the system;

[0015] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the heating mode of the second embodiment of this application;

[0016] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the middle part of the system. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The exemplary embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. If several embodiments exist, features in these embodiments may be combined with each other without conflict. When the description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise stated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The descriptions in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application; rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses, products, and / or methods consistent with some aspects of this application as set forth in the claims.

[0018] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” or “the” used in the description and claims of this application are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0019] It should be understood that the terms "first," "second," and similar words used in the specification and claims of this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish features. Similarly, the terms "an" or "a" and similar words do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. Unless otherwise stated, the terms "before," "after," "above," "below," and similar words appearing in this application are for ease of explanation only and are not limited to a specific location or spatial orientation. The terms "comprising" or "including" and similar words are an open-ended expression, meaning that the element preceding "comprising" or "including" covers the element following "comprising" or "including" and its equivalents, which does not exclude that the element preceding "comprising" or "including" may also include other elements. If "several" appears in this application, it means two or more.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the thermal management system for a flying car according to this application is shown, as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system of the flying car includes a main road 10, a first branch road 20, and a second branch road 30. Both the first branch road 20 and the second branch road 30 are connected to the main road 10, and the first branch road 20 and the second branch road 30 are arranged in parallel. The main road 10, the first branch road 20, and the second branch road 30 all have flow channels for refrigerant circulation. The main road 10 is equipped with a compressor 1 and a first heat exchanger 2, and the first branch road 20 is equipped with a second heat exchanger 3, which is used for cabin temperature regulation.

[0021] In the embodiment illustrated in this application, the first heat exchange device 2 is a condenser, and the second heat exchange device 3 is an evaporator. The evaporator is used to provide cooling to the cabin 100 to lower the temperature inside the cabin 100. The first heat exchange device 2 and the second heat exchange device 3 can be microchannel heat exchangers. The evaporator is used for the evaporation of the refrigerant, where the refrigerant absorbs heat from the air and evaporates into a gaseous state, thus cooling the air. The condenser is used for the condensation of the refrigerant, where the refrigerant releases heat and becomes liquid, transferring the heat to the air.

[0022] See also Figure 1 The second branch 30 is equipped with a heat exchanger 4, which is used for heat exchange with the battery pack 200. The second heat exchange device 3 and the heat exchanger 4 are connected in parallel. The heat exchanger 4 includes a heat exchange plate with channels for refrigerant flow. In some embodiments, the heat exchange plate is in direct contact with the battery pack 200 to dissipate heat from the battery pack 200. Related technologies use air cooling to dissipate heat from the battery pack, which can easily lead to uneven heat dissipation. This application uses a heat exchange plate, which provides uniform heat distribution and is beneficial for heat dissipation from the battery pack 200. Of course, in other embodiments, the heat exchange plate and the battery pack 200 can also be in indirect contact, for example, by adding a thermally conductive pad between the heat exchange plate and the battery pack 200.

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system also includes a first throttling element 51 and a second throttling element 52. The first throttling element 51 is located in the first branch 20 and is connected in series with the second heat exchange device 3. The second throttling element 52 is located in the second branch 30 and is connected in series with the heat exchange component 4. In this embodiment, "connected in series" has no specific order and can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection, such as a connection between the two via pipes, valves, etc. The compressor 1, the first heat exchange device 2, the first throttling element 51, and the second heat exchange device 3 are sequentially connected to form a first loop. The compressor 1, the first heat exchange device 2, the second throttling element 52, and the heat exchange component 4 are sequentially connected to form a second loop. The refrigerant circulates in both the first and second loops. During operation, the gaseous refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 1 into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. It then passes through the first heat exchange device 2 and undergoes convective heat exchange with the environment to become a low-temperature, high-pressure liquid. It is then divided into two paths. The first path passes through the first throttling element 51 to the second heat exchange device 3 to cool the cabin 100. The second path passes through the second throttling element 52 to the heat exchange plate, which is used to dissipate heat from the battery pack 200. The refrigerant after heat exchange between the first and second paths returns to the compressor 1, completing a whole cycle.

[0024] See Figure 2 The second heat exchanger 3 has a first interface 31 and a second interface 32, and the heat exchanger 4 has a third interface 41 and a fourth interface 42. In the embodiment illustrated in this application, the first interface 31 and the third interface 41 are both inlets for refrigerant to flow in. The second interface 32 and the fourth interface 42 are both outlets for refrigerant to flow out. The first throttling element 51 is positioned closer to the inlet of the second heat exchanger 3 than the outlet of the second heat exchanger 3, and the second throttling element 52 is positioned closer to the inlet of the heat exchanger 4 than the outlet of the heat exchanger 4. Both the first throttling element 51 and the second throttling element 52 are electronic expansion valves, which can achieve the function of throttling and reducing pressure. Since the two electronic expansion valves are independently located on the inlet flow paths of the second heat exchanger 3 and the heat exchanger 4, they can precisely control the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the second heat exchanger 3 and the heat exchanger 4, so that the refrigerant flow rate is effectively distributed and can meet the heat dissipation requirements of the battery pack and the cabin. Of course, the first throttling element 51 and the second throttling element 52 can also be thermostatic expansion valves.

[0025] See Figure 2 The compressor 1 has a fifth port 11 and a sixth port 12, and the first heat exchanger 2 has a seventh port 21 and an eighth port 22. In the embodiment illustrated in this application, the fifth port 11 of the compressor 1 is the inlet and the sixth port 12 is the outlet; the seventh port 21 of the first heat exchanger 2 is the inlet and the eighth port 22 is the outlet. The second port 32 of the second heat exchanger 3 is connected to the fifth port 11 of the compressor 1, and the sixth port 12 is connected to the seventh port 21.

[0026] See also Figure 2 The first branch 20 also includes a first fan 71 located next to the second heat exchanger 3. The first fan 71 is used to transport air through the second heat exchanger 3 and carry the air through the second heat exchanger 3 to the cabin 100. In this embodiment, the first fan 71 is used to carry the cooling energy generated by the second heat exchanger 3 to the cabin 100 to cool the cabin 100. In addition, under the action of the first fan 71, it is beneficial for the refrigerant in the evaporator to undergo forced convection heat exchange with the air. The refrigerant in the evaporator absorbs heat from the air and turns into gas, and the temperature of the air decreases after heat exchange.

[0027] See Figure 1 The thermal management system also includes a main air duct 40 and at least one branch air duct 50 connected to the main air duct 40, each branch air duct 50 being equipped with an air valve 501. The second heat exchange device 3 and the first fan 71 are located inside the main air duct 40, or the main air duct 40 has a first air inlet 401, and the first fan 71 is located close to the first air inlet 401.

[0028] There are at least two branch ducts 50, each connected to a different location in the cabin 100. One branch duct 50 has its outlet facing the windshield, allowing air to defog the windshield; the other branch duct 50 has its outlet facing the driver's seat, providing cooling for the driver. A damper 501 is used to open or close the branch ducts 50. When a branch duct 50 needs to be opened, the damper 501 controls it to be in the open state, meaning air can enter through the inlet and exit through the outlet; conversely, it is in the closed state.

[0029] See Figure 1 The thermal management system also includes a return air duct 60, which has a second air inlet 601 and a second air outlet 602. The second air inlet 601 is connected to the cabin 100, and the second air outlet 602 faces the second heat exchanger 3. Air in the cabin 100 returns to the evaporator through the return air duct 60 for heat exchange and cooling.

[0030] The main path 10 also includes a second fan 72 located next to the first heat exchange device 2. The second fan 72 is used to transport air from the outside environment through the first heat exchange device 2. In this embodiment, the second fan 72 is used to carry the heat generated by the first heat exchange device 2 to the outside environment. In addition, the action of the second fan 72 facilitates forced convection heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the first heat exchange device 2.

[0031] like Figure 1As shown, the thermal management system also includes a controller 8 and a first temperature sensor 91. The first temperature sensor 91 detects the ambient temperature and feeds it back to the controller 8. The compressor 1, the first fan 71, the second fan 72, and the first temperature sensor 91 are all electrically connected to the controller 8. The controller 8 can implement different control strategies based on different ambient temperatures. That is, the controller 8 adjusts at least one of the following based on changes in the ambient temperature: the frequency of the compressor 1, the speed of the first fan 71, and the speed of the second fan 72. In heat dissipation mode, when the ambient temperature is high, the controller 8 can increase at least one of the following: the frequency of the compressor 1, the speed of the first fan 71, and the speed of the second fan 72, which helps to accelerate heat dissipation. When the ambient temperature is low, the controller 8 can decrease at least one of the following: the frequency of the compressor 1, the speed of the first fan 71, and the speed of the second fan 72, making full use of the cooling capacity of the ambient environment to meet the heat dissipation requirements, which is beneficial for energy saving.

[0032] The thermal management system also includes a second temperature sensor 92 located in the cabin 100, which is electrically connected to the controller 8. The second temperature sensor 92 is used to detect the ambient temperature inside the cabin 100 and feed it back to the controller 8. The controller 8 adjusts at least one of the frequency of the compressor 1, the speed of the first fan 71, and the speed of the second fan 72 according to the ambient temperature inside the cabin 100 to meet the temperature requirements inside the cabin.

[0033] The thermal management system also includes a liquid receiver 300 for storing refrigerant and adjusting and replenishing the refrigerant capacity in the thermal management system. The liquid receiver 300 is located on the first main line 10, which is connected to the inlet of the branch line.

[0034] Figure 3 and Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the thermal management system for flying cars of this application is shown, as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the difference from the first embodiment is that the main circuit 10 is equipped with a reversing valve 6 for reversing the refrigerant flow. The first embodiment does not have a reversing valve and can achieve cooling of the cabin 100 and heat dissipation of the battery pack 200. The second embodiment can achieve both cooling of the cabin 100 and heat dissipation of the battery pack 200, and can also achieve heating of the cabin 100 and heating of the battery pack 200.

[0035] Reversing valve 6 is a four-way valve. See also Figure 4The four-way valve has a first opening 61, a second opening 62, a third opening 63, and a fourth opening 64. The compressor 1 has an inlet and an outlet. The first opening 61 is connected to the outlet of the compressor 1, the second opening 62 is connected to the second heat exchanger 3, the third opening 63 is connected to the inlet of the compressor 1, and the fourth opening 64 is connected to the first heat exchanger 2. Flow reversal refers to changing the refrigerant flow from the outlet of the compressor 1 into the first heat exchanger 2 to the refrigerant flow from the outlet of the compressor 1 into the second heat exchanger 3. Correspondingly, the four-way valve switches the connection between the first opening 61 and the fourth opening 64, and between the second opening 62 and the third opening 63, to the first opening 61 and the second opening 62, and between the third opening 63 and the fourth opening 64. The four-way valve can be a piston-type valve. For example, when the four-way valve is not energized, the first opening 61 is connected to the fourth opening 64, and the second opening 62 is connected to the third opening 63; when the four-way valve is energized, the piston moves to the right, connecting the first opening 61 to the second opening 62, and the third opening 63 to the fourth opening 64.

[0036] The second heat exchanger 3 has a first interface 31 and a second interface 32, the heat exchanger 4 has a third interface 41 and a fourth interface 42, the compressor 1 has a fifth interface 11 and a sixth interface 12, and the first heat exchanger 2 has a seventh interface 21 and an eighth interface 22. The first throttling element 51 is positioned closer to the first interface 31 than the second interface 32 of the second heat exchanger 3; the second throttling element 52 is positioned closer to the third interface 41 than the fourth interface 42 of the heat exchanger 4.

[0037] The first opening 61 of the reversing valve 6 is connected to the sixth port 12 of the compressor 1, the second opening 61 is connected to the second port 32 of the second heat exchanger 3, the third opening 63 is connected to the fifth port 11 of the compressor 1, and the fourth opening 64 is connected to the seventh port 21 of the first heat exchanger 2. The fifth port 11 of the compressor 1 is the inlet for refrigerant to flow in, and the sixth port 12 of the compressor 1 is the outlet for refrigerant to flow out.

[0038] The flying car's thermal management system has a cooling mode and a heating mode. In cooling mode, the first heat exchanger 2 is a condenser, and the second heat exchanger 3 is an evaporator. The evaporator is used to cool the cabin 100, and the heat exchanger 4 is used to cool the battery pack 200. The first interface 31 and the third interface 41 are both inlets for refrigerant to flow in. The second interface 32 and the fourth interface 42 are both outlets for refrigerant to flow out. The first throttling element 51 is positioned closer to the inlet than the outlet of the second heat exchanger 3, and the second throttling element 52 is positioned closer to the inlet than the outlet of the heat exchanger 4.

[0039] When the thermal management system is in cooling mode, such as Figure 4 As shown, the four-way valve connects the first opening 61 and the fourth opening 64, and the second opening 62 and the third opening 63. The refrigerant is transformed into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas by the compressor 1, and discharged through the first opening 61 and the fourth opening 64, entering the first heat exchanger 2. After absorbing cold and releasing heat in the first heat exchanger 2, it becomes a liquid and then splits into two paths. The first path passes through the first throttling element 51 to the second heat exchanger 3 to cool the cabin 100. The second path passes through the second throttling element 52 to the heat exchange plate to dissipate heat from the battery pack 200. The refrigerant after heat exchange between the first and second paths returns to the compressor 1, completing a full cycle.

[0040] In heating mode, the first heat exchanger 2 is an evaporator, and the second heat exchanger 3 is a condenser. The condenser is used to heat the cabin 100, and the heat exchanger 4 is used to heat the battery pack 200. In heating mode, the second port 32 and the fourth port 42 are both inlets for refrigerant to flow in. The first port 31 and the third port 41 are both outlets for refrigerant to flow out. The first throttling element 51 is positioned closer to the outlet than the inlet of the second heat exchanger 3, and the second throttling element 52 is positioned closer to the outlet than the inlet of the heat exchanger 4.

[0041] The working process in heating mode, such as Figure 6 As shown, the four-way valve is connected to the first opening 61 and the second opening 62, and the third opening 63 and the fourth opening 64. The refrigerant is transformed into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas by the compressor 1, and discharged through the first opening 61 and the second opening 62. Then it is divided into two paths. The first path enters the second heat exchange device 3, where it absorbs cold and releases heat and becomes liquid. The released heat is transferred to the cabin 100 to raise the temperature. The second path passes through the heat exchange plate to preheat the battery pack 200 to prevent the temperature from being too low and affecting the performance. The refrigerant after heat exchange between the first and second paths returns to the compressor 1 through the first heat exchange device 2, completing a whole cycle.

[0042] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate this application and are not intended to limit the technical solutions described in this application. The understanding of this specification should be based on those skilled in the art. Although this specification has described this application in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still make modifications or equivalent substitutions to this application. All technical solutions and improvements that do not depart from the spirit and scope of this application should be covered within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A flying car thermal management system, characterized by, It includes a main road, a first branch road, and a second branch road. Both the first branch road and the second branch road are connected to the main road, and the first branch road and the second branch road are arranged in parallel. The main circuit is equipped with a compressor and a first heat exchanger, and the first branch circuit is equipped with a second heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is used for cabin temperature regulation, and the second branch circuit is equipped with a heat exchange component for exchanging heat with the battery pack. The thermal management system further includes a first throttling element and a second throttling element. The first throttling element is located in the first branch and is connected in series with the second heat exchange device. The second throttling element is located in the second branch and is connected in series with the heat exchange element. The main circuit is also equipped with a reversing valve, which has a first opening, a second opening, a third opening, and a fourth opening; the compressor has an inlet and an outlet, the first opening is connected to the outlet of the compressor, the second opening is connected to the second heat exchange device, the third opening is connected to the inlet of the compressor, and the fourth opening is connected to the first heat exchange device. The reversing valve can switch the connection between the first opening and the fourth opening and the connection between the second opening and the third opening to the connection between the first opening and the second opening and the connection between the third opening and the fourth opening.

2. The flying car thermal management system of claim 1, wherein, The main road, the first branch road, and the second branch road all have flow channels for refrigerant flow, and the second heat exchange device and the heat exchange element are connected in parallel; The thermal management system of the flying car has a heat dissipation mode. In the heat dissipation mode, the first heat exchange device is a condenser, the second heat exchange device is an evaporator, the evaporator is used to cool the cabin, and the heat exchange device is used to dissipate heat from the battery pack.

3. The thermal management system for flying cars according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermal management system of the flying car has a heat dissipation mode and a heating mode. In the heat dissipation mode, the first opening and the fourth opening are connected. The first heat exchange device is a condenser, the second heat exchange device is an evaporator, the evaporator is used to cool the cabin, and the heat exchange device is used to dissipate heat from the battery pack. In heating mode, the first opening and the second opening are connected, the first heat exchange device is an evaporator, the second heat exchange device is a condenser, the condenser is used to heat the cabin, and the heat exchanger is used to heat the battery pack.

4. The flying car thermal management system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The heat exchanger includes a heat exchange plate having a channel for refrigerant flow, and the heat exchange plate is in contact with the battery pack.

5. The flying car thermal management system of claim 4, wherein, The first branch also includes a first fan, which is located next to the second heat exchange device. The first fan is used to transport air through the second heat exchange device and bring the air through the second heat exchange device to the cabin.

6. The flying car thermal management system of claim 5, wherein, The thermal management system further includes a main air duct and at least one branch air duct connected to the main air duct, and each branch air duct is equipped with an air valve; The second heat exchange device and the first fan are located inside the main air duct, or the main air duct has a first air inlet and the first fan is located close to the first air inlet; There are at least two branch ducts, and different branch ducts are connected to different locations in the cabin.

7. The flying car thermal management system of claim 6, wherein, The thermal management system also includes a return air duct, which has a second air inlet and a second air outlet. The second air inlet is connected to the cabin, and the second air outlet faces the second heat exchange device.

8. The thermal management system for flying cars according to claim 5, characterized in that, The main path also includes a second fan located next to the first heat exchange device, which is used to transport air from the outside environment through the first heat exchange device.

9. The flying car thermal management system of claim 8, wherein, The thermal management system further includes a controller and a first temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor being used to detect the ambient temperature, and the first temperature sensor being electrically connected to the controller; the controller adjusts at least one of the frequency of the compressor, the speed of the first fan, and the speed of the second fan according to changes in the ambient temperature.

10. The flying car thermal management system of claim 9, wherein, The thermal management system further includes a second temperature sensor located in the cabin. The second temperature sensor is used to detect the ambient temperature inside the cabin. The second temperature sensor is electrically connected to the controller. The controller adjusts at least one of the frequency of the compressor, the speed of the first fan, and the speed of the second fan according to the ambient temperature inside the cabin.

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