Thermal management device

Abstract

The application discloses a heat management device, comprising a housing and a fluid driving element, a flow path switching element, a heat exchange element, a heating element installed in the housing. The heat exchange element and the heating element are connected in parallel, and the fluid driving element is connected with the two elements in parallel through the flow path switching element. The flow path switching element controls the cooling liquid to flow towards the heat exchange element as a heat dissipation mode, and controls the cooling liquid to flow towards the heating element as a heating mode. The housing comprises a first wall surface and a second wall surface, the first wall surface is provided with an air inlet, and the second wall surface is provided with an air outlet. In the heat dissipation mode, air enters the housing from the air inlet, and after heat exchange with the cooling liquid flowing in the heat exchange element, the air is discharged out of the housing from the air outlet. The application can meet the heat dissipation and heating requirements of the charging gun line, especially solve the high-temperature heat dissipation problem under the fast charging condition, and improve the charging efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of thermal management technology, and in particular to a thermal management device for a charging pile gun cable. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, with the rapid development of the new energy vehicle industry, the requirements for car charging stations are also increasing. As users demand faster charging times, fast charging and super-fast charging have become future trends. Under these conditions, the charging station's current and voltage must be very high. During fast charging, the charging cable releases a large amount of heat, causing a rapid temperature rise. Excessive temperature can reduce the safety and durability of the charging cable, even leading to its failure. The high-temperature heat dissipation problem of the charging station system is even more prominent under fast charging conditions. Existing charging station charging cables have poor heat dissipation capabilities, failing to meet the heat dissipation requirements of high-power charging cables, thus affecting the normal operation of the charging station. Furthermore, the low temperature environment causes the charging gun handle to be cold, resulting in a poor user experience.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a thermal management device that can dissipate heat and heat the charging terminal. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned problems in the related technologies, this application provides a thermal management device that can meet the requirements of heat dissipation and heating.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: a thermal management device having a heat dissipation mode and a heating mode. The thermal management device includes a housing, a fluid drive element, a flow path switching element, a heat exchange element, and a heating element. The fluid drive element, the flow path switching element, the heat exchange element, and the heating element are installed inside the housing. The heat exchange element and the heating element are connected in parallel. The fluid drive element is connected to the two parallel elements through the flow path switching element. The housing includes a first wall and a second wall. The first wall has an air inlet, and the second wall has an air outlet. In the heat dissipation mode, cold air enters the housing through the air inlet. The cold air exchanges heat with the coolant flowing in the heat exchange element and becomes hot air. The hot air is discharged outside the housing through the air outlet.

[0006] In this application, the thermal management device has an air inlet and an air outlet respectively provided on the first and second walls of the housing. Natural cold source air enters the housing through the air inlet and exchanges heat with the coolant in the heat exchange element. The air after heat exchange is discharged outside the housing through the air outlet, thus meeting the heat dissipation requirements of the charging cable. The thermal management device also includes a heating element connected in parallel with the heat exchange element, meeting the heating requirements of the charging cable in low-temperature environments. Furthermore, the thermal management device facilitates switching between heat dissipation and heating modes by incorporating a flow path switching element. This application effectively meets the heat dissipation and heating requirements of the charging cable, particularly solving the high-temperature heat dissipation problem under fast charging conditions and improving charging efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional combined schematic diagram of the thermal management device of Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0008] Figure 2 Is with Figure 1 A similar three-dimensional assembly diagram, but excluding the front wall;

[0009] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional composite diagram from another angle;

[0010] Figure 4 This is a partial exploded perspective view of Embodiment 1 of the thermal management device of this application;

[0011] Figure 5 This is another exploded perspective view of Embodiment 1 of the thermal management device of this application;

[0012] Figure 6 Is with Figure 3 A similar three-dimensional assembly diagram, but excluding the right wall;

[0013] Figure 7 It is Figure 3 An exploded three-dimensional view showing the rear wall and second plate separated from other components;

[0014] Figure 8 This is a front view schematic diagram of Embodiment 1 of the thermal management device of this application, excluding the front wall surface;

[0015] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A partially enlarged schematic diagram;

[0016] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional combined schematic diagram of Embodiment 2 of the thermal management device of this application;

[0017] Figure 11 Is with Figure 10 A similar three-dimensional assembly diagram, but excluding the front wall;

[0018] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 A three-dimensional composite diagram from another angle;

[0019] Figure 13 This is a partial exploded perspective view of Embodiment 2 of the thermal management device of this application;

[0020] Figure 14 This is another exploded perspective view of Embodiment 2 of the thermal management device of this application;

[0021] Figure 15 Is with Figure 12 A similar three-dimensional assembly diagram, but excluding the right wall;

[0022] Figure 16 It is Figure 12 An exploded three-dimensional view showing the rear wall and second plate separated from other components;

[0023] Figure 17 This is a front view schematic diagram of Embodiment 2 of the thermal management device of this application, excluding the front wall surface;

[0024] Figure 18 yes Figure 17 A partially enlarged schematic diagram;

[0025] Figure 19 This is a rear view schematic diagram of Embodiment 2 of the thermal management device of this application, excluding the rear wall surface;

[0026] Figure 20 yes Figure 19 A partially enlarged schematic diagram;

[0027] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the end face of the gun wire related to the thermal management device of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0029] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0030] It should be understood that the terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this application specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, "a" or "one," and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one; "multiple" indicates two or more. Unless otherwise stated, terms such as "front," "rear," "lower," and / or "upper" are for illustrative purposes only and are not limited to a location or spatial orientation. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" indicate that the elements or objects preceding "comprising" encompass the elements or objects listed following "comprising" or "including" and their equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects.

[0031] The thermal management device of an exemplary embodiment of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the features of the following embodiments and implementations can complement or combine with each other.

[0032] like Figures 1 to 20 As shown, the thermal management device of this application includes a housing 1, a fluid drive element 2, a flow path switching element 3, a heat exchange element 4, and a heating element 5. The fluid drive element 2, the flow path switching element 3, the heat exchange element 4, and the heating element 5 are installed within the housing 1. The heat exchange element 4 and the heating element 5 are connected in parallel. The fluid drive element 2 is connected to the two parallel elements, namely the heat exchange element 4 and the heating element 5, respectively, through the flow path switching element 3. Adjacent elements among the fluid drive element 2, the flow path switching element 3, the heat exchange element 4, and the heating element 5 can be connected via pipes 300; some elements can also be directly connected, meaning some pipes 300 can be omitted. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 7 and Figure 16 The pipeline 300 includes an inlet pipeline 3001 and an outlet pipeline 3002 connected to the heat exchange element 4.

[0033] The thermal management device of this application has a heat dissipation mode and a heating mode. Under the driving action of the fluid drive element 2, the coolant flows towards the heat exchange element 4 or the heating element 5 under the control of the flow path switching element 3. When the flow path switching element 3 controls the coolant to flow towards the heat exchange element 4, it is in heat dissipation mode; when the flow path switching element 3 controls the coolant to flow towards the heating element 5, it is in heating mode.

[0034] The housing 1 includes a first wall surface 11, a second wall surface 12, a third wall surface 13, a fourth wall surface 14, a fifth wall surface 15, and a sixth wall surface 16. The first wall surface 11 (i.e., the left wall surface) and the second wall surface 12 (i.e., the right wall surface) are positioned opposite each other in a first direction (i.e., the left-right direction). The third wall surface 13 (i.e., the front wall surface) and the fourth wall surface 14 (i.e., the rear wall surface) are positioned opposite each other in a second direction (i.e., the front-back direction). The fifth wall surface 15 (i.e., the top wall surface) and the sixth wall surface 16 (i.e., the bottom wall surface) are positioned opposite each other in a third direction (i.e., the up-down direction). Therefore, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are mutually perpendicular.

[0035] The first wall surface 11 is provided with an air inlet 110, and the second wall surface 12 is provided with an air outlet 120. In the first direction, the heat exchange element 4 is located between the first wall surface 11 and the second wall surface 12. The fan 6 is located between the heat exchange element 4 and the air outlet 120 of the second wall surface 12, and the filter plate 7 is located between the air inlet 110 of the first wall surface 11 and the heat exchange element 4. That is, the filter plate 7, the heat exchange element 4, and the fan 6 are arranged sequentially from left to right in the first direction. Therefore, in the heat dissipation mode, cold air under natural conditions enters the housing 1 through the air inlet 110. After being drawn in by the fan 6 and filtered by the filter plate 7, the cold air exchanges heat with the coolant flowing in the heat exchange element 4 and becomes hot air. The hot air is discharged from the housing 1 through the air outlet 120.

[0036] The fluid drive element 2 is a pump, which drives and transports fluid in a circulation loop. The flow path switching element 3 is an electric valve with three ports. The three ports include a first port 31, a second port 32, and a third port 33, one of which is an inlet and the other two are outlets. The inlet and the two outlets form two parallel branches, and an electrical signal controls the flow path switching element 3 to switch between the two branches. The fluid drive element 2 is located on the main path relative to the branches, and the heat exchange element 4 and the heating element 5 are each located on one of the branches.

[0037] The heat exchange element 4 is a multi-channel heat exchanger, optionally a microchannel heat exchanger. The heat exchange element 4 includes multiple parallel flat tubes 41, which extend longitudinally in the vertical direction and are spaced apart in the front-back direction. An airflow channel is formed between adjacent flat tubes 41, and the airflow channel has an air inlet side facing the first wall surface 11 and an air outlet side facing the second wall surface 12. In this application, since the air inlet 110 is located on the first wall surface 11 and the air outlet 120 is located on the second wall surface 12, the heat exchange element 4 is positioned closer to the second wall surface 12 than to the first wall surface 11. This facilitates the discharge of hot air from the air outlet 120 of the second wall surface 12 outside the housing 1 during heat dissipation.

[0038] The heating element 5 is an electric heater, and the interior of the electric heater forms a heating chamber for fluid to pass through. The working principle of the electric heater is to convert electrical energy into heat energy, that is, after the electric heater is energized, it can heat the fluid passing through its heating chamber. In this application, the heating element 5 heats the coolant flowing into its heating chamber in a low-temperature environment.

[0039] The thermal management device of this application also includes a fan 6 and a filter plate 7. The filter plate 7 is disposed on the air inlet side of the heat exchange element 4 and is used to filter dust in the air, thereby protecting the heat exchange element 4; the fan 6 is disposed on the air outlet side of the heat exchange element 4 and is used to make air flow from the air inlet 110 to the air outlet 120.

[0040] The thermal management device of this application also includes a first plate 8 and a second plate 9, both of which are connected to the housing 1. The fan 6 is fixedly mounted on the air outlet side of the heat exchange element 4 via the first plate 8. In addition to fixing the fan 6, the first plate 8 also positions the heat exchange element 4 and the filter plate 7. The function of the second plate 9 is to first connect the heating element 5, the fluid drive element 2, and the flow path switching element 3 into a whole, and then fix the whole assembly to the fourth wall surface 14, i.e., the rear wall surface; of course, the second plate 9 can also fix only one or more of the heating element 5, the fluid drive element 2, and the flow path switching element 3 to the rear wall surface.

[0041] The first plate 8 includes a main body 81 and a pair of wings 82 extending horizontally from the upper and lower ends of the main body 81. The fan 6 can be mounted on the first plate 8 on opposite sides of the main body 81. Figures 1 to 9 In the first embodiment shown, the fan 6 is installed on the left side of the main body 81, and the fan 6 is located between the heat exchange element 4 and the main body 81; Figures 10 to 20In the second embodiment shown, the fan 6 is installed on the right side of the main body 81, and the fan 6 is located between the main body 81 and the second wall 12.

[0042] The multi-channel heat exchanger also includes two manifolds 42 fixed to the upper and lower ends of the flat tube 41 for distributing coolant. The upper end of each flat tube 41 is inserted into the upper manifold 42, and the lower end of each flat tube 41 is inserted into the lower manifold 42. Each manifold 42 includes an outer wall surface 420 and a positioning plate 43 fixed to the outer wall surface 420. The positioning plate 43 is fixedly connected to the wing 82, thereby positioning the heat exchange element 4 on the first plate 8 and preventing the heat exchange element 4 from shaking within the housing 1. In this embodiment, the fixing method is not specifically limited and can be welding, fastener connection, snap-fit, adhesive, etc.

[0043] exist Figures 1 to 9 In the illustrated embodiment, the first plate 8 forms a first positioning part 820 at the free end of each of the wing portions 82. That is, two first positioning parts 820 are spaced apart and extend relatively close to each other in the vertical direction. The upper and lower ends of the filter plate 7 are detachably connected to the two first positioning parts 820 respectively, thereby positioning the filter plate 7 on the first plate 8, preventing the filter plate 7 from shaking within the housing 1, and facilitating disassembly and replacement when the filter plate 7 needs to be replaced.

[0044] In Embodiments 1 and 2, the first plate 8 fixes the fan 6, the heat exchange element 4, and the filter plate 7 into a first integral unit, which is installed on the side where the second wall surface 14 is located; and the second plate 9 fixes the fluid drive element 2, the flow path switching element 3, and the heating element 5 into a second integral unit, which is installed on the side where the fourth wall surface 14 is located. This arrangement allows the important functional components of the thermal management device of this application (such as the fluid drive element 2, the flow path switching element 3, the heat exchange element 4, and the heating element 5, and optionally, the fan 6 and the filter plate 7) to be pre-positioned on two separate plates before being installed on two adjacent walls of the housing 1, facilitating assembly and spatial layout.

[0045] The second plate 9 includes a base plate 91, two second positioning portions 92, and a bending portion 93. The base plate 91 is arranged parallel to the third wall surface 13. The two second positioning portions 92 are bent in the same direction and formed on one side of the base plate 91, and the bending portion 93 extends from the other side of the base plate 91. In Embodiment 1, the two second positioning portions 92 and the bending portion 93 are located on adjacent sides of the base plate 91, specifically, as shown... Figure 7 As shown in the figure, two second positioning portions 92 are disposed on the left edge of the substrate 91 and one bending portion 93 is disposed on the bottom edge of the substrate 91; in the second embodiment, one bending portion 93 and two second positioning portions 92 are located on opposite sides of the substrate 91, specifically, as shown in the figure. Figure 16 As shown, two second positioning portions 92 are disposed on the right edge of the substrate 91 and one bending portion 93 is disposed on the left edge of the substrate 91. In Embodiment 1 of this application, the two second positioning portions 92 on the left side are used to install and fix the heating element 5; in Embodiment 2 of this application, the upper and lower ends of the filter plate 7 are detachably connected to the two second positioning portions 92 respectively, which can also prevent the filter plate 7 from shaking inside the housing 1, and also facilitate disassembly and replacement when the filter plate 7 needs to be replaced.

[0046] In Embodiment 1 of this application, the first plate 8 and the second plate 9 are separately disposed; in Embodiment 2 of this application, the first plate 8 and the second plate 9 are connected. Please refer to... Figure 3 and Figure 8 When the first plate 8 and the second plate 9 are separately installed, the first plate 8 is fixed to the second wall surface 12 with screws, and the second plate 9 is welded to or fixed to the fourth wall surface 14 with screws. That is, the first plate 8 and the second plate 9 are respectively fixed to two adjacent walls of the housing 1, namely the second wall surface 12 and the fourth wall surface 14. Please refer to... Figures 16 to 20 When the first plate 8 and the second plate 9 are connected, the first plate 8 further includes a bent portion 83 formed on the side edge of the wing 82. The second plate 9 is fixedly connected to the bent portion 83 of the first plate 8, thus pre-fixing the first plate 8 and the second plate 9 as a single unit; then, at least one of the first plate 8 and the second plate 9 is fixed to the housing 1. Please refer to... Figure 16 The first plate 8 further includes two folded edges 84 formed on the front and rear sides of the main body 81. The two folded edges 84 are respectively fixed to the third wall surface 13 and the fourth wall surface 14 by screws, and / or the substrate 91 is fixed to the fourth wall surface 14 by screws. Therefore, when the first plate 8 and the second plate 9 are fixedly connected as a whole, the overall assembly can be completed by fixing at least one of the first plate 8 and the second plate 9 to the housing 1 with screws.

[0047] Please refer to Example 1. Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 8 And in conjunction with reference to embodiment two Figure 11 , Figure 12 , Figure 17 The second port 32 is positioned opposite to the third port 33, and the first port 31 is located on the side of the line connecting the second port 32 and the third port 33. In addition to the first port 31, the second port 32, and the third port 33, the flow path switching element 3 also includes a mounting part 34, which is formed on the other side of the line connecting the second port 32 and the third port 33. The mounting part 34 is fixedly connected to the bending part 93 to mount the flow path switching element 3 onto the second plate 9. The first port 31 communicates with the outlet of the fluid driving element 2, the second port 32 communicates with the inlet of the heat exchange element 4, and the third port 33 communicates with the inlet of the heating element 5. Therefore, the fluid driving element 2 is located on the main flow path of the coolant, and the heat exchange element 4 and the heating element 5 are located on two separate branches of the coolant flow path. The heat exchange element 4 and the heating element 5 are connected in parallel, and a three-way connector 10 is provided at the intersection of the outlet of the heat exchange element 4, the outlet of the heating element 5, and the main flow path.

[0048] Please refer to Example 1. Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 8 When the second port 32 and the third port 33 are arranged oppositely in the vertical direction, the flow path switching element 3 is vertically fixed on the second plate 9, and the bent portion 93 extends laterally to the bottom edge of the substrate 91; please refer to Embodiment 2. Figure 11 , Figure 12 , Figure 17When the second port 32 and the third port 33 are arranged oppositely in the left-right direction, the flow path switching element 3 is horizontally fixed on the second plate 9, and the bent portion 93 extends vertically to the left edge of the substrate 91. Alternatively, in both embodiments, the flow path switching element 3 is fixed to the second plate 9, but the installation methods are not entirely the same. When the second port 32 and the third port 33 are arranged oppositely in the third direction, the bent portion 93 is located at the bottom edge of the substrate 91 and extends out of the substrate 91 in the second direction; when the second port 32 and the third port 33 are arranged oppositely in the first direction, the bent portion 93 is located at the left edge of the substrate 91 and extends out of the substrate 91 in the second direction. Furthermore, due to the different installation methods in the two embodiments, the positions of the inlet pipe 3001 and the outlet pipe 3002 are also interchanged in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. Specifically, in Embodiment 1, the inlet pipe 3001 is installed near the fourth wall surface 14 (rear wall surface) and the outlet pipe 3002 is installed near the third wall surface 13 (front wall surface). In Embodiment 2, the inlet pipe 3001 is installed near the third wall surface 13 (front wall surface) and the outlet pipe 3002 is installed near the fourth wall surface 14 (rear wall surface). Corresponding to the different installation positions of the inlet pipe 3001 and outlet pipe 3002 connected to the heat exchange element 4, the positions of the inlet pipe and outlet pipe connected to the heating element 5 also change. Therefore, the component assembly method of this application is more flexible.

[0049] This application's thermal management device can be used for heat dissipation and heating of the charging gun cable in fast charging piles. The charging gun cable contains positive and negative cables, which generate heat during fast charging. If heat is not dissipated in time, especially in high-temperature environments like summer, it can easily lead to safety issues such as melting. Additionally, in low-temperature conditions, the charging gun handle is cold, requiring users to hold the handle to connect to the vehicle's connector, causing hand fatigue. Furthermore, in low-temperature environments, the positive and negative cables have high rigidity, poor mobility and rotatability, increasing the difficulty of connection. Forced connection can also cause mechanical damage to the positive and negative cables. Moreover, in low-temperature environments, connecting and disconnecting the charging gun terminals from the terminals on the electric vehicle also becomes more difficult.

[0050] Figure 21 This diagram shows the end face of the gun wire related to the thermal management device of this application. Please refer to... Figure 21The two small circles represent the inlet pipe 101 and the outlet pipe 102, respectively, while the large circle represents the two charging cables in the charging gun: the positive cable 201 and the negative cable 202. The inlet pipe 101, the outlet pipe 102, the positive cable 201, and the negative cable 202 are all housed within the outer casing of the charging gun's charging cables and extend from the charging station (not shown) to the charging head (not shown). In one embodiment, the inlet pipe 101 and the outlet pipe 102 are the same cable, with one end connected to the first connector 301 and the other end connected to the second connector 302. The cable rotates inside the charging head (not shown). In heating mode, the portion of the cable inside the charging head can heat the charging head, allowing the charging gun to preheat in low-temperature environments. This prevents users from experiencing cold hands when plugging or unplugging the charging head, improving user satisfaction. In another embodiment, please refer to the reference... Figure 10 On the one hand, there is a connecting component 100 inside the nozzle, which connects the inlet pipe 101 and the outlet pipe 102. Therefore, the coolant in the inlet pipe 101 flows back to the outlet pipe 102 after reaching the nozzle. On the other hand, the pipe 300 exposed above the fifth wall surface 15 in the thermal management device of this application cannot be closed, and a storage tank 200 is usually installed above the fifth wall surface 15. The end of the inlet pipe 101 is connected to the pipe 300 on one side through a first connector 301, and the end of the outlet pipe 102 is connected to the pipe 300 on the other side through another second connector 302. The pipe 300 on the other side is connected to the storage tank 200. With this arrangement, it is equivalent to the inlet pipe 101 and the outlet pipe 102 being connected through the connecting component 100 and then each connected to the unclosed pipe 300 at both ends through connectors 301 and 302, becoming part of the coolant flow circuit. Alternatively, the thermal management device can be understood as follows: It includes a storage tank 200, a first connector 301, and a second connector 302. The fluid drive element 2, the flow path switching element 3, the heat exchange element 4, and the heating element 5 are connected between the first connector 301 and the second connector 302. One of the first connector 301 and the second connector 302 is used to connect to the inlet pipe 101 of the gun wire, and the other is used to connect to the outlet pipe 102 of the gun wire. The first connector 301 and the second connector 302 are located on the outside of the housing 1. The storage tank 200 is connected in series with the fluid drive element 2. The storage tank 200 is located on the outside of the housing 1. "Connected in series" means that the storage tank 200 and the fluid drive element 2 are in communication; they can be directly connected or other components can be placed between them.

[0051] Please refer to it again. Figure 2The thermal management device of this application also includes a filter element 400, which is connected in series with the fluid drive element 2. Specifically, the outlet of the filter element 400 is connected to the inlet of the fluid drive element 2 to filter impurities such as particulate matter in the coolant, preventing impurities from entering the fluid drive element 2 and causing damage, thus effectively protecting the fluid drive element 2. The thermal management device of this application also includes a valve 500, which is connected in series with the fluid drive element 2. Specifically, the outlet of the valve 500 is connected to the inlet of the filter element 400. The valve 500 is a shut-off valve. In some embodiments, the valve 500 is a check valve. During maintenance, the flow path is disconnected at the check valve, and the flow path will be closed without the problem of coolant leakage. In other embodiments, the valve 500 is a ball valve. During maintenance, the flow path is closed by the ball valve. This embodiment facilitates maintenance by setting the valve 500.

[0052] The principle of heat dissipation for the charging gun wires in this application is as follows: the inlet pipe 101 and the outlet pipe 102 are arranged in parallel beside the positive cable 201 and the negative cable 202 in the charging gun wires. Therefore, the coolant in the inlet pipe 101 can exchange heat with the positive and negative cables 201 and 202 during the process of flowing from the adapter 100 to the outlet pipe 102, thereby transferring the heat generated by the positive and negative cables 201 and 202 during the fast charging process to the coolant. This application controls the flow path switching element 3 to switch to the connected state of the first port 31 and the second port 32. At this time, the heating element 5 does not work, and the coolant carrying heat in the heat exchange element 4 exchanges heat with the cold air entering the housing 1, finally dissipating the heat generated by the positive and negative cables 201 and 202 outside the housing 1, thus achieving the heat dissipation effect of the positive and negative cables in the charging gun wires in this application. While dissipating heat from the gun wire, this application also enables heat exchange between the adapter 100 and the wiring terminals on the gun head.

[0053] The principle of the thermal management device of this application for heating the gun wire is as follows: This application controls the flow path switching element 3 to switch to the communication state between the first port 31 and the third port 33. At this time, the heat exchange element 4 does not work, and the heat generated by the heating element 5 heats the coolant. The heated coolant flows to the gun head and transfers the heat to the gun wire, avoiding mechanical damage to the gun wire under low temperature conditions. At the same time, it also facilitates the connection of the terminal block on the gun head to the vehicle charging connector.

[0054] The thermal management device of this application has an air inlet 110 and an air outlet 120 respectively provided on the first wall 11 and the second wall 12 opposite to each other on the housing 1. Natural cold source, i.e., air, enters the housing 1 through the air inlet 110 and exchanges heat with the coolant carrying the heat of the charging gun wire in the heat exchange element 4. The air after heat exchange is discharged from the housing 1 through the air outlet 120, which meets the heat dissipation requirements of the charging gun wire. The thermal management device of this application adds a heating element 5 connected in parallel with the heat exchange element 4 to meet the heating requirements of the charging gun wire in low-temperature environments. The thermal management device of this application facilitates the switching between heat dissipation mode and heating mode by setting a flow path switching element 3. The thermal management device of this application realizes the rational arrangement of important functional components in the housing 1 by setting a first plate 8 and a second plate 9, making full use of space, facilitating assembly, and achieving miniaturization.

[0055] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application in any way. Although this application has disclosed the preferred embodiment as above, it is not intended to limit this application. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application without departing from the content of the technical solution of this application shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of this application.

Claims

1. A thermal management device, comprising a heat dissipation mode and a heating mode, characterized in that, The thermal management device includes: a housing, a fluid drive element, a flow path switching element, a heat exchange element, and a heating element. The fluid drive element, the flow path switching element, the heat exchange element, and the heating element are installed in the housing. The heat exchange element and the heating element are connected in parallel. The fluid drive element is connected to the two parallel elements through the flow path switching element. The housing includes a first wall and a second wall. The first wall is provided with an air inlet, and the second wall is provided with an air outlet. In the heat dissipation mode, cold air enters the housing through the air inlet. The cold air exchanges heat with the coolant flowing in the heat exchange element and becomes hot air. The hot air is discharged from the housing through the air outlet. The thermal management device further includes a first plate and a second plate. The first plate includes a main body and a pair of wings extending from the main body. When the first plate and the second plate are connected, the first plate includes a bent portion located at the side edge of the wing. The second plate is fixedly connected to the bent portion of the first plate. At least one of the first plate and the second plate is fixed to the housing.

2. The thermal management device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The first wall surface and the second wall surface are disposed opposite each other in a first direction, and the heat exchange element is located between the first wall surface and the second wall surface; Compared to the first wall surface, the heat exchange element is positioned closer to the second wall surface; the heat exchange element is a multi-channel heat exchanger, which includes multiple flat tubes arranged in parallel, the flat tubes being spaced apart in the second direction and extending longitudinally in the third direction, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction being mutually perpendicular; an air circulation channel is formed between two adjacent flat tubes, the air circulation channel having an air inlet side facing the first wall surface and an air outlet side facing the second wall surface; The thermal management device includes a first connector and a second connector. The fluid drive element, the flow path switching element, the heat exchange element and the heating element are connected between the first connector and the second connector. One of the first connector and the second connector is used to connect to the inlet pipe of the gun wire, and the other of the first connector and the second connector is used to connect to the outlet pipe of the gun wire. The first connector and the second connector are located on the outside of the housing. In the heat dissipation mode, the coolant flows toward the heat exchange element under the driving action of the fluid driving element and the control of the flow path switching element. In the heating mode, the coolant flows toward the heating element under the driving action of the fluid driving element and the control of the flow path switching element.

3. The thermal management device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The thermal management device further includes a fan, which is fixedly mounted on the first plate and the first plate is fixedly connected to the housing. In a first direction, the fan is located between the heat exchange element and the second wall. The fan is fixed to the main body, and the fan can be installed on both opposite sides of the main body. The fan is located between the heat exchange element and the main body, or the fan is located between the main body and the second wall.

4. The thermal management device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The multi-channel heat exchanger also includes two manifolds located at opposite ends of the flat tube. The thermal management device also includes a positioning plate. Each manifold includes an outer wall surface, and the positioning plate is connected to the outer wall surface and fixedly connected to the wing.

5. The thermal management device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The housing includes a third wall, a fourth wall, a fifth wall, and a sixth wall. The third wall and the fourth wall are disposed opposite each other in the second direction, and the fifth wall and the sixth wall are disposed opposite each other in the third direction. The second plate is connected to the housing and is disposed on one of the third wall and the fourth wall. At least one of the heating element, the fluid driving element, and the flow path switching element is fixedly connected to the second plate.

6. The thermal management device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The thermal management device further includes a filter plate located between the air inlet and the heat exchange element. At least one of the first plate and the second plate includes a positioning part, and the filter plate is disposed on the air inlet side of the heat exchange element and fixedly connected to the positioning part. The positioning portion includes two first positioning portions located at the free end of the wing portion, the two first positioning portions extending relatively close to each other in the third direction, and the two ends of the filter plate being detachably connected to the two first positioning portions respectively; or, the second plate includes a base plate arranged parallel to the third wall surface, the positioning portion including two second positioning portions bent and formed on one side of the base plate, and the two ends of the filter plate being detachably connected to the two second positioning portions respectively.

7. The thermal management device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, The flow path switching element includes a mounting portion, and the second plate has a bent portion extending from the substrate, with the mounting portion fixedly connected to the bent portion.

8. The thermal management device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that, The fluid drive element is a pump, and the flow path switching element is an electric three-way valve; the flow path switching element includes a first port, a second port, and a third port, the second port and the third port are arranged opposite to each other, and the first port is arranged on the side of the line connecting the second port and the third port; the first port is connected to the outlet of the fluid drive element, the second port is connected to the inlet of the heat exchange element, and the third port is connected to the inlet of the heating element; The thermal management device also includes a liquid storage tank, which is connected in series with the fluid drive element and is located on the outside of the housing.

9. The thermal management device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, The flow path switching element is fixed to the second plate; When the second port and the third port are arranged opposite to each other in the third direction, the bent portion is located at the bottom edge of the substrate and extends in the second direction; When the second port and the third port are arranged opposite to each other in the first direction, the bent portion is located at the left edge of the substrate and extends in the second direction.

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