A thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions

Abstract

This invention discloses a thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions, comprising: a compressor, the compressor outlet connected to a first refrigerant line and a second refrigerant line, the first refrigerant line connected to a cabin condenser, an auxiliary evaporator and a cabin throttle valve, and the second refrigerant line connected to a split condenser and a split throttle valve; a main evaporator connected to the first and second refrigerant lines; a coolant pump outlet connected to a first coolant line and a second coolant line, the first coolant line connected to an auxiliary condenser, the auxiliary condenser, the auxiliary evaporator and the auxiliary compressor forming an auxiliary heating closed loop, the second coolant line connected to the split condenser, and the first and second coolant lines converging before flowing into the battery pack heating module; and a coolant storage tank connected to the coolant pump and the battery pack heating module respectively. This invention solves the problems of high heating energy consumption and short driving range of electric vehicles under extremely cold conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention pertains to thermal management systems for new energy vehicles, specifically relating to a thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, with the increasing energy crisis and rising environmental protection requirements, the importance of energy conservation and emission reduction for environmental protection is constantly growing, making the development of clean energy a major future trend. Among these trends, the development of new energy vehicles has attracted significant attention. However, traditional new energy electric vehicles require a large amount of electrical energy to maintain cabin temperature in extremely cold conditions. For new energy electric vehicles, this high energy consumption significantly reduces their driving range. Furthermore, battery life and operational stability are severely challenged in extremely cold conditions. This has seriously hindered the development of new energy vehicles.

[0003] Currently, patents addressing the issues of high power consumption in new energy vehicles and the lifespan of hydrogen fuel cells primarily rely on insulation and electric heating measures. However, electric heating consumes a significant amount of electrical energy. While insulation measures can reduce heat loss in extremely cold conditions, they can cause overheating in summer, rendering the fuel cell unusable. Therefore, insulation measures are unsuitable for the year-round operating environment of hydrogen fuel cells.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide a thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that can adapt to extremely cold conditions is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions. It organically combines a heat pump system and a hydrogen fuel cell stack. High-temperature refrigerant flows from the compressor, providing heat to the cabin on one side and transferring heat to the hydrogen fuel cell stack via coolant on the other. Simultaneously, the auxiliary evaporator utilizes the waste heat from the refrigerant discharged from the cabin condenser to generate heat for secondary heating of the hydrogen fuel cell stack. This changes the traditional electric heating method, solving the problems of high heating energy consumption and short driving range in traditional electric vehicles under extremely cold conditions through the organic integration of heat pumps. This provides a strong foundation for promoting the development of new energy vehicles and green energy conservation and emission reduction.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions, comprising:

[0007] The compressor has a first refrigerant line and a second refrigerant line connected to its outlet end. The first refrigerant line is connected in sequence to a cabin condenser, an auxiliary evaporator and a cabin throttle valve in the direction of refrigerant flow. The second refrigerant line is connected in sequence to a branch condenser and a branch throttle valve in the direction of refrigerant flow.

[0008] The main evaporator is connected to the first refrigerant line and the second refrigerant line and returns the refrigerant in the first refrigerant line and the second refrigerant line to the compressor;

[0009] A coolant pump is provided, with its outlet connected to a first coolant path and a second coolant path. An auxiliary condenser is connected to the first coolant path, and the auxiliary condenser, auxiliary evaporator, and auxiliary compressor form an auxiliary heating closed loop. A branch condenser is connected to the second coolant path. The first and second coolant paths merge and flow into the battery pack heating module. The battery pack heating module uses the high-temperature coolant in the first and second coolant paths to heat the hydrogen fuel cell stack.

[0010] A coolant storage tank is connected to both the coolant pump and the battery pack heating module pipelines, and the coolant storage tank receives the coolant flowing out of the battery pack heating module.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: After the compressor compresses the refrigerant to form a high-temperature refrigerant, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is divided into two paths. The first path flows to the cabin condenser through the first refrigerant pipeline. The cabin condenser releases heat to the cabin, achieving the effect of heating the cabin in winter. The high-temperature refrigerant that has not fully utilized its heat passes through the auxiliary evaporator. The auxiliary evaporator extracts heat from the refrigerant and generates heat again in the auxiliary heating closed loop. It then heats the coolant in the first cooling liquid path through the auxiliary condenser. The coolant in the first cooling liquid path transfers heat to the battery pack heating module to complete the first stage of heating of the hydrogen fuel cell stack. The second path flows to the split condenser through the second refrigerant pipeline and transfers heat to the coolant in the second cooling liquid path. The coolant in the second cooling liquid path transfers heat to the battery pack heating module to complete the second stage of heating of the hydrogen fuel cell stack. In other words, the hydrogen fuel cell stack in this invention has two heating sources, which optimizes heating performance and provides high range under extremely cold conditions.

[0012] Preferably, a valve is arranged on the first refrigerant pipeline and on the side near the liquid inlet of the cabin condenser, and the cabin condenser releases heat from the high-temperature refrigerant discharged by the compressor to the cabin.

[0013] The resulting technical effect is that the valve in the circuit can throttle and reduce pressure and control the flow rate, and the cabin condenser releases the heat from the high-temperature refrigerant discharged by the compressor into the cabin, thereby raising the cabin temperature.

[0014] Preferably, a valve is arranged on the second refrigerant pipeline and on the side near the liquid inlet of the split condenser, and the coolant in the second coolant circuit absorbs heat from the refrigerant through the split condenser and transfers the heat to the battery pack heating module.

[0015] The resulting technical effect is that the split condenser transfers heat from the refrigerant to the coolant in the second coolant path, and then uses the coolant as a medium to transfer heat to the hydrogen fuel cell stack.

[0016] Preferably, the auxiliary evaporator absorbs heat from the refrigerant discharged from the cabin condenser and heats the coolant in the first coolant circuit through an auxiliary heating closed loop, and the coolant in the first coolant circuit transfers the heat to the battery pack heating module.

[0017] The resulting technical effect is that, since the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the cabin condenser is much higher than the ambient temperature, the heat of the refrigerant is used in conjunction with the auxiliary compressor and auxiliary condenser to generate heat in two stages, and the heat generated in the two stages is used to heat the coolant in the first cooling fluid circuit.

[0018] Preferably, an auxiliary throttle valve is connected to the auxiliary heating closed loop.

[0019] The resulting technical effect is that the auxiliary evaporator uses the refrigerant heat source discharged from the cabin condenser for secondary heat generation. Due to the high evaporation temperature, the power consumption of the compressor is reduced, and the heating performance of the compressor is improved. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions according to the present invention.

[0021] 1 Compressor, 2 Valve, 3 Cabin condenser, 4 Auxiliary evaporator, 5 Cabin throttle valve, 6 Main evaporator, 7 Hydrogen fuel cell stack, 8 Split condenser, 9 Split throttle valve, 10 Coolant tank, 11 Coolant pump, 12 Battery pack heating module, 13 Auxiliary compressor, 14 Auxiliary condenser, 15 Auxiliary throttle valve, 16 First refrigerant line, 17 Second refrigerant line, 18 First coolant line, 19 Second coolant line. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] See the appendix of this invention. Figure 1 According to an embodiment of the present invention, a thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions includes:

[0024] Compressor 1 has a first refrigerant line 16 and a second refrigerant line 17 connected to its outlet, meaning the refrigerant is split into two paths from the compressor outlet. The first refrigerant line 16 is connected in sequence to the cabin condenser 3, the auxiliary evaporator 4, and the cabin expansion valve 5, corresponding to the refrigerant flow direction. The cabin condenser releases heat to the cabin. After passing through the cabin condenser, the refrigerant temperature is still much higher than the ambient temperature. Therefore, the auxiliary evaporator can utilize the heat in the refrigerant discharged from the cabin evaporator. The second refrigerant line 17 is connected in sequence to the branch condenser 8 and the branch expansion valve 9, corresponding to the refrigerant flow direction. The branch condenser transfers the heat of the refrigerant in the second refrigerant line to the coolant in the second coolant line.

[0025] The main evaporator 6 is connected to the first refrigerant line 16 and the second refrigerant line 17 and returns the refrigerant in the first refrigerant line 16 and the second refrigerant line 17 to the compressor 1.

[0026] Coolant pump 11 has a first coolant path 18 and a second coolant path 19 connected to its outlet. An auxiliary condenser 14 is connected to the first coolant path 18. The auxiliary condenser 14, auxiliary evaporator 4, and auxiliary compressor 13 form an auxiliary heating closed loop. A branch condenser 8 is connected to the second coolant path 19. The first coolant path 18 and the second coolant path 19 merge and flow into the battery pack heating module 12. In other words, the coolant in both the first and second coolant paths supplies heat to the battery pack heating module.

[0027] The battery pack heating module 12 uses the high-temperature coolant in the first coolant passage 18 and the second coolant passage 19 to heat the hydrogen fuel cell stack 7. The battery pack heating module can be arranged in various ways, such as a spiral pipe or a heating jacket. In fact, it uses the heat in the medium to heat the battery stack.

[0028] Coolant storage tank 10 is connected to coolant pump 11 and battery pack heating module 12 pipelines respectively, and coolant storage tank 10 receives coolant flowing out of battery pack heating module 12.

[0029] In other embodiments, a valve 2 is arranged on the first refrigerant line 16 and on the side near the liquid inlet of the cabin condenser 3, and the cabin condenser 3 releases heat from the high-temperature refrigerant discharged by the compressor 1 to the cabin.

[0030] In some other specific embodiments, a valve is arranged on the second refrigerant line 17 and on the side near the liquid inlet of the split condenser 8. The coolant in the second coolant line 19 absorbs heat from the refrigerant through the split condenser 8 and transfers the heat to the battery pack heating module 12.

[0031] In some other embodiments, the auxiliary evaporator 4 absorbs heat from the refrigerant discharged from the cabin condenser 3 and heats the coolant in the first coolant path 18 through an auxiliary heating closed loop, and the coolant in the first coolant path 18 transfers the heat to the battery pack heating module 12.

[0032] In some other specific embodiments, an auxiliary throttle valve 15 is connected to the auxiliary heating closed loop. The auxiliary heating closed loop performs secondary heating based on the heat source in the refrigerant discharged from the cabin condenser, which makes the heating performance of the auxiliary system higher.

[0033] This invention eliminates the traditional electric heating mode and solves the problems of high heating energy consumption and short driving range of traditional electric vehicles under extremely cold conditions by organically combining it with a heat pump. This provides a strong foundation for promoting the development of new energy vehicles and green energy conservation and emission reduction.

[0034] The two circuits of the refrigerant:

[0035] Driven by the compressor, the refrigerant is compressed into a high-temperature gas and then enters the cabin condenser through the valve. The refrigerant then releases heat to the cabin through the cabin condenser, raising the cabin temperature. Subsequently, the refrigerant undergoes secondary cooling through the auxiliary evaporator and finally returns to the main evaporator through the cabin throttle valve, completing one cycle.

[0036] In practice, driven by the compressor, the refrigerant is compressed into a high-temperature gas. Then, the second path enters the split condenser through a valve and releases heat to the coolant in the second cooling liquid path. Subsequently, the refrigerant returns to the main evaporator through the split throttling valve, completing one cycle.

[0037] Coolant circuit:

[0038] Driven by the coolant pump, the coolant is divided into two paths. One path absorbs heat through the split condenser, then transfers the heat to the hydrogen fuel cell stack (PEMFC battery stack), and finally returns to the coolant storage tank to complete one cycle.

[0039] Another path involves absorbing heat from the auxiliary heating closed loop through an auxiliary condenser, then transferring the heat to the battery pack, and finally returning to the coolant reservoir to complete one cycle.

[0040] In practice, the refrigerant in the auxiliary evaporator absorbs heat from the refrigerant at the outlet of the cabin condenser, and under the drive of the auxiliary compressor, the refrigerant releases heat to the coolant through the auxiliary condenser. Then, the refrigerant returns to the auxiliary evaporator through the auxiliary throttle valve, completing one cycle.

[0041] This invention relates to a thermal management system that organically couples a heat pump system and a hydrogen fuel cell stack. It replaces the traditional electric heating method, solving the problems of high heating energy consumption and short driving range in traditional electric vehicles under extremely cold conditions, and providing a strong foundation for promoting the development of new energy vehicles and green energy conservation and emission reduction.

[0042] The apparatus and methods disclosed in the embodiments are described simply because they correspond to the methods disclosed in the embodiments. For relevant details, please refer to the method section.

[0043] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions, characterized in that, include: The compressor (1) has a first refrigerant line (16) and a second refrigerant line (17) connected to its outlet end. The first refrigerant line (16) is connected in sequence with a cabin condenser (3), an auxiliary evaporator (4) and a cabin throttle valve (5) in the direction of refrigerant flow. The second refrigerant line (17) is connected in sequence with a split condenser (8) and a split throttle valve (9) in the direction of refrigerant flow. The main evaporator (6) is connected to the first refrigerant line (16) and the second refrigerant line (17) and returns the refrigerant in the first refrigerant line (16) and the second refrigerant line (17) to the compressor (1). A coolant pump (11) is provided, with its outlet connected to a first coolant path (18) and a second coolant path (19). An auxiliary condenser (14) is connected to the first coolant path (18). The auxiliary condenser (14), the auxiliary evaporator (4), and the auxiliary compressor (13) form an auxiliary heating closed loop. A branch condenser (8) is connected to the second coolant path (19). The first coolant path (18) and the second coolant path (19) merge and flow into the battery pack heating module (12). The battery pack heating module (12) uses the high-temperature coolant in the first coolant path (18) and the second coolant path (19) to heat the hydrogen fuel cell stack (7). The auxiliary evaporator (4) absorbs the heat from the refrigerant discharged from the cabin condenser (3) and heats the coolant in the first coolant path (18) through the auxiliary heating closed loop. The coolant in the first coolant path (18) transfers the heat to the battery pack heating module (12). Coolant storage tank (10) is connected to the coolant pump (11) and the battery pack heating module (12) pipelines respectively. The coolant storage tank (10) receives the coolant flowing out of the battery pack heating module (12).

2. The thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions according to claim 1, characterized in that, A valve (2) is arranged on the first refrigerant line (16) and on the side near the liquid inlet of the cabin condenser (3). The cabin condenser (3) releases the heat from the high-temperature refrigerant discharged by the compressor (1) to the cabin.

3. A thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions according to claim 1, characterized in that, A valve is arranged on the second refrigerant line (17) and on the side near the liquid inlet of the split condenser (8). The coolant in the second coolant line (19) absorbs heat from the refrigerant through the split condenser (8) and transfers the heat to the battery pack heating module (12).

4. A thermal management system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles adapted to extremely cold conditions according to claim 1, characterized in that, An auxiliary throttle valve (15) is connected to the auxiliary heating closed loop.

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