Vehicle thermal management system and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention discloses a vehicle thermal management system and a vehicle. The vehicle thermal management system includes a battery and an electric drive thermal management system. The battery and the electric drive thermal management system include a first coolant flow path, a second coolant flow path, and a four-way valve. A heat exchanger, a power battery, and a first water pump are arranged on the first coolant flow path. One end of the first coolant flow path is connected to the first port of the four-way valve, and the other end is connected to the second port of the four-way valve. A motor, a radiator, and a second water pump are arranged on the second coolant flow path. One end of the second coolant flow path is connected to the third port of the four-way valve, and the other end is connected to the fourth port of the four-way valve. The first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path share an exhaust and liquid supplement device. The vehicle thermal management system of the present invention has a simple structure and low heat loss.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the application with the application number 2018114478962, the application date of November 29, 2018, and the invention title of Vehicle Thermal Management System and Its Control Method, Vehicle. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of vehicle thermal management systems, and specifically, to a vehicle thermal management system and a vehicle. Background Art

[0003] In the vehicle's overall thermal management system, there are three major systems including the air conditioning system, the battery thermal management system, and the electric drive thermal management system. The existing electric drive thermal management system is independent of the air conditioning system and the battery thermal management system. The heating of the battery mainly relies on the battery heater for heating, and the heat generated by the motor or the electronic control unit can only be dissipated through the radiator in the electric drive thermal management system, resulting in waste of heat. When the cooling demand of the motor or the electronic control unit is high, only cooling through the radiator results in slow cooling efficiency and poor cooling effect. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. For this purpose, the present invention provides a vehicle thermal management system with a simple structure and low heat loss.

[0005] The present invention also provides a vehicle having the above vehicle thermal management system.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle thermal management system includes a battery and an electric drive thermal management system. The battery and electric drive thermal management system includes a first coolant flow path, a second coolant flow path, and a four-way valve. A heat exchanger, a power battery, and a first water pump are provided on the first coolant flow path. One end of the first coolant flow path is connected to the first port of the four-way valve, and the other end is connected to the second port of the four-way valve. A motor, a radiator, and a second water pump are provided on the second coolant flow path. One end of the second coolant flow path is connected to the third port of the four-way valve, and the other end is connected to the fourth port of the four-way valve. The first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path share an exhaust and liquid replenishment device.

[0007] In some examples of the present invention, an electronic control unit is further provided on the second coolant flow path.

[0008] In some examples of the present invention, the second coolant flow path includes a coolant main path, a first coolant branch path, and a second coolant branch path. The second water pump, the electronic control unit, and the motor are arranged on the coolant main path. The radiator is arranged on the first coolant branch path. The second coolant branch path is a short-circuit branch path. One end of the coolant main path is connected to the third port of the four-way valve, and the other end is selectively connected to the fourth port of the four-way valve through the first coolant branch path or the second coolant branch path.

[0009] In some examples of the present invention, a three-way valve is further arranged on the second coolant flow path. The first port of the three-way valve is connected to the coolant main path. The second port of the three-way valve is connected to the first coolant branch path. The third port of the three-way valve is connected to the second coolant branch path.

[0010] In some examples of the present invention, the electronic control unit includes a motor controller and a DC-DC converter. The third port is connected to the coolant inlet of the second water pump. The coolant outlet of the second water pump is connected to the coolant inlet of the motor controller. The coolant outlet of the motor controller is connected to the coolant inlet of the DC-DC converter. The coolant outlet of the DC-DC converter is connected to the coolant inlet of the motor. The coolant outlet of the motor is connected to the fourth port.

[0011] In some examples of the present invention, the vehicle thermal management system further includes an air conditioning system and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is arranged in both the air conditioning system and the battery and electric drive thermal management system.

[0012] In some examples of the present invention, the air conditioning system includes a refrigerant main path, a first refrigerant branch path, and a second refrigerant branch path. The first refrigerant branch path and the second refrigerant branch path are in parallel. A compressor and a condenser are arranged on the refrigerant main path. A first expansion valve, an evaporator, and a solenoid valve are arranged on the first refrigerant branch path. A second expansion valve and the heat exchanger are arranged on the second refrigerant branch path. The first expansion valve is a thermal expansion valve, and the second expansion valve is an electronic expansion valve.

[0013] In some examples of the present invention, the air conditioning system further includes a blower, a third water pump, a second PTC heater, and a heater core. The third water pump, the second PTC heater, and the heater core are connected in series to form a loop. The blower is used to blow air to the evaporator and the heater core.

[0014] In some examples of the present invention, the first coolant flow path, the second coolant flow path, and the loop where the heater core is located share an exhaust and liquid filling device.

[0015] A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the vehicle thermal management system according to the above embodiments of the present invention.

[0016] Specifically, when it is necessary to conduct the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path to heat the power battery, the first port and the fourth port of the four-way valve can be controlled to be conducted, and the second port and the third port are conducted, so that the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path are connected in series to form a loop, so that the coolant can circulate in the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path. At this time, the heat generated by the motor can be transferred to the first coolant flow path through the coolant in the second coolant flow path to heat the power battery, avoiding the waste of the motor heat, optimizing the heat circulation mode of the vehicle thermal management system, and saving energy consumption. Moreover, using the heat of the motor to heat the power battery eliminates the need to additionally set a power battery heater, streamlining the components of the vehicle thermal management system and saving the cost of the vehicle thermal management system.

[0017] In addition, when the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path are conducted, the radiator on the second coolant flow path can also be used to cool the power battery and the motor. In this way, when the cooling demand of the power battery is low, there is no need to rely on the air conditioning system to cool the power battery, saving energy consumption.

[0018] Furthermore, specifically, when it is necessary to separately perform thermal management on the power battery or the motor, the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path can be disconnected. Specifically, the first port and the second port of the four-way valve can be controlled to be conducted, and the third port and the fourth port are conducted, so that the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path respectively form two independent loops. In this way, according to actual needs, heating or cooling management of the power battery and the motor 1 can be respectively performed, increasing the diversity of the working mode selection of the vehicle thermal management system.

[0019] Moreover, the realization of the above multiple working modes only requires controlling the switching of the four-way valve, without the need to set up complex multiple pipelines, which is simple to control and can also save costs.

[0020] Moreover, since the radiator is connected in series on the third coolant flow path, by only conducting the first port and the third port of the three-way valve, the coolant main path is directly connected to the four-way valve through the second coolant branch, and the coolant does not flow through the radiator, so that the radiator can be used to separately cool the electronic control.

[0021] Among them, when the vehicle is in the high-power charging mode, the electronic control also generates more heat during operation. Setting the electronic control on the coolant main path can also heat the power battery with the heat generated by the electronic control; and, connecting the electronic control and the motor 1 in series on the coolant main path, when the motor 1 is cooled, the electronic control can also be cooled at the same time, eliminating the need to additionally set a radiator for the electronic control and saving costs.

[0022] Through the above technical solution, the vehicle thermal management system provided by the present disclosure has a simple structure and low heat loss. Specifically, by setting a four-way valve in the electric drive and battery thermal management system to control the conduction or disconnection of the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path, the heat generated by the motor can be transferred to the first coolant flow path through the coolant in the second coolant flow path to heat the power battery, avoiding waste of the heat generated by the motor, optimizing the heat circulation mode of the vehicle thermal management system, and saving energy consumption. Moreover, by using the heat of the motor to heat the power battery, there is no need to additionally set a battery heater, streamlining the components of the vehicle thermal management system and saving the cost of the vehicle thermal management system.

[0023] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description, become apparent in part from the following description, or be learned through the practice of the present invention. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and be readily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle thermal management system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle thermal management system according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle thermal management system according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle thermal management system according to Embodiment 4 of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle thermal management system according to Embodiment 5 of the present disclosure.

[0030] Description of the Reference Numerals

[0031] 1 Motor 2 Radiator

[0032] 3 Three-way valve 31 First port of the three-way valve

[0033] 32 Second port of the three-way valve 33 Third port of the three-way valve

[0034] 4 Four-way valve 41 First port of the four-way valve

[0035] 42 Second port of the four-way valve 43 Third port of the four-way valve

[0036] The fourth port of the four-way valve 5 Heat exchanger

[0037] 6 Power battery 7 First water pump

[0038] 8 Second water pump 9 Motor controller

[0039] 10 DC-DC converter 11 Compressor

[0040] 12 Condenser 13 Second expansion valve

[0041] 14 Solenoid valve 15 First expansion valve

[0042] 16 Evaporator 17 Blower

[0043] 18 Battery heater 19 First PTC heater

[0044] 20 Third water pump 21 Second PTC heater

[0045] 22 Heater core 23 First exhaust and liquid replenishment device

[0046] 24 First three-way pipe 25 Second exhaust and liquid replenishment device

[0047] 26 Second three-way pipe Detailed implementation manners

[0048] The following will describe in detail the specific implementation manners of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific implementation manners described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present disclosure, and are not used to limit the present disclosure.

[0049] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise stated, the orientation terms such as "refrigerant inlet, coolant inlet, refrigerant outlet and coolant outlet" are usually relative to the flow direction of fluids such as refrigerant or coolant. Specifically, the openings through which fluids flow into components in the vehicle thermal management system such as condensers, batteries, evaporators, etc. are "refrigerant inlet and coolant inlet", and the openings through which fluids flow out of components in the vehicle thermal management system such as condensers, batteries, evaporators, etc. are "refrigerant outlet and coolant outlet".

[0050] Refer to Figure 1As shown in the figure, Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure provides a vehicle thermal management system, which may include an air conditioning system, a battery and an electric drive thermal management system. In addition, the vehicle thermal management system may further include a heat exchanger 5, which is simultaneously disposed in the air conditioning system and the battery and electric drive thermal management system, enabling the air conditioning system and the battery and electric drive thermal management system to exchange heat, and realizing the air conditioning system to cool the battery and electric drive thermal management system. Among them, the battery and electric drive thermal management system includes a first coolant flow path, a second coolant flow path and a four-way valve 4. The above-mentioned heat exchanger 5, a power battery 6 and a first water pump 7 are disposed on the first coolant flow path. One end of the first coolant flow path is connected to the first port 41 of the four-way valve 4, and the other end is connected to the second port 42 of the four-way valve 4. An electric motor 1, a radiator 2 and a second water pump 8 are disposed on the second coolant flow path. One end of the second coolant flow path is connected to the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4, and the other end is connected to the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4.

[0051] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path can be connected or disconnected through the four-way valve 4.

[0052] Specifically, when it is necessary to connect the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path to heat the power battery 6 by using the heat generated by the electric motor 1, the first port 41 and the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4 can be controlled to be connected, and the second port 42 and the third port 43 can be connected, so that the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path are connected in series to form a loop, enabling the coolant to circulate in the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path. At this time, the heat generated by the electric motor 1 can be transferred to the first coolant flow path through the coolant in the second coolant flow path to heat the power battery 6, avoiding the waste of the heat of the electric motor 1, optimizing the heat circulation mode of the vehicle thermal management system, and saving energy consumption. Moreover, since the heat of the electric motor 1 is used to heat the power battery 6, there is no need to additionally set a battery heater 18, simplifying the components of the vehicle thermal management system and saving the cost of the vehicle thermal management system.

[0053] In addition, when the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path are connected, the radiator 2 on the second coolant flow path can also be used to cool the power battery 6 and the electric motor 1. In this way, when the cooling requirement of the power battery 6 is low, there is no need to rely on the air conditioning system to cool the power battery 6, saving energy consumption.

[0054] Furthermore, specifically, when thermal management of the power battery 6 or the motor 1 needs to be carried out separately, the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path can be disconnected. Specifically, the first port 41 and the second port 42 of the four-way valve 4 can be controlled to conduct, and the third port 43 and the fourth port 44 can be conducted, so that the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path each form two independent loops. In this way, according to actual needs, heating or cooling management of the power battery 6 and the motor 1 can be carried out separately, increasing the diversity of the working mode selection of the vehicle thermal management system. The realization of the above multiple working modes only requires controlling the switching of the four-way valve, without setting complex multiple pipelines, which is simple to control and can save costs at the same time.

[0055] As an optional arrangement of the present disclosure, as Figure 1 shown, in the first coolant flow path, the first port 41 of the four-way valve 4 is connected to the coolant inlet of the heat exchanger 5, the coolant outlet of the heat exchanger 5 is connected to the coolant inlet of the power battery 6, the coolant outlet of the power battery 6 is connected to the coolant inlet of the first water pump 7, and the coolant outlet of the first water pump 7 is connected to the second port 42 of the four-way valve 4. In this way, by arranging the heat exchanger 5 upstream of the power battery 6, when the air conditioning system is used to cool the power battery 6, the coolant flowing out of the coolant outlet of the heat exchanger 5 can immediately cool the power battery 6, which is beneficial to improving the cooling effect on the power battery 6.

[0056] Furthermore, as Figure 1 shown, in the second coolant flow path, the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 is connected to the coolant inlet of the second water pump 8, the coolant outlet of the second water pump 8 is connected to the coolant inlet of the motor 1, the coolant outlet of the motor 1 is connected to the coolant inlet of the radiator 2, and the coolant outlet of the radiator 2 is connected to the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4. Similarly, by arranging the radiator 2 downstream of the motor 1, the coolant flowing out of the coolant outlet of the motor 1 can be cooled by the radiator 2, and when the cooled coolant flows into the first coolant flow path to cool the power battery 6, the cooling effect on the power battery 6 can be improved.

[0057] Optionally, in the battery and electric drive thermal management system, a first exhaust and liquid supplement device 23 and a second exhaust and liquid supplement device 25 can also be provided. The first exhaust and liquid supplement device 23 is bypassed to the first coolant flow path through a first three-way pipe 24, and the second exhaust and liquid supplement device 25 is bypassed to the second coolant flow path through a second three-way pipe 26.

[0058] The air conditioning system provided in the first embodiment of the present disclosure includes a refrigerant main line, a first refrigerant branch line, and a second refrigerant branch line. The first refrigerant branch line and the second refrigerant branch line are in parallel. A compressor 11 and a condenser 12 are provided on the refrigerant main line. A first expansion valve 15 and an evaporator 16 are provided on the first refrigerant branch line. A second expansion valve 13 and a heat exchanger 5 are provided on the second refrigerant branch line. Moreover, a blower 17 is arranged near the evaporator 16 to blow air to the evaporator 16 and blow the cold generated by the evaporator 16 into the passenger compartment to achieve refrigeration of the passenger compartment.

[0059] Among them, the first expansion valve 15 can be a thermal expansion valve, and this thermal expansion valve is used to adjust the flow rate of the first refrigerant branch line. When the first expansion valve 15 is a thermal expansion valve, in order to be able to control the opening and closing of the first refrigerant branch line, a solenoid valve 14 for throttling also needs to be provided on the first refrigerant branch line to cooperate with the first expansion valve 15. The second expansion valve 13 can be an electronic expansion valve, and this electronic expansion valve is used for throttling and adjusting the flow rate to facilitate controlling the opening and closing or the flow rate of the second refrigerant branch line. In other embodiments, the first expansion valve 15 can also be an electronic expansion valve.

[0060] As an optional arrangement of the present disclosure, as Figure 1 shown, in the air conditioning system, the refrigerant outlet of the compressor 11 is communicated with the refrigerant inlet of the condenser 12. The refrigerant outlet of the condenser 12 is respectively communicated with the refrigerant inlet of the solenoid valve 14 and the refrigerant inlet of the second expansion valve 13. The refrigerant outlet of the solenoid valve 14 is communicated with the refrigerant inlet of the first expansion valve 15. The refrigerant outlet of the first expansion valve 15 is communicated with the refrigerant inlet of the evaporator 16. The refrigerant outlet of the second expansion valve 13 is communicated with the refrigerant inlet of the heat exchanger 5. The refrigerant outlets of the evaporator 16 and the heat exchanger 5 are both communicated with the refrigerant inlet of the compressor 11. In this way, when it is necessary to cool the power battery 6 and / or the motor 1 using the air conditioning system, the cold in the air conditioning system can be transferred to the battery and the electric drive heat management system through the heat exchanger 5.

[0061] Specifically, when the passenger compartment needs to be refrigerated, the solenoid valve 14 and the first expansion valve 15 are opened, and the refrigerant flows through the first refrigerant branch line and cools the passenger compartment through the evaporator 16. When using the air conditioning system to cool the power battery 6, the second expansion valve 13 is opened, and the refrigerant flows through the second refrigerant branch line and exchanges heat through the heat exchanger 5 to cool the coolant in the first coolant flow path, thereby achieving cooling of the power battery 6. When it is necessary to cool the power battery 6 while refrigerating the passenger compartment, the opening degree of the second expansion valve 13 can be adjusted to respectively adjust the flow rates of the refrigerant on the first refrigerant branch line and the second refrigerant branch line, so as to perform cold quantity distribution of the air conditioning system. For example, when it is necessary to give priority to meeting the refrigeration demand of the passenger compartment, the opening degree of the second expansion valve 13 can be adjusted smaller so that more cold quantity is distributed to the passenger compartment.

[0062] As another embodiment, referring to Figure 2 shown, Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure adds the following content on the basis of Embodiment 1: An electronic control and a three-way valve 3 are further provided on the second coolant flow path, wherein the electronic control includes a motor controller 9 and a DC-DC converter 10.

[0063] Specifically, the second coolant flow path includes a coolant main path, a first coolant branch path, and a second coolant branch path. The second water pump 8, the motor controller 9, the DC-DC converter 10, and the motor 1 are arranged on the coolant main path. The radiator 2 is arranged on the first coolant branch path. The second coolant branch path is a short-circuit branch path. One end of the coolant main path is connected to the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4, and the other end is selectively connected to the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4 through the first coolant branch path or the second coolant branch path. Among them, when the vehicle is in the high-power charging mode, the electronic control also generates more heat during operation. Arranging the electronic control on the coolant main path can also heat the power battery 6 with the heat generated by the electronic control. Moreover, connecting the electronic control and the motor 1 in series on the coolant main path can also dissipate the heat of the electronic control while dissipating the heat of the motor 1, without the need to additionally set a radiator for the electronic control, saving costs.

[0064] When using the heat of the motor 1 to heat the power battery 6, the coolant main path is connected to the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4 through the second coolant branch path. At this time, the coolant does not pass through the radiator 2, and the heat generated by the motor 1 is directly transferred to the first coolant flow path through the second coolant branch path. During the transfer process, it does not pass through the radiator 2. Therefore, it is possible to avoid additional heat loss caused by the coolant flowing through the radiator 2 and improve the heating efficiency of the motor 1 for the power battery 6. When using the radiator 2 to cool the motor 1 and the power battery 6, the coolant main path is connected to the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4 through the first coolant branch path. At this time, the radiator 2 can be used to dissipate the heat of the motor 1 and the power battery 6.

[0065] To streamline the components of the vehicle thermal management system, as Figure 2 shown, a three-way valve 3 is further provided on the second coolant flow path. The first port 31 of the three-way valve 3 is connected to the coolant main path, the second port 32 of the three-way valve 3 is connected to the first coolant branch path, and the third port 33 of the three-way valve 3 is connected to the second coolant branch path. In other embodiments, the coolant main path can also be connected to the first coolant branch path and the second coolant branch path respectively through a three-way pipe, and an electromagnetic valve is provided on each of the first coolant branch path and the second coolant branch path.

[0066] Specifically, as an optional arrangement mode of the present disclosure, as Figure 2As shown in the figure, in the second coolant flow path, the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 is connected to the coolant inlet of the second water pump 8, the coolant outlet of the second water pump 8 is connected to the coolant inlet of the motor controller 9, the coolant outlet of the motor controller 9 is connected to the coolant inlet of the DC-DC converter 10, the coolant outlet of the DC-DC converter 10 is connected to the coolant inlet of the motor 1, the coolant outlet of the motor 1 is connected to the first port 31 of the three-way valve 3, the second port 32 of the three-way valve 3 is connected to the coolant inlet of the radiator 2, and both the third port 33 of the three-way valve 3 and the coolant outlet of the radiator 2 are connected to the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4. Since the radiator 2 is connected in series on the first coolant branch, by only conducting the first port 31 and the third port 33 of the three-way valve 3, the coolant main path is directly connected to the four-way valve 4 through the second coolant branch, and the coolant does not flow through the radiator 2, thus avoiding the radiator 2 from occupying the heat generated by the motor 1 and the electric control.

[0067] It should be noted that in the second embodiment, the second exhaust and liquid filling device 25 is connected in parallel to the second coolant flow path through a four-way pipe.

[0068] As another implementation manner, referring to Figure 3 As shown in the figure, the third embodiment of the present disclosure adds the following content on the basis of the second embodiment: A battery heater 18 is further provided on the first coolant flow path. Optionally, the battery heater 18 can be connected in series between the power battery 6 and the heat exchanger 5. When the heat generated by the motor 1 cannot meet the heating requirement of the power battery 6, the first port 41 and the second port 42 of the four-way valve 4 can be conducted, the third port 43 and the fourth port 44 can be conducted, and the first coolant flow path becomes an independent loop, and the battery heater 18 is started to heat the power battery 6.

[0069] In addition, in the third embodiment of the present disclosure, the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path can share an exhaust and liquid filling device.

[0070] As another implementation manner, referring to Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure adds the following content on the basis of the second embodiment: The air conditioning system further includes a first PTC heater 19. The first PTC heater 19 can be arranged in parallel with the evaporator 16 and share the blower 17 with the evaporator 16. The first PTC heater 19 is used to heat the air blown out by the blower 17, and the blower 17 blows the heated warm air into the passenger compartment to achieve heating of the passenger compartment.

[0071] In addition, in the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path can share an exhaust and liquid filling device.

[0072] As another implementation manner, referring to Figure 5As shown in the figure, Embodiment 5 of the present disclosure adds the following content on the basis of Embodiment 2: The air-conditioning system may further include a third water pump 20, a second PTC heater 21, and a heater core 22, wherein the third water pump 20, the second PTC heater 21, and the heater core 22 are connected in series to form a loop. As an optional arrangement, as Figure 5 shown, the coolant outlet of the third water pump 20 is connected to the coolant inlet of the second PTC heater 21, the coolant outlet of the second PTC heater 21 is connected to the coolant inlet of the heater core 22, and the coolant outlet of the heater core 22 is connected to the coolant inlet of the third water pump 20.

[0073] The above loop is arranged in the air-conditioning system, wherein the heater core 22 is arranged in parallel with the evaporator 16 in the air-conditioning system, and shares the blower 17 with the evaporator 16. The blower 17 is used to blow air to the evaporator 16 and the heater core 22. After the second PTC heater 21 heats the heater core 22, the blower 17 blows the heat of the heater core 22 into the passenger compartment to achieve heating of the passenger compartment.

[0074] In addition, in Embodiment 5 of the present disclosure, the first coolant flow path, the second coolant flow path, and the loop where the heater core 22 is located can share an exhaust and replenishment device.

[0075] Optionally, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a vehicle, which may be a pure electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0076] For the vehicle thermal management system provided by Embodiments 1 to 5 of the present disclosure. When the power battery 6 has a heating requirement, the motor 1 can be used to heat the power battery 6, that is, by conducting the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path, the coolant in the second coolant flow path flows into the first coolant flow path, and the heat generated by the motor 1 is used to heat the power battery 6.

[0077] For example, when the vehicle is in the initial working state of electric drive and the temperature of the power battery 6 is low and the power battery 6 has a heating requirement, its control method is as follows: First, detect the temperature of the power battery 6 and the coolant in the second coolant flow path. When the temperature of the power battery 6 is less than the first battery temperature threshold and the temperature of the coolant in the second coolant circuit is greater than the first coolant temperature threshold, that is, when the temperature of the coolant in the second coolant flow path reaches the temperature for heating the power battery 6, refer to the vehicle thermal management system provided in Embodiment 2, as Figure 2As shown, the first port 41 and the fourth port 44 of the control four-way valve 4 are conducted, and the second port 42 and the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 are conducted. At this time, the flow path of the coolant is: the first water pump 7 → the second port 42 and the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 → the second water pump 8 → the motor controller 9 → the DC-DC converter 10 → the motor 1 → the first port 31 and the third port 33 of the three-way valve 3 → the fourth port 44 and the first port 41 of the four-way valve 4 → the heat exchanger 5 → the power battery 6 → the first water pump 7. In this way, the coolant in the second coolant flow path flows into the first coolant flow path through the four-way valve 4, realizing the heating of the power battery 6.

[0078] Among them, when using the heat of the motor 1 to heat the power battery 6, in order to reduce the heat loss of the heat in the second coolant flow path, as much heat generated by the motor 1 as possible is supplied for heating the power battery 6. In the Figure 2 second embodiment shown, when the temperature of the power battery 6 is less than the first battery temperature threshold and the temperature of the coolant in the second coolant circuit is greater than the first coolant temperature threshold, in addition to controlling the first port 41 and the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4 to be conducted and the second port 42 and the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 to be conducted, the first port 31 and the third port 33 of the three-way valve 3 can also be controlled to be conducted. In this way, the heat generated by the motor 1 is directly transferred to the first coolant flow path through the second coolant branch, and the radiator 2 is not passed through during the transfer process. Therefore, the additional heat loss caused by the coolant flowing through the radiator 2 can be avoided, and the heating efficiency of the motor 1 for the power battery 6 is improved.

[0079] It should be noted that when using the heat of the motor 1 to heat the power battery 6, when the temperature of the power battery 6 is less than the first battery temperature threshold, but the temperature of the coolant in the second coolant circuit is not greater than the first coolant temperature threshold, that is, when the power battery 6 has a heating requirement, but the temperature of the coolant in the second coolant flow path cannot meet the heating requirement of the power battery 6, the coolant in the second coolant flow path is not temporarily introduced into the first coolant flow path, and the coolant in the second coolant flow path can be preheated first. Specifically, referring to the vehicle thermal management system provided in the second embodiment, as Figure 2As shown, the third port 43 and the fourth port 44 of the controllable four-way valve 4 can be made to conduct, so that the second coolant flow path forms an independent loop, not conducting with the first coolant flow path, and the first port 31 and the third port 33 of the three-way valve 3 are made to conduct, so that the coolant does not flow through the radiator 2. At this time, the flow path of the coolant is: the second water pump 8 → the motor 1 → the motor controller 9 → the DC-DC converter 10 → the motor 1 → the first port 31 and the third port 33 of the three-way valve 3 → the fourth port 44 and the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 → the second water pump 8. In this way, the coolant in the second coolant flow path circulates in the main coolant path and the second coolant branch path, and the heat generated by the motor 1 causes the temperature of the coolant in the second coolant flow path to gradually increase. When the coolant temperature is greater than the first coolant temperature threshold, the ports of the four-way valve 4 are switched again, that is, the first port 41 of the four-way valve 4 is controlled to conduct with the fourth port 44, and the second port 42 of the four-way valve 4 is controlled to conduct with the third port 43, so that the coolant in the second coolant flow path flows into the first coolant flow path, realizing the heating of the power battery 6 by the motor 1.

[0080] In addition, when the vehicle is in the electric drive working state as described above, the temperature of the power battery 6 is relatively low and the power battery 6 has a heating requirement. In addition to heating the power battery 6 using the heat generated by the motor 1, in the third embodiment as Figure 3 shown, a battery heater 18 located on the first coolant flow path can also be used to heat the power battery 6. At this time, the first port 41 and the second port 42 of the four-way valve 4 can be controlled to conduct. At this time, the coolant flow path is: the first water pump 7 → the second port 42 and the first port 41 of the four-way valve 4 → the heat exchanger 5 → the power battery 6 → the first water pump 7, so that the first coolant flow path forms an independent loop, and the coolant in the first coolant flow path is heated by the battery heater 18, realizing the heating of the power battery 6 by the battery heater 18.

[0081] It should be noted that the above first battery temperature threshold and first coolant temperature threshold can be set according to actual needs, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0082] In the present disclosure, for example, when the vehicle is in the electric drive working state, the temperature of the power battery 6 is relatively high and the power battery 6 has a cooling requirement. The power battery 6 can be cooled either by using the radiator 2 in the second coolant flow path or by using the air conditioning system. The cooling process is as follows:

[0083] First, detect the outdoor ambient temperature and the temperature of the power battery 6. When the temperature of the power battery 6 is greater than the second battery temperature threshold and the outdoor ambient temperature is less than the outdoor ambient temperature threshold, that is, the power battery 6 needs to be cooled and the vehicle's external environment temperature is relatively low. At this time, the first port 41 and the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4 can be controlled to conduct, and the second port 42 and the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 can be controlled to conduct. The first port 31 and the second port 32 of the three-way valve 3 can be controlled to conduct, so that the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path are conducted. In this way, the coolant flows through the first water pump 7 → the second port 42 and the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 → the second water pump 8 → the motor controller 9 → the DC-DC converter 10 → the motor 1 → the first port 31 and the second port 32 of the three-way valve 3 → the radiator 2 → the fourth port 44 and the first port 41 of the four-way valve 4 → the heat exchanger 5 → the power battery 6 → the first water pump 7 in sequence. At this time, due to the relatively low external environment temperature, heat exchange between the radiator 2 and the external environment can meet the cooling requirements of the power battery 6.

[0084] The above control method for cooling the power battery 6 by the radiator 2 is applicable to the case of relatively low ambient temperature. Among them, if the power battery 6 is cooled by the radiator 2 in the above case of relatively low ambient temperature, but the temperature of the power battery 6 still cannot meet the requirements, the power battery 6 can be assisted in cooling by the heat exchanger 5 with the help of the air-conditioning system, that is, by cooperating the air-conditioning system with the radiator 2 to achieve the cooling of the power battery 6.

[0085] It should be noted that the second battery temperature threshold is greater than the first battery temperature threshold. The second battery temperature threshold and the outdoor ambient temperature threshold can also be set according to specific situations and can take any appropriate values. The present disclosure does not limit this.

[0086] When the detected outdoor ambient temperature and the temperature of the power battery 6 meet the conditions that the temperature of the power battery 6 is greater than the second battery temperature threshold and the outdoor ambient temperature is not less than the outdoor ambient temperature threshold, the first port 41 and the second port 42 of the four-way valve 4 can be controlled to conduct. At this time, the coolant flow path is: the first water pump 7 → the second port 42 and the first port 41 of the four-way valve 4 → the heat exchanger 5 → the power battery 6 → the first water pump 7; and, control the air-conditioning system to operate and make the refrigerant in the air-conditioning system flow through the heat exchanger 5. At this time, the refrigerant flow path is: the compressor 11 → the condenser 12 → the second expansion valve 13 → the heat exchanger 5 → the compressor 11. The coolant in the first coolant flow path is cooled through the heat exchanger 5, thereby cooling the power battery 6. At this time, by controlling the first port 41 and the second port 42 of the four-way valve 4 to conduct, an independent loop is formed in the first coolant flow path. In this way, the air-conditioning system only cools the power battery 6 and does not cool the motor 1, thereby avoiding the motor 1 occupying the cooling capacity of the air-conditioning system.

[0087] In the present disclosure, the thermal management control method for the motor 1 includes a control method for cooling the motor 1. Among them, when the motor 1 has a cooling requirement, either the radiator 2 can be used to cool the motor 1, or the air conditioning system can be used to cool the motor 1.

[0088] When using the radiator 2 to cool the motor 1, the specific process is as follows: First, detect the temperature of the motor 1 and the temperature of the coolant in the second coolant flow path. When the temperature of the coolant in the second coolant circuit is greater than the first coolant temperature threshold and less than the second coolant temperature threshold, and the temperature of the motor 1 is less than the motor temperature threshold, that is to say, the coolant in the second coolant flow path has a cooling requirement, while the cooling requirement of the motor 1 is low. At this time, the third port 43 and the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4 can be controlled to conduct, and the first port 31 and the second port 32 of the three-way valve 3 can be controlled to conduct. At this time, the circulation path of the coolant is: the second water pump 8 → the motor controller 9 → the DC-DC converter 10 → the motor 1 → the first port 31 and the second port 32 of the three-way valve 3 → the radiator 2 → the fourth port 44 and the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 → the second water pump 8. In this way, the coolant in the second coolant flow path will circulate in the coolant main path and the first coolant branch path, and the radiator 2 is used to cool the coolant in the second coolant flow path and the motor 1.

[0089] When the temperature of the coolant in the second coolant circuit is not less than the second coolant temperature threshold, or the temperature of the motor 1 is not less than the motor temperature threshold, that is to say, the cooling requirement of the motor 1 is high, and only using the radiator 2 cannot meet the cooling requirement of the motor 1. At this time, the air conditioning system and the radiator 2 can be used in combination to cool the motor 1. Specifically, the first port 41 and the fourth port 44 of the four-way valve 4 can be controlled to conduct, the second port 42 and the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 can be controlled to conduct, and the first port 31 and the second port 32 of the three-way valve 3 can be controlled to conduct. At this time, the circulation path of the coolant is: the first water pump 7 → the second port 42 and the third port 43 of the four-way valve 4 → the second water pump 8 → the motor controller 9 → the DC-DC converter 10 → the motor 1 → the first port 31 and the second port 32 of the three-way valve 3 → the radiator 2 → the fourth port 44 and the first port 41 of the four-way valve 4 → the heat exchanger 5 → the power battery 6 → the first water pump 7, and the air conditioning system is controlled to operate and the refrigerant in the air conditioning system is made to flow through the heat exchanger 5. At this time, the circulation path of the refrigerant is: the compressor 11 → the condenser 12 → the second expansion valve 13 → the heat exchanger 5 → the compressor 11. In this way, the cooling requirement of the motor 1 is met by the cooperation of the air conditioning system and the radiator 2.

[0090] In addition, the vehicle thermal management system provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure can not only perform thermal management on the power battery 6 and the motor 1, but also cool and heat the passenger compartment to provide a comfortable driving environment for the driver. Specifically, when the passenger compartment needs to be cooled, the solenoid valve 14 and the first expansion valve 15 are opened, and the refrigerant flows through the first refrigerant branch and cools the passenger compartment through the evaporator 16. At this time, the refrigerant flow path is: compressor 11 → condenser 12 → solenoid valve 14 → first expansion valve 15 → heat exchanger 5 → compressor 11.

[0091] It should be noted that when it is necessary to cool the power battery 6 while cooling the passenger compartment, the opening degree of the second expansion valve 13 can be adjusted to respectively adjust the flow rates of the refrigerant on the first refrigerant branch and the second refrigerant branch, so as to perform the cooling capacity distribution of the air conditioning system. The specific control method is as follows: First, receive the target indoor environment temperature set by the user and detect the indoor environment temperature; when the temperature of the power battery 6 is greater than the second battery temperature threshold, the outdoor environment temperature is not less than the outdoor environment temperature threshold, and the indoor environment temperature is greater than the target indoor environment temperature, control the air conditioning system to operate and make the refrigerant in the air conditioning system flow through the evaporator 16 and the heat exchanger 5. After the air conditioning system operates for a preset duration, if the indoor environment temperature is still greater than the target indoor environment temperature, then give priority to meeting the cooling demand of the passenger compartment, adjust the opening degree of the second expansion valve 13 to reduce the refrigerant flow rate through the heat exchanger 5 and increase the refrigerant flow rate through the evaporator 16.

[0092] When the passenger compartment needs to be heated, referring to Figure 4 the vehicle thermal management system provided in Embodiment 4 shown, the first PTC heater 19 can be started to heat the air blown out by the blower 17, so that the blower 17 blows the heated warm air into the passenger compartment to achieve heating of the passenger compartment.

[0093] Alternatively, when the passenger compartment needs to be heated, referring to Figure 5 the vehicle thermal management system provided in Embodiment 5 shown, start the blower 17, the third water pump 20, and the second PTC heater 21, so that the coolant in the loop formed by connecting the third water pump 20, the second PTC heater 21, and the heater core 22 circulates. The coolant flow path is: third water pump 20 → second PTC heater 21 → heater core 22. The coolant is heated by the second PTC heater 21 and then flows into the heater core 22. The blower 17 can blow the heat on the heater core 22 into the passenger compartment for heating the passenger compartment.

[0094] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific details in the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the present disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0095] In addition, it should be noted that, among the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments, they can be combined in any appropriate manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the present disclosure will not separately describe various possible combination manners.

[0096] In addition, any combinations can also be made among various different embodiments of the present disclosure, as long as they do not violate the idea of the present disclosure, and they should equally be regarded as the content disclosed by the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle thermal management system, characterized in that, It includes a battery and an electric drive thermal management system, and the battery and electric drive thermal management system includes a first coolant flow path, a second coolant flow path, and a four-way valve (4); A heat exchanger (5), a power battery (6), and a first water pump (7) are arranged on the first coolant flow path. One end of the first coolant flow path is connected to the first port (41) of the four-way valve (4), and the other end is connected to the second port (42) of the four-way valve (4); A motor (1), a radiator (2), and a second water pump (8) are arranged on the second coolant flow path. One end of the second coolant flow path is connected to the third port (43) of the four-way valve (4), and the other end is connected to the fourth port (44) of the four-way valve (4); The first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path share an exhaust and liquid replenishment device; An electronic control is also arranged on the second coolant flow path; The second coolant flow path includes a coolant main path, a first coolant branch path, and a second coolant branch path. The second water pump (8), the electronic control, and the motor (1) are arranged on the coolant main path, the radiator (2) is arranged on the first coolant branch path, one end of the coolant main path is connected to the third port (43) of the four-way valve (4), and the other end is selectively connected to the fourth port (44) of the four-way valve (4) through the first coolant branch path or the second coolant branch path; When the vehicle is in the electric drive working state, the outdoor ambient temperature and the temperature of the power battery (6) are detected. When the temperature of the power battery (6) is greater than the second battery temperature threshold and the outdoor ambient temperature is less than the outdoor ambient temperature threshold, control the first port and the fourth port of the four-way valve to be conducted, and the second port and the third port to be conducted, so that the first coolant flow path and the second coolant flow path are conducted, and the first coolant branch path is connected to the fourth port; When the temperature of the power battery (6) is greater than the second battery temperature threshold and the outdoor ambient temperature is not less than the outdoor ambient temperature threshold, control the first port and the second port of the four-way valve to be conducted, so that the first coolant flow path forms an independent loop, control the air conditioning system to operate and make the refrigerant of the air conditioning system flow through the heat exchanger.

2. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, A three-way valve (3) is also arranged on the second coolant flow path. The first port (31) of the three-way valve (3) is connected to the coolant main path, the second port (32) of the three-way valve (3) is connected to the first coolant branch path, and the third port (33) of the three-way valve (3) is connected to the second coolant branch path.

3. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electronic control includes a motor controller and a DC-DC converter. The third port is connected to the coolant inlet of the second water pump, the coolant outlet of the second water pump is connected to the coolant inlet of the motor controller, the coolant outlet of the motor controller is connected to the coolant inlet of the DC-DC converter, the coolant outlet of the DC-DC converter is connected to the coolant inlet of the motor, and the coolant outlet of the motor is connected to the fourth port.

4. The vehicle thermal management system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The vehicle thermal management system further includes an air conditioning system and a heat exchanger (5), and the heat exchanger (5) is disposed in both the air conditioning system and the battery and electric drive thermal management system.

5. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The air conditioning system includes a refrigerant main line, a first refrigerant branch line, and a second refrigerant branch line. The first refrigerant branch line and the second refrigerant branch line are in parallel. A compressor (11) and a condenser (12) are disposed on the refrigerant main line. A first expansion valve (15), an evaporator (16), and a solenoid valve (14) are disposed on the first refrigerant branch line. A second expansion valve (13) and the heat exchanger (5) are disposed on the second refrigerant branch line. The first expansion valve (15) is a thermal expansion valve, and the second expansion valve (13) is an electronic expansion valve.

6. A vehicle, characterized in that, Including the vehicle thermal management system according to any one of claims 1-5.

Images