Vehicle thermal management system and method of controlling the same

Abstract

The application discloses a vehicle thermal management system and a control method thereof. The system comprises: a fuel cell thermal management module, including a fuel cell stack, a radiator and a first water pump, constituting a first heat storage pipeline; a power battery thermal management module, including a preset power battery and a second water pump, constituting a second heat storage pipeline; a motor thermal management module, including a preset motor and a third water pump, constituting a third heat storage pipeline; a heat storage tank module, the first heat storage pipeline, the second heat storage pipeline and the third heat storage pipeline all pass through the heat storage tank module, which is used for heat exchange of heat exchange medium of the first heat storage pipeline, the second heat storage pipeline and the third heat storage pipeline and storage of heat; and a heat pump air conditioner module connected with the heat storage tank module, which is used for heat dissipation of heat stored in the heat storage tank module. The application can relieve the problem of thermal runaway of the fuel cell stack, improve the compactness of the thermal management system, and improve the reliability and performance of the vehicle thermal management. The application can be widely applied in the field of vehicle thermal management.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle thermal management technology, and in particular to a vehicle thermal management system and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] A fuel cell is a power generation device that directly converts the chemical energy of fuel and oxidant into electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction. While outputting electrical energy, fuel cells also generate a significant amount of heat, which must be released from the fuel cell to prevent thermal runaway. Overheating of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack not only leads to membrane dehydration and reduced proton conductivity but also significantly accelerates the degradation of the membrane and catalyst, causing irreversible performance loss and damage to the fuel cell. In related technologies, fuel cell applications are increasingly focused on high power outputs. As the stack power continues to increase, the thermal load on the fuel cell power system and the entire vehicle also increases, and the placement of the radiator core within the vehicle's space is limited. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this application is to propose a vehicle thermal management system and its control method, which can effectively alleviate the thermal runaway problem of fuel cell stacks, improve the structural compactness of the thermal management system, and effectively improve the reliability and performance of vehicle thermal management.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, one aspect of this application proposes a vehicle thermal management system, the system comprising:

[0005] A fuel cell thermal management module includes a fuel cell stack, a radiator, and a first water pump; a first heat storage pipeline is formed between the fuel cell stack, the radiator, and the first water pump; the radiator is used to dissipate the heat generated by the fuel cell stack, and the first water pump is used to provide transport pressure for the heat exchange medium in the first heat storage pipeline.

[0006] A power battery thermal management module includes a preset power battery and a second water pump, wherein the preset power battery and the second water pump form a second heat storage pipeline; the second water pump is used to provide transport pressure for the heat exchange medium in the second heat storage pipeline.

[0007] A motor thermal management module includes a preset motor and a third water pump; the preset motor and the third water pump form a third heat storage pipeline; the third water pump is used to provide transport pressure for the heat exchange medium in the third heat storage pipeline;

[0008] The heat storage tank module is used to exchange heat and store heat in the heat exchange medium in the first heat storage pipeline, the second heat storage pipeline and the third heat storage pipeline.

[0009] A heat pump air conditioning module is connected to the heat storage tank module, and the heat pump air conditioning module is used to dissipate the heat stored in the heat storage tank module.

[0010] In some embodiments, the thermal storage tank module includes:

[0011] A first heat storage tank, a first heat storage pipeline passing through the first heat storage tank, a first phase change material stored in the first heat storage tank, the first heat storage tank being used to exchange heat with the heat exchange medium in the first heat storage pipeline through the first phase change material and to store heat; wherein, the melting point of the first phase change material corresponds to the ideal operating temperature of the fuel cell stack.

[0012] The second heat storage tank, through which both the second and third heat storage pipelines pass, stores a second phase change material. The second heat storage tank is used to exchange heat with the heat exchange medium in the second and third heat storage pipelines and to store heat. The melting point of the second phase change material corresponds to the ideal operating temperature of the preset power battery. Both the second and first heat storage tanks are connected to the heat pump air conditioning module to dissipate the heat stored in the first and second heat storage tanks.

[0013] In some embodiments, the fuel cell thermal management module further includes:

[0014] The first three-way valve includes a first three-way input terminal, a first three-way output terminal, and a second three-way output terminal. The first three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first water pump, the first three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the radiator, and the second three-way output terminal is connected to the output terminal of the radiator. The first three-way valve is used to adjust the circuit working state of the radiator.

[0015] The second three-way valve includes a second three-way input terminal, a third three-way output terminal, and a fourth three-way output terminal. The second three-way input terminal is connected to the second three-way output terminal, the third three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the fuel cell stack, and the fourth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the fuel cell stack, forming a first heat exchange circuit. The first heat exchange circuit passes through the first heat storage tank. The second three-way valve is used to control the working state of the first heat exchange circuit.

[0016] In some embodiments, the fuel cell thermal management module further includes:

[0017] The PTC heater is used to heat the heat exchange medium in the fuel cell thermal management module and the fuel cell stack.

[0018] The third three-way valve includes a third three-way input terminal, a fifth three-way output terminal, and a sixth three-way output terminal. The third three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first water pump, the sixth three-way output terminal is connected to the first three-way input terminal, the fifth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the PTC heater, and the output terminal of the PTC heater is connected to the input terminal of the fuel cell stack to form a medium heating circuit. The third three-way valve is used to control the working state of the medium heating circuit.

[0019] In some embodiments, the power battery thermal management module further includes:

[0020] The fourth three-way valve includes a fourth three-way input terminal, a seventh three-way output terminal, and an eighth three-way output terminal. The fourth three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the preset power battery, the seventh three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the second water pump, and the output terminal of the second water pump is connected to the input terminal of the preset power battery. The eighth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the second water pump to form a second heat exchange circuit, and the second heat exchange circuit passes through the second heat storage tank. The fourth three-way valve is used to control the operating state of the second heat exchange circuit.

[0021] In some embodiments, the motor thermal management module further includes:

[0022] Motor controller, the motor controller being used to control the preset motor;

[0023] The fifth three-way valve includes a fifth three-way input terminal, a ninth three-way output terminal, and a thirteenth three-way output terminal. The fifth three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the preset motor, the input terminal of the preset motor is connected to the output terminal of the motor controller, the input terminal of the motor controller is connected to the output terminal of the third water pump, and the ninth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the third water pump. The thirteenth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the third water pump to form a third heat exchange circuit, and the third heat exchange circuit passes through the second heat storage tank. The fifth three-way valve is used to control the operating state of the third heat exchange circuit.

[0024] In some embodiments, the heat pump air conditioning module includes:

[0025] A compressor, used to compress the refrigerant within the heat pump air conditioning module;

[0026] A four-way valve is used to adjust the operating mode of the heat pump air conditioning module.

[0027] An external heat exchanger is used to dissipate heat by cooling the refrigerant output from the compressor.

[0028] The vehicle interior heat exchanger is used to evaporate the refrigerant output from the vehicle exterior heat exchanger; wherein, the vehicle interior heat exchanger, the compressor, the four-way valve and the vehicle exterior heat exchanger form a heat pump air conditioning circuit, and the heat pump air conditioning circuit passes through the first heat storage tank and the second heat storage tank respectively.

[0029] In some embodiments, the heat pump air conditioning module further includes:

[0030] The first shut-off valve is located between the first input end of the four-way valve and the first heat storage tank. The first shut-off valve is used to control the heat pump air conditioning circuit to exchange heat with the first heat storage tank.

[0031] A gas-liquid separator is provided, wherein the output end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the input end of the compressor, the input end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the fourth input end of the four-way valve, and the output end of the compressor is connected to the third input end of the four-way valve. The gas-liquid separator is used to remove liquid particles from the refrigerant.

[0032] The second shut-off valve is disposed between the first heat storage tank and the in-vehicle heat exchanger. The second shut-off valve is used to control the heat exchange between the first heat storage tank and the in-vehicle heat exchanger.

[0033] A first electronic expansion valve is disposed between the second shut-off valve and the in-vehicle heat exchanger. The first electronic expansion valve is used to adjust the first mass flow rate of the refrigerant.

[0034] The third shut-off valve is disposed between the external heat exchanger and the first electronic expansion valve. The third shut-off valve is used to control the heat exchange between the external heat exchanger and the internal heat exchanger.

[0035] The fourth shut-off valve is located between the second input end of the four-way valve and the first heat storage tank. The fourth shut-off valve is used to adjust the working state of the vehicle external heat exchanger.

[0036] The fifth shut-off valve is disposed between the fourth shut-off valve and the first heat storage tank. The fifth shut-off valve is used to control the flow of the refrigerant medium of the heat pump air conditioning circuit through the first heat storage tank.

[0037] The sixth shut-off valve is disposed between the external heat exchanger and the fifth shut-off valve. The sixth shut-off valve is used to control the flow of the refrigerant from the external heat exchanger through the first heat storage tank.

[0038] The second electronic expansion valve is disposed between the sixth shut-off valve and the first heat storage tank. The second electronic expansion valve is used to control the second mass flow rate of the refrigerant medium input into the first heat storage tank.

[0039] A seventh shut-off valve is disposed between the fourth shut-off valve and the second heat storage tank. The seventh shut-off valve is used to control the flow of the refrigerant medium of the heat pump air conditioning circuit through the second heat storage tank.

[0040] To achieve the above objectives, another aspect of this application proposes a control method for a vehicle thermal management system, the method comprising the following steps:

[0041] Obtain preset temperature parameters; wherein, the preset temperature parameters include ambient temperature, passenger compartment temperature, heat storage tank temperature, refrigerant temperature, fuel cell temperature, power battery temperature, motor temperature, first heat exchange medium temperature, second heat exchange medium temperature, and third heat exchange medium temperature.

[0042] Based on the ambient temperature, the passenger compartment temperature, and the heat storage tank temperature, a first operating mode of the heat pump air conditioning module is determined, and the heat pump air conditioning module is controlled according to the first operating mode.

[0043] Based on the ambient temperature, the fuel cell temperature, the first heat exchange medium temperature, and the heat storage tank temperature, a second operating mode of the fuel cell thermal management module is determined, and the fuel cell thermal management module is controlled according to the second operating mode.

[0044] Based on the power battery temperature, the heat storage tank temperature, and the second heat exchange medium temperature, a third operating mode of the power battery thermal management module is determined, and the power battery thermal management module is controlled according to the third operating mode.

[0045] Based on the motor temperature, the heat storage tank temperature, and the third heat exchange medium temperature, a fourth operating mode of the motor thermal management module is determined, and the motor thermal management module is controlled according to the fourth operating mode.

[0046] Based on the fuel cell temperature and the heat storage tank temperature, a fifth operating mode of the heat storage tank module is determined, and the heat storage tank module is controlled according to the fifth operating mode.

[0047] In some embodiments, determining a second operating mode of the fuel cell thermal management module based on the ambient temperature, the fuel cell temperature, the first heat exchange medium temperature, and the heat storage tank temperature, and controlling the fuel cell thermal management module according to the second operating mode, includes:

[0048] When it is determined that the ambient temperature is less than the first temperature threshold and the fuel cell temperature is less than the second temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be the PTC heating mode; the PTC heater is started to heat the fuel cell stack using PTC heating according to the PTC heating mode.

[0049] Alternatively, when it is determined that the ambient temperature is less than the first temperature threshold, and the fuel cell temperature is greater than the second temperature threshold and less than the third temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be a heat pump air conditioning heating mode; the heat pump air conditioning module is activated according to the heat pump air conditioning heating mode to heat the fuel cell stack through the heat pump air conditioning module.

[0050] Alternatively, when the fuel cell temperature is determined to be greater than the third temperature threshold and less than the fourth temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be the stack circuit insulation cycle mode. According to the stack circuit insulation cycle mode, the radiator circuit is controlled to be in a closed state via a first three-way valve, the first heat exchange circuit is controlled to be in a closed state via a second three-way valve, and the medium heating circuit is controlled to be in a closed state via a third three-way valve, so that the fuel cell thermal management module performs self-circulation insulation; wherein, the third temperature threshold and the fourth temperature threshold are determined by the ideal operating temperature of the fuel cell stack.

[0051] Alternatively, when it is determined that the fuel cell temperature is greater than the fourth temperature threshold and less than the fifth temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be the first stack heat dissipation mode; according to the first stack heat dissipation mode, the first three-way valve controls the working state of the radiator to be open, the second three-way valve controls the working state of the first heat exchange circuit to be closed, and the third three-way valve controls the working state of the medium heating circuit to be closed, so as to dissipate heat from the fuel cell stack through the radiator;

[0052] Alternatively, when it is determined that the fuel cell temperature is greater than the fifth temperature threshold and the first heat exchange medium temperature is greater than the heat storage tank temperature, the second operating mode is determined to be the second fuel cell stack heat dissipation mode; according to the second fuel cell stack heat dissipation mode, the first three-way valve controls the radiator circuit to be in the open state, the second three-way valve controls the first heat exchange circuit to be in the open state, and the third three-way valve controls the medium heating circuit to be in the closed state, so as to dissipate heat from the fuel cell stack through the radiator and the first heat storage tank.

[0053] The embodiments of this application include at least the following beneficial effects: This application provides a vehicle thermal management system and its control method. The system includes a fuel cell thermal management module, a power battery thermal management module, a motor thermal management module, a heat storage tank module, and a heat pump air conditioning module. Specifically, in the fuel cell management module, a first heat storage pipeline is formed between the fuel cell stack, the radiator, and the first water pump; in the power battery thermal management module, a second heat storage pipeline is formed between the preset power battery and the second water pump; and in the motor thermal management module, a third heat storage pipeline is formed between the preset motor and the third water pump. In this embodiment, the radiator dissipates the heat generated by the fuel cell stack, thus performing preliminary thermal control of the fuel cell stack. Correspondingly, the first, second, and third heat storage pipelines all utilize heat storage tank modules. The first, second, and third water pumps provide transport pressure to the heat exchange medium in the corresponding pipelines, enabling the heat storage tank module to exchange heat with and store heat from the heat exchange medium in each pipeline, further absorbing the heat generated by the fuel cell stack, the preset power battery, and the preset motor, thereby mitigating thermal runaway problems. Accordingly, in this embodiment of the invention, the heat storage tank module is connected to the heat pump air conditioning module to dissipate the heat stored in the heat storage tank, thereby achieving reliable vehicle thermal management. It is readily understood that this embodiment of the invention, by combining the radiator and the heat storage tank module to dissipate the heat generated by the fuel cell stack, can effectively alleviate the thermal runaway problem of the fuel cell stack. Simultaneously, this embodiment of the invention improves the structural compactness of the thermal management system through the coordinated operation of various inlet and outlet pipes, effectively alleviates the thermal runaway problem of the fuel cell stack, and performs thermal control on the preset motor and power battery, thereby effectively improving the reliability and performance of vehicle thermal management. Attached Figure Description

[0054] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the vehicle thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the control method for the vehicle thermal management system provided in this application embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0056] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this application and are not intended to limit it. In the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with those of this application; they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of the embodiments of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0057] It is understood that the terms “first,” “second,” etc., used in this application may be used herein to describe various concepts, but unless otherwise stated, these concepts are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one concept from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the embodiments of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the words “if,” “when,” or “in response to a determination” as used herein may be interpreted as “when…” or “when…” or “in response to a determination.”

[0058] As used in this application, the terms "at least one", "multiple", "each", "any", etc., "at least one" includes one, two or more, "multiple" includes two or more, "each" refers to each of the corresponding multiples, and "any" refers to any one of the multiples.

[0059] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0060] Before providing a detailed description of the embodiments of this application, some of the nouns and terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be explained first. The nouns and terms involved in the embodiments of this application are subject to the following interpretations.

[0061] A fuel cell is a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction. Specifically, it generates electricity by reacting hydrogen or hydrogen-containing compounds with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst, producing an electron flow and releasing energy.

[0062] Power battery: It is a battery used to store electrical energy and provide power to electric vehicles or equipment. It is usually composed of multiple individual cells, such as lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium iron phosphate batteries, etc.

[0063] A fuel cell is a power generation device that directly converts the chemical energy of fuel and oxidant into electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction. While outputting electrical energy, fuel cells also generate a significant amount of heat, which must be released to prevent thermal runaway. Overheating of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack not only leads to membrane dehydration and reduced proton conductivity but also significantly accelerates the degradation of the membrane and catalyst, causing irreversible performance loss and damage to the fuel cell. In related technologies, fuel cell applications are increasingly focused on high power output. As stack power increases, the thermal load on the fuel cell power system and the entire vehicle also increases, and the placement of the radiator core within the vehicle's space is limited. Furthermore, the issue of low-temperature driving range in winter is a concern, as relying solely on a PTC heater liquid thermal system for heating consumes a large amount of power and excessively depletes battery capacity, severely reducing driving range.

[0064] Based on this, refer to Figure 1 One embodiment of the present invention provides a vehicle thermal management system, including: a fuel cell thermal management module, a power battery thermal management module, a motor thermal management module, a heat storage tank module, and a heat pump air conditioning module. Specifically, in this embodiment, the fuel cell module includes a fuel cell stack 101, a radiator 104, and a first water pump 102. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the fuel cell stack 101 generates a large amount of heat during the electrochemical reaction to produce electrical energy, and this heat needs to be dissipated. In this embodiment, a first heat storage pipeline is formed between the fuel cell stack 101, the radiator 104, and the first water pump 102. A heat exchange medium is provided in the first heat storage pipeline to absorb the heat generated by the fuel cell stack 101. Simultaneously, in this embodiment, the radiator 104 is used to dissipate the heat generated by the fuel cell stack 101. It is readily understood that when the heat generated by the fuel cell stack 101 is relatively small, in this embodiment, the heat is first transferred to the radiator 104 through the heat exchange medium in the first heat storage pipeline for dissipation. In this embodiment of the invention, the first water pump 102 provides transport pressure for the heat exchange medium, and the heat exchange medium in the first heat storage pipeline is transferred to the corresponding circuit for heat exchange, thereby enabling the normal operation of the fuel cell thermal management module, realizing thermal management of the fuel cell stack 101, and alleviating the problem of thermal runaway of the fuel cell stack 101.

[0065] Accordingly, in this embodiment of the invention, the power battery thermal management module includes a preset power battery 112 and a second water pump 113. The preset power battery 112 generates heat during operation, and the accumulation of this heat can affect the performance and lifespan of the power battery. Therefore, this embodiment of the invention constructs a second heat storage pipeline using the preset power battery 112 and the second water pump 113, so that the heat generated by the preset power battery 112 is absorbed by the heat exchange medium in the second heat storage pipeline, thereby alleviating the problem of excessively high battery pack temperature caused by the preset power battery overheating. Accordingly, this embodiment of the invention uses the second water pump 113 to provide pressure to the heat exchange medium in the second heat storage pipeline, so that the heat exchange medium can flow through the corresponding loop for heat exchange. In addition, in this embodiment of the invention, the motor thermal management module includes a preset motor 114 and a third water pump 116. When the preset motor 114 cannot dissipate heat during operation, it can lead to excessively high motor temperature. Therefore, in this embodiment of the invention, a third heat storage pipeline is constructed using a pre-set motor 114 and a third water pump. The heat generated by the pre-set motor 114 is absorbed by the heat exchange medium in the third heat storage pipeline, thereby alleviating the problem of excessive motor overheating and improving the motor's lifespan and efficiency. Correspondingly, this embodiment of the invention uses a third water pump 116 to provide pressure to the heat exchange medium in the third heat storage pipeline, thereby enabling the heat exchange medium to be transported to the corresponding circuit for heat exchange.

[0066] Meanwhile, in this embodiment of the invention, the heat generated by each module is stored through a heat storage tank module. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first, second, and third heat storage pipelines all pass through the heat storage tank module, meaning they all exchange heat with the heat exchange medium in each pipeline, thereby storing the heat generated by each pipeline in the heat storage tank module. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the heat pump air conditioning module can provide cooling and heating functions for the vehicle interior. Accordingly, this embodiment connects the heat storage tank module to the heat pump air conditioning module, so that the heat stored in the heat storage tank module is dissipated through the heat pump air conditioning module, thereby achieving reliable vehicle heat management. For example, in this embodiment, the refrigerant in the heat pump air conditioning module exchanges heat with the heat storage tank module to transfer the heat stored in the heat storage tank module to the refrigerant, and then the heat absorbed by the refrigerant is dissipated through the heat pump air conditioning circuit.

[0067] Reference Figure 1In some embodiments of the present invention, the heat storage tank module includes a first heat storage tank 105 and a second heat storage tank 111. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first heat storage pipeline of the fuel cell thermal management module passes through the first heat storage tank 105. The first heat storage tank 105 is filled with a first phase change material, and the melting point of the first phase change material corresponds to the ideal operating temperature of the fuel cell stack 101; that is, the ideal operating temperature of the fuel cell stack 101 determines the corresponding first phase change material. Accordingly, when the heat exchange medium in the first heat storage pipeline flows through the first heat storage tank 105 in this embodiment, the heat exchange medium in the pipeline exchanges heat with the first phase change material in the first heat storage tank 105, thereby transferring the heat generated by the fuel cell stack 101 to the first heat storage tank 105 for storage. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the second heat storage pipeline of the power battery thermal management module and the third heat storage pipeline of the motor thermal management module both pass through the second heat storage tank 111. The second heat storage tank 111 is filled with a second phase change material, and the melting point of the second phase change material corresponds to the ideal operating temperature of the preset power battery 112; that is, the second phase change material is determined by the ideal operating temperature of the preset power battery 112. Accordingly, in this embodiment of the invention, heat is exchanged between the second phase change material and the heat exchange medium flowing through the second heat storage tank 111 in the second and third heat storage pipelines, thereby transferring the heat generated by the preset power battery 112 and the preset motor 114 to the second heat storage tank 111, alleviating the problem of excessive heat generation in the power battery and motor. In addition, in this embodiment of the invention, both the second heat storage tank 111 and the first heat storage tank 105 are connected to the heat pump air conditioning module. That is, the heat pump air conditioning circuit passes through the first heat storage tank 105 and the second heat storage tank 111, so that the refrigerant in the heat pump air conditioning circuit exchanges heat with the first phase change material and the second phase change material to transfer the heat stored in the first heat storage tank 105 and the second heat storage tank 111 to the refrigerant, and then dissipates the heat through the heat pump air conditioning circuit, thereby realizing vehicle heat management and alleviating the problems of thermal runaway of fuel cell stack and excessive heat generation of power battery and motor.

[0068] It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the invention, the phase change material (PCM) refers to a high-melting-point organic or inorganic salt, such as a waxy substance or silicate. When absorbing heat, these phase change materials can change from a solid to a liquid state, absorbing a large amount of heat, and then change back from a liquid to a solid state when releasing heat, releasing the stored thermal energy. For example, in this embodiment of the invention, the first heat storage tank 105 uses a PCM phase change material with a melting point of 73.9°C as the first phase change material, and the second heat storage tank 111 uses a PCM phase change material with a melting point of 35°C as the second phase change material. Accordingly, when the heat generation of the fuel cell stack 101 reaches its peak, the radiator 104 cannot completely dissipate the heat, and the heat generation of the preset power battery 112 and preset motor 114 is too high, the first heat storage tank 105 and the second heat storage tank 111, filled with phase change materials, temporarily receive the excess heat that the radiator 104 cannot release and the excess heat of the preset power battery 112 and preset motor. Then, when the heat peak disappears, the heat is transferred to the refrigerant in the heat pump air conditioning module and dissipated from the external heat exchanger. In this embodiment, the two phase change materials have different melting points, falling within the ideal operating temperature range of the fuel cell stack 101 and the preset power battery 112. This improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the fuel cell and power battery, effectively extending the time the battery pack temperature remains within the ideal operating temperature range, increasing battery life, and extending driving range. Correspondingly, the vehicle thermal management system provided in this embodiment coordinates the operation of two heat storage tanks, a heat pump air conditioning circuit, a fuel cell thermal management circuit, a power battery thermal management circuit, and a motor thermal management circuit. This effectively mitigates the thermal runaway problem of the fuel cell stack and reduces the size of the radiator, alleviating the problem of compact space structure.

[0069] Reference Figure 1In some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell thermal management module further includes a first three-way valve 125 and a second three-way valve 126. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first three-way valve 125 includes a first three-way input terminal, a first three-way output terminal, and a second three-way output terminal. In this embodiment, the first three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first water pump 102, the first three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the radiator 104, and the second three-way output terminal is connected to the output terminal of the radiator 104, thereby forming a radiator circuit. The operating state of the radiator circuit is adjusted by the first three-way valve 125. For example, when the first three-way input terminal and the first three-way output terminal of the first three-way valve 125 are connected, the radiator circuit is in operation; otherwise, the radiator circuit is not in operation, and the heat exchange medium does not flow through the radiator circuit. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the second three-way valve 126 includes a second three-way input terminal, a third three-way output terminal, and a fourth three-way output terminal. In this embodiment, the second three-way valve 126 connects to the second three-way valve 126, and the third three-way valve 126 connects to the input of the fuel cell stack 101, thus forming a self-circulating loop. Simultaneously, the fourth three-way valve 126 connects to the input of the fuel cell stack, forming a first heat exchange loop, which flows through the first heat storage tank 105. It is easy to understand that the operating state of the first heat exchange loop is controlled by the second three-way valve 126. For example, when the fuel cell stack 101 does not need to store heat, the second three-way valve 126 is connected to the third three-way valve 126, allowing the heat exchange medium to flow through the self-circulating loop, and the first heat exchange loop does not operate. Conversely, when the fuel cell stack 101 needs to store heat, the second three-way valve 126 is connected to the fourth three-way valve 126, allowing the heat exchange medium to flow through the first heat exchange loop, thereby storing the heat generated by the fuel cell stack 101 in the first heat storage tank 105.

[0070] Reference Figure 1In some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell thermal management module further includes a PTC heater 103 and a third three-way valve 124. Specifically, the present invention uses the PTC heater to heat the heat exchange medium in the fuel cell management module. For example, in low-temperature or frigid environments, the present invention uses the PTC heater 103 to heat the heat exchange medium in the first heat storage pipeline of the fuel cell thermal management module, thereby preheating the fuel cell stack 101 through the heat exchange medium in the loop, to improve the efficiency and stability of the fuel cell and improve the heat exchange efficiency. Accordingly, the third three-way valve in the present invention includes a third three-way input terminal, a fifth three-way output terminal, and a sixth three-way output terminal. The third three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first water pump 102, the sixth three-way output terminal is connected to the first three-way input terminal of the first three-way valve 125, the fifth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the PTC heater 103, and the output terminal of the PTC heater 103 is connected to the input terminal of the fuel cell stack 101, thereby forming a medium heating loop, i.e., a PTC loop. It is readily understood that the embodiments of the present invention control the operating state of the medium heating circuit through the third three-way valve 124. For example, when the fuel cell stack 101 needs preheating, the embodiments of the present invention connect the third three-way input terminal to the fifth three-way output terminal so that the heat exchange medium flows through the medium heating circuit. After the heat exchange medium is heated by the PTC heater 103, the heat exchange medium flows through the fuel cell stack 101 and preheats the fuel cell stack 101. Conversely, when the fuel cell stack 101 does not need preheating, the third three-way input terminal is connected to the sixth three-way output terminal, and the heat exchange medium does not flow through the medium heating circuit.

[0071] It should be noted that, in some embodiments of the present invention, the vehicle thermal management system provided by the present invention uses antifreeze as the FCS coolant, i.e., the heat exchange medium, and R123a as the AC refrigerant, i.e., the refrigerant medium of the heat pump air conditioning module.

[0072] Reference Figure 1In some embodiments of the present invention, the power battery thermal management module further includes a fourth three-way valve 127. Specifically, in this embodiment, the fourth three-way valve includes a fourth three-way input terminal, a seventh three-way output terminal, and an eighth three-way output terminal. In this embodiment, the fourth three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of a preset power battery 112, the seventh three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of a second water pump 113, and the output terminal of the second water pump 113 is connected to the output terminal of the preset power battery 112, thus forming a power battery heat self-circulation loop. Simultaneously, the eighth three-way output terminal of the fourth three-way valve 127 is connected to the input terminal of the second water pump 113, forming a second heat exchange loop. This second heat exchange loop passes through a second heat storage tank 111, meaning the heat exchange medium in the second heat exchange loop can flow through the second heat storage tank 111 for heat exchange. Accordingly, this embodiment controls the operating state of the second heat exchange loop through the fourth three-way valve 127. For example, when the preset power battery 112 needs to dissipate heat or preheat, this embodiment of the invention connects the fourth three-way input terminal of the fourth three-way valve 127 with the seventh three-way output terminal so that the heat exchange medium flows through the second heat storage tank 111; conversely, when the preset power battery 112 is in an ideal working state, this embodiment of the invention connects the fourth three-way input terminal with the eighth three-way output terminal so that the heat exchange medium flows through the power battery heat self-circulation loop.

[0073] Reference Figure 1In some embodiments of the present invention, the motor thermal management module further includes a motor controller 115 and a fifth three-way valve 128. Specifically, in this embodiment, the motor controller 115 is used to control a preset motor 114. Correspondingly, since the motor controller 115 needs to control the preset motor 114 for a long time during vehicle operation, the motor controller 115 may overheat. Therefore, in this embodiment, the motor thermal management module not only manages the thermal performance of the preset motor but also controls the heat of the motor controller 115 to alleviate the thermal runaway problem of the motor controller 115 and improve the reliability of vehicle thermal management. Correspondingly, in this embodiment, the fifth three-way valve 128 includes a fifth three-way input terminal, a ninth three-way output terminal, and a thirteenth three-way output terminal. The fifth three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the preset motor 114, the input terminal of the preset motor 114 is connected to the output terminal of the motor controller 115, the input terminal of the motor controller 115 is connected to the output terminal of the third water pump 116, and the ninth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the third water pump 116, to form a self-circulating circuit for motor heat. Meanwhile, in this embodiment of the invention, the thirteenth output terminal of the fifth three-way valve 128 is connected to the input terminal of the third water pump 116 to form a third heat exchange circuit. This third heat exchange circuit passes through the second heat storage tank 111, allowing the heat exchange medium in the third heat exchange circuit to flow through the second heat storage tank 111 and exchange heat with the second phase change material. Accordingly, this embodiment of the invention controls the operating state of the third heat exchange circuit through the fifth three-way valve 128. For example, when the preset motor 114 or motor controller 115 needs heat exchange, this embodiment of the invention connects the fifth three-way input terminal of the fifth three-way valve 128 to the ninth three-way output terminal, allowing the heat exchange medium to flow through the second heat storage tank 111. Conversely, when the preset motor 114 or motor controller 115 does not need heat exchange, this embodiment of the invention connects the fifth three-way input terminal to the thirteenth output terminal, allowing the heat exchange medium to flow into the motor heat self-circulation circuit.

[0074] Reference Figure 1In some embodiments of the present invention, the heat pump air conditioning module includes a compressor 109, a four-way valve 108, an external heat exchanger 106, and an internal heat exchanger 107. Specifically, the compressor 109 compresses the refrigerant (coolant) within the heat pump air conditioning module. Simultaneously, the operating mode of the heat pump air conditioning module is adjusted by changing the connection state of the four-way valve 108. Correspondingly, the external heat exchanger 106 cools the refrigerant output from the compressor to dissipate heat, and the internal heat exchanger 107 evaporates the refrigerant output from the external heat exchanger 106. In this embodiment, the internal heat exchanger 107, the compressor 109, the four-way valve 108, and the external heat exchanger 106 form a heat pump air conditioning circuit, which passes through a first heat storage tank 105 and a second heat storage tank 111. Accordingly, in the heat pump air conditioning circuit of the present invention, the refrigerant flows through the first heat storage tank 105 and the second heat storage tank 111 and exchanges heat with the phase change material therein, thereby transferring the heat stored in the heat storage tank module to the heat pump air conditioning circuit, and then dissipating it into the air through the vehicle exterior heat exchanger 106.

[0075] Reference Figure 1In some embodiments of the present invention, the heat pump air conditioning module further includes a first shut-off valve 120, a gas-liquid separator 110, a second shut-off valve 119, a first electronic expansion valve 129, a third shut-off valve 121, a fourth shut-off valve 117, a fifth shut-off valve 122, a sixth shut-off valve 118, a second electronic expansion valve 130, and a seventh shut-off valve 123. Specifically, in this embodiment of the present invention, the first shut-off valve 120 is disposed between the first input end of the four-way valve 108 and the first heat storage tank 105. In this embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchange between the heat pump air conditioning circuit and the first heat storage tank 105 is controlled by the first shut-off valve 120, that is, the cooling shut-off in the heat pump air conditioning circuit is controlled by the first shut-off valve 120 to control whether the cooling flow passes through the first heat storage tank 105. At the same time, in this embodiment of the present invention, a gas-liquid separator 110 is disposed between the compressor 109 and the four-way valve 108. The output end of the gas-liquid separator 110 is connected to the input end of the compressor 109, and the input end of the gas-liquid separator 110 is connected to the fourth input end of the four-way valve 108. In this embodiment of the invention, a gas-liquid separator 110 separates the refrigerant medium that needs to be input into the compressor 109, thereby removing liquid particles from the refrigerant medium and preventing liquid particles from entering the compressor 109 and causing damage or reduced efficiency. Further, this embodiment of the invention provides a second shut-off valve 119 between the first heat storage tank 105 and the in-vehicle heat exchanger 107 to control heat exchange between the two. Correspondingly, this embodiment of the invention provides a first electronic expansion valve 129 between the second shut-off valve 119 and the in-vehicle heat exchanger 107 to adjust the first mass flow rate of the refrigerant medium. For example, when the passenger compartment needs cooling, this embodiment of the invention adjusts the first mass flow rate of the refrigerant at the inlet of the in-vehicle heat exchanger 107 through the first electronic expansion valve 129 to ensure that the refrigerant at the inlet of the in-vehicle heat exchanger 107 is saturated vapor. When the passenger compartment needs heating, the first mass flow rate of the refrigerant at the inlet of the external heat exchanger 106 is adjusted through the first electronic expansion valve 129 to ensure that the refrigerant at the inlet of the external heat exchanger 106 is saturated vapor, so that the system is in the optimal working state.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the invention, a third shut-off valve 121 is provided between the external heat exchanger 106 and the first electronic expansion valve 129 to control the heat exchange between the external heat exchanger 106 and the internal heat exchanger 107 through the refrigerant. Simultaneously, in this embodiment of the invention, a fourth shut-off valve 117 is provided between the second input end of the four-way valve 108 and the first heat storage tank 105 to adjust the operating state of the external heat exchanger 106. This embodiment of the invention controls whether the refrigerant flows into the external heat exchanger by adjusting the opening and closing of the fourth shut-off valve 117. For example, when the fourth shut-off valve 117 is open, the refrigerant does not flow into the external heat exchanger 106 initially. Correspondingly, in this embodiment of the invention, a fifth shut-off valve 122 is provided between the fourth shut-off valve 117 and the first heat storage tank 105 to control the flow of the refrigerant in the heat pump air conditioning circuit through the first heat storage tank 105. For example, when the fifth shut-off valve 122 is open, the refrigerant in the heat pump air conditioning circuit flows through the first heat storage tank 105 for heat exchange. Additionally, in this embodiment, a sixth shut-off valve 118 is provided between the external heat exchanger 106 and the fifth shut-off valve 122 to control the flow of the refrigerant from the external heat exchanger 106 through the first heat storage tank 105. For example, when the sixth shut-off valve 118 is open, the refrigerant can flow through the heat storage tank circuit, i.e., through the first heat storage tank 105. Simultaneously, in this embodiment, a second electronic expansion valve 130 is provided between the sixth shut-off valve 118 and the first heat storage tank 105 to control the second mass flow rate of the refrigerant input to the first heat storage tank 105. In this embodiment, the second electronic expansion valve 130 adjusts the mass flow rate of the refrigerant at the inlet of the first heat storage tank 105, thereby ensuring that the refrigerant at the inlet of the heat storage tank is saturated vapor. In addition, in this embodiment of the invention, a seventh shut-off valve 123 is also provided between the fourth shut-off valve 117 and the second heat storage tank 111, so as to control the flow of the refrigerant of the heat pump air conditioning circuit through the second heat storage tank 111 through the seventh shut-off valve 123, that is, to control the heat exchange between the second heat storage tank 111 and the heat pump air conditioning circuit.

[0077] It is readily understood that, by employing antifreeze as the FCS coolant (heat exchange medium), R134a as the AC refrigerant (cooling medium), and two PCM phase change materials with melting points of 73.9℃ and 35℃ as the PCM phase change materials in the heat storage tank, and by utilizing the coordinated operation of two heat storage tanks, a heat pump air conditioning circuit, a fuel cell stack thermal management circuit, a power battery thermal management circuit, and a motor thermal management circuit, the vehicle thermal management system structure is made more compact, and the stack cooling performance is excellent. This effectively reduces the thermal runaway problem of the fuel cell stack and alleviates the increasingly difficult thermal management problem of fuel cell vehicles caused by the continuous increase in fuel cell stack power output and radiator thermal overload. This is of great significance to the thermal management of fuel cell vehicles.

[0078] One embodiment of the present invention provides a control method for a vehicle thermal management system, which can effectively alleviate the thermal runaway problem of fuel cell stacks, improve the structural compactness of the thermal management system, and effectively improve the reliability and performance of vehicle thermal management. (Refer to...) Figure 2 The method in this embodiment of the invention includes, but is not limited to, steps S210, S220, S230, S240, S250 and S260.

[0079] Specifically, the method of the embodiments of the present invention is applied to, for example, Figure 1 The process of the vehicle thermal management system shown includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0080] Step S210: Obtain preset temperature parameters. These preset temperature parameters include ambient temperature, passenger compartment temperature, heat storage tank temperature, refrigerant temperature, fuel cell temperature, power battery temperature, motor temperature, first heat exchange medium temperature, second heat exchange medium temperature, and third heat exchange medium temperature.

[0081] Step S220: Determine the first operating mode of the heat pump air conditioning module based on the ambient temperature, the passenger compartment temperature and the heat storage tank temperature, so as to control the heat pump air conditioning module according to the first operating mode.

[0082] Step S230: Determine the second operating mode of the fuel cell thermal management module based on the ambient temperature, fuel cell temperature, first heat exchange medium temperature and heat storage tank temperature, so as to control the fuel cell thermal management module according to the second operating mode.

[0083] Step S240: Determine the third working mode of the power battery thermal management module based on the power battery temperature, the heat storage tank temperature and the second heat exchange medium temperature, so as to control the power battery thermal management module according to the third working mode.

[0084] Step S250: Determine the fourth working mode of the motor thermal management module based on the motor temperature, the heat storage tank temperature and the third heat exchange medium temperature, so as to control the motor thermal management module according to the fourth working mode.

[0085] Step S260: Determine the fifth operating mode of the heat storage tank module based on the fuel cell temperature and the heat storage tank temperature, and control the heat storage tank module according to the fifth operating mode.

[0086] In the operation of this specific embodiment, the present invention first acquires preset temperature parameters to determine the operating mode of each module based on the preset parameters, and then controls each module according to the corresponding operating mode. Specifically, the preset temperature parameters in this embodiment include ambient temperature, passenger compartment temperature, heat storage tank temperature, refrigerant temperature, fuel cell temperature, power battery temperature, motor temperature, first heat exchange medium temperature, second heat exchange medium temperature, and third heat exchange medium temperature. The present invention analyzes the ambient temperature, passenger compartment temperature, and heat storage tank temperature to determine the first operating mode of the heat pump air conditioning module, and controls the heat pump air conditioning module according to the first operating mode.

[0087] For example, this embodiment of the invention manages passenger compartment thermally through a heat pump air conditioning module, and divides the operating modes of passenger compartment thermal management into heat pump air conditioning cooling mode, heat storage tank heating mode, and heat pump air conditioning heating mode. Accordingly, when the ambient temperature is greater than a first ambient temperature threshold and the passenger compartment temperature is greater than a first passenger compartment temperature threshold, the first operating mode is determined to be heat pump air conditioning cooling mode, and the heat pump air conditioning module is controlled to perform cooling. For example, when the ambient temperature is greater than 20 degrees Celsius and the passenger compartment temperature is greater than 25 degrees Celsius, the passenger compartment temperature is high and cooling is required. This embodiment of the invention switches the four-way valve to the cooling position and opens the third shut-off valve, allowing the heat pump air conditioning module to perform heat pump air conditioning cooling on the passenger compartment. Alternatively, when the ambient temperature is determined to be less than a second ambient temperature threshold and the passenger compartment temperature is less than a second passenger compartment temperature threshold, and the heat storage tank temperature is greater than the refrigerant temperature, the first operating mode is determined to be heat storage tank heating mode, and the heat pump air conditioning module is controlled to obtain heat from the heat storage tank module to heat the passenger compartment. For example, when the ambient temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius, the passenger compartment temperature is less than 18 degrees Celsius, and the first heat storage tank contains heat (i.e., the heat storage tank temperature is greater than the refrigerant temperature), the passenger compartment temperature is low and heating is required. In this embodiment of the invention, the four-way valve is switched to the heating position, and the second, fourth, and fifth shut-off valves are opened. In low-temperature environments, the heat stored in the phase change material is used to heat the passenger compartment, thereby achieving efficient energy utilization. During this process, the vehicle thermal management system uses the phase change material to heat the passenger compartment. Alternatively, when the ambient temperature is less than a second ambient temperature threshold and the passenger compartment temperature is less than a second passenger compartment temperature threshold, and the heat storage tank temperature is less than the refrigerant temperature, the first operating mode is determined to be the heat pump air conditioning heating mode, and the heat pump control module is controlled to provide heating. For example, when the ambient temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius, the passenger compartment temperature is less than 18 degrees Celsius, and there is no heat stored in the first heat storage tank (i.e., the heat storage tank temperature is less than the refrigerant temperature), the passenger compartment temperature is low and heating is required. In this embodiment of the invention, the four-way valve is switched to the heating position, and the third shut-off valve is opened. In low-temperature environments, when there is no stored heat in the phase change material, the passenger compartment is heated by a heat pump air conditioning system. This process involves the thermal management system using heat pump air conditioning to heat the passenger compartment.

[0088] Next, this embodiment of the invention determines a second operating mode for the fuel cell thermal management module based on the ambient temperature, fuel cell temperature, first heat exchange medium temperature, and heat storage tank temperature, and then controls the fuel cell thermal management module according to the second operating mode. This embodiment of the invention determines the corresponding second operating mode by comparing and analyzing the collected ambient temperature, fuel cell temperature, first heat exchange medium temperature, and heat storage tank temperature, thereby controlling the fuel cell thermal management module. Further, this embodiment of the invention determines a third operating mode for the power battery thermal management module based on the power battery temperature, heat storage tank temperature, and second heat exchange medium temperature, and controls the power battery management module according to the third operating mode. The second heat exchange medium temperature refers to the temperature of the heat exchange medium in the power battery circuit (i.e., the second heat storage pipeline).

[0089] For example, this embodiment of the invention divides the operating modes of the power battery thermal management module into a heat pump air conditioning heating mode, a heat storage tank heating mode, a power battery circuit insulation circulation mode, and a heat storage tank heat dissipation mode. Specifically, when the power battery temperature is lower than a first power battery temperature threshold and the second heat exchange medium temperature is higher than the heat storage tank temperature, the third operating mode is determined to be the heat pump air conditioning heating mode, where the power battery is heated by the heat pump air conditioning module. For instance, when the power battery temperature is lower than 18 degrees Celsius and the second heat exchange medium temperature is higher than the heat storage tank temperature, the power battery temperature is low and requires heating, and since there is no heat storage in the second heat storage tank, the heat pump air conditioning is needed for heating. This embodiment of the invention controls the fourth three-way valve to open the second heat exchange circuit, turns the four-way valve to the heating position, and opens the first, sixth, and seventh shut-off valves. In low-temperature environments, this embodiment of the invention heats the power battery through the heat pump air conditioning system, and the second heat storage tank achieves real-time heat exchange at this time. Alternatively, when the power battery temperature is lower than the first power battery temperature threshold and the second heat exchange medium temperature is lower than the heat storage tank temperature, the third operating mode is determined to be the heat storage tank heating mode, and the power battery is heated through the heat pump air conditioning module. For example, when the power battery temperature is lower than 18 degrees Celsius and the second heat exchange medium temperature is lower than the heat storage tank temperature, the power battery temperature is low and needs heating. Since there is heat stored in the second heat storage tank, the power battery is heated through the heat stored in the second heat storage tank. In this embodiment of the invention, the fourth three-way valve is controlled to open the second heat exchange circuit. In this process, the power battery is heated through the heat storage tank module. Alternatively, when the power battery temperature is determined to be within the preset ideal operating range of the power battery, such as the power battery temperature being greater than 18 degrees Celsius and less than 45 degrees Celsius, the third operating mode is determined to be the power battery circuit heat preservation circulation mode. In this embodiment of the invention, the fourth three-way valve is controlled to open the power battery heat self-circulation circuit, and heat preservation circulation is achieved through the power battery heat self-circulation circuit. Alternatively, when it is determined that the power battery temperature is greater than the preset ideal temperature threshold, such as the power battery temperature being greater than 45 degrees Celsius, and the temperature of the second heat exchange medium is greater than the temperature of the heat storage tank, the third working mode is determined to be the heat storage tank heat dissipation mode. In this embodiment of the invention, the fourth three-way valve is controlled to open the second heat exchange circuit so as to store the preset heat that the power battery needs to dissipate in the second heat storage tank.

[0090] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the invention, a fourth operating mode of the motor thermal management module is determined based on the motor temperature, the heat storage tank temperature, and the third heat exchange medium temperature, and then the motor thermal management module is controlled according to the fourth operating mode. In this embodiment, the third heat exchange medium temperature refers to the temperature of the heat exchange medium in the third heat storage pipeline. For example, this embodiment divides the operating modes of the motor thermal management module into a motor circuit insulation circulation mode, a heat storage tank heat dissipation mode, and a power battery preheating mode. Specifically, when the motor temperature is less than a preset motor temperature threshold, such as less than 80 degrees Celsius, the motor temperature is within the ideal operating temperature range. In this embodiment, the fourth operating mode is determined to be the motor circuit insulation circulation mode, and the fifth three-way valve is controlled to open the motor heat self-circulation loop to achieve insulation circulation. Alternatively, when the motor temperature is greater than the preset motor temperature threshold, such as greater than 80 degrees Celsius, and the third heat exchange medium temperature is greater than the heat storage tank temperature, the motor temperature is high. In this embodiment, the fourth operating mode is determined to be the heat storage tank heat dissipation mode, and the fifth three-way valve is controlled to open the third heat exchange loop to store the heat that the motor needs to dissipate in the second heat storage tank. Alternatively, when the motor temperature is within a preset threshold range and the power battery temperature is less than the first power battery temperature threshold (e.g., the motor temperature is greater than 50 degrees Celsius but less than 80 degrees Celsius, and the power battery temperature is less than 18 degrees Celsius), the fourth operating mode is determined to be the power battery preheating mode. In this mode, the power battery temperature is low and heating is required. In this embodiment of the invention, the fourth three-way valve is controlled to open the second heat exchange circuit, and the fifth three-way valve is controlled to open the third heat exchange circuit, so as to transport the heat generated by the preset motor to the preset power battery, thereby preheating the preset power battery through the heat generated by the preset motor.

[0091] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the invention, a fifth operating mode of the heat storage tank module is determined based on the fuel cell temperature and the heat storage tank temperature, and the heat storage tank module is controlled according to the fifth operating mode. For example, in this embodiment of the invention, the fifth operating mode includes the operating mode of the first heat storage tank and the operating mode of the second heat storage tank. Both the first and second heat storage tanks have operating modes of heat storage and heat dissipation. Accordingly, when the operating mode of the first heat storage tank is determined to be heat storage mode, this embodiment of the invention stores the heat that the fuel cell stack needs to dissipate in the PCM phase change material through the first heat storage tank. Additionally, when the fuel cell temperature is within a preset ideal fuel cell temperature threshold range, such as a fuel cell temperature greater than 60 degrees Celsius and less than 70 degrees Celsius, the operating mode of the first heat storage tank is determined to be heat dissipation mode. At this time, the vehicle's heat load is during off-peak hours, and this embodiment of the invention dissipates the heat from the PCM phase change material in the first heat storage tank through the external radiator, restoring the heat storage capacity of the first heat storage tank, and opening the first, fifth, and sixth shut-off valves. Accordingly, when the operating mode of the second heat storage tank is determined to be heat storage mode, this embodiment of the invention stores the heat that the preset motor and preset power battery need to dissipate in the PCM phase change material through the second heat storage tank. Additionally, when the fuel cell temperature is within the preset ideal fuel cell temperature threshold range, such as a fuel cell temperature greater than 60 degrees Celsius and less than 70 degrees Celsius, and the vehicle's heat load is during off-peak hours, or when the temperature of the second heat storage tank is greater than the preset heat storage temperature threshold, such as a temperature greater than 40 degrees Celsius, the operating mode of the second heat storage tank is determined to be heat dissipation mode. This embodiment of the invention dissipates the heat from the PCM phase change material in the second heat storage tank through the external radiator, restoring the heat storage capacity of the second heat storage tank, and opening the first, sixth, and seventh shut-off valves. It should be noted that in this embodiment of the invention, all shut-off valves are normally closed when the system is started.

[0092] In some embodiments of the present invention, a second operating mode of the fuel cell thermal management module is determined based on the ambient temperature, fuel cell temperature, first heat exchange medium temperature, and heat storage tank temperature, so as to control the fuel cell thermal management module according to the second operating mode, including but not limited to the following steps:

[0093] When the ambient temperature is determined to be below the first temperature threshold and the fuel cell temperature is determined to be below the second temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be the PTC heating mode. The PTC heater is then activated to provide PTC heating to the fuel cell stack according to the PTC heating mode.

[0094] Alternatively, when it is determined that the ambient temperature is below a first temperature threshold, and the fuel cell temperature is above a second temperature threshold but below a third temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be a heat pump air conditioning heating mode. The heat pump air conditioning module is then activated according to the heat pump air conditioning heating mode to provide heat pump air conditioning heating for the fuel cell stack.

[0095] Alternatively, when the fuel cell temperature is determined to be greater than the third temperature threshold and less than the fourth temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be the stack loop insulation cycle mode. According to the stack loop insulation cycle mode, the radiator loop is controlled to be in the closed state via the first three-way valve, the first heat exchange loop is controlled to be in the closed state via the second three-way valve, and the medium heating loop is controlled to be in the closed state via the third three-way valve, so that the fuel cell thermal management module performs self-circulation insulation. The third and fourth temperature thresholds are determined by the ideal operating temperature of the fuel cell stack.

[0096] Alternatively, when the fuel cell temperature is determined to be greater than the fourth temperature threshold and less than the fifth temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be the first stack heat dissipation mode. According to the first stack heat dissipation mode, the first three-way valve controls the radiator's circuit to be in the open state, the second three-way valve controls the first heat exchange circuit to be in the closed state, and the third three-way valve controls the medium heating circuit to be in the closed state, so as to dissipate heat from the fuel cell stack through the radiator.

[0097] Alternatively, when it is determined that the fuel cell temperature is greater than the fifth temperature threshold and the first heat exchange medium temperature is greater than the heat storage tank temperature, the second operating mode is determined to be the second fuel cell stack cooling mode. According to the second fuel cell stack cooling mode, the first three-way valve controls the radiator circuit to be in the open state, the second three-way valve controls the first heat exchange circuit to be in the open state, and the third three-way valve controls the medium heating circuit to be in the closed state, so as to dissipate heat from the fuel cell stack through the radiator and the first heat storage tank.

[0098] In this specific embodiment, the operating modes of the fuel cell stack thermal management are divided into PTC heating mode, heat pump air conditioning heating mode, stack loop insulation circulation mode, first stack heat dissipation mode, and second stack strong heat dissipation mode. Specifically, when the ambient temperature is determined to be lower than a first temperature threshold and the fuel cell temperature is lower than a second temperature threshold, such as an ambient temperature lower than 10 degrees Celsius and a fuel cell temperature lower than -15 degrees Celsius, the second operating mode is determined to be PTC heating mode. At this time, the fuel cell stack temperature is too low and heating is required. In this embodiment, the PTC heater is activated to provide PTC heating to the fuel cell stack according to the PTC heating mode, such as controlling the third three-way valve to open the PTC heating loop, i.e., the medium heating loop. It is easy to understand that in extremely low temperature and frigid environments, the heat pump system is extremely inefficient, and PTC is needed to quickly heat the fuel cell stack. In this process, the vehicle thermal management system provides PTC heating to the fuel cell stack. Alternatively, when it is determined that the ambient temperature is less than the first temperature threshold, and the fuel cell temperature is greater than the second temperature threshold and less than the third temperature threshold (e.g., the ambient temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius, and the fuel cell temperature is greater than -15 degrees Celsius and less than 60 degrees Celsius), the second operating mode is determined to be the heat pump air conditioning heating mode. At this time, the fuel cell stack temperature is low and requires heating. In this embodiment of the invention, the heat pump air conditioning module is activated according to the heat pump air conditioning heating mode to provide heat pump air conditioning heating to the fuel cell stack. Accordingly, in this embodiment of the invention, heating is achieved through heat pump air conditioning by controlling the third three-way valve to open the heat exchange circuit (i.e., closing the medium heating circuit), controlling the first three-way valve to open the non-radiator circuit (i.e., closing the radiator circuit), controlling the second three-way valve to open the first heat exchange circuit, turning the four-way valve to the heating position, and opening the first, fifth, and sixth shut-off valves. It is easy to understand that in a low-temperature environment, this embodiment of the invention heats the fuel cell stack through the heat pump air conditioning module, and the first heat storage tank achieves real-time heat exchange at this time. During this process, the vehicle thermal management system provides heat pump air conditioning heating to the fuel cell stack.

[0099] Alternatively, when the fuel cell temperature is determined to be greater than the third temperature threshold and less than the fourth temperature threshold, such as a fuel cell temperature greater than 60 degrees Celsius and less than 70 degrees Celsius, the second operating mode is determined to be the fuel cell stack circuit insulation cycle mode. At this time, the fuel cell stack temperature reaches the ideal operating temperature range. In this embodiment of the invention, the first three-way valve controls the radiator circuit to be in a closed state, i.e., the radiator circuit is closed; the second three-way valve controls the first heat exchange circuit to be in a closed state; and the third three-way valve controls the medium heating circuit to be in a closed state, so that the fuel cell thermal management module performs self-circulation insulation. This process achieves insulation cycle in the fuel cell stack circuit. In this embodiment of the invention, the third and fourth temperature thresholds are determined based on the ideal operating temperature of the fuel cell stack.

[0100] Alternatively, when the fuel cell temperature is determined to be greater than the fourth temperature threshold and less than the fifth temperature threshold, such as a fuel cell temperature greater than 70 degrees Celsius and less than 80 degrees Celsius, the second operating mode is determined to be the first fuel cell stack cooling mode. In this case, the fuel cell stack temperature is high and requires cooling, which can be achieved through a radiator. In this embodiment of the invention, a first three-way valve controls the radiator circuit to be open, a second three-way valve controls the first heat exchange circuit to be closed, and a third three-way valve controls the medium heating circuit to be closed, thereby cooling the fuel cell stack through the radiator. In this process, the vehicle thermal management system cools the fuel cell stack through the radiator.

[0101] Alternatively, when the fuel cell temperature is determined to be greater than the fifth temperature threshold, such as greater than 80 degrees Celsius, and the temperature of the first heat exchange medium is greater than the temperature of the heat storage tank, the second operating mode is determined to be the second fuel cell stack cooling mode. In this case, the fuel cell stack temperature is too high and requires cooling. At this point, the radiator is insufficient to suppress the temperature rise. In this embodiment of the invention, phase change materials are used to help dissipate heat from the fuel cell stack. A first three-way valve controls the radiator circuit to be open, a second three-way valve controls the first heat exchange circuit to be open, and a third three-way valve controls the medium heating circuit to be closed, thus dissipating heat from the fuel cell stack through the radiator and the first heat storage tank. It is easy to understand that, due to the limited heat dissipation capacity of the radiator, in order to reduce the fuel cell stack temperature in a timely manner and increase the time the fuel cell stack temperature is within the ideal operating temperature range, this embodiment of the invention uses phase change materials in the heat storage tank to absorb excess heat and store it, releasing the heat for use by various components when needed. In this process, the vehicle thermal management system provides strong heat dissipation to the fuel cell stack through the radiator and the first heat storage tank.

[0102] The preferred embodiments of the present application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but this does not limit the scope of the claims of the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and substance of the embodiments of the present application shall be within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A vehicle thermal management system, characterized in that, The system includes: A fuel cell thermal management module includes a fuel cell stack, a radiator, and a first water pump; a first heat storage pipeline is formed between the fuel cell stack, the radiator, and the first water pump; the radiator is used to dissipate the heat generated by the fuel cell stack, and the first water pump is used to provide transport pressure for the heat exchange medium in the first heat storage pipeline. A power battery thermal management module includes a preset power battery and a second water pump, wherein the preset power battery and the second water pump form a second heat storage pipeline; the second water pump is used to provide transport pressure for the heat exchange medium in the second heat storage pipeline. A motor thermal management module includes a preset motor and a third water pump; the preset motor and the third water pump form a third heat storage pipeline; the third water pump is used to provide transport pressure for the heat exchange medium in the third heat storage pipeline; The heat storage tank module is used to exchange heat and store heat in the heat exchange medium in the first heat storage pipeline, the second heat storage pipeline and the third heat storage pipeline. A heat pump air conditioning module is connected to the heat storage tank module, and the heat pump air conditioning module is used to dissipate the heat stored in the heat storage tank module. The heat storage tank module includes: A first heat storage tank, a first heat storage pipeline passing through the first heat storage tank, a first phase change material stored in the first heat storage tank, the first heat storage tank being used to exchange heat with the heat exchange medium in the first heat storage pipeline through the first phase change material and to store heat; wherein, the melting point of the first phase change material corresponds to the ideal operating temperature of the fuel cell stack. The second heat storage tank, through which both the second and third heat storage pipelines pass, stores a second phase change material. The second heat storage tank is used to exchange heat with the heat exchange medium in the second and third heat storage pipelines and to store heat. The melting point of the second phase change material corresponds to the ideal operating temperature of the preset power battery. Both the second and first heat storage tanks are connected to the heat pump air conditioning module to dissipate the heat stored in the first and second heat storage tanks. The fuel cell thermal management module further includes: The first three-way valve includes a first three-way input terminal, a first three-way output terminal, and a second three-way output terminal. The first three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first water pump, the first three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the radiator, and the second three-way output terminal is connected to the output terminal of the radiator. The first three-way valve is used to adjust the circuit working state of the radiator. The second three-way valve includes a second three-way input terminal, a third three-way output terminal, and a fourth three-way output terminal. The second three-way input terminal is connected to the second three-way output terminal, the third three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the fuel cell stack, and the fourth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the fuel cell stack, forming a first heat exchange circuit. The first heat exchange circuit passes through the first heat storage tank. The second three-way valve is used to control the working state of the first heat exchange circuit. The power battery thermal management module further includes: The fourth three-way valve includes a fourth three-way input terminal, a seventh three-way output terminal, and an eighth three-way output terminal. The fourth three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the preset power battery, the seventh three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the second water pump, and the output terminal of the second water pump is connected to the input terminal of the preset power battery. The eighth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the second water pump to form a second heat exchange circuit, and the second heat exchange circuit passes through the second heat storage tank. The fourth three-way valve is used to control the operating state of the second heat exchange circuit. The motor thermal management module further includes: Motor controller, the motor controller being used to control the preset motor; The fifth three-way valve includes a fifth three-way input terminal, a ninth three-way output terminal, and a thirteenth three-way output terminal. The fifth three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the preset motor, the input terminal of the preset motor is connected to the output terminal of the motor controller, the input terminal of the motor controller is connected to the output terminal of the third water pump, and the ninth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the third water pump. The thirteenth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the third water pump to form a third heat exchange circuit, and the third heat exchange circuit passes through the second heat storage tank. The fifth three-way valve is used to control the operating state of the third heat exchange circuit.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fuel cell thermal management module also includes: The PTC heater is used to heat the heat exchange medium in the fuel cell thermal management module and the fuel cell stack. The third three-way valve includes a third three-way input terminal, a fifth three-way output terminal, and a sixth three-way output terminal. The third three-way input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the first water pump, the sixth three-way output terminal is connected to the first three-way input terminal, the fifth three-way output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the PTC heater, and the output terminal of the PTC heater is connected to the input terminal of the fuel cell stack to form a medium heating circuit. The third three-way valve is used to control the working state of the medium heating circuit.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat pump air conditioning module includes: A compressor, used to compress the refrigerant within the heat pump air conditioning module; A four-way valve is used to adjust the operating mode of the heat pump air conditioning module. An external heat exchanger is used to dissipate heat by cooling the refrigerant output from the compressor. The vehicle interior heat exchanger is used to evaporate the refrigerant output from the vehicle exterior heat exchanger; wherein, the vehicle interior heat exchanger, the compressor, the four-way valve and the vehicle exterior heat exchanger form a heat pump air conditioning circuit, and the heat pump air conditioning circuit passes through the first heat storage tank and the second heat storage tank respectively.

4. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The heat pump air conditioning module also includes: The first shut-off valve is located between the first input end of the four-way valve and the first heat storage tank. The first shut-off valve is used to control the heat pump air conditioning circuit to exchange heat with the first heat storage tank. A gas-liquid separator is provided, wherein the output end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the input end of the compressor, the input end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the fourth input end of the four-way valve, and the output end of the compressor is connected to the third input end of the four-way valve. The gas-liquid separator is used to remove liquid particles from the refrigerant. The second shut-off valve is disposed between the first heat storage tank and the in-vehicle heat exchanger. The second shut-off valve is used to control the heat exchange between the first heat storage tank and the in-vehicle heat exchanger. A first electronic expansion valve is disposed between the second shut-off valve and the in-vehicle heat exchanger. The first electronic expansion valve is used to adjust the first mass flow rate of the refrigerant. The third shut-off valve is disposed between the external heat exchanger and the first electronic expansion valve. The third shut-off valve is used to control the heat exchange between the external heat exchanger and the internal heat exchanger. The fourth shut-off valve is located between the second input end of the four-way valve and the first heat storage tank. The fourth shut-off valve is used to adjust the working state of the vehicle external heat exchanger. The fifth shut-off valve is disposed between the fourth shut-off valve and the first heat storage tank. The fifth shut-off valve is used to control the flow of the refrigerant medium of the heat pump air conditioning circuit through the first heat storage tank. The sixth shut-off valve is disposed between the external heat exchanger and the fifth shut-off valve. The sixth shut-off valve is used to control the flow of the refrigerant from the external heat exchanger through the first heat storage tank. The second electronic expansion valve is disposed between the sixth shut-off valve and the first heat storage tank. The second electronic expansion valve is used to control the second mass flow rate of the refrigerant medium input into the first heat storage tank. A seventh shut-off valve is disposed between the fourth shut-off valve and the second heat storage tank. The seventh shut-off valve is used to control the flow of the refrigerant medium of the heat pump air conditioning circuit through the second heat storage tank.

5. A control method for a vehicle thermal management system, characterized in that, Applied to the vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, the method includes the following steps: Obtain preset temperature parameters; wherein, the preset temperature parameters include ambient temperature, passenger compartment temperature, heat storage tank temperature, refrigerant temperature, fuel cell temperature, power battery temperature, motor temperature, first heat exchange medium temperature, second heat exchange medium temperature, and third heat exchange medium temperature. Based on the ambient temperature, the passenger compartment temperature, and the heat storage tank temperature, a first operating mode of the heat pump air conditioning module is determined, and the heat pump air conditioning module is controlled according to the first operating mode. Based on the ambient temperature, the fuel cell temperature, the first heat exchange medium temperature, and the heat storage tank temperature, a second operating mode of the fuel cell thermal management module is determined, and the fuel cell thermal management module is controlled according to the second operating mode. Based on the power battery temperature, the heat storage tank temperature, and the second heat exchange medium temperature, a third operating mode of the power battery thermal management module is determined, and the power battery thermal management module is controlled according to the third operating mode. Based on the motor temperature, the heat storage tank temperature, and the third heat exchange medium temperature, a fourth operating mode of the motor thermal management module is determined, and the motor thermal management module is controlled according to the fourth operating mode. Based on the fuel cell temperature and the heat storage tank temperature, a fifth operating mode of the heat storage tank module is determined, and the heat storage tank module is controlled according to the fifth operating mode.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of determining a second operating mode for the fuel cell thermal management module based on the ambient temperature, the fuel cell temperature, the first heat exchange medium temperature, and the heat storage tank temperature, and controlling the fuel cell thermal management module according to the second operating mode, includes: When it is determined that the ambient temperature is less than the first temperature threshold and the fuel cell temperature is less than the second temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be the PTC heating mode; the PTC heater is started to heat the fuel cell stack using PTC heating according to the PTC heating mode. Alternatively, when it is determined that the ambient temperature is less than the first temperature threshold, and the fuel cell temperature is greater than the second temperature threshold and less than the third temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be a heat pump air conditioning heating mode; the heat pump air conditioning module is activated according to the heat pump air conditioning heating mode to heat the fuel cell stack through the heat pump air conditioning module. Alternatively, when the fuel cell temperature is determined to be greater than the third temperature threshold and less than the fourth temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be the stack circuit insulation cycle mode. According to the stack circuit insulation cycle mode, the radiator circuit is controlled to be in a closed state via a first three-way valve, the first heat exchange circuit is controlled to be in a closed state via a second three-way valve, and the medium heating circuit is controlled to be in a closed state via a third three-way valve, so that the fuel cell thermal management module performs self-circulation insulation; wherein, the third temperature threshold and the fourth temperature threshold are determined by the ideal operating temperature of the fuel cell stack. Alternatively, when it is determined that the fuel cell temperature is greater than the fourth temperature threshold and less than the fifth temperature threshold, the second operating mode is determined to be the first stack heat dissipation mode; according to the first stack heat dissipation mode, the first three-way valve controls the working state of the radiator to be open, the second three-way valve controls the working state of the first heat exchange circuit to be closed, and the third three-way valve controls the working state of the medium heating circuit to be closed, so as to dissipate heat from the fuel cell stack through the radiator; Alternatively, when it is determined that the fuel cell temperature is greater than the fifth temperature threshold and the first heat exchange medium temperature is greater than the heat storage tank temperature, the second operating mode is determined to be the second fuel cell stack heat dissipation mode; according to the second fuel cell stack heat dissipation mode, the first three-way valve controls the radiator circuit to be in the open state, the second three-way valve controls the first heat exchange circuit to be in the open state, and the third three-way valve controls the medium heating circuit to be in the closed state, so as to dissipate heat from the fuel cell stack through the radiator and the first heat storage tank.

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