Thermal management system and automobile

Abstract

The invention provides a thermal management system and an automobile, the thermal management system comprises a battery pack, a fan and a pump, the battery pack comprises a box body, a battery pack and a cooler, an air inlet and an air outlet are formed in the outer surface of the box body, the battery pack and the cooler are arranged in the box body, and the battery pack comprises a plurality of batteries stacked mutually; the cooler is in heat conduction connection with the outer surface of the battery pack; the fan is used for forming airflow capable of entering and exiting the box body; the pump is used for conveying cooling liquid to the cooler; the thermal management system has a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode, and in the first cooling mode, one of the fan and the pump is started; and in the second cooling mode, the fan and the pump are both started. The thermal management system provides a cooling mode with low energy consumption, and is suitable for scenes with low battery pack cooling requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automobile technology, and in particular to a thermal management system and an automobile. Background Art

[0002] In electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles, the battery pack is used to power the vehicle's motor and other electrical equipment. The battery pack includes multiple batteries. In order to fully exert the performance of the battery pack and ensure the safety of the battery pack, the temperature of the battery needs to be controlled within an appropriate range. For example, in a high temperature environment or when the battery is charging and discharging, the battery will generate a lot of heat, and the battery needs to be cooled. In the prior art, some battery packs use both air cooling and liquid cooling to cool the battery, but this design consumes a lot of energy when the cooling demand of the battery pack is not high. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes a thermal management system, which provides a cooling mode (first cooling mode) with low energy consumption, suitable for scenarios where the cooling requirements of the battery pack are not high.

[0004] The present invention also provides a car comprising the thermal management system.

[0005] A thermal management system according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention comprises: a battery pack, the battery pack comprising a case, a battery group and a cooler, the outer surface of the case being provided with an air inlet and an air outlet, the battery group and the cooler being arranged in the case, the battery pack comprising a plurality of batteries stacked on each other, the cooler being thermally connected to the outer surface of the battery group, the cooler being provided with a flow channel through which a coolant can flow; a fan for forming an airflow, the airflow entering the case from the air inlet and leaving the case from the air outlet; a pump for conveying the coolant to the cooler; the thermal management system having a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode, in the first cooling mode, one of the fan and the pump is turned on; in the second cooling mode, both the fan and the pump are turned on.

[0006] According to the thermal management system of the embodiment of the present invention, at least the following beneficial effects are achieved: the thermal management system has a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode. In the second cooling mode, both the fan and the pump are turned on, and the battery pack is cooled by both air cooling and water cooling. In the first cooling mode, only one of the fan and the pump is turned on, and the battery pack is cooled by one of the cooling methods. The cooling capacity of the second cooling mode is better than that of the first cooling mode, and the energy consumption of the first cooling mode is lower than that of the second cooling mode. Therefore, when there is a cooling demand for the battery pack but the cooling demand is not high, only the fan or the pump can be turned on, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling the battery and reducing energy consumption at the same time.

[0007] In some embodiments, the battery pack also includes a temperature sensor, which is arranged inside the box. The thermal management system also includes a controller, and the temperature sensor, the pump and the fan are all communicatively connected to the controller. The controller is configured to: obtain the scheduled travel time, and control the temperature sensor to detect the actual temperature of the battery pack before the scheduled travel time; if the actual temperature is higher than the first preset temperature and lower than the second preset temperature, control the thermal management system to operate in the first cooling mode before the scheduled travel time; if the actual temperature is higher than the second preset temperature, control the thermal management system to operate in the second cooling mode before the scheduled travel time.

[0008] In some embodiments, the battery pack also includes a temperature sensor and a heating plate, the temperature sensor is arranged inside the box, the heating plate and the cooler are thermally connected to different sides of the battery pack, and the thermal management system also includes a controller, the temperature sensor and the heating plate are both communicatively connected to the controller, and the controller is configured to: obtain the scheduled travel time, and control the temperature sensor to detect the actual temperature of the battery pack before the scheduled travel time; if the actual temperature is lower than a third preset temperature, turn on the heating plate before the scheduled travel time, and turn off the fan and the pump.

[0009] In some embodiments, obtaining the scheduled travel time and controlling the temperature sensor to detect the actual temperature of the battery pack before the scheduled travel time includes: at intervals of a first preset time period, determining whether a second preset time period starting from the current time includes the scheduled travel time, the first preset time period and the second preset time period being equal in length; if so, controlling the temperature sensor to detect the actual temperature.

[0010] In some embodiments, the thermal management system includes: a refrigeration cycle circuit, including a compressor, a condenser, a first throttling element and an evaporator that are connected to each other, and the compressor is used to drive the refrigerant to flow cyclically along the refrigeration cycle circuit; a heat exchange branch, including a second throttling element and a heat exchanger that are connected to each other, the inlet and outlet of the heat exchange branch are both connected to the refrigeration cycle circuit, the inlet of the heat exchange branch is arranged between the condenser and the first throttling element, and the outlet of the heat exchange branch is arranged between the evaporator and the compressor; the pump, the heat exchanger and the cooler are connected to each other, and the pump is used to drive the coolant to flow cyclically through the heat exchanger and the cooler, and in the heat exchanger, the refrigerant evaporates and absorbs the heat of the coolant.

[0011] In some embodiments, in the first cooling mode, the compressor and the pump are turned off, and the fan is turned on; in the second cooling mode, the compressor, the pump, and the fan are all turned on.

[0012] In some embodiments, the thermal management system also includes an air duct, which includes an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, the first outlet and the second outlet are both connected to the inlet, the fan is located outside the box, the fan is arranged at the inlet, the evaporator is arranged at the second outlet, and the first outlet is connected to the air inlet.

[0013] In some embodiments, the cooler includes: a heat dissipation portion, the heat dissipation portion includes a plurality of fins arranged at intervals from each other, each of the fins is formed with a guide groove; a connecting portion, the connecting portion is thermally connected to the battery pack, the connecting portion is in the shape of a plate, the heat dissipation portion is detachably connected to a side of the connecting portion facing away from the battery pack, and the connecting portion covers the opening of the guide groove to form the flow channel.

[0014] In some embodiments, the battery pack also includes a guide plate, which is arranged between the air inlet and the battery pack, and a surface of the guide plate facing the air inlet is a guide surface, and the guide surface is an outwardly convex arc surface, and at least one end of the guide surface is arranged adjacent to the heat dissipation part.

[0015] The automobile according to the second embodiment of the present invention comprises the thermal management system as described in the first embodiment.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the automobile according to the second embodiment of the present invention are the same as the beneficial effects of the thermal management system of the first embodiment, which will not be described in detail here.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 is a front cross-sectional schematic diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a top cross-sectional schematic diagram of a battery pack; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the airflow path of the battery pack; Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the connection relationship between the liquid inlet main pipe, the liquid outlet main pipe and the flow channel; Figure 5FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure numerals: 101-battery pack, 102-box, 103-battery group, 104-connecting part, 105-heat dissipation part, 106-temperature sensor, 107-air outlet, 108-liquid outlet main pipe, 109-liquid inlet main pipe, 110-cooling box, 111-pump, 112-fan, 113-air duct, 114-guide plate, 115-air inlet, 116-heating plate, 117-heat conducting plate , 118-cooler, 119-flow channel, 120-guide groove, 121-guide surface, 122-refrigeration cycle, 123-compressor, 124-condenser, 125-first throttling element, 126-evaporator, 127-heat exchange branch, 128-second throttling element, 129-heat exchanger, 130-first outlet, 131-battery cooling circuit, 132-fin, 133-inlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0021] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., and orientations or positional relationships indicated are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0022] In the description of the present invention, "several" means more than one, "many" means more than two, "greater than", "less than", "exceed", etc. are understood to exclude the number itself, and "above", "below", "within", etc. are understood to include the number itself. If there is a description of "first" or "second", it is only used for the purpose of distinguishing the technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0023] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, connecting, etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0024] The thermal management system of the present invention comprises a battery pack 101, a fan 112 and a pump 111. The thermal management system can be applied to pure electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles. Figure 1 to Figure 2 A battery pack 101 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, and the battery pack 101 includes a box body 102 and a battery group 103. The battery group 103 is disposed inside the box body 102, and the battery group 103 includes a plurality of batteries stacked on each other. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Individual batteries are not shown. Figure 2 For example, multiple batteries in the same battery pack 103 can be arranged along the front-to-back direction. Figure 1 As shown, the outer surface of the box 102 is provided with an air inlet 115 and an air outlet 107, and air can enter the box 102 from the air inlet 115 and leave the box 102 from the air outlet 107. The air entering the box 102 can cool the battery pack 103. The airflow flowing through the box 102 is generated by the fan 112. In this way, whether the car using the battery pack 101 is in a driving state or not, as long as the fan 112 can be turned on, the battery pack 103 can be cooled by the airflow. In order to prevent debris from entering the interior of the box 102 and damaging the battery pack 103, dustproof nets (not shown in the figure) can be provided at the air inlet 115 and the air outlet 107.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, the battery pack 101 also includes a cooler 118, which is arranged inside the box 102, and the cooler 118 is thermally connected to the outer surface of the battery pack 103, and the cooler 118 has a flow channel 119. More specifically, the cooler 118 includes a connecting portion 104 and a heat dissipation portion 105, the connecting portion 104 is thermally connected to the outer surface of the battery pack 103, and the heat dissipation portion 105 is connected to the connecting portion 104 and jointly defines a flow channel 119. The heat dissipation portion 105 and the connecting portion 104 can be integrally formed, and the two can also be connected by a non-detachable connection method (such as welding), and the two can also be connected by a detachable connection method (such as bolt connection, clamping, bonding, etc.). Under the action of the pump 111, the coolant (not shown) is transported to the cooler 118 and can flow in the flow channel 119. In some embodiments, in order to reduce the use cost of the battery pack 101, water can be used as a coolant. The cooler 118 can be made of a material with good thermal conductivity, for example, the cooler 118 can be made of copper, aluminum and other materials. "The cooler 118 is thermally connected to the outer surface of the battery pack 103" can be any of the following two ways: (1) The outer surface of the cooler 118 is in direct contact with the outer surface of the battery pack 103, so that heat exchange can occur between the battery pack 103 and the cooler 118; (2) The outer surface of the cooler 118 and the outer surface of the battery pack 103 are both in contact with the same intermediate component, and the heat of the battery pack 103 is transferred to the intermediate component and the cooler 118 in turn; the aforementioned "intermediate component" can be an adhesive layer used to fix the cooler 118 and the battery pack 103, or it can be a pad made of elastic material (such as a silicone pad).

[0026] The thermal management system has a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode. In the second cooling mode, the fan 112 and the pump 111 are both turned on, and the cooler 118 can cool the battery pack 103 by both air cooling and water cooling. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The second cooling mode will be described. Figure 3 In FIG. 1 , the dotted arrows indicate the main flow path of the airflow through the housing 102. When the battery pack 103 generates heat, the heat emitted is transferred to the cooler 118, and the coolant flowing in the flow channel 119 absorbs the heat of the cooler 118. After absorbing the heat, the coolant flows to the outside of the housing 102, thereby transferring the heat of the battery pack 103 to the outside of the housing 102. Figure 3 As shown, the air flow entering the box 102 will flow through the outer surface of the cooler 118. When passing through the cooler 118, the air flow will also absorb the heat of the cooler 118. After absorbing the heat, the air will flow to the outside of the box 102, thereby quickly transferring the heat of the battery pack 103 to the outside of the box 102.

[0027] In the first cooling mode, the fan 112 is turned on but the pump 111 is turned off, the coolant does not flow in the cooler 118, and the airflow generated by the fan 112 flows through the cooler 118, thereby cooling the battery pack 103. Since the first cooling mode only uses air cooling to cool the battery pack 103, the cooling capacity of the second cooling mode is better than that of the first cooling mode, and the energy consumption of the first cooling mode is lower than that of the second cooling mode (because the first cooling mode does not need to turn on the pump 111). Therefore, when there is a cooling demand for the battery pack 101 but the cooling demand is not high, only the fan 112 can be turned on, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling the battery and reducing energy consumption at the same time. Among them, the low cooling demand can be understood as the temperature of the battery pack 101 is higher than the preset temperature, but the battery pack 101 has not reached a very high temperature. In other embodiments, the first cooling mode can also be set to the pump 111 turned on but the fan 112 turned off, and the first cooling mode only cools the battery pack 103 by liquid cooling to reduce energy consumption, and is suitable for scenes with low cooling demand.

[0028] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the heat dissipation portion 105 includes a plurality of fins 132 spaced apart from each other. Since the cooler 118 has the fins 132, the heat exchange area between the airflow and the cooler 118 is larger, and the heat exchange effect between the airflow and the cooler 118 is better. Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments, each fin 132 is formed with a guide groove 120, the connecting portion 104 is in the shape of a plate, the connecting portion 104 is detachably connected to the heat dissipation portion 105, the heat dissipation portion 105 is connected to the side of the connecting portion 104 facing away from the battery pack 103, and the connecting portion 104 covers the opening of the guide groove 120 to form a flow channel 119. The guide groove 120 is covered by the flat connecting portion 104 to form the flow channel 119, which is conducive to reducing the difficulty and cost of processing the flow channel 119 inside the cooler 118. In addition, since the connecting portion 104 is detachably connected to the heat dissipation portion 105, the maintenance and cleaning of the cooler 118 are relatively convenient. For example, when the flow channel 119 is blocked, the user can disassemble the connecting portion 104 and the heat dissipation portion 105 and then clean up the blockage.

[0029] like Figure 4 As shown, the battery pack 101 also includes a liquid inlet manifold 109 and a liquid outlet manifold 108, and the cooler 118 includes a plurality of flow channels 119, the top of the flow channel 119 is connected to the liquid outlet manifold 108, and the bottom of the flow channel 119 is connected to the liquid inlet manifold 109, and the plurality of flow channels 119 are connected in parallel between the liquid inlet manifold 109 and the liquid outlet manifold 108. The liquid inlet manifold 109 and the liquid outlet manifold 108 also extend to the outside of the housing 102, and the liquid inlet manifold 109 and the liquid outlet manifold 108 can be connected to a pump 111. Driven by the pump 111, the coolant circulates into and out of the housing 102. The pump 111 is installed in a cooling box 110, and the cooling box 110 is fixed to the outside of the housing 102.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, each battery pack 103 is connected to two coolers 118, and the two coolers 118 connected to the same battery pack 103 are respectively located on opposite sides of the battery pack 103, which is conducive to improving the cooling effect of the battery pack 103. If the arrangement direction of the two coolers 118 connected to the same battery pack 103 is recorded as the first direction, and the arrangement direction of multiple batteries in the same battery pack 103 is recorded as the second direction, then the first direction and the second direction can be perpendicular, which is conducive to thermally connecting the cooler 118 to each battery in the battery pack 103, so that each battery can be cooled. For example, if Figure 2 For example, the first direction may be the left-right direction, the second direction may be the front-to-back direction, and the left and right surfaces of the battery are cooled by two coolers 118, respectively. For two coolers 118 connected to different battery packs 103 but adjacent to each other, the two coolers 118 are arranged at intervals, thereby increasing the space for air to pass through and reducing the flow resistance of air when it flows through the coolers 118.

[0031] like Figure 1As shown, in some embodiments, the air inlet 115 is disposed at the bottom of the box 102 and below the cooler 118, and the air outlet 107 is disposed at the top of the side plate of the box 102, and the air outlet 107 is located above the cooler 118. In this way, the air can flow through the cooler 118 from top to bottom, and the contact time between the air and the cooler 118 is longer, which is conducive to improving the cooling effect of the air on the cooler 118.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, the battery pack 101 also includes a heating plate 116, and the heating plate 116 and the cooler 118 are respectively connected to different sides of the battery pack 103 by thermal conduction. An electric heater (not shown) is provided inside the heating plate 116. In a low temperature environment, the heating plate 116 can be turned on, and the heating plate 116 heats the battery pack 103, so that the battery is kept at a suitable temperature. In this embodiment, the thermal connection between the heating plate 116 and the battery pack 103 is specifically: a heat conducting plate 117 is provided between the battery pack 103 and the heating plate 116, and the heat conducting plate 117 can be made of heat-conducting metals such as copper and aluminum. The top surface of the heat conducting plate 117 is in contact with the bottom surface of the battery pack 103, and the bottom surface of the heat conducting plate 117 is in contact with the top surface of the heating plate 116. In other embodiments, the heating plate 116 and the battery pack 103 can also be in direct contact; or, the heat conducting plate 117 can be replaced by a silicone pad, an adhesive layer, etc. In this embodiment, the heating plate 116 is located at the bottom of the battery pack 103 , and the two coolers 118 are connected to the left and right side surfaces of the battery pack 103 , respectively.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the battery pack 101 further includes a guide plate 114, which is disposed between the air inlet 115 and the battery pack 103. The surface of the guide plate 114 on one side facing the air inlet 115 is a guide surface 121, and the guide surface 121 is an outwardly convex curved surface, and at least one end of the guide surface 121 is disposed adjacent to the heat dissipation portion 105. The guide surface 121 is used to guide air to the fins 132 of the heat dissipation portion 105, so that the air and the heat dissipation portion 105 can fully contact and exchange heat. In addition, since the guide surface 121 is a curved surface, the surface sharpness of the guide surface 121 is relatively low, and when the air flows along the guide surface 121, the air generates less turbulence and the air pressure loss is relatively low, thereby ensuring that the air flows smoothly to the heat dissipation portion 105.

[0034] like Figure 3As shown, when the battery pack 101 includes a plurality of battery groups 103, the battery groups 103 are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the guide plates 114, that is, a guide plate 114 is provided at the bottom of each battery group 103. One of the guide plates 114 is directly opposite to the air inlet 115, and more specifically, the lowest point of the guide surface 121 of the guide plate 114 is directly opposite to the air inlet 115. The plurality of guide plates 114 are distributed in a wave shape, and a gap is formed between two adjacent guide plates 114 to allow air to pass, so that the air can flow to the heat dissipation portion 105.

[0035] As described above, the coolant after absorbing the heat of the battery pack 103 is transferred to the outside of the box 102. After being cooled outside the box 102, the coolant reenters the inside of the box 102. In some embodiments, the cooling capacity of the refrigerant of the automobile air conditioner can be fully utilized to cool the coolant.

[0036] Specifically, if Figure 5 As shown, the thermal management system further includes a refrigeration cycle 122 and a heat exchange branch 127. The refrigeration cycle 122 includes a compressor 123, a condenser 124, a first throttling element 125 and an evaporator 126 which are connected to each other. The compressor 123 is used to drive the refrigerant to flow cyclically along the refrigeration cycle 122. In one cycle, the refrigerant can flow through the compressor 123, the condenser 124, the first throttling element 125 and the evaporator 126 in sequence. The heat exchange branch 127 includes a second throttling element 128 and a heat exchanger 129 which are connected to each other. The inlet of the heat exchange branch 127 (corresponding to Figure 5 Point A in the figure) is set between the condenser 124 and the first throttling element 125, and the outlet of the heat exchange branch 127 (corresponding to Figure 5 The pump 111, the heat exchanger 129 and the cooler 118 are connected to each other, and the circuit they constitute is the battery cooling circuit 131. The pump 111 is used to drive the coolant to flow cyclically along the battery cooling circuit 131, so that the coolant circulates through the heat exchanger 129 and the cooler 118. The heat exchanger 129 can be set as a plate heat exchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, etc. In the heat exchanger 129, the coolant and the refrigerant exchange heat but do not contact or mix with each other. The throttling element can be set as an electronic expansion valve. The evaporator 126 and the condenser 124 can be set as finned heat exchangers.

[0037] Figure 5 FIG. 2 shows the thermal management system when both the pump 111 and the compressor 123 are turned on. Figure 5As shown, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 123 enters the condenser 124 and condenses. The condensed refrigerant flows in two ways (divided at point A). One part of the refrigerant flows through the first throttling element 125 and the evaporator 126 in sequence, and the refrigerant evaporates in the evaporator 126. The air flowing through the outer surface of the evaporator 126 is cooled by the evaporator 126 and enters the cabin of the car. The other part of the refrigerant flows through the second throttling element 128 and the heat exchanger 129 in sequence. This part of the refrigerant evaporates in the heat exchanger 129 and absorbs the heat of the coolant, thereby cooling the coolant. The refrigerant leaving the heat exchanger 129 and the refrigerant leaving the evaporator 126 merge (merge at point B), and the merged refrigerant flows to the compressor 123 and enters the next cycle.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the thermal management system further includes an air duct 113, and the air duct 113 includes an inlet 133, a first outlet 130, and a second outlet (the second outlet is not shown), and the first outlet 130 and the second outlet are both connected to the inlet 133. The fan 112 is arranged at the inlet 133, the evaporator 126 is arranged at the second outlet, and the first outlet 130 is connected to the air inlet 115. Under the above-mentioned setting, the air duct 113 is equivalent to having two branches, and the airflow generated by the fan 112 is divided into two paths, one of which flows to the evaporator 126, and the other flows to the battery pack 101. Since the evaporator 126 and the battery pack 101 share the fan 112, this is conducive to reducing the total number of fans 112 in the thermal management system and reducing the cost of the thermal management system.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the battery pack 101 further includes a temperature sensor 106, which is disposed inside the box 102. The thermal management system further includes a controller, and the temperature sensor 106, the pump 111, and the fan 112 are all connected to the controller in communication. The communication connection can be achieved through wires or through wireless communication methods such as Bluetooth and WiFi. The controller is configured as follows: Obtaining the scheduled travel time, and controlling the temperature sensor 106 to detect the actual temperature of the battery pack 101 before the scheduled travel time; If the actual temperature is higher than the first preset temperature and lower than the second preset temperature, controlling the thermal management system to operate in the first cooling mode before the scheduled travel time; If the actual temperature is higher than the second preset temperature, the thermal management system is controlled to operate in the second cooling mode before the scheduled travel time.

[0040] Under the above setting, the battery pack 103 can be cooled to a suitable temperature before the user drives out, so that the battery can be in a better state when the user starts driving. When the actual temperature is higher than the first preset temperature and lower than the second preset temperature, the actual temperature is low, and the cooling demand of the battery pack 101 is relatively low. At this time, the thermal management system can operate in the first cooling mode, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling the battery and saving energy at the same time. When the actual temperature is higher than the second preset temperature, the actual temperature is high, and the cooling demand of the battery pack 101 is high. At this time, the thermal management system can operate in the second cooling mode, thereby cooling the battery pack 101 with a higher cooling capacity.

[0041] The "scheduled travel time" mentioned above refers to the car-using time that the user has booked in advance. For example, if the user booked a car trip at 9:30 this morning yesterday, then the scheduled travel time is 9:30 this morning. For a car integrated with the thermal management system of the present invention, the user can operate the car's vehicle-mounted system and input the future travel time or car-using time in advance on the vehicle-mounted system. Alternatively, the user inputs the future travel time in advance on his or her mobile electronic device (such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, etc.), and then sends the travel time to the car-mounted system of the car through the mobile electronic device. Based on the time entered by the user, the vehicle-mounted system can generate the above-mentioned "scheduled travel time", and the controller can obtain the scheduled travel time from the vehicle-mounted system.

[0042] Generally speaking, when the battery pack 101 needs to be cooled, the temperature of the environment in which the car is located is high, and the temperature of the cabin is also high at this time. In the case where the evaporator 126 and the battery pack 101 share the fan 112, turning on the fan 112 before the scheduled travel time can allow a stream of air to enter the cabin, thereby cooling the cabin and alleviating the stuffiness when the user just gets on the car. In addition, if the coolant is cooled by a refrigerant, then in the first cooling mode, the compressor 123 and the pump 111 are turned off, and the fan 112 is turned on. At this time, the refrigerant does not evaporate in the evaporator 126, and the air will basically not be cooled after passing through the evaporator 126. In the first cooling mode, turning off the compressor 123 is conducive to reducing energy consumption.

[0043] In the second cooling mode, the compressor 123, the fan 112 and the pump 111 are all turned on, and the air is cooled when passing through the evaporator 126, and the air blown into the cabin is cold air (air cooled by the evaporator 126). In the second cooling mode, turning on the compressor 123 can cool down the battery pack 101 and the cabin quickly, thereby creating a comfortable cabin environment in advance before the user gets on the vehicle, and alleviating the stuffiness when the user just gets on the vehicle.

[0044] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to: if the actual temperature of the battery pack 101 is lower than the third preset temperature, the heating plate 116 is turned on and the fan 112 and the pump 111 are turned off before the scheduled travel time. The third preset temperature is lower than the first preset temperature. Under the above setting, the battery pack 103 can be heated to a suitable temperature (especially in cold weather) before the user drives out, and the battery can be in a better state when the user starts driving.

[0045] In some embodiments, the first preset temperature may be 30° C., the second preset temperature may be 40° C., and the third preset temperature may be −5° C. Of course, the three preset temperatures may be determined according to the actual conditions of the battery pack 101 , and the three preset temperatures are not limited to the specific temperatures listed above, and are not listed one by one here.

[0046] The controller can determine whether there is a scheduled travel time in the future at regular intervals. That is, the above "obtaining the scheduled travel time, and controlling the temperature sensor 106 to detect the actual temperature of the battery pack 101 before the scheduled travel time" specifically includes: At intervals of a first preset time period, determining whether a second preset time period starting from the current time includes the scheduled travel time, the first preset time period and the second preset time period being equal in length; If yes, the temperature sensor 106 is controlled to detect the actual temperature of the battery pack 101 .

[0047] The above steps are illustrated below. In some embodiments, the first preset time period is 1 hour, and the second preset time period is also 1 hour. The controller can make a judgment every 1 hour to determine whether there is a scheduled travel time within the next 1 hour. Assuming that the scheduled travel time is 9:30, the controller makes a judgment at 8 o'clock, and the "current time" at this time is 8 o'clock. The controller determines whether there is a scheduled travel time between 8 o'clock and 9 o'clock, and finally determines that there is no scheduled travel time within the next 1 hour. Subsequently, the controller makes another judgment at 9 o'clock, and the "current time" at this time is 9 o'clock. The controller determines whether there is a scheduled travel time between 9 o'clock and 10 o'clock, and determines that there is a scheduled travel time within the next 1 hour. At 9 o'clock, since it has been determined that there is a scheduled travel time within the next 1 hour, the controller will subsequently compare the actual temperature with the three preset temperatures to determine whether the battery pack 101 needs to be heated or cooled. If the three conditions that there is a scheduled travel time in the future, the battery pack 101 needs to be cooled or heated, and the thermal management system is fault-free are met at the same time, the controller controls the operation of the corresponding components to cool or heat the battery pack 101 before 9:30 (i.e., before the scheduled travel time). In this way, it is possible to regularly determine whether the scheduled travel time is approaching, thereby reducing the risk of missing the heating and cooling opportunities before the scheduled travel time. In addition, the above-mentioned setting method can cool or heat the battery pack 101 before the user's travel time is approaching, and there is no need to keep the battery pack 101 heated or cooled between the user's two car use times, nor will the battery pack 101 be heated or cooled prematurely, which is conducive to reducing energy consumption.

[0048] Before the scheduled travel time, if the battery pack 101 is cooled or heated, the controller can send a signal to the vehicle system, and the screen of the vehicle system can display relevant text information to remind the user that the battery pack 101 is being cooled or heated, so that the user can know the current status of the battery pack 101. The vehicle system can also send relevant information to the user's mobile electronic device so that the user can know the current status of the battery pack 101.

[0049] In the description of the present invention, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

Claims

1. A thermal management system, characterized in that: include: A battery pack, the battery pack comprising a box, a battery pack and a cooler, the outer surface of the box is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet, the battery pack and the cooler are arranged in the box, the battery pack comprises a plurality of batteries stacked on each other, the cooler is thermally connected to the outer surface of the battery pack, and the cooler is provided with a flow channel for the flow of a coolant; A fan, used for forming an airflow, wherein the airflow enters the box from the air inlet and leaves the box from the air outlet; a pump, for delivering the coolant to the cooler; The thermal management system has a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode. In the first cooling mode, one of the fan and the pump is turned on; in the second cooling mode, both the fan and the pump are turned on.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery pack further includes a temperature sensor, which is disposed inside the box. The thermal management system further includes a controller, and the temperature sensor, the pump, and the fan are all communicatively connected to the controller. The controller is configured as follows: Obtaining a scheduled travel time, and controlling the temperature sensor to detect an actual temperature of the battery pack before the scheduled travel time; If the actual temperature is higher than a first preset temperature and lower than a second preset temperature, controlling the thermal management system to operate in the first cooling mode before the scheduled travel time; If the actual temperature is higher than the second preset temperature, the thermal management system is controlled to operate in the second cooling mode before the scheduled travel time.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery pack further includes a temperature sensor and a heating plate, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed inside the box, and the heating plate and the cooler are respectively thermally connected to different sides of the battery pack, and the thermal management system further includes a controller, wherein the temperature sensor and the heating plate are both communicatively connected to the controller, and the controller is configured as follows: Obtaining a scheduled travel time, and controlling the temperature sensor to detect an actual temperature of the battery pack before the scheduled travel time; If the actual temperature is lower than the third preset temperature, the heating plate is turned on before the scheduled travel time, and the fan and the pump are turned off.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The obtaining of the scheduled travel time and controlling the temperature sensor to detect the actual temperature of the battery pack before the scheduled travel time includes: At intervals of a first preset time period, determining whether a second preset time period starting from the current time includes the scheduled travel time, the first preset time period and the second preset time period being equal in length; If so, the temperature sensor is controlled to detect the actual temperature.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal management system further comprises: A refrigeration cycle loop, comprising a compressor, a condenser, a first throttling element and an evaporator which are connected to each other, wherein the compressor is used to drive the refrigerant to flow cyclically along the refrigeration cycle loop; A heat exchange branch, comprising a second throttling element and a heat exchanger which are connected to each other, wherein the inlet and outlet of the heat exchange branch are both connected to the refrigeration cycle circuit, the inlet of the heat exchange branch is arranged between the condenser and the first throttling element, and the outlet of the heat exchange branch is arranged between the evaporator and the compressor; The pump, the heat exchanger and the cooler are connected to each other. The pump is used to drive the coolant to circulate through the heat exchanger and the cooler. In the heat exchanger, the refrigerant evaporates and absorbs heat from the coolant.

6. The thermal management system according to claim 5, characterized in that: In the first cooling mode, the compressor and the pump are turned off, and the fan is turned on; in the second cooling mode, the compressor, the pump, and the fan are all turned on.

7. The thermal management system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The thermal management system also includes an air duct, which includes an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, the first outlet and the second outlet are both connected to the inlet, the fan is located outside the box, the fan is arranged at the inlet, the evaporator is arranged at the second outlet, and the first outlet is connected to the air inlet.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cooler comprises: A heat dissipation portion, the heat dissipation portion comprising a plurality of fins arranged at intervals from each other, each of the fins being formed with a guide groove; A connecting portion, wherein the connecting portion is thermally connected to the battery pack, the connecting portion is in a flat plate shape, the heat dissipation portion is detachably connected to a side of the connecting portion facing away from the battery pack, and the connecting portion covers the opening of the guide groove to form the flow channel.

9. The thermal management system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The battery pack also includes a guide plate, which is arranged between the air inlet and the battery pack. The side surface of the guide plate facing the air inlet is a guide surface, and the guide surface is an outwardly convex arc surface. At least one end of the guide surface is arranged adjacent to the heat dissipation part.

10. An automobile, characterized in that Comprising a thermal management system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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