Thermal management system and thermal management method for electric vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a thermal management system for an electric vehicle, and the system comprises a battery temperature adjustment subsystem which comprises a first pump, a first heat exchange part and a first PTC device; the passenger compartment temperature adjusting subsystem comprises a compressor refrigeration module and a PTC heating module, the compressor refrigeration module comprises a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator, and the PTC heating module comprises a warm air core, a second PTC device and a second pump; the passenger compartment temperature adjusting subsystem further comprises a second heat exchange part which is connected to the compressor and the condenser in parallel with the evaporator, and the second heat exchange part and the first heat exchange part are integrated into a heat exchanger used for heat exchange of coolants in the first coolant pipeline and refrigerants in the refrigerant pipeline. And the chassis temperature adjusting subsystem comprises a third pump and a chassis radiator. According to the thermal management system, the thermal management subsystems of the power battery, the passenger compartment and the chassis system are integrated together, and light weight and integration of the thermal management system of the electric vehicle are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electric machines used in freight distribution centers, and in particular, the present invention relates to the technical field of thermal management of electric vehicles used in freight distribution centers. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the port machinery industry has gradually transformed towards electric power. Electric vehicles or electric container trucks have been introduced in cargo distribution centers such as ports to replace traditional fuel-powered container trucks. The demand for thermal management solutions for such heavy-duty electric freight equipment has increased unprecedentedly.

[0003] Typically, an electric vehicle such as an electric freight vehicle includes a power battery and a chassis system, and the chassis system typically further includes a DC / DC, a four-in-one controller, a motor controller (MCU), and a drive motor. The power battery and various devices of the chassis system have thermal management requirements during the operation of the vehicle. It is necessary to ensure that the temperature of each component in the chassis system, especially the drive motor, is not too high, and the temperature of the power battery is maintained within a suitable range to ensure the durability and safety of the power battery. On the other hand, the passenger compartment or cab of the electric vehicle also needs to be precisely temperature-controlled or thermally managed to ensure the comfort of the driver or passengers.

[0004] In order to meet the thermal management needs of various aspects, the existing thermal management system of electric vehicles is equipped with multiple independent temperature control loops to independently control the temperature of the power battery, chassis system and passenger compartment space, which significantly increases the total weight of the vehicle. The pipes connecting the refrigerant or coolant are complex and have many joints, which also increases the manufacturing cost, maintenance cost and complexity of the thermal management system. At the same time, complex pipes and a large number of joints will also increase heat loss, thereby having a negative impact on thermal efficiency. In addition, for some extreme climate environments, the existing thermal management system cannot meet the temperature control needs.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to improve the existing thermal management system of electric vehicles and provide a thermal management system that is highly integrated, has low manufacturing and maintenance costs, high thermal efficiency, precise control, and can meet the requirements of use in extreme climate environments. Summary of the invention

[0006] In order to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a thermal management system for an electric vehicle, comprising: a battery temperature regulation subsystem, the battery temperature regulation subsystem comprising a first pump, a first heat exchange unit and a first PTC device, the first pump, the first heat exchange unit and the first PTC device being connected via a first coolant pipeline; a passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem, the passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem comprising a compressor refrigeration module and a PTC heating module, the compressor refrigeration module comprising a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator, the compressor, the condenser and the evaporator being connected via a refrigerant pipeline, and the PTC heating module The block includes a heater core, a second PTC device and a second pump, the heater core, the second PTC device and the second pump are connected through a second coolant pipeline, wherein the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem also includes a second heat exchange part, the second heat exchange part is connected to the compressor and the condenser in parallel with the evaporator, the second heat exchange part and the first heat exchange part are integrated into a heat exchanger for heat exchange between the coolant in the first coolant pipeline and the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipeline; and a chassis temperature adjustment subsystem, the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem includes a third pump and a chassis radiator, the third pump and the chassis radiator are connected through a third coolant pipeline. The thermal management system according to the present invention integrates the thermal management subsystems of the power battery, the passenger compartment and the chassis system, reduces the complexity of the pipelines and the number of interfaces, realizes the lightweight and integrated thermal management system of the electric vehicle, and the refrigeration and heating are performed by the compressor refrigeration module and the PTC heating module respectively, which can be suitable for use in extreme climate environments.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, the chassis radiator and condenser in the thermal management system share the same fan device. Thus, the chassis radiator, condenser and fan device can be integrated into a module and installed in the vehicle, and the condenser does not need an independent fan device, further realizing the lightweight thermal management system of the electric vehicle.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, in the refrigerant pipeline of the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem, a first stop valve and a first expansion valve are provided between the condenser and the evaporator, and a second stop valve and a second expansion valve are provided between the condenser and the second heat exchange part. By switching the first and second stop valves, the compressor refrigeration module in the thermal management system of the electric vehicle can selectively cool at least one of the passenger compartment and the battery, without the need to additionally provide an independent compressor and condenser for cooling the power battery, and can achieve precise heat management.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, a first sensor for measuring the temperature of the coolant entering the battery pack is provided in the first coolant pipeline of the battery temperature regulation subsystem; a second sensor for measuring the temperature is provided in the third coolant pipeline of the chassis temperature regulation subsystem. The temperatures measured by the first and second sensors can accurately provide real-time thermal management.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, the first coolant pipeline, the second coolant pipeline and the third coolant pipeline are respectively connected to expansion water tanks, and the access points of the expansion water tanks are respectively arranged upstream of the first pump, the second pump and the third pump. The arrangement of the expansion water tanks can adjust the water volume and pressure in each coolant pipeline to ensure stable operation of the system.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, the third coolant line of the chassis temperature control subsystem is connected to the motor electronic control device, wherein the motor electronic control device includes a DC / DC, a four-in-one controller, a motor controller and a drive motor, and the third coolant line is connected in series to each of the DC / DC, the four-in-one controller, the motor controller and the drive motor to facilitate cooling each of them.

[0012] In addition, the present invention also provides a method for thermal management of an electric vehicle using the above-mentioned thermal management system, the method including a heating mode and a cooling mode. When operating in the heating mode, at least one of the first PTC device and the second PTC device performs heating; when operating in the cooling mode, the compressor and the condenser operate so that at least one of the battery temperature adjustment subsystem and the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem performs cooling. The thermal management method according to the present invention integrates the heating and cooling modes of the three thermal management subsystems of the power battery, the passenger compartment and the chassis system, and provides a rich thermal management mode that can meet the temperature control requirements of complex use environments.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, a second sensor is provided in the third coolant pipeline of the chassis temperature regulation subsystem, and an expansion water tank is connected to the third coolant pipeline; wherein the chassis temperature regulation subsystem includes a self-circulation cooling mode and an enhanced cooling mode, in which the third pump is operated and the fan device for the chassis radiator is not operated, and in the enhanced cooling mode, the third pump and the fan device are operated simultaneously. The chassis temperature regulation subsystem according to the present invention can provide two cooling modes to meet the temperature control requirements of different vehicle operating conditions and optimize thermal efficiency.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, the chassis radiator and the condenser share the same fan device. In the method according to the present invention, when at least one of the two conditions of the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem entering the enhanced cooling mode and the compressor refrigeration module in the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem is running is satisfied, the shared fan device is started to run. Thus, the chassis radiator, the condenser and the fan device are integrated in the vehicle, and the condenser does not need an independent fan device, which further realizes the lightweight of the electric vehicle.

[0015] Preferably, the rotation speed of the fan device is controlled in stages according to the temperature of the coolant detected by the second sensor in the coolant pipeline. Specifically, when the collected temperature reaches a first temperature preset value, the fan device is controlled to run at a first speed, and when the collected temperature reaches a second temperature preset value greater than the first temperature preset value, the fan device is controlled to run at a second speed, wherein the second speed is greater than the first speed. By controlling the rotation speed of the fan device in stages according to the coolant temperature, the energy efficiency of chassis system cooling is optimized.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a first sensor is provided in the first coolant pipeline of the battery temperature regulation subsystem to measure the temperature of the pipeline coolant, and an expansion water tank is connected to the first coolant pipeline. In the refrigerant pipeline of the passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem, a first stop valve and a first expansion valve are provided between the condenser and the evaporator, and a second stop valve and a second expansion valve are provided between the condenser and the second heat exchange part; in the cooling mode, the method includes: when the first sensor detects that the temperature exceeds a preset value, the second stop valve is opened and the first pump is operated; when the first sensor detects that the temperature does not exceed the preset value, the second stop valve is closed and the first pump is operated. By switching the first and second stop valves, the compressor refrigeration module can selectively cool at least one of the passenger compartment and the battery, thereby achieving precise heat management. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be made to the following description of exemplary embodiments considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a thermal management system for an electric vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a chassis temperature regulating subsystem for an electric vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0020] Reference numerals list

[0021] 1 Thermal Management System

[0022] 10Battery temperature regulation subsystem

[0023] 11 Pumps

[0024] 12Expansion tank

[0025] 13 Three-way valve

[0026] 14a, 14b Temperature sensor

[0027] 15a, 15b first battery pack

[0028] 16PTC device

[0029] 19Heat exchange unit

[0030] 110 first coolant pipeline

[0031] 20 Passenger compartment temperature control subsystem

[0032] 21Compressor

[0033] 22 Condenser

[0034] 23 Evaporator

[0035] 24a First stop valve

[0036] 25a First expansion valve

[0037] 24b Second stop valve

[0038] 25b Second expansion valve

[0039] 26 Evaporator fan unit

[0040] 35 Expansion tank

[0041] 31 heater core

[0042] 32 Pumps

[0043] 33PTC device

[0044] 34Heat exchange unit

[0045] 210 Refrigerant pipeline

[0046] 310 Second coolant line

[0047] 40 Chassis temperature regulation subsystem

[0048] 410 coolant line

[0049] 41 Third Pump

[0050] 42 The third water tank

[0051] 43 chassis radiator

[0052] 45a sensor

[0053] 45b Sensor

[0054] 48 Fan device

[0055] 50 Motor and electronic control equipment

[0056] 51DC / DC

[0057] 52 4-in-1 controller

[0058] 53 Motor Controller

[0059] 54 Drive Motor DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and drawings. More details are elaborated in the following description to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can obviously be implemented in a variety of other ways different from the description herein. Those skilled in the art can make similar generalizations and deductions based on actual application situations without violating the connotation of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should not be limited by the content of this specific embodiment.

[0061] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a thermal management system for an electric vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The thermal management system integrates three temperature regulation subsystems: a battery temperature regulation subsystem 10, a passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem 20, and a chassis temperature regulation subsystem 40. Under the control of the thermal management controller of the electric vehicle, the three temperature regulation subsystems 10, 20, and 40 respectively accurately control and regulate the heat of the power battery, the passenger compartment (cab), and the chassis system to ensure the operation of the power battery and the chassis system and the comfort of the occupants.

[0062] Chassis temperature control subsystem

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, the chassis temperature regulation subsystem 40 in the thermal management system includes a chassis radiator 43 and a pump (third pump) 41, which are connected in series through a circulating coolant pipeline 410 (third coolant pipeline). The expansion tank 42 is connected to the coolant pipeline 410, preferably between the motor electronic control device and the pump 41. The fan device 48 is configured to provide airflow for the chassis radiator 43.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, the motor electronic control device 50 mainly includes a DC / DC 51, a four-in-one controller 52, a motor controller (MCU) 53 and a drive motor 54. These devices are arranged in series along the coolant pipeline, so as to be cooled by the coolant (usually water) flowing through the coolant pipeline.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment, two temperature sensors 45a and 45b are arranged in the chassis temperature control subsystem 40, respectively arranged upstream and downstream of the motor electronic control device 50, to measure the temperature of the coolant in the coolant pipeline before entering the motor electronic control device 50 and the temperature of the coolant in the coolant pipeline 410 leaving the motor electronic control device 50. With the help of the measurement values ​​of the sensors, the heat of the motor electronic control device 50 can be accurately controlled in real time.

[0066] Passenger compartment temperature control subsystem

[0067] Figure 1 The passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem 20 in the thermal management system according to the present invention is further shown. The passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem 20 mainly includes two parts: a compressor cooling module and a PTC heating module. Based on the control of the thermal management controller, the two modules operate in cooling mode and heating mode respectively.

[0068] The compressor refrigeration module includes a compressor 21, a condenser 22 and an evaporator 23 in sequence, which are connected together through a refrigerant pipeline 210, and a first stop valve 24a and a first expansion valve 25a are provided in the refrigerant pipeline between the condenser 22 and the evaporator 23. The refrigerant pipeline 210 also includes a refrigerant bypass from the condenser 22, and the refrigerant bypass is connected to a first heat exchange part 34 of a heat exchanger (plate heat exchanger), so that the refrigerant can flow from the compressor 21 and the condenser 22 to the first heat exchange part 34. The refrigerant bypass is also provided with a second stop valve 24b and a second expansion valve 25b. In this way, in the compressor refrigeration module, the first stop valve 24a, the first expansion valve 25a and the evaporator 23 are arranged in association with the second stop valve 24b, the second expansion valve 25b and the first heat exchange part 34.

[0069] In the vehicle, the condenser 22 is arranged adjacent to the chassis radiator 43 in the chassis temperature regulation subsystem 40, so that the condenser 22 and the chassis radiator 43 can share the same fan device 48. In addition, the compressor cooling module of the passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem also includes an evaporator fan device 26, which drives air to move through the evaporator 23.

[0070] In this way, the compressor refrigeration module in the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem 20 provides three refrigerant (for example, R22, R410A, R32 refrigerant, etc.) flow modes: when the first stop valve 24a is opened and the second stop valve 24b is closed, the refrigerant flows through the compressor 21, the condenser 22, the first stop valve 24a, the first expansion valve 25a and the evaporator 23, and finally returns to the compressor 21; when the first stop valve 24a is closed and the second stop valve 24b is opened, the refrigerant flows through the compressor 21, the condenser 22, the second stop valve 24b, the second expansion valve 25b and the heat exchange part 34, and finally returns to the compressor 21; when the first stop valve 24a and the second stop valve 24b are opened at the same time, the refrigerant flows through the first stop valve 24a and the second stop valve 24b and the first expansion valve 25a and the second expansion valve 25b at the same time.

[0071] In other alternative embodiments, the first stop valve 24a and the second stop valve 24b may also use a three-way regulating valve to switch the refrigerant and control the flow rate.

[0072] On the other hand, Figure 1As shown, the PTC heating module includes a heater core 31, a pump (second pump) 32 and a PTC device (second PTC device) 33, which are connected together through a coolant pipeline 310. An expansion tank 35 is connected to the coolant pipeline 310, and preferably, the expansion tank 35 is connected between the heater core 31 and the pump 32.

[0073] Battery temperature regulation subsystem

[0074] The power battery pack of an electric vehicle needs to meet the needs of power battery charging and discharging heat dissipation as well as the need for heat supplementation under specific working conditions, so as to optimize the life cycle and charging and discharging performance of the power battery. Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system also includes a battery temperature regulation subsystem 10 for regulating the temperature of the power battery of the electric vehicle. The battery temperature regulation subsystem 10 includes a heat exchange unit 19 (the heat exchange unit 19 and the heat exchanger 34 constitute a heat exchanger to achieve heat exchange between the refrigerant and the coolant in different pipelines), a PTC device (first PTC device) 16 and a pump (first pump) 11. These components are connected in series by a coolant pipeline 110 to transport the coolant (usually water) to the power battery packs 15a and 15b. At the same time, an expansion water tank 12 is also connected to the coolant pipeline 110. Preferably, the expansion water tank 12 is connected between the heat exchange unit 19 and the pump 11.

[0075] Preferably, temperature sensors 14a and 14b are arranged in the battery temperature regulation subsystem, preferably two are arranged, respectively arranged upstream and downstream of the power battery packs 15a and 15b, to measure the temperature of the coolant in the coolant pipeline before entering the power battery packs 15a and 15b and the temperature of the coolant in the coolant pipeline after leaving the power battery packs 15a and 15b, respectively.

[0076] like Figure 1 As shown, the electric vehicle includes two groups of independently controllable power battery packs 15a and 15b. The two groups of power battery packs 15a and 15b are arranged in a loop of the coolant pipeline 110 in association. The battery temperature regulation subsystem 10 is additionally provided with a three-way valve 13 downstream of the pump 11 to control the flow of the coolant. Preferably, a temperature sensor 14b is provided between the three-way valve 13 and the pump 11.

[0077] The thermal management system according to the present invention is controlled by a thermal management controller, and provides an integrated thermal management method including three parts: a chassis system, a passenger compartment, and a power battery. The thermal management method includes a cooling mode for cooling at least one of the passenger compartment and the power battery and a heating mode for heating at least one of the passenger compartment and the power battery. Specifically, in the heating mode, at least one of the two PTC devices 16 and 33 in the battery temperature regulation subsystem 10 and the passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem 20 performs heating; in the cooling mode, in the cooling mode, the compressor 21 and the condenser 22 operate to enable at least one of the battery temperature regulation subsystem and the passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem to perform cooling.

[0078] The following, combined Figure 1 The cooling mode and the heating mode executed by the thermal management system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention are described.

[0079] The cooling mode executed by the thermal management system includes a first cooling mode: the passenger compartment and the battery pack need to be cooled at the same time. In the first cooling mode, the first stop valve 24a and the second stop valve 24b in the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem 20 are opened at the same time, and the pump 11 in the battery temperature adjustment subsystem 10 is running. The refrigerant cooled by the condenser 22 flows through the first stop valve 24a to provide cooling for the cockpit through the evaporator 23 on the one hand, and the refrigerant flows through the second stop valve 24b through the heat exchanger composed of the heat exchange part (second heat exchange part) 34 and the heat exchange part (first heat exchange part) 19 to cool the coolant in the battery temperature adjustment subsystem. Due to the operation of the pump 11, the coolant in the battery temperature adjustment subsystem 10 will flow through the battery packs 15a and 15b, thereby cooling the battery packs 15a and 15b.

[0080] While the passenger compartment and the battery pack are being cooled, whether to turn on the cooling of the chassis system is selected based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the chassis temperature control subsystem 40. Preferably, the operating modes of the chassis temperature control subsystem 40 include a self-circulating cooling mode and an enhanced cooling mode, and the selection of the mode is determined based on the measurement results of the temperature sensor. When the first sensor detects that the refrigerant temperature (water temperature) is less than a preset value, such as 50°C, the pump 41 starts running and the fan device does not run; when the temperature sensor detects that the refrigerant temperature (water temperature) is greater than the preset value, both the pump 41 and the fan device 48 start running, and the chassis temperature control subsystem 40 enters the enhanced cooling mode.

[0081] The cooling mode includes a second cooling mode: the cockpit does not need to be refrigerated, but the battery pack needs to be cooled. In the second cooling mode, the first stop valve 24a in the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem 20 is closed, the second stop valve 24b is opened, and the pump 11 in the battery temperature adjustment subsystem 10 is running. In this way, all the refrigerant condensed by the condenser 22 flows through the second stop valve 24b, and the coolant temperature in the pipeline of the battery temperature adjustment subsystem 10 is reduced through the heat exchanger. Due to the operation of the pump 11, the coolant in the coolant pipeline 110 will flow through the battery pack 15a and / or 15b, and the coolant in the coolant pipeline 110 is in a refrigeration cycle, thereby providing sufficient cooling for the battery pack. While cooling only the battery pack, the working mode of the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem 40 is selected according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem 40.

[0082] The cooling mode also includes a third cooling mode: the cockpit needs to be cooled, but the battery pack does not need to be cooled. In the third cooling mode, the first stop valve 24a in the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem 20 is opened, the second stop valve 24b is closed, and the pump 11 in the battery temperature adjustment subsystem is running. In this way, all the refrigerant cooled by the condenser 22 flows to the evaporator 23 through the first stop valve 24a, providing sufficient cooling effect for the passenger compartment. On the other hand, the pump 11 in the battery temperature adjustment subsystem 10 is running, so that the coolant in the coolant pipeline 110 is in a self-circulating flow state, thereby ensuring that the temperature inside the battery packs 15a and 15b is balanced. In the third cooling mode, the working mode of the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem 40 is selected according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem 40.

[0083] In the cooling mode, whether the second shut-off valve 24b is opened or closed is preferably determined based on the temperature of the coolant in the pipeline 110 detected by the sensors 14a and 14b in the battery temperature regulation subsystem 10. Specifically, when the sensors 14a and 14b detect that the coolant temperature in the first coolant pipeline exceeds the preset value, the second shut-off valve 24b is opened, and the pump 11 is operated, and the first coolant pipeline 110 is in a refrigeration cycle; when the sensors 14a and 14b detect that the coolant temperature in the first coolant pipeline 110 does not exceed the preset value, the second shut-off valve 24 is closed, and the pump 11 is operated, so that the coolant in the first coolant pipeline 110 is in a self-circulation.

[0084] The heating modes performed by the thermal management system include a first heating mode: the passenger compartment and the battery pack need to be heated at the same time. In the first heating mode, pumps 32 and 11 as well as PTC devices 33 and PTC devices 16 are all running. In this way, the coolant in the coolant line 310 in the PTC heating module in the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem 20 circulates to heat up the passenger compartment. At the same time, the coolant in the battery temperature adjustment subsystem 10 circulates in the coolant line 110, and the temperature of the battery packs 15a and 15b is increased under the action of the PTC device 16. At this time, the compressor 21 and the condenser 22 are in an inactive state. At the same time, the operating mode of the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem 40 is selected according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem 40.

[0085] The heating mode executed in the heating mode includes a second heating mode: the cockpit needs to be heated, but the battery pack does not need to be heated. In the second heating mode, the pump 32 and the PTC device 33 in the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem 20 are running, while the pump 11 in the battery temperature adjustment subsystem 10 is running, and the PTC device 16 is not running. In this way, the coolant circulation in the coolant pipeline of the PTC heating module of the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem 10 warms up the passenger compartment. The operation of the pump 11 in the battery temperature adjustment subsystem keeps the coolant in a flowing state, thereby ensuring that the temperature inside the battery pack is balanced. At this time, the compressor refrigeration module including the compressor 21 and the condenser 22 is in an inactive state. In the second heating mode, the operating mode of the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem 40 is also selected according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem.

[0086] The heating mode executed in the heating mode also includes a third heating mode: the cockpit does not need to be heated, but the battery pack needs to be heated. In the third heating mode, the pump 1 and the PTC device 16 in the battery temperature regulation subsystem 10 are running, and the pump 32 and the PTC device 33 in the passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem are not running. The PTC device 16 in the battery temperature regulation subsystem 10 is running to heat the battery pack, and the PTC heating module and the compressor cooling module of the passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem 20 are both in an inactive state. In the third heating mode, the operating mode of the chassis temperature regulation subsystem 40 is also selected according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the chassis temperature regulation subsystem 10.

[0087] For a system in which the chassis radiator 43 and the condenser 22 share the same fan device 48, the fan device 48 is started and operated when at least one of the following conditions is met: the chassis temperature control subsystem 40 enters the enhanced cooling mode; and the compressor refrigeration module in the passenger compartment temperature control subsystem 20 is operated.

[0088] For the adjustment of chassis temperature, a segmented control method can be used. Specifically, the rotation speed of the fan in the fan device 48 is segmented and controlled according to the coolant temperature detected by the sensor set in the coolant pipeline 410. For example, when the temperature collected by the sensor reaches a first temperature preset value, such as 50°C, the fan device 48 is controlled to run at a speed of 30% of the maximum speed. When the temperature collected by the sensor reaches a second temperature preset value greater than the first temperature preset value, such as 65°C, the fan device 48 is controlled to run at a speed of 70% of the maximum speed. The speed setting of the fan device 48 can also be set as a ratio according to the actual working conditions.

[0089] In the thermal management solution according to the present invention, the thermal management subsystems of the power battery, passenger compartment and chassis system are highly integrated, reducing the complexity of the pipelines and the number of equipment and interfaces, achieving lightweight thermal management system of electric vehicles, correspondingly reducing vehicle weight and manufacturing costs, reducing heat loss, and improving overall thermal efficiency. According to the thermal management solution of the present invention, the temperature of the power battery and passenger compartment can be precisely controlled, improving the safety, durability and comfort of electric vehicles, and it has been proven that it can be used in extreme weather conditions.

[0090] Although the present invention is disclosed as above with preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art may make possible changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any modification, equivalent change and modification made to the above embodiments according to the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for an electric vehicle, comprising: A battery temperature regulation subsystem (10), the battery temperature regulation subsystem comprising a first pump (11), a first heat exchange unit (19) and a first PTC device (16), the first pump (11), the first heat exchange unit (19) and the first PTC device (16) being connected via a first coolant pipeline; A passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem (20), the passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem comprising a compressor cooling module and a PTC heating module, the compressor cooling module comprising a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator, the compressor (21), the condenser (22) and the evaporator (23) being connected via a refrigerant pipeline, and the PTC heating module comprising a heater core (31), a second PTC device (33) and a second pump (32), the heater core (31), the second PTC device (33) and the second pump (32) being connected via a second coolant pipeline, wherein the passenger compartment temperature regulation subsystem further comprises a second heat exchange portion (34) connected in parallel with the evaporator to the compressor and the condenser, the second heat exchange portion (34) and the first heat exchange portion (19) being integrated into a heat exchanger for heat exchange between the coolant in the first coolant pipeline and the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipeline; as well as A chassis temperature regulating subsystem (30), the chassis temperature regulating subsystem comprising a third pump (41) and a chassis radiator (43), the third pump (41) and the chassis radiator (43) being connected via a third coolant pipeline.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chassis radiator (43) and the condenser (22) share a same fan device (48).

3. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the refrigerant pipeline of the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem (20), a first stop valve (24a) and a first expansion valve (25a) are provided between the condenser and the evaporator, and a second stop valve (24b) and a second expansion valve (25b) are provided between the condenser and the second heat exchange part.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first coolant pipeline of the battery temperature regulating subsystem is provided with a first sensor (45a, 45b) for measuring the temperature of the coolant entering the battery pack; A second sensor (14a, 14b) for measuring temperature is provided in the third coolant pipeline of the chassis temperature regulation subsystem.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first coolant pipeline, the second coolant pipeline and the third coolant pipeline are respectively connected to expansion water tanks (12, 35, 42), and the access points of the expansion water tanks are respectively arranged upstream of the first pump (11), the second pump (32) and the third pump (41).

6. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The third coolant pipeline of the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem (30) is connected to the motor electronic control device (50), The motor electronic control device comprises a DCDC (51), a four-in-one controller (52), a motor controller (53) and a drive motor (54), and the third coolant pipeline is connected in series to cool each of the DCDC, the four-in-one controller, the motor controller and the drive motor.

7. A method for thermal management of an electric vehicle using the thermal management system according to claim 1, the method comprising: a heating mode in which at least one of the first PTC device and the second PTC device performs heating; as well as A cooling mode in which the compressor and the condenser operate to cause at least one of the battery temperature adjustment subsystem (10) and the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem (20) to perform cooling.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The third coolant pipeline (410) of the chassis temperature regulation subsystem is provided with a second sensor (45a, 45b) for measuring the coolant temperature, and the third coolant pipeline (410) is connected to an expansion water tank (42); The chassis temperature regulation subsystem (40) includes a self-circulation cooling mode and an enhanced cooling mode. In the self-circulation cooling mode, the third pump (41) operates and the fan device (48) for the chassis radiator (43) does not operate. In the enhanced cooling mode, the third pump (41) and the fan device (48) operate simultaneously.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The chassis radiator (43) and the condenser share the same fan device (48), In the method, when at least one of the two conditions of the chassis temperature adjustment subsystem (40) entering the enhanced cooling mode and the compressor refrigeration module in the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem (20) operating is satisfied, the fan device (48) is started to operate; The rotation speed of the fan device (48) is controlled in stages according to the temperature of the coolant detected by the second sensor in the coolant pipeline (410), wherein when the collected temperature reaches a first temperature preset value, the fan device (48) is controlled to operate at a first speed, and when the collected temperature reaches a second temperature preset value greater than the first temperature preset value, the fan device (48) is controlled to operate at a second speed, wherein the second speed is greater than the first speed.

10. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The first coolant pipeline (110) of the battery temperature regulation subsystem is provided with a first sensor (14a, 14b) for measuring the coolant temperature, and the first coolant pipeline (110) is connected to an expansion water tank; In the refrigerant pipeline of the passenger compartment temperature adjustment subsystem, a first stop valve and a first expansion valve are provided between the condenser and the evaporator, and a second stop valve and a second expansion valve are provided between the condenser and the second heat exchange part (34); In the cooling mode, the method comprises: when the first sensor (14a, 14b) detects that the coolant temperature in the first coolant pipeline (110) exceeds a preset value, the second stop valve (24b) opens and the first pump (11) runs; when the first sensor (14a, 14b) detects that the coolant temperature in the first coolant pipeline (110) does not exceed the preset value, the second stop valve (24b) closes and the first pump (11) runs.

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