Thermal management system of vehicle and control method

Abstract

The invention discloses a vehicle thermal management system and a control method, and relates to the technical field of vehicle thermal management systems. The heat management system comprises a battery-controller heat management unit and an air conditioner heat management unit. The battery-controller heat management unit and the air conditioner heat management unit share the same first heat exchange piece and the same second heat exchange piece, each of the first heat exchange piece and the second heat exchange piece comprises two heat exchange channels, and the two heat exchange channels of the same heat exchange piece are used for being communicated with the battery-controller heat management unit and the air conditioner heat management unit respectively. The battery-controller thermal management unit comprises a battery cold plate and a controller cold plate which are arranged in parallel; the two ends of a main pipeline connected with the battery cold plate and the controller cold plate in parallel are communicated with the corresponding heat exchange channels in the first heat exchange piece and the second heat exchange piece through different proportional distribution valves respectively. According to the heat management system, the controller cold plate is coupled with the whole vehicle heat management system, so that the functions of cooling, heating, waste heat utilization and the like of the controller are efficiently achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the technical field of vehicle thermal management systems, and more particularly to a thermal management system and a control method for a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Existing intelligent driving and autonomous driving controllers usually need to meet relatively strict temperature ranges and other environmental conditions during operation to ensure their normal operation and stable performance.

[0003] Even though a few people pay attention to the temperature control needs of controllers, the thermal management systems of current intelligent driving and autonomous driving controllers are relatively independent and are still limited to independent cooling or heating operations on the controllers.

[0004] In this case, the controller's thermal management system cannot efficiently distribute energy according to the operating range of components such as the battery and air conditioner, and is also unable to perform comprehensive and efficient temperature regulation and waste heat utilization functions for the controller, battery and air conditioner, thereby reducing the energy utilization rate of the thermal management system and affecting the vehicle's range and power. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned defects or deficiencies in the prior art, it is desirable to provide a thermal management system and control method for a vehicle.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a thermal management system for a vehicle, comprising: a battery-controller thermal management unit and an air conditioning thermal management unit; The battery-controller thermal management unit and the air conditioning thermal management unit both share the same first heat exchange element and the second heat exchange element, and the first heat exchange element and the second heat exchange element both include two heat exchange channels, and the two heat exchange channels of the same heat exchange element are respectively used to communicate with the battery-controller thermal management unit and the air conditioning thermal management unit; The battery-controller thermal management unit includes a battery cold plate and a controller cold plate arranged in parallel; The two ends of the main pipeline connected in parallel with the battery cold plate and the controller cold plate are respectively connected to the internal heat exchange channels of the corresponding first heat exchange element and the second heat exchange element through different proportional distribution valves to achieve coupling of the battery cold plate, the controller cold plate and the air conditioning thermal management unit, thereby meeting the energy distribution control of the thermal management system under different temperature control requirements.

[0007] According to the technical solution provided in this application, the battery-controller thermal management unit includes: a first coolant circuit; The first coolant circuit includes a water pump, a first three-way proportional valve, a first heat exchange element, a heater, a second three-way proportional valve and the controller cold plate which are sequentially connected to form a circulation flow path; The first three-way proportional valve has a first input valve port, a first output valve port, and a second output valve port, the first input valve port is connected to the output end of the water pump, the first output valve port is connected to the input end of the first heat exchange channel inside the first heat exchange element, and the output end of the first heat exchange channel is connected to the input end of the heater; The second three-way proportional valve has a second input valve port, a third output valve port and a fourth output valve port, the second input valve port is connected to the output end of the heater, and the third output valve port is connected to one end of the controller cold plate.

[0008] According to the technical solution provided in this application, the battery-controller thermal management unit includes: a second coolant circuit; The second coolant circuit is formed by sequentially connecting the water pump, the first three-way proportional valve, the first heat exchange element, the heater, the second three-way proportional valve and the battery cold plate in the first coolant circuit to form a circulation flow path; Among them, one end of the battery cold plate is connected to the fourth output valve port, and the other end thereof is connected to a connecting pipeline for connecting the water pump and the controller cold plate.

[0009] According to the technical solution provided in this application, the battery-controller thermal management unit includes: a third coolant circuit; The third coolant circuit is formed by the water pump, the first three-way proportional valve, the heater, the second three-way proportional valve, the controller cold plate and the second heat exchange element in the first coolant circuit to form a circulation flow path; Wherein, the input end of the third heat exchange channel inside the second heat exchange element is connected to the second output valve port, and the output end of the third heat exchange channel is connected to the heater.

[0010] According to the technical solution provided in this application, the air conditioning thermal management unit includes: a first refrigerant circuit; The first refrigerant circuit includes a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, and the first heat exchanger, which are sequentially connected to form a circulation flow path; Wherein, the output end of the compressor is connected to the input end of the indoor heat exchange element, and its input end is connected to the output end of the second heat exchange channel inside the first heat exchange element; The output end of the indoor heat exchange element is connected to the input end of the fourth heat exchange channel inside the second heat exchange element; the output end of the fourth heat exchange channel is connected to the input end of the outdoor heat exchange element; the output end of the outdoor heat exchange element is connected to the input end of the second heat exchange channel; A first electronic expansion valve is arranged on a first connecting pipeline between the second heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, and a one-way valve and a second electronic expansion valve are arranged in sequence on a second connecting pipeline between the outdoor heat exchanger and the first heat exchanger.

[0011] According to the technical solution provided in this application, the air conditioning thermal management unit includes: a second refrigerant circuit; The second refrigerant circuit includes a circulation flow path formed by sequentially connecting the compressor, the indoor heat exchange element, the second heat exchange element and the outdoor heat exchange element in the first refrigerant circuit; Among them, the output end of the outdoor heat exchanger is connected to the input end of the compressor through a first branch pipeline arranged in parallel with the first heat exchanger; a first solenoid valve is arranged on the first branch pipeline; one end of the first branch pipeline is connected to the second connecting pipeline, and the connecting port is located between the one-way valve and the second electronic expansion valve, and the other end is connected to the connecting pipeline between the first heat exchanger and the compressor.

[0012] According to the technical solution provided in this application, the air conditioning thermal management unit includes: a third refrigerant circuit; The third refrigerant circuit includes a circulation flow path formed by sequentially connecting the compressor, the indoor heat exchange element, the second heat exchange element and the first heat exchange element in the first refrigerant circuit; Wherein, the output end of the fourth heat exchange channel is connected to the input end of the second heat exchange channel through a second branch pipeline arranged in parallel with the outdoor heat exchange element; a second solenoid valve is arranged on the second branch pipeline; Both ends of the second branch pipeline are respectively connected to the first connecting pipeline and the second connecting pipeline, and the two connecting ports are respectively located on a side of the first electronic expansion valve away from the outdoor heat exchange element and between the one-way valve and the second electronic expansion valve.

[0013] According to the technical solution provided in the present application, a gas-liquid separator is further provided between the first heat exchange component and the compressor.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present application provides a vehicle thermal management system control method, which is applied to the thermal management system of the above-mentioned vehicle, and the method includes: Acquire the real-time water inlet temperature of the target vehicle controller, and determine the first temperature control requirement of the current controller; the first temperature control requirement at least includes: heating requirement and cooling requirement; Acquire the ambient temperature, and confirm the target operating mode of the thermal management system based on the first temperature control requirement, the real-time water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature; the thermal management system includes: a battery-controller thermal management unit and an air conditioning thermal management unit coupled to each other; According to the target working mode, the circuit flow inside the battery-controller thermal management unit and the air conditioning thermal management unit and the opening of the proportional distribution valve are controlled to meet the temperature control requirements.

[0015] According to the technical solution provided by the present application, after obtaining the ambient temperature, the method further includes: Respectively obtaining a second temperature control requirement and a third temperature control requirement corresponding to a battery pack and a passenger compartment of the target vehicle; Based on the second temperature control requirement, the third temperature control requirement, the first temperature control requirement, the real-time water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature, a target operating mode of the thermal management system is confirmed.

[0016] To summarize, the present technical solution specifically discloses a thermal management system and a control method for a vehicle, wherein the thermal management system comprises: a battery-controller thermal management unit and an air-conditioning thermal management unit; the battery-controller thermal management unit and the air-conditioning thermal management unit both share the same first heat exchange element and the second heat exchange element, and the first heat exchange element and the second heat exchange element both include two heat exchange channels, and the two heat exchange channels of the same heat exchange element are respectively used to communicate with the battery-controller thermal management unit and the air-conditioning thermal management unit; the battery-controller thermal management unit comprises a battery cold plate and a controller cold plate arranged in parallel; the two ends of the main pipeline having the battery cold plate and the controller cold plate in parallel are respectively connected to the internal heat exchange channels of the corresponding first heat exchange element and the second heat exchange element through different proportional distribution valves.

[0017] In existing thermal management systems, since the thermal management systems of the controllers are mostly independently set up, it is impossible to efficiently distribute energy according to the working range of components such as batteries and air conditioners; in the present application, the air conditioning thermal management unit and the battery-controller thermal management unit can be coupled to achieve heat exchange between the circuits inside different thermal management units, and at the same time, the corresponding circuit flow can be regulated in conjunction with the proportional distribution valve, thereby reasonably and efficiently distributing energy inside the thermal management system to meet the various temperature control requirements of the thermal management system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Other features, objects and advantages of the present application will become more apparent by reading the detailed description of non-limiting embodiments made with reference to the following drawings: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system for a vehicle; Figure 2 The present invention is a flow chart of a control method of a thermal management system of a vehicle.

[0019] Numbers in the figure: 1. first heat exchange element; 11. first heat exchange channel; 12. second heat exchange channel; 2. second heat exchange element; 21. third heat exchange channel; 22. fourth heat exchange channel; 3. battery cold plate; 4. controller cold plate; 5. water pump; 6. first three-way proportional valve; 7. heater; 8. second three-way proportional valve; 9. compressor; 10. indoor heat exchange element; 13. outdoor heat exchange element; 14. first electronic expansion valve; 15. one-way valve; 16. second electronic expansion valve; 17. first solenoid valve; 18. second solenoid valve; 19. gas-liquid separator; 20. evaporator; 23. expansion tank; 24. third electronic expansion valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the relevant invention, rather than to limit the invention. It is also necessary to explain that, for ease of description, only the parts related to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0021] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other. The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0022] Example 1 Please refer to Figure 1 The illustrated embodiment provides a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management system for a vehicle, the thermal management system comprising: a battery-controller thermal management unit and an air conditioning thermal management unit; The battery-controller thermal management unit and the air conditioning thermal management unit both share the same first heat exchange element 1 and the second heat exchange element 2, and the first heat exchange element 1 and the second heat exchange element 2 both include two heat exchange channels, and the two heat exchange channels of the same heat exchange element are respectively used to communicate with the battery-controller thermal management unit and the air conditioning thermal management unit; The battery-controller thermal management unit includes a battery cold plate 3 and a controller cold plate 4 arranged in parallel; The two ends of the main pipeline in which the battery cold plate 3 and the controller cold plate 4 are connected in parallel are connected to the internal heat exchange channels of the corresponding first heat exchange element 1 and the second heat exchange element 2 through different proportional distribution valves, so as to realize the coupling of the battery cold plate 3, the controller cold plate 4 and the air conditioning thermal management unit, thereby meeting the energy distribution control of the thermal management system under different temperature control requirements.

[0023] In the embodiment of the present application, the type of the first heat exchange element 1 can be selected as a cooler, and the cooler has two heat exchange channels, namely the first heat exchange channel 11 and the second heat exchange channel 12; the type of the second heat exchange element 2 can be selected as a heat exchanger, and the heat exchanger has two heat exchange channels, namely the third heat exchange channel 21 and the fourth heat exchange channel 22; by connecting the first heat exchange channel 11, the second heat exchange channel 12 and the third heat exchange channel 21, the fourth heat exchange channel 22 to the air-conditioning thermal management unit and the battery-controller thermal management unit respectively, the coupling of the air-conditioning thermal management unit and the battery-controller thermal management unit is achieved, which provides the basic conditions for the coordinated energy distribution and adjustment of the two thermal management units.

[0024] At the same time, the battery-controller thermal management unit includes a battery cold plate 3 and a controller cold plate 4 arranged in parallel, where the battery cold plate 3 and the controller cold plate 4 can refer to the temperature control device of the battery pack and the temperature control device of the intelligent / autopilot controller, respectively; in addition, the two ends of the main line connected in parallel with the battery cold plate 3 and the controller cold plate 4 are connected with the first heat exchanger 1 and the second heat exchanger 2 based on a proportional distribution valve, so that when faced with complex and changeable temperature control requirements, heat exchange can be achieved between the circuits inside different thermal management units through the coupled thermal management system, and the corresponding circuit flow is regulated by the proportional distribution valve, so as to reasonably and efficiently distribute energy inside the thermal management system to meet various temperature control requirements; the different temperature control requirements here are, for example, heating requirements for the battery pack, heating requirements for the battery pack and the passenger compartment, heating requirements or cooling requirements for the controller, etc.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the battery-controller thermal management unit includes: a first coolant circuit; The first coolant circuit includes a water pump 5, a first three-way proportional valve 6, a first heat exchange element 1, a heater 7, a second three-way proportional valve 8 and a controller cold plate 4 which are connected in sequence to form a circulation flow path; The first three-way proportional valve 6 has a first input valve port, a first output valve port A and a second output valve port B, the first input valve port is connected to the output end of the water pump 5, the first output valve port A is connected to the input end of the first heat exchange channel 11 inside the first heat exchange element 1, and the output end of the first heat exchange channel 11 is connected to the input end of the heater 7; The second three-way proportional valve 8 has a second input valve port, a third output valve port C and a fourth output valve port D. The second input valve port is connected to the output end of the heater 7 , and the third output valve port C is connected to one end of the controller cold plate 4 .

[0026] Specifically, in the first coolant loop, the circulating coolant in the loop is provided by the water pump 5, and the coolant of the water pump 5 flows into the first heat exchange channel 11 through the first input valve port and the first output valve port A connected by the liquid circuit in the first three-way proportional valve 6, and exchanges heat with the medium in the second heat exchange channel 12, and then flows into the heater 7. The heater 7 here can be used to heat the coolant to meet the heating requirements of the subsequent battery pack or the intelligent / autonomous driving controller; after flowing into the heater 7, it will flow into the controller cold plate 4 through the second input valve port and the third output valve port C connected by the liquid circuit in the second three-way proportional valve 8, so as to realize temperature control of the intelligent / autonomous driving controller.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the battery-controller thermal management unit includes: a second coolant circuit; The second coolant circuit is formed by sequentially connecting the water pump 5, the first three-way proportional valve 6, the first heat exchanger 1, the heater 7, the second three-way proportional valve 8 and the battery cold plate 3 in the first coolant circuit to form a circulation flow path; One end of the battery cold plate 3 is connected to the fourth output valve port D, and the other end thereof is connected to a connecting pipeline for connecting the water pump 5 and the controller cold plate 4 .

[0028] Specifically, the second coolant circuit is essentially based on the first coolant circuit that has been formed, and the battery cold plate 3 is connected in parallel on both sides of the controller cold plate 4 to form a circulation flow path of water pump 5→first three-way proportional valve 6→first heat exchanger 1→heater 7→second three-way proportional valve 8→battery cold plate 3→water pump 5; in this process, since one end of the battery cold plate 3 is connected to the fourth output valve port D, the opening and closing of the two output valve ports of the second three-way proportional valve 8 are controlled so that the coolant passing through the heater 7 can selectively flow into the battery cold plate 3 or into the controller cold plate 4; of course, the two output valve ports of the second three-way proportional valve 8 can also be opened according to the preset opening, and the coolant passing through the heater 7 flows into the battery cold plate 3 and the controller cold plate 4 respectively from the two output valve ports through the flow control ratio, forming a comprehensive circuit of the first coolant circuit and the second coolant circuit. The specific needs need to be combined with the actual working conditions and the set control strategy, and no special limitation is made here.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the battery-controller thermal management unit includes: a third coolant loop; The third coolant circuit is formed by the water pump 5, the first three-way proportional valve 6, the heater 7, the second three-way proportional valve 8, the controller cold plate 4 and the second heat exchange element 2 in the first coolant circuit to form a circulation flow path; The input end of the third heat exchange channel 21 inside the second heat exchange element 2 is connected to the second output valve port B, and the output end of the third heat exchange channel 21 is connected to the heater 7 .

[0030] Specifically, the third coolant circuit is essentially based on the first coolant circuit that has been formed, and the second heat exchange element 2 is connected in parallel on both sides of the heater 7 and the battery cold plate 3 to form a circulation flow path of water pump 5→first three-way proportional valve 6→second heat exchange element 2→heater 7→second three-way proportional valve 8→controller cold plate 4→water pump 5; in this process, the input end of the third heat exchange channel 21 inside the second heat exchange element 2 is connected to the second output valve port B, and its output end is connected to the input end of the heater 7, so that the circulating coolant in the circuit provided by the water pump 5 is heat exchanged with the air conditioning thermal management unit at the second heat exchange element 2, that is, heat exchanged with the medium flowing into the fourth heat exchange channel 22.

[0031] It should be explained that the third cooling circuit still retains the branch connecting flow path between the second three-way proportional valve 8 and the controller cold plate 4, so here, based on the conduction condition of the second three-way proportional valve 8, a comprehensive circuit can be formed with the branch connecting flow path between the second three-way proportional valve 8 and the battery cold plate 3 in the above-mentioned second coolant circuit, that is, the coolant passing through the second heat exchanger 2 and the heater 7 can also selectively flow into the controller cold plate 4 or the battery cold plate 3 through the second three-way proportional valve 8; of course, it can also flow into the battery cold plate 3 and the controller cold plate 4 respectively from the two output valve ports according to the flow control ratio.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the air conditioning thermal management unit comprises: a first refrigerant circuit; The first refrigerant circuit includes a compressor 9, an indoor heat exchanger 10, a second heat exchanger 2, an outdoor heat exchanger 13 and a first heat exchanger 1 which are connected in sequence to form a circulation flow path; The output end of the compressor 9 is connected to the input end of the indoor heat exchange element 10, and its input end is connected to the output end of the second heat exchange channel 12 inside the first heat exchange element 1; The output end of the indoor heat exchange element 10 is connected to the input end of the fourth heat exchange channel 22 inside the second heat exchange element 2; the output end of the fourth heat exchange channel 22 is connected to the input end of the outdoor heat exchange element 13; the output end of the outdoor heat exchange element 13 is connected to the input end of the second heat exchange channel 12; A first electronic expansion valve 14 is arranged on the first connecting pipeline between the second heat exchanger 2 and the outdoor heat exchanger 13, and a one-way valve 15 and a second electronic expansion valve 16 (along the direction of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 pointing to the first heat exchanger 1) are arranged in sequence on the second connecting pipeline between the outdoor heat exchanger 13 and the first heat exchanger 1.

[0033] Specifically, the indoor heat exchanger 10 and the outdoor heat exchanger 13 can both be condensers. The indoor condenser is generally arranged in the air-conditioning box and can release heat for heating the passenger compartment through condensation; while the outdoor condenser can achieve heat exchange with the environment; in the first refrigerant circuit, the compressor 9 compresses the refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, and then enters the circulation flow path to participate in heat exchange; Furthermore, under refrigeration conditions, the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flows through the indoor heat exchanger 10 and the second heat exchanger 2 in sequence, and then enters the outdoor heat exchanger 13 to exchange heat with the environment, further forming a low-temperature liquid refrigerant. Then, after the low-temperature liquid refrigerant flows into the second heat exchange channel 12 of the first heat exchanger 1, it can efficiently cool the medium flowing through the first heat exchange channel 11, which can effectively improve the cooling efficiency of the controller cold plate 4 and the battery cold plate 3; at the same time, under refrigeration mixed air conditions, the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant exchanges heat at the indoor heat exchanger 10 and the outdoor part 13, further forming a low-temperature liquid refrigerant; in addition, in the embodiment of the present application, the refrigerant output by the first heat exchanger 1 will return to the compressor 9 via a gas-liquid separator 19, where the design of the gas-liquid separator 19 can be used to separate the gas and liquid components in the fluid to ensure that the refrigerant returned to the compressor 9 operates in the correct state.

[0034] At the same time, the first connecting pipeline and the second connecting pipeline are also provided with a first electronic expansion valve 14, a second electronic expansion valve 16 and a one-way valve 15 respectively; wherein the electronic expansion valve can reduce the pressure and throttle the gas in the pipeline, and can also adjust the flow rate of the medium in the pipeline; and the one-way valve 15 is mainly used to prevent the backflow of the medium and ensure the stability of the medium flow inside the thermal management system.

[0035] In the application of the heat pipe system of the embodiment of the present application, the first electronic expansion valve 14 is a large-diameter valve. Under refrigeration conditions, since the flow rate of the refrigerant needs to be large, the valve remains fully open so that the refrigerant can flow smoothly through the system to complete the refrigeration cycle. Under heating conditions, the system needs to increase the heat absorption of the refrigerant by throttling, thereby improving the efficiency of the system. At this time, the first electronic expansion valve 14 will play a throttling role, limiting the flow rate of the refrigerant to increase its heat absorption at the outdoor heat exchanger 13; the second electronic expansion valve 16 is also used to reduce the pressure, throttle and adjust the flow of the medium entering the first heat exchanger 1.

[0036] It should be explained that since the thermal management system provided in the embodiment of the present application has multiple heat exchange components, the state of the medium is relative. For example, the above-mentioned "high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is converted into medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant through heat exchange at the indoor heat exchange component 10". The temperature of the medium-temperature liquid refrigerant here is only used to refer to the fact that the temperature of the liquid refrigerant at this time is lower than that of the gaseous refrigerant generated by the compressor 9.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, the air conditioning thermal management unit includes: a second refrigerant circuit; The second refrigerant circuit includes a compressor 9, an indoor heat exchanger 10, a second heat exchanger 2 and an outdoor heat exchanger 13 in the first refrigerant circuit connected in sequence to form a circulation flow path; Among them, the output end of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is connected to the input end of the compressor 9 through a first branch pipeline arranged in parallel with the first heat exchanger 1; a first solenoid valve 17 is arranged on the first branch pipeline; one end of the first branch pipeline is connected to the second connecting pipeline, and the connecting port is located between the one-way valve 15 and the second electronic expansion valve 16, and the other end is connected to the connecting pipeline between the first heat exchanger 1 and the compressor 9.

[0038] Specifically, the second refrigerant circuit is essentially based on the first refrigerant circuit that has been formed, and then forms a circulation flow path of compressor 9 → indoor heat exchanger 10 → second heat exchanger 2 → outdoor heat exchanger 13 → compressor 9 through the first branch pipe connected in parallel on both sides of the first heat exchanger 1; in this process, the low-pressure liquid refrigerant after heat exchange with the environment at the outdoor heat exchanger 13 no longer enters the first heat exchanger 1 and the medium in the first heat exchange channel 11 for heat exchange, but directly returns to the compressor 9, which is used to ensure the heating efficiency when the ambient temperature is high and the controller cold plate 4 generates a heating demand.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the air conditioning thermal management unit includes: a third refrigerant circuit; The third refrigerant circuit includes a compressor 9, an indoor heat exchanger 10, a second heat exchanger 2 and a first heat exchanger 1 in the first refrigerant circuit connected in sequence to form a circulation flow path; The output end of the fourth heat exchange channel 22 is connected to the input end of the second heat exchange channel 12 through a second branch pipeline arranged in parallel with the outdoor heat exchange element 13; a second solenoid valve 18 is arranged on the second branch pipeline; Both ends of the second branch pipeline are respectively connected to the first connecting pipeline and the second connecting pipeline. The two connecting ports are respectively located on the side of the first electronic expansion valve 14 away from the outdoor heat exchanger 13 and between the one-way valve 15 and the second electronic expansion valve 16.

[0040] Specifically, the third refrigerant circuit is essentially based on the first refrigerant circuit that has been formed, and then forms a circulation flow path of compressor 9 → indoor heat exchanger 10 → second heat exchanger 2 → first heat exchanger 1 → compressor 9 through a second branch pipeline connected in parallel on both sides of the outdoor heat exchanger 13; the second solenoid valve 18 and the first solenoid valve 17 are both used to control the conduction state of the branch pipeline according to the temperature control requirements and control strategy of the thermal management system.

[0041] In this process, the liquid refrigerant after heat exchange with the third heat exchange channel 21 at the second heat exchange element 2 is directly reduced in pressure, throttled and flow regulated by the second electronic expansion valve 16, and then flows into the first heat exchange element 1 to exchange heat with the medium in the first heat exchange channel 11, and finally returns to the compressor 9. The third refrigerant circuit exchanges heat with the first heat exchange element 1, and when the intelligent / autonomous driving controller generates a lot of heat, the waste heat of the intelligent / autonomous driving controller is utilized to achieve passenger compartment heating.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, an expansion tank 23 is also provided between the battery-controller thermal management unit to accommodate expansion water in the system to prevent damage caused by volume expansion due to the increase in the water temperature of the coolant; in the air-conditioning thermal management circuit, it also includes an evaporator 20 arranged in the air-conditioning box, and the input end of the heat exchange channel in the evaporator 20 is connected to the second connecting pipeline, and a third electronic expansion valve 24 is also provided on the connecting pipeline, and the other end is connected to the pipeline between the first heat exchange element 1 and the compressor 9. The evaporator 20 can convert liquid low-temperature refrigerant into vapor and absorb the heat of the cooled medium to achieve the corresponding refrigeration purpose.

[0043] Example 2 First of all, based on the above content, it can be known that the thermal management system has multiple thermal management units, and each thermal management corresponds to multiple circuits. The embodiment of the present application operates through multiple circulation flow paths together to form multiple comprehensive circuits to meet people's functional requirements for the thermal management system; below, combined with the above-mentioned description of the architecture and principles of the thermal management system, its control method in practical applications is introduced.

[0044] Combination Figure 2 Based on the thermal management system of a vehicle in Example 1, this embodiment of the present application proposes a thermal management system control method for a vehicle, the method comprising: S1. Obtain the real-time water inlet temperature of the target vehicle controller, and determine the first temperature control requirement of the current controller; the first temperature control requirement at least includes: heating requirement and cooling requirement; When allocating energy in the thermal management system, it is first necessary to clarify the first temperature control requirement of the controller, collect the real-time water inlet temperature, and compare it with the preset water temperature T10 to obtain the specific heating requirement or cooling requirement, and then select the thermal management system working mode according to the corresponding temperature control requirement.

[0045] Here, the target vehicle may be an intelligent driving vehicle or an automatic driving vehicle, without any specific limitation.

[0046] S2, obtaining the ambient temperature, and confirming the target operating mode of the thermal management system based on the first temperature control requirement, the real-time water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature; the thermal management system includes: a battery-controller thermal management unit and an air conditioning thermal management unit coupled to each other; In addition to clarifying the first temperature control requirement of the controller, it is also necessary to obtain the ambient temperature, and finally select an efficient heating or cooling circuit based on the first temperature control requirement, the real-time water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature.

[0047] In addition, since the thermal management system architecture based on the embodiment of the present application realizes the coupling of the battery-controller thermal management unit and the air conditioning thermal management unit, in a preferred embodiment, after obtaining the ambient temperature, the method further includes: step 1, respectively obtaining the second temperature control requirement and the third temperature control requirement corresponding to the battery pack and the passenger compartment of the target vehicle; Step 2: based on the second temperature control requirement, the third temperature control requirement, the first temperature control requirement, the real-time water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature, confirm the target operating mode of the thermal management system.

[0048] Due to the temperature control requirements of the target vehicle's battery pack and passenger compartment, on the one hand, it is controlled by the battery management system (BMS), and on the other hand, it is controlled by the user according to his or her own needs. Therefore, after obtaining the second temperature control requirement and the third temperature control requirement, the real-time water inlet temperature and ambient temperature can be combined to select the optimal target working mode that can take into account multiple temperature control requirements.

[0049] S3. According to the target working mode, control the circuit flow inside the battery-controller thermal management unit and the air conditioning thermal management unit and the opening of the proportional distribution valve to meet the temperature control requirements.

[0050] Specifically, in the embodiment of the present application, there are six working modes, which can be comprehensively selected in combination with the first temperature control requirement, the second temperature control requirement, the third temperature control requirement, the real-time water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature to obtain the final target working mode, and finally the operation of the thermal management system is controlled according to the circuit flow corresponding to the target working mode and the opening of the proportional distribution valve.

[0051] It should be noted that, in combination with the above-mentioned judgment and collection actions, the method can be executed by the vehicle, or can be executed collaboratively by the vehicle domain controller (VDC), battery management system (BMS) and instrument in the vehicle.

[0052] The following is an introduction based on the working mode and actual application conditions of the thermal management system.

[0053] (1) Working mode 1: Circulation is carried out in accordance with the first coolant circuit + the first refrigerant circuit. In this working mode, the intelligent / autopilot controller can be cooled by the refrigerant.

[0054] When the real-time water inlet temperature of the controller is greater than T10, there is a need for cooling, and the ambient temperature is greater than T00, the air conditioning thermal management system and the first heat exchanger 1 can be used for cooling; the main path is that the compressor 9 first compresses the refrigerant, condenses and releases heat through the outdoor heat exchanger 13, and then evaporates and absorbs heat through the first heat exchanger 1, thereby cooling the coolant flowing through the first heat exchange channel 11. The cooled coolant is used to cool the intelligent / autopilot controller; when the water inlet temperature of the intelligent / autopilot controller is less than T11, the cooling can be exited. This mode has a strong cooling capacity and can achieve rapid cooling of the intelligent / autopilot controller; in addition, if the real-time water inlet temperature is lower than the air dew point temperature and the water temperature cannot be increased by adjusting the speed of the compressor 9, the water temperature of the coolant can be adjusted by starting the heater 7.

[0055] (2) Working mode 2: Circulation is carried out in accordance with the first and second coolant circuits + the first refrigerant circuit; the working principle of this working mode is similar to that of working mode 1, that is, the intelligent / autopilot controller can be cooled by the refrigerant.

[0056] When both the battery pack and the intelligent / autopilot controller need to be cooled, the two output valve ports of the second three-way proportional valve 9 can be opened and the flow of coolant flowing through the battery pack and the intelligent / autopilot controller can be adjusted, and both can be cooled through the air conditioning thermal management system and the first heat exchanger 1.

[0057] (3) Working mode three: Circulation according to the third coolant circuit + the second refrigerant circuit; this working mode can use the heat pump system to heat the intelligent / autopilot controller.

[0058] When the ambient temperature is greater than T01, the air conditioning thermal management system can absorb heat from the environment through the outdoor heat exchanger 13 after throttling by the first electronic expansion valve 1. If the ambient temperature is less than T02, the air conditioning heat pump cannot absorb heat from the environment. When the real-time water inlet temperature of the intelligent / autopilot controller is less than T14, a heating demand is generated, and the ambient temperature is greater than T01, the main path for responding to the heating demand is: after the compressor 9 compresses the refrigerant, it condenses and releases heat in the second heat exchanger 2, and after throttling by the first electronic expansion valve 14, it absorbs heat from the environment from the outdoor heat exchanger 13 and returns to the compressor 9; when the coolant on the other side flows through the second heat exchanger 2, it is heated by the medium in the fourth heat exchange channel 22, and the heated coolant flows into the intelligent / autopilot controller, realizing the heat pump heating the intelligent / autopilot controller, at this time, the heater 7 does not work, and the heating is stopped when the real-time water inlet temperature of the intelligent / autopilot controller is greater than T13; this mode realizes the heat pump system heating controller, which has a high heating efficiency compared to the use of the heater 7, and can effectively reduce energy consumption and increase the cruising range.

[0059] (4) Working mode 4: The heat pump system is used to heat the intelligent / autopilot controller in a comprehensive circuit consisting of the second coolant circuit and the third coolant circuit + the second refrigerant circuit. This working mode is similar to working mode 3, that is, the heat pump system is used to heat the intelligent / autopilot controller.

[0060] When the battery pack and the intelligent / autopilot controller both need to be heated, and the ambient temperature is greater than T01, the air conditioning heat pump system can be used to heat the intelligent / autopilot controller and the battery pack through working mode 4; specifically, the flow through the intelligent / autopilot controller and the battery pack can be adjusted by connecting the two output valve ports of the second three-way proportional valve 9 according to the needs of the battery pack and the controller. The air conditioning heat pump system absorbs heat from the environment, and its efficiency is higher than that of the heater, which can effectively reduce energy consumption and increase the driving range.

[0061] Since the above mentioned comprehensive circuit formed by the second coolant circuit and the third coolant circuit, the circuit is further explained here, that is, the circuit of water pump 5→first three-way proportional valve 6→second heat exchanger 2→heater 7→third output valve port C of the second three-way proportional valve→controller cold plate 4 and fourth output valve port D of the second three-way proportional valve→battery cold plate 3, and finally returns to the circuit of water pump 5.

[0062] (5) Working mode 5: Circulation according to the first coolant circuit + the third refrigerant circuit; this working mode can realize the heater heating intelligent / automatic driving controller under low temperature or ultra-low temperature conditions.

[0063] When the intelligent / autopilot controller has waste heat, it can be used to heat the passenger compartment. Specifically, when the real-time water inlet temperature of the intelligent / autopilot controller is less than T14 and the ambient temperature is less than T02, the coolant can be heated by the heater 7 to heat the intelligent / autopilot controller. When the real-time water inlet temperature of the controller is greater than T13, the heating of the heater 7 is stopped. In low-temperature conditions, when the real-time water inlet temperature of the controller is greater than T12, the air conditioning heat pump system can absorb heat through the first heat exchanger 1, and use the large amount of waste heat generated by the intelligent / autopilot controller to heat the passenger compartment, which can reduce air conditioning energy consumption and increase cruising range. When the real-time water inlet temperature is less than T13, the waste heat utilization of the intelligent / autopilot controller is stopped.

[0064] (6) Operation mode 6: Circulation is carried out according to the first and second coolant circuits + the third refrigerant circuit; this operation mode is similar to the operation principle of mode 5, and the heater heats the intelligent / autopilot controller, battery and passenger compartment; when the intelligent / autopilot controller has waste heat, it can be used to heat the battery or passenger compartment.

[0065] When the real-time water inlet temperature of the controller is less than T14, the ambient temperature is less than T02, and the battery pack needs to be heated, the battery pack and the intelligent / autopilot controller can be heated by the heater 7 and the second three-way proportional valve 8. The second three-way proportional valve 8 can adjust the flow of the heated coolant flowing through the battery pack and the intelligent / autopilot controller to distribute the heat. At the same time, since the passenger compartment cannot absorb heat from the environment, the first heat exchanger 1 and the heater 7 can also absorb heat to achieve heating of the passenger compartment. Under low temperature conditions, when the real-time water inlet temperature of the controller is greater than T12, and the air-conditioning thermal management system and the battery pack both need to be heated, the waste heat of the intelligent / autopilot controller can be used to heat the passenger compartment and the battery pack. When the real-time water temperature is less than T13, the heating is exited.

[0066] Based on the above description, it can be known that the present application can realize cooling of the battery pack and the intelligent / autonomous driving controller by the air conditioning thermal management system under high temperature conditions through working modes one and two; in working modes three and four, the air conditioning heat pump system absorbs heat from the environment and heats the intelligent / autonomous driving controller and the battery pack at the same time. The heat pump system has high heating efficiency, which can reduce thermal management energy consumption and increase driving range; in working modes five and six, the heater can be used to heat the battery pack, the intelligent / autonomous driving controller and the passenger compartment under low temperature or extremely low temperature conditions. At the same time, when the intelligent / autonomous driving controller generates waste heat, the waste heat can be used to reversely heat the battery pack and the passenger compartment for heating, thereby increasing the battery pack discharge, reducing air conditioning energy consumption, and increasing the low-temperature driving range of the entire vehicle.

[0067] It needs to be explained that the above temperature values ​​are as follows: T00 can be set to 30°C, T01 can be set to -7°C, and T02 can be set to -9°C; that is, T00>T01>T02; T10 can be set to 40°C, T11 can be set to 25°C, and T12 can be set to 20°C; T13 can be set to 15°C, and T14 can be set to 0°C; that is, T10>T11>T12>T13>T14; the specific values ​​set above are not particularly limited and are only for illustrative purposes.

[0068] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and an explanation of the technical principles used. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention involved in the present application is not limited to the technical solution formed by a specific combination of the above technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by any combination of the above technical features or their equivalent features without departing from the inventive concept. For example, the above features are replaced with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in the present application.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for a vehicle, characterized in that: include: Battery-controller thermal management unit and air conditioning thermal management unit; The battery-controller thermal management unit and the air-conditioning thermal management unit both share the same first heat exchange element (1) and the second heat exchange element (2), and the first heat exchange element (1) and the second heat exchange element (2) both include two heat exchange channels, and the two heat exchange channels of the same heat exchange element are respectively used to communicate with the battery-controller thermal management unit and the air-conditioning thermal management unit; The battery-controller thermal management unit comprises a battery cold plate (3) and a controller cold plate (4) arranged in parallel; The two ends of the main pipeline connected in parallel with the battery cold plate (3) and the controller cold plate (4) are respectively connected to the internal heat exchange channels of the corresponding first heat exchange element (1) and the second heat exchange element (2) through different proportional distribution valves, so as to achieve coupling between the battery cold plate (3), the controller cold plate (4) and the air conditioning thermal management unit, thereby satisfying the energy distribution control of the thermal management system under different temperature control requirements.

2. A thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery-controller thermal management unit includes: a first coolant circuit; The first coolant circuit comprises a water pump (5), a first three-way proportional valve (6), a first heat exchange element (1), a heater (7), a second three-way proportional valve (8) and the controller cold plate (4) which are connected in sequence to form a circulation flow path; The first three-way proportional valve (6) has a first input valve port, a first output valve port and a second output valve port, the first input valve port is connected to the output end of the water pump (5), the first output valve port is connected to the input end of the first heat exchange channel (11) inside the first heat exchange element (1), and the output end of the first heat exchange channel (11) is connected to the input end of the heater (7); The second three-way proportional valve (8) has a second input valve port, a third output valve port and a fourth output valve port, the second input valve port is connected to the output end of the heater (7), and the third output valve port is connected to one end of the controller cold plate (4).

3. A thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The battery-controller thermal management unit includes: a second coolant loop; The second coolant circuit is formed by sequentially connecting the water pump (5), the first three-way proportional valve (6), the first heat exchange element (1), the heater (7), the second three-way proportional valve (8) and the battery cold plate (3) in the first coolant circuit to form a circulation flow path; One end of the battery cold plate (3) is connected to the fourth output valve port, and the other end is connected to a connecting pipeline for connecting the water pump (5) and the controller cold plate (4).

4. A thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The battery-controller thermal management unit includes: a third coolant loop; The third coolant circuit is formed by the water pump (5), the first three-way proportional valve (6), the heater (7), the second three-way proportional valve (8), the controller cold plate (4) and the second heat exchange element (2) in the first coolant circuit to form a circulation flow path; The input end of the third heat exchange channel (21) inside the second heat exchange element (2) is connected to the second output valve port, and the output end of the third heat exchange channel (21) is connected to the heater (7).

5. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air conditioning thermal management unit comprises: a first refrigerant circuit; The first refrigerant circuit comprises a compressor (9), an indoor heat exchange element (10), the second heat exchange element (2), an outdoor heat exchange element (13), and the first heat exchange element (1) which are connected in sequence to form a circulation flow path; The output end of the compressor (9) is connected to the input end of the indoor heat exchange element (10), and the input end thereof is connected to the output end of the second heat exchange channel (12) inside the first heat exchange element (1); The output end of the indoor heat exchange element (10) is connected to the input end of the fourth heat exchange channel (22) inside the second heat exchange element (2); the output end of the fourth heat exchange channel (22) is connected to the input end of the outdoor heat exchange element (13); the output end of the outdoor heat exchange element (13) is connected to the input end of the second heat exchange channel (12); A first electronic expansion valve (14) is arranged on the first connecting pipeline between the second heat exchanger (2) and the outdoor heat exchanger (13), and a one-way valve (15) and a second electronic expansion valve (16) are arranged in sequence on the second connecting pipeline between the outdoor heat exchanger (13) and the first heat exchanger (1).

6. A thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: The air conditioning thermal management unit comprises: a second refrigerant circuit; The second refrigerant circuit comprises a circulation flow path formed by sequentially connecting the compressor (9), the indoor heat exchange element (10), the second heat exchange element (2) and the outdoor heat exchange element (13) in the first refrigerant circuit; The output end of the outdoor heat exchanger (13) is connected to the input end of the compressor (9) via a first branch pipeline arranged in parallel with the first heat exchanger (1); a first solenoid valve (17) is arranged on the first branch pipeline; one end of the first branch pipeline is connected to the second connecting pipeline, and the connecting port is located between the one-way valve (15) and the second electronic expansion valve (16), and the other end of the first branch pipeline is connected to the connecting pipeline between the first heat exchanger (1) and the compressor (9).

7. A thermal management system for a vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that: The air conditioning thermal management unit comprises: a third refrigerant circuit; The third refrigerant circuit comprises a circulation flow path formed by sequentially connecting the compressor (9), the indoor heat exchange element (10), the second heat exchange element (2) and the first heat exchange element (1) in the first refrigerant circuit; The output end of the fourth heat exchange channel (22) is connected to the input end of the second heat exchange channel (12) via a second branch pipeline arranged in parallel with the outdoor heat exchange element (13); a second solenoid valve (18) is arranged on the second branch pipeline; The two ends of the second branch pipeline are respectively connected to the first connecting pipeline and the second connecting pipeline, and the two connecting ports are respectively located on a side of the first electronic expansion valve (14) away from the outdoor heat exchange element (13), and between the one-way valve (15) and the second electronic expansion valve (16).

8. The thermal management system of a vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: A gas-liquid separator (19) is also provided between the first heat exchange element (1) and the compressor (9).

9. A method for controlling a thermal management system of a vehicle, characterized in that: The thermal management system for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the method comprising: Acquire the real-time water inlet temperature of the target vehicle controller, and determine the first temperature control requirement of the current controller; the first temperature control requirement at least includes: heating requirement and cooling requirement; Acquire the ambient temperature, and confirm the target operating mode of the thermal management system based on the first temperature control requirement, the real-time water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature; the thermal management system includes: a battery-controller thermal management unit and an air conditioning thermal management unit coupled to each other; According to the target working mode, the circuit flow inside the battery-controller thermal management unit and the air conditioning thermal management unit and the opening of the proportional distribution valve are controlled to meet the temperature control requirements.

10. The vehicle thermal management system control method according to claim 9, characterized in that: After obtaining the ambient temperature, the method further includes: Respectively obtaining a second temperature control requirement and a third temperature control requirement corresponding to a battery pack and a passenger compartment of the target vehicle; Based on the second temperature control requirement, the third temperature control requirement, the first temperature control requirement, the real-time water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature, a target operating mode of the thermal management system is confirmed.

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