Multi-way valve, heat exchange system and vehicle

Abstract

A multi-way valve comprises a shell (10) and a rotary valve element (20), the shell (10) is provided with a containing cavity, the shell (10) is provided with a connector area (101), and the connector area (101) is provided with a plurality of connectors (102, 103, 104, 105 and 106); the rotating valve element (20) is contained in the shell (10) and rotatably connected to the shell (10), the rotating valve element (20) is provided with a plurality of sub-cavities (201, 111, 112, 113 and 114) which are not communicated with one another, and the sub-cavities are arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotating valve element (20); the rotary valve element (20) is configured to enable the different sub-cavities to be opposite to the interface area through rotation, and the multiple sub-cavities are used for enabling the multiple interfaces of the interface area to communicate in different modes. The multi-way valve can enrich the diversity of switchable modes and improve the switching speed of different heat exchange modes of the heat management system so as to improve the heat exchange efficiency of the heat management system. The invention further relates to a heat exchange system and a vehicle.

Description

Multi-way valves, heat exchange systems and vehicles Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of batteries, and in particular to a multi-way valve, a heat exchange system, and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Electric vehicles, with their low emissions, economical efficiency, and independence from petroleum resources, have become a key development direction in the future automotive industry. The energy dissipated within electric vehicles requires thermal management, including thermal management of the passenger compartment and powertrain, to improve energy utilization.

[0003] Currently, people have put forward higher requirements for the heat exchange efficiency of vehicle thermal management systems. Therefore, how to ensure heat exchange efficiency while reasonably setting the volume of heat exchange equipment has become one of the research focuses in this field.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a multi-way valve, a heat exchange system and a vehicle, which can increase the types of switchable modes of the heat exchange circuit and improve the speed of switching between different heat exchange modes of the thermal management system.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a multi-way valve comprising a housing and a rotating valve core. The housing comprises a receiving cavity, an interface area, and a plurality of interfaces. The rotating valve core is housed within the housing and rotatably connected to the housing. The rotating valve core comprises a plurality of mutually unconnected sub-cavities, arranged circumferentially around the rotating valve core. The rotating valve core is configured such that, upon rotation, different sub-cavities face the interface area, and the plurality of sub-cavities are configured to connect the multiple interfaces in the interface area in different ways.

[0007] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, a container is provided in the housing for accommodating the rotating valve core, and an interface is provided on the housing to realize the connection of the rotating valve core with other heat exchange equipment or heat exchange pipes. Furthermore, by fixing the housing and the mounting seat, the stability of the rotation process of the rotating valve core can be ensured to improve the efficiency of the multi-way valve conversion process. The rotating valve core is provided to form a plurality of sub-cavities, and the sub-cavities can connect the plurality of interfaces in different ways to realize the connection mode of different heat exchange pipes in the heat exchange system. The heat exchange system can select a suitable heat exchange mode according to different ambient temperatures or different driving conditions of the vehicle, and the connection between the interface and different heat exchange channels can be controlled by rotating the rotating valve core. The structure is simple and easy to operate.

[0008] In some embodiments, the rotating valve core includes a central axis and a baffle. The baffle extends along the central axis toward the shell and divides the accommodating cavity into a plurality of sub-cavities that are not connected to each other; wherein, the baffle moves relative to the shell driven by the central axis to correspond any sub-cavity to the interface area. Using the central axis as the rotating axis can drive the baffle to rotate to switch different heat exchange modes, and the switching efficiency is high. The baffle is set to divide the accommodating cavity of the shell into a plurality of sub-cavities that are not connected to each other to realize the division of the accommodating cavity space. In addition, the baffle is set on the central axis and moves with the rotation of the central axis to realize the connection between different sub-cavities and the interface area. The above structure improves the integration and operating efficiency of the equipment.

[0009] In some embodiments, a sub-cavity is provided with a partition that divides the sub-cavity into multiple, mutually unconnected sub-chambers. By providing the partitions, the sub-cavity can be divided into multiple, relatively closed sub-chambers. The placement of the partitions in different sub-cavities varies, resulting in a different distribution of sub-chambers within each sub-cavity. This structure enables control of different on / off relationships between the interface and the heat exchange pipe, thereby achieving switching between heat exchange modes.

[0010] In some embodiments, each subchamber is connected to at most two interfaces. Two interfaces connected to the same subchamber can be connected to each other. The above structure can achieve communication between two adjacent heat exchange channels by connecting the two interfaces to the same subchamber.

[0011] In some embodiments, the central shaft further includes a central flow channel extending axially therein, and a through hole extending radially through the central flow channel to connect the subchambers to the central flow channel. Providing a central flow channel on the central shaft connects two spaced-apart subchambers, enabling more connectivity options, increasing the flexibility of the connection between the interface and the heat exchange flow channel, and meeting the diverse connectivity requirements of the thermal management system.

[0012] In some embodiments, the cross section of the central flow channel is circular. The above structure can reduce the resistance of the medium in the central flow channel and improve the efficiency of heat exchange.

[0013] In some embodiments, the diameter of the central flow channel is R: 15mm≤R≤20mm. When the diameter of the central flow channel is too small, the flow rate cannot meet the heat exchange requirements, resulting in too low heat exchange efficiency. When the diameter of the central flow channel is too large, the overall volume of the central axis will be increased, resulting in the volume of the sub-chamber being too small and the medium flow rate being reduced, or the wall thickness of the central axis will be too low and the strength cannot be supported. Therefore, setting a reasonable diameter of the central flow channel can ensure the structural strength of the central axis and the volume of the sub-chamber while ensuring the medium flow rate, ensuring the flow rate of each flow channel of the heat exchange system, and ensuring the heat exchange efficiency and operational stability of the heat exchange system.

[0014] In some embodiments, the central axis is provided with multiple through-holes, each corresponding to a subchamber. The through-holes are used to introduce media from a subchamber into the central flow channel, or vice versa. This structure enables media communication between the central flow channel and the subchambers, and communication between the multiple subchambers.

[0015] In some embodiments, the sub-cavity includes a first sub-cavity, the first sub-cavity includes a first sub-chamber, a second sub-chamber, a third sub-chamber and a fourth sub-chamber distributed in sequence along the axial direction of the central axis, the interface area includes a first interface, a second interface, a third interface and a fourth interface distributed along the axial direction of the central axis, the first interface is arranged corresponding to the first sub-chamber, the fourth interface is arranged corresponding to the fourth sub-chamber, and the central axis is provided with a first through hole and a second through hole corresponding to the first sub-chamber and the fourth sub-chamber, respectively, to connect the first interface and the fourth interface.

[0016] By distributing the first subchamber, the second subchamber, the third subchamber, and the fourth subchamber along the axial direction, the space in the subcavity can be fully utilized to arrange the subchambers, and the first interface, the second interface, the third interface, and the fourth interface on the outer shell are respectively provided corresponding to the multiple subchambers to achieve communication, so the above structure can facilitate the setting of the interface on the outer shell. By providing the first through hole and the second through hole, the first subchamber and the fourth subchamber can be connected through the central flow channel, so the first interface and the fourth interface are connected through the first subchamber and the fourth subchamber. The above structure realizes the communication between the two spaced subchambers, improves the diversity of the interface connection, and improves the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchange system.

[0017] In some embodiments, the housing includes a body and an end cover. The body has an opening. The end cover is sealed and connected to the opening and together define a accommodating cavity. One end of the central shaft passes through the end cover and protrudes from the end face of the end cover, and the central shaft is used to connect to the driving mechanism. A spline can be provided at one end of the central shaft. The above structure can facilitate the connection of the central shaft with the external driving mechanism and drive the baffle and the partition to move, so as to achieve communication between different sub-cavities and the interface area. The driving mechanism can be a driving motor, which can accurately control the angle of rotation and the speed of rotation. The above structure improves the efficiency and accuracy of the multi-way valve switching and improves the degree of automation of the equipment.

[0018] In some embodiments, the housing further includes a seal disposed on the side of the interface region facing the accommodating chamber. The seal reduces the probability of cross-flow of media between adjacent sub-cavities, improves the seal between the baffle and the housing, and ensures the stability and safety of the heat exchange system during switching of the multi-way valve.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present application provides a heat exchange system, which includes the multi-way valve in the above embodiment.

[0020] In a third aspect, the present application provides a vehicle comprising the heat exchange system in the above embodiment.

[0021] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The features, advantages and technical effects of exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a multi-way valve according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0024] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a housing of a multi-way valve according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0025] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a rotating valve core of a multi-way valve according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0026] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a rotating valve core of a multi-way valve according to some other embodiments of the present application;

[0027] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a central flow channel of a multi-way valve according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0028] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a central flow channel of a multi-way valve according to some other embodiments of the present application;

[0029] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a housing of a multi-way valve according to some other embodiments of the present application;

[0030] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a sealing member of a multi-way valve according to some other embodiments of the present application;

[0031] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of interface connections of the first sub-cavity in some embodiments of the present application;

[0032] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a first sub-cavity in some embodiments of the present application;

[0033] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of interface connections of a second sub-cavity in some embodiments of the present application;

[0034] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of a second sub-cavity in some embodiments of the present application;

[0035] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of interface connections of a third sub-cavity in some embodiments of the present application;

[0036] FIG14 is a schematic structural diagram of a third sub-cavity in some embodiments of the present application;

[0037] FIG15 is a schematic diagram of interface connections of a fourth sub-cavity in some embodiments of the present application;

[0038] FIG16 is a schematic structural diagram of the fourth sub-cavity in some embodiments of the present application.

[0039] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0040] 100, multi-way valve; 10, housing; 101, interface area; 102, interface; 103, first interface; 104, second interface; 105, third interface; 106, fourth interface; 107, body; 108, end cover; 109, seal; 110, flow channel hole; 111, first sub-chamber; 112, second sub-chamber; 113, third sub-chamber; 114, fourth sub-chamber; 20, rotating valve core; 201, sub-chamber; 202, central axis; 203, baffle; 204, partition; 205, sub-chamber; 206, central flow channel; 207, through hole; 208, first sub-chamber; 209, second sub-chamber; 2 10. The third sub-chamber; 211. The fourth sub-chamber; 212. The fifth sub-chamber; 213. The sixth sub-chamber; 214. The seventh sub-chamber; 215. The eighth sub-chamber; 216. The ninth sub-chamber; 217. The tenth sub-chamber; 218. The eleventh sub-chamber; 219. The twelfth sub-chamber; 220. The thirteenth sub-chamber; 221. The fourteenth sub-chamber; 222. The fifteenth sub-chamber; 223. The sixteenth sub-chamber; 224. The seventeenth sub-chamber; 225. The eighteenth sub-chamber; 226. The nineteenth sub-chamber; 227. The twentieth sub-chamber; 228. The twenty-first sub-chamber; 229. The twenty-second sub-chamber; 230. The twenty-third sub-chamber; 231. The twenty-fourth sub-chamber. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application and are therefore only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0042] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0044] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the following three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0046] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "multiple" refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to more than two pieces (including two pieces).

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0048] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; internal connections between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application based on specific circumstances.

[0049] From the perspective of market developments, thermal management systems for new energy vehicles are trending toward integrated designs. The vehicle's thermal management system needs to adjust the vehicle's thermal energy based on the season and the battery's operating status. Heat in a vehicle typically comes from batteries, compressors, heat pumps, or electric drive systems. The thermal management system needs to exchange these heat sources based on ambient temperature or driver needs to maximize energy utilization. Heat transfer between these heat sources is typically achieved by providing different media flow channels. Therefore, different connection modes between multiple media flow channels can achieve heat exchange between different heat sources.

[0050] The inventors discovered that related art uses multi-way valves to connect and disconnect different media flow channels to achieve heat exchange between different heat sources. However, most multi-way valves have complex structures, low integration, and typically only offer two or three switchable modes, failing to meet the need for more switching modes.

[0051] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors have designed a multi-way valve, a heat exchange system and a vehicle, which can increase the diversity of switchable modes and improve the speed of switching between different heat exchange modes of the thermal management system.

[0052] The multi-way valve in the embodiment of the present application is provided with a shell to accommodate the rotating valve core, and an interface is provided on the shell to achieve connection with other heat exchange equipment or heat exchange pipes. In addition, by fixing the shell to the mounting seat, the stability of the rotating valve core during rotation can be ensured to improve the efficiency of the multi-way valve conversion process. The rotating valve core is provided to form a plurality of sub-cavities, and the sub-cavities can connect the plurality of interfaces in different ways to achieve the connection mode of different heat exchange pipes in the heat exchange system. The heat exchange system can select the appropriate heat exchange mode according to different ambient temperatures or different driving conditions of the vehicle. The connection between the interface and different heat exchange channels can be controlled by rotating the rotating valve core. The structure is simple and easy to operate.

[0053] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a multi-way valve in some embodiments of the present application; Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a housing of a multi-way valve in some embodiments of the present application; Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a rotating valve core of a multi-way valve in some embodiments of the present application; Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a rotating valve core of a multi-way valve in other embodiments of the present application; Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a central flow channel of a multi-way valve in some embodiments of the present application; Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a central flow channel of a multi-way valve in other embodiments of the present application; Figure 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a housing of a multi-way valve in other embodiments of the present application; and Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a sealing member of a multi-way valve in other embodiments of the present application;

[0054] Please refer to Figures 1 to 4. An embodiment of the present application provides a multi-way valve 100, including a housing 10 and a rotating valve core 20. The housing 10 has a accommodating cavity, and the housing 10 is provided with an interface area 101, and the interface area 101 is provided with a plurality of interfaces 102. The rotating valve core 20 is accommodated in the accommodating cavity of the housing 10 and is rotatably connected to the housing 10. The rotating valve core 20 has a plurality of sub-cavities 201 that are not connected to each other, and the plurality of sub-cavities 201 are arranged along the circumference of the rotating valve core 20. The rotating valve core 20 is configured to rotate so that different sub-cavities 201 are opposite to the interface area 101, and the plurality of sub-cavities 201 are used to connect the plurality of interfaces 102 of the interface area 101 in different ways.

[0055] Please refer to Figures 3 and 4. The housing 10 can be configured as a cylindrical structure with a cylindrical cavity inside for accommodating the rotating valve core 20. The interface area 101 can be an area concentrated on the housing 10. Multiple interfaces 102 are evenly distributed on the interface area 101 for connecting to different pipelines. The interface 102 is a through hole that penetrates the wall of the housing 10. External pipelines or equipment can be connected to the internal cavity of the housing 10 through the interface. The housing 10 can be made of metal material to ensure the strength of the housing. The rotating valve core 20 is coaxially arranged with the housing 10 to facilitate the rotation of the rotating valve core 20. Multiple sub-cavities 201 can be evenly distributed on the rotating valve core 20. The number of sub-cavities 201 can be set as needed. For example, four sub-cavities 201 can be set, and each sub-cavity 201 corresponds to a rotation arc of 90°. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the structures of two different sub-cavities 201 in the housing 10 are shown. Different connecting pipelines or connecting channels can be set in each sub-cavity 201. When the rotary valve core 20 rotates, different sub-cavities can be switched to correspond to the interface area 101 to change different connection circuits of the interface area 101.

[0056] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, a housing 10 is provided to accommodate the rotating valve core 20, and an interface 102 is provided on the housing 10 to achieve connection with other heat exchange equipment or heat exchange pipes. In addition, by fixing the housing 10 to the mounting seat, the stability of the rotation process of the rotating valve core 20 can be ensured to improve the efficiency of the conversion process of the multi-way valve 100. The rotating valve core 20 is provided to form a plurality of sub-cavities 201, and the sub-cavities 201 can connect the plurality of interfaces 102 in different ways to achieve the connection mode of different heat exchange pipes in the heat exchange system. The heat exchange system can select a suitable heat exchange mode according to different ambient temperatures or different driving conditions of the vehicle, and the connection between the interface 102 and different heat exchange channels can be controlled by rotating the rotating valve core 20. The structure is simple and easy to operate.

[0057] As shown in FIG3 , in some embodiments of the present application, the rotating valve core 20 includes a central axis 202 and a baffle 203. The baffle 203 extends along the central axis 202 toward the housing 10 and divides the accommodating cavity into a plurality of mutually unconnected sub-cavities 201. The baffle 203 moves relative to the housing 10 driven by the central axis 202 to correspond any sub-cavity 201 to the interface area 101. The number of baffles 203 can be multiple. One side of the baffle 203 is connected to the central axis 202, and the other side is sealed to the inner wall of the housing 10 to achieve mutual sealing between two adjacent sub-cavities 201.

[0058] The above technical solution uses the central axis 202 as a rotational axis to drive the baffle 203 to rotate and switch between different heat exchange modes, achieving high switching efficiency. The baffle 203 divides the housing 10's accommodating chamber into multiple, unconnected sub-cavities 201, thereby partitioning the internal accommodating chamber space of the housing 10. Furthermore, the baffle 203 is positioned on the central axis 202 and moves with its rotation, thereby enabling communication between the various sub-cavities 201 and the interface area 101. This structure improves the integration and operational efficiency of the multi-way valve 100.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present application, a partition 204 is provided within the sub-cavity 201, dividing the sub-cavity 201 into a plurality of mutually unconnected sub-chambers 205. By providing the partitions 204, the sub-cavity 201 can be divided into a plurality of relatively closed sub-chambers 205. Furthermore, the placement of the partitions 204 varies in different sub-cavities 201, resulting in a different distribution of the sub-chambers 205 within each sub-cavity 201. This structure enables control of different on / off relationships between the interface 102 and the heat exchange pipes, thereby switching between heat exchange modes.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present application, each subchamber 205 is connected to at most two interfaces 102. Two interfaces 102 connected to the same subchamber 205 can be connected to each other. The above structure can achieve communication between two adjacent interfaces 102 by connecting the two interfaces 102 to the same subchamber 205, thereby achieving communication between two heat exchange channels or heat exchange devices connected to the interfaces 102.

[0061] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, in some embodiments of the present application, a central channel 206 is further provided within the central shaft 202. A through hole 207 extending radially through the central channel 206 is also provided on the central shaft 202 to connect the subchambers 205 with the central channel 206. The central channel 206 provided on the central shaft 202 connects the two spaced-apart subchambers 205. This connection allows for a variety of interface connectivity options, enabling connectivity modes for a wider range of heat exchange devices, increasing the flexibility of the connection between the interface 102 and the heat exchange channel, and meeting the diverse connectivity requirements of the thermal management system.

[0062] In some embodiments of the present application, the cross section of the central flow channel 206 is circular. The above structure can increase the flow rate of the heat exchange medium in the central flow channel 206, reduce the resistance of the heat exchange medium in the central flow channel 206, and improve the efficiency of heat exchange.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present application, the diameter of the central flow channel 206 is R: 15mm≤R≤20mm. Exemplarily, R can be: 15mm, 18mm or 20mm. When the diameter of the central flow channel 206 is too small, the flow rate cannot meet the heat exchange requirements, resulting in too low heat exchange efficiency. When the diameter of the central flow channel 206 is too large, the diameter of the central shaft 202 will be increased, resulting in the volume of the sub-chamber 205 being too small and the medium flow rate being reduced, or the wall thickness of the central shaft 202 being too low and unable to be supported. Therefore, setting a reasonable diameter of the central flow channel 206 can ensure the structural strength of the central shaft 202 and the volume of the sub-chamber 205 while ensuring the medium flow rate, ensuring the flow rate of each flow channel of the heat exchange system, and ensuring the heat exchange efficiency and operational stability of the heat exchange system.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present application, the central shaft 202 is provided with a plurality of through holes 207 extending radially through the central shaft wall along the central flow channel, with each through hole 207 corresponding to a subchamber 205. The through holes 207 are used to introduce the medium in the subchamber 205 into the central flow channel 206, or vice versa. This structure enables heat exchange medium to flow between the central flow channel 206 and the subchamber 205, thereby achieving communication between the multiple subchambers 205.

[0065] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 6. In some embodiments of the present application, the sub-cavity 201 includes a first sub-cavity 111, and the first sub-cavity 111 includes a first sub-chamber 208, a second sub-chamber 209, a third sub-chamber 210 and a fourth sub-chamber 211 distributed in sequence along the axial direction of the central axis 202. The interface area 101 includes a first interface 103, a second interface 104, a third interface 105 and a fourth interface 106 distributed along the axial direction of the central axis 202. The first interface 103 is arranged corresponding to the first sub-chamber 208, and the fourth interface 106 is arranged corresponding to the fourth sub-chamber 211. A first through hole 207A and a second through hole 207B are respectively provided on the central axis 202 corresponding to the first sub-chamber 208 and the fourth sub-chamber 211 to connect the first interface 103 and the fourth interface 106.

[0066] By distributing the first subchamber 208, the second subchamber 209, the third subchamber 210 and the fourth subchamber 211 along the axial direction, the space within the sub-cavity 201 can be fully utilized to arrange the subchambers, and the first interface 103, the second interface 104, the third interface 105 and the fourth interface 106 on the outer shell 10 are respectively arranged corresponding to the multiple subchambers to achieve connectivity, so the above structure can facilitate the setting of the interfaces on the outer shell 10.

[0067] Furthermore, by providing the first through hole 207 and the second through hole 207, the first subchamber 208 and the fourth subchamber 211 can be connected through the central flow channel 206. Therefore, the first interface 103 and the fourth interface 106 are connected through the first subchamber 208 and the fourth subchamber 211. The above structure realizes the connection between the two spaced-apart subchambers 205, enriches the diversity of the connection of the interface 102, and improves the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchange system.

[0068] Please refer to Figure 7. In some embodiments of the present application, the housing 10 includes a body 107 and an end cover 108. The body 107 has an opening. The end cover 108 is sealed and connected to the opening and together define a accommodating chamber, which is used to accommodate the rotating valve core 20. Among them, one end of the central shaft 202 passes through the end cover 108 and protrudes from the end face of the end cover 108, and the central shaft 202 is used to connect with the driving mechanism. A spline can be set at one end of the central shaft 202. The above structure can facilitate the connection of the central shaft 202 with the external driving mechanism and drive the baffle 203 and the partition 204 to move, so as to realize the connection between different sub-cavities 201 and the interface area 101. The driving mechanism can be a driving motor, which can accurately control the angle of rotation and the speed of rotation. The above structure improves the efficiency and accuracy of the switching of the multi-way valve 100 and improves the degree of automation of the equipment.

[0069] As shown in FIG8 , in some embodiments of the present application, the housing 10 further includes a seal 109, which is disposed on the side of the interface region 101 facing the accommodating cavity. Seal 109 is disposed in contact with the inner wall of the housing 10. Seal 109 is provided with a plurality of flow passage holes 110, each corresponding one-to-one with the interface 102 on the housing 10. The provision of seal 109 reduces the probability of cross-flow of media between two adjacent sub-cavities 201, improves the sealing between baffle 203 and the housing 10, and ensures the stability and safety of the heat exchange system during the switching process of the multi-way valve 100.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present application, the multi-way valve 100 includes four sub-chambers: a first sub-chamber 111, a second sub-chamber 112, a third sub-chamber 113, and a fourth sub-chamber 114. The four sub-chambers are evenly distributed along the circumference of the central axis 202. The structure of each sub-chamber and the connection methods of different sub-chambers to different interfaces 102 are described below with reference to Figures 9-16.

[0071] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the interface area 101 of the housing 10 is provided with ten interfaces 102, numbered from interface 1 to interface 10. The corresponding number for each interface can be found in the accompanying drawings. Six baffles 203 are provided within the first sub-cavity 111, dividing the first sub-cavity 111 into seven sub-chambers. These are, in order, the first sub-chamber 208, the second sub-chamber 209, the third sub-chamber 210, the fourth sub-chamber 211, the fifth sub-chamber 212, the sixth sub-chamber 213, and the seventh sub-chamber 214. The fifth sub-chamber 212, the first sub-chamber 208, the second sub-chamber 209, the third sub-chamber 210, and the fourth sub-chamber 211 are arranged axially along the central axis 202. The sixth sub-chamber 213 and the first sub-chamber 208 are arranged circumferentially along the central axis 202. The fourth sub-chamber 211 and the seventh sub-chamber 214 are arranged circumferentially along the central axis 202.

[0072] Among them, the fifth subchamber 212 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 1 and interface No. 6, enabling connectivity between interface No. 1 and interface No. 6. The second subchamber 209 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 3 and interface No. 8, enabling connectivity between interface No. 3 and interface No. 8. The third subchamber 210 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 4 and interface No. 9, enabling connectivity between interface No. 4 and interface No. 9. The first subchamber 208 is connected to interface No. 7, the sixth subchamber 213 is connected to interface No. 2, the fourth subchamber 211 is connected to interface No. 10, and the seventh subchamber 214 is connected to interface No. 5. In addition, through holes 207 are respectively provided on the central axis 202 corresponding to the first subchamber 208 and the fourth subchamber 211 to connect the first subchamber 208 and the fourth subchamber 211. Therefore, the above structure can also enable connectivity between interface No. 7 and interface No. 10.

[0073] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the interface area 101 of the housing 10 is also provided with 10 interfaces, namely interface 1 to interface 10. Six baffles 203 are provided within the second sub-cavity 112, dividing the second sub-cavity 112 into seven sub-chambers. These are, in order, the eighth sub-chamber 215, the ninth sub-chamber 216, the tenth sub-chamber 217, the eleventh sub-chamber 218, the twelfth sub-chamber 219, the thirteenth sub-chamber 220, and the fourteenth sub-chamber 221. The eighth sub-chamber 215, the ninth sub-chamber 216, the tenth sub-chamber 217, and the eleventh sub-chamber 218 are arranged axially along the central axis 202. The ninth sub-chamber 216 and the twelfth sub-chamber 219 are arranged circumferentially along the central axis 202, the tenth sub-chamber 217 and the thirteenth sub-chamber 220 are arranged circumferentially along the central axis 202, and the eleventh sub-chamber 218 and the fourteenth sub-chamber 221 are arranged circumferentially along the central axis 202.

[0074] The eighth subchamber 215 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 1 and interface No. 6, enabling connectivity between interface No. 1 and interface No. 6. The tenth subchamber 217 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 8 and interface No. 9, enabling connectivity between interface No. 8 and interface No. 9. The thirteenth subchamber 220 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 3 and interface No. 4, enabling connectivity between interface No. 3 and interface No. 4.

[0075] The ninth subchamber 216 is connected to port 7, the twelfth subchamber 219 is connected to port 2, the eleventh subchamber 218 is connected to port 10, and the fourteenth subchamber 221 is connected to port 5. Furthermore, through holes 207 are provided on the central axis 202 corresponding to the ninth and eleventh subchambers 216, 218, respectively, to connect the ninth and eleventh subchambers 216, 218. Thus, the above structure also enables connection between ports 7 and 10.

[0076] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the interface area 101 of the housing 10 is also provided with 10 interfaces, namely interface No. 1 to interface No. 10. Four baffles 203 are provided in the third sub-cavity 113, dividing the third sub-cavity 113 into five sub-chambers. These are, in order, the fifteenth sub-chamber 222, the sixteenth sub-chamber 223, the seventeenth sub-chamber 224, the eighteenth sub-chamber 225, and the nineteenth sub-chamber 226. The fifteenth sub-chamber 222, the sixteenth sub-chamber 223, the seventeenth sub-chamber 224, and the eighteenth sub-chamber 225 are distributed in sequence along the axial direction of the central axis 202. The nineteenth sub-chamber 226 and the sixteenth sub-chamber 223 are distributed circumferentially along the central axis 202.

[0077] Among them, the fifteenth subchamber 222 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 1 and interface No. 6, enabling connectivity between interface No. 1 and interface No. 6. The sixteenth subchamber 223 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 7 and interface No. 8, enabling connectivity between interface No. 7 and interface No. 8. The seventeenth subchamber 224 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 4 and interface No. 9, enabling connectivity between interface No. 4 and interface No. 9. The eighteenth subchamber 225 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 5 and interface No. 10, enabling connectivity between interface No. 5 and interface No. 10. The nineteenth subchamber 226 is configured to correspond to both interface No. 2 and interface No. 3, enabling connectivity between interface No. 2 and interface No. 3.

[0078] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the interface area 101 of the shell is also provided with 10 interfaces 102, namely interface No. 102 to interface No. 102. Four baffles 203 are provided in the fourth sub-cavity 114, dividing the fourth sub-cavity 114 into five sub-chambers. These are, in order, the 20th sub-chamber 227, the 21st sub-chamber 228, the 22nd sub-chamber 229, the 23rd sub-chamber 230, and the 24th sub-chamber 231. The 21st sub-chamber 228, the 22nd sub-chamber 229, and the 23rd sub-chamber 230 are arranged in sequence along the axial direction of the central axis 202. The 23rd sub-chamber 230 and the 20th sub-chamber 227 are arranged circumferentially along the central axis 202. The 24th sub-chamber 231 and the 22nd sub-chamber 229 are arranged circumferentially along the central axis 202.

[0079] Among them, the twenty-third sub-chamber 230 is set to correspond to both interface No. 1 and interface No. 2, realizing the connection between interface No. 1 and interface No. 2. The twenty-fourth sub-chamber 231 is set to correspond to both interface No. 4 and interface No. 5, realizing the connection between interface No. 4 and interface No. 5. The twentieth sub-chamber 227 is set to correspond to both interface No. 6 and interface No. 7, realizing the connection between interface No. 6 and interface No. 7. The twenty-first sub-chamber 228 is set to correspond to both interface No. 3 and interface No. 8, realizing the connection between interface No. 3 and interface No. 8. The twenty-fourth sub-chamber 231 is set to correspond to both interface No. 4 and interface No. 5, realizing the connection between interface No. 4 and interface No. 5. The twenty-second sub-chamber 229 is set to correspond to both interface No. 9 and interface No. 10, realizing the connection between interface No. 9 and interface No. 10.

[0080] The multi-way valve 100 of the present embodiment includes four sub-cavities, which together comprise 24 sub-chambers. Each sub-cavity can achieve a specific connection relationship, so the multi-way valve 100 can achieve four different flow channel connections. The flow channels can be switched by rotating the central shaft 202, resulting in a high level of integration and efficient switching between different flow channel connections.

[0081] The present application also provides a heat exchange system including the multi-way valve 100 of the above-described embodiment. The present application also provides a vehicle including the heat exchange system of the above-described embodiment. Because the heat exchange system and vehicle of the present application both include the multi-way valve of the above-described embodiment, they can both increase the diversity of switching modes, improve the speed of switching between different heat exchange modes of the thermal management system, and improve the heat exchange efficiency of the thermal management system.

[0082] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A multi-way valve comprising: The shell has a receiving cavity, the shell is provided with an interface area, and the interface area is provided with a plurality of interfaces; a rotating valve core, housed in the housing and rotatably connected to the housing, the rotating valve core having a plurality of mutually disconnected sub-cavities, the plurality of sub-cavities being arranged along the circumference of the rotating valve core; The rotary valve core is configured to rotate so that different sub-cavities are opposite to the interface area, and the multiple sub-cavities are used to connect the multiple interfaces of the interface area in different ways.

2. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein: The rotating valve core comprises: central axis; a baffle extending along the central axis toward the housing and dividing the accommodating cavity into a plurality of mutually unconnected sub-cavities, Wherein, the baffle moves relative to the housing under the drive of the central shaft so as to make any of the sub-cavities correspond to the interface area.

3. The multi-way valve according to claim 2, wherein: A partition is provided in the sub-cavity, and the partition divides the sub-cavity into a plurality of sub-chambers which are not connected to each other.

4. The multi-way valve according to claim 3, wherein: Each of the subchambers is in communication with at most two of the interfaces.

5. The multi-way valve according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: A central flow channel extending along the central axis is further provided in the central shaft, and a through hole penetrating along the radial direction of the central flow channel is further provided on the central shaft to connect the sub-chamber with the central flow channel. The multi-way valve according to claim 5 , wherein: The cross section of the central flow channel is circular.

7. The multi-way valve according to claim 6, wherein: The diameter of the central flow channel is R: 15mm≤R≤20mm.

8. The multi-way valve according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein: A plurality of through holes are provided on the central axis, and each of the through holes corresponds to one of the sub-chambers.

9. The multi-way valve according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein: The sub-cavity includes a first sub-cavity, and the first sub-cavity includes a first sub-chamber, a second sub-chamber, a third sub-chamber, and a fourth sub-chamber distributed in sequence along the axial direction of the central axis. The interface area includes a first interface, a second interface, a third interface, and a fourth interface distributed along the axial direction of the central axis. The first interface is arranged corresponding to the first sub-chamber, and the fourth interface is arranged corresponding to the fourth sub-chamber. The central axis is respectively provided with a first opening and a second opening corresponding to the first sub-chamber and the fourth sub-chamber, so as to connect the first interface with the fourth interface.

10. The multi-way valve according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein: The housing comprises: a body having an opening; an end cover, sealedly connected to the opening and jointly defining the accommodating cavity; One end of the central shaft passes through the end cover and protrudes from the end surface of the end cover, and the central shaft is used to be connected to the driving mechanism.

11. The multi-way valve according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The housing further includes a sealing member, which is arranged on a side of the interface area facing the accommodating cavity.

12. A heat exchange system comprising the multi-way valve according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A vehicle comprising the heat exchange system according to claim 12.

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