Thermal management device and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat management device and a vehicle, the heat management device comprises a first phase change material piece, a second phase change material piece and a third phase change material piece, the first phase change material piece and the second phase change material piece are both used for storing heat, and the third phase change material piece is used for storing heat. The phase change temperature of the first phase change material piece is different from that of the second phase change material piece; and the third phase change material piece is used for storing cold. The first phase-change material piece and the second phase-change material piece which are different in phase-change temperature are arranged to conduct heat storage on the distributed heat sources different in temperature, so that waste heat different in temperature is effectively recycled to improve the heat energy utilization efficiency, and heat at the proper temperature is provided when heat is needed to reduce heating energy consumption; and a third phase-change material piece used for cold storage is arranged, and when the refrigeration requirement is met, the refrigeration energy consumption is reduced by utilizing the stored cold capacity to meet part of the refrigeration requirement, so that the energy utilization rate is increased, and the heat management energy consumption is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of thermal management technology, and in particular to a thermal management device and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In the field of thermal management, there are many complex situations. As far as automotive thermal management is concerned, new energy vehicles have shown explosive development in recent years. While ensuring comfort and safety, each model must also ensure the range. With the continuous development of car refrigerators and intelligent driving technology, the working conditions of the thermal management system have become more and more complex, and its load has also increased. When the pressure difference of the branches running at the same time is large, or the ambient temperature is at a low or high level, the thermal management energy consumption will increase significantly.

[0003] At present, the relevant technologies mainly use the waste heat of motors or battery packs to reduce heating energy consumption. However, there are still many distributed heat sources that are not fully utilized, and the situation that the power battery cannot provide waste heat but needs heat when the temperature is low is not taken into consideration. In addition, only the heating conditions are optimized without considering the cooling conditions, which cannot effectively reduce the cooling energy consumption, and thus cannot effectively reduce the overall energy consumption of thermal management. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a thermal management device to improve energy utilization and reduce thermal management energy consumption, so as to at least partially solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present application, a thermal management device is provided, comprising:

[0006] a first phase change material piece;

[0007] a second phase change material element, wherein the first phase change material element and the second phase change material element are both used for heat storage, and a phase change temperature of the first phase change material element is different from a phase change temperature of the second phase change material element; and

[0008] A third phase change material element, wherein the third phase change material element is used for cold storage.

[0009] Optionally, the thermal management device also includes a first thermoelectric converter, which is arranged between the second phase change material element and the third phase change material element, and the first thermoelectric converter is used to generate electricity using the temperature difference between the second phase change material element and the third phase change material element or to use electrical energy to cool the third phase change material element.

[0010] Optionally, the thermal management device also includes a fourth phase change material element and a second thermoelectric converter, the phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material element is different from the phase change temperature of the first phase change material element, and the second thermoelectric converter is used to generate electricity using the temperature difference between the first phase change material element and the fourth phase change material element or to use electrical energy to heat the first phase change material element.

[0011] Optionally, a phase change temperature of the second phase change material is lower than a phase change temperature of the first phase change material.

[0012] Optionally, a phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material component is lower than a phase change temperature of the first phase change material component.

[0013] Optionally, the phase change temperature of the second phase change material element is between the phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material element and the phase change temperature of the first phase change material element.

[0014] Optionally, the first thermoelectric converter and the second thermoelectric converter are electrically connected, and the second thermoelectric converter can provide electrical energy to the first thermoelectric converter, so that the first thermoelectric converter can cool the third phase change material element.

[0015] Optionally, the thermal management device further comprises a heat pump air conditioning system, wherein the heat pump air conditioning system comprises a compressor and two heat exchangers which are sequentially connected to form a heat pump air conditioning loop;

[0016] The first phase change material component is disposed between the two heat exchangers, and the first phase change material component can perform heat exchange with the heat pump air conditioning circuit.

[0017] Optionally, the third phase change material element is disposed between the inlet end of the compressor and one of the heat exchangers, and the third phase change material element can perform heat exchange with the heat pump air conditioning circuit.

[0018] Optionally, the thermal management device further comprises a thermal management flow path;

[0019] The heat pump air conditioning system further comprises a heat pump air conditioning branch, and the heat pump air conditioning branch can perform heat exchange with the heat management flow path;

[0020] When the heat pump air conditioning system is in cooling mode, the two ends of the heat pump air conditioning branch are respectively connected to the two ends of the heat exchanger connected to the inlet end of the compressor;

[0021] When the heat pump air conditioning system is in a heating mode, two ends of the heat pump air conditioning branch are respectively connected to two ends of the heat exchanger connected to the outlet end of the compressor.

[0022] Optionally, the thermal management device further comprises a thermal management flow path;

[0023] The first phase change material element is disposed in the thermal management flow path, and the first phase change material element can perform heat exchange with the thermal management flow path; and / or,

[0024] The second phase change material element is disposed in the heat management flow path, and the second phase change material element can exchange heat with the heat management flow path.

[0025] Optionally, the heat management flow path flows through the first phase change material component and the second phase change material component in sequence, so that the heat management flow path exchanges heat with the first phase change material component and the second phase change material component having a higher phase change temperature before exchanging heat with the other one.

[0026] Optionally, the thermal management device further includes a thermal management flow path, and the third phase change material component is disposed in the thermal management flow path, so that the third phase change material component can provide cooling for the thermal management flow path.

[0027] Optionally, the thermal management device further includes a thermal management flow path, and the fourth phase change material component is arranged in the thermal management flow path, so that the thermal management flow path can take away the heat of the fourth phase change material component.

[0028] According to a second aspect of the present application, a vehicle is provided, comprising a thermal management device as described in any one of the above items.

[0029] In the thermal management device of the embodiment of the present application, a first phase change material element and a second phase change material element with different phase change temperatures are provided to store heat for distributed heat sources of different temperatures respectively, thereby effectively recovering waste heat of different temperatures to improve the efficiency of thermal energy utilization, and providing heat of a suitable temperature when there is a demand for heat to reduce heating energy consumption, and a third phase change material element for storing cold is provided to use the stored cold to meet part of the cooling demand when there is a cooling demand to reduce cooling energy consumption, thereby improving energy utilization and reducing thermal management energy consumption.

[0030] Other features and advantages of the present application will be described in detail in the subsequent specific implementation section. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative work.

[0032] In order to more completely understand the present application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same figure numbers represent the same parts in the following description.

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the thermal management device disclosed in the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 is a working principle diagram of the thermal management device of the present disclosure when the heat pump air conditioning system is in cooling mode;

[0035] Figure 3 is a working principle diagram of the thermal management device of the present disclosure when the heat pump air conditioning system is in heating mode;

[0036] Figure 4 is another working principle diagram of the thermal management device of the present disclosure when the heat pump air conditioning system is in cooling mode;

[0037] Figure 5 is another working principle diagram of the thermal management device of the present disclosure when the heat pump air conditioning system is in heating mode;

[0038] Figure 6 is a working principle diagram of the thermal management device disclosed in the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 is another working principle diagram of the thermal management device of the present invention.

[0040] Description of reference numerals:

[0041] 1000, thermal management device; 101, first phase change material; 102, fourth phase change material; 103, second thermoelectric converter; 201, second phase change material; 202, third phase change material; 203, first thermoelectric converter; 1, compressor; 2, heat exchanger; 21, first heat exchanger; 22, second heat exchanger; 3, first throttle valve; 4, second throttle valve; 5, first three-way valve; 6, second three-way valve; 7, third three-way valve; 8, fourth three-way valve; 9, fifth three-way valve; 10, sixth three-way valve; 11, seventh three-way valve ; 12. Eighth three-way valve; 13. First four-way valve; 14. Second four-way valve; 15. Third four-way valve; 16. Fourth four-way valve; 17. Fifth four-way valve; 18. First valve; 19. Second valve; 20. Third valve; 23. Fourth valve; 300. Thermal management flow path; 301. First port; 302. Second port; 303. Third port; 304. Fourth port; 305. Fifth port; 306. Sixth port; 307. Seventh port; 308. Eighth port; 309. Ninth port; 310. Tenth port. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0043] This application provides a thermal management device, see Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0044] The thermal management device 1000 includes a first phase change material element 101 , a second phase change material element 201 , and a third phase change material element 202 .

[0045] The first phase change material 101 and the second phase change material 201 are both used for heat storage, and the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 101 and the phase change temperature of the second phase change material 201 are different. It can be understood that in actual new energy vehicles or industrial thermal management systems, the temperature of the heat source is not single. The heat temperatures generated by different electronic devices are different, and the heat temperatures generated by the same electronic device under different working conditions are also different. For example, the heat temperatures generated by the motor under different working conditions are different, and the heating temperatures of the battery during charging and discharging are also different. The first phase change material 101 and the second phase change material 201 have different phase change temperatures, which means that they can store heat for distributed heat sources of different temperatures respectively. One phase change material can store heat for a heat source with a higher temperature (such as heat generated by a high-power electronic device, or heat generated by an electronic device under high-power conditions), and another phase change material can store heat for a heat source with a lower temperature (such as heat emitted by a low-power device, or heat generated by an electronic device under low-power conditions). In this way, phase change material parts with different phase change temperatures can effectively recycle waste heat from electronic devices with different powers, or recycle waste heat from the same electronic device at different powers, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of thermal energy. When the temperature is low, for example, when the power battery cannot provide waste heat but needs heat, phase change material parts with different phase change temperatures can provide heat at a suitable temperature to meet the demand, so that the thermal management device 1000 is able to provide additional heat when the heat supply and demand are unbalanced, thereby reducing the thermal management energy consumption when heating is required.

[0046] The third phase change material element 202 is used to store cold. When there is a need for cooling, the cold stored in the third phase change material element 202 can be used to meet part of the cooling demand, which helps to reduce cooling energy consumption, so that the thermal management device 1000 can also perform effective energy management under cooling conditions, reducing thermal management power consumption when cooling is required.

[0047] In the technical solution of the present application, a first phase change material element 101 and a second phase change material element 201 with different phase change temperatures are provided to store heat for distributed heat sources of different temperatures respectively, thereby effectively recovering waste heat of different temperatures to improve the efficiency of thermal energy utilization, and providing heat of a suitable temperature when there is a demand for heat to reduce the heating energy consumption, and providing a third phase change material element 202 for cold storage to use the stored cold to meet part of the cooling demand when there is a cooling demand to reduce the cooling energy consumption, thereby improving energy utilization and reducing thermal management energy consumption.

[0048] It can be understood that a phase change material (PCM-Phase Change Material) is a material that changes its state of matter without changing its temperature and can provide latent heat. In the process of changing physical properties (called a phase change process), the phase change material will absorb or release a large amount of latent heat. The phase change temperature of the phase change material, specifically, is the temperature at which the material changes from one physical state to another, or more precisely, the temperature point at which the material begins to absorb or release a large amount of latent heat during the phase change process. Phase change materials can absorb or release a large amount of latent heat near the phase change temperature. Typically, phase change materials undergo a phase change between solid and liquid, but there are a few materials that undergo a phase change between other phases (such as solid to solid, liquid to gas).

[0049] It should be noted here that the phase change material parts mentioned in this article (including the first phase change material part 101, the second phase change material part 201, the third phase change material part 202, and the fourth phase change material part 102) refer to parts containing phase change materials. The present application does not limit the specific structure of the phase change material parts. The phase change material part can be a macroscopic container structure formed by filling the phase change material into a container or module (such as a metal can, a plastic box, etc.); it can also be a porous medium structure formed by impregnating the phase change material into a porous material (such as foam metal, ceramic, polymer foam); it can also be a thin film structure in which the phase change material is made into a thin layer (an independent film or coated on the surface of a substrate); it can even be a block structure directly composed of a phase change material that undergoes a solid-to-solid phase change. In short, the phase change material part in this article refers to a component having the properties of a phase change material (including a component composed of a phase change material alone or a component made of a phase change material and other structures).

[0050] In some embodiments, see Figure 1The thermal management device 1000 further includes a first thermoelectric converter 203, which is disposed between the second phase change material element 201 and the third phase change material element 202. The first thermoelectric converter 203 is used to generate electricity using the temperature difference between the second phase change material element 201 and the third phase change material element 202 or to cool the third phase change material element 202 using electrical energy. In these embodiments, the second phase change material element 201 is used to store heat, and the third phase change material element 202 is used to store cold. Since there is a temperature difference between the two, when the first thermoelectric converter 203 is disposed between them, it can generate electricity using this temperature difference. This method converts the heat difference between the hot end (the second phase change material element 201) and the cold end (the third phase change material element 202) that may have been wasted into electrical energy. This is an effective energy recovery method that improves the energy utilization rate of the entire device. The electrical energy generated by temperature difference power generation can be used for other components or related equipment inside the thermal management device 1000. For example, it can power some low-power devices such as sensors and controllers, reducing the dependence on external power supplies, so that the thermal management device 1000 has self-powered capabilities to a certain extent. Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the first thermoelectric converter 203 is connected to the charging pile), which can use electric energy to cool the third phase change material 202, which supplements the original way of the third phase change material 202 to meet the refrigeration demand by storing cold. When the refrigeration demand is large or the storage capacity is insufficient, it can provide additional cold. This active refrigeration method increases the cold storage capacity of the third phase change material 202, improves its ability to provide cold when needed, and improves the reliability and stability of refrigeration. In this way, the first thermoelectric converter 203 can switch between using temperature difference power generation and using electric energy for refrigeration according to actual needs. For example, when the demand for cold is large and the electric energy generated by temperature difference power generation is sufficient, part of the electric energy can be used for refrigeration, realizing the coordinated management of heat and cold, and optimizing the energy distribution of the entire thermal management device 1000. In this way, by combining the bidirectional energy conversion capability of the first thermoelectric converter 203, efficient and flexible thermal management is achieved, and additional electricity or cold can be provided when needed, which significantly reduces the energy consumption of the overall thermal management system and improves energy utilization efficiency. Specifically, the first thermoelectric converter 203 is connected to the charging pile, generates cold and stores it in the third phase change material component 202, and generates heat and stores it in the second phase change material component 201. In this way, when the vehicle is powered off, the charging pile can be used to provide electric energy to achieve cold storage in the third phase change material component 202 and heat storage in the second phase change material component 201.

[0051] In some embodiments, see Figure 1The thermal management device 1000 also includes a fourth phase change material element 102 and a second thermoelectric converter 103. The phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material element 102 is different from the phase change temperature of the first phase change material element 101. The second thermoelectric converter 103 is used to generate electricity using the temperature difference between the first phase change material element 101 and the fourth phase change material element 102 or to heat the first phase change material element 101 using electrical energy. In these embodiments, the first phase change material 101 is used for heat storage, and the fourth phase change material 102 has a different phase change temperature. The second thermoelectric converter 103 is arranged between them, and can generate electricity by using the temperature difference between the two. This converts the heat difference between the first phase change material 101 and the fourth phase change material 102, which are originally at different phase change temperatures, into electrical energy, realizing effective energy conversion, avoiding the waste of heat difference, and improving the energy utilization efficiency of the entire thermal management system. The generated electrical energy can be used for other components in the thermal management device 1000, such as powering electronic components for monitoring temperature and controlling the phase change process, which helps to reduce the input of external energy and improve the energy self-sufficiency rate of the thermal management device 1000 itself. When electrical energy is input into the second thermoelectric converter 103, it can use electrical energy to heat the first phase change material 101. This provides a way to supplement heat when the first phase change material 101 does not store enough heat or needs additional heat, which can increase the heat storage capacity of the first phase change material 101, improve its ability to provide heat when needed, and improve the reliability and stability of heating. In this way, by combining the bidirectional energy conversion capability of the second thermoelectric converter 103, efficient and flexible thermal management is achieved, which can provide additional power or heat when needed, significantly reducing the energy consumption of the overall thermal management system and improving energy utilization efficiency. Specifically, the second thermoelectric converter 103 is connected to the charging pile, generates heat and stores it in the first phase change material 101, and generates cold and stores it in the fourth phase change material 102. In this way, when the vehicle is powered off, the charging pile can be used to provide electrical energy to achieve cold storage in the fourth phase change material 102 and heat storage in the first phase change material 101.

[0052] In some embodiments, the phase change temperature of the second phase change material 201 is lower than the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 101. In these embodiments, the phase change temperature of the second phase change material 201 is lower than that of the first phase change material 101, and the two can store heat in different temperature ranges. The first phase change material 101 is suitable for absorbing and storing heat from high-temperature heat sources, and the second phase change material 201 can absorb relatively low-temperature heat. This temperature-stratified heat storage avoids the mixed loss of heat at different temperatures in a single material, improves the heat storage efficiency and broadens the adaptability of heat sources, so that the thermal management device 1000 can connect to more heat sources, such as high-temperature exhaust gas, low-grade thermal energy, etc. When energy is released and utilized, the high-temperature heat of the first phase change material 101 is used for high-temperature demand processes (such as high-temperature heating), and the low-temperature heat of the second phase change material 201 is used for processes with lower temperature requirements (such as preheating, low-temperature space heating), thereby improving the rationality and effectiveness of energy utilization.

[0053] In some embodiments, the phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material 102 is lower than the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 101. In these embodiments, the phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material 102 is lower than the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 101. In this way, the fourth phase change material 102, as the low temperature end of the second thermoelectric converter 103 when performing temperature difference power generation, can generate a stable temperature difference with the first phase change material 101 as the high temperature end. This stable temperature difference can make the power generation performance of the second thermoelectric converter 103 more stable, reduce the power fluctuation caused by temperature fluctuation, and improve the reliability and power generation efficiency of the entire power generation process. When the fourth phase change material 102 is used as the cooling end of the second thermoelectric converter 103 using electric energy to heat the first phase change material 101, its lower phase change temperature helps to achieve an effective balance between heat and cold, improve the conversion efficiency of electric energy into thermal energy, and thus optimize the operating efficiency and effect of the entire thermal management system.

[0054] In some embodiments, the phase change temperature of the second phase change material 201 is between the phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material 102 and the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 101. In these embodiments, the phase change temperature of the second phase change material 201 is greater than the phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material 102, and less than the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 101. The phase change temperature of the second phase change material 201 is moderate, and multi-stage heat storage can be achieved. The first phase change material 101 stores high-temperature heat, the second phase change material 201 stores medium-temperature heat, and the fourth phase change material 102 stores low-temperature heat (or cold), so that the system can better cope with the thermal management requirements under different temperatures and working conditions, and ensure that the system can operate efficiently under various conditions.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first thermoelectric converter 203 and the second thermoelectric converter 103 are electrically connected (eg, Figure 1The dashed line in the middle shows a cable), and the second thermoelectric converter 103 can provide electric energy to the first thermoelectric converter 203, so that the first thermoelectric converter 203 can cool the third phase change material element 202. In these embodiments, the first thermoelectric converter 203 is electrically connected to the second thermoelectric converter 103, and the transfer of electric energy between the two is realized. The second thermoelectric converter 103 provides electric energy to the first thermoelectric converter 203, so that the first thermoelectric converter 203 can use electric energy to perform a refrigeration operation to cool the third phase change material element 202. This process realizes the coordination of thermoelectric conversion and refrigeration functions, and uses the electric energy generated by one thermoelectric converter for the refrigeration function of another thermoelectric converter, avoiding the need to obtain additional electric energy from the outside for refrigeration, and improving the energy utilization efficiency of the entire system. Specifically, the second thermoelectric converter 103 is a thermoelectric generator, and the first thermoelectric converter 203 is a thermoelectric refrigerator, which realizes device-specific use, can better optimize performance, meet specific application requirements, and improve the overall efficiency and reliability of the device.

[0056] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the thermal management device 1000 also includes a heat pump air conditioning system, which includes a compressor 1 and two heat exchangers 2 that are connected in sequence to form a heat pump air conditioning loop; the first phase change material 101 is arranged between the two heat exchangers 2, and the first phase change material 101 can exchange heat with the heat pump air conditioning loop. In these embodiments, one heat exchanger 2 plays the role of a condenser, and one heat exchanger 2 plays the role of an evaporator. The first phase change material 101 is arranged between the two heat exchangers 2, that is, the first phase change material 101 is located between the condenser and the evaporator. The high-temperature refrigerant coming out of the compressor 1 still carries a large amount of heat after passing through the condenser. The first phase change material 101 can absorb this part of the heat, thereby realizing the recovery of the heat of the refrigerant. The refrigerant after the condenser is a relatively stable heat source, which helps the first phase change material 101 to maintain stable performance during the phase change process. The heat stored in the first phase change material 101 is released when needed, providing additional heat energy for the system, thereby improving energy utilization. It is understandable that the heat stored in the first phase change material 101 can also be used to form a temperature difference with the fourth phase change material 102, so that the second thermoelectric converter 103 can use the temperature difference to generate electricity, thereby providing electrical energy. It is also understandable that the electrical energy generated by the second thermoelectric converter 103 can be used to power the first thermoelectric converter 203, so that the first thermoelectric converter 203 can cool the third phase change material 202, thereby providing cold capacity. In this way, the heat source provided by the heat pump air conditioning system can be stored as standby heat or converted into electrical energy and cold capacity through the cooperation of the first phase change material 101, the second thermoelectric converter 103, and the first thermoelectric converter 203, thereby meeting diverse thermal management needs, improving energy utilization, and reducing thermal management energy consumption.

[0057] It should be noted that the heat pump air conditioning circuit is not a specific, fixed physical pipeline. In fact, it is a flow path concept formed based on the connection of various components. This flow path reflects the flow path of a fluid (such as refrigerant, etc.) in the heat pump air conditioning system (the flow direction of the refrigerant is indicated by an arrow). Different pipeline settings can realize this flow path. Through the switching and on-off control of various valve bodies (such as three-way valves, four-way valves, etc.), the fluid can flow along different paths, thereby realizing different functions of the heat pump air conditioning system, such as cooling, heating, etc.

[0058] The present application does not limit the specific formation of the heat pump air conditioning loop. The above embodiment is specifically described below with a specific structure of a heat pump air conditioning system. The heat pump air conditioning system includes a compressor 1 and two heat exchangers 2. The two heat exchangers 2 include a first heat exchanger 21 and a second heat exchanger 22. The heat pump air conditioning system also includes a first throttle valve 3, a second throttle valve 4, a first three-way valve 5, a second three-way valve 6, a third three-way valve 7, a fourth three-way valve 8, a fifth three-way valve 9, a sixth three-way valve 10, a seventh three-way valve 11, an eighth three-way valve 12, a first four-way valve 13, a second four-way valve 14, a third four-way valve 15, a fourth four-way valve 16, a fifth four-way valve 17, a first valve 18, a second valve 19, a third valve 20, a fourth valve 23, a cooling fan, and connecting pipes. See Figure 2 and Figure 3 The first phase change material element 101 is disposed between the two heat exchangers 2. Specifically, Figure 2 In the embodiment, the heat pump air conditioning system is in cooling mode, and the refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 1 flows through the first four-way valve 13, the second heat exchanger 22 (i.e., the condenser), the eighth three-way valve 12, the seventh three-way valve 11, and the sixth three-way valve 10 in sequence to enter the first phase change material component 101, and the outlet state of the second heat exchanger 22 (i.e., the condenser) is controlled to store part of the phase change latent heat and supercooling of the high-temperature refrigerant. Then the refrigerant is diverted through the fourth four-way valve 16, and part of the refrigerant is cooled through the first throttle valve 3 and the first heat exchanger 21 (i.e., the evaporator), and then merged through the fifth four-way valve 17, and finally flows back to the compressor 1 through the first three-way valve 5 and the third three-way valve 7. Figure 3 In the embodiment, the refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 1 flows through the first four-way valve 13 and the fifth four-way valve 17 in sequence and is split at the fifth four-way valve 17. A part of the refrigerant flows into the first heat exchanger 21 and enters the first phase change material element 101 for heat storage through the fourth three-way valve 8, the third four-way valve 15 and the fifth three-way valve 9, and then enters the second four-way valve 14 through the sixth three-way valve 10 and the seventh three-way valve 11. The refrigerant after merging at the second four-way valve 14 flows through the second throttle valve 4, the eighth three-way valve 12, the second heat exchanger 22, the first four-way valve 13, the second three-way valve 6, and the third three-way valve 7 before returning to the compressor 1.

[0059] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the third phase change material 202 is arranged between the inlet end of the compressor 1 and a heat exchanger 2, and the third phase change material 202 can exchange heat with the heat pump air conditioning circuit. In these embodiments, the third phase change material 202 is arranged between the inlet end of the compressor 1 and a heat exchanger 2 (i.e., after the evaporator and before the inlet end of the compressor 1) and can exchange heat with the heat pump air conditioning circuit. The evaporator makes the refrigerant evaporate and absorb heat, and the temperature is low. At this time, the third phase change material 202 exchanges heat with the heat pump air conditioning circuit to obtain part of the cooling capacity. This process has many meanings. On the one hand, when there is a cooling demand, the cooling capacity stored in the third phase change material 202 meets part of the demand to reduce the cooling energy consumption; on the other hand, when the demand for the cold source provided by the evaporator is reduced or turned off, the cooling capacity is stored in the third phase change material 202, which not only avoids the frequent start and stop of the compressor 1 and reduces equipment wear, but also prevents the load of the compressor 1 from changing too much, thereby ensuring that the compressor 1 works at the optimal pressure ratio, improving work efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and ensuring stable operation and long service life of the system. For example, the evaporator cools the cabin of the vehicle. When the cabin does not need to be cooled or the required cooling capacity is small, the cooling capacity can be stored by the third phase change material element 202, and this cooling capacity can be used for refrigeration in the vehicle refrigerator or provided to the battery pack to cool the battery pack. Figure 4 , the heat pump air conditioning system is in cooling mode, and the refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 1 flows through the first four-way valve 13, the second heat exchanger 22 (i.e., the condenser), the eighth three-way valve 12, the seventh three-way valve 11, and the sixth three-way valve 10 in sequence to enter the first phase change material component 101, and by controlling the outlet state of the second heat exchanger 22 (i.e., the condenser) to store part of the phase change latent heat and supercooling of the high-temperature refrigerant, and then the refrigerant is diverted through the fourth four-way valve 16, and a part of the refrigerant is cooled through the first throttle valve 3 and the first heat exchanger 21 (i.e., the evaporator), and then merged through the fifth four-way valve 17. The merged refrigerant flows through the first three-way valve 5 and then flows through the third phase change material component 202, and then flows back to the compressor 1 through the second three-way valve 6 and the third three-way valve 7. Figure 5 In the embodiment, the refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 1 flows through the first four-way valve 13 and the fifth four-way valve 17 in sequence and is divided at the fifth four-way valve 17. A part of the refrigerant flows into the first heat exchanger 21 and enters the first phase change material component 101 for heat storage through the fourth three-way valve 8, the third four-way valve 15 and the fifth three-way valve 9, and then enters the second four-way valve 14 through the sixth three-way valve 10 and the seventh three-way valve 11. The refrigerant after merging at the second four-way valve 14 flows through the second throttle valve 4, the eighth three-way valve 12, the second heat exchanger 22, the first four-way valve 13, the second three-way valve 6, and flows into the third phase change material component 202, and then returns to the compressor 1 after passing through the first three-way valve 5 and the third three-way valve 7.

[0060] In some embodiments, see Figures 2 to 5 , the thermal management device 1000 further includes a thermal management flow path 300; the heat pump air conditioning system further includes a heat pump air conditioning branch, which can exchange heat with the thermal management flow path 300; when the heat pump air conditioning system is in cooling mode ( Figure 2 and Figure 4 ), the two ends of the heat pump air conditioning branch are respectively connected to the two ends of the heat exchanger 2 connected to the inlet end of the compressor 1 ( Figure 2 and Figure 4 In the case where the first heat exchanger 21 is connected to the inlet end of the compressor 1); when the heat pump air conditioning system is in heating mode ( Figure 3 and Figure 5 ), the two ends of the heat pump air conditioning branch are respectively connected to the two ends of the heat exchanger 2 connected to the outlet end of the compressor 1 ( Figure 3 and Figure 5 In these embodiments, in the cooling mode, the two ends of the heat pump air conditioning branch are respectively connected to the two ends of the heat exchanger 2 (i.e., the first heat exchanger 21, which acts as an evaporator at this time) connected to the inlet end of the compressor 1, and the thermal management flow path 300 can exchange heat with the heat pump air conditioning branch and obtain low-temperature heat (i.e., the refrigerant at the outlet of the condenser). Since the ambient temperature is high at this time (a typical environment when air conditioning and refrigeration demand is generated), the low-temperature heat is sufficient to meet the needs of the thermal management flow path 300. This heat exchange method makes effective use of the low-temperature heat that might have been wasted, thereby improving the heat utilization efficiency of the entire system. When in the heating mode, the two ends of the heat pump air conditioning branch are respectively connected to the two ends of the heat exchanger 2 (i.e., the first heat exchanger 21, which acts as a condenser at this time) connected to the outlet end of the compressor 1, and the thermal management flow path 300 exchanges heat with the heat pump air conditioning branch to obtain high-temperature heat (i.e., the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor 1). Since the ambient temperature is low in heating mode (a typical environment when air conditioning heating demand is generated), high temperature heat is more in line with the use requirements of thermal management circuit 300. This avoids heat exchange under inappropriate heat types and further improves the effective use of heat. In this way, the heat exchange relationship between thermal management circuit 300 and the heat pump air conditioning branch can coordinate the heat distribution of the heat pump air conditioning system in cooling and heating modes, optimize system performance, and improve reliability and stability and energy management flexibility. Specifically, Figure 2In the embodiment, the heat pump air conditioning system is in cooling mode, and the two ends of the heat pump air conditioning branch are respectively connected to the two ends of the first heat exchanger 21, that is, the heat pump air conditioning branch is formed by sequentially connecting the fourth four-way valve 16, the sixth port 306, the fifth port 305 and the fifth four-way valve 17, and the refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 1 flows through the first four-way valve 13, the second heat exchanger 22 (i.e., the condenser), the eighth three-way valve 12, the seventh three-way valve 11, and the sixth three-way valve 10 in sequence to enter the first phase change material component 101, and the outlet of the second heat exchanger 22 (i.e., the condenser) is controlled. state to store part of the phase change latent heat and supercooling of the high-temperature refrigerant, and then the refrigerant is diverted through the fourth four-way valve 16, a part of the refrigerant is cooled through the first throttle valve 3 and the first heat exchanger 21 (i.e., the evaporator), and a part of the refrigerant passes through the sixth port 306 and the fifth port 305 to exchange heat with the thermal management flow path 300 (providing cold capacity for the thermal management flow path 300, for example, cooling the battery pack or cooling the motor, etc.), and then merged through the fifth four-way valve 17, and finally flows back to the compressor 1 through the first three-way valve 5 and the third three-way valve 7. Figure 3 In the embodiment, the heat pump air conditioning system is in the heating mode, and the two ends of the heat pump air conditioning branch are respectively connected to the two ends of the first heat exchanger 21, that is, the heat pump air conditioning branch is formed by sequentially connecting the fifth four-way valve 17, the fifth port 305, the sixth port 306, the fourth four-way valve 16, the third four-way valve 15 and the second four-way valve 14, and the refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 1 flows through the first four-way valve 13 and the fifth four-way valve 17 in sequence and is divided at the fifth four-way valve 17, and a part of the refrigerant flows into the first heat exchanger 21 and enters the first phase change material element 101 through the fourth three-way valve 8, the third four-way valve 15 and the fifth three-way valve 9. Heat, and then enters the second four-way valve 14 through the sixth three-way valve 10 and the seventh three-way valve 11. A part of the refrigerant enters the second four-way valve 14 through the fifth port 305, the sixth port 306, the fourth four-way valve 16, and the third four-way valve 15 to exchange heat with the thermal management flow path 300 (provide heat for the thermal management flow path 300, for example, heating the battery pack or heating the refrigerator, etc.). The refrigerant that has merged with the second four-way valve 14 flows through the second throttle valve 4, the eighth three-way valve 12, the second heat exchanger 22, the first four-way valve 13, the second three-way valve 6, and the third three-way valve 7 and then returns to the compressor 1.

[0061] The present application does not limit the specific structure of the thermal management flow path 300. It can be that the heat pump air conditioning system includes a connecting pipe for the refrigerant to circulate to form a heat pump air conditioning branch, and also includes a heat exchange pipe for the refrigerant to circulate to form the thermal management flow path 300. The heat exchange pipe and the connecting pipe are two independent pipes, and the two perform heat exchange to achieve heat exchange between the heat pump air conditioning branch and the thermal management flow path 300. Alternatively, the heat pump air conditioning system includes a section of pipe, which is used for the refrigerant to circulate to form a part of the thermal management flow path 300, and the pipe can also form a part of the heat pump air conditioning branch. For example, specifically, the heat pump air conditioning system includes components that integrate pipes, valve bodies and pipe ports to form a thermal management flow path 300, and the pipe ports include a first port 301, a second port 302, a third port 303, a fourth port 304, a fifth port 305, a sixth port 306, a seventh port 307, an eighth port 308, a ninth port 309 and a tenth port 310, and part of the heat pump air conditioning branch is formed in a pipe connecting the fifth port 305 and the sixth port 306.

[0062] In some embodiments, see Figure 6 , the thermal management device 1000 further includes a thermal management flow path 300; the first phase change material element 101 is disposed in the thermal management flow path 300, and the first phase change material element 101 can exchange heat with the thermal management flow path 300. Specifically, part of the thermal management flow path 300 is formed in a pipe connecting one end of the first phase change material element 101 and the seventh port 307, and another part is formed in a pipe connecting the other end of the first phase change material element 101 and the tenth port 310. In these embodiments, the heat exchange capability of the first phase change material element 101 and the thermal management flow path 300 may bring energy storage function to the system. When there is excess heat in the thermal management flow path 300, the first phase change material element 101 can absorb heat for storage; when there is insufficient heat in the thermal management flow path 300, the first phase change material element 101 can release the stored heat, which helps to maintain the thermal management flow path 300 within a suitable temperature range, thereby ensuring that the equipment or components related to the thermal management flow path 300 can work normally. For example, the thermal management flow path 300 flows through a motor, a battery pack, a car refrigerator, etc. When the ambient temperature is high, the heat generated by the motor or the battery pack needs to be discharged in time. The first phase change material component 101 can assist in cooling the motor or the battery pack by heat exchange with the thermal management flow path 300. The first phase change material component 101 stores heat. When the ambient temperature is low, the first phase change material component 101 can bring the heat to the battery pack, the car refrigerator or other demand ends through the thermal management flow path 300 to preheat the battery pack or defrost the car refrigerator, etc.

[0063] In some embodiments, the thermal management device 1000 further includes a thermal management flow path 300; the second phase change material element 201 is disposed in the thermal management flow path 300, and the second phase change material element 201 can exchange heat with the thermal management flow path 300. Specifically, part of the thermal management flow path 300 is formed in a pipe connecting one end of the second phase change material element 201 and the first port 301, and another part is formed in a pipe connecting the second phase change material element 201 and the fourth port 304. In these embodiments, the heat exchange capability of the second phase change material element 201 and the thermal management flow path 300 may bring energy storage function to the system. When there is excess heat in the thermal management flow path 300, the second phase change material element 201 can absorb heat for storage; when there is insufficient heat in the thermal management flow path 300, the second phase change material element 201 can release the stored heat, which helps to maintain the thermal management flow path 300 within a suitable temperature range, thereby ensuring that the equipment or components related to the thermal management flow path 300 can work normally.

[0064] It can be understood that when the first phase change material 101 is provided in the heat management flow path 300 and the second phase change material 201 is provided in the heat management flow path 300, since the phase change temperatures of the first phase change material 101 and the second phase change material 201 are different, when heat flows in the heat management flow path 300, the heat flow can selectively flow through the first phase change material 101 or the second phase change material 201 according to the temperature conditions. For example, when there is heat with a higher temperature in the heat management flow path 300, the heat flow flows through the first phase change material 101 and the second phase change material 201, which has a higher phase change temperature; while the heat with a lower temperature exchanges heat with the first phase change material 101 and the second phase change material 201, which has a lower phase change temperature. The first phase change material 101 and the second phase change material 201 can recycle waste heat in various temperature ranges in the heat management flow path 300, thereby improving the efficiency and comprehensiveness of heat absorption. When the heat management flow path 300 has a heat demand, due to the presence of the first phase change material 101 and the second phase change material 201, they can provide different heat according to different temperature requirements. For example, when a component in the heat management flow path 300 requires heat at a higher temperature, the phase change material with a higher phase change temperature and stored corresponding heat can release heat to meet the demand; and when heat at a lower temperature is required, the phase change material with a lower phase change temperature can provide appropriate heat, which greatly increases the flexibility of heat supply of the heat management flow path 300. Taking the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 101 as an example, which is higher than the phase change temperature of the second phase change material 201, when the temperature of the heat exchange medium in the thermal management flow path 300 is relatively high, for example, higher than the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 101, the thermal management flow path 300 and the first phase change material 101 exchange heat; when the temperature of the heat exchange medium in the thermal management flow path 300 is not high, for example, lower than the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 101 and higher than the phase change temperature of the second phase change material 201, the thermal management flow path 300 and the second phase change material 201 exchange heat.

[0065] In some embodiments, see Figure 7, the thermal management flow path 300 flows through the first phase change material element 101 and the second phase change material element 201 in sequence, so that the thermal management flow path 300 exchanges heat with one of the first phase change material element 101 and the second phase change material element 201 with a higher phase change temperature before exchanging heat with the other one. In these embodiments, the thermal management flow path 300 first exchanges heat with the phase change material element with a higher phase change temperature, and then exchanges heat with the phase change material element with a lower phase change temperature. This sequence ensures that heat can be transferred more efficiently. Exchanging heat with the phase change material element with a higher phase change temperature first can achieve a larger scale of heat exchange by utilizing a higher temperature difference. After exchanging heat with the phase change material element with a higher phase change temperature, the temperature of the thermal management flow path 300 will be quickly adjusted in a direction closer to the target temperature, and then exchanging heat with the other phase change material element with a lower phase change temperature can make a more precise adjustment of the temperature, so that the final temperature of the thermal management flow path 300 meets the requirements more accurately. Taking the example that the phase change temperature of the first phase change material component 101 is higher than the phase change temperature of the second phase change material component 201, assuming that the thermal management flow path 300 provides heat to the first phase change material component 101 and the second phase change material component 201, the thermal management flow path 300 first flows through the first phase change material component 101, and provides high-temperature heat to the first phase change material component 101. After the first phase change material component 101 is cooled, the thermal management flow path 300 then flows through the second phase change material component 201, and provides relatively low-temperature heat to the second phase change material component 201. The combination of the first phase change material component 101 and the second phase change material component 201 can efficiently and fully recover the heat of the thermal management flow path 300.

[0066] In some embodiments, see Figure 6 , the thermal management device 1000 further includes a thermal management flow path 300, and the third phase change material element 202 is disposed in the thermal management flow path 300, so that the third phase change material element 202 can provide coldness for the thermal management flow path 300. Specifically, part of the thermal management flow path 300 is formed in a pipe connecting one end of the third phase change material element 202 and the second port 302, and another part is formed in a pipe connecting the third phase change material element 202 and the third port 303. In these embodiments, the third phase change material element 202 can provide coldness for the thermal management flow path 300, which helps to reduce the temperature in the thermal management flow path 300. For example, when the temperature of the device or medium in the thermal management flow path 300 rises due to heat generated during operation, the third phase change material element 202 releases coldness to absorb excess heat, thereby preventing the temperature in the thermal management flow path 300 from being too high, and ensuring that the relevant device operates within a suitable temperature range. In this way, the cold energy stored in the third phase change material element 202 can be effectively utilized, and no additional excessive refrigeration equipment or energy consumption is required to maintain the temperature of the thermal management flow path 300, thereby improving the overall efficiency.

[0067] In some embodiments, see Figure 6The thermal management device 1000 further includes a thermal management flow path 300, and the fourth phase-change material component 102 is disposed in the thermal management flow path 300, so that the thermal management flow path 300 can take away the heat of the fourth phase-change material component 102. Specifically, part of the thermal management flow path 300 is formed in a pipe connecting one end of the fourth phase-change material component 102 and the eighth port 308, and another part is formed in a pipe connecting the third phase-change material component 202 and the ninth port 309. In these embodiments, the thermal management flow path 300 can take away the heat of the fourth phase-change material component 102. Compared with natural heat dissipation, the thermal management flow path 300 provides a more efficient heat dissipation path, accelerates the heat dissipation of the fourth phase-change material component 102, is conducive to the formation of a temperature difference between the fourth phase-change material component 102 and the first phase-change material component 101, and improves the efficiency of energy conversion.

[0068] According to the second aspect of the present application, a vehicle is provided, including a thermal management device 1000. The structure of the thermal management device 1000 is as described above. Since the vehicle adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described one by one here.

[0069] The vehicle may be a fuel vehicle, a plug-in hybrid vehicle or a new energy vehicle, etc., and this application does not make any specific limitation on this.

[0070] In the description of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0071] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0072] The embodiments, implementation methods and related technical features of the present application can be combined and replaced with each other without conflict.

[0073] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present application and do not constitute any form of limitation to the present application. However, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present application without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present application are still within the scope of the technical solution of the present application.

Claims

1. A thermal management device, characterized in that: include: a first phase change material piece; a second phase change material element, wherein the first phase change material element and the second phase change material element are both used for heat storage, and a phase change temperature of the first phase change material element is different from a phase change temperature of the second phase change material element; as well as, A third phase change material element, wherein the third phase change material element is used for cold storage.

2. The thermal management device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal management device also includes a first thermoelectric converter, which is arranged between the second phase change material element and the third phase change material element, and is used to generate electricity using the temperature difference between the second phase change material element and the third phase change material element or to use electrical energy to cool the third phase change material element.

3. The thermal management device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The thermal management device also includes a fourth phase change material element and a second thermoelectric converter. The phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material element is different from the phase change temperature of the first phase change material element. The second thermoelectric converter is used to generate electricity using the temperature difference between the first phase change material element and the fourth phase change material element or to heat the first phase change material element using electrical energy.

4. The thermal management device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The phase change temperature of the second phase change material is lower than the phase change temperature of the first phase change material.

5. The thermal management device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material is lower than the phase change temperature of the first phase change material.

6. The thermal management device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The phase change temperature of the second phase change material is between the phase change temperature of the fourth phase change material and the phase change temperature of the first phase change material.

7. The thermal management device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first thermoelectric converter is electrically connected to the second thermoelectric converter, and the second thermoelectric converter can provide electrical energy to the first thermoelectric converter, so that the first thermoelectric converter can cool the third phase change material element.

8. The thermal management device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The thermal management device also includes a heat pump air conditioning system, which includes a compressor and two heat exchangers that are sequentially connected to form a heat pump air conditioning loop; The first phase change material component is disposed between the two heat exchangers, and the first phase change material component can perform heat exchange with the heat pump air conditioning circuit.

9. The thermal management device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The third phase change material component is arranged between the inlet end of the compressor and one of the heat exchangers, and the third phase change material component can perform heat exchange with the heat pump air conditioning circuit.

10. The thermal management device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The thermal management device also includes a thermal management flow path; The heat pump air conditioning system further comprises a heat pump air conditioning branch, and the heat pump air conditioning branch can perform heat exchange with the heat management flow path; When the heat pump air conditioning system is in cooling mode, the two ends of the heat pump air conditioning branch are respectively connected to the two ends of the heat exchanger connected to the inlet end of the compressor; When the heat pump air conditioning system is in a heating mode, two ends of the heat pump air conditioning branch are respectively connected to two ends of the heat exchanger connected to the outlet end of the compressor.

11. The thermal management device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The thermal management device also includes a thermal management flow path; The first phase change material element is disposed in the thermal management flow path, and the first phase change material element can perform heat exchange with the thermal management flow path; and / or, The second phase change material element is disposed in the heat management flow path, and the second phase change material element can exchange heat with the heat management flow path.

12. The thermal management device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The heat management flow path flows through the first phase change material component and the second phase change material component in sequence, so that the heat management flow path exchanges heat with the one with a higher phase change temperature between the first phase change material component and the second phase change material component before exchanging heat with the other one.

13. The thermal management device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The thermal management device further includes a thermal management flow path, and the third phase change material component is disposed in the thermal management flow path, so that the third phase change material component can provide cooling for the thermal management flow path.

14. The thermal management device according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that: The heat management device further includes a heat management flow path, and the fourth phase change material component is arranged in the heat management flow path, so that the heat management flow path can take away the heat of the fourth phase change material component.

15. A vehicle, characterized in that: Comprising a thermal management device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14.

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