A hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture and its control method

Abstract

This invention discloses a thermal management system architecture and control method for hybrid vehicles, including an air conditioning system, an electric drive cooling system, and an engine cooling system. The air conditioning system can cool the vehicle's passenger compartment and battery using heat pump technology. Both the electric drive cooling system and the engine cooling system can heat the passenger compartment using heater cores. A heating film is also included on the battery. The entire system has a simple structure, is easy to control, and can achieve system exhaust vacuuming using a single degassing chamber. Furthermore, it can utilize waste heat from the motor or engine, making it energy-efficient and highly effective.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of thermal management technology, and specifically to a thermal management system architecture and control method for hybrid vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, hybrid vehicles already in production or under development generally employ non-heat pump solutions for their thermal management systems. These systems utilize engine waste heat and high-pressure air PTC for auxiliary heating, providing heating for the passenger compartment and battery. Battery-side heating is achieved through a dual-plate heat exchanger for both cooling and heating. The passenger compartment water circulation and engine circulation systems are connected in series or parallel, sharing a single degassing chamber. The air conditioning heating circulation uses another degassing chamber, while the battery cooling circulation uses a separate chamber. This complex system structure and numerous heavy components contribute to a higher overall system cost. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The problem this invention aims to solve is to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide a thermal management system architecture and control method for hybrid vehicles, which adopts a single degassing chamber design and has a simple system structure.

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture, including an air conditioning system, an electric drive cooling system, and an engine cooling system. The air conditioning system can cool the vehicle's passenger compartment and battery using heat pump technology. Both the electric drive cooling system and the engine cooling system can heat the vehicle's passenger compartment using a heater core. The system also includes a heating film disposed on the battery.

[0005] In the aforementioned hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture, a heat pump direct cooling solution is used to cool the passenger compartment and battery, while waste heat from the motor and engine is used to heat the passenger compartment. A heating film is used to directly heat the battery. The entire system has a simple structure, is easy to control, and can achieve system exhaust and vacuuming using a single degassing chamber. In addition, it can utilize waste heat from the motor or engine, making it energy-efficient and highly effective.

[0006] As an improvement to the thermal management system architecture of the hybrid vehicle of the present invention, the air conditioning system includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a battery direct cooling plate, and an air conditioning blower. The compressor drives the flow of refrigerant, the condenser causes the flowing refrigerant to release heat, the evaporator causes the flowing refrigerant to absorb heat, and thus, in conjunction with the air conditioning blower, cools the vehicle's passenger compartment. The battery direct cooling plate causes the flowing refrigerant to absorb heat, thus cooling the battery. Preferably, the air conditioning system also includes pipes and valves to achieve the corresponding functions.

[0007] Furthermore, the air conditioning system also includes an electric fan, which is used to blow air onto the condenser to increase heat dissipation efficiency.

[0008] Furthermore, the air conditioning system also includes a first expansion valve and a second expansion valve; the outlet of the compressor is connected to the condenser; the condenser is connected to the evaporator, and the first expansion valve is provided on the connecting pipe; the condenser is connected to the battery direct cooling plate, and the second expansion valve is provided on the connecting pipe; the evaporator is connected to the inlet of the compressor; the battery direct cooling plate is connected to the inlet of the compressor.

[0009] Furthermore, the air conditioning system also includes a coaxial tube. The coaxial tube facilitates heat exchange between the high-pressure and low-pressure lines, allowing the refrigerant in the high-pressure line to cool the refrigerant in the low-pressure line, thereby reducing the subcooling of the low-pressure refrigerant and increasing its superheat. Because the coaxial tube can utilize the refrigerant's energy more effectively, it can significantly reduce the temperature of the air conditioning outlet, improving passenger comfort.

[0010] Furthermore, the air conditioning system also includes a pressure-temperature sensor and a first pressure sensor. The pressure-temperature sensor is used to detect the pressure and temperature at the outlet of the battery direct cooling plate; the first pressure sensor is used to detect the temperature at the outlet of the condenser. The pressure-temperature sensor and the first pressure sensor enable monitoring of the entire air conditioning system's operation, ensuring stable operation.

[0011] Preferably, the first expansion valve is a thermostatic expansion valve, and the second expansion valve is an electronic expansion valve.

[0012] Furthermore, the hybrid vehicle's thermal management system architecture also includes an electric heating element, which works in conjunction with the air conditioning blower to heat the vehicle's passenger compartment. Preferably, the electric heating element is an air PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater, an existing heating technology that generates heat through electricity.

[0013] Furthermore, the air conditioning system also includes a fourth temperature sensor, which is used to detect the temperature on the side of the evaporator away from the air conditioning blower, thereby monitoring the cooling status of the passenger compartment.

[0014] As another improvement to the hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture of the present invention, the electric drive cooling system and the engine cooling system use the same coolant and can be connected through a four-way valve, thereby enabling both the electric drive cooling system and the engine cooling system to heat the vehicle's passenger compartment through the heater core. Preferably, the coolant is water.

[0015] Furthermore, the electric drive cooling system is used to cool the electric drive system and includes a first circulating pump, a three-way valve, a first radiator, the four-way valve, the heater core, and an expansion tank; the outlet of the first circulating pump is connected to port a of the three-way valve; port c of the three-way valve is connected to port a of the four-way valve; port c of the three-way valve is connected to the first radiator; the first radiator is connected to port a of the four-way valve; port b of the four-way valve is connected to the first circulating pump; ports c and d of the four-way valve are respectively connected to the heater core; the expansion tank is connected to port c of the four-way valve; the coolant between the outlet of the first circulating pump and port a of the three-way valve flows through the electric drive system, absorbing and carrying away the heat generated by the electric drive system during operation.

[0016] Furthermore, the heat-generating components of the electric drive system include an oil cooler, a motor, a controller, an inverter, etc.

[0017] Furthermore, the electric drive cooling system also includes a first temperature sensor, which is used to detect the temperature of the coolant in the connecting pipe between the outlet of the first circulating pump and port a of the three-way valve. When the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is greater than the set temperature value, the three-way valve keeps port a and port c connected to ensure the heat dissipation efficiency of the electric drive system and prevent the motor operating temperature from being too high.

[0018] Furthermore, the engine cooling system, used to cool the engine, includes a second circulation pump, a thermostat, a second radiator, a one-way valve, the four-way valve, the heater core, the expansion tank, and a shut-off valve. The outlet of the second circulation pump is connected to the thermostat; the thermostat is connected to the second radiator; the second radiator is connected to the inlet of the second circulation pump, and the inlet of the second circulation pump is connected to port C of the four-way valve; the one-way valve is located on the connecting pipe between port C of the four-way valve and the heater core; the inlet of the thermostat is connected to the heater core, and the shut-off valve is located on the connecting pipe; the expansion tank is also connected to the outlet of the second radiator and the second circulation pump; the coolant between the outlet of the second circulation pump and the thermostat flows through the engine, absorbing and carrying away the heat generated by the engine operation. Preferably, the one-way valve only allows coolant to flow from port C of the four-way valve to the heater core.

[0019] Furthermore, the electrically driven cooling system also includes an electric fan capable of blowing air onto the first and second heat sinks to improve heat dissipation efficiency. Preferably, the first heat sink is a low-temperature heat sink, and the second heat sink is a high-temperature heat sink.

[0020] Furthermore, the inlet and outlet of the battery direct cooling plate are respectively equipped with a second temperature sensor and a third temperature sensor, which can monitor the battery temperature.

[0021] As an improvement to the thermal management system architecture for hybrid vehicles of the present invention, the battery is provided with an electric heating film.

[0022] To address the aforementioned technical problems, another aspect of the present invention provides a control method for the aforementioned hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture, comprising: when the electric drive cooling system heats the vehicle passenger compartment through the heater core, controlling the following to ensure that: both the first and second expansion valves are closed, the one-way valve is open, the shut-off valve is closed, ports a and c of the three-way valve are connected, and ports a and c of the four-way valve are connected, and ports c and d are connected. Preferably, simultaneously controlling the following to ensure that: the compressor is not working, the first circulation pump is working, the second circulation pump is not working, and the air conditioning blower is working.

[0023] Furthermore, when the engine cooling system heats the vehicle's passenger compartment through the heater core, the control causes: both the first and second expansion valves to close, the one-way valve to close, the shut-off valve to open, ports a and b of the three-way valve to connect, and ports a and b of the four-way valve to connect, as well as ports c and d to connect. Preferably, the control simultaneously causes: the compressor to stop working, the first circulation pump to stop working, the second circulation pump to work, the electric fan to work, and the air conditioning blower to work.

[0024] Furthermore, when the thermal management system architecture of this hybrid vehicle is vacuumed, the control ensures that: ports a and b of the three-way valve are connected, as are ports a and c, with each connection opening at %; ports a and c of the four-way valve are connected, and ports b and d are connected; the one-way valve and the shut-off valve are in the open state. When a new vehicle rolls off the production line, only one degassing chamber is needed to ensure effective exhaust of the system and guarantee normal vacuuming.

[0025] In summary, the above-mentioned hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture and control method have the following beneficial effects:

[0026] 1. The system adopts a single degassing chamber, eliminating the need for water PTC and water pump solutions, and uses air heating to simplify system components, improve overall vehicle layout space, and reduce system weight and cost.

[0027] 2. This thermal management system architecture can achieve direct cooling of the passenger compartment and battery, and can allow waste heat from the engine or motor to be directly transferred to the passenger compartment for heating, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0028] 3. This thermal management system architecture can achieve direct cooling of the passenger compartment and battery, and can allow waste heat from the engine or motor to be directly introduced into the passenger compartment for heating, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0029] 4. The system has a simple architecture, can realize multiple functional modes, and the system control function mode logic can be applied to different types of vehicles. The system has high heat exchange efficiency, simple control, light weight, and superior cost.

[0030] 5. The system architecture is applicable to all hybrid platform models, and the system control strategy can achieve optimal control logic to reduce system energy consumption and improve the vehicle's driving range. Attached Figure Description

[0031] In the attached diagram:

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the thermal management system architecture for hybrid vehicles according to the present invention.

[0033] In the diagram, 1. Three-way valve; 2. First temperature sensor; 3. Electric drive system; 4. First circulation pump; 5. Four-way valve; 6. Check valve; 7. Compressor; 8. First radiator; 9. Second circulation pump; 10. Air conditioner blower; 11. Evaporator; 12. Heater core; 13. Heating element; 14. Pressure and temperature sensor; 15. Battery direct cooling plate; 16. Condenser; 17. Second radiator; 18. Electric fan; 19. Engine; 20. Thermostat; 21. First expansion valve; 22. Second expansion valve; 23. First pressure sensor; 24. Coaxial tube; 25. Expansion tank; 26. Fourth temperature sensor; 27. Second temperature sensor; 28. Third temperature sensor; 29. ​​Shut-off valve. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that these descriptions of the embodiments are for the purpose of helping to understand the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0035] Example 1

[0036] Figure 1 This invention illustrates a thermal management system architecture for a hybrid vehicle. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system architecture of this hybrid vehicle includes an air conditioning system, an electric drive cooling system, and an engine cooling system; the air conditioning system can cool the vehicle's passenger compartment and battery through heat pump technology; both the electric drive cooling system and the engine cooling system can heat the vehicle's passenger compartment through the heater core 12; it also includes a heating film installed on the battery.

[0037] The air conditioning system includes a compressor 7, a condenser 16, an evaporator 11, a battery direct cooling plate 15, and an air conditioning blower 10. The compressor 7 drives the refrigerant flow, the condenser 16 releases heat from the flowing refrigerant, the evaporator 11 absorbs heat from the flowing refrigerant, and the air conditioning blower 10 works in conjunction with the compressor 7 to cool the vehicle's passenger compartment. The battery direct cooling plate 15 absorbs heat from the flowing refrigerant, thereby cooling the battery. Preferably, the air conditioning system also includes pipes and valves to achieve the corresponding functions.

[0038] The air conditioning system also includes an electric fan 18, which blows air onto the condenser 16 to increase heat dissipation efficiency.

[0039] The air conditioning system also includes a first expansion valve 21 and a second expansion valve 22; the outlet of the compressor 7 is connected to the condenser 16; the condenser 16 is connected to the evaporator 11, and the first expansion valve 21 is provided on the connecting pipe; the condenser 16 is connected to the battery direct cooling plate 15, and the second expansion valve 22 is provided on the connecting pipe; the evaporator 11 is connected to the inlet of the compressor 7; the battery direct cooling plate 15 is connected to the inlet of the compressor 7.

[0040] The air conditioning system also includes a coaxial tube 24. The coaxial tube 24 facilitates heat exchange between the high-pressure and low-pressure lines, allowing the refrigerant in the high-pressure line to cool the refrigerant in the low-pressure line, thereby reducing the subcooling of the low-pressure refrigerant and increasing its superheat. Because the coaxial tube 24 can utilize the refrigerant's energy more effectively, it can significantly reduce the temperature of the air conditioning outlet, improving passenger comfort.

[0041] The air conditioning system also includes a pressure and temperature sensor 14 and a first pressure sensor 23. Pressure and temperature sensor 14 detects the pressure and temperature at the outlet of the battery direct cooling plate 15; the first pressure sensor 23 detects the temperature at the outlet of the condenser 16. The pressure and temperature sensor 14 and the first pressure sensor 23 enable monitoring of the entire air conditioning system's operation, ensuring stable operation. The first expansion valve 21 is a thermostatic expansion valve, and the second expansion valve 22 is an electronic expansion valve.

[0042] The hybrid vehicle's thermal management system architecture also includes an electric heating element 13, which works in conjunction with the air conditioning blower 10 to heat the vehicle's passenger compartment. Preferably, the electric heating element 13 is an air PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heating element, which is an existing heating technology that generates heat through electricity.

[0043] The air conditioning system also includes a fourth temperature sensor 26, which is used to detect the temperature on the side of the evaporator 11 away from the air conditioning blower 10, thereby monitoring the cooling of the passenger compartment.

[0044] The electric drive cooling system and the engine cooling system use the same coolant and can be connected via a four-way valve 5, thereby enabling both the electric drive cooling system and the engine cooling system to heat the vehicle's passenger compartment through the heater core 12. Preferably, the coolant is water.

[0045] The electric drive cooling system is used to cool the electric drive system 3, and includes a first circulation pump 4, a three-way valve 1, a first radiator 8, a four-way valve 5, a heater core 12, and an expansion tank 25. The outlet of the first circulation pump 4 is connected to port a of the three-way valve 1; port c of the three-way valve 1 is connected to port a of the four-way valve 5; port c of the three-way valve 1 is connected to the first radiator 8; the first radiator 8 is connected to port a of the four-way valve 5; port b of the four-way valve 5 is connected to the first circulation pump 4; ports c and d of the four-way valve 5 are respectively connected to the heater core 12; the expansion tank 25 is connected to port c of the four-way valve 5; the coolant between the outlet of the first circulation pump 4 and port a of the three-way valve 1 flows through the electric drive system 3, and can absorb and carry away the heat generated by the operation of the electric drive system 3.

[0046] The heat-generating components of the electric drive system 3 include an oil cooler, a motor, a controller, and an inverter.

[0047] The electric drive cooling system also includes a first temperature sensor 2, which is used to detect the temperature of the coolant in the connecting pipe between the outlet of the first circulating pump 4 and port a of the three-way valve 1. When the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 2 is greater than the set temperature value, the three-way valve 1 keeps port a and port c connected to ensure the heat dissipation efficiency of the electric drive system 3 and prevent the motor operating temperature from being too high.

[0048] The engine cooling system is used to cool the engine 19 and includes a second circulation pump 9, a thermostat 20, a second radiator 17, a one-way valve 6, a four-way valve 5, a heater core 12, an expansion tank 25, and a shut-off valve 29. The outlet of the second circulation pump 9 is connected to the thermostat 20. The thermostat 20 is connected to the second radiator 17. The second radiator 17 is connected to the inlet of the second circulation pump 9, and the inlet of the second circulation pump 9 is connected to port c of the four-way valve 5. The one-way valve 6 is installed on the connecting pipe between port c of the four-way valve 5 and the heater core 12. The inlet of the thermostat 20 is connected to the heater core 12, and a shut-off valve 29 is installed on the connecting pipe. The expansion tank 25 is also connected to the outlet of the second radiator 17 and the second circulation pump 9. The coolant between the outlet of the second circulation pump 9 and the thermostat 20 flows through the engine 19 and can absorb and remove the heat generated by the engine 19 during operation. Preferably, the one-way valve 6 only allows coolant to flow from port c of the four-way valve 5 to the heater core 12.

[0049] The electrically driven cooling system also includes an electric fan 18, which can blow air onto the first heat sink 8 and the second heat sink 17 to improve heat dissipation efficiency. Preferably, the first heat sink 8 is a low-temperature heat sink, and the second heat sink 17 is a high-temperature heat sink.

[0050] The battery direct cooling plate 15 is equipped with a second temperature sensor 27 and a third temperature sensor 28 at its inlet and outlet, respectively, which can monitor the battery temperature.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] The present invention provides a control method for the above-mentioned hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture, including but not limited to the following seven usage scenarios.

[0053] 1. When cooling is applied only to the passenger compartment, the control causes the following to occur: the first expansion valve 21 to open, the second expansion valve 22 to close, the one-way valve 6 and the shut-off valve 29 to both close, the a and b ports of the three-way valve 1 to connect, the a and b ports of the four-way valve 5 to connect and the c and d ports to connect, the compressor 7 to start working, the electric fan 18 and the air conditioning blower 10 to work, and the electric heating element 13 to stop working.

[0054] The refrigerant circulation loop is as follows: compressor 7 - condenser 16 - first expansion valve 21 - evaporator 11 - compressor 7. The refrigerant releases heat at the condenser 16 and absorbs heat at the evaporator 11. Combined with the air conditioning blower 10, this achieves cooling of the passenger compartment. Specifically, the refrigerant enters the condenser 16 from the compressor 7 for condensation and heat exchange, then undergoes further cooling through coaxial tubes, expands by throttling through the first expansion valve 21, and finally enters the evaporator 11 for evaporation and heat absorption, thus cooling the passenger compartment.

[0055] II. When cooling only the battery, the control causes: the first expansion valve 21 to close, the second expansion valve 22 to open, the one-way valve 6 and the shut-off valve 29 to both close, the a and b ports of the three-way valve 1 to connect, the a and b ports of the four-way valve 5 to connect and the c and d ports to connect, the compressor 7 to start working, the air conditioner blower 10 to stop working, the electric fan 18 to work, and the heating element 13 to stop working.

[0056] The refrigerant circulation loop is as follows: compressor 7 - condenser 16 - second expansion valve 22 - battery direct cooling plate 15 - compressor 7. The refrigerant releases heat at the condenser 16 and absorbs heat at the battery direct cooling plate 15, thus cooling the battery. Specifically, the refrigerant enters the condenser 16 from the compressor 7 for condensation and heat exchange, then undergoes further cooling through coaxial tubes. Throttling expansion is achieved by adjusting the opening of the second expansion valve 22, allowing the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant to enter the battery direct cooling plate 15 for heat exchange, thus achieving direct cooling of the battery.

[0057] 3. When cooling the crew compartment and battery simultaneously, the control causes: both the first expansion valve 21 and the second expansion valve 22 to open, both the one-way valve 6 and the shut-off valve 29 to close, the a port and b port of the three-way valve 1 to connect, the a port and b port of the four-way valve 5 to connect and the c port and d port to connect, the compressor 7 to start working, the electric fan 18 and the air conditioning blower 10 to work, and the electric heating element 13 to stop working.

[0058] The refrigerant enters the condenser 16 from the compressor 7 for condensation and heat exchange, and then undergoes further cooling through coaxial tubes. The refrigerant then splits into two paths: one path expands through the first expansion valve 21 and finally enters the evaporator 11 for evaporation and heat absorption; the other path expands through the second expansion valve 22 with adjustable opening. The low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant enters the battery direct cooling plate 15 to absorb heat, achieving simultaneous cooling. The specific cooling effect on the passenger compartment and battery can be adjusted by regulating the opening of the first expansion valve 21 and the second expansion valve 22.

[0059] During the first, second, and third refrigeration processes described above, when the passenger compartment or battery is being cooled, ports a and b of the four-way valve 5 are connected, and ports c and d are connected. The shut-off valve 29 is closed, ports a and b of the three-way valve 1 are connected, and the first circulation pump 4 or the second circulation pump 9 operates to ensure the cooling of the motor or engine.

[0060] IV. When heating the battery, the battery side has a built-in electric heating film, which can directly realize the battery heating function.

[0061] V. When the electric-driven cooling system heats the vehicle passenger compartment through the heater core 12, the control causes: the first expansion valve 21 and the second expansion valve 22 to be closed, the one-way valve 6 to be opened, the shut-off valve 29 to be closed, the a port and c port of the three-way valve 1 to be connected, the a port and c port of the four-way valve 5 to be connected and the c port and d port to be connected, the compressor 7 to be off, the first circulation pump 4 to be on, the second circulation pump 9 to be off, the air conditioning blower 10 to be on, and the electric heating element 13 to be on or off.

[0062] When ports a and c of the three-way valve 1 are connected, the electric fan 18 does not need to blow air onto the first heat sink 8 and can be idle. However, when the first temperature sensor 2 detects that the coolant temperature is greater than 70°C, the three-way valve 1 switches to the state where ports a and c are connected to dissipate heat from the first heat sink 8. At this time, the electric fan 18 is required to ensure that the motor and accessory controller are cooled normally.

[0063] In pure electric mode, the electric drive system 3 drives the vehicle. At this time, the passenger compartment is mainly heated by the heat from the electric drive system, and the electric heating element 13 can be used for auxiliary heating. The circulation loop of the coolant in the electric drive cooling system is as follows: first circulation pump 4 - electric drive system 3 - port a and port c of three-way valve 1 - port a and port c of four-way valve 5 - check valve 6 - heater core 12 - port b and port d of four-way valve 5 - first circulation pump 4.

[0064] When the vehicle is in motion, the first circulation pump 4 drives the coolant to absorb heat through the electric drive system 3, and then enters the three-way valve 1, four-way valve 5, and one-way valve 6, and then enters the heater core 12 to release heat. The heater core 12 works with the air conditioning blower 10 to heat the passenger compartment using the waste heat of the electric drive system 3.

[0065] When the vehicle is idling or driving, if the heat from the electric drive system 3 cannot meet the heating needs of the passenger compartment, the electric heating element 13 can be turned on simultaneously for auxiliary heating. The high-pressure air PTC can achieve stepless power adjustment to minimize system power consumption.

[0066] VI. When the engine cooling system heats the vehicle passenger compartment through the heater core 12, the control causes: the first expansion valve 21 and the second expansion valve 22 to be closed, the one-way valve 6 to be closed, the shut-off valve 29 to be open, the a and b ports of the three-way valve 1 to be connected, the a and b ports of the four-way valve 5 to be connected and the c and d ports to be connected, the compressor 7 to be off, the first circulation pump 4 to be off, the second circulation pump 9 to be on, the electric fan 18 to be on, the air conditioning blower 10 to be on, and the electric heating element 13 to be on or off.

[0067] In hybrid mode, the engine and electric motor can be connected in series or parallel. Passenger compartment heating is primarily achieved through engine waste heat or PTC heating, as the engine cooling system's coolant temperature is higher than that of the electric drive cooling system. The electric drive system 3 mainly dissipates heat through the first radiator 8. During vehicle idling or driving, the coolant circulation loop in the engine cooling system is as follows: the second circulation pump 9 drives the coolant through the engine 19 to carry away heat, then it splits into two paths: one flows through the thermostat 20 into the second radiator 17, and the other flows into the heater core 12, then through ports C and D of the four-way valve 5, and finally both paths return to the second circulation pump 9. In practice, the thermostat 20 can control the ratio of the two coolant paths to ensure optimal heat recovery for engine cooling.

[0068] In special circumstances, when the vehicle is started cold, the electric heating element 13 needs to be turned on for auxiliary heating or windshield defrosting.

[0069] VII. This thermal management system architecture is applicable to various hybrid vehicle models. This system architecture uses a single degassing chamber for system coolant filling and venting. When a new vehicle rolls off the production line, to ensure effective venting of the system and to ensure normal vacuuming, the a and b ports of the three-way valve 1 are connected, as are the a and c ports, with each port opening at 50%. The a and c ports of the four-way valve are connected, and the b and d ports are connected. The one-way valve 6 and the shut-off valve 29 are in the open state.

[0070] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit its scope of protection. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that after reading the present invention, they can still make various changes, modifications or equivalent substitutions to the specific implementation of the invention, but these changes, modifications or equivalent substitutions are all within the scope of protection of the pending claims of the invention.

Claims

1. A thermal management system architecture for hybrid vehicles, characterized in that, It includes an air conditioning system, an electric drive cooling system, and an engine cooling system; the air conditioning system can cool the vehicle passenger compartment and the battery through heat pump technology; the electric drive cooling system and the engine cooling system can heat the vehicle passenger compartment through a heater core (12); it also includes a heating film installed on the battery; The electric drive cooling system and the engine cooling system use the same coolant and can be connected through a four-way valve (5); The electric drive cooling system is used to cool the electric drive system (3), including a first circulation pump (4), a three-way valve (1), a first radiator (8), the four-way valve (5), the heater core (12), and an expansion tank (25); The outlet of the first circulating pump (4) is connected to port a of the three-way valve (1); port c of the three-way valve (1) is connected to port a of the four-way valve (5); port b of the three-way valve (1) is connected to the first radiator (8); the first radiator (8) is connected to port a of the four-way valve (5); port b of the four-way valve (5) is connected to the first circulating pump (4); ports c and d of the four-way valve (5) are respectively connected to the heating core (12); the expansion tank (25) is connected to port c of the four-way valve (5). The coolant between the outlet of the first circulating pump (4) and port a of the three-way valve (1) flows through the electric drive system (3), which can absorb and carry away the heat generated by the operation of the electric drive system (3).

2. The hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air conditioning system includes a compressor (7), a condenser (16), an evaporator (11), a battery direct cooling plate (15), and an air conditioning blower (10); The compressor (7) is used to drive the flow of refrigerant, the condenser (16) is used to release heat from the flowing refrigerant, the evaporator (11) is used to allow the flowing refrigerant to absorb heat, and then work with the air conditioning blower (10) to cool the vehicle passenger compartment; the battery direct cooling plate (15) is used to allow the flowing refrigerant to absorb heat, and then cool the battery.

3. The hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air conditioning system also includes a first expansion valve (21) and a second expansion valve (22); The outlet of the compressor (7) is connected to the condenser (16); the condenser (16) is connected to the evaporator (11), and the first expansion valve (21) is provided on the connecting pipe; the condenser (16) is connected to the battery direct cooling plate (15), and the second expansion valve (22) is provided on the connecting pipe; the evaporator (11) is connected to the inlet of the compressor (7); the battery direct cooling plate (15) is connected to the inlet of the compressor (7).

4. The hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes an electric heating element (13), which can work with the air conditioning blower (10) to heat the vehicle passenger compartment.

5. The hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first temperature sensor (2), which is used to detect the temperature of the coolant in the connecting pipe between the outlet of the first circulating pump (4) and port a of the three-way valve (1); when the detected temperature of the first temperature sensor (2) is greater than the set temperature value, the three-way valve (1) keeps port a connected to port c.

6. The hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture according to claim 3, characterized in that, The engine cooling system is used to cool the engine (19) and includes a second circulation pump (9), a thermostat (20), a second radiator (17), a one-way valve (6), the four-way valve (5), the heater core (12), the expansion tank (25), and a shut-off valve (29). The outlet of the second circulating pump (9) is connected to the thermostat (20); the thermostat (20) is connected to the second radiator (17); the second radiator (17) is connected to the inlet of the second circulating pump (9), and the inlet of the second circulating pump (9) is connected to the c port of the four-way valve (5); the one-way valve (6) is installed on the connecting pipe between the c port of the four-way valve (5) and the heating core (12); the inlet of the thermostat (20) is connected to the heating core (12), and the shut-off valve (29) is installed on the connecting pipe; the expansion tank (25) is also connected to the outlet of the second radiator (17) and the second circulating pump (9); The coolant between the outlet of the second circulation pump (9) and the thermostat (20) flows through the engine (19), absorbing and carrying away the heat generated by the engine (19) during operation.

7. The hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes an electronic fan (18) that can blow air onto the first heat sink (8) and the second heat sink (17) to improve heat dissipation efficiency.

8. A control method for a hybrid vehicle thermal management system architecture as described in any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that, include: When the electric-driven cooling system heats the vehicle passenger compartment through the heater core (12), the control causes: the first expansion valve (21) and the second expansion valve (22) to be closed, the one-way valve (6) to be opened, the shut-off valve (29) to be closed, the a port and c port of the three-way valve (1) to be connected, and the a port and c port of the four-way valve (5) to be connected and the c port and d port to be connected.

9. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, When the engine cooling system heats the vehicle passenger compartment through the heater core (12), the control causes: the first expansion valve (21) and the second expansion valve (22) to be closed, the one-way valve (6) to be closed, the shut-off valve (29) to be open, the a port and b port of the three-way valve (1) to be connected, and the a port and b port of the four-way valve (5) to be connected and the c port and d port to be connected.

10. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, When the thermal management system architecture of the hybrid vehicle is evacuated, the control causes: the a port and b port of the three-way valve (1) to be connected, and the a port and c port to be connected, with the connection opening degree of 50%; the a port and c port of the four-way valve (5) to be connected, and the b port and d port to be connected; the one-way valve (6) and the shut-off valve (29) to be in the open state.

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