Vehicle thermal management system

Abstract

A vehicle thermal management system includes: a control valve; a battery fluidly connected to the control valve; a power electronics (PE) component fluidly connected to the control valve; a radiator fluidly connected to the control valve; and a high performance computer (HPC) fluidly connected to the control valve. In particular, the HPC and the battery are connected in parallel to a control valve, and the control valve is configured to control a flow of coolant between the PE component, the heat sink, the battery, and the HPC.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the rights and priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0176011 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on December 6, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle thermal management system, and more particularly, to a vehicle thermal management system designed to effectively perform thermal management of batteries, power electronic (PE) components, high-performance computers, and the like. Background Art

[0004] As energy efficiency and environmental issues become more and more important, environmentally friendly vehicles that can replace internal combustion engine vehicles are developed. Such environmentally friendly vehicles are divided into electric vehicles that use fuel cells or electricity as a power source and hybrid vehicles that use an engine and a battery.

[0005] An electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle may include a vehicle thermal management system for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) in the cabin (or passenger compartment). The vehicle thermal management system also maintains the battery and power electronics (PE) components at an optimal temperature. The vehicle thermal management system may include a refrigerant system for the HVAC in the cabin and a coolant system for maintaining the battery and PE components at an appropriate temperature.

[0006] The refrigerant system may be designed to perform heating and cooling of the cabin using phase changes of the refrigerant circulating through the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigerant system may be thermally connected to the coolant system via various heat exchangers and / or chillers.

[0007] Furthermore, the vehicle may include a high-performance computer (HPC) for various functions and data processing. For example, the HPC may be an autonomous driving controller that recognizes information such as road and traffic conditions and coordinates, determines the best route, and performs actual control of the vehicle. The heat generated by the HPC may be relatively high, so the HPC needs to be properly cooled.

[0008] In a vehicle thermal management system according to the related art, the HPC may be thermally connected to a cooling circuit connected to a refrigerant system and cooled using a refrigerant circulated by a compressor. Since the cooling circuit for cooling the HPC is connected to the refrigerant system, the configuration of the vehicle thermal management system may become relatively complicated, and thus the manufacturing cost and weight of the vehicle thermal management system may be relatively increased. In particular, the HPC cannot be cooled in an operation mode in which the compressor of the refrigerant system does not operate, making it impossible to drive the vehicle.

[0009] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the vehicle thermal management system of the related art, the following vehicle thermal management system has been proposed: the HPC is not thermally connected to the refrigerant system, but the HPC is connected in series to the battery of the coolant system. However, since the battery and the HPC are connected in series, the thermal management of the battery and the thermal management of the HPC may not be effectively performed. Specifically, since the target temperature of the HPC for the thermal management of the HPC and the target temperature of the battery for the thermal management of the battery are different from each other, the thermal management of the HPC and the thermal management of the battery may not be effectively performed. For example, when the HPC is cooled, the temperature of the battery may increase relatively, so the cooler may be operated unnecessarily. When the battery is cooled, the HPC may be maintained at a too low temperature. When the cooling of the HPC and the warming-up of the battery are required at the same time, the preheating of the battery may not be performed normally. When the refrigerant system is operating in the heating mode, the cooling of the HPC and the preheating of the battery may be required at the same time, so the cooler and the battery warmer may be operated unnecessarily.

[0010] The above information described in this background technology section is provided to help understand the background of the present invention concept, and may include any technical concept that is not considered as prior art known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Summary of the invention

[0011] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art and to maintain the advantages achieved by the prior art.

[0012] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a vehicle thermal management system designed to effectively perform thermal management of a high-performance computer, thermal management of a battery, thermal management of a power electronic (PE) component, heating of a refrigerant system, and the like.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle thermal management system may include: a control valve; a battery, which is fluidly connected to the control valve; a PE component, which is fluidly connected to the control valve; and a radiator, which is fluidly connected to the control valve. The vehicle thermal management system may also include: a high performance computer (HPC), which is fluidly connected to the control valve. The HPC and the battery may be connected to the control valve in parallel, and the control valve may be configured to control the flow of coolant between the PE component, the radiator, the battery, and the HPC.

[0014] The control valve may include: a first port in fluid communication with an inlet of the battery and an inlet of the HPC; and a second port in fluid communication with an inlet of the PE component. The control valve may also include: a third port in fluid communication with an inlet of the radiator; and a fourth port in fluid communication with an outlet of the battery and an outlet of the HPC.

[0015] The vehicle thermal management system may further include: a cooler thermally connected to the refrigerant system. The control valve may further include: a fifth port communicating with the cooler.

[0016] The battery and the HPC may be connected in parallel to a cooler.

[0017] The radiator and the PE component may be connected in parallel to the cooler.

[0018] The control valve may be configured to fluidly connect the first port to at least one of the third port, the fourth port, and the fifth port.

[0019] The control valve may be configured to fluidly connect the second port to at least one of the third port, the fourth port, and the fifth port.

[0020] The cooler may include: a refrigerant passage through which the refrigerant passes, and a coolant passage through which the coolant passes. The cooler may also include: a first port, a second port, and a third port communicating with the coolant passage.

[0021] The cooler may include a first port communicating with an outlet of the battery and an outlet of the HPC, a second port communicating with an outlet of the PE component and an outlet of the radiator, and a third port fluidly communicating with a fifth port of the control valve.

[0022] The vehicle thermal management system may further include a distribution valve configured to control the flow of coolant into at least one of the battery and the HPC.

[0023] The distribution valve may include an inlet port in fluid communication with the first port of the control valve, a first outlet port in fluid communication with the inlet of the battery, and a second outlet port in fluid communication with the inlet of the HPC.

[0024] The vehicle thermal management system may further include a first pump in fluid communication with the first port of the control valve.

[0025] The vehicle thermal management system may further include a second pump in fluid communication with the second port of the control valve.

[0026] The vehicle thermal management system may further include a battery warmer fluidly connected to the battery.

[0027] The vehicle thermal management system may further include a fluid reservoir fluidly connected to the radiator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent through the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0029] Figure 1A vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 2 shows a state in which a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in a first mode;

[0031] Figure 3 shows a state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the second mode;

[0032] Figure 4 shows a state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in a third mode;

[0033] Figure 5 shows a state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in a fourth mode;

[0034] Figure 6 shows a state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in a fifth mode; and

[0035] Figure 7 A state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the sixth mode is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are always used to represent the same or equivalent elements. In addition, detailed descriptions of known technologies associated with the present disclosure are excluded to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the main points of the present disclosure.

[0037] Terms such as first, second, A, B, (A) and (B) can be used to describe the elements in the embodiments of the present disclosure. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element, and the inherent characteristics, order or sequence of the corresponding elements, etc. are not limited by these terms. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meanings as those commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. These terms defined in the commonly used dictionary should be interpreted as having the same meaning as the contextual meaning in the relevant technical field, and unless clearly defined as having such meanings in the present application, it should not be interpreted as having an ideal or overly formal meaning.

[0038] When a component, device, element, etc. of the present disclosure is described as having a purpose or performing an operation, function, etc., the component, device or element should be considered as “configured to” satisfy the purpose or perform the operation or function.

[0039] Reference Figure 1, a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a battery 11 , a power electronics (PE) component 12 , a radiator 13 , a high performance computer (HPC) 14 , a cooler 15 , and a coolant system 10 including a control valve 30 .

[0040] The battery 11 may have a coolant channel disposed inside or outside thereof. When the coolant passes through the coolant channel of the battery 11, the coolant may be heated or cooled, and the battery 11 may be maintained at an appropriate temperature. For example, the battery 11 may be a high-voltage battery pack of an electric vehicle.

[0041] The PE component 12 may have a coolant channel provided inside or outside thereof. When the coolant passes through the coolant channel of the PE component 12, the coolant may be heated or cooled, and the PE component 12 may be maintained at an appropriate temperature. For example, the PE component 12 may be a motor, an inverter, etc., which are driving sources of electric vehicles.

[0042] The radiator 13 may be disposed adjacent to the front grille of the vehicle, and the radiator 13 may have a coolant passage disposed therein. The coolant passing through the coolant passage of the radiator 13 may be cooled by outside air passing through the outer surface of the radiator 13. The radiator 13 may cool the coolant using outside air forcibly blown by a cooling fan (not shown).

[0043] The HPC 14 may have a coolant channel provided inside or outside thereof. When the coolant passes through the coolant channel of the HPC 14, the coolant may be heated or cooled, and the HPC 14 may be maintained at an appropriate temperature. The HPC 14 may be provided to perform various functions and data processing. According to an embodiment, the HPC 14 may be an autonomous driving controller that recognizes information such as road and traffic conditions and coordinates, determines an optimal route, and performs actual control of the vehicle.

[0044] The cooler 15 may be configured to be thermally connected to the refrigerant system 60 and the coolant system 10. In other words, the cooler 15 may be configured to transfer heat between the coolant circulating in the coolant system 10 and the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant system 60. The cooler 15 may include a coolant passage 15a through which the coolant passes and a refrigerant passage 15b through which the refrigerant passes. The refrigerant passage 15b of the cooler 15 may be fluidly connected to a refrigerant line 61 of the refrigerant system 60. The refrigerant system 60 may include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator.

[0045] The control valve 30 may include: a first port 31, which is fluidly connected to the inlet of the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the inlet of the coolant channel of the HPC 14; and a second port 32, which is fluidly connected to the inlet of the coolant channel of the PE component 12. The control valve 30 may also include: a third port 33, which is fluidly connected to the inlet of the coolant channel of the radiator 13; a fourth port 34, which is fluidly connected to the outlet of the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the outlet of the coolant channel of the HPC 14; and a fifth port 35, which is fluidly connected to the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15.

[0046] The cooler 15 may include: a first port 43, a second port 44, and a third port 45 in communication with the coolant channel 15a. The first port 43 of the cooler 15 may be in fluid communication with the outlet of the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the outlet of the coolant channel of the HPC 14. The second port 44 of the cooler 15 may be in fluid communication with the outlet of the coolant channel of the PE component 12 and the outlet of the coolant channel of the radiator 13. The third port 45 of the cooler 15 may be in fluid communication with the fifth port 35 of the control valve 30.

[0047] The vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a distribution valve 50 configured to control the flow of the coolant in a manner that allows the coolant discharged from the first port 31 of the control valve 30 to be directed to at least one of the battery 11 and the HPC 14. The distribution valve 50 may be located at a point where the coolant is distributed to the battery 11 and the HPC 14.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the distribution valve 50 may include: an inlet port 51, which is fluidly connected to the first port 31 of the control valve 30; a first outlet port 52, which is fluidly connected to the inlet of the coolant channel of the battery 11; and a second outlet port 53, which is fluidly connected to the inlet of the coolant channel of the HPC 14.

[0049] The vehicle thermal management system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include: a battery heater 16, which is fluidly connected to the battery 11. The battery heater 16 may have a coolant channel provided inside or outside thereof, and the coolant may pass through the coolant channel of the battery heater 16. The coolant channel of the battery heater 16 may be fluidly connected to the coolant channel of the battery 11, and the battery heater 16 may be provided on the upstream or downstream side of the battery 11 in the first coolant line 21 to be described below. Figure 1In the embodiment shown in , the battery heater 16 may be provided on the downstream side of the battery 11. For example, the battery heater 16 may be an electric heater that heats the coolant using electric energy. When preheating of the battery 11 is required, the battery heater 16 may be turned on. When the battery heater 16 is turned on, the coolant may be heated by the battery heater 16. When the battery heater 16 is turned off, the coolant may pass through the coolant channel of the battery heater 16 without being heated by the battery heater 16.

[0050] The vehicle thermal management system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a reservoir tank 17 that is fluidly connected to the third port 33 of the control valve 30, and the reservoir tank 17 may be fluidly connected to the radiator 13. The reservoir tank 17 may be located at the downstream side of the radiator 13 in the third coolant line 23. The reservoir tank 17 may temporarily store coolant. The reservoir tank 17 may receive coolant when the coolant pressure in the radiator 13 increases to a predetermined threshold pressure or higher, or may replenish coolant when the coolant pressure in the radiator 13 decreases below a predetermined threshold pressure.

[0051] The vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first pump 41 that is fluidly connected to the first port 31 of the control valve 30. The first pump 41 may be located between the first port 31 of the control valve 30 and the inlet port 51 of the distribution valve 50, and thus the first pump 41 may be located on the upstream side of the coolant passage of the battery 11 and the coolant passage of the HPC 14. The first pump 41 may be configured to pump the coolant discharged from the first port 31 of the control valve 30 toward the distribution valve 50.

[0052] The vehicle thermal management system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a coolant temperature sensor TS disposed at a downstream side of the first pump 41 , and the coolant temperature sensor TS may be configured to detect a temperature of the coolant discharged from the first pump 41 .

[0053] The vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a second pump 42 that is fluidly connected to the second port 32 of the control valve 30. The second pump 42 may be located between the PE component 12 and the second port 32 of the control valve 30, and the second pump 42 may be located on the upstream side of the coolant passage of the PE component 12. The second pump 42 may be configured to deliver the coolant discharged from the second port 32 of the control valve 30 toward the PE component 12.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control valve 30 may be configured to fluidly connect the first port 31 to at least one of the third port 33 , the fourth port 34 , and the fifth port 35 under the control of the controller 100 .

[0055] like Figure 2and Figure 3 As shown, when the control valve 30 is fluidly connected to the first port 31 and the third port 33 by the controller 100, the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 may pass through the coolant passage of the battery 11 and / or the coolant passage of the HPC 14 through the first pump 41. Therefore, the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 may cool the battery 11 and / or the HPC 14.

[0056] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, when the control valve 30 is fluidly connected to the first port 31 and the fourth port 34 by the controller 100, the coolant discharged from the first port 31 can pass through the coolant channel of the battery 11 and / or the coolant channel of the HPC 14 by the first pump 41, and the coolant discharged from the coolant channel of the battery 11 and / or the coolant channel of the HPC 14 can be guided to the inlet of the first pump 41 via the fourth port 34 and the first port 31. Therefore, the battery 11 can be preheated by the waste heat of the HPC 14 or the battery warmer 16.

[0057] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when the control valve 30 is fluidly connected to the first port 31 and the fifth port 35 by the controller 100, the coolant discharged from the first port 31 may pass through the coolant channel of the battery 11 and / or the coolant channel of the HPC 14 through the first pump 41, and the coolant discharged from the coolant channel of the battery 11 and / or the coolant channel of the HPC 14 may be guided to the inlet of the first pump 41 via the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15, the fifth port 35, and the first port 31. Therefore, the refrigerant system 60 may absorb the waste heat of the HPC 14 and / or the waste heat of the battery 11 via the cooler 15, or the coolant cooled by the cooler 15 may cool the HPC 14 and / or the battery 11.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control valve 30 may be configured to fluidly connect the second port 32 to at least one of the third port 33 , the fourth port 34 , and the fifth port 35 under the control of the controller 100 .

[0059] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when the control valve 30 is fluidly connected to the second port 32 and the third port 33 by the controller 100, the coolant exhausted from the radiator 13 can be guided to the PE component 12 by the second pump 42 via the third port 33 and the second port 32. Therefore, the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 can cool the PE component 12.

[0060] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, when the control valve 30 is fluidly connected to the second port 32 and the fourth port 34 by the controller 100, the coolant exhausted from the battery 11 and / or the HPC 14 can be guided to the PE component 12 and the radiator 13 by the second pump 42 via the fourth port 34 and the second port 32. Therefore, the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 can cool the PE component 12, the battery 11 and / or the HPC 14.

[0061] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, when the control valve 30 is fluidly connected to the second port 32 and the fifth port 35 by the controller 100, the coolant discharged from the second port 32 can pass through the coolant passage 15a of the PE component 12 and the cooler 15 through the second pump 42, and the coolant discharged from the coolant passage 15a of the cooler 15 can be guided to the inlet of the second pump 42 via the fifth port 35 and the second port 32. Therefore, the refrigerant system 60 can absorb the waste heat of the PE component 12 via the cooler 15, so that the refrigerant system 60 can operate in the heating mode.

[0062] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the distribution valve 50 may be configured to fluidly connect the inlet port 51 to the first outlet port 52 and / or the second outlet port 53 under the control of the controller 100 .

[0063] like Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, when the distribution valve 50 fluidly connects the inlet port 51 to the first outlet port 52 and the second outlet port 53 by the controller 100, the coolant discharged from the first pump 41 can be guided to the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the coolant channel of the HPC 14. In particular, the distribution valve 50 can adjust the ratio between the opening degree of the first outlet port 52 and the opening degree of the second outlet port 53 based on the temperature of the coolant discharged from the first pump 41, thereby determining the ratio of the coolant distributed to the battery 11 and the HPC 14.

[0064] like Figure 7 As shown, when the distribution valve 50 fluidly connects the inlet port 51 to the first outlet port 52 and closes the second outlet port 53 by the controller 100 , the coolant discharged from the first pump 41 may be guided to the coolant channel of the battery 11 .

[0065] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, when the distribution valve 50 is controlled by the controller 100 to fluidly connect the inlet port 51 to the second outlet port 53 and close the first outlet port 52 , the coolant discharged from the first pump 41 may be directed to the coolant passage of the HPC 14 .

[0066] The coolant system 10 may include a coolant circulation path 20 that allows coolant circulation. The coolant circulation path 20 may include a first coolant line 21 extending from a first port 31 of a control valve 30, a first branch line 21a connecting a branch point 21c of the first coolant line 21 and a fourth port 34 of the control valve 30, and a second branch line 21b connecting the branch point 21c of the first coolant line 21 and a first port 43 of the cooler 15. The coolant circulation path 20 may also include: a second coolant line 22 connecting the second port 32 of the control valve 30 and the second port 44 of the cooler 15; a third coolant line 23 connecting the third port 33 of the control valve 30 and the second coolant line 22; a fourth coolant line 24 connected in parallel to the first coolant line 21; and a fifth coolant line 25 connecting the fifth port 35 of the control valve 30 and the third port 45 of the cooler 15.

[0067] One end of the first coolant line 21 may be connected to the first port 31 of the control valve 30, and the other end of the first coolant line 21 may be a branch point 21c. The first pump 41, the coolant channel of the battery 11, and the coolant channel of the battery heater 16 may be fluidly connected to the first coolant line 21. The first pump 41 may be located on the upstream side of the coolant channel of the battery 11 in the first coolant line 21, and the battery heater 16 may be located on the downstream side of the coolant channel of the battery 11 in the first coolant line 21. The first branch line 21a and the second branch line 21b may branch from the branch point 21c of the first coolant line 21, and the branch point 21c may be located on the downstream side of the battery heater 16. The first branch line 21a may connect the branch point 21c of the first coolant line 21 and the fourth port 34 of the control valve 30, and the second branch line 21b may connect the branch point 21c of the first coolant line 21 and the first port 43 of the cooler 15.

[0068] One end of the second coolant line 22 may be connected to the second port 32 of the control valve 30, and the other end of the second coolant line 22 may be connected to the second port 44 of the cooler 15. The second pump 42 and the coolant passage of the PE component 12 may be fluidly connected to the second coolant line 22.

[0069] One end of the third coolant line 23 may be connected to the third port 33 of the control valve 30, and the other end of the third coolant line 23 may be connected to the connection point 22a of the second coolant line 22. The coolant passages of the radiator 13 and the reservoir tank 17 may be fluidly connected to the third coolant line 23. Therefore, the PE component 12 and the radiator 13 may be connected to the second port 44 of the cooler 15 in parallel via the second coolant line 22 and the third coolant line 23.

[0070] The fourth coolant line 24 may connect the first coolant line 21 and one point of the first branch line 21a. One end of the fourth coolant line 24 may be connected to the first coolant line 21 on the upstream side of the battery 11, and the other end of the fourth coolant line 24 may be connected to the connection point 21d of the first branch line 21a. The HPC 14 may be fluidly connected to the fourth coolant line 24. The distribution valve 50 may be provided at the point where the first coolant line 21 and the fourth coolant line 24 are connected. The first coolant line 21 and the fourth coolant line 24 may be connected in parallel to the first port 31 and the fourth port 34 of the control valve 30 via the first branch line 21a, and the first coolant line 21 and the fourth coolant line 24 may be connected in parallel to the first port 31 of the control valve 30 and the first port 43 of the cooler 15 via the second branch line 21b. Therefore, the HPC 14 and the battery 11 may be connected in parallel to the control valve 30 and the cooler 15 via the first coolant line 21 , the fourth coolant line 24 , the first branch line 21 a , and the second branch line 21 b .

[0071] One end of the fifth coolant line 25 may be connected to the fifth port 35 of the control valve 30 , and the other end of the fifth coolant line 25 may be connected to the third port 45 of the cooler 15 .

[0072] The vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a management system 110 configured to manage the battery 11 and the HPC 14. The management system 110 may send instructions for cooling the battery 11, preheating the battery 11, and cooling the HPC 14 to the controller 100 so that the battery 11 and the HPC 14 may be maintained at an appropriate temperature.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the management system 110 may be an integrated management system configured to manage the battery 11 and the HPC 14 in an integrated manner. The integrated management system may be configured to monitor the status (temperature, current, voltage, etc.) of the battery 11 and the status (voltage, temperature, current, etc.) of the HPC 14, protect the battery 11 and the HPC 14 from electrical overload, predict the status of the operation of the battery 11 and the HPC 14, and continuously optimize the battery 11 and the HPC 14.

[0074] According to another embodiment, the management system 110 may include two independent management systems, which are divided into a battery management system for managing the battery 11 and an HPC management system for managing the HPC 14. The battery management system may be configured to monitor the status (temperature, current, voltage, etc.) of the battery 11, protect the battery 11 from electrical overload, predict the status of the operation of the battery 11, and continuously optimize the battery 11. The HPC management system may be configured to monitor the status (temperature, current, voltage, etc.) of the HPC 14, protect the HPC 14 from electrical overload, predict the status of the operation of the HPC 14, and continuously optimize the HPC 14.

[0075] The vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a controller 100 that controls the control valve 30, the first pump 41, the second pump 42, the distribution valve 50, and the refrigerant system 60. The controller 100 may be configured to control the operation of the control valve 30, the first pump 41, the second pump 42, the distribution valve 50, and the refrigerant system 60 based on the maximum temperature of the battery 11 and the maximum temperature of the HPC 14 sensed by the management system 110, the coolant temperature sensed by the coolant temperature sensor TS, the outside temperature of the vehicle sensed by the outside temperature sensor of the vehicle, and the like.

[0076] Figure 2 FIG. 2 shows a state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the first mode. Figure 2 , when the vehicle thermal management system operates in the first mode, the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 can cool the battery 11 , the HPC 14 , and the PE component 12 .

[0077] Reference Figure 2 , the control valve 30 may fluidly connect the first port 31 and the third port 33, fluidly connect the second port 32 and the fourth port 34 and close the fifth port 35, and the distribution valve 50 may fluidly connect the inlet port 51 to the first outlet port 52 and the second outlet port 53, so that the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 may pass through the coolant channel of the battery 11, the coolant channel of the HPC 14, and the coolant channel of the PE component 12 through the first pump 41 and the second pump 42. The coolant discharged from the first port 31 of the control valve 30 may be distributed to the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the coolant channel of the HPC 14 via the first outlet port 52 and the second outlet port 53 of the distribution valve 50, and thus the coolant may cool the battery 11 and the HPC 14. Here, since the compressor of the refrigerant system 60 is not operated, heat exchange may not occur between the refrigerant and the coolant via the cooler 15.

[0078] The vehicle thermal management system in the first mode may satisfy the following control conditions: the maximum temperature of the battery 11 is higher than the first required cooling temperature; the maximum temperature of the battery 11 is lower than the second required cooling temperature; the outside temperature of the vehicle is lower than the first threshold outside temperature; and the temperature of the coolant discharged from the first pump 41 is lower than the maximum temperature of the battery 11. The second required cooling temperature may be higher than the first required cooling temperature. For example, the first required cooling temperature may be 30°C, the second required cooling temperature may be 36°C, and the first threshold outside temperature may be 25°C. As described above, the vehicle thermal management system in the first mode may allow the coolant to cool the battery 11 and the HPC 14 simultaneously via the radiator 13 when the compressor of the refrigerant system 60 is not running, so that heat exchange may not occur between the refrigerant and the coolant via the cooler 15, thereby reducing the HVAC power consumption of the refrigerant system 60.

[0079] Figure 3 FIG. 2 shows a state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the second mode. Figure 3 When the vehicle thermal management system operates in the second mode, the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 may cool the HPC 14 and the PE component 12 .

[0080] Reference Figure 3 , the control valve 30 may fluidly connect the first port 31 and the third port 33, fluidly connect the second port 32 and the fourth port 34 and close the fifth port 35, and the distribution valve 50 may fluidly connect the inlet port 51 and the second outlet port 53, so that the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 may pass through the coolant channel of the HPC 14 and the coolant channel of the PE component 12 through the first pump 41 and the second pump 42. The coolant discharged from the first port 31 of the control valve 30 may be guided to the coolant channel of the HPC 14 via the second outlet port 53 of the distribution valve 50, and thus the coolant may cool the HPC 14. Here, since the compressor of the refrigerant system 60 is not operated, heat exchange may not occur between the refrigerant and the coolant via the cooler 15.

[0081] The vehicle thermal management system in the second mode may satisfy the following control conditions: the maximum temperature of the battery 11 is lower than the first required cooling temperature; the outside temperature of the vehicle is lower than the second threshold outside temperature; and the temperature of the coolant discharged from the first pump 41 is lower than the first threshold coolant temperature. For example, the first required cooling temperature may be 30°C, the second threshold outside temperature may be 40°C, and the first threshold coolant temperature may be 45°C. As described above, the vehicle thermal management system in the second mode may allow the coolant to cool the HPC 14 via the radiator 13 in a state where the compressor of the refrigerant system 60 is not running, so that heat exchange may not occur between the refrigerant and the coolant via the cooler 15, and thus the HVAC power consumption of the refrigerant system 60 may be reduced.

[0082] Figure 4 FIG. 2 shows a state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the third mode. Figure 4 When the vehicle thermal management system operates in the third mode, the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 can cool the PE component 12, and the refrigerant system 60 can operate in a heating mode using waste heat of the HPC 14 or operate in a cooling mode to allow the coolant cooled by the cooler 15 to cool the HPC 14.

[0083] Reference Figure 4 , the control valve 30 may fluidly connect the second port 32 and the third port 33 so that the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 may pass through the coolant channel of the PE component 12 by the second pump 42 and the PE component 12 may be cooled by the coolant.

[0084] Reference Figure 4 , the control valve 30 can fluidly connect the first port 31 and the fifth port 35 and close the fourth port 34, and the distribution valve 50 can fluidly connect the inlet port 51 and the second outlet port 53, so that the coolant discharged from the first port 31 of the control valve 30 can pass through the coolant channel of the HPC 14 and the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15 via the second outlet port 53 of the distribution valve 50.

[0085] When heating of the cabin is required, the coolant heated by the waste heat of the HPC 14 can pass through the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15, and the coolant passing through the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15 can release heat to the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant channel 15b of the cooler 15, so that the refrigerant system 60 can absorb the waste heat of the HPC 14 via the cooler 15, and the refrigerant system 60 can operate in the heating mode.

[0086] When cooling of the cabin is required, the refrigerant system 60 may operate in a cooling mode. When the refrigerant system 60 operates in the cooling mode, the coolant passing through the coolant passage 15a of the cooler 15 may release heat to the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant passage 15b of the cooler 15, so that the coolant may be cooled by the cooler 15, and the coolant cooled by the cooler 15 may cool the HPC 14.

[0087] The vehicle thermal management system in the third mode may satisfy the following control conditions (cooling conditions of the PE component 12 and the HPC 14): the maximum temperature of the battery 11 is lower than the second required cooling temperature; the outside temperature of the vehicle is higher than the second threshold outside temperature; and the temperature of the coolant discharged from the first pump 41 is higher than the first threshold coolant temperature. For example, the second required cooling temperature may be 36°C, the second threshold outside temperature may be 40°C, and the first threshold coolant temperature may be 45°C.

[0088] The vehicle thermal management system in the third mode may satisfy the following control conditions (heating conditions of the refrigerant system 60): heating of the cabin is required; the maximum temperature of the battery 11 is lower than the first operating temperature; and the temperature of the coolant discharged from the first pump 41 is higher than the second threshold coolant temperature. The second threshold coolant temperature may be lower than the first threshold coolant temperature. For example, the first operating temperature may be 5°C, and the second threshold coolant temperature may be 0°C.

[0089] Figure 5 FIG. 2 shows a state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the fourth mode. Figure 5 When the vehicle thermal management system operates in the fourth mode, the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 can cool the PE component 12, and the refrigerant system 60 can operate in a heating mode using waste heat from the battery 11 and waste heat from the HPC 14, or operate in a cooling mode to allow the coolant cooled by the cooler 15 to cool the HPC 14 and the battery 11.

[0090] Reference Figure 5 , the control valve 30 may fluidly connect the second port 32 and the third port 33 so that the coolant cooled by the radiator 13 may pass through the coolant channel of the PE component 12 by the second pump 42 and the PE component 12 may be cooled by the coolant.

[0091] Reference Figure 5, the control valve 30 can fluidly connect the first port 31 and the fifth port 35 and close the fourth port 34, and the distribution valve 50 can fluidly connect the inlet port 51 to the first outlet port 52 and the second outlet port 53, so that the coolant discharged from the first port 31 of the control valve 30 can be distributed to the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the coolant channel of the HPC 14 via the first outlet port 52 and the second outlet port 53 of the distribution valve 50, and then pass through the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15.

[0092] When heating of the cabin is required, the coolant heated by the waste heat of the battery 11 and the waste heat of the HPC 14 can pass through the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15, and the coolant passing through the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15 can release heat to the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant channel 15b of the cooler 15, so that the refrigerant system 60 can absorb the waste heat of the battery 11 and the waste heat of the HPC 14 via the cooler 15, and the refrigerant system 60 can operate in the heating mode.

[0093] When cooling of the cabin is required, the refrigerant system 60 may operate in a cooling mode. When the refrigerant system 60 operates in the cooling mode, the coolant passing through the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15 may release heat to the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant channel 15b of the cooler 15, so that the coolant may be cooled by the cooler 15, and the coolant cooled by the cooler 15 may cool the battery 11 and the HPC 14.

[0094] The vehicle thermal management system in the fourth mode may satisfy the following control conditions (cooling conditions of the PE component 12, the battery 11 and the HPC 14): the maximum temperature of the battery 11 is higher than the second required cooling temperature. For example, the second required cooling temperature may be 36°C.

[0095] The vehicle thermal management system in the fourth mode may satisfy the following control conditions (heating conditions of the refrigerant system 60): heating of the cabin is required; the maximum temperature of the battery 11 is higher than the first required cooling temperature; and the temperature of the coolant discharged from the first pump 41 is higher than the second threshold coolant temperature. The second threshold coolant temperature may be lower than the first threshold coolant temperature. For example, the first required cooling temperature may be 30°C, and the second threshold coolant temperature may be 0°C.

[0096] In the fourth mode, the distribution valve 50 may adjust the ratio between the opening of the first outlet port 52 and the opening of the second outlet port 53 based on the temperature of the coolant discharged from the first pump 41, thereby determining the distribution ratio of the coolant flowing into the battery 11 and the HPC 14. For example, when the temperature of the coolant is lower than 25°C, the ratio of the coolant flowing into the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the coolant flowing into the coolant channel of the HPC 14 may be 90% and 10%. When the temperature of the coolant is higher than 25°C and lower than 32°C, the ratio of the coolant flowing into the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the coolant flowing into the coolant channel of the HPC 14 may be 70% and 30%. When the temperature of the coolant is higher than 32°C and lower than 40°C, the ratio of the coolant flowing into the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the coolant flowing into the coolant channel of the HPC 14 may be 50% and 50%. When the temperature of the coolant is higher than 40° C., the ratio of the coolant flowing into the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the coolant flowing into the coolant channel of the HPC 14 may be 50% and 50%, and the distribution valve 50 may be controlled in cooperation with the refrigerant system 60 .

[0097] Figure 6 FIG. 2 shows a state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the fifth mode. Figure 6 When the vehicle thermal management system operates in the fifth mode, the refrigerant system 60 may operate in a heating mode using waste heat of the PE component 12 , and the battery 11 may be preheated using waste heat of the HPC 14 .

[0098] Reference Figure 6 , the control valve 30 can fluidly connect the second port 32 and the fifth port 35 and close the third port 33, so that the coolant heated by the waste heat of the PE component 12 can pass through the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15, and the coolant passing through the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15 can release heat to the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant channel 15b of the cooler 15, so that the refrigerant system 60 can operate in the heating mode.

[0099] Reference Figure 6 , the control valve 30 may fluidly connect the first port 31 and the fourth port 34, and the distribution valve 50 may fluidly connect the inlet port 51 to the first outlet port 52 and the second outlet port 53, so that the coolant discharged from the first port 31 of the control valve 30 may be distributed to the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the coolant channel of the HPC 14 via the first outlet port 52 and the second outlet port 53 of the distribution valve 50, and then guided to the fourth port 34 of the control valve 30. The battery 11 may be preheated by the waste heat of the HPC 14.

[0100] The vehicle thermal management system in the fifth mode may satisfy the following control conditions: heating of the cabin is required; the maximum temperature of the battery 11 is lower than the first operating temperature; and the temperature of the coolant discharged from the first pump 41 is higher than a third threshold coolant temperature. The third threshold coolant temperature may be lower than the first threshold coolant temperature and higher than the second threshold coolant temperature. For example, the first operating temperature may be 5°C, and the third threshold coolant temperature may be 10°C.

[0101] Figure 7 FIG. 2 shows a state in which the vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the sixth mode. Figure 7 When the vehicle thermal management system operates in the sixth mode, the refrigerant system 60 may operate in the heating mode using waste heat of the PE component 12 , and the battery 11 may be preheated by the battery warmer 16 .

[0102] Reference Figure 7 , the control valve 30 can fluidly connect the second port 32 and the fifth port 35 and close the third port 33, so that the coolant heated by the waste heat of the PE component 12 can pass through the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15, and the coolant passing through the coolant channel 15a of the cooler 15 can release heat to the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant channel 15b of the cooler 15, so that the refrigerant system 60 can operate in the heating mode.

[0103] Reference Figure 7 , the control valve 30 may fluidly connect the first port 31 and the fourth port 34, and the distribution valve 50 may fluidly connect the inlet port 51 and the first outlet port 52, so that the coolant discharged from the first port 31 of the control valve 30 may pass through the coolant channel of the battery 11 and the coolant channel of the battery heater 16 via the first outlet port 52 of the distribution valve 50. Here, when the battery heater 16 is turned on, the coolant may be heated by the battery heater 16, and the coolant heated by the battery heater 16 may preheat the battery 11.

[0104] The vehicle thermal management system in the sixth mode may satisfy the following control conditions: heating of the cabin is required; the maximum temperature of the battery 11 is lower than the second operating temperature; and the temperature of the HPC 14 is lower than the temperature of the coolant discharged from the first pump 41. The second operating temperature may be higher than the first operating temperature. For example, the second operating temperature may be 15°C.

[0105] As described above, the vehicle thermal management system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be designed to effectively perform thermal management of the HPC, thermal management of the battery, and thermal management of the PE components.

[0106] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the HPC and the battery can be connected to the control valve in parallel, so that the thermal management of the HPC and the thermal management of the battery can be performed independently of each other. Therefore, the operation of the refrigerant system and the operation of the cooler can be optimized, so the electrical efficiency of the vehicle can be improved.

[0107] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the HPC can be cooled independently of the battery, and the HPC can be selectively cooled by a radiator or a refrigerant system. Therefore, compared with a vehicle thermal management system according to the related art, the electrical efficiency of the vehicle can be improved, and the thermal management of the HPC can be performed more effectively.

[0108] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the refrigerant system can absorb the waste heat of the HPC, thereby improving the heating efficiency of the refrigerant system. Therefore, the all electric range (AER) of the vehicle can be increased.

[0109] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, but various modifications and changes may be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as claimed in the following claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle thermal management system, in, include: Control valves; a battery fluidly connected to the control valve; A power electronic component, which is fluidically connected to the control valve, and the power electronic component is denoted as a PE component; a radiator fluidly connected to the control valve; and a high performance computer, which is fluidically connected to the control valve, the high performance computer being denoted as HPC, The HPC and the battery are connected in parallel to the control valve, The control valve is configured to control the flow of coolant between the PE component, the radiator, the battery, and the HPC.

2. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The control valve comprises: a first port in fluid communication with an inlet of the battery and an inlet of the HPC; a second port in fluid communication with an inlet of the PE component; a third port in fluid communication with an inlet of the radiator; and A fourth port is in fluid communication with an outlet of the battery and an outlet of the HPC.

3. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 2, wherein: Also included is a cooler thermally connected to the refrigerant system, The control valve further includes a fifth port communicating with the cooler.

4. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 3, wherein: The battery and the HPC are connected to the cooler in parallel.

5. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 3, wherein: The radiator and the PE component are connected to the cooler in parallel.

6. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 3, wherein: The control valve is configured to fluidly connect the first port to at least one of the third port, the fourth port, or the fifth port.

7. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 6, wherein: The control valve is configured to fluidly connect the second port to at least one of the third port, the fourth port, or the fifth port.

8. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 3, wherein: The cooler comprises: a refrigerant passage through which a refrigerant passes, and a coolant passage through which the coolant passes, The cooler includes a first port, a second port, and a third port communicating with the coolant channel.

9. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 6, wherein: The cooler comprises: a first port in communication with the outlet of the battery and the outlet of the HPC; a second port communicating with an outlet of the PE component and an outlet of the radiator; and A third port is fluidly connected to the fifth port of the control valve.

10. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 2, wherein: Also includes: A distribution valve is configured to control the flow of the coolant into at least one of the battery or the HPC.

11. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 10, wherein: The dispensing valve comprises: an inlet port in fluid communication with the first port of the control valve; a first outlet port in fluid communication with the inlet of the battery; and A second outlet port is in fluid communication with the inlet of the HPC.

12. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 2, wherein: Also includes: A first pump is in fluid communication with the first port of the control valve.

13. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 2, wherein: Also includes: A second pump is in fluid communication with the second port of the control valve.

14. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: A battery warmer is fluidly connected to the battery.

15. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: A fluid reservoir is fluidly connected to the radiator.

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