Heat exchanger with flow regulation of heat transfer medium

Abstract

The object of the invention is a heat exchanger with flow regulation of a heat transfer medium, comprising an inlet port (1) for a heat transfer medium, an outlet port (2) for a heat transfer medium, a heat conditioning member (3) comprising heat transfer surfaces (4), a first path (5) for flow and a second path (5) for flow of the heat transfer medium in heat transfer contact with different heat transfer surfaces (4) of the heat conditioning member, and an inlet manifold (6), the inlet manifold comprises an inlet integration channel (7) connected to the inlet port (1), where the first flow path (5) and the second flow path (5) are connected by their first ends to the inlet integration channel (7) and by their second ends to the outlet port (2). The inlet integration channel (7) comprises a first inlet channel (8) and a second inlet channel (9), where the first inlet channel (8) connects the inlet port (1) to a mouth (10) of a first path from the inlet integration channel (7) and the second inlet channel (9) connects the inlet port (1) to a mouth (10) of a second path from the inlet integration channel (7), wherein furthermore the inlet manifold (6) in the first inlet channel (8) comprises a first valve (11) for regulating the flow of the heat transfer medium through the first inlet channel (3).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat exchanger having a flow of a heat transfer medium that regulates different flow paths of the heat transfer medium entering the heat transfer medium, through which the heat transfer medium contacts a heat transfer surface of a heat regulating member. Background Art

[0002] Currently, the flow of the heat transfer medium driven by the heat exchanger around the heat regulating member is generally not regulated in any way, wherein all of its heat transfer surfaces are thermally regulated in a constant manner, and the heat exchanger thus cannot respond to temperature fluctuations at different positions of the heat regulating member.

[0003] A solution providing partial regulation of the flow of the heat transfer medium is disclosed in document US20080057382A. This solution provides cooling of battery cells through which the heat transfer medium flows, wherein the medium is directed by a valve downstream of the inlet port. The valve oscillates laterally, thereby directing the flow of the medium in different directions between different battery cells. This solution achieves more efficient cooling by means of an oscillating flap, but does not solve the problem of directing the flow in a targeted manner to a specific space of the heat regulating member.

[0004] The solution of document US7172831 B2 optimizes the uniformity of battery cell cooling by simultaneously switching a pair of valves between two positions corresponding to different flow directions, thereby reversing the flow direction of the heat transfer medium. Again, this solution optimizes the uniformity of cooling by the heat transfer medium, but such a system is not capable of targeting a particular portion of a group of battery cells that has a higher temperature and requires more efficient cooling at a given time.

[0005] For the above reasons, it is desirable to develop a heat exchanger solution that can actively respond to temperature fluctuations in different regions of a heat regulating member by directing the flow of the heat transfer medium, and that simultaneously does not require a change in the flow rate or temperature of the inlet heat transfer medium. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The above disadvantages are eliminated by a heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium, the heat exchanger comprising an inlet port for the heat transfer medium, an outlet port for the heat transfer medium, a heat regulation member comprising a heat transfer surface, a first path and a second path of the flow of the heat transfer medium in heat transfer contact with different heat transfer surfaces of the heat regulation member, and an inlet manifold comprising an inlet integrated channel connected to the inlet port, wherein the first path and the second path of the flow are connected to the inlet integrated channel by their first ends and to the outlet port by their second ends. The inlet integrated channel comprises a first inlet channel and a second inlet channel, wherein the first inlet channel connects the inlet port from the inlet integrated channel to the mouth of the first path, and the second inlet channel connects the inlet port from the inlet integrated channel to the mouth of the second path, wherein furthermore, the inlet manifold in the first inlet channel comprises a first valve for regulating the flow of the heat transfer medium through the first inlet channel.

[0007] The advantages of the heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium according to the invention are the possibility of actively and simply regulating the flow of the heat transfer medium flowing from the inlet manifold to different regions of the heat regulation member, wherein the heat transfer medium is in contact with different heat transfer surfaces of the heat regulation member. Such a heat exchanger allows the medium flow to be directed to the locations where a higher cooling rate is required at a given time, while reducing the flow at locations where such a cooling rate is not required. This results in a more stable temperature uniformity in all regions of the heat regulation member by compensating for different temperature fluctuations in different regions of the heat regulation member. Furthermore, such temperature fluctuations can be predicted by calculation, and the cooling intensity can be increased before a faster temperature rise in a given region of the heat regulation member. By the continuous variation over time of the flow of the heat transfer medium through various paths, some embodiments of the heat exchanger can result in greater agitation of the heat transfer medium throughout the volume within the heat exchanger, thus resulting in a more uniform heat transfer medium temperature and, therefore, more uniform cooling overall. This makes it easier for the heat transfer medium to reach the edges and various folds in the space around the heat regulation member.

[0008] The solution of the heat exchanger according to the invention also allows various alternative arrangements of the heat regulation member, where different regions thereof require cooling at different intensities. For example, if the heat regulation member is a battery cell assembly, the assembly can comprise two types of battery cells, where one type requires more cooling. Then, the valve can basically be configured to provide a higher flow rate to the regions of the battery cells that require more cooling, wherein it provides a higher flow rate to the regions of the battery cells that require less cooling only when needed or only at short intervals.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the inlet manifold further includes a second valve in the second inlet passage for regulating the flow of the heat transfer medium through the second inlet passage. Embodiments with multiple valves allow the advantages of the present invention to be exploited even in more complex solutions for controlling the flow of the heat transfer medium around the heat regulating component, as well as in more complex solutions for heat exchangers with a greater number of flow paths and / or where more precise regulation of the flow is required, or more precise control of the flow in the paths of the heat transfer medium downstream of the respective valves.

[0010] Preferably, the heat exchanger of the present invention further includes an outlet manifold, which includes an outlet integrated passage connected to the outlet port, wherein the first path and the second path of the flow are connected to the outlet port via the outlet integrated passage of the outlet manifold and leave into the outlet integrated passage at different positions. Preferably, the outlet manifold includes a third valve in the outlet integrated passage for regulating the flow of the heat transfer medium. Preferably, the outlet integrated passage includes a first outlet passage and a second outlet passage, wherein the first outlet passage connects the outlet port to the mouth of the first path to the outlet integrated passage, and the second outlet passage connects the outlet port to the mouth of the second path to the outlet integrated passage, wherein the third valve is located in the first outlet passage, and the outlet manifold further includes a fourth valve located in the second outlet passage for regulating the flow of the heat transfer medium. Flow regulation at the outlet of the heat exchanger also provides additional possibilities for further controlling the flow of the heat transfer medium. Thus, for example, it may be possible to ensure multiple variations in the flow around the heat regulating component due to the cooperation of the valves at the inlet and the outlet, or by operating only the first valve at the inlet and the specific mouth of the path leading to the outlet integrated passage.

[0011] Preferably, the component whose temperature is regulated is a set of at least three battery cells, which are arranged spaced apart from each other so as to form a space for the flow of the heat transfer medium therebetween, wherein the path of the flow of the heat transfer medium passes through this space, and the heat transfer surface is the wall of the battery cell. In these embodiments, the flow path of the heat transfer medium can be directly formed by the heat transfer surface of the battery cell. Therefore, the flow path of the heat transfer medium does not have to be defined by the pipe through which it will flow, thus saving materials. Therefore, in these embodiments, the flow path is not clearly defined, and the specific path of the flow of the medium is determined by which mouth of the path from the inlet integrated passage the medium flows through, and in what quantity and rate, or how the outflow of the medium is controlled.

[0012] Preferably, at least one valve includes an electronic drive, and it further includes a control unit communicatively connected to the electronic drive of the valve and at least two temperature determination sensors communicatively connected to the control unit, wherein the temperature determination sensors are located at at least two different positions of the heat regulation component. In these embodiments, the flow can be actively controlled based on information about the temperatures in different regions of the heat regulation component obtained simultaneously.

[0013] Preferably, the temperature regulation component is a set of at least three battery cells, wherein each battery cell includes a temperature determination sensor that is connected to the contacts of the battery cell for connection to a circuit. This is a preferred solution for obtaining information about the temperature of an individual battery cell. The temperature sensor does not need to be directly located on the path of the flow of the heat transfer medium, but the temperature can be calculated based on the physical quantity measured at the contacts of the battery cell for connection to the electronic circuit.

[0014] Preferably, at least the valve includes a controllable shape element for guiding the flow of the heat transfer medium in a specific direction. In addition to the flow rate, the valve can also regulate the flow direction of the medium.

[0015] An operating method of a heat exchanger for regulating the flow of a heat transfer medium will be described below. The method includes the step of detecting the temperature of the heat regulation component at at least two different positions using temperature determination sensors, and then the step of controlling the flow of the heat transfer medium in a first path and a second path of the flow of the heat transfer medium that heat-transfer contacts different heat transfer surfaces of the heat regulation component based on the step of detecting the temperature. In the step of controlling the flow, a first valve controls the flow of the heat transfer medium from the inlet integrated channel through a first inlet channel of a nozzle connecting the inlet port and the first path.

[0016] Preferably, further in the step of controlling the flow, the outflow of the heat transfer medium from the first path and the second path to the outlet manifold is controlled by a third valve, wherein the third valve controls the flow of the heat transfer medium from the nozzle of the first path through a first outlet channel to the outlet port.

[0017] Preferably, the heat regulation component is a set of at least three battery cells, wherein in the step of detecting the temperature, the temperature is determined by the contacts of the battery cell for connection to the circuit.

[0018] Preferably, in the step of controlling the flow, the flow of the heat transfer medium is controlled by the opening rate of the first valve and the rotation of a controllable shape element for guiding the flow of the heat transfer medium of the first valve.

[0019] Here, some features of the solution will be elucidated, by which the solution is defined.

[0020] The heat transfer medium may be a liquid, such as water or a liquid based on ethylene glycol, ethanol or potassium formate, or a gas, such as air.

[0021] The heat regulation component refers to the object of temperature regulation, that is, for example, a battery cell assembly, a storage battery or other waste heat generating device. Thus, the heat transfer surface of the heat regulation component refers to any surface on the heat regulation component that can exchange heat with the external environment. Preferably, the heat transfer surface is a part of the heat regulation component made of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as metal. Ideally, when such a component is designed to remove as much heat as possible from the heat regulation component, the heat is then transferred away from the assembly via the heat transfer surface through the heat transfer medium. The heat transfer surface does not have to be in direct contact with the heat transfer medium, but can be in heat transfer contact with the heat transfer medium via a heat exchanger mediated by additional components. By stating that the first flow path of the heat transfer medium and the second flow path of the heat transfer medium are in heat transfer contact with different heat transfer surfaces of the heat regulation component, this means that the flow path of the heat transfer medium or the heat transfer medium is in heat transfer contact with the heat regulation component at different positions, either directly through the heat transfer surface or additionally through a heat exchanger mediated by additional components. The heat transfer contact between the path of the heat transfer medium and the heat transfer surface refers to a contact that can conduct heat exchange, such as the direct contact between the medium and the heat transfer surface or through a heat exchanger mediated by additional components, such as the pipe wall that defines the path of the heat transfer medium.

[0022] The flow path of the heat transfer medium refers to the space in which the trajectory of the heat transfer medium is guided in the part of the heat exchanger that provides heat transfer between the heat regulation component and the heat transfer medium, that is, it can be understood as the path of the heat transfer medium between the inlet integrated channel and the outlet port or the outlet integrated channel. The flow path of the heat transfer medium can be clearly defined by a pipe, or directly defined by the structure of the space itself for the flow of the heat transfer medium in the part of the heat exchanger that provides heat transfer between the heat regulation component and the heat transfer medium. Therefore, the respective paths of the flow of the heat transfer medium can be directly defined by the heat transfer surface and the external structure of the heat exchanger. The respective paths of the flow can be mixed and share a part of the trajectory. In embodiments where the respective paths in which it flows are not defined by a pipe and are therefore not clearly defined, the specific path of the flow of the medium is determined by which mouth of the path of the medium from the inlet integrated channel the medium flows through and in what quantity and rate, and in some embodiments is also determined by how the outflow of the medium is controlled.

[0023] The first inlet channel means the part of the inlet integrated channel that connects the inlet port and the mouth of the first path, which allows the medium to flow from the inlet port to the first path of the flow. The second inlet channel means the part of the inlet integrated channel that connects the inlet port and the mouth of the second path, which allows the medium to flow from the inlet port to the second path of the flow.

[0024] A manifold is a component that divides the flow of a heat transfer medium from a port into at least two different paths of the heat transfer medium flow, and thus it can be understood as a distributor of the flow.

[0025] When describing the interconnection of flow channels, ports, and paths, it means a connection that allows the flow of the heat transfer medium between these elements to define the flow of the heat transfer medium.

[0026] The electronic driver of a valve means an electronic control engine that controls the opening or closing rate of the valve. The electronic driver of the valve can also provide the rotational angle of the controllable shaped element of the valve.

[0027] A temperature determination sensor is an element that can measure any physical parameter, based on which the temperature of a heat regulation component at a given position can be calculated or at least approximately determined. The temperature determination sensor can be, for example, a resistance thermometer, a thermocouple, a liquid crystal thermal sensor, or a sensor for the volume expansion of a liquid or the longitudinal expansion of a solid (metal) at different temperatures.

[0028] A controllable shaped element is a shaped part of a valve that serves as a fin for guiding the flow. It can be a separate controllable element of the valve, or it can be, for example, a direct part of the valve, where it is a part of the component that directly provides the flow-through of the medium through the valve and closes it. Description of the Drawings

[0029] The general overview of the present invention is further clarified by exemplary embodiments of the present invention described with the use of the drawings, in which:

[0030] Figure 1 A heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown,

[0031] Figure 2 Details of the inlet manifold of the heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention are shown;

[0032] Figure 3 A heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown,

[0033] Figure 4 A heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium of a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown,

[0034] Figure 5 A heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium of a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown,

[0035] Figure 6 A heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium of a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown,

[0036] Figure 7 A heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium, showing a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 8 A connection diagram of a temperature determination sensor, a control unit, and an electronic driver of a valve in an embodiment of a heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium, showing a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Detailed description

[0038] The heat exchanger of the present invention with regulation of the flow of a heat transfer medium will be further clarified by means of exemplary embodiments of the corresponding drawings.

[0039] The heat exchanger of the present invention includes an inlet manifold 6 to which an inlet port 1 is connected, and the heat transfer medium flows into the system through this inlet port. The inlet manifold 6 divides the flow into a set of at least two paths 5 for the heat transfer medium flow, and it includes an inlet integrated channel 7 which includes a plurality of nozzles 10 or openings through which the heat transfer medium flows from the inlet manifold 6 into the flow paths 5. Then, the flow paths 5 pass around the heat regulation component 3, specifically around its heat transfer surface 4, whereby the heat transfer medium makes heat transfer contact with the said heat transfer surface. The inlet integrated channel 7 distributes the heat transfer medium to the nozzles 10 of the flow paths, and it includes a first inlet channel 8 connecting the inlet port 1 from the inlet integrated channel 7 to the nozzle 10 of the first path and a second inlet channel 9 connecting the inlet port 1 from the inlet integrated channel 7 to the nozzle 10 of the second path, where the first inlet channel 8 and the second inlet channel 9 are arranged in parallel. Thus, the first inlet channel 8 and the second inlet channel 9 do not overlap or cross, but do not need to be separately connected to the inlet port 1. The inlet integrated channel 7 may include a pre-chamber downstream of the inlet port 1 to which the first inlet channel 8 and the second inlet channel 9 are connected. Then, in the first inlet channel 8, the inlet manifold 6 includes at least one valve 11 which controls the flow to the nozzle 10 of the first path or other nozzles 10 of the path located downstream of the valve 11.

[0040] In Figure 1 and Figure 2A first exemplary embodiment of the basic components of the present invention and their arrangement is shown. The heat exchanger of the first exemplary embodiment includes a first valve 11 in a first inlet passage 8 and a second valve 11 in a second outlet passage 9. The inlet integrated passage 7 includes 15 mouths 10 of the flow paths of the heat transfer medium to the heat exchanger section, thereby providing heat transfer between the heat regulating member 3 and the heat transfer medium. The first inlet passage 8 includes 8 mouths 10 of the paths from the inlet integrated passage 7, and the second inlet passage 9 also includes 8 mouths 10 of the paths from the inlet integrated passage 7. One mouth 10 of the paths from the inlet integrated passage 7 is directly opposite the inlet port 1, wherein the space between the inlet port 1 and the valve 11 can be regarded as an inlet pre-combustion chamber, and the first inlet passage 8 and the second inlet passage 9 are connected to the inlet pre-combustion chamber. The inlet chamber means the space formed at the junction in the inlet integrated passage 7 downstream of the inlet port 1, where the flow is divided into separate passages (e.g., the first inlet passage 8 and the second inlet passage 9). Considering the flow direction of the heat transfer medium, exactly 4 mouths 10 of the paths are downstream of the first valve 11 in the first inlet passage 8, and 4 mouths 10 of the paths are downstream of the second valve 11 in the second inlet passage 9. Figure 2 Details of the inlet manifold 6 are shown.

[0041] In the first exemplary embodiment, the heat exchanger includes pipes, specifically 15 pipes, each pipe individually connecting 1 mouth 10 of the paths from the inlet integrated passage 7 to a separate mouth 16 of the paths of the outlet integrated passage 13. Thus, each path 5 of the flow of the heat transfer medium is defined by a given pipe, through which the heat transfer medium is guided by a part of the heat exchanger that provides heat transfer between the heat regulating member 3 and the heat transfer medium. In the first exemplary embodiment of the heat exchanger of the present invention, the heat regulating member 3 is a set of battery cells spaced apart from each other at a uniform distance so as to form a pipe for the heat transfer medium therebetween, which is closely adjacent to the wall of the battery cell, which is the heat transfer surface 4 in this embodiment. Thus, the paths 5 of the flow of the heat transfer medium are guided between the battery cells, and by exchanging heat with the heat transfer surface 4 of the battery cells through the walls of the pipes, they provide waste heat discharge through the heat transfer medium.

[0042] The heat exchanger of the first exemplary embodiment includes an outlet manifold 12, which includes an outlet integrated channel 13 connected to an outlet port 2. The outlet integrated channel 13 includes 15 nozzles 16 leading to the path of the outlet integrated channel 13. The first outlet channel 14 includes 8 nozzles 16 leading to the path of the outlet integrated channel 13, and the second outlet channel 15 also includes 8 nozzles 16 leading to the path of the outlet integrated channel 13. One nozzle 16 leading to the path of the outlet integrated channel 13 is located directly opposite the outlet port 2, and it is located in the outlet chamber where the first outlet channel 14 and the second outlet channel 15 are connected. The outlet chamber means the space of the outlet integrated channel 13, which forms a junction upstream of the outlet port, where the flows converge and flow out through the outlet port 2. Considering the flow of the heat transfer medium, exactly 4 nozzles 16 of the path are upstream of the third valve 11 in the first outlet channel 14, and 4 nozzles 16 of the path are upstream of the fourth valve 11 in the second outlet channel 15. Therefore, it can be considered that in the first exemplary embodiment, the embodiments of the inlet manifold 6 and the outlet manifold 12 are the same.

[0043] In the first exemplary embodiment, all 4 valves 11 are provided with electric drive means 17 of the valves, which are connected to a control unit 18. Temperature determination sensors 19 are located at the contacts of the respective battery cells, where they detect the physical values from the contacts of the battery cells and then determine the temperature of the battery cells, i.e., the area of the heat regulation component 3, based on the physical values. All the temperature determination sensors 19 are preferably connected to the control unit 8.

[0044] The valve 11 further includes a controllable shape element 20 for guiding the flow of the heat transfer medium in a specific direction. The controllable shape element is spherical, and it has the shape of a flat disc and corresponds to the spherical cross-section of the specific channel in which the valve 11 is located in cross-section. The controllable shape element 20 is rotatably mounted about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the channel, and the opening rate of the valve 11 or the channel is adjusted by its rotation. When its surface is completely perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the channel, it completely closes the channel. If the surface of the controllable shape element 20 is oriented parallel to the flow direction of the medium or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the channel, the flow through the valve is fully open. By rotating the controllable shape element 20 partially to the left or right relative to the fully open position, the flow direction of the heat transfer medium downstream of the valve 11 can be adjusted because the flow of the medium will preferably be parallel to the direction of the controllable shape element 20 of the valve 11.

[0045] The function of the heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of the heat transfer medium according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be explained here. The control unit 18 continuously collects data on the temperature of each battery cell from the temperature determination sensor 19. The valves 11 are all in the fully open state in the basic state. Generally, the control unit 18 controls the valves 11 to provide a greater cooling intensity through the heat transfer medium in the area where the temperature rise of the battery cell is detected to exceed the specified tolerance limit. Once the temperature in this area decreases and stabilizes at the target value, the valve 11 returns to its default state. Preferably, the default state is the arrangement of the valve 11 that results in the most uniform cooling intensity in all areas of the heat regulation component 3.

[0046] Thus, for example, if a temperature increase is detected in the area of the middle battery cell, the two valves 11 in the inlet manifold 6 are at least partially closed, thereby increasing the flow through the orifice 10 of the path in the middle part of the inlet integrated channel 7, that is, the flows that are not controlled by the valves 11 from the inlet port 1. In the case of the outlet manifold 12, the valves 11 can cooperate and also close the outflow from the side path 5 of the flow, thereby assisting the outflow from the middle path 5 of the flow, where no unnecessary stress that may cause a malfunction is generated in the system. Thus, by closing the valve 11 in the first inlet channel 8, for example, the flow through the orifice 10 of the path in the middle part of the second inlet channel 9 and the inlet manifold 6 is increased.

[0047] Figure 3Figure 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a heat exchanger of the present invention with regulation of a flow of a heat transfer medium. In this embodiment, the heat regulation member 3 is a set of battery cells, which are spaced apart from each other at a uniform distance so as to form a space for the flow of the heat transfer medium therebetween. Here, the heat transfer medium is in direct contact with the heat transfer surface 4, where the flow path 5 is not explicitly defined by a pipe. The flow path 5 of the heat transfer medium is defined by the battery cells and the inner wall of the heat exchanger, including the walls of the manifolds 6, 12. In this embodiment, the specific path 5 of the flow of the heat transfer medium is determined by the current states of the valves 11 of the inlet manifold 6 and the valves 11 of the outlet manifold 12, wherein a change in the opening rate of each valve 11 will result in an overall change in the flow in the space between the battery cells, and wherein the specific path 5 of the flow may be preferred, and for example, in a specific area of the heat regulation member 3 between the battery cells, the medium may not flow at all. The number of different paths 5 through which the heat transfer medium can flow from the inlet manifold 6 to the outlet manifold 12 is very large. The flow paths 5 can cross and overlap in various ways, wherein the medium flowing out of one mouth 10 of the path from the inlet integrated channel 7 can terminate at different mouths 16 of the path based on the opening rate of the corresponding valve 11 controlling the flow to this mouth 10 of the path and the overall flow of the medium through the part of the heat exchanger for heat exchange between the heat transfer medium and the heat regulation member 3, so as to reach the outlet integrated channel 13. As seen from above in Figure 3 it can be seen that the battery cells are arranged in a virtual square, where the inlet manifold 6 is positioned along two adjacent sides, and the outlet manifold 12 is positioned along the other two sides.

[0048] In the second exemplary embodiment, the inlet manifold 6 includes 10 mouths 10 of paths leading from the inlet integrated channel 7 to the space between the battery cells arranged in an L-shape. Similar to this inlet manifold 6, the outlet manifold 12 is also implemented. In terms of the flow of the heat transfer medium, all the valves 11 are exactly upstream of the mouths 10 of the path from the inlet integrated channel 7 to the outlet integrated channel 13 and downstream of the mouths 16 of the path. Thus, each valve 11 independently controls the flow of the medium through a given opening (mouth) in the inlet manifold 6 or the outlet manifold 12. The second exemplary embodiment includes the control using the same temperature determination sensor 19, control unit 18, and electronic driver 17 of the valves as in the first exemplary embodiment.

[0049] Here, the function of the heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of the heat transfer medium according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Essentially, the function is similar to that of the first exemplary embodiment, but due to the larger number of valves 11 and the paths 5 of the flow of the heat transfer medium, the operation method is more complex. Some basic principles of the operation will be given below, and then they can be combined in various ways into a more complex operation algorithm for the heat exchanger of the present invention. In the default state, all the valves 11 are open, thus cooling all the battery cells evenly. If an increase in temperature is detected in the region of the heat regulation member 3, then all the valves 5 are at least partially closed except for those that provide flow through exactly that region of the heat regulation member 3 with the increased temperature. For example, only the valves 11 in one mouth 10 of the path from the inlet integrated channel 7 to the outlet integrated channel 13 and the valves 11 in one mouth 16 of the path remain open, and there is exactly that region between them. The flow of the medium will be maximized precisely between these mouths 11 of the path, thus providing a greater cooling intensity in the critical region. For example, in the case of a larger region with an increase in temperature, the valves 11 in two adjacent mouths 10 of the path from the inlet integrated channel 7 to the outlet integrated channel 13 and the valves 11 in two adjacent mouths 16 of the path will be open, and there is exactly that region between the two adjacent mouths. Thus, by opening various valves 11 of the inlet manifold and the valves 11 of the outlet manifold, a preferred path 5 of the flow of the heat transfer medium can be formed at the current time, such that the region with the increased temperature is cooled with a greater intensity.

[0050] Figure 4 The third exemplary embodiment of the heat exchanger with regulation of the flow of the heat transfer medium according to the present invention is shown. This embodiment is similar to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, except that it includes two separate inlet manifolds 6 and two separate outlet manifolds 12. Each manifold 6, 12 includes two valves 11 and an integrated channel 7, 13 including two partition chambers. For the inlet manifold 6, the first inlet channel 8 leads to the mouth of the first partition chamber, the first valve 11 is located at the mouth of the first partition chamber, the first valve 11 controls the inflow of the heat transfer medium into the first partition chamber, and the second inlet channel 9 leads to the mouth of the second partition chamber, the second valve 11 is located at the mouth of the second partition chamber, and the second valve 11 controls the inflow of the heat transfer medium into the second partition chamber. The partition chambers of the inlet manifold 6 include a plurality of mouths 10 of the path from the inlet integrated channel 7, for example, 4 to 5 mouths 10. Thus, the valves 11 control the flow to the partition chambers, in which the flow is evenly divided between the mouths 10. The outlet manifold 12 is implemented in the same way. The heat transfer medium flows from the space between the battery cells through the mouths 16 of the path into the partition chamber, and the outflow from there to the outlet port 2 is controlled by the valves 11 located at the mouths of the outlet partition chamber. The third exemplary embodiment includes the control of the temperature determination sensor 19, the control unit 18, and the electronic driver 17 using the same valves as in the first exemplary embodiment.

[0051] The function of the third embodiment of the present invention is very similar to that of the second embodiment. Due to the smaller number of valves 11, this embodiment only has a relatively low resolution. The preferred flow of the heat transfer medium can only be generated in a relatively small number here, and it is not possible to precisely target a specific area of the heat regulation component 3.

[0052] In Figure 5 FIG., an embodiment of the present invention of a fourth exemplary embodiment is shown, which has only one valve 11 in the inlet manifold 6. The inlet integrated channel 7 includes 6 nozzles 10 of the path, three nozzles of the path come from the first inlet channel 8 and three nozzles come from the second inlet channel 9, and the valve 11 is located upstream of the three nozzles 10 of the first inlet channel 8. In this embodiment, the heat regulation component 8 is a set of battery cells, and the part of the heat exchanger that provides heat transfer between the heat regulation component 3 and the heat transfer medium is implemented similarly to the second and third exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The path 5 of the heat transfer medium flow leads directly from the nozzles 10 of the path of the inlet manifold 6 to the outlet port 2. The fourth exemplary embodiment includes the control of the temperature determination sensor 19, the control unit 18, and the electronic driver 17 using the same valves as in the first exemplary embodiment.

[0053] Here, the function of the heat exchanger with the regulation of the flow of the heat transfer medium in the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be explained. In the default state, the valve 11 is open, and the flow of the heat transfer medium from all the nozzles 10 of the inlet integrated channel 7 is the same. When the first inlet channel 8 is at least partially closed by the valve 11, the flow through the second inlet channel 9 and its nozzles 10 increases. In another embodiment, the heat exchanger can be designed in the manner of this embodiment such that in the default state when the valve 11 is open, the flow through the first inlet channel 8 is higher than the flow through the second inlet channel 9. After the valve 11 is closed, a higher flow through the second inlet channel 9 than through the first inlet channel 8 occurs.

[0054] In Figure 6The fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the inlet manifold 6 includes only one valve 11. The inlet integrated channel 7 includes six mouths 10 of the path, where three mouths 10 are from the first inlet channel 8 and three mouths 10 are from the second inlet channel 9, and the valve 11 is located upstream of the three mouths 10 of the first inlet channel 8. The heat transfer surface 4 of the heat regulation component in this embodiment is arranged to directly define the flow path 5 of the heat transfer medium, and the path is straight and directly connects the mouths 10 of the path from the inlet integrated channel 7 to the outlet integrated channel 13 and the mouths 16 of the path. In this embodiment, the heat transfer medium is in direct contact with the heat transfer surface 4. The fifth exemplary embodiment includes a valve 11 with an electronic driver 17 of the valve controlled by a control unit 18. In this embodiment, the control unit 18 does not operate based on the current temperature information, but has a preset cycle of control of the valve 11 to ensure the most uniform cooling of the heat regulation component 3. In one stage of the cycle, the first inlet channel 8 is closed, so as to maximize the flow through the path 5 leaving from the second inlet channel 9. In the next stage of the cycle, the first inlet channel 8 is opened to allow the heat transfer medium to even enter the path 5 leaving in the first inlet channel 8, and at the same time reduce the flow through the path 5 leaving from the second inlet channel 9.

[0055] In Figure 7 it, the sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Wherein the inlet manifold 6 includes two mouths 10 of the path and two valves 11 in the inlet integrated channel 7, and each valve is directly located in one of the mouths 10 of the path, and they regulate the flow through the mouths 10 of the path. The outlet manifold 12 is similarly implemented. The temperature determination sensor 19 is directly positioned in the space between the battery cells, where the flow path 5 of the heat transfer medium is guided. In Figure 8 it shows a diagram of the implementation manner of the connection of the temperature determination sensor 19, the electronic driver 17 of the valve, and the control unit 18 of the sixth embodiment. According to Figure 8 the illustration, the simulated connected control system has heat exchangers of the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth embodiments of the present invention, and they only differ in the number of the temperature determination sensor 19 and the electronic driver 17 of the valve. The function of the sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention is similar to the function of the second exemplary embodiment.

[0056] Industrial Applicability

[0057] The present invention can also be used in other industrial fields other than heat exchangers and temperature regulation problems, where it is necessary to actively control the flow of the medium through various paths using valves.

[0058] List of Reference Signs

[0059] 1 - Inlet port

[0060] 2 - Outlet port

[0061] 3 - Thermal regulation component

[0062] 4 - Heat transfer surface

[0063] 5 - Flow path of heat transfer medium

[0064] 6 - Inlet manifold

[0065] 7 - Inlet integrated channel

[0066] 8 - First inlet channel

[0067] 9 - Second inlet channel

[0068] 10 - Mouth of the path from the inlet integrated channel

[0069] 11 - Valve

[0070] 12 - Outlet manifold

[0071] 13 - Outlet integrated channel

[0072] 14 - First outlet channel

[0073] 15 - Second outlet channel

[0074] 16 - Mouth of the path of the outlet integrated channel

[0075] 17 - Electronic driver of the valve

[0076] 18 - Control unit

[0077] 19 - Temperature determination sensor

[0078] 20 - Controllable shape element for guiding the flow of the heat transfer medium in a specific direction

Claims

1. A heat exchanger with flow regulation of a heat transfer medium, comprising an inlet port (1) for the heat transfer medium, an outlet port (2) for the heat transfer medium, a heat regulation component (3) including a heat transfer surface (4), a first path (5) and a second path (5) of the flow of the heat transfer medium in heat transfer contact with different heat transfer surfaces (4) of the heat regulation component, and an inlet manifold (6) including an inlet integrated channel (7) connected to the inlet port (1), wherein the first path (5) and the second path (5) of the flow are connected to the inlet integrated channel (7) through their first ends and are connected to the outlet port (2) through their second ends. Characterized in that, The inlet integrated channel (7) includes a first inlet channel (8) and a second inlet channel (9), wherein the first inlet channel (8) connects the inlet port (1) to the mouth (10) of the first path from the inlet integrated channel (7), and the second inlet channel (9) connects the inlet port (1) to the mouth (10) of the second path from the inlet integrated channel (7), and further, the inlet manifold (6) in the first inlet channel (8) includes a first valve (11) for regulating the flow of the heat transfer medium through the first inlet channel (3).

2. The heat exchanger with flow regulation of a heat transfer medium according to claim 1, Characterized in that, The inlet manifold (6) further includes a second valve (11) in the second inlet channel (9) for regulating the flow of the heat transfer medium through the second inlet channel (9).

3. The heat exchanger with flow regulation of a heat transfer medium according to claim 1 or 2, Characterized in that, The heat exchanger further includes an outlet manifold (12), and the outlet manifold (12) includes an outlet integrated channel (13) connected to the outlet port (2), wherein the first and second paths (5) of the flow are connected to the outlet port (2) via the outlet integrated channel (13) of the outlet manifold and mouths (16) entering the outlet integrated channel (13) at different positions.

4. The heat exchanger with flow regulation of a heat transfer medium according to claim 3, Characterized in that, The outlet manifold (12) includes a third valve (11) in the outlet integrated channel (13) for regulating the flow of the heat transfer medium.

5. The heat exchanger with flow regulation of a heat transfer medium according to claim 4, Characterized in that, The outlet integrated channel (13) comprises the first outlet channel (13) and the second outlet channel (15) and a fourth valve (11) for regulating the flow of the heat transfer medium, wherein the first outlet channel (14) connects the outlet port (2) to the mouth (16) of the first path to the outlet integrated channel (13), and the second outlet channel (15) connects the outlet port (2) to the mouth (16) of the second path to the outlet integrated channel (13), wherein the outlet manifold (12) comprises a third valve (11) in the first outlet channel (14) and a fourth valve (11) in the second outlet channel (15).

6. Heat exchanger with flow regulation of the heat transfer medium according to claims 1 to 5, It is characterized in that The temperature regulating component (3) is a group of at least three battery cells, which are arranged at a distance from each other so as to form a space for the flow of a heat transfer medium between them, wherein a flow path (5) for the flow of the heat transfer medium passes through the space, and the heat transfer surface (4) is a wall of the battery cell.

7. Heat exchanger with flow regulation of the heat transfer medium according to claims 1 to 6, It is characterized in that At least one valve (11) comprises an electronic driver (17), and it also comprises a control unit (18) communicatively connected to the electronic driver (17) of the valve and at least two temperature determination sensors (19) communicatively connected to the control unit (18), wherein the temperature determination sensors (19) are located at at least two different positions of the thermal regulation component (3).

8. Heat exchanger with flow regulation of heat transfer medium according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The temperature regulation component (3) is a group of at least three battery cells, wherein each battery cell comprises a temperature determination sensor (19) connected to a contact of the battery cell for connection to an electrical circuit.

9. Heat exchanger with flow regulation of the heat transfer medium according to claims 1 to 8, It is characterized in that At least one valve (11) comprises a controllable shape element (20) for directing the flow of the heat transfer medium in a specific direction.

10. A method for operating a heat exchanger with flow regulation of a heat transfer medium according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 9, comprising the steps of detecting the temperature of a heat regulating component (3) at at least two different locations using a temperature determination sensor (19), and subsequently controlling the flow of the heat transfer medium through a first path (5) of flow of the heat transfer medium in heat transfer contact with different heat transfer surfaces (4) of the heat regulating component (3) and a second path (5) of flow based on the step of detecting the temperature, It is characterized in that In the step of controlling flow, the first valve (11) controls the flow of the heat transfer medium through a first inlet channel (8) connecting the inlet port (1) and a mouth (10) of a first path from the inlet integration channel (7).

11. Method for operating a heat exchanger with flow regulation of a heat transfer medium according to claim 10, It is characterized in that Further in the flow control step, the heat transfer medium flows out from the first and second flow paths (5) to the outlet manifold (12) controlled by the third valve (11), wherein the third valve (11) controls the heat transfer medium to flow out from the mouth (16) of the first path to the outlet integrated channel, through the first outlet channel (14) to the outlet port (2).

12. Method for operating a heat exchanger with flow regulation of a heat transfer medium according to any one of the preceding claims 10 or 11, It is characterized in that The heat regulating component (3) is a group of at least three battery cells, wherein in the step of detecting the temperature, the temperature is determined from contacts of the battery cells for connection to an electrical circuit.

13. Method for operating a heat exchanger with flow regulation of a heat transfer medium according to any one of the preceding claims 10 to 12, It is characterized in that In the step of controlling the flow, the flow of the heat transfer medium is controlled by the opening rate of the first valve (11) and the rotation of a controllable shape element (20) for directing the flow of the heat transfer medium in a specific direction.

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