Thermal management system, vehicle, and method for controlling thermal management system

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of electric automobiles, and discloses a thermal management system, a vehicle and a control method of the thermal management system.The thermal management system comprises a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a first expansion valve, a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, a second expansion valve, a fourth heat exchanger, a battery, a first water pump, a second water pump and a four-way valve; an outlet of the third heat exchanger is connected with a water inlet of the first water pump, a water outlet of the first water pump is connected with a water inlet of the second water pump, the fourth heat exchanger and the battery, each connector of the four-way valve can be selectively opened or closed, and a first connector of the four-way valve is connected with the third heat exchanger. A second connector of the four-way valve is connected with the first heat exchanger, a third connector of the four-way valve is connected with the fourth heat exchanger, and a fourth connector of the four-way valve is connected with the battery. According to the thermal management system, the vehicle and the control method of the thermal management system, the manufacturing cost of the whole vehicle can be reduced, and the complexity of the whole thermal management system is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electric vehicles, and in particular to a thermal management system, a vehicle, and a control method of the thermal management system. Background Art

[0002] As an important component of new energy vehicles, electric vehicles have experienced rapid development in recent years. The thermal management system of electric vehicles is primarily used to monitor and regulate the temperature of batteries, motors, passenger compartments, and other key components in real time to prevent them from overheating or overcooling.

[0003] Current electric vehicles can manage both the passenger compartment and the power battery's temperature in both hot and cold weather. However, heat pump air conditioning systems struggle to effectively transfer heat from the outside environment in extremely low temperatures. Related technologies incorporate positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heaters in series or parallel with the coolant circuit to provide heat to the air conditioning system, thereby improving its heating performance. However, this approach carries the risk of high vehicle manufacturing costs and complex system architecture. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a thermal management system, a vehicle and a control method for the thermal management system, which can reduce the manufacturing cost of the entire vehicle and reduce the complexity of the entire thermal management system.

[0005] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] Thermal management system, including refrigerant integrated module and water side integrated module;

[0007] The refrigerant integrated module includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a third heat exchanger that sequentially form a loop, a first expansion valve is provided between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and a second expansion valve is provided between the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger;

[0008] The water side integrated module includes a fourth heat exchanger, a battery, a first water pump, a second water pump and a four-way valve. The fourth heat exchanger and the battery are connected in parallel. The fourth heat exchanger is arranged in the passenger compartment. The outlet of the third heat exchanger is connected to the water inlet of the first water pump, the water outlet of the first water pump is connected to the water inlet of the second water pump, the fourth heat exchanger and the battery, and the water outlet of the second water pump is connected to the first heat exchanger; each interface of the four-way valve can be selectively opened or closed, the first interface of the four-way valve is connected to the third heat exchanger, the second interface of the four-way valve is connected to the first heat exchanger, the third interface of the four-way valve is connected to the fourth heat exchanger, and the fourth interface of the four-way valve is connected to the battery.

[0009] Optionally, the thermal management system further includes a gas-liquid separator, which is arranged in the loop between the compressor and the third heat exchanger.

[0010] Optionally, the thermal management system further includes:

[0011] a first fan, the first fan being used to blow air toward the second heat exchanger;

[0012] and / or, a second fan, the second fan is used to blow air toward the fourth heat exchanger.

[0013] Optionally, the thermal management system further includes a first expansion water tank connected to the first water pump.

[0014] Optionally, the thermal management system further includes a second expansion water tank connected to the second water pump.

[0015] Optionally, the thermal management system further includes a first temperature detection unit, which is used to detect the temperature of the coolant flowing through the fourth heat exchanger.

[0016] Optionally, the thermal management system further includes a second temperature detection unit, which is used to detect the temperature of the coolant flowing through the battery.

[0017] Vehicles, including thermal management systems.

[0018] The control method of the thermal management system is applied to the above-mentioned thermal management system. The thermal management system includes multiple operating modes. The control method includes:

[0019] According to at least one of the temperature regulation requirements of the passenger compartment and the temperature regulation requirements of the battery, the opening and closing of the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve, the opening and closing of the first water pump and the second water pump, and the opening and closing of each interface of the four-way valve are controlled to switch the thermal management system in different operating modes.

[0020] Optionally, different operating modes of the thermal management system include:

[0021] Controlling the first expansion valve to be in a fully open state and the second expansion valve to be in a throttling state, controlling the first water pump to be on and the second water pump to be off, and controlling the first, third, and fourth interfaces of the four-way valve to be on and the second interface to be off, thereby switching the thermal management system to the first operating mode;

[0022] and / or, controlling the first expansion valve to be in a fully open state, the second expansion valve to be in a throttling state, controlling the first water pump to be on, the second water pump to be off, and controlling the first and fourth interfaces of the four-way valve to be on, and the second and third interfaces to be off, thereby switching the thermal management system to a second operating mode;

[0023] and / or, controlling the first expansion valve to be in a fully open state, the second expansion valve to be in a throttling state, controlling the first water pump to be on, the second water pump to be off, and controlling the first and third interfaces of the four-way valve to be on, and the second and fourth interfaces to be off, thereby switching the thermal management system to a third operating mode;

[0024] and / or, controlling the first expansion valve to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve to be in a fully open state, controlling the first water pump and the second water pump to be turned on, and controlling each interface of the four-way valve to be turned on, thereby switching the thermal management system to a fourth operating mode;

[0025] and / or, controlling the first expansion valve to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve to be in a fully open state, controlling the first water pump and the second water pump to be turned on, and controlling the first, second, and fourth interfaces of the four-way valve to be turned on, and the third interface to be turned off, thereby switching the thermal management system to a fifth operating mode;

[0026] and / or, controlling the first expansion valve to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve to be in a fully open state, controlling the first water pump and the second water pump to be turned on, and controlling the first, second, and third interfaces of the four-way valve to be turned on, and the fourth interface to be turned off, thereby switching the thermal management system to a sixth operating mode;

[0027] and / or, controlling the first expansion valve to be in a throttling state and the second expansion valve to be in a fully open state, controlling the first water pump to be off and the second water pump to be on, and controlling the first interface of the four-way valve to be off and the second interface, the third interface, and the fourth interface to be on, thereby switching the thermal management system to a seventh operating mode;

[0028] and / or, controlling the first expansion valve to be in a throttling state and the second expansion valve to be in a fully open state, controlling the first water pump to be off and the second water pump to be on, and controlling the first and third interfaces of the four-way valve to be off and the second and fourth interfaces to be on, thereby switching the thermal management system to an eighth operating mode;

[0029] And / or, control the first expansion valve to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve to be in a fully open state, control the first water pump to be closed, the second water pump to be turned on, and control the first interface and the fourth interface of the four-way valve to be closed, and the second interface and the third interface to be turned on to switch the thermal management system to the ninth operating mode.

[0030] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0031] The thermal management system and electric vehicle provided by the present invention, at extremely low temperatures, generate heat through the increased enthalpy of the compressor, ensuring that the compressor is in a high-efficiency heating range, thereby improving the heating capacity of the entire system, avoiding the use of PTC heaters, and reducing the manufacturing cost of the entire vehicle and the complexity of the entire thermal management system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit connection of a thermal management system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a high-temperature passenger compartment and battery dual cooling system for a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a high-temperature battery cooling system in a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of single cooling of a high-temperature passenger compartment of a thermal management system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the dual heat of the extremely low temperature passenger compartment and battery of the thermal management system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a single thermal circuit of an ultra-low temperature battery in a thermal management system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a thermal schematic diagram of an extremely low temperature passenger compartment of a thermal management system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of a low-temperature passenger compartment and battery dual heat system of a thermal management system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a low-temperature battery in a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the low-temperature passenger compartment thermal management system provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] In the figure: 1. Compressor; 2. First heat exchanger; 3. Second heat exchanger; 4. Third heat exchanger; 5. Gas-liquid separator; 6. First expansion valve; 7. First fan; 8. Fourth heat exchanger; 9. Battery; 10. First water pump; 11. Second water pump; 12. Four-way valve; 13. Second expansion valve; 14. Second fan. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It will be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are intended only to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings only illustrate portions relevant to the present invention, not all structures.

[0044] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention in specific circumstances.

[0045] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may include the first feature being directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0046] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," and other orientations or positional relationships are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely for ease of description and simplified operation. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used solely for descriptive purposes and have no special meanings.

[0047] At extremely low temperatures, the air conditioning heat pump mode struggles to absorb heat from the low-temperature environment. Simply circulating the air conditioning heat pump is unlikely to meet the heating needs of the passenger compartment or power battery. Related technologies typically use PTC heaters (a type of semiconductor heating ceramic) for auxiliary heating, which not only increases the cost of the thermal management system but also increases the complexity of the entire system. Therefore, the present invention utilizes compressor enthalpy increase heating.

[0048] The thermal management system of the present invention has nine working modes for three environmental conditions: high temperature, low temperature, and extremely low temperature. Among them, there are three working modes for high temperature environment, namely, passenger compartment and battery dual cooling mode, battery single cooling mode, and passenger compartment single cooling mode; low temperature working conditions have three working modes for extremely low temperature and low temperature respectively. The three working modes for extremely low temperature environment are passenger compartment and battery dual heating mode, battery single heating mode, and passenger compartment single heating mode. Similarly, the three working modes for low temperature environment are passenger compartment and battery dual heating mode, battery single heating mode, and passenger compartment single heating mode. The technical solutions adopted by the present invention are as follows:

[0049] like Figure 1-10 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a thermal management system, including a refrigerant integrated module and a water-side integrated module; the refrigerant integrated module includes a compressor 1, a first heat exchanger 2, a second heat exchanger 3 and a third heat exchanger 4 that form a loop in sequence, a first expansion valve 6 is provided between the first heat exchanger 2 and the second heat exchanger 3, and a second expansion valve 13 is provided between the second heat exchanger 3 and the third heat exchanger 4; the water-side integrated module includes a fourth heat exchanger 8, a battery 9, a first water pump 10, a second water pump 11 and a four-way valve 12, the fourth heat exchanger 8 and the battery 9 are connected in parallel, and the fourth heat exchanger 8 is provided In the passenger compartment, the outlet of the third heat exchanger 4 is connected to the water inlet of the first water pump 10, the water outlet of the first water pump 10 is connected to the water inlet of the second water pump 11, the fourth heat exchanger 8 and the battery 9, and the water outlet of the second water pump 11 is connected to the first heat exchanger 2; each interface of the four-way valve 12 can be selectively opened or closed, the first interface of the four-way valve 12 is connected to the third heat exchanger 4, the second interface of the four-way valve 12 is connected to the first heat exchanger 2, the third interface of the four-way valve 12 is connected to the fourth heat exchanger 8, and the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 is connected to the battery 9.

[0050] Specifically, the first heat exchanger 2 is a water-cooled condenser, the second heat exchanger 3 is a condenser, the third heat exchanger 4 is an evaporator, and the fourth heat exchanger 8 serves as a cold air core at high temperatures and a warm air core at low temperatures.

[0051] The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant coming out of the compressor 1 first enters the first heat exchanger 2, and then returns to the compressor 1 through the second heat exchanger 3 and the third heat exchanger 4. The flow rate and pressure of the refrigerant can be controlled by controlling the opening degree of the first expansion valve 6 and the second expansion valve 13. Since the refrigerant integrated module and the water side integrated module are coupled through the first heat exchanger 2 and the third heat exchanger 4, the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger 2 can exchange heat with the coolant, and the coolant after heat exchange can flow through the third heat exchanger 4, the fourth heat exchanger 8, and the battery 9 through the four-way valve 12, thereby heating the fourth heat exchanger 8 and the battery 9; the refrigerant in the third heat exchanger 4 can exchange heat with the coolant, and the coolant after heat exchange can flow through the fourth heat exchanger 8, the battery 9, and the second water pump 11 under the action of the first water pump 10 and the four-way valve 12, thereby cooling the fourth heat exchanger 8 and the battery 9.

[0052] Compressor 1 drives the refrigerant integrated module to transport or generate heat. Through heat exchange between the refrigerant and the coolant, the coolant heats or cools the passenger compartment or battery 9, meeting nine operating modes under three environmental conditions: high, low, and extremely low. Heating the system through enthalpy increase by compressor 1 avoids the use of a PTC heater, reducing system cost and complexity.

[0053] Specifically, Figure 2 The figure shows the flow direction of the refrigerant and coolant in the first operating mode, that is, the dual-cooling mode of the passenger compartment and the battery under high-temperature working conditions. At this time, the first expansion valve 6 is in the fully open state, the second expansion valve 13 is in the throttling state, the first interface, the third interface, and the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 are open, the second interface is closed, the first water pump 10 is working, and the second water pump 11 is not working.

[0054] In a high-temperature environment, if both the passenger compartment and battery 9 require cooling, the refrigerant cycle is activated. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant from compressor 1 first enters first heat exchanger 2. Since first expansion valve 6 is fully open and second expansion valve 13 is throttled, the refrigerant flows only through first heat exchanger 2, without undergoing a phase change there. The refrigerant then flows through first expansion valve 6 and enters second heat exchanger 3. Under the cooling effect of second heat exchanger 3, the refrigerant liquefies and releases heat, dissipating it to the outside environment, causing the refrigerant temperature to decrease. Subsequently, the refrigerant flows through second expansion valve 13 and enters third heat exchanger 4, where it exchanges heat with the coolant. The refrigerant evaporates in third heat exchanger 4, absorbing heat and increasing its temperature. At this point, the coolant temperature decreases, and the refrigerant then enters compressor 1, beginning the next cycle.

[0055] After cooling through the third heat exchanger 4, the coolant circulates through the coolant circuit driven by the first water pump 10. It is then split into two paths: one flowing through the fourth heat exchanger 8 in the passenger compartment to cool the passenger compartment, and the other flowing through the battery 9 to cool the battery. This achieves dual cooling of the passenger compartment and the battery under high-temperature conditions. The two coolant paths then merge at the four-way valve 12 and flow out of the first port, returning to the third heat exchanger 4 for the next cycle.

[0056] It should be noted that the phase change of the refrigerant under the heat exchanger can be achieved by adjusting the opening of the expansion valve. The expansion valve belongs to the existing technology in this field and will not be introduced in detail here.

[0057] Figure 3 The figure shows the second operating mode, that is, the flow diagram of the refrigerant and coolant in the battery single cooling mode under high temperature conditions. At this time, the first expansion valve 6 is in the fully open state, the second expansion valve 13 is in the throttling state, the first interface and the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 are open, the second interface and the third interface are closed, the first water pump 10 is working, and the second water pump 11 is not working.

[0058] If only the battery 9 needs cooling at high temperatures, the coolant circuit is controlled to close the coolant leading to the fourth heat exchanger 8, that is, the third interface of the four-way valve 12 connected to the fourth heat exchanger 8 is closed, so that the coolant only flows to the battery 9 to cool the battery 9. The coolant flowing through the battery 9 flows out through the fourth interface and the first interface of the four-way valve 12, and then returns to the third heat exchanger 4 for the next cycle.

[0059] Figure 4 The figure shows the third operating mode, that is, a schematic diagram of the flow of refrigerant and coolant in the passenger compartment single cooling mode under high temperature working conditions. At this time, the first expansion valve 6 is in a fully open state, the second expansion valve 13 is in a throttling state, the first interface and the third interface of the four-way valve 12 are open, the second interface and the fourth interface are closed, the first water pump 10 is working, and the second water pump 11 is not working.

[0060] If, at high temperatures, only the passenger compartment requires cooling, the coolant circuit is controlled to shut off the coolant leading to the battery 9, that is, the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 connected to the battery 9 is closed, so that the coolant flows only to the fourth heat exchanger 8 in the passenger compartment to cool the passenger compartment. The coolant flowing through the fourth heat exchanger 8 flows out through the third interface and the first interface of the four-way valve 12, and then returns to the third heat exchanger 4 for the next cycle.

[0061] Figure 5 The figure shows the fourth operating mode, which is a schematic diagram of the flow of refrigerant and coolant in the passenger compartment under extremely low temperature conditions and the battery dual-heat mode. At this time, the first expansion valve 6 is in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 is in a fully open state, the first interface, the second interface, the third interface and the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 are all open, and the first water pump 10 and the second water pump 11 are both working.

[0062] At extremely low temperatures, the thermal management system increases enthalpy and generates heat through compressor 1. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant coming out of compressor 1 first enters the first heat exchanger 2. Since the first expansion valve 6 is in a throttling state and the second expansion valve 13 is in a fully open state, the refrigerant is liquefied and releases heat in the first heat exchanger 2 and heats the coolant. The refrigerant temperature drops and the coolant temperature rises. Then the coolant flows through the second interface and the first interface of the four-way valve 12 to the third heat exchanger 4. The refrigerant flows through the second heat exchanger 3. No phase change occurs in the second heat exchanger 3 and no heat is exchanged with the outside world. Then the refrigerant flows through the third heat exchanger 4 and evaporates and absorbs heat in the third heat exchanger 4. Since the coolant heated in the first heat exchanger 2 circulates in the third heat exchanger 4, the coolant will give back part of the heat absorbed in the refrigerant to the refrigerant during this process, ensuring that the heat is returned to the refrigerant so that the thermal management system can utilize the enthalpy increase of the refrigerant by compressor 1.

[0063] In the coolant circuit, the coolant heated in the first heat exchanger 2 is divided into three paths at the second interface of the four-way valve 12. One path flows to the third heat exchanger 4 through the first interface of the four-way valve 12, bringing heat back to the refrigerant. One path flows to the fourth heat exchanger 8 in the passenger compartment through the third interface of the four-way valve 12. One path flows to the battery 9 through the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12. The coolant flowing into the third heat exchanger 4 is driven by the first water pump 10 and reunited with the other two paths at the second water pump 11, and then driven by the second water pump 11 to return to the first heat exchanger 2 for the next cycle.

[0064] It should be noted that, as can be seen from the pressure-enthalpy diagram, the work done by the compressor 1 will increase the enthalpy value of the refrigerant. If the heat absorbed by the refrigerant during evaporation is borne by the heat released during liquefaction of the refrigerant, then the overall enthalpy increase of the refrigerant is the enthalpy increase of the refrigerant caused by the work done by the compressor 1 on the refrigerant. In view of this, the air-conditioning system is equivalent to a heat-generating device.

[0065] Figure 6 The figure shows the fifth operating mode, which is a schematic diagram of the flow of refrigerant and coolant in the single heat mode of the battery under extremely low temperature conditions. At this time, the first expansion valve 6 is in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 is in a fully open state, the first interface, the second interface, and the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 are open, and the third interface is closed. The first water pump 10 and the second water pump 11 are both working.

[0066] If at extremely low temperatures, only the battery 9 needs to be heated, the coolant circuit leading to the fourth heat exchanger 8 is closed, that is, the third interface of the four-way valve 12 connected to the fourth heat exchanger 8 is closed, and the other two coolant circuits are opened. The two coolant circuits converge at the second water pump 11, and then are driven by the second water pump 11 to return to the first heat exchanger 2 for the next cycle.

[0067] Figure 7 The figure shows the sixth operating mode, which is a schematic diagram of the flow of refrigerant and coolant in the single heat mode of the passenger compartment under extremely low temperature conditions. At this time, the first expansion valve 6 is in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 is in a fully open state, the first interface, the second interface, and the third interface of the four-way valve 12 are open, and the fourth interface is closed, and the first water pump 10 and the second water pump 11 are both working.

[0068] If the temperature is extremely low and only the passenger compartment needs to be heated, the coolant loop leading to the battery 9 is closed, that is, the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 connected to the battery 9 is closed, and the other two coolant loops are opened. The two coolant loops are merged at the second water pump 11, and then driven by the second water pump 11 to return to the first heat exchanger 2 for the next cycle.

[0069] Figure 8The figure shows the seventh operating mode, which is a schematic diagram of the flow of refrigerant and coolant in the low-temperature passenger compartment and battery dual-heat mode. At this time, the first expansion valve 6 is in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 is in a fully open state, the second interface, the third interface, and the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 are open, the first interface is closed, the first water pump 10 is not working, and the second water pump 11 is working.

[0070] At low temperatures, the air conditioning system can absorb heat from the external environment, and the low-temperature heat pump mode is turned on to improve the system's operating efficiency. In this mode, the third heat exchanger 4 no longer evaporates the refrigerant and absorbs heat. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant coming out of the compressor 1 also first enters the first heat exchanger 2. Since the first expansion valve 6 is in a throttling state and the second expansion valve 13 is in a fully open state, the refrigerant liquefies and releases heat in the first heat exchanger 2 and heats the coolant. The refrigerant temperature decreases and the coolant temperature increases. The subsequent refrigerant passes through the second heat exchanger 3 and absorbs heat from the external environment in the second heat exchanger 3 and evaporates. The vaporized refrigerant returns to the compressor 1 through the third heat exchanger 4 and enters the next cycle.

[0071] The coolant heated in the first heat exchanger 2 is divided into two paths through the second interface of the four-way valve 12. One path flows into the fourth heat exchanger 8 in the passenger compartment through the third interface of the four-way valve 12, and the other path flows into the battery 9 through the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12. Finally, the two paths of coolant converge at the second water pump 11, and return to the first heat exchanger 2 under the driving action of the second water pump 11 to enter the next cycle.

[0072] In the coolant circuit, compared to extremely low temperatures, the thermal management system closes the coolant circuit through the third heat exchanger 4 because in low temperature environments, the thermal management system can absorb heat from the external environment and does not need heat in the coolant to assist evaporation.

[0073] Figure 9 The figure shows the eighth operating mode, that is, a schematic diagram of the flow direction of the refrigerant and coolant in the low-temperature battery single heat mode. At this time, the first expansion valve 6 is in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 is in a fully open state, the second interface and the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 are open, the first interface and the third interface are closed, the first water pump 10 is not working, and the second water pump 11 is working.

[0074] If at low temperatures, only the battery 9 needs to be heated, the coolant circuit leading to the fourth heat exchanger 8 is closed, that is, the third interface of the four-way valve 12 connected to the fourth heat exchanger 8 is closed, and the coolant circuit leading to the battery 9 is opened to heat the battery 9. After the coolant flows through the battery 9, it is driven by the second water pump 11 to return to the first heat exchanger 2 for the next cycle.

[0075] Figure 10The figure shows the ninth operating mode, which is a schematic diagram of the flow of refrigerant and coolant in the low-temperature passenger compartment single heat mode. At this time, the first expansion valve 6 is in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 is in a fully open state, the second interface and the third interface of the four-way valve 12 are open, the first interface and the fourth interface are closed, the first water pump 10 is not working, and the second water pump 11 is working.

[0076] If at low temperatures, only the passenger compartment needs to be heated, the coolant circuit to the battery 9 is closed, that is, the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 connected to the battery 9 is closed, and the coolant circuit to the fourth heat exchanger 8 is opened to heat the fourth heat exchanger 8. After the coolant flows through the fourth heat exchanger 8, it is driven by the second water pump 11 to return to the first heat exchanger 2 for the next cycle.

[0077] Furthermore, the thermal management system includes a gas-liquid separator 5, which is provided in the circuit between the compressor 1 and the third heat exchanger 4. The gas-liquid separator 5 can change the phase of the refrigerant flowing out of the third heat exchanger 4, thereby facilitating the flow of the refrigerant after the changed phase into the compressor 1, thereby facilitating the operation of the compressor 1.

[0078] Furthermore, the thermal management system also includes a first fan 7, which is used to blow air toward the second heat exchanger 3, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the second heat exchanger 3 and improving the liquefaction efficiency of the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger 3.

[0079] Similarly, the thermal management system further includes a second fan 14, which is used to blow air toward the fourth heat exchanger 8, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the fourth heat exchanger 8, that is, improving the cooling effect of the passenger compartment.

[0080] Furthermore, the thermal management system further includes a first expansion water tank, which is connected to the first water pump 10 .

[0081] The expansion tank balances the coolant pressure and flow rate in the system, eliminating fluctuations in pressure and flow caused by temperature differences within the circuit. When the coolant temperature rises, causing its volume to expand, excess coolant flows through the expansion tank, preventing system pressure from overheating and potentially damaging the system. When the coolant temperature drops and its volume shrinks, the expansion tank replenishes coolant to maintain pressure balance and maintain normal operation.

[0082] Likewise, the thermal management system further includes a second expansion water tank, which is connected to the second water pump 11 .

[0083] Furthermore, the thermal management system further includes a first temperature detection unit, which is used to detect the temperature of the coolant flowing through the fourth heat exchanger 8. Specifically, the first temperature detection unit is a temperature sensor, which is provided on the pipeline connecting the fourth heat exchanger 8 and the second water pump 11.

[0084] Similarly, the thermal management system further includes a second temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the coolant flowing through the battery 9. Specifically, the second temperature detection unit is a temperature sensor, which is provided on the pipeline connecting the battery 9 and the second water pump 11.

[0085] The thermal management system also includes a controller, which is electrically connected to the first temperature detection unit, the second temperature detection unit, the first expansion valve 6, and the second expansion valve 13. The first temperature detection unit and the second temperature detection unit can send the detected temperature signals to the controller, so that the controller can control the opening of the first expansion valve 6 and the second expansion valve 13 according to the obtained signals, thereby controlling the flow and pressure of the coolant.

[0086] It should be pointed out that the extremely low temperature referred to in the present invention refers to an ambient temperature less than -15°C, low temperature refers to -15°C to +15°C, and high temperature refers to an ambient temperature higher than 30°C.

[0087] Through the above nine working modes, the thermal management system can fully cope with the thermal management requirements of the battery 9 and the passenger compartment in high temperature, low temperature and extremely low temperature working environments. When it is impossible to absorb heat from the external environment at extremely low temperatures, the system is heated by increasing the enthalpy of the compressor, avoiding the use of PTC heaters, reducing system costs and reducing system complexity.

[0088] The heat of the refrigerant is transferred through the circulation of the coolant, which reduces the connection of the refrigerant high-pressure pipeline. The coolant has a large heat capacity and can carry more heat, thereby improving the stability of the system.

[0089] An embodiment of the present invention provides a vehicle including the above-mentioned thermal management system.

[0090] An embodiment of the present invention provides a control method for a thermal management system, which is applied to the above-mentioned thermal management system. The thermal management system includes multiple operating modes. The control method includes: controlling the opening and closing of the first expansion valve 6 and the second expansion valve 13, the opening and closing of the first water pump 10 and the second water pump 11, and the opening and closing of each interface of the four-way valve 12 according to at least one of the temperature regulation requirements of the passenger compartment and the temperature regulation requirements of the battery 9, so that the thermal management system can switch between different operating modes.

[0091] According to actual working conditions and actual needs, by controlling the opening of the expansion valve, the start and close of the water pump, and the start and close of each interface of the four-way valve 12, the thermal management system can be switched to the appropriate operating mode, which can improve the response rate of the thermal management system and thus reduce the cost of the thermal management system of the entire vehicle.

[0092] Furthermore, different operating modes of the thermal management system include:

[0093] Control the first expansion valve 6 to be in the fully open state, the second expansion valve 13 to be in the throttling state, control the first water pump 10 to be on, the second water pump 11 to be off, and control the first, third and fourth interfaces of the four-way valve 12 to be on, and the second interface to be off, and switch the thermal management system to the first operating mode.

[0094] Control the first expansion valve 6 to be in the fully open state, the second expansion valve 13 to be in the throttling state, control the first water pump 10 to be on, the second water pump 11 to be off, and control the first and fourth interfaces of the four-way valve 12 to be on, and the second and third interfaces to be off, and switch the thermal management system to the second operating mode.

[0095] Control the first expansion valve 6 to be in the fully open state, the second expansion valve 13 to be in the throttling state, control the first water pump 10 to be on, the second water pump 11 to be off, and control the first and third interfaces of the four-way valve 12 to be on, and the second and fourth interfaces to be off, and switch the thermal management system to the third operating mode.

[0096] The first expansion valve 6 is controlled to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 is controlled to be in a fully open state, the first water pump 10 and the second water pump 11 are controlled to be turned on, and each interface of the four-way valve 12 is controlled to be turned on, and the thermal management system is switched to the fourth operating mode.

[0097] Control the first expansion valve 6 to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 to be in a fully open state, control the first water pump 10 and the second water pump 11 to be turned on, and control the first interface, the second interface and the fourth interface of the four-way valve 12 to be turned on, and the third interface to be closed, and switch the thermal management system to the fifth operating mode.

[0098] Control the first expansion valve 6 to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 to be in a fully open state, control the first water pump 10 and the second water pump 11 to be turned on, and control the first interface, the second interface and the third interface of the four-way valve 12 to be turned on, and the fourth interface to be closed, and switch the thermal management system to the sixth operating mode.

[0099] Control the first expansion valve 6 to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 to be in a fully open state, control the first water pump 10 to be closed, the second water pump 11 to be opened, and control the first interface of the four-way valve 12 to be closed, and the second interface, the third interface and the fourth interface to be opened, and switch the thermal management system to the seventh operating mode.

[0100] Control the first expansion valve 6 to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 to be in a fully open state, control the first water pump 10 to be closed, the second water pump 11 to be opened, and control the first and third interfaces of the four-way valve 12 to be closed, and the second and fourth interfaces to be opened, and switch the thermal management system to the eighth operating mode.

[0101] Control the first expansion valve 6 to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve 13 to be in a fully open state, control the first water pump 10 to be closed, the second water pump 11 to be opened, and control the first and fourth interfaces of the four-way valve 12 to be closed, and the second and third interfaces to be opened to switch the thermal management system to the ninth operating mode.

[0102] The thermal management system can be switched to the appropriate operating mode based on actual needs by controlling the opening of the expansion valve, the activation and deactivation of the water pump, and the opening and closing of each port of the four-way valve 12. By switching between these nine operating modes, the thermal management system can fully meet the thermal management requirements of the battery 9 and the passenger compartment in high-temperature, low-temperature, and extremely low-temperature operating environments.

[0103] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. A person skilled in the art would be able to make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is not necessary and impossible to enumerate all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal management system, characterized in that Including refrigerant integrated module and water side integrated module; The refrigerant integrated module comprises a compressor (1), a first heat exchanger (2), a second heat exchanger (3), and a third heat exchanger (4) which sequentially form a circuit, a first expansion valve (6) being provided between the first heat exchanger (2) and the second heat exchanger (3), and a second expansion valve (13) being provided between the second heat exchanger (3) and the third heat exchanger (4); The water side integrated module comprises a fourth heat exchanger (8), a battery (9), a first water pump (10), a second water pump (11) and a four-way valve (12); the fourth heat exchanger (8) and the battery (9) are connected in parallel; the fourth heat exchanger (8) is arranged in the passenger compartment; the outlet of the third heat exchanger (4) is connected to the water inlet of the first water pump (10); the outlet of the first water pump (10) is connected to the water inlet of the second water pump (11); the fourth heat exchanger (8) and the battery (9) are connected; The water outlet of the second water pump (11) is connected to the first heat exchanger (2); each interface of the four-way valve (12) can be selectively opened or closed, the first interface of the four-way valve (12) is connected to the third heat exchanger (4), the second interface of the four-way valve (12) is connected to the first heat exchanger (2), the third interface of the four-way valve (12) is connected to the fourth heat exchanger (8), and the fourth interface of the four-way valve (12) is connected to the battery (9).

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that The thermal management system further comprises a gas-liquid separator (5), which is arranged on a circuit between the compressor (1) and the third heat exchanger (4).

3. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises: a first fan (7), the first fan (7) being used to blow air toward the second heat exchanger (3); and / or, a second fan (14), wherein the second fan (14) is used to blow air toward the fourth heat exchanger (8).

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises a first expansion water tank, which is connected to the first water pump (10).

5. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises a second expansion water tank, which is connected to the second water pump (11).

6. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises a first temperature detection unit, which is used to detect the temperature of the coolant flowing through the fourth heat exchanger (8).

7. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal management system further comprises a second temperature detection unit, which is used to detect the temperature of the coolant flowing through the battery (9).

8. A vehicle, characterized in that A thermal management system comprising the thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A control method for a thermal management system, applied to the thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The thermal management system includes multiple operating modes, and the control method includes: According to at least one of the temperature regulation requirements of the passenger compartment and the temperature regulation requirements of the battery (9), the opening and closing of the first expansion valve (6) and the second expansion valve (13), the opening and closing of the first water pump (10) and the second water pump (11), and the opening and closing of each interface of the four-way valve (12) are controlled to switch the thermal management system between different operating modes.

10. The control method of the thermal management system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The different operating modes of the thermal management system include: Controlling the first expansion valve (6) to be in a fully open state, the second expansion valve (13) to be in a throttling state, controlling the first water pump (10) to be turned on, the second water pump (11) to be turned off, and controlling the first interface, the third interface, and the fourth interface of the four-way valve (12) to be turned on, and the second interface to be turned off, thereby switching the thermal management system to a first operating mode; and / or, controlling the first expansion valve (6) to be in a fully open state, the second expansion valve (13) to be in a throttling state, controlling the first water pump (10) to be turned on, the second water pump (11) to be turned off, and controlling the first interface and the fourth interface of the four-way valve (12) to be turned on, and the second interface and the third interface to be turned off, thereby switching the thermal management system to a second operating mode; and / or, controlling the first expansion valve (6) to be in a fully open state, the second expansion valve (13) to be in a throttling state, controlling the first water pump (10) to be turned on, the second water pump (11) to be turned off, and controlling the first interface and the third interface of the four-way valve (12) to be turned on, and the second interface and the fourth interface to be turned off, thereby switching the thermal management system to a third operating mode; and / or, controlling the first expansion valve (6) to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve (13) to be in a fully open state, controlling the first water pump (10) and the second water pump (11) to be turned on, and controlling each interface of the four-way valve (12) to be turned on, thereby switching the thermal management system to a fourth operating mode; and / or, controlling the first expansion valve (6) to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve (13) to be in a fully open state, controlling the first water pump (10) and the second water pump (11) to be turned on, and controlling the first interface, the second interface, and the fourth interface of the four-way valve (12) to be turned on, and the third interface to be turned off, thereby switching the thermal management system to a fifth operating mode; and / or, controlling the first expansion valve (6) to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve (13) to be in a fully open state, controlling the first water pump (10) and the second water pump (11) to be turned on, and controlling the first interface, the second interface, and the third interface of the four-way valve (12) to be turned on, and the fourth interface to be turned off, thereby switching the thermal management system to a sixth operating mode; and / or, controlling the first expansion valve (6) to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve (13) to be in a fully open state, controlling the first water pump (10) to be closed, the second water pump (11) to be opened, and controlling the first interface of the four-way valve (12) to be closed, and the second interface, the third interface and the fourth interface to be opened, thereby switching the thermal management system to a seventh operating mode; and / or, controlling the first expansion valve (6) to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve (13) to be in a fully open state, controlling the first water pump (10) to be closed, the second water pump (11) to be opened, and controlling the first interface and the third interface of the four-way valve (12) to be closed, and the second interface and the fourth interface to be opened, thereby switching the thermal management system to an eighth operating mode; And / or, the first expansion valve (6) is controlled to be in a throttling state, the second expansion valve (13) is controlled to be in a fully open state, the first water pump (10) is controlled to be closed, the second water pump (11) is controlled to be opened, and the first interface and the fourth interface of the four-way valve (12) are controlled to be closed, and the second interface and the third interface are controlled to be opened to switch the thermal management system to a ninth operating mode.

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