Control device, thermal management system, and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a control device, a heat management system and a vehicle, the control device is suitable for controlling a compressor motor and a heater, the heater comprises a first heating unit and a second heating unit, the control device comprises an inversion unit, and the output end of the inversion unit is suitable for being connected with the compressor motor and the first heating unit; the switch unit is suitable for being connected with the second heating unit; the drive control unit is configured to control the switch unit to enable the second heating unit to work under the condition that the inverter unit is controlled to drive the compressor motor to operate, and control at least one of the inverter unit and the switch unit to enable the second heating unit to work under the condition that the inverter unit is controlled to drive the compressor motor to stop operating. And at least one of the first heating unit and the second heating unit is enabled to work. According to the control device, the compressor and the first heating unit are driven through the inverter unit, the size of the heat management system is reduced, and the cost of the heat management system is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Onboard PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heaters are primarily used to preheat the engine and provide cabin heating in winter temperatures. The primary function of a vehicle's air conditioning compressor is to compress low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure state for heat exchange in the air conditioning system. The PTC heater and compressor typically do not operate simultaneously, but they do in certain operating conditions. For example, in extremely cold weather, rapid heating of the thermal management system is required, or when the vehicle first enters a hot and humid environment, both cooling (compressor) and defrosting / defrosting (PTC heater) are required.

[0003] In the related art, in order to simultaneously control the PTC heater and the compressor, a set of power switches with a full power range are configured for each of the PTC heater and the compressor. However, this increases the size and cost of the thermal management system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to at least partially address one of the technical problems in the related art. To this end, a first object of the present invention is to provide a control device that drives a compressor and a first heating unit via an inverter unit and controls a second heating unit via a switch unit. This device can reduce the number of power switches in the switch unit, thereby reducing the size and cost of the thermal management system.

[0005] A second object of the present invention is to provide a thermal management system.

[0006] A third object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, a control device is proposed, which is suitable for controlling a compressor motor and a heater, the heater including a first heating unit and a second heating unit, and the control device includes: an inverter unit, the output end of the inverter unit is suitable for connecting to the compressor motor and suitable for connecting to the first heating unit; a switch unit, the switch unit is suitable for connecting to the second heating unit; a drive control unit, which is configured to control the switch unit to make the second heating unit work when the inverter unit is controlled to drive the compressor motor to operate, and to control at least one of the inverter unit and the switch unit to make at least one of the first heating unit and the second heating unit work when the inverter unit is controlled to drive the compressor motor to stop running.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a control device includes an inverter unit, a switch unit, and a drive control unit. The output end of the inverter unit is adapted to be connected to a compressor motor and to a first heating unit, and the switch unit is adapted to be connected to a second heating unit. The drive control unit is configured to, when the inverter unit is controlled to drive the compressor motor, control the switch unit to operate the second heating unit, and, when the inverter unit is controlled to stop driving the compressor motor, control at least one of the inverter unit and the switch unit to operate at least one of the first heating unit and the second heating unit. Therefore, when the compressor and heater need to operate simultaneously, the drive control unit controls the inverter unit and the switch unit to operate the compressor and heater simultaneously. When only the heater needs to operate, the drive control unit controls at least one of the inverter unit and the switch unit to operate the heater. Thus, the control device of this embodiment incorporates practical application scenarios of the compressor and heater, enabling simultaneous operation of the compressor and heater. Furthermore, when the compressor is not operating, the heater can operate at full load by reusing the inverter unit, thereby improving the utilization of the inverter unit and reducing the number of switches in the switch unit, thereby reducing the size and cost of the thermal management system.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive control unit is further configured to, when the inverter unit drives the compressor motor to operate, control the high voltage power supply to stop supplying power to the first heating unit so that the first heating unit stops working.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first end of the first heating unit is connected to the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply through the first switch, and the second end of the first heating unit is connected to the output end of the inverter unit, wherein the drive control unit is also configured to control the first switch to be disconnected so that the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the first heating unit.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first end of the first heating unit is suitable for connecting to the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply, and the second end of the first heating unit is connected to the output end of the inverter unit through the second switch, wherein the drive control unit is also configured to control the second switch to be disconnected so that the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the first heating unit.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the positive DC bus of the inverter unit is connected to the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply through the third switch, wherein the drive control unit is further configured to control the second switch to be disconnected when the third switch is controlled to be closed, so that the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the first heating unit; and control the second switch to be closed when the third switch is controlled to be disconnected, and control the corresponding lower bridge switch tube of the inverter unit to be turned on, so that when the high-voltage power supply supplies power to the first heating unit, it stops supplying power to the inverter unit.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first end of the second heating unit is suitable for connecting to the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply, the second end of the second heating unit is suitable for connecting to the first end of the switching unit, and the second end of the switching unit is suitable for connecting to the negative pole of the high-voltage power supply, wherein the drive control unit is also configured to control the switching unit to be turned on so that the high-voltage power supply supplies power to the second heating unit.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the inverter unit is a three-phase inverter circuit, and at least one of the first output terminal, the second output terminal and the third output terminal of the three-phase inverter circuit is connected to the first heating unit.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first output end, the second output end and the third output end are respectively connected to the first heating unit.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the inverter unit is a three-phase inverter circuit, there are three first heating units, and the first output end, the second output end and the third output end of the three-phase inverter circuit are respectively connected to each first heating unit.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first output end, the second output end and the third output end are connected to the compressor motor through a first three-phase switch, and are connected to the three first heating units through a second three-phase switch, wherein when the first three-phase switch is disconnected, the second three-phase switch is closed; when the first three-phase switch is closed, the second three-phase switch is disconnected.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the inverter unit and the switch unit are integrated together to construct an integrated power module.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive control unit further includes a first drive circuit for driving the inverter unit and a second drive circuit for driving the switch unit, and the first drive circuit and the second drive circuit are provided in the integrated power module.

[0020] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, a thermal management system is proposed, comprising: a compressor motor; a heater, the heater comprising a first heating unit and a second heating unit; a control device of any of the aforementioned embodiments, the control device being configured to control the compressor motor and the heater respectively.

[0021] According to the thermal management system of an embodiment of the present invention, by adopting the above-mentioned control device, the compressor and the first heating unit are driven by the inverter unit, and the second heating unit is controlled by the switch unit, the number of power switches in the switch unit can be reduced, thereby reducing the volume of the thermal management system and reducing the cost of the thermal management system.

[0022] To achieve the above-mentioned objective, a vehicle is provided according to a third aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, comprising the aforementioned thermal management system.

[0023] According to the vehicle of an embodiment of the present invention, by adopting the above-mentioned thermal management system, the compressor and the first heating unit are driven by the inverter unit, and the second heating unit is controlled by the switch unit, the number of power switches in the switch unit can be reduced, thereby reducing the volume of the thermal management system and reducing the cost of the thermal management system.

[0024] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description which follows, or may be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of a thermal management system of related technology;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of a thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a control flow when a compressor and a heater operate simultaneously according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a control flow when a heater works alone according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of external connections of a control device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of external connections of a control device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of external connections of a control device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of external connections of a control device when there are three first heating units according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 10 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0036] It should be noted that this application is based on the inventor's understanding and research of the following issues:

[0037] Thermal management systems in related technologies such as Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system includes a compressor 100 and a heater 200. The compressor 100 includes a compressor controller 110, a first power switch group 120 and a compressor 100 motor. The compressor controller 110 is suitable for connecting to a low-voltage power supply unit 300 and a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus 400. The compressor controller 110 is connected to the first power switch group 120. The first power switch group 120 is connected to the compressor 100 motor and is suitable for connecting to a high-voltage power supply unit 500. The compressor controller 110 drives the compressor motor 130 by controlling the first power switch group 120. The heater 200 includes a PTC controller 210, a second power switch group 220, a third power switch group 230, a first heating unit 240 and a second heating unit 250. The PTC controller 210 is suitable for connecting to a low-voltage power supply unit 300 and a CAN bus 400. The PTC controller 210 is connected to the second power switch group 220 and the third power switch group 230 respectively. The second power switch group 220 is connected to the second heating unit 250 and is suitable for connecting to a high-voltage power supply unit 500. The third power switch group 230 is connected to the first heating unit 240 and is suitable for connecting to the high-voltage power supply unit 500. The PTC controller 210 controls the second power switch group 220 to enable the second heating unit 250 to operate, and controls the third power switch group 230 to enable the first heating unit 240 to operate.

[0038] Therefore, in order to control the compressor 100 and the heater 200 separately, it is necessary to configure a set of full-power range power switches for the compressor 100 and the heater 200 respectively. However, in actual applications, the situations in which the compressor 100 and the heater 200 need to work simultaneously are rare and the time is short, and the output power required by the heater 200 is limited. Therefore, configuring a set of full-power range power switches for the compressor 100 and the heater 200 respectively will cause a certain degree of redundancy, resulting in an increase in the volume and cost of the thermal management system.

[0039] Based on this, an embodiment of the present invention provides a control device, a thermal management system and a vehicle, which drives the compressor and the first heating unit through an inverter unit and controls the second heating unit through a switch unit, thereby reducing the number of power switches in the switch unit, thereby reducing the volume of the thermal management system and reducing the cost of the thermal management system.

[0040] The following describes a control device, a thermal management system, and a vehicle according to embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the thermal management system includes a compressor motor 130 , a heater 200 and a control device 600 , wherein the control device 600 is adapted to control the compressor motor 130 and the heater 200 , and the heater 200 includes a first heating unit 240 and a second heating unit 250 .

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, the control device 600 includes: an inverter unit 610 , a switch unit 620 and a drive control unit 630 .

[0043] In which, the output end of the inverter unit 610 is suitable for connecting to the compressor motor 130 and is suitable for connecting to the first heating unit 240; the switch unit 620 is suitable for connecting to the second heating unit 250; the drive control unit 630 is configured to control the switch unit 620 to make the second heating unit 250 work when the inverter unit 610 drives the compressor motor 130 to operate, and to control at least one of the inverter unit 610 and the switch unit 620 to make at least one of the first heating unit 240 and the second heating unit 250 work when the inverter unit 610 drives the compressor motor 130 to stop running.

[0044] Specifically, if Figure 3 As shown, the first heating unit 240 and the second heating unit 250 respectively include a plurality of PTC resistors PTC connected in parallel, and the number of PTC resistors PTC can be set according to actual conditions. Figure 4As shown, when the compressor motor 130 and the heater 200 are working at the same time, the drive control unit 630 controls the inverter unit 610 so that the inverter unit 610 drives the compressor motor 130, and controls the switch unit 620 so that the second heating unit 250 is working. At this time, the compressor motor 130 is working normally and the heater 200 is in a light-load working state. When the compressor motor 130 is not working, the drive control unit 630 can control the inverter unit 610 to make the first heating unit 240 work, or control the switch unit 620 to make the second heating unit 250 work, or control the inverter unit 610 and the switch unit 620 at the same time so that the first heating unit 240 and the second heating unit 250 are working at the same time (as shown in FIG. 2 ). Figure 5 As shown, the heater 200 is in a fully loaded operating state. Therefore, there is no need to add an additional switch tube in the switch unit 620 to control the first heating unit 240. Furthermore, since the switch unit 620 is only used to control the second heating unit 250, the power of the second heating unit 250 is less than the rated power of the heater 200. Therefore, the switch tube in the switch unit 620 can be a smaller switch tube.

[0045] For example, assuming that the rated voltage of the high-voltage power supply is 300V, the maximum operating power of the compressor 100 is 6kW (current 20A), and the maximum operating power of the heater 200 is 6kW (current 20A), and both are required to work at light load at the same time.

[0046] If the thermal management system in the related art is adopted, in order to meet the needs of the heater 200 when it is fully loaded, without considering the design margin, the switch tubes in the first power switch group 120, the second power switch group 220 and the third power switch tube group need to be 20A switch tubes.

[0047] If the control device 600 of this embodiment is used, assuming the rated power of the first heating unit 240 is 4.5kW (current 15A) and the rated power of the second heating unit 250 is 1.5kW (current 5A), the inverter unit 610 needs to meet the maximum operating power of the compressor 100, so the inverter unit 610 uses a 20A switch tube. Therefore, the switch tube of the inverter unit 610 can meet the requirements of the first heating unit 240. The switch unit 620 needs to use a 5A switch tube. This can meet the requirements of either the compressor 100 or the heater 200 operating at full load, or the compressor 100 can operate at full load and the heater 200 can operate at light load. Furthermore, when heater 200 operates alone, it can achieve multiple power levels. When first heating unit 240 operates alone, heater 200 outputs 4.5 kW; when second heating unit 250 operates alone, heater 200 outputs 1.5 kW; and when first and second heating units 240 and 250 operate together, heater 200 outputs 6 kW. Furthermore, considering that in actual vehicle use, the compressor 100 and heater 200 operate simultaneously for relatively short periods of time, the output power of second heating unit 250 will not reach 1.5 kW, allowing the specifications of the switching transistor in switching unit 620 to be further reduced.

[0048] In an optional embodiment, as Figure 3 As shown, the control device 600 can be disposed in the compressor controller 110 and control the compressor motor 130 and the heater 200 by utilizing the voltage conversion unit 111, the receiving unit 112, the isolation transformer unit 113, and the isolation communication unit 114 in the compressor controller 110. In actual applications, the control device 600 can also be disposed in other locations. However, considering the layout of the thermal management system, power tube heat dissipation, circuit sharing, and cost, disposing the control device 600 in the compressor 100 is the optimal design.

[0049] It should be noted that the switching transistors in the inverter unit 610 and the switch unit 620 can be MOS (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) transistors or IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor).

[0050] In the above embodiment, in actual application scenarios, since the compressor and the heater work simultaneously for a short time, the heater can work in a light-load state. Therefore, the drive control unit can control the inverter unit to put the compressor in a full-load working state, and control the switch unit to put the heater in a light-load working state, thereby realizing the simultaneous operation of the compressor and the heater. When the heater works independently, the first heating unit is controlled by reusing the inverter unit, so that the heater can reach a full-load working state, reducing the number of switching tubes in the switch unit. In addition, the switch unit can also select switching tubes with smaller specifications, thereby reducing the volume of the thermal management system and reducing the cost of the thermal management system.

[0051] In some embodiments, the drive control unit 630 is further configured to control the high-voltage power supply to stop supplying power to the first heating unit 240 when the inverter unit 610 drives the compressor motor 130 to operate, so that the first heating unit 240 stops working.

[0052] It can be understood that because the compressor motor 130 and the first heating unit 240 share the inverter unit 610, when the inverter unit 610 drives the compressor motor 130 to operate, if the high-voltage power supply continues to supply power to the first heating unit 240, the first heating unit 240 will interfere with the operation of the compressor motor 130. Therefore, the drive control unit 630 controls the high-voltage power supply to stop supplying power to the first heating unit 240.

[0053] In some embodiments, as Figure 6 As shown, the first end of the first heating unit 240 is connected to the positive electrode HV+ of the high-voltage power supply through the first switch K1, and the second end of the first heating unit 240 is connected to the output end of the inverter unit 610, wherein the drive control unit 630 is also configured to control the first switch K1 to be disconnected so that the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the first heating unit 240.

[0054] Specifically, a first switch K1 can be provided between the positive electrode HV+ of the high-voltage power supply and the first end of the first heating unit 240. When the first switch K1 is disconnected, the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the first heating unit 240. The high-voltage power supply first passes through the upper bridge switch of the inverter unit 610, then passes through the first heating unit 240, and then flows into the second heating unit 250. Therefore, when the first switch K1 is disconnected, the second heating unit 250 can still operate normally. When the first switch K1 is closed, the high-voltage power supply supplies power to the first heating unit 240 and the second heating unit 250. The drive control unit 630 can operate the first heating unit 240 and the second heating unit 250 by controlling the inverter unit 610 and the switch unit 620.

[0055] In some embodiments, as Figure 7As shown, the first end of the first heating unit 240 is suitable for connecting to the positive pole HV+ of the high-voltage power supply, and the second end of the first heating unit 240 is connected to the output end of the inverter unit 610 through the second switch K2, wherein the drive control unit 630 is also configured to control the second switch K2 to be disconnected so that the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the first heating unit 240.

[0056] Specifically, a second switch K2 may be provided between the second end of the first heating unit 240 and the output end of the inverter unit 610. When the second switch K2 is disconnected, the circuit formed by the high-voltage power supply, the first heating unit 240, and the inverter unit 610 is disconnected, and the first heating unit 240 stops operating. At this point, the high-voltage power supply can normally supply power to the second heating unit 250, and the second heating unit 250 can therefore operate normally.

[0057] In some embodiments, as Figure 8 As shown, the positive DC bus of the inverter unit 610 is connected to the positive electrode HV+ of the high-voltage power supply through the third switch K3, wherein the drive control unit 630 is further configured to control the second switch K2 to be disconnected when the third switch K3 is controlled to be closed, so that the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the first heating unit 240; when the third switch K3 is controlled to be disconnected, the second switch K2 is controlled to be closed, and the corresponding lower bridge switch tube of the inverter unit 610 is controlled to be turned on, so that when the high-voltage power supply supplies power to the first heating unit 240, the inverter unit 610 stops supplying power to the inverter unit 610.

[0058] Specifically, the third switch K3 can be used to control whether the high-voltage power supply supplies power to the inverter unit 610. When the third switch K3 is closed, the drive control unit 630 can control the switching transistors in the inverter unit 610 to operate the compressor motor 130. When the compressor motor 130 is operating, the first heating unit 240 is stopped, so the second switch K2 is open. When the third switch K3 is open, the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the inverter unit 610, and the upper-bridge switching transistors in the inverter unit 610 cannot conduct, thereby preventing the compressor motor 130 from operating. When the third switch K3 is open and the second switch K2 is closed, the high-voltage power supply supplies power to the first heating unit 240. Because the first heating unit 240 is connected to the output terminal of the inverter unit 610, the corresponding lower-bridge switching transistors in the inverter unit 610 are controlled to conduct, enabling the first heating unit 240 to operate.

[0059] In the above embodiment, when the compressor is not in operation, the third switch is controlled to be disconnected to stop supplying power to the inverter unit, and the inverter unit does not drive the compressor motor to operate, thereby improving the reliability of the thermal management system.

[0060] In some embodiments, as Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the first end of the second heating unit 250 is suitable for connecting to the positive pole HV+ of the high-voltage power supply, the second end of the second heating unit 250 is suitable for connecting to the first end of the switch unit 620, and the second end of the switch unit 620 is suitable for connecting to the negative pole HV- of the high-voltage power supply, wherein the drive control unit 630 is also configured to control the switch unit 620 to be turned on so that the high-voltage power supply supplies power to the second heating unit 250.

[0061] by Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown in the example, the switch unit 620 includes a switch tube QA. A first end of the switch tube QA is connected to a second end of the second heating unit 250, and a second end of the switch tube QA is adapted to be connected to the negative electrode HV- of the high-voltage power supply. When the drive control unit 630 controls the switch tube QA to turn on, the high-voltage power supply supplies power to the second heating unit 250, causing the second heating unit 250 to heat. When the drive control unit 630 controls the switch tube QA to turn off, the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the second heating unit 250, causing the second heating unit 250 to stop heating. Therefore, the power of the second heating unit 250 can be adjusted by controlling the duty cycle of the switch tube QA in the switch unit 620.

[0062] In some embodiments, as Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the inverter unit 610 is a three-phase inverter circuit, and at least one of the first output terminal, the second output terminal, and the third output terminal of the three-phase inverter circuit is connected to the first heating unit 240 .

[0063] Specifically, the inverter unit 610 includes six switching transistors Q1-Q6, which form a three-phase inverter circuit. The connection point between the switching transistors Q1 and Q4 is a first output terminal, the connection point between the switching transistors Q2 and Q5 is a second output terminal, and the connection point between the switching transistors Q3 and Q6 is a third output terminal. The drive control unit 630 controls the switching of the corresponding lower-bridge switching transistors of the first heating unit 240 to operate the first heating unit 240.

[0064] by Figures 6 to 8 As shown in the example, the first heating unit 240 is connected to the first output end. Therefore, the driving control unit 630 can control the switching of the switch tube Q4 to make the first heating unit 240 work.

[0065] In some embodiments, the first output end, the second output end, and the third output end are respectively connected to the first heating unit 240 .

[0066] It is understood that the first heating unit 240 is connected to the first output terminal, the second output terminal, and the third output terminal, respectively. The driving control unit 630 can simultaneously control the switching tubes Q4, Q5, and Q6 to operate the first heating unit 240. In this way, the three low-bridge switching tubes Q4, Q5, and Q6 can evenly share the current, thereby reducing the current stress of the switching tubes and improving the reliability of the thermal management system.

[0067] In some embodiments, as Figure 9 As shown, the inverter unit 610 is a three-phase inverter circuit, there are three first heating units 240, and the first output end, the second output end and the third output end of the three-phase inverter circuit are respectively connected to each first heating unit 240.

[0068] Specifically, if the heater 200 requires more gears, or the operating current of the heater 200 is greater than the operating current of the compressor 100, resulting in the specifications of the switch tube of the inverter unit 610 being unable to meet the requirements of the heater 200, the number of first heating units 240 can be increased to share the power of one first heating unit 240. As a result, the gears of the heater 200 are increased, and the specifications of the switch tube of the inverter unit 610 can meet the power requirements of each first heating unit 240. The drive control unit 630 controls the lower bridge switch tube corresponding to each first heating unit 240 to enable the corresponding first heating unit 240 to operate.

[0069] by Figure 9 As shown in the example, the first output end is connected to the first first heating unit 240, the second output end is connected to the second first heating unit 240, and the third output end is connected to the third first heating unit 240. The driving control unit 630 controls the switch tube Q4 to make the first first heating unit 240 work, and controls the switch tube Q5 to make the second first heating unit 240 work, and controls the switch tube Q6 to make the third first heating unit 240 work.

[0070] It should be noted that the number of the first heating units 240 is not limited to Figures 6 to 8 The one shown and Figure 9 The three shown can also be other numbers. For example, when there are two first heating units 240, at least two of the first output end, the second output end and the third output end are connected to the first heating unit 240. When there are four first heating units 240, two first heating units 240 can be respectively connected to at least one of the first output end, the second output end and the third output end, one of the remaining first heating units 240 is connected to one of the remaining output ends, and another one of the remaining first heating units 240 is connected to another one of the remaining output ends.

[0071] In some embodiments, as Figure 9 As shown, the first output end, the second output end and the third output end are connected to the compressor motor 130 through the first three-phase switch K4, and are connected to the three first heating units 240 through the second three-phase switch K5, wherein when the first three-phase switch K4 is disconnected, the second three-phase switch K5 is closed; when the first three-phase switch K4 is closed, the second three-phase switch K5 is disconnected.

[0072] Specifically, the first three-phase switch K4 is used to control the on / off switching of the three-phase line of the compressor motor 130, and the second three-phase switch K5 is used to control the on / off switching between the lower bridge switch of the inverter unit 610 and the corresponding first heating unit 240. When the compressor 100 is operating, the first three-phase switch K4 is closed and the second three-phase switch K5 is open, thereby preventing the three first heating units 240 from interfering with the operation of the compressor motor 130. When the three first heating units 240 are operating, the first three-phase switch K4 is open and the second three-phase switch K5 is closed, thereby preventing the compressor motor 130 from interfering with the operation of the three first heating units 240.

[0073] It should be noted that when the control device 600 is disposed within the compressor 100, the control device 600 can communicate with a control unit (not shown) of the thermal management system via CAN or LIN (Local Interconnect Network) to transmit control instructions for the first three-phase switch K4 and the second three-phase switch K5 to the control unit, so that the control unit can control the first three-phase switch K4 and the second three-phase switch K5 according to the control instructions. When the control device 600 is disposed in the thermal management system, the control device 600 can directly control the first three-phase switch K4 and the second three-phase switch K5.

[0074] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown, the inverter unit 610 and the switch unit 620 are integrated together to construct an integrated power module 640 .

[0075] It is understandable that the integration of the inverter unit 610 and the switch unit 620 can reduce the space occupied by the inverter unit 610 and the switch unit 620, which can reduce the volume of the control device 600, thereby further reducing the volume of the thermal management system.

[0076] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown, the driving control unit 630 further includes a first driving circuit 631 that drives the inverter unit 610 and a second driving circuit 632 that drives the switch unit 620 . The first driving circuit 631 and the second driving circuit 632 are provided in the integrated power module 640 .

[0077] Specifically, the drive control unit 630 includes a first drive circuit 631, a second drive circuit 632, and a control circuit 633. The control circuit 633 controls the first drive circuit 631 and the second drive circuit 632 according to control instructions. The first drive circuit 631 and the second drive circuit 632 are also integrated into the integrated power module 640, which can further reduce the size of the control device 600 and thus further reduce the size of the thermal management system.

[0078] It should be noted that the first driving circuit 631 and the second driving circuit 632 may not be provided in the integrated power module 640 , and there is no specific limitation here.

[0079] In summary, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a control device includes an inverter unit, a switch unit, and a drive control unit. The output end of the inverter unit is adapted to be connected to a compressor motor and to a first heating unit, and the switch unit is adapted to be connected to a second heating unit. The drive control unit is configured to, when the inverter unit is controlled to drive the compressor motor, control the switch unit to operate the second heating unit, and, when the inverter unit is controlled to stop driving the compressor motor, control at least one of the inverter unit and the switch unit to operate at least one of the first heating unit and the second heating unit. Therefore, when the compressor and heater need to operate simultaneously, the drive control unit controls the inverter unit and the switch unit to operate the compressor and heater simultaneously. When only the heater needs to operate, the drive control unit controls at least one of the inverter unit and the switch unit to operate the heater. Thus, the control device of this embodiment incorporates the actual application scenarios of the compressor and heater, enabling simultaneous operation of the compressor and heater. Furthermore, when the compressor is not operating, the heater can operate at full load by reusing the inverter unit, thereby improving the utilization rate of the inverter unit and reducing the number of switches in the switch unit, thereby reducing the size and cost of the thermal management system.

[0080] Corresponding to the above embodiment, the embodiment of the present invention further provides a thermal management system. Figure 2 As shown, the thermal management system includes: a compressor motor 130, a heater 200 and a control device 600 of any of the aforementioned embodiments, wherein the heater 200 includes a first heating unit 240 and a second heating unit 250; the control device 600 is configured to control the compressor motor 130 and the heater 200 respectively.

[0081] According to the thermal management system of an embodiment of the present invention, by adopting the above-mentioned control device, the compressor and the first heating unit are driven by the inverter unit, and the second heating unit is controlled by the switch unit, the number of power switches in the switch unit can be reduced, thereby reducing the volume of the thermal management system and reducing the cost of the thermal management system.

[0082] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, a vehicle is provided according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 As shown, vehicle 2000 includes the thermal management system 1000 described above.

[0083] The vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the thermal management system described in any of the above embodiments. Here, the vehicle can be a new energy vehicle. In some embodiments, the new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle with an electric motor as the main driving force. In other embodiments, the new energy vehicle can also be a hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as the main driving force. Regarding the internal combustion engine and the electric motor mentioned in the above embodiments that provide driving power for the new energy vehicle, the internal combustion engine can use gasoline, diesel, hydrogen, etc. as fuel, and the way to provide electrical energy for the electric motor can use power batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, etc., and no special limitation is made here. It should be noted that this is only an exemplary description of the structure of new energy vehicles, etc., and it does not limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0084] According to the vehicle of an embodiment of the present invention, by adopting the above-mentioned thermal management system, the compressor and the first heating unit are driven by the inverter unit, and the second heating unit is controlled by the switch unit, the number of power switches in the switch unit can be reduced, thereby reducing the volume of the thermal management system and reducing the cost of the thermal management system.

[0085] It should be understood that various parts of the present invention can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above-described embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented using software or firmware stored in a memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented using hardware, as in another embodiment, any one of the following technologies known in the art or a combination thereof can be used: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for implementing a logic function on a data signal, an application-specific integrated circuit having a suitable combination of logic gate circuits, a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.

[0086] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0087] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0088] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" used in the embodiments of the present invention are only used for descriptive purposes and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated in this embodiment. Therefore, the features defined by the terms "first" and "second" in the embodiments of the present invention can explicitly or implicitly indicate that the embodiment includes at least one of such features. In the description of the present invention, the word "plurality" means at least two or two or more, such as two, three, four, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined in the embodiments.

[0089] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited in the embodiments, the terms "installed," "connected," "connect," and "fixed" appearing in the embodiments should be understood in a broad sense. For example, the connection may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. It can also be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, etc.; of course, it can also be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be internal communication between two elements, or an interaction between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood based on the specific implementation.

[0090] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it will be understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and are not to be construed as limitations on the present invention. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control device, characterized in that: Suitable for controlling a compressor motor and a heater, wherein the heater includes a first heating unit and a second heating unit, the control device includes: an inverter unit, wherein an output end of the inverter unit is suitable for connecting to the compressor motor and the first heating unit; a switch unit, wherein the switch unit is adapted to connect to the second heating unit; The drive control unit is configured to control the switch unit so that the second heating unit works when the inverter unit is controlled to drive the compressor motor to operate, and to control at least one of the inverter unit and the switch unit so that at least one of the first heating unit and the second heating unit works when the inverter unit is controlled to drive the compressor motor to stop operating.

2. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that The driving control unit is further configured to control the high-voltage power supply to stop supplying power to the first heating unit when the inverter unit drives the compressor motor to operate, so that the first heating unit stops working.

3. The control device according to claim 2, characterized in that The first end of the first heating unit is connected to the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply through a first switch, and the second end of the first heating unit is connected to the output end of the inverter unit, wherein the drive control unit is further configured to control the first switch to be disconnected so that the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the first heating unit.

4. The control device according to claim 2, characterized in that The first end of the first heating unit is suitable for being connected to the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply, and the second end of the first heating unit is connected to the output end of the inverter unit through a second switch, wherein the drive control unit is also configured to control the second switch to be disconnected so that the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the first heating unit.

5. The control device according to claim 4, characterized in that The positive DC bus of the inverter unit is connected to the positive electrode of the high-voltage power supply through a third switch, wherein the drive control unit is further configured to: When the third switch is controlled to be closed, the second switch is controlled to be open, so that the high-voltage power supply stops supplying power to the first heating unit; When the third switch is controlled to be disconnected, the second switch is controlled to be closed, and the corresponding lower bridge switch tube of the inverter unit is controlled to be turned on, so that when the high-voltage power supply supplies power to the first heating unit, the inverter unit stops being supplied with power.

6. The control device according to claim 5, characterized in that The first end of the second heating unit is suitable for connecting to the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply, the second end of the second heating unit is suitable for connecting to the first end of the switching unit, and the second end of the switching unit is suitable for connecting to the negative pole of the high-voltage power supply, wherein the drive control unit is also configured to control the switching unit to be turned on so that the high-voltage power supply supplies power to the second heating unit.

7. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that The inverter unit is a three-phase inverter circuit, and at least one of a first output end, a second output end, and a third output end of the three-phase inverter circuit is connected to the first heating unit.

8. The control device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first output end, the second output end and the third output end are respectively connected to the first heating unit.

9. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that The inverter unit is a three-phase inverter circuit, there are three first heating units, and the first output end, the second output end and the third output end of the three-phase inverter circuit are respectively connected to each of the first heating units.

10. The control device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The first output end, the second output end and the third output end are connected to the compressor motor through a first three-phase switch, and are connected to the three first heating units through a second three-phase switch, wherein: When the first three-phase switch is open, the second three-phase switch is closed; When the first three-phase switch is closed, the second three-phase switch is open.

11. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The inverter unit and the switch unit are integrated together to form an integrated power module.

12. The control device according to claim 11, characterized in that The driving control unit further includes a first driving circuit for driving the inverter unit and a second driving circuit for driving the switch unit, and the first driving circuit and the second driving circuit are provided in the integrated power module.

13. A thermal management system, characterized in that: include: compressor motor; a heater comprising a first heating unit and a second heating unit; The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the control device is configured to control the compressor motor and the heater separately.

14. A vehicle, characterized in that: Comprising the thermal management system of claim 13.

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