Thermal management module for a vehicle and vehicle

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of vehicles, and discloses a thermal management module for a vehicle and the vehicle, the thermal management module comprising a first mounting cross beam, a second mounting cross beam, a front end assembly and a flow channel plate assembly; along the up-down direction of the vehicle, the first mounting cross beam is arranged above the second mounting cross beam and is arranged in a spaced mode with the second mounting cross beam; along the up-down direction of the vehicle, the upper side of the front end assembly is arranged on the first mounting cross beam, and the lower side of the front end assembly is arranged on the second mounting cross beam; along the left-right direction of the vehicle, the flow channel plate assembly is located on one side of the front end assembly, and along the up-down direction of the vehicle, the two sides of the flow channel plate assembly are fixedly connected with the first mounting cross beam and the second mounting cross beam respectively. The thermal management module disclosed by the application improves the integration degree and reduces the occupied space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and more particularly to a thermal management module for a vehicle and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy electric vehicles, the diversification of sales regions, and fierce market competition, the demand for thermal management systems in vehicles is constantly increasing, and research on electric vehicle thermal management systems is receiving more and more attention. Because the thermal management systems of pure electric vehicles are fundamentally different from those of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, the operating methods of water pumps and air conditioners in pure electric vehicles also change accordingly. In order to rationally arrange front-end modules and cooling integration within the limited space of the front engine compartment, existing pure electric vehicles typically adopt a modular design that integrates the cooling modules together, with only a few front-end modules and cooling integration combinations.

[0003] In related technologies, some manufacturers have implemented compact and lightweight designs for thermal management components, integrating multiple parts together to enable rapid heat exchange and transfer, reducing heat loss and component development costs. However, due to the limited space in the front engine compartment, the numerous and disorganized thermal management components result in insufficient compactness. Therefore, improving the integration of thermal management modules and reducing their space occupation is a pressing technical problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a thermal management module for a vehicle and a vehicle. The thermal management module according to this application improves integration and reduces space occupation.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the main technical solutions adopted in this application include:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a thermal management module for a vehicle, including a first mounting beam, a second mounting beam, a front-end assembly, and a flow channel plate assembly; along the vertical direction of the vehicle, the first mounting beam is disposed above the second mounting beam and spaced apart from the second mounting beam; along the vertical direction of the vehicle, the upper side of the front-end assembly is disposed on the first mounting beam, and the lower side of the front-end assembly is disposed on the second mounting beam; along the horizontal direction of the vehicle, the flow channel plate assembly is located on one side of the front-end assembly, and along the vertical direction of the vehicle, both sides of the flow channel plate assembly are fixedly connected to the first mounting beam and the second mounting beam, respectively.

[0007] The thermal management module for vehicles proposed according to the first aspect of this application avoids the space waste caused by the dispersed arrangement of the flow channel plate assembly and the front-end assembly. Furthermore, the connection and fixation of the flow channel plate assembly with the front-end assembly and the mounting beam respectively enhances the installation stability of the front-end assembly. This allows the thermal management module to reserve extra space for other components in the front-rear direction, significantly reducing the overall space occupied by the thermal management module in the front-rear direction. At the same time, the flow channel plate assembly and the front-end assembly are arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right direction, which can significantly shorten the length of the fluid connection pipeline between the two, reduce pipeline bends and space occupation, and further improve the overall space utilization of the module.

[0008] Optionally, along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the projection of the flow channel assembly at least partially overlaps with the projection of the front end assembly.

[0009] In the above solution, the space occupied by the flow channel plate assembly and the front end assembly in the left and right directions of the vehicle can be significantly reduced. There is no need to reserve independent lateral space for the flow channel plate assembly and the front end assembly, which helps to improve the integration of the thermal management module. The overall structure is more compact, reducing the space occupied by the thermal management module and contributing to the lightweighting and space optimization of the whole vehicle. On the other hand, the front and rear opposite arrangement of the flow channel plate assembly and the front end assembly can minimize the fluid connection path between the flow channel plate assembly and the front end assembly, eliminating the need for complex bending pipes. This reduces the difficulty of pipe installation and the risk of leakage, and also reduces the length of the pipes.

[0010] Optionally, one side of the front end assembly is fixed to the flow channel plate assembly along the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0011] In the above solution, on the one hand, the central area of ​​the front-end component can be avoided, reducing the space occupied by the thermal management module in the front-to-back direction. On the other hand, the influence of the flow channel plate component on the airflow of the front-end component can be reduced, improving the heat exchange effect. At the same time, it can disperse the force on the front-end component in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions, avoiding stress concentration caused by fixing in a single direction, and effectively suppressing the left-to-right movement of the front-end component when the vehicle turns or bumps, improving the installation firmness of the front-end component.

[0012] Optionally, the flow channel plate assembly includes an agent-side flow channel plate, with both sides of the agent-side flow channel plate being fixedly connected to a first mounting beam and a second mounting beam, respectively, along the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0013] In the above scheme, the structure of the agent-side flow channel plate can be used to act as a vertical beam to support the front-end components. After being integrated with the front-end components, the space occupied by the thermal management module in the front-rear direction is reduced. This setting can significantly improve the integration of the thermal management module and more efficiently compress the space occupied by the thermal management module in the front-rear, vertical, and horizontal directions, making the arrangement of components in the vehicle's engine compartment more compact.

[0014] Optionally, the flow channel plate assembly also includes a water-side flow channel plate disposed on the agent-side flow channel plate.

[0015] In the above scheme, the water-side flow channel plate is stacked on the agent-side flow channel plate and the agent-side flow channel plate is used as the installation base. This not only maximizes the use of space in the left and right directions of the vehicle and avoids the space waste caused by the horizontal dispersion of the dual flow channel plates, but also greatly reduces the overall volume occupied by the module and significantly improves the integration of the thermal management module. At the same time, it can shorten the medium transmission path and reduce the space occupied by the connecting pipes.

[0016] Optionally, the agent-side flow channel plate and the water-side flow channel plate are integrally molded parts.

[0017] In the above solution, the integrally molded agent-side flow channel plate and water-side flow channel plate reduce the gaps and connectors generated when the two are connected. This design not only avoids the risk of sealing failure caused by vibration and temperature changes at the splicing point, ensuring no leakage of fluid inside the flow channel, but also makes the overall structure form a complete rigid skeleton. Compared with the spliced ​​structure, the vibration resistance and deformation resistance are greatly enhanced, and it can more stably achieve auxiliary fixation of the front-end components and resist the impact load during vehicle operation.

[0018] Optionally, the front-end component includes a fan and a protective ring disposed around the fan, with a flow channel plate disposed on the protective ring.

[0019] In the above solution, the air shield ring, as a rigid support structure on the outer periphery of the fan, can serve to install the fan. By setting the air shield ring on the propellant side flow channel plate, there is no need to design an additional independent mounting bracket or adapter component. This reduces the number of parts and connection nodes, lowers the risk of failure caused by structural redundancy (such as bracket loosening), and allows the propellant side flow channel plate to form an integrated structure with the front-end component, which strengthens the overall rigidity and can effectively resist vibration and bumps during vehicle operation. It also prevents displacement or deformation of the propellant side flow channel plate caused by independent fixing, and ensures the integrity of its internal precision flow channel and the sealing of the interface.

[0020] Optionally, along the air outlet direction of the fan, the projection of the side flow channel plate does not overlap with the projection of the fan.

[0021] In the above scheme, the agent-side flow channel plate can avoid the fan's air outlet setting, bypassing the fan's core air outlet channel, and preventing the agent-side flow channel plate from blocking the airflow. This allows the airflow generated by the fan to flow fully and unobstructed to the heat exchange area of ​​the front-end components, which helps to reduce the loss of airflow velocity and volume. At the same time, it further optimizes the spatial allocation of the thermal management module in the front-rear direction, avoids interference with other components in the cabin, and balances heat exchange efficiency and structural reliability.

[0022] Optionally, the thermal management module also includes a gas-liquid separator, which is disposed on the agent-side flow channel plate along the air outlet direction of the fan, and the projection of the gas-liquid separator does not overlap with the projection of the fan.

[0023] In the above scheme, the gas-liquid separator is supported and fixed by the refrigerant-side flow channel plate. The gas-liquid separator does not require an additional independent mounting bracket, which reduces the number of parts and connection nodes and reduces the risk of failure caused by structural redundancy. In addition, the gas-liquid separator and the refrigerant-side flow channel plate are integrated nearby, which can shorten the refrigerant transmission path, reduce the pressure loss and heat loss of the medium after gas-liquid separation, improve the circulation efficiency of the thermal management system, and the non-overlapping layout ensures that the installation positions of the gas-liquid separator, the refrigerant-side flow channel plate and the fan do not conflict with each other, further optimizing the spatial allocation of the module in the front and rear directions and avoiding interference with other components in the cabin.

[0024] In a second aspect, a vehicle is characterized by including the thermal management module described in any one embodiment.

[0025] The vehicle proposed according to the second aspect of the present application, having the thermal management module described in any embodiment, improves the integration of the thermal management module, significantly reduces the space occupied in the front engine compartment of the vehicle, provides more sufficient installation and heat dissipation space for core components such as batteries and motors, and helps to expand the space of the passenger compartment, thereby improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of the thermal management module in some embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the thermal management module in some embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a top view of the thermal management module in some embodiments of this application.

[0030] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]

[0031] 1000. Thermal Management Module;

[0032] 100. Front-end components; 110. Fan; 120. Air shield;

[0033] 200. Flow channel plate assembly; 210. Agent-side flow channel plate; 220. Water-side flow channel plate;

[0034] 300. Gas-liquid separator. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in the description of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the description, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the description, claims, or accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order or hierarchy.

[0037] In this application, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application can be combined with other embodiments.

[0038] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "attachment" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0040] In this application, "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0041] With the rapid development of new energy electric vehicles, the diversification of sales regions, and fierce market competition, the demand for thermal management systems in vehicles is constantly increasing, and research on electric vehicle thermal management systems is receiving more and more attention. Because the thermal management systems of pure electric vehicles are fundamentally different from those of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, the operating methods of water pumps and air conditioners in pure electric vehicles also change accordingly. In order to rationally arrange front-end modules and cooling integration within the limited space of the front engine compartment, existing pure electric vehicles typically adopt a modular design that integrates the cooling modules together, with only a few front-end modules and cooling integration combinations.

[0042] In related technologies, some manufacturers have made thermal management components more compact and lightweight, integrating multiple components together to enable rapid heat exchange and transfer, reducing heat loss and component development costs.

[0043] For example, in some existing solutions, to integrate cooling modules, pipe connections or bracket fixing combinations are typically used to integrate thermal management cooling products into several integrated modules, which are then connected together. Thermal management cooling products include: water pumps, water valves, integrated water tanks, water-side flow channels, propellant-side flow channels, and front-end modules (including air shields), etc. Existing solutions fix the air shield and water-side flow channels together, and then install the propellant-side flow channels and other thermal management components on the two flow channels. Due to the limited space in the forward engine compartment and the large number and cluttered arrangement of thermal management components, the thermal management components are not compact enough.

[0044] The vehicle's driver's cabin and front engine compartment are separated by a front bulkhead. Because the thermal management module in the front engine compartment occupies a large space, the usable space in the driver's cabin is also affected when the vehicle's dimensions remain unchanged.

[0045] Therefore, the technical solution of this application improves the integration of the thermal management module, reduces the space occupied by the thermal management module, and allows the front bulkhead to be moved forward, thereby increasing the space of the cockpit.

[0046] In view of this, in order to improve the integration of the thermal management module 1000 and reduce its space occupation, this application embodiment proposes a thermal management module 1000 for a vehicle. Along the left-right direction of the vehicle, the flow channel plate assembly 200 is located on one side of the front-end assembly 100. Along the up-down direction of the vehicle, both sides of the flow channel plate assembly 200 are fixedly connected to a first mounting beam and a second mounting beam, respectively. The upper side of the flow channel plate assembly 200 is disposed on the first mounting beam, and the lower side of the flow channel plate assembly 200 is disposed on the second mounting beam. The flow channel plate assembly 200 is located on one side of the front-end assembly 100 in the left-right direction. This arrangement avoids the flow channel plate assembly 200 and the front-end assembly 100 being dispersed. The space wasted caused by the flow channel plate assembly 200 is reinforced by connecting and fixing it to the front-end assembly 100 and the mounting beam, which strengthens the installation stability of the front-end assembly 1000. This allows the thermal management module 1000 to reserve extra space for other components in the front-back direction, significantly reducing the overall space occupied by the thermal management module 1000 in the front-back direction. At the same time, the flow channel plate assembly 200 and the front-end assembly 100 are arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right direction, which can greatly shorten the length of the fluid connection pipeline between the two, reduce pipeline bends and space occupation, and further improve the overall space utilization of the module. This allows the thermal management module 1000 to reserve more sufficient installation and heat dissipation space for core components such as batteries and motors.

[0047] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, describes a thermal management module 1000 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of this application.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 According to an embodiment of the first aspect of this application, a thermal management module 1000 for a vehicle includes a first mounting beam, a second mounting beam, a front end assembly 100, and a flow channel plate assembly 200.

[0049] Along the vertical direction of the vehicle, the first mounting crossbeam is positioned above the second mounting crossbeam and spaced apart from it; it can be understood that the first and second mounting crossbeams can provide a stable mounting base for the front end assembly 100 and the flow channel plate assembly 200 in the vertical direction, improve the overall structural rigidity, and resist vibration and impact during vehicle operation.

[0050] Meanwhile, the spacing provides reserved installation space for the front-end components 100, and also provides channels for component heat dissipation and airflow, avoiding a decrease in heat exchange efficiency due to tight installation space.

[0051] Along the vertical direction of the vehicle, the upper side of the front-end component 100 is disposed on the first mounting crossbeam, and the lower side of the front-end component 100 is disposed on the second mounting crossbeam. It can be understood that the first mounting crossbeam and the second mounting crossbeam can work together to install and fix the front-end component 100, prevent the front-end component 100 from shifting or shaking due to vehicle vibration, ensure that its heat exchange surface is always in the preset working position, improve the heat exchange effect, and ensure that the contact angle between the front-end component 100 and the airflow is stable.

[0052] Meanwhile, bidirectional fixation can evenly distribute the weight and working load of the front-end component 100, which helps to disperse the vibration load of the fan 110 during operation, avoids loosening of installation or damage to components caused by overload of a single fixing point, and extends the service life of the front-end component 100.

[0053] Furthermore, no additional adapter brackets are required, shortening the installation path, improving integration, and reducing space occupation.

[0054] Along the left-right direction of the vehicle, the flow channel plate assembly 200 is located on one side of the front end assembly 100. Along the up-down direction of the vehicle, both sides of the flow channel plate assembly 200 are fixedly connected to the first mounting beam and the second mounting beam, respectively. This arrangement can shorten the fluid connection path between the flow channel plate assembly 200 and the front end assembly 100, reduce pressure loss and heat loss during fluid transmission, improve thermal management efficiency, and allow coolant to be quickly delivered to the heat exchanger inside the front end assembly 100.

[0055] Meanwhile, the flow channel plate assembly 200 can help fix the front end assembly 100, ensuring the installation accuracy of the front end assembly 100 and avoiding problems such as fluid interface misalignment and leakage caused by positional offset.

[0056] In addition, the flow channel plate assembly 200 is located on one side of the front end assembly 100 in the left-right direction, which reduces the obstruction of the air path of the front end assembly 100, and at the same time gives the flow channel plate assembly 200 sufficient vibration resistance to prevent the pipeline from loosening or breaking due to vibration during fluid transmission, thus ensuring the stability and safety of fluid transmission.

[0057] In a specific embodiment, along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the flow channel plate assembly 200 has a first end face facing the front end assembly 100, the first end face being fixedly connected to the front end assembly 100, and along the vertical direction of the vehicle, one side of the second end face is fixed to the first mounting beam, and the other side of the second end face is fixed to the second mounting beam. The first end face and the second end face can be two planes connected to each other.

[0058] In other words, the flow channel plate assembly 200 can be connected between the first mounting beam and the second mounting beam, and use its own structural rigidity to play a supporting role similar to a vertical beam. The front end assembly 100 is located between the first mounting beam and the second mounting beam and is fixedly connected to the first end face, so that the flow channel plate assembly 200 can play a supporting and fixing role for the front end assembly 100.

[0059] Specifically, the thickness direction of the flow channel plate assembly 200 intersects with the thickness direction of the front end assembly 100 rather than being arranged in parallel, so that the front end assembly 100 can reserve additional space in the front-back direction, thereby reducing the space occupied by the thermal management module 1000 in the front-back direction while integrating the flow channel plate assembly 200 and the front end assembly 100 together.

[0060] In other embodiments, the projection of the flow channel assembly 200 at least partially overlaps with the projection of the front end assembly 100 along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. That is, the flow channel assembly 200 and the front end assembly 100 are arranged opposite each other along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. This arrangement can significantly reduce the space occupied by the flow channel assembly 200 and the front end assembly 100 in the lateral direction of the vehicle, eliminating the need to reserve separate lateral spaces for the flow channel assembly 200 and the front end assembly 100. This helps to improve the integration of the thermal management module, making the overall structure more compact and reducing the space occupied by the thermal management module, which contributes to the lightweighting and space optimization of the entire vehicle.

[0061] On the other hand, the front-end assembly 100 and the flow channel plate assembly 200 are arranged in a front-to-back manner to minimize the fluid connection path (such as coolant pipes and refrigerant pipes) between the flow channel plate assembly 200 and the front-end assembly 100, reduce the fluid transmission distance, reduce pressure loss and heat loss, and allow the fluid to circulate quickly between the flow channel plate and the front-end assembly 100, thereby improving the thermal management response speed and heat exchange efficiency, and helping to improve the response speed of temperature adjustment when the vehicle starts and stops or switches operating conditions.

[0062] Meanwhile, the relatively positioned flow channel plate assembly 200 and front end assembly 100 bring their fluid interfaces (such as pipe joints) closer together, eliminating the need for complex pipe bending during assembly. This reduces the difficulty of pipe installation and the risk of leakage, while also reducing pipe length, significantly improving the integration of the thermal management module 1000. It also reduces the impact of vehicle driving vibration on the connection points between the two, further enhancing the overall structural stability and service life of the module.

[0063] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3Along the left-right direction of the vehicle, one side of the front-end component 100 is fixed to the flow channel plate assembly 200. Specifically, the left side of the front-end component 100 is fixedly connected to the flow channel plate assembly 200, or the right side of the front-end component 100 is fixedly connected to the flow channel plate assembly 200. That is to say, the flow channel plate assembly 200 can play an auxiliary fixing role on the left side of the front-end component 100, and the flow channel plate assembly 200 can also play an auxiliary fixing role on the right side of the front-end component 100. With this setting, on the one hand, the central area of ​​the front-end component 100 can be avoided, reducing the space occupied by the thermal management module 1000 in the front-rear direction. On the other hand, the influence of the flow channel plate assembly 200 on the airflow of the front-end component 100 can be reduced, thereby improving the heat exchange effect.

[0064] In the above solution, the installation position of the flow channel plate assembly 200 can be flexibly adjusted according to the layout of the engine, pipelines and other surrounding components in the vehicle's engine compartment, avoiding interference with surrounding components and greatly improving the overall vehicle compatibility of the module.

[0065] On the other hand, the flow channel plate assembly 200 can serve as an auxiliary fixing structure, working together with the first and second mounting beams to support the front-end assembly 100. This not only disperses the forces on the front-end assembly 100 in the front-back and left-right directions, avoiding stress concentration caused by fixing in a single direction, but also effectively suppresses the left-right movement of the front-end assembly 100 when the vehicle turns or bumps, improving the installation firmness of the front-end assembly 100, ensuring precise alignment between the heat exchange surface and the fluid interface, and reducing the risks of interface leakage and pipeline fatigue damage caused by vibration.

[0066] In addition, by avoiding fixing the central area of ​​the front-end component 100, not only will the core heat exchange surface not be obstructed, but the connection point between the flow channel plate component 200 and the front-end component 100 will also be kept away from the core heat exchange area, reducing the impact of the fixing structure on the temperature field of the heat exchange area. At the same time, it is convenient for the pipeline to be arranged from the edge of the component, avoiding the pipeline from crossing the heat exchange surface and interfering with the airflow, further improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0067] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The flow channel plate assembly 200 includes an agent-side flow channel plate 210. Along the vertical direction of the vehicle, both sides of the agent-side flow channel plate 210 are fixedly connected to a first mounting beam and a second mounting beam, respectively. Specifically, one side of the agent-side flow channel plate 210 along the vertical direction is fixedly connected to the first mounting beam, and the other side of the agent-side flow channel plate 210 along the vertical direction is fixedly connected to the second mounting beam. In the front-rear direction, the agent-side flow channel plate 210 is located in front of the first and second mounting beams, and the thickness direction of the agent-side flow channel plate 210 intersects with the thickness direction of the front end assembly 100.

[0068] In the above scheme, the structure of the agent-side flow channel plate 210 itself can be used to act as a vertical beam to support the front-end component 100. After being integrated with the front-end component 100, the space occupied by the thermal management module 1000 in the front-rear direction is reduced. As a result, the integration of the thermal management module 1000 can be greatly improved, and the space occupied by the thermal management module 1000 in the front-rear, vertical and horizontal directions can be compressed more efficiently, making the arrangement of components in the vehicle's engine compartment more compact.

[0069] At the same time, it can effectively resist the impact of vibration and bumps during vehicle operation, prevent the flow channel plate from warping or deforming due to uneven force, and thus prevent the internal precision flow channel from being squeezed narrowed, blocked or having dead angles in medium distribution, ensuring the stable heat exchange efficiency of the front-end component 100.

[0070] In addition, it can precisely control the installation height and horizontal position of the flow channel plate, ensuring that it is strictly aligned with the interface of the external pipeline and the front-end component 100, avoiding assembly stress caused by misalignment at the interface, and reducing the risk of wear of seals and leakage of media during long-term use.

[0071] This fixing method can evenly distribute the self-weight and medium pressure load of the flow channel plate to the first and second mounting beams, avoiding cracking caused by localized stress concentration at the edges or interface areas of the flow channel plate, extending its service life, and eliminating the need for additional reinforcement structures. This simplifies the design complexity of the flow channel plate itself, keeps its surface clean, avoids obstructing the heat dissipation area of ​​the flow channel plate, ensures smooth heat dissipation of the flow channel plate itself, and prevents localized overheating from affecting the medium performance or the structural stability of the flow channel plate.

[0072] In a specific embodiment, the agent-side flow channel plate 210 has several second flow channels, and refrigerant can be selectively circulated in the multiple second flow channels. The second flow channels are equipped with heat exchangers. The thermal management module 1000 also includes a plate heat exchanger and a gas-liquid separator 300. The plate heat exchanger and the gas-liquid separator 300 are both disposed on the side of the agent-side flow channel plate 210 away from the water-side flow channel plate 220. The plate heat exchanger is connected to the second flow channels, and the gas-liquid separator 300 is used for gas-liquid separation of the refrigerant.

[0073] In the above scheme, integrating the plate heat exchanger and gas-liquid separator 300 into the agent-side flow channel plate 210 can further improve the integration of the thermal management module 1000 and reduce the space occupied in the left-right, front-back and up-down directions.

[0074] As an example, multiple flow channel grooves are created within the refrigerant-side flow channel plate 210 through processes such as die casting, and then sealed by welding plates to form refrigerant channels. These refrigerant channels are planned according to thermal management requirements, connecting components such as the condenser, evaporator, and battery cooler, allowing the refrigerant to circulate smoothly.

[0075] Meanwhile, the end face of the agent-side flow channel plate 210 is pre-set with various specifications of mounting interfaces, which can be adapted to the installation of core thermal management components such as electronic expansion valves, solenoid shut-off valves, check valves, and temperature and pressure sensors. This integrated design can reduce the assembly process of scattered parts, shorten production time, and allow the originally scattered parts to be compactly combined, significantly reducing the space occupied by the thermal management module in the vehicle.

[0076] Furthermore, in new energy vehicles, for example, the refrigerant-side flow channel plate 210 can transport refrigerant, balancing the cooling and heating needs of the air conditioning system with the temperature regulation of the battery pack; in traditional vehicles, it can also help maintain components such as the engine within a suitable operating temperature range. Some refrigerant-side flow channel plates 210 are also equipped with limiting devices to fix the flow channel pipe, preventing the pipe from loosening and falling off, ensuring stable refrigerant transmission, and guaranteeing the continuous and effective operation of the thermal management system.

[0077] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The flow channel plate assembly 200 also includes a water-side flow channel plate 220, which is disposed on the agent-side flow channel plate 210. Specifically, the agent-side flow channel plate 210 can also support and fix the water-side flow channel plate 220. The water-side flow channel plate 220 is installed and fixed on the agent-side flow channel plate 210. In other words, the agent-side flow channel plate 210 can serve as an installation base to integrate other thermal management components into the agent-side flow channel plate 210, further improving the overall integration.

[0078] In one specific embodiment, along the left-right direction of the vehicle, the agent-side flow channel plate 210 and the water-side flow channel plate 220 are stacked. The first end face includes a first sub-end face and a second sub-end face. The first sub-end face is disposed on the water-side flow channel plate 220 and fixedly connected to the front end assembly 100. The second sub-end face is disposed on the agent-side flow channel plate 210. Along the up-down direction of the vehicle, one side of the second sub-end face is fixed to the first mounting crossbeam, and the other side of the second sub-end face is fixed to the second mounting crossbeam.

[0079] In the above scheme, the water-side flow channel plate 220 is stacked on the agent-side flow channel plate 210 and the agent-side flow channel plate 210 is used as the installation base. This not only maximizes the use of space in the left and right directions of the vehicle and avoids the space waste caused by the horizontally dispersed arrangement of the two flow channels, but also greatly reduces the overall volume occupied by the module, greatly improves the integration of the thermal management module 1000, and avoids interference with other components in the engine compartment.

[0080] Furthermore, the connection and fixation between the agent-side flow channel plate 210 and the crossbeam provides stable support for the water-side flow channel plate 220, effectively resisting vibrations and bumps during vehicle operation. Simultaneously, the water-side flow channel plate 220 is directly fixed to the front-end assembly 100 via its first sub-end face, and the agent-side flow channel plate 210 is fixed to the double crossbeams via its second sub-end face. This ensures that the fluid interfaces of the water-side flow channel plate 220, agent-side flow channel plate 210, and front-end assembly 100 are highly aligned, shortening the medium transmission path, reducing the space occupied by connecting pipes, lowering pressure loss and heat loss, and improving thermal management response efficiency.

[0081] The side flow channel plate 210 serves as an integrated carrier, which can further integrate other thermal management components, significantly improve the module integration, reduce the number of scattered parts and connection nodes, simplify the assembly process, and improve the overall vehicle assembly efficiency by installing the whole unit. It also reduces the difficulty of later maintenance. At the same time, the modular integrated design allows the module to adapt to the thermal management needs of different vehicle models, reduce customized R&D costs, and balance practicality and economy.

[0082] In other embodiments, the agent-side flow channel plate 210 and the water-side flow channel plate 220 are integrally formed.

[0083] Understandably, the integrally molded agent-side flow channel plate 210 and water-side flow channel plate 220 reduce the gaps and connectors generated when the two are connected. This design not only avoids the risk of sealing failure caused by vibration and temperature changes at the splicing point, ensuring no leakage of fluid inside the flow channel, but also makes the overall structure form a complete rigid skeleton. Compared with the spliced ​​structure, the vibration resistance and deformation resistance are greatly enhanced, and it can more stably achieve auxiliary fixation of the front-end component 100 and resist the impact load during vehicle operation.

[0084] Meanwhile, the one-piece molding eliminates the need for separate processing of the agent-side flow channel plate 210 and the water-side flow channel plate 220, and also eliminates assembly, positioning, and fastening processes, significantly reducing the number of parts and production time, reducing processing errors and assembly costs. Moreover, after molding, it can be directly used as an integral load-bearing unit to provide an installation foundation for the front-end component 100, reducing the number of connectors or fasteners, further improving the integration of the thermal management module 1000, and further reducing the space occupied in the engine compartment.

[0085] In one specific embodiment, the water-side flow channel plate 220 has a plurality of first flow channels, and coolant can be selectively circulated through the plurality of first flow channels; the thermal management module 1000 also includes a water pump and a water valve, which are both disposed on the side of the water-side flow channel plate 220 away from the coolant-side flow channel plate 210 along the left-right direction of the vehicle. The water pump is used to drive the coolant to circulate in the plurality of first flow channels, and the water valve is used to control the flow mode of the plurality of first flow channels.

[0086] In the above solution, integrating the water pump and water valve into the water-side flow channel plate 220 can further improve the integration of the thermal management module 1000, reduce the space occupied in the left-right, front-back and up-down directions, and at the same time reduce the interference of the water pump and water valve on the airflow of the front-end component 100, and reduce the probability of fluid medium leakage to the front-end component 100.

[0087] In one specific embodiment, the thermal management module 1000 also includes a water tank. Along the left-right direction of the vehicle, the water tank is disposed on one side of the water-side flow channel plate 220 away from the agent-side flow channel plate 210. Along the up-down direction of the vehicle, the water tank and the water pump are respectively disposed on both sides of the water valve. The water tank is located above the water valve and is connected to at least one first flow channel.

[0088] In the above solution, integrating the kettle into the water-side flow channel plate 220 can further improve the integration of the thermal management module 1000 and reduce the space occupied in the left-right, front-back and up-down directions.

[0089] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The front-end component 100 includes a fan 110 and a protective ring 120 disposed around the fan 110. The agent-side flow channel plate 210 is disposed on the protective ring 120. It can be understood that the protective ring 120, as a rigid support structure around the fan 110, can serve to install the fan 110. By placing the protective ring 120 on the agent-side flow channel plate 210, there is no need to design an additional independent mounting bracket or adapter component. This reduces the number of parts and connection nodes, reduces the risk of failure caused by structural redundancy (such as bracket loosening), and allows the agent-side flow channel plate 210 to form an integrated structure with the front-end component 100, which strengthens the overall rigidity and can effectively resist vibration and bumps during vehicle operation. It also prevents displacement or deformation of the agent-side flow channel plate 210 due to independent fixing, and ensures the integrity of its internal precision flow channel and the sealing of the interface.

[0090] Meanwhile, the annular layout of the air shield 120 is perfectly suited to the installation requirements of the side flow channel plate 210. Placing it in the air shield 120 can make full use of the idle space around the fan 110, without occupying the core airflow channel of the fan 110, and without adding extra volume to the thermal management module 1000 in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions of the vehicle, thus improving the compactness of the layout and avoiding interference with surrounding components.

[0091] In addition, the agent-side flow channel plate 210 is arranged close to the air shield 120, which can minimize the distance between the agent-side flow channel plate 210 and the heat exchanger in the front-end component 100, allowing the heat exchange medium (such as refrigerant) to circulate quickly between the flow channel plate and the front-end component 100, reducing pressure loss and heat loss. At the same time, when the fan 110 is working, the airflow guided by the air shield 120 can flow directly over the surface of the agent-side flow channel plate 210, helping it to quickly dissipate heat (especially for high-pressure and high-temperature media flowing through it), avoiding local overheating of the flow channel plate, which could lead to material aging or a decrease in flow channel performance.

[0092] In one specific embodiment, the front-end assembly 100 includes a frame and a second heat exchanger. Along the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the frame is fixedly connected to a first sub-end face. The second heat exchanger is disposed on the frame and has a refrigerant inlet. Along the vehicle's left-right direction, the refrigerant inlet is located on the side of the second heat exchanger near the refrigerant-side flow channel plate 210 and communicates with the refrigerant interface. Along the vehicle's longitudinal direction, a fan 110 is located between the frame and the second heat exchanger. Along the vehicle's left-right direction, the fan 110 and the refrigerant-side flow channel plate 210 are respectively located on both sides of the water-side flow channel plate 220.

[0093] In other embodiments, the projection of the agent-side flow channel plate 210 does not overlap with the projection of the fan 110 along the air outlet direction of the fan 110. That is, the agent-side flow channel plate 210 can avoid the air outlet of the fan 110, avoiding the core air outlet channel of the fan 110, and preventing the agent-side flow channel plate 210 from blocking the airflow. This allows the airflow generated by the fan 110 to flow fully and unobstructed to the heat exchange area of ​​the front-end component 100, ensuring that the airflow velocity and air volume are not lost, and maximizing the heat exchange effect of the front-end component 100. Especially under high-temperature conditions in vehicles, sufficient airflow can quickly remove heat from the heat exchange surface and prevent heat accumulation.

[0094] Meanwhile, the airflow does not need to bypass the agent-side flow channel plate 210, which can reduce airflow turbulence and wind resistance, reduce the operating noise of the fan 110, and also prevent high-speed airflow from directly impacting the surface of the agent-side flow channel plate 210, reducing the impact of airflow disturbance on the installation stability of the agent-side flow channel plate 210, and avoiding the loosening of the flow channel plate fixing point due to long-term airflow impact.

[0095] In addition, the flow channel plate 210 is far away from the core airflow area of ​​the fan 110, which can reduce the accumulation of dust and impurities carried by the airflow on the surface of the flow channel plate, reduce the risk of a decrease in the heat dissipation efficiency of the flow channel plate, and prevent the vibration generated by the operation of the fan 110 from being indirectly transmitted to the flow channel plate through the airflow. The non-overlapping layout ensures that the installation positions of the flow channel plate and the fan 110 do not conflict with each other, further optimizing the spatial allocation of the thermal management module 1000 in the front and rear directions, avoiding interference with other components in the cabin, and balancing heat exchange efficiency and structural reliability.

[0096] In some other embodiments, the thermal management module 1000 further includes a gas-liquid separator 300, which is disposed on the agent-side flow channel plate 210. Along the air outlet direction of the fan 110, the projection of the gas-liquid separator 300 does not overlap with the projection of the fan 110.

[0097] In the above scheme, the gas-liquid separator 300 is supported and fixed by the agent-side flow channel plate 210. The gas-liquid separator 300 does not require an additional independent mounting bracket. This reduces the number of parts and connection nodes, and lowers the risk of failure caused by structural redundancy (such as bracket loosening or medium leakage). Furthermore, the rigid connection between the agent-side flow channel plate 210 and the double crossbeams provides a stable mounting foundation, further improving integration, reducing the space occupied by the thermal management module 1000, and preventing the gas-liquid separator 300 from shifting or the separation chamber from deformation due to vehicle vibration, thus ensuring its gas-liquid separation accuracy.

[0098] Meanwhile, the gas-liquid separator 300 can completely bypass the core air outlet channel of the fan 110, which will not block the airflow and cause insufficient heat exchange airflow of the front-end component 100, and will also prevent high-speed airflow from directly impacting the gas-liquid separator 300, reducing the impact of airflow disturbance on its installation stability, and also reducing the probability of dust and impurities carried by the airflow accumulating on the separator surface, maintaining its heat dissipation and separation performance.

[0099] In addition, the gas-liquid separator 300 is integrated with the refrigerant-side flow channel plate 210 in close proximity, which can shorten the refrigerant transmission path, reduce the pressure loss and heat loss of the medium after gas-liquid separation, improve the circulation efficiency of the thermal management system, and the non-overlapping layout ensures that the installation positions of the gas-liquid separator 300, the refrigerant-side flow channel plate 210 and the fan 110 do not conflict with each other, further optimizing the spatial allocation of the module in the front and rear directions and avoiding interference with other components in the cabin.

[0100] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle including the thermal management module 1000 described in any embodiment.

[0101] The vehicle proposed according to the second aspect of the present application, having the thermal management module 1000 described in any embodiment, improves the integration of the thermal management module 1000, significantly reduces the space occupied in the front engine compartment of the vehicle, provides more sufficient installation and heat dissipation space for core components such as batteries and motors, and helps to expand the space of the passenger compartment, thereby improving the user experience.

[0102] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0103] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments.

[0104] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of the claims of this application.

[0105] Although embodiments of this application have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of this application, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A thermal management module for a vehicle, characterized in that, include: The first mounting beam and the second mounting beam are arranged along the vertical direction of the vehicle, with the first mounting beam positioned above the second mounting beam and spaced apart from it. The front end assembly (100) is located along the vertical direction of the vehicle. The upper side of the front end assembly (100) is disposed on the first mounting crossbeam, and the lower side of the front end assembly (100) is disposed on the second mounting crossbeam. The front end assembly (100) includes a fan (110) and a wind guard (120) disposed on the outer periphery of the fan (110). The flow channel assembly (200) is located on one side of the front end assembly (100) along the left-right direction of the vehicle, and on both sides of the flow channel assembly (200) are fixedly connected to the first mounting beam and the second mounting beam respectively along the up-down direction of the vehicle. The flow channel plate assembly (200) includes an agent-side flow channel plate (210). Along the vertical direction of the vehicle, the two sides of the agent-side flow channel plate (210) are fixedly connected to the first mounting beam and the second mounting beam, respectively. Along the front-rear direction, the agent-side flow channel plate (210) is located in front of the first mounting beam and the second mounting beam, and the thickness direction of the agent-side flow channel plate (210) intersects with the thickness direction of the front end assembly (100). The flow channel plate assembly (200) further includes a water-side flow channel plate (220), which is disposed on the agent-side flow channel plate (210); the agent-side flow channel plate (210) and the water-side flow channel plate (220) are integrally formed.

2. The thermal management module according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the projection of the flow channel assembly (200) at least partially overlaps with the projection of the front end assembly (100).

3. The thermal management module according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the left-right direction of the vehicle, one side of the front end assembly (100) is fixed to the flow channel plate assembly (200).

4. The thermal management module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The agent-side flow channel plate (210) is disposed on the air guard ring (120).

5. The thermal management module according to claim 4, characterized in that, Along the air outlet direction of the fan (110), the projection of the agent-side flow channel plate (210) does not overlap with the projection of the fan (110).

6. The thermal management module according to claim 4, characterized in that, The thermal management module (1000) also includes a gas-liquid separator (300), which is disposed on the agent-side flow channel plate (210) along the air outlet direction of the fan (110), and the projection of the gas-liquid separator (300) does not overlap with the projection of the fan (110).

7. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the thermal management module (1000) as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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