Thermal management integrated module with central control unit

Abstract

The invention provides a heat management integration module with a central control unit. The heat management integration module comprises a motor heat dissipation loop, a battery loop and an air conditioner heating loop. Internal parts of the motor heat dissipation loop, the battery loop and the air conditioner heating loop are integrated on an integrated module; comprising a runner plate connecting heat management part, an internal channel of the runner plate connecting heat management part serves as a cooling liquid circulation structure, and a battery loop water pump, a motor heat dissipation loop water pump, an air conditioner heating loop water pump, a three-way proportional valve and an expansion kettle body are fixed to the upper end and the lower end of a runner; the water-water heat exchange plate heat exchanger, the chiller plate heat exchanger and a water inlet and a water outlet which are connected with the heat dissipation elements and the heating elements are integrally fixed to the left end and the right end of the integrated module. A complex automobile forecabin pipeline can be optimized into a flow channel in the flow channel plate, the pipe cost is greatly saved, and the problems that in the pipeline assembling process, mounting is difficult, and mounting mistakes are likely to happen are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle design, and in particular to a thermal management integrated module with a central control unit. Background Technology

[0002] The cooling circuit of new energy vehicles mainly includes the motor heat dissipation circuit, the battery circuit, and the air conditioning heating circuit. Currently, a distributed circuit scheme is adopted, and each circuit includes pipelines, water pumps, heat exchange plates, etc.

[0003] In new energy vehicles, the motor cooling circuit, battery cooling circuit, and air conditioning circuit are controlled in a coordinated manner through a thermal management system (TMS). They can operate independently or exchange heat through heat exchangers or multi-way valves to improve the vehicle's energy efficiency and range.

[0004] The thermal management system of new energy vehicles is more complex than that of traditional fuel vehicles, mainly consisting of three core cooling / heating circuits: Motor cooling circuit: responsible for cooling high-voltage components such as drive motor, electronic control system (MCU), and reducer, to prevent power reduction due to high temperature.

[0005] Battery cooling circuit: Maintains the power battery within the optimal operating temperature range of 20–35℃ to avoid overheating causing safety risks or low temperatures affecting charging efficiency.

[0006] Air conditioning circuit: regulates the temperature and humidity of the passenger compartment, and can recover external heat for heating through heat pump technology, thereby reducing energy consumption.

[0007] Currently, the thermal management units of new energy vehicles adopt a distributed loop scheme, with each loop including pipelines, water pumps, heat exchangers, etc. The high-temperature heating loop water heat exchanger and chiller plate heat exchanger in the battery loop, as well as the water pump in the motor loop, are set up separately. This results in a large size and space occupation for the thermal management module of new energy vehicles, and also leads to high overall vehicle energy efficiency and low reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention addresses the shortcomings of current new energy vehicle thermal management units, which employ distributed loops, have low integration, and occupy a large amount of space within the vehicle. It provides a thermal management integrated module with a central control unit, which improves the overall vehicle energy efficiency and reliability by centrally controlling multiple components and optimizing energy distribution.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to achieve its technical objective is: a thermal management integrated module with a central control unit, including a motor heat dissipation circuit, a battery circuit, and an air conditioning heating circuit; the internal components of the motor heat dissipation circuit, battery circuit, and air conditioning heating circuit are integrated into an integrated module; it includes a flow channel plate that serves to connect and circulate the various components and a supporting structure; the supporting structure includes pads for supporting devices disposed on both sides of the flow channel plate.

[0010] Furthermore, in the aforementioned thermal management integrated module with a central control unit: the pad includes a first mounting pad disposed on one side of the flow channel plate for mounting the battery circuit water pump, the motor cooling circuit water pump, and the air conditioning heating circuit water pump.

[0011] Furthermore, in the aforementioned thermal management integrated module with a central control unit, when the battery circuit water pump, motor cooling circuit water pump, and air conditioning heating circuit water pump are installed on the first mounting pad, shock-absorbing pads are also used.

[0012] Furthermore, in the aforementioned thermal management integrated module with a central control unit: the pad also includes a second mounting pad for mounting valves and coolant expansion tanks disposed on the other side of the flow channel plate.

[0013] Furthermore, in the aforementioned thermal management integrated module with a central control unit: the valve includes a three-way proportional valve disposed within the flow channel of the flow channel plate.

[0014] Furthermore, in the aforementioned integrated thermal management module with a central control unit: the three-way proportional valve is controlled by the central control unit; the three-way proportional valve is located between the outlet of the high-pressure heater and the battery circuit water pump and the air conditioning heating circuit water pump.

[0015] Furthermore, the aforementioned thermal management integrated module with a central control unit also includes a water-to-water heat exchange plate and a chiiller plate; the water-to-water heat exchange plate is installed on the side of the first mounting pad; the chiiller plate is installed on the end face of the flow channel plate and is fixed to the first mounting pad and the second mounting pad on both sides of the flow channel plate, respectively.

[0016] Furthermore, in the aforementioned thermal management integrated module with a central control unit: the water circuit of the chiiller plate is connected to the battery circuit, and the battery circuit water pump is connected through the internal flow channel of the flow channel plate.

[0017] Furthermore, in the aforementioned thermal management integrated module with a central control unit: the motor cooling circuit water pump is connected to the motor outlet and the low-temperature radiator inlet through the internal flow channel of the flow channel plate.

[0018] Furthermore, in the aforementioned thermal management integrated module with a central control unit: the water-to-water heat exchange plate is simultaneously connected to the battery circuit and the high-temperature water circuit of the three-way proportional valve.

[0019] This invention optimizes the complex automotive front compartment piping into internal flow channels within a flow plate, significantly reducing piping costs and solving the problems of difficult and error-prone assembly during piping assembly. It saves approximately eleven processes in the overall vehicle assembly process: seven sub-assembly processes and one pre-assembly process. Compared to traditional distributed component solutions, it saves space for distributed layouts, and the integrated approach eliminates pipe connections between parts, resolving common issues related to pipe detachment, durability, and pipe wear during vehicle operation.

[0020] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to the present invention (I). Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram (II) of the thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to the present invention. Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a front view of the thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown in Figures 3 and 4, this embodiment is a thermal management integrated module with a central control unit. This module includes a motor cooling circuit, a battery circuit, and an air conditioning heating circuit. The internal components of the motor cooling circuit, battery circuit, and air conditioning heating circuit are integrated into an integrated module smaller than or equal to 465×305×260mm. The overall envelope of this integrated module will not exceed that of existing benchmark products and must meet the dimensional requirements of new energy vehicles. The integrated module uses a flow channel plate 6 as its main body, which connects the various components and serves as the load-bearing structure. Silicone is wrapped around the top and bottom to form a load-bearing structure, creating pads on both sides of the flow channel plate 6 for supporting components. (See figure...) Figure 3 The color-coded accompanying drawings provide a clearer description of the relevant technical content. Figure 3In the diagram, the purple part at the top is the second mounting pad 19, and the green part at the bottom is the first mounting pad 23. The components here refer to the thermal management device other than the pipes, mainly the pumps and valves controlled by the central control unit, as well as the water-to-water heat exchanger plate 10 and the chiiller plate heat exchanger 2. In this embodiment, the pipes used for thermal management are integrated inside the flow channel plate 6. The components that control the flow, rectification, and direction of the medium (mainly water) within the pipes are installed in the silicone sealant on both sides of the flow channel plate 6. Using silicone to install these components serves two purposes: firstly, it provides shock absorption; therefore, the vibrations from the operation of various pumps, which are commonly included in these components, can be absorbed by the silicone. Secondly, it also provides insulation for the liquid in the pipes within the flow channel plate 6.

[0023] In this embodiment, the upper side of the flow channel plate 6 is a first mounting pad 17 for mounting the battery circuit water pump 15, the motor cooling circuit water pump 17, and the air conditioning heating circuit water pump 16. When the battery circuit water pump 15, the motor cooling circuit water pump 17, and the air conditioning heating circuit water pump 16 are mounted on the first mounting pad 17, a shock-absorbing pad 18 is also used.

[0024] The silicone pad under the flow channel plate 6 also includes a second mounting pad 19 for mounting the valve 7 and the coolant expansion tank 3.

[0025] In this embodiment, valve 7 includes a three-way proportional valve disposed within the flow channel of the control flow plate 6. This three-way proportional valve is a three-way control element that converts input current / voltage signals into proportional outputs (pressure, flow rate, or direction). By adjusting the valve core position, it achieves fluid splitting (one inlet, two outlets), merging (two inlets, one outlet), or direction switching, and is widely used in the precise control of hydraulic, pneumatic, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems. Its core function is to convert electrical signals into proportional fluid regulation, meeting the precision and reliability requirements of industrial systems. In this embodiment, the three-way proportional valve receives a set current / voltage signal input from the central control unit, controlling the flow channel within the control flow plate 6 to direct the liquid from the high-pressure heater outlet into the battery circuit water pump 15 and the air conditioning heating circuit water pump 16 according to a specified ratio. The water-to-water heat exchange plate 10 simultaneously connects the battery circuit and the high-temperature water circuit of the three-way proportional valve.

[0026] In this embodiment, there are two heat exchange modules: a water-to-water heat exchange plate 10 and a chiller plate 2. The water-to-water heat exchange plate 10 is installed on the side of the first mounting pad 23. The chiller plate 2 is installed on the end face of the flow channel plate 6 and is fixed to the first mounting pad 23 and the second mounting pad 19 on both sides of the flow channel plate 6, respectively. The water circuit of the chiller plate 2 is connected to the battery circuit, and it is connected to the battery circuit water pump 16 through the internal flow channel of the flow channel plate 6.

[0027] In this embodiment, the water-to-water heat exchanger 10 is a plate heat exchanger that facilitates heat exchange between water and water. It primarily uses high-temperature water to heat low-temperature water, and heat exchange occurs through a series of corrugated metal plates stacked together, via thin rectangular channels formed between each plate. The operating principle of the water-to-water heat exchanger is mainly based on heat transfer achieved through the thin rectangular channels between the plates. High-temperature water (primary side) and low-temperature water (secondary side) flow on both sides of the plates, and heat is transferred from the high-temperature side to the low-temperature side through the metal plates, thereby achieving heat exchange between the water and water.

[0028] Plate heat exchangers are key heat exchange components in chiller units. They transfer heat through metal plates and are widely used in air conditioning, industrial cooling, and new energy vehicles. Careful attention should be paid to their selection, maintenance, and application of new technologies. The core of a plate heat exchanger is to achieve efficient heat exchange between two fluids through thin metal plates (such as stainless steel), featuring a compact structure and high heat exchange efficiency.

[0029] The chiller water system achieves heat transfer through water circulation. Its core consists of cooling / heating, water circulation, and control systems. It is widely used in semiconductor manufacturing, new energy vehicle testing, and other scenarios. Attention should be paid to temperature control accuracy and system compatibility.

[0030] The chiller water system is based on the principles of vapor compression refrigeration and water circulation heat exchange. The main process is as follows: Refrigeration / Heating Cycle: The compressor compresses the refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas, which is then liquefied by releasing heat in the condenser. It is then throttled by the expansion valve into a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid and enters the evaporator to absorb heat from the water circulation system to achieve refrigeration. When heating, the electric heater is activated to directly heat the circulating medium.

[0031] Water circulation: The antifreeze is driven by a magnetic pump to circulate in a closed pipeline. After exchanging heat with the refrigerant through a plate heat exchanger, it is delivered to equipment that requires temperature control (such as battery packs and semiconductor reaction chambers). After absorbing heat, it flows back to the water tank to complete the circulation.

[0032] Intelligent control: The PLC controller, combined with the PT100 sensor, collects temperature data and adjusts the cooling / heating power through a PID algorithm to achieve a temperature control accuracy of ±0.5℃. It also supports Modbus / CAN bus integration with external systems.

[0033] In this embodiment, an electronic expansion valve 1 is installed on the chiiller plate 2. The electronic expansion valve 1 has a chiiller inlet 21 and a chiiller outlet 22. A PT sensor 20 is installed before the electronic expansion valve 1.

[0034] The motor cooling circuit water pump 17 is connected to the motor outlet 9 and the low-temperature radiator inlet 11 through the internal flow channel of the flow channel plate 6.

[0035] In this embodiment, the water pump 16 of the air conditioning heating circuit is integrated, eliminating the need for a separate pump. Three-way proportional valve The pipeline to the water pump; the high-temperature heating circuit of the battery circuit. Water-to-water heat exchanger as well as chiller board replacement The water pump was integrated; the motor circuit of the water pump was integrated. PP-JF20 plastic was used for the flow channel and fixed actuators. flow channel plate The interior contains a water tank, a water supply channel, and a three-way proportional valve assembly at the top of the flow channel plate. The lower part houses the battery circuit water pump, the motor circuit water pump, and the passenger cabin heating circuit water pump. The sides contain the battery cooling chiller and the battery-generated hot water heat exchanger plate.

[0036] The main component structure of the product involved in this embodiment is a flow channel plate connected to the thermal management components. The internal channel of the plate serves as the coolant flow structure between components, and the battery circuit water pump 15, motor circuit water pump 17, air conditioning heating circuit water pump 16, three-way proportional valve, and expansion tank 3 are modularly integrated and fixed at the upper and lower ends of the flow channel. The water-to-water heat exchange plate 10 and the chiller plate 2, as well as the inlet and outlet water ports connecting the heat dissipation components and heating components, are integrated and fixed at the left and right ends of the integrated module.

[0037] In this embodiment, the valve is mainly a three-way proportional valve. The two ends of the three-way proportional valve are connected to the battery circuit water pump and the air conditioning heating circuit water pump, and one end is connected to the outlet of the high-pressure heater. It is fixed to the plastic heat exchanger by a rigid connection method using hot melt adhesive. The chiiller water circuit is connected to the battery circuit and is connected to the battery water pump through the internal flow channel. The chiiller heat exchanger 2 is rigidly connected to the side of the flow channel plate 6. The motor circuit water pump 17 is connected to the motor outlet 8 and the low-temperature radiator inlet 11 through the internal flow channel of the flow channel plate 6. The water-to-water heat exchanger 10 is simultaneously connected to the battery water circuit and the high-temperature water circuit of the three-way proportional valve and is fixed to the side of the integrated module by a rigid connection method.

[0038] In this embodiment, during operation, three water pumps drive the motor cooling circuit, the air conditioning heating circuit, and the battery heating and cooling circuit respectively through rotor impellers to exchange heat.

[0039] This embodiment optimizes the complex automotive front compartment piping into internal flow channels within the flow plate, significantly reducing piping costs and resolving the issues of difficult and error-prone assembly during piping assembly. Using this embodiment, approximately eleven processes can be saved in the overall vehicle assembly process: seven sub-assembly processes and one pre-assembly process. Compared to traditional distributed component solutions, it saves space in the distributed layout. This product uses an integrated approach to optimize and eliminate pipe connections between parts, solving common pipe detachment and durability issues, as well as pipe swaying losses during vehicle operation.

[0040] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 The image shown is a front view of the thermal management integrated module. Figure 4 To make the color diagram clearer, as can be seen from the diagram, the components installed on both sides of the flow channel plate 6 include: an integrated module refrigerant-side electronic expansion valve 1; a Chiller heat exchanger 2, one end of which is connected to the battery water circuit, and the other end to the refrigerant, serving to dissipate heat from the battery circuit; a coolant expansion tank 3, the lower end of which is connected to three circuits for water replenishment, and the upper end has two degassing holes to remove air bubbles from the circuit and prevent abnormal noises; battery inlet 4 and battery outlet 5 connect the battery circuit water pump 16 to the battery; structure 5 is as follows; the entire integrated module's supporting flow channel plate 6, in this embodiment, serves to connect the various flow components and the supporting structure; valve 7 is a three-way proportional valve, one end of which is connected to the PTC outlet 14 through the flow channel in the supporting flow channel plate 6, and the other two ends are connected to the water-to-water heat exchanger 10 and the air conditioning heating circuit, serving to regulate... The function of water-saving flow rate; motor inlet 8 and motor outlet 9 are used to connect to the motor cooling circuit and the motor cooling circuit water pump 17; motor inlet 8 and motor outlet 9 connect the motor water pump and the motor cooling circuit; water-to-water heat exchange plate 10 connects to the three-way proportional valve water circuit and the battery circuit for heat exchange. Since the water temperature output from the three-way proportional valve is relatively high, it cannot be directly input to the battery cooling circuit. It needs to be heat exchanged through water-to-water heat exchange plate 10 to obtain a constant and suitable water temperature; low-temperature radiator inlet 11 is used when the water temperature in the motor circuit is too high or when this inlet is connected to the low-temperature radiator for heat dissipation; low-temperature radiator outlet 12 connects the motor circuit and the low-temperature radiator; heater core inlet 13 connects the heater core and the air conditioning heating circuit water pump; PTC outlet 14, the hot water heated by PTC, is connected to the three-way proportional valve through this outlet.

[0041] like Figure 2 The diagram shows the bottom structure of the integrated module: As can be seen in the figure, the water pumps mainly include motor circuit water pump 17, air conditioning heating circuit water pump 16, and battery circuit water pump 15. The wiring harness connectors of these water pumps face downwards, and the main body of the water pump is fixed on the module flow channel plate 6.

[0042] In this embodiment, the integrated module incorporates eight main components: an electronic expansion valve, a motor circuit water pump, a battery circuit water pump, an air conditioning heating circuit water pump, a three-way proportional valve, a chiiller heat exchanger, a water-to-water heat exchanger, and an expansion tank. The components are connected via hot-melt adhesive bonding to the gaps between the flow channel plate 6 and the components, as well as bolt fixing.

Claims

1. A thermal management integrated module with a central control unit, comprising a motor heat dissipation circuit, a battery circuit, and an air conditioning heating circuit; characterized in that: The internal components of the motor heat dissipation circuit, battery circuit, and air conditioning heating circuit are integrated into an integrated module; including a flow channel plate (6) that connects the various components and serves as a support structure; the support structure includes pads for supporting devices disposed on both sides of the flow channel plate (6).

2. The thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pad includes a first mounting pad (17) disposed on one side of the flow channel plate (6) for mounting the battery circuit water pump (15), the motor cooling circuit water pump (17), and the air conditioning heating circuit water pump (16).

3. The thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the battery circuit water pump (16), motor cooling circuit water pump (15), and air conditioning heating circuit water pump (14) are installed on the first mounting pad (23), a shock-absorbing pad (18) is also used.

4. The thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to claim 3, characterized in that: The pad also includes a second mounting pad (19) for mounting valve (7) and coolant expansion tank (3) disposed on the other side of the flow channel plate (6).

5. The thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to claim 4, characterized in that: The valve (7) includes a three-way proportional valve disposed inside the flow channel of the flow channel plate (6).

6. The thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to claim 4, characterized in that: The three-way proportional valve is controlled by the central control unit; the three-way proportional valve is located between the outlet of the high-pressure heater and the battery circuit water pump (16) and the air conditioning heating circuit water pump (14).

7. The thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a water-to-water heat exchange plate (10) and a chiiller plate (2); the water-to-water heat exchange plate (10) is installed on the side of the first mounting pad (17); the chiiller plate (2) is installed on the end face of the flow channel plate (6) and is fixed to the first mounting pad (23) and the second mounting pad (19) on both sides of the flow channel plate (6).

8. The thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to claim 7, characterized in that: The water path of the chiller plate (2) is connected to the battery circuit, and the battery circuit water pump (15) is connected through the internal flow channel of the flow channel plate (6).

9. The thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to claim 8, characterized in that: The motor cooling circuit water pump (17) is connected to the motor outlet (9) and the low temperature radiator inlet (11) through the internal flow channel of the flow channel plate (6).

10. The thermal management integrated module with a central control unit according to claim 6, characterized in that: The water-to-water heat exchange plate (10) is simultaneously connected to the battery circuit and the high-temperature water circuit of the three-way proportional valve.

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