Thermal management system, vehicle and thermal management method

Abstract

The invention discloses a heat management system, a vehicle and a heat management method.The heat management system comprises an engine heat management unit, a battery heat management unit and a heat storage unit, and the engine heat management unit comprises an engine module, a first water pump, a warm air core and a first electronic three-way valve; the battery heat management unit comprises a battery module and a second water pump, the output end of the second water pump is connected with the input end of the battery module, the heat storage unit comprises a heat storage module, the first output end of the heat storage module is connected with the input end of the first water pump, and the first input end of the heat storage module is connected with a third port of the first electronic three-way valve. And the second output end of the heat storage module is connected with the input end of the second water pump, and the second input end of the heat storage module is connected with the output end of the battery module, so that the heat storage module is simultaneously connected to the engine heat management unit and the battery heat management unit in series. According to the technical scheme, the technical problem that the waste heat utilization rate of the engine is low can be solved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vehicles, in particular to a thermal management system, a vehicle and a thermal management method. BACKGROUND

[0002] The thermal management system of a vehicle refers to a comprehensive system for controlling and optimizing the temperature of various components of the vehicle. It coordinates the heat production, heat dissipation and heat utilization of different heat sources such as the engine, battery, motor, electronic control system and passenger cabin, aiming to ensure that each component works efficiently, safely and reliably within the optimal temperature range, and to improve the energy efficiency and comfort of the vehicle. However, the traditional vehicle thermal management system has the technical problem of low utilization rate of waste heat.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new thermal management system, a vehicle and a thermal management method to solve the above technical problems. SUMMARY

[0004] The main purpose of the present application is to provide a thermal management system, a vehicle and a thermal management method, which aims to solve the technical problem of low utilization rate of waste heat of the engine.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application provides a thermal management system, which comprises: An engine thermal management unit, the engine thermal management unit comprising an engine module, a first water pump, a heater core and a first electronic three-way valve, the input end of the engine module being connected with the output end of the first water pump, the output end of the engine module being connected with the first port of the first electronic three-way valve, the first port of the heater core being connected with the second port of the first electronic three-way valve, the second port of the heater core being connected with the output end of the first water pump; A battery thermal management unit, the battery thermal management unit comprising a battery module and a second water pump, the output end of the second water pump being connected with the input end of the battery module; A heat storage unit, the heat storage unit comprising a heat storage module, the first output end of the heat storage module being connected with the input end of the first water pump, the first input end of the heat storage module being connected with the third port of the first electronic three-way valve, the second output end of the heat storage module being connected with the input end of the second water pump, the second input end of the heat storage module being connected with the output end of the battery module.

[0006] In an embodiment, the engine thermal management unit further comprises a heating element and a second electronic three-way valve, the input end of the heating element being connected with the third port of the first electronic three-way valve, the first port of the second electronic three-way valve being connected with the output end of the heating element, and the second port of the second electronic three-way valve being connected with the first input end of the heat storage module.

[0007] In an embodiment, the third port of the second electronic three-way valve is connected with the input end of the first water pump.

[0008] In an embodiment, the engine thermal management unit further comprises a third water pump, the output end of the third water pump is connected with the input end of the engine module, and the input end of the third water pump is connected with the second port of the heater core.

[0009] In an embodiment, the engine thermal management system further comprises a radiator, the input end of the radiator is connected with the output end of the engine module, and the output end of the radiator is connected with the input end of the third water pump.

[0010] In an embodiment, the battery thermal management unit further comprises a cooler and a third electronic three-way valve, the first port of the third electronic three-way valve is connected with the output end of the battery module, the second port of the third electronic three-way valve is connected with the second input end of the thermal storage module, the third port of the third electronic three-way valve is connected with the input end of the cooler, and the output end of the cooler is connected with the input end of the second water pump.

[0011] In an embodiment, the thermal storage unit comprises a plurality of thermal storage modules, and the plurality of thermal storage modules are arranged in sequence.

[0012] In an embodiment, the thermal storage module is a phase change thermal storage.

[0013] In addition, the present application further provides a vehicle comprising the thermal management system as described above.

[0014] In addition, the present application further provides a thermal management method applied to the thermal management system as described above, and the thermal management method comprises the following steps: acquiring an operation mode of the vehicle; when the vehicle is in the engine direct drive mode, turning on the engine module and the heater core, and turning on the engine module and the thermal storage module; when the vehicle is in the pure electric mode, determining whether the battery module needs to be heated; if yes, turning on the thermal storage module and the heater core, and turning on the thermal storage module and the battery module; if not, turning on the thermal storage module and the heater core.

[0015] The technical scheme of the present application can effectively improve the utilization rate of the engine waste heat by adding a heat storage module in the heat management system, storing the waste heat generated by the engine module, and then heating the passenger cabin and the battery module, reduce the power consumption, and improve the vehicle's range. In the embodiment, the heat storage module is used to store the heat generated by the engine module; when the vehicle switches from engine direct drive mode to pure electric mode, the heat stored in the heat storage module can be used to heat the passenger cabin and heat the battery module; it can effectively improve the utilization rate of the engine waste heat, and also does not need to consume additional electric energy to heat the coolant, which can effectively improve the vehicle's range. Specifically, when the vehicle switches from engine direct drive mode to pure electric mode, by turning on the heat storage module, the first water pump, the heater core and the second and third ports of the first electronic three-way valve, and controlling the first water pump to operate, the heat stored in the heat storage module can be used to heat the coolant, and the heated coolant can be delivered to the heater core to heat the passenger cabin to meet the heating needs of the passenger cabin; at the same time, when the battery module needs to be heated, by turning on the heat storage module, the second water pump and the battery module, the heat stored in the heat storage module can be used to heat the coolant, and the heated coolant can be delivered to the battery module to heat the battery module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or prior art description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0017] Figure 1 The structure diagram of the heat management system in an embodiment provided by the present application; Figure 2 The structure diagram of the engine heat management unit in an embodiment provided by the present application; Figure 3 The flowchart of the heat management method in an embodiment provided by the present application.

[0018] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 100, engine heat management unit; 110, engine module; 120, first water pump; 130, heater core; 140, first electronic three-way valve; 150, heating element; 160, second electronic three-way valve; 170, third water pump; 180, radiator; 200, battery heat management unit; 210, battery module; 220, second water pump; 230, cooler; 240, third electronic three-way valve; 300, heat storage unit; 310, heat storage module.

[0019] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0022] Furthermore, if the embodiments of the present invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears throughout the text, its meaning includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously.

[0023] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0024] An automotive thermal management system is a comprehensive system used to control and optimize the temperature of various vehicle components. It coordinates and manages the heat generation, dissipation, and utilization of different heat sources, such as the engine, battery, motor, electronic control system, and passenger compartment, aiming to ensure that each component operates efficiently, safely, and reliably within its optimal temperature range, and to improve overall vehicle energy efficiency and comfort. In actual production and R&D, researchers have found that hybrid vehicles cannot effectively utilize the waste heat generated by the engine during the switch from engine-driven direct-drive mode to pure electric mode. When heating the passenger compartment and battery module, electric heating devices are needed to consume electrical energy to heat the coolant. This not only wastes heat but also consumes additional electrical energy, shortening the vehicle's driving range.

[0025] This invention proposes a thermal management system, a vehicle, and a thermal management method, aiming to solve the technical problem of low waste heat utilization rate of engines.

[0026] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of the present invention, the thermal management system includes an engine thermal management unit 100, a battery thermal management unit 200, and a heat storage unit 300. The engine thermal management unit 100 includes an engine module 110, a first water pump 120, a heater core 130, and a first electronic three-way valve 140. The input end of the engine module 110 is connected to the output end of the first water pump 120, and the output end of the engine module 110 is connected to the first port of the first electronic three-way valve 140. The first port of the heater core 130 is connected to the second port of the first electronic three-way valve 140, and the second port of the heater core 130 is connected to... The output of the first water pump 120 is connected to the battery thermal management unit 200, which includes a battery module 210 and a second water pump 220. The output of the second water pump 220 is connected to the input of the battery module 210. The heat storage unit 300 includes a heat storage module 310. The first output of the heat storage module 310 is connected to the input of the first water pump 120. The first input of the heat storage module 310 is connected to the third port of the first electronic three-way valve 140. The second output of the heat storage module 310 is connected to the input of the second water pump 220. The second input of the heat storage module 310 is connected to the output of the battery module 210.

[0027] The technical solution of this invention adds a heat storage module 310 to the thermal management system. The heat storage module 310 stores the waste heat generated by the engine module 110, thereby heating the passenger compartment and the battery module 210, effectively improving the utilization rate of engine waste heat and reducing energy consumption, thus increasing the vehicle's driving range. In this embodiment, the heat storage module 310 stores the heat generated by the engine module 110. When the vehicle switches from engine direct drive mode to pure electric mode, the heat stored in the heat storage module 310 can be used to heat the passenger compartment and the battery module 210. This effectively improves the utilization rate of engine waste heat and eliminates the need for additional electrical energy to heat the coolant, thus effectively increasing the vehicle's driving range. Specifically, when the vehicle switches from engine direct drive mode to pure electric mode, by connecting the second and third ports of the heat storage module 310, the first water pump 120, the heater core 130, and the first electronic three-way valve 140, and controlling the operation of the first water pump 120, the heat stored in the heat storage module 310 can heat the coolant, and the heated coolant is then delivered to the heater core 130 to heat the passenger compartment, meeting the heating needs of the passenger compartment. Simultaneously, when the battery module 210 needs heating, by connecting the heat storage module 310, the second water pump 220, and the battery module 210, the heat stored in the heat storage module 310 can heat the coolant, and the heated coolant is then delivered to the battery module 210 to heat it. This thermal management system is applied in the field of hybrid vehicle technology.

[0028] It should be noted that this thermal management system is applicable not only to situations where the vehicle switches from engine direct drive mode to pure electric mode, but also to situations where the vehicle switches from hybrid mode to pure electric mode.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, the engine thermal management unit 100 further includes a heating element 150 and a second electronic three-way valve 160. The input end of the heating element 150 is connected to the third port of the first electronic three-way valve 140, the first port of the second electronic three-way valve 160 is connected to the output end of the heating element 150, and the second port of the second electronic three-way valve 160 is connected to the first input end of the heat storage module 310. The heating element 150 can be a heater. In this embodiment, the heating element 150 is used to heat the coolant during a cold start of the engine module 110 to preheat the engine module 110 and meet the heating requirements of the passenger compartment. Specifically, during the cold start of the engine module 110, by connecting the heating element 150, the first water pump 120, and the engine module 110, and controlling the operation of the first water pump 120, the coolant heated by the heating element 150 can be delivered to the engine module 110 to preheat the engine module 110. By connecting the heating element 150, the first water pump 120, and the heater core 130, and controlling the operation of the first water pump 120, the coolant heated by the heating element 150 can be delivered to the heater core 130 to heat the passenger compartment and meet the heating needs of the passenger compartment.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, the third port of the second electronic three-way valve 160 is connected to the input terminal of the first water pump 120. In this embodiment, since the second port of the second electronic three-way valve 160 is connected to the input terminal of the heat storage module 310, the coolant heated by the heater will pass through the heat storage module 310 before being delivered to the engine module 110 or the heater core 130, and some of its heat will be absorbed by the heat storage module 310. By directly connecting the third port of the second electronic three-way valve 160 to the output terminal of the first water pump 120, the coolant heated by the heater can be prevented from flowing through the heat storage module 310, thereby ensuring the preheating effect of the engine module 110 and the rapid temperature rise of the passenger compartment.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, the engine thermal management unit 100 further includes a third water pump 170. The output end of the third water pump 170 is connected to the input end of the engine module 110, and the input end of the third water pump 170 is connected to the second port of the heater core 130. In this embodiment, when the engine module 110 has finished warming up, and the heat generated by the engine module 110 is only sufficient to maintain the heating needs of the passenger compartment, by connecting the heater core 130, the third water pump 170, and the engine module 110, and controlling the operation of the third water pump 170, the heat generated by the engine module 110 can be used to heat the coolant, and the heated coolant can be delivered to the heater core 130 to heat the passenger compartment. When the engine module 110 has finished warming up and the heat generated by the engine module 110 exceeds the heating requirements of the crew cabin, the excess heat generated by the engine can be stored through the heat storage module 310 by connecting the heater core 130, the third water pump 170 and the engine module 110, and by connecting the heat storage module 310, the first water pump 120, the third water pump 170 and the engine module 110, and by controlling the operation of the first water pump 120 and the third water pump 170, thereby improving the utilization rate of the engine's waste heat.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, the engine thermal management system further includes a radiator 180, the input end of which is connected to the output end of the engine module 110, and the output end of the radiator 180 is connected to the input end of the third water pump 170. In this embodiment, the radiator 180 is used to dissipate excess heat to the outside air through forced air cooling when the engine module 110 is operating under high load and the coolant temperature is too high, thereby preventing the engine module 110 from overheating and ensuring that the engine module 110 operates within a safe and efficient temperature range. Specifically, when the engine module 110 is operating under high load and the coolant temperature is too high, by connecting the radiator 180, the third water pump 170, and the engine module 110, and controlling the operation of the third water pump 170, excess heat can be dissipated to the outside air through the radiator 180 to prevent the engine module 110 from overheating. In a specific embodiment, the radiator 180 can be a high-temperature radiator 180.

[0033] In one embodiment of the present invention, the battery thermal management unit 200 further includes a cooler 230 and a third electronic three-way valve 240. The first port of the third electronic three-way valve 240 is connected to the output terminal of the battery module 210, the second port of the third electronic three-way valve 240 is connected to the second input terminal of the heat storage module 310, the third port of the third electronic three-way valve 240 is connected to the input terminal of the cooler 230, and the output terminal of the cooler 230 is connected to the input terminal of the second water pump 220. In this embodiment, the cooler 230 is used to actively and quickly dissipate the waste heat of the battery carried by the coolant in the battery circuit to the outside by efficiently exchanging heat with the low-temperature refrigerant (from the refrigeration cycle of the vehicle's air conditioning system) when the battery module 210 needs to dissipate heat due to charging and discharging or excessively high ambient temperature, thereby ensuring the stable and reliable operation of the battery module 210.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, the heat storage unit 300 includes a plurality of heat storage modules 310, which are stacked sequentially. In this embodiment, by using a plurality of heat storage modules 310, the total heat storage capacity of the heat storage unit 300 can be increased, and the heat transfer efficiency during the storage and release of heat can be improved, thereby reducing heat loss.

[0035] In one embodiment of the present invention, the heat storage module 310 is a phase change heat storage device. In this embodiment, a phase change heat storage device is a heat storage device that absorbs, stores, or releases a large amount of latent heat when a phase change material undergoes a phase transition (e.g., from solid to liquid, or from liquid to solid). By selecting a phase change heat storage device as the heat storage module 310, the heat storage capacity of the heat storage unit 300 can be greatly increased, so as to store more heat generated by the engine module 110 and improve the preheating utilization rate of the engine.

[0036] The present invention also proposes a vehicle that includes the above-described thermal management system. The specific structure of the thermal management system is as described in the above embodiments. Since the vehicle adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0037] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of a thermal management method in one embodiment of the present invention. The present invention also proposes a thermal management method applied to the aforementioned thermal management system, the thermal management method comprising the following steps: Step S100: Obtain the vehicle's operating mode; Step S200: When the vehicle is in engine direct drive mode, the engine module 110 and the heater core 130 are connected, and the engine module 110 and the heat storage module 310 are also connected. When the vehicle is in pure electric mode, it determines whether the battery module 210 needs to be heated; if so, the heat storage module 310 and the heater core 130 are turned on, and the heat storage module 310 and the battery module 210 are also turned on; if not, the heat storage module 310 and the heater core 130 are turned on.

[0038] Specifically, when the vehicle is in engine direct drive mode, the engine module 110 and heater core 130 are connected to provide heating to the passenger compartment to meet its heating needs. The heat generated by the engine module 110 is stored in the heat storage module 310, improving the utilization rate of engine waste heat. When the vehicle switches from engine direct drive mode to pure electric mode, the heat stored in the heat storage module 310 heats the coolant to meet the passenger compartment's heating needs. When the battery module 210 needs heating, the heat stored in the heat storage module 310 heats the coolant, thus heating the battery module 210. During this process, no additional electrical energy is consumed, effectively reducing energy consumption and increasing the vehicle's driving range.

[0039] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of the present invention and the contents of the specification and drawings of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal management system, characterized in that, include: An engine thermal management unit includes an engine module, a first water pump, a heater core, and a first electronic three-way valve. The input end of the engine module is connected to the output end of the first water pump, the output end of the engine module is connected to the first port of the first electronic three-way valve, the first port of the heater core is connected to the second port of the first electronic three-way valve, and the second port of the heater core is connected to the output end of the first water pump. A battery thermal management unit, comprising a battery module and a second water pump, wherein the output end of the second water pump is connected to the input end of the battery module; A heat storage unit, comprising a heat storage module, wherein a first output terminal of the heat storage module is connected to the input terminal of the first water pump, a first input terminal of the heat storage module is connected to the third port of the first electronic three-way valve, a second output terminal of the heat storage module is connected to the input terminal of the second water pump, and a second input terminal of the heat storage module is connected to the output terminal of the battery module.

2. The thermal management system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The engine thermal management unit further includes a heating element and a second electronic three-way valve. The input end of the heating element is connected to the third port of the first electronic three-way valve, the first port of the second electronic three-way valve is connected to the output end of the heating element, and the second port of the second electronic three-way valve is connected to the first input end of the heat storage module.

3. The thermal management system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The third port of the second electronic three-way valve is connected to the input end of the first water pump.

4. The thermal management system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The engine thermal management unit also includes a third water pump, the output of which is connected to the input of the engine module, and the input of which is connected to the second port of the heater core.

5. The thermal management system as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The engine thermal management system also includes a radiator, the input end of which is connected to the output end of the engine module, and the output end of which is connected to the input end of the third water pump.

6. The thermal management system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The battery thermal management unit also includes a cooler and a third electronic three-way valve. The first port of the third electronic three-way valve is connected to the output terminal of the battery module, the second port of the third electronic three-way valve is connected to the second input terminal of the heat storage module, the third port of the third electronic three-way valve is connected to the input terminal of the cooler, and the output terminal of the cooler is connected to the input terminal of the second water pump.

7. The thermal management system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The heat storage unit includes multiple heat storage modules, which are stacked sequentially.

8. The thermal management system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The heat storage module is a phase change heat storage device.

9. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the thermal management system as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A thermal management method, applied to the thermal management system as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The thermal management method includes the following steps: Obtain the vehicle's operating mode; When the vehicle is in engine direct drive mode, the engine module and the heater core are connected, as are the engine module and the heat storage module; when the vehicle is in pure electric mode, it is determined whether the battery module needs to be heated; if so, the heat storage module and the heater core are connected, as are the heat storage module and the battery module; if not, the heat storage module and the heater core are connected.

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