Control method and related equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a control method and related equipment, the method is applied to a refrigerant loop in a thermal management system, the refrigerant loop is used for flowing a refrigerant, and the refrigerant loop comprises an outside-vehicle heat exchanger and a plate heat exchanger. The method comprises the step that in a heating mode, storage or release of refrigerants in the external heat exchanger is achieved according to the superheat degree of an outlet of the plate heat exchanger. By means of the method, the problem that in the heating mode, when the temperature of the battery pack heat exchanger is higher than the environment temperature, the amount of refrigerants circulating in the refrigerant loop is too large can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a control method and related equipment. Background Technology

[0002] The thermal management system is a system in a vehicle used to control and regulate the temperature of multiple components. The refrigerant circuit is the core path for heat transfer in the thermal management system. The refrigerant circulates in the refrigerant circuit, transferring heat from one area to another through processes such as compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation.

[0003] To ensure that the amount of refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit always matches the current operating conditions, the relevant technology uses a battery pack heat exchanger in the refrigerant circuit to store and release part of the refrigerant. However, it has been found that in heating mode, when the temperature of the battery pack heat exchanger is higher than the ambient temperature, the refrigerant spontaneously migrates to the lower temperature and lower position in the circuit, and is hardly stored in the battery pack heat exchanger. This results in an excessive amount of refrigerant flowing in the circuit, making it impossible to achieve suction superheat. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a control method and related equipment that can solve the problem of excessive refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit when the temperature of the battery pack heat exchanger is higher than the ambient temperature in heating mode.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, according to a first aspect of this application, a control method is provided, which is applied to a refrigerant circuit in a thermal management system, the refrigerant circuit being used for flowing refrigerant, the refrigerant circuit including an external heat exchanger and a plate heat exchanger. The method includes: in heating mode, storing or releasing refrigerant in the external heat exchanger based on the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger.

[0006] Optionally, the refrigerant circuit includes a first valve and a second valve, the first valve being connected to the inlet of the external heat exchanger and the second valve being connected to the outlet of the external heat exchanger. The step of storing or releasing refrigerant in the external heat exchanger based on the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger includes: controlling the opening and closing of the first valve and the second valve based on the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger to achieve the storage or release of refrigerant in the external heat exchanger.

[0007] Optionally, controlling the opening and closing of the first valve and the second valve according to the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger to realize the storage or release of refrigerant in the vehicle exterior heat exchanger includes: if the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is less than the lower limit of superheat, controlling the first valve to open and controlling the second valve to close, so that the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit enters the vehicle exterior heat exchanger through the first valve and is stored in the vehicle exterior heat exchanger.

[0008] Optionally, after controlling the first valve to open and the second valve to close, the method further includes: when the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is equal to or greater than the lower limit of superheat, and the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is less than the upper limit of superheat, controlling the first valve to close and the second valve to close.

[0009] Optionally, controlling the opening and closing of the first valve and the second valve according to the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger to realize the storage or release of refrigerant in the vehicle exterior heat exchanger includes: if the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is greater than the upper limit of superheat, controlling the first valve to open and controlling the second valve to open, so that the refrigerant stored in the vehicle exterior heat exchanger enters the refrigerant circuit through the second valve.

[0010] Optionally, after controlling the first valve to open and the second valve to open, the method further includes: when the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is equal to or less than the upper limit of superheat and the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is greater than the lower limit of superheat, controlling the first valve to close and the second valve to close.

[0011] Optionally, the second valve is an electronic expansion valve. Controlling the opening of the second valve includes: controlling the opening degree of the second valve to gradually increase from 0.

[0012] Optionally, the refrigerant circuit includes an in-vehicle condenser, a gas-liquid separator, a compressor, and a regenerator. The outlet of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the regenerator, the regenerator is connected to the inlet of the compressor, the outlet of the compressor is connected to the inlet of the in-vehicle condenser, the outlet of the in-vehicle condenser is connected to the regenerator, and the regenerator is connected to the inlet of the plate heat exchanger. The regenerator is used to transfer the heat from the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the pipeline between the in-vehicle condenser and the plate heat exchanger to the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant in the pipeline between the gas-liquid separator and the compressor.

[0013] According to a second aspect of this application, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a memory having a computer program stored thereon; and a processor for executing the computer program in the memory to implement the above-described control method.

[0014] According to a third aspect of this application, a vehicle is provided, the vehicle including a thermal management system and the aforementioned electronic equipment.

[0015] The control method of this application embodiment can store excess refrigerant in the external heat exchanger when there is too much refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit, thus ensuring that the actual amount of refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit matches the required amount. Conversely, when there is too little refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant stored in the external heat exchanger can be released into the refrigerant circuit, ensuring that the actual amount of refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit matches the required amount. This control method not only solves the problem of excessive refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit when the battery pack heat exchanger temperature is higher than the ambient temperature in heating mode, but is also applicable to scenarios where the battery pack heat exchanger temperature is lower than or close to the ambient temperature in heating mode. In other words, this control method can ensure that the actual amount of refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit matches the required amount under all operating conditions.

[0016] Other features and advantages of this application will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the flow path of refrigerant in a refrigerant circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0024] 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 a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the protection scope of this application.

[0025] The concepts of superheat and intake superheat used in this application will be introduced below.

[0026] (1) Thermal Management System: A system in a vehicle used to control and regulate the temperature of multiple components, including controlling the battery temperature to ensure that the battery pack is within its optimal operating temperature range, thereby improving safety and lifespan. The goal of the thermal management system is to efficiently and energy-savingly heat and cool various components of the vehicle to meet the needs under different operating conditions.

[0027] (2) Refrigerant circuit: The core component of the thermal management system, used to flow refrigerant, thereby realizing the heat transfer and temperature regulation functions of the thermal management system. The refrigerant circulates in the refrigerant circuit, and through processes such as compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation, heat is transferred from one area to another.

[0028] In a thermal management system, in addition to the refrigerant circuit, there are usually multiple coolant circuits, such as the main coolant circuit, auxiliary coolant circuit, PTC heating circuit, air conditioning cooling circuit, etc. These circuits are connected through components such as heat exchangers, water pumps, and valves to achieve efficient utilization and distribution of heat energy, ensuring that the vehicle maintains good thermal management performance under various operating conditions.

[0029] (3) Superheat: The difference between the temperature of the refrigerant at the heat exchanger outlet and its saturation temperature (i.e., boiling point) at that pressure. Superheat is used to measure whether the refrigerant has completely evaporated in the heat exchanger and is an important parameter in the thermal management system used to control cooling or heating efficiency. If the superheat is zero or close to zero, it indicates that the refrigerant may still contain liquid components, which may damage the compressor (such as liquid slugging).

[0030] (4) Suction superheat: The difference between the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant at the compressor suction port and its corresponding saturation temperature (i.e., the boiling point of the refrigerant at that pressure). Suction superheat is used to determine whether the refrigerant at the compressor inlet is in a superheated gas state, preventing liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor and thus preventing liquid slugging (mechanical damage caused by liquid refrigerant entering the compressor). Controlling suction superheat is of great significance to the safe operation of the compressor and the efficiency of the system.

[0031] The researchers in this application discovered that the presence or absence of intake superheat during stable operation of the refrigerant circuit is related to the temperature of the battery pack heat exchanger.

[0032] See Table 1, which shows the suction superheat when the temperature of the battery pack heat exchanger in the refrigerant circuit is lower than or close to the ambient temperature in heating mode.

[0033] Table 1

[0034]

[0035] As shown in Table 1, when the temperature of the battery pack heat exchanger is lower than or close to the ambient temperature, the refrigerant will spontaneously migrate into the battery pack heat exchanger. If the inlet and outlet valves of the battery pack heat exchanger are closed, the migrated refrigerant will be stored in the battery pack heat exchanger. During the operation of the refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit can be stored in the battery pack heat exchanger by opening the inlet valve, and the refrigerant stored in the battery pack heat exchanger can be released into the refrigerant circuit by opening the outlet valve. This ensures that the amount of refrigerant flowing in the circuit can be controlled within a suitable range, making it easy for the compressor to achieve suction superheat.

[0036] See Table 2, which shows the suction superheat when the temperature of the battery pack heat exchanger in the refrigerant circuit is higher than the ambient temperature in heating mode.

[0037] Table 2

[0038]

[0039] As shown in Table 2, when the temperature of the battery pack heat exchanger is higher than the ambient temperature, the refrigerant will spontaneously migrate to the lower temperature and lower position in the circuit. It is impossible to store the refrigerant flowing in the circuit into the battery pack heat exchanger by opening the inlet valve. As a result, the battery pack heat exchanger hardly stores any refrigerant, resulting in an excessive amount of refrigerant flowing in the circuit, which cannot produce suction superheat.

[0040] It should be noted that in practical applications, the temperature of the battery pack heat exchanger often exceeds the ambient temperature in heating mode. This indicates that the existing solution of using the battery pack heat exchanger to store and release part of the refrigerant is prone to liquid slugging in the compressor of the refrigerant circuit.

[0041] To address the issue of excessive refrigerant flow in the refrigerant circuit when the battery pack heat exchanger temperature is higher than the ambient temperature during heating mode, this application provides a thermal management system and its control method.

[0042] See Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, the thermal management system includes a compressor 1, a temperature and pressure sensor (PT sensor) 2, a switching valve 3, an external heat exchanger 4, a water radiator 5, a PT sensor 6, an electronic expansion valve 7, chassis heating elements 8, a water pump 9, a temperature sensor 10, a three-way valve 11, an internal condenser 12, a PT sensor 13, an electronic expansion valve 15, a PT sensor 16, a switching valve 17, an internal evaporator 18, a plate heat exchanger 19, an electronic expansion valve 20, an electronic expansion valve 21, a battery pack heat exchanger 22, a PT sensor 23, an electronic expansion valve 24, a gas-liquid separator 25, and connecting pipes.

[0044] It should be noted that, Figure 1 The thermal management system in this system includes both refrigerant and coolant circuits. The main functions of each component will be described below.

[0045] Compressor 1: Responsible for compressing the low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas, driving the refrigerant to circulate, and increasing the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant through the compression process, enabling it to release heat.

[0046] PT sensor 2: Collects the temperature and pressure of the gaseous refrigerant after compression by compressor 1.

[0047] Switch valve 3: Connected to the inlet of the external heat exchanger 4, controlling whether refrigerant flows into the external heat exchanger 4.

[0048] External heat exchanger 4: This unit exchanges heat with the external environment, performing both heat dissipation (cooling mode) and heat absorption (heating mode). It is a key component for achieving efficient and effective vehicle thermal management. Specifically, the external heat exchanger 4 releases heat and condenses the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant into a liquid state.

[0049] Water radiator 5: Enables heat exchange between the chassis coolant circuit and the environment. In some embodiments, the water radiator 5 releases the heat in the chassis coolant circuit into the air, while in other embodiments, the water radiator 5 absorbs heat from the air and transfers the heat from the air into the coolant circuit.

[0050] PT sensor 6: Collects the refrigerant temperature and pressure at the outlet of the external heat exchanger 4 to calculate the subcooling at the outlet of the external heat exchanger 4. The subcooling is the difference between the saturated liquid temperature of the liquid refrigerant at the corresponding pressure and the actual temperature.

[0051] Electronic expansion valve 7: Connected to the outlet of the external heat exchanger 4, it controls whether the refrigerant flows out of the external heat exchanger 4.

[0052] Chassis heating component 8: Motor and electronic control, used to drive the vehicle, which will generate heat during operation.

[0053] Water pump 9: Drives the coolant to circulate.

[0054] Temperature sensor 10: Collects coolant temperature as the control target of three-way valve 11.

[0055] Three-way valve 11: Regulates the flow rate of coolant to the water radiator.

[0056] Car interior condenser 12: also known as car interior heat exchanger, is mainly used to release heat into the car interior, regulate the car interior temperature, and condense the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant into a liquid state.

[0057] PT sensor 13: Collects the refrigerant temperature and pressure at the outlet of the condenser 12 inside the vehicle, thereby calculating the subcooling at the outlet of the condenser 12 inside the vehicle.

[0058] Electronic expansion valve 15: connected to the inlet of plate heat exchanger 19, controlling whether refrigerant flows into plate heat exchanger 19.

[0059] PT sensor 16: Since the branch passing through the switching valve 17 and the branch passing through the internal evaporator 18 do not have refrigerant flowing simultaneously, the PT sensor 16 collects the refrigerant temperature and pressure at the outlet of the internal evaporator 18 when the internal evaporator 18 is operating, thereby calculating the superheat at the outlet of the internal evaporator 18. This superheat is the control target of the electronic expansion valve 20. Additionally, the PT sensor 16 collects the refrigerant temperature and pressure at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger 19 when the plate heat exchanger 19 is operating, thereby calculating the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger 19. In other embodiments, PT sensors may also be installed at the outlets of the internal evaporator 18 and the plate heat exchanger 19, respectively; this application does not impose specific limitations.

[0060] Switch valve 17: controls whether refrigerant passes through.

[0061] Evaporator 18: Used for temperature regulation inside the vehicle, it is the site of heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air inside the vehicle. In cooling mode, the evaporator 18 functions as an evaporator, where the refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates, turning from liquid to gaseous refrigerant, thus cooling the vehicle interior. In heating mode, the evaporator 18 functions as a condenser, where the refrigerant releases heat, turning from gaseous to liquid refrigerant, transferring the heat to the air inside the vehicle, thus raising the temperature inside the vehicle.

[0062] Plate heat exchanger 19: Enables heat exchange between the refrigerant circuit and the coolant circuit, improves overall efficiency, and completes energy recovery and reuse.

[0063] Electronic expansion valve 20: connected to the inlet of the vehicle evaporator 18, controlling whether refrigerant flows into the vehicle evaporator 18.

[0064] Electronic expansion valve 21: connected to the inlet of battery pack heat exchanger 22, controlling whether refrigerant flows into battery pack heat exchanger 22.

[0065] Battery pack heat exchanger 22: controls the temperature of the battery pack by absorbing heat to evaporate the liquid refrigerant into a gaseous state and simultaneously cool the battery pack.

[0066] PT sensor 23: Collects the refrigerant temperature and pressure at the outlet of battery pack heat exchanger 22, thereby calculating the subcooling at the outlet of battery pack heat exchanger 22. This subcooling is the control target of electronic expansion valve 21, and the collected pressure is the control target of electronic expansion valve 24.

[0067] Electronic expansion valve 24: connected to the outlet of battery pack heat exchanger 22, controlling whether refrigerant flows out of battery pack heat exchanger 22.

[0068] Gas-liquid separator 25: Separates gaseous refrigerant from liquid refrigerant, allowing only gaseous refrigerant to enter compressor 1, preventing liquid refrigerant from entering compressor 1 and causing liquid slugging, thus ensuring the efficient operation of the refrigerant circuit.

[0069] It should be noted that, Figure 1 The example only shows a scenario where the valve at the outlet of the external heat exchanger 4 is an electronic expansion valve (corresponding to electronic expansion valve 7). Therefore, not only can the flow of refrigerant out of the external heat exchanger 4 be controlled by opening and closing the electronic expansion valve 7, but the amount of refrigerant flowing out of the external heat exchanger 4 can also be controlled by adjusting the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 7. In practical applications, the valve at the outlet of the external heat exchanger 4 can also be a switch valve, with only two states: open and closed, and the opening degree cannot be adjusted. Therefore, the flow of refrigerant out of the external heat exchanger 4 can be controlled by opening and closing this switch valve.

[0070] It should be noted that existing thermal management systems typically have a check valve at the outlet of the external heat exchanger. Therefore, this can be achieved by replacing the check valve with an electronic expansion valve or a switching valve. Figure 1 Thermal management system in the system.

[0071] The control method provided in this application is described below, and this control method can be applied to the above-mentioned... Figure 1 The thermal management system in the system ensures that the actual amount of refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit matches the demand under all operating conditions.

[0072] See Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method includes:

[0073] S101: The controller obtains the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger.

[0074] Among them, plate heat exchangers can be Figure 1 Plate heat exchanger 19 in the thermal management system.

[0075] In some embodiments, the controller acquires the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger, as follows:

[0076] A temperature and pressure sensor (PT sensor) is installed at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger. The PT sensor collects the refrigerant temperature and pressure at the plate heat exchanger outlet. The PT sensor then sends the collected refrigerant temperature and pressure data from the plate heat exchanger outlet to the controller. The PT sensor at the plate heat exchanger outlet can be... Figure 1 The PT sensor 16 is used in the thermal management system. The refrigerant can be, for example, R134a or R1234yf, etc.

[0077] After receiving the refrigerant temperature and pressure at the plate heat exchanger outlet, the controller queries the refrigerant's saturation temperature (i.e., boiling point) at that pressure, and calculates the difference between the refrigerant temperature and the saturation temperature as the superheat at the plate heat exchanger outlet. The calculation formula is as follows: .

[0078] S102: In heating mode, the controller stores or releases refrigerant in the external heat exchanger based on the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger.

[0079] Among them, the external heat exchanger can be Figure 1 The external heat exchanger 4 in the thermal management system.

[0080] In heating mode, the flow path of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is as follows: Figure 1 As shown. Specifically, the refrigerant is compressed into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant by the compressor 1, enters the vehicle condenser 12, exchanges heat with the air and becomes a high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant, is throttled by the electronic expansion valve 15 and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, enters the plate heat exchanger 19, exchanges heat with the coolant in the coolant circuit and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, flows out of the plate heat exchanger 19, passes through the switching valve 17 and enters the gas-liquid separator 25, and then returns to the compressor 1.

[0081] In heating mode, the controller stores or releases refrigerant in the external heat exchanger based on the superheat at the plate heat exchanger outlet. This includes: in heating mode, the controller controls the opening and closing of a first valve and a second valve based on the superheat at the plate heat exchanger outlet, thereby storing or releasing refrigerant in the external heat exchanger. The first valve is connected to the inlet of the external heat exchanger, and the first valve can be... Figure 1 The on / off valve 3 in the thermal management system. The second valve is connected to the outlet of the external heat exchanger; the second valve can be... Figure 1 The electronic expansion valve 7 or on / off valve in the thermal management system. The specific process is as follows:

[0082] If the superheat at the plate heat exchanger outlet is less than the lower limit of superheat, the first valve is opened and the second valve is closed, allowing refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit to pass through the first valve into the external heat exchanger and be stored there. This continues until the superheat at the plate heat exchanger outlet is equal to or greater than the lower limit of superheat, but less than the upper limit of superheat. At this point, both the first and second valves are closed, stopping refrigerant storage. The lower limit of superheat is determined by the user, for example, through a combination of theoretical calculations and actual testing results. Since the refrigerant demand in this scenario is relatively low, the first valve is usually kept open. An electric fan or the oncoming airflow from the vehicle's speed promotes heat exchange between the refrigerant in the external heat exchanger and the air, causing the refrigerant in the external heat exchanger to continuously condense into liquid refrigerant, thus continuously storing refrigerant in the external heat exchanger.

[0083] If the superheat at the plate heat exchanger outlet exceeds the upper limit of superheat, the first valve and the second valve are opened to allow the refrigerant stored in the external heat exchanger to enter the refrigerant circuit through the second valve. This continues until the superheat at the plate heat exchanger outlet is equal to or less than the upper limit of superheat, and the superheat at the plate heat exchanger outlet exceeds the lower limit of superheat. Then, the first and second valves are closed to stop the release of refrigerant. The upper limit of superheat is determined by the user, for example, through a combination of theoretical calculations and actual testing results. In a specific embodiment, when the second valve is an electronic expansion valve, the process of opening the second valve is as follows: the opening degree of the second valve is gradually increased from 0. The process of closing the second valve is as follows: the opening degree of the second valve is gradually decreased. This allows for precise adjustment of the refrigerant flow, improving the control accuracy of the second valve and accurately achieving the control objective: ensuring that the superheat at the plate heat exchanger outlet is exactly equal to the upper limit of superheat.

[0084] As can be seen, by controlling the opening and closing of the first and second valves, when there is too much refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit, the excess refrigerant can be stored using the external heat exchanger, ensuring that the actual amount of refrigerant flowing in the circuit matches the demand. Conversely, when there is too little refrigerant flowing in the circuit, the refrigerant stored in the external heat exchanger can be released into the circuit, ensuring that the actual amount of refrigerant flowing in the circuit matches the demand. This control method not only solves the problem of excessive refrigerant flowing in the circuit when the battery pack heat exchanger temperature is higher than the ambient temperature in heating mode, but it is also applicable to scenarios where the battery pack heat exchanger temperature is lower than or close to the ambient temperature in heating mode. In other words, this control method can ensure that the actual amount of refrigerant flowing in the circuit matches the demand under all operating conditions.

[0085] In some embodiments, for scenarios where the temperature of the battery pack heat exchanger is lower than or close to the ambient temperature in heating mode, either a portion of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit can be stored or released using an external heat exchanger to ensure that the actual amount of refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit matches the demand, or a portion of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit can be stored or released using a battery pack heat exchanger to ensure that the actual amount of refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit matches the demand.

[0086] The specific process of storing or releasing part of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit using the battery pack heat exchanger is as follows:

[0087] If the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is less than the lower limit of superheat, the inlet valve of the battery pack heat exchanger is opened, and the outlet valve is closed, allowing refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit to enter the battery pack heat exchanger through the inlet valve and be stored there. This continues until the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is equal to or greater than the lower limit of superheat, and less than the upper limit of superheat. Then, both the inlet and outlet valves of the battery pack heat exchanger are closed, stopping refrigerant storage. The battery pack heat exchanger can be... Figure 1 The battery pack heat exchanger 22 in the thermal management system, the inlet valve of the battery pack heat exchanger can be Figure 1 The electronic expansion valve 21 in the thermal management system, and the outlet valve of the battery pack heat exchanger can be Figure 1 The electronic expansion valve 24 in the thermal management system.

[0088] If the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is greater than the upper limit of superheat, the inlet valve and outlet valve of the battery pack heat exchanger are opened to allow the refrigerant stored in the battery pack heat exchanger to enter the refrigerant circuit through the outlet valve. This continues until the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is equal to or less than the upper limit of superheat, and the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is greater than the lower limit of superheat. Then, the inlet valve and outlet valve of the battery pack heat exchanger are closed to stop the release of refrigerant.

[0089] In cooling mode, the flow path of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is as follows: Figure 3 As shown. Specifically, the refrigerant is compressed into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant by the compressor 1, enters the external heat exchanger 4 through the switching valve 3, and becomes a high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant after exchanging heat with the air. After flowing out from the electronic expansion valve 7, it is throttled by the electronic expansion valve 20 and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. It then enters the internal evaporator 18, exchanges heat with the air, and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant. It then flows out of the internal evaporator 18, enters the gas-liquid separator 25, and returns to the compressor 1.

[0090] In cooling mode, the control process is as follows:

[0091] If the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is less than the lower limit of superheat, the inlet valve of the battery pack heat exchanger is opened, and the outlet valve is closed, allowing refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit to enter the battery pack heat exchanger through the inlet valve and be stored there. This continues until the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is equal to or greater than the lower limit of superheat, and less than the upper limit of superheat. Then, both the inlet and outlet valves of the battery pack heat exchanger are closed, stopping refrigerant storage. The battery pack heat exchanger can be... Figure 1 The battery pack heat exchanger 22 in the thermal management system, the inlet valve of the battery pack heat exchanger can be Figure 1 The electronic expansion valve 21 in the thermal management system, and the outlet valve of the battery pack heat exchanger can be Figure 1 The electronic expansion valve 24 in the thermal management system.

[0092] If the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is greater than the upper limit of superheat, the inlet valve and outlet valve of the battery pack heat exchanger are opened to allow the refrigerant stored in the battery pack heat exchanger to enter the refrigerant circuit through the outlet valve. This continues until the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is equal to or less than the upper limit of superheat, and the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is greater than the lower limit of superheat. Then, the inlet valve and outlet valve of the battery pack heat exchanger are closed to stop the release of refrigerant.

[0093] In some embodiments, as described above Figure 1 The thermal management system structure is augmented with a regenerator 14, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the regenerator 14 is installed between the suction and discharge lines of the compressor 1. Specifically, the outlet of the gas-liquid separator 25 is connected to the regenerator 14, the regenerator 14 is connected to the inlet of the compressor 1, the outlet of the compressor 1 is connected to the inlet of the in-vehicle condenser 12, the outlet of the in-vehicle condenser 12 is connected to the regenerator 14, and the regenerator 14 is connected to the inlet of the plate heat exchanger 19. The regenerator 14 is used to transfer the heat from the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the pipeline between the in-vehicle condenser 12 and the plate heat exchanger 19 to the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant in the pipeline between the gas-liquid separator 25 and the compressor 1. This not only ensures superheating of the suction gas by heating the refrigerant returning to the compressor and preventing liquid carryover in the compressor suction gas, but also further enhances system stability and improves system efficiency through heat exchange.

[0094] See Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a control device provided in an embodiment of this application. The control device is used to control the aforementioned... Figure 1 The refrigerant circuit in the intermediate heat management system uses flowing refrigerant. This control device is used to achieve the aforementioned... Figure 2 Control methods in [the context]. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the control device 300 includes an adjustment module 301.

[0095] The regulating module 301 is used to store or release refrigerant in the external heat exchanger of the refrigerant circuit according to the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger in the refrigerant circuit during heating mode.

[0096] Optionally, the refrigerant circuit includes a first valve and a second valve. The first valve is connected to the inlet of the external heat exchanger, and the second valve is connected to the outlet of the external heat exchanger. The regulating module 301 is specifically used to control the opening and closing of the first and second valves according to the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger, thereby realizing the storage or release of refrigerant in the external heat exchanger.

[0097] Optionally, the regulating module 301 is specifically used to control the first valve to open and the second valve to close if the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is less than the lower limit of superheat, so that the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit enters the vehicle external heat exchanger through the first valve and is stored in the vehicle external heat exchanger.

[0098] Optionally, the regulating module 301 is further configured to, after controlling the first valve to open and the second valve to close, when the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is equal to or greater than the lower limit of superheat and the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is less than the upper limit of superheat, control the first valve to close and the second valve to close.

[0099] Optionally, the regulating module 301 is specifically used to control the opening of the first valve and the second valve if the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is greater than the upper limit of superheat, so that the refrigerant stored in the external heat exchanger enters the refrigerant circuit through the second valve.

[0100] Optionally, the regulating module 301 is further configured to, after controlling the first valve to open and the second valve to open, when the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is equal to or less than the upper limit of superheat and the superheat at the outlet of the plate heat exchanger is greater than the lower limit of superheat, control the first valve to close and the second valve to close.

[0101] Optionally, the second valve is an electronic expansion valve. The regulating module 301 is specifically used to control the opening degree of the second valve to gradually increase from 0.

[0102] Optionally, the refrigerant circuit includes a gas-liquid separator, a compressor, an in-vehicle condenser, and a regenerator. The outlet of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the regenerator, the regenerator is connected to the inlet of the compressor, the outlet of the compressor is connected to the inlet of the in-vehicle condenser, the outlet of the in-vehicle condenser is connected to the regenerator, and the regenerator is connected to the inlet of the plate heat exchanger. The regenerator is used to transfer the heat from the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the piping between the in-vehicle condenser and the plate heat exchanger to the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant in the piping between the gas-liquid separator and the compressor.

[0103] The aforementioned adjustment module 301 can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, or a combination thereof. The adjustment module 301 can be embedded in the processor of the control device 300 in hardware form or independent of it, or it can be stored in the memory of the electronic device in software form, so that the processor can call and execute the operation corresponding to the adjustment module 301.

[0104] See Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the electronic device 400 includes a processor 401 and a memory 403. The processor 401 and the memory 403 are connected, for example, via a bus 402. Optionally, the electronic device 400 may also include a transceiver 404. It should be noted that in practical applications, the transceiver 404 is not limited to one type, and the structure of this electronic device 400 does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application.

[0105] Processor 401 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. Processor 401 may also be a combination that implements computational functions, such as including one or more microprocessor combinations, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc.

[0106] Bus 402 may include a path for transmitting information between the aforementioned components. Bus 402 may be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Bus 402 may be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 6 The symbol is represented by only one line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0107] The memory 403 stores a computer program corresponding to the control method described in the above embodiments of this application. This computer program is executed under the control of the processor 401. The processor 401 executes the computer program stored in the memory 403 to implement the content shown in the aforementioned control method embodiments.

[0108] The electronic device 400 may be, for example, a controller, which is not specifically limited in this application. Figure 6 The electronic device 400 shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of this application.

[0109] This application also provides a vehicle, which includes a seat and the aforementioned electronic equipment. The vehicle may be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or a new energy vehicle, etc., and this application does not specifically limit it.

[0110] This application also provides a computer program product or computer program that includes computer instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium. The processor of an electronic device reads the computer instructions from the computer-readable storage medium and executes the computer instructions, causing the electronic device to perform the control methods provided in the various optional implementations described above.

[0111] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps in the various methods of the above embodiments can be performed by a computer program, or by a computer program controlling related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium and loaded and executed by a processor.

[0112] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform the control method described above.

[0113] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0114] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this application. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create a machine for implementing the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0115] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0116] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0117] In a typical configuration, an electronic device includes one or more processors (Central Processing Unit, CPU), input / output interfaces, network interfaces, and memory.

[0118] Memory may include non-persistent memory in computer-readable media, such as random access memory (RAM) and / or non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM) or flash memory (flash RAM). Memory is an example of computer-readable media.

[0119] Computer-readable media include both permanent and non-permanent, removable and non-removable media, which can store information using any method or technology. Information can be computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Examples of computer storage media include, but are not limited to, phase-change memory (PRAM), static random-access memory (SRAM), dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), other types of random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transfer medium that can be used to store information accessible by a computing device. As defined in this article, computer-readable media do not include transient media, such as modulated communication signals and carrier waves.

[0120] In the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0121] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0122] The embodiments, implementation methods, and related technical features of this application can be combined and substituted for each other without conflict.

[0123] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application in any way. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of this application.

Claims

1. A control method characterized by, The method is applied to a refrigerant circuit in a thermal management system, the refrigerant circuit is used for flowing refrigerant, the refrigerant circuit comprises an external heat exchanger and a plate heat exchanger, The method comprises: In a heating mode, refrigerant storage or release in the external heat exchanger is realized according to the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The refrigerant circuit comprises a first valve and a second valve, the first valve is connected with an inlet of the external heat exchanger, the second valve is connected with an outlet of the external heat exchanger, The refrigerant storage or release in the external heat exchanger according to the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet comprises: Controlling opening and closing of the first valve and the second valve according to the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet to realize the refrigerant storage or release in the external heat exchanger.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein The refrigerant storage or release in the external heat exchanger according to the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet comprises: If the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet is less than a lower superheat limit value, the first valve is controlled to be opened and the second valve is controlled to be closed, so that the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit enters the external heat exchanger through the first valve and stores refrigerant in the external heat exchanger.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein After the first valve is controlled to be opened and the second valve is controlled to be closed, the method further comprises: When the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet is equal to or greater than the lower superheat limit value and the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet is less than an upper superheat limit value, the first valve is controlled to be closed and the second valve is controlled to be closed.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein The refrigerant storage or release in the external heat exchanger according to the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet comprises: If the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet is greater than the upper superheat limit value, the first valve is controlled to be opened and the second valve is controlled to be opened, so that the stored refrigerant in the external heat exchanger enters the refrigerant circuit through the second valve.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein After the first valve is controlled to be opened and the second valve is controlled to be opened, the method further comprises: When the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet is equal to or less than the upper superheat limit value and the superheat of the plate heat exchanger outlet is greater than the lower superheat limit value, the first valve is controlled to be closed and the second valve is controlled to be closed.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The second valve is an electronic expansion valve, The control of the second valve being opened comprises: The opening degree of the second valve is gradually increased from 0.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein The refrigerant circuit comprises a gas-liquid separator, a compressor, an in-vehicle condenser and a heat regenerator, an outlet of the gas-liquid separator is connected with the heat regenerator, the heat regenerator is connected with an inlet of the compressor, an outlet of the compressor is connected with an inlet of the in-vehicle condenser, an outlet of the in-vehicle condenser is connected with the heat regenerator, the heat regenerator is connected with an inlet of the plate heat exchanger, The heat regenerator is used to transfer heat of high-temperature liquid refrigerant in a pipeline between the in-vehicle condenser and the plate heat exchanger to low-temperature gaseous refrigerant in a pipeline between the gas-liquid separator and the compressor.

9. An electronic device, comprising: Comprise: A memory having a computer program stored thereon; A processor configured to execute the computer program in the memory to implement the control method of any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A vehicle characterized by comprising: An electronic device comprising a thermal management system and as claimed in claim 9. An electronic device comprising a thermal management system and as claimed in claim 9.

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