A thermal management system for a robot and a control method thereof

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of robots, and provides a heat management system for a robot and a control method thereof, wherein the heat management system for the robot comprises a heat management module, multiple groups of heat generating components, a three-way valve, a check valve and a connecting pipeline; the heat management module is internally integrated with a water pump, a radiator, a fan, a PTC heater and a water temperature sensor; three passages of the three-way valve are respectively connected with an outlet end of the radiator, an outlet end of the PTC heater and an inlet end of the water pump; the heat generating components are divided into a first branch and a second branch, and the two branches are connected in parallel between the outlet end of the water pump and the inlet end of the radiator; the application can adapt to the compact internal space of the robot, realize unified heat management of multiple heat sources, simultaneously meet the requirements of heat dissipation and low-temperature preheating, and is helpful to improve the system operation energy efficiency and long-term working stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of robotics technology, and in particular relates to a thermal management system for robots and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of robotics technology, its applications in industrial manufacturing, special operations, and service companionship are becoming increasingly widespread. As robot integration continues to improve, the heat density of core components is constantly increasing, and the need for preheating in low-temperature environments is becoming increasingly prominent. Chinese invention patent CN121043183A discloses a liquid-cooling architecture system and cooling method for a humanoid robot. It employs a layout of a main water pump and multiple micro-pumps to provide liquid cooling for the controller, power supply, and joint motors, while the main cooling mechanism provides air cooling for the circulating coolant. While this solution can achieve liquid cooling for multiple robot components, it still has many shortcomings and is difficult to adapt to the thermal management requirements of compact and intelligent robots. Specific problems are as follows:

[0003] Redundant pump configuration leads to significant system space occupation: Existing robot liquid cooling systems mostly adopt a multi-pump independent drive scheme, with water pumps installed at the main control unit, battery, and each joint to meet the flow requirements of different branches. This approach results in a large number of pumps and complex piping connections, significantly encroaching on the robot's limited internal installation space. It also increases the overall system weight and operating energy consumption, hindering lightweight design and improved battery life. For small robots with already compact internal space, a multi-pump layout further reduces the installation space for batteries and functional modules, limiting the robot's performance expansion.

[0004] The dispersed cooling and heating components result in low reuse rates and chaotic airflow: In existing technologies, cooling and low-temperature heating functions are mostly designed independently, with radiators and fans arranged along different branches. Heating devices are mostly heating films or small PTCs configured separately for each component. Parallel exhaust from multiple radiators can easily cause internal airflow turbulence, with hot air recirculating in the cavity, exacerbating dust accumulation and noise problems. The repeated configuration of heating components increases the system's material costs, and the independent control of each heating unit makes it difficult to achieve unified scheduling and efficient utilization of heat, resulting in low overall heating efficiency in low-temperature environments.

[0005] The control logic is simple, but the adaptability to different operating conditions needs to be improved: Most existing thermal management systems adopt on / off control with fixed speed or single temperature threshold, which adjusts the heat dissipation power based only on the temperature of a single component. It cannot dynamically match multiple parameters such as load current and ambient water temperature. Under high load and high heat flow conditions, the heat dissipation capacity is insufficient, which can easily cause components to overheat and reduce frequency, affecting the robot's operating performance. Under low load conditions, it continues to operate at high power, causing unnecessary power consumption and noise pollution, and shortening the robot's battery life.

[0006] The lack of protection during switching between hot and cold circuits leads to insufficient operational stability: Existing thermal management systems with both hot and cold modes often rely solely on the direct on / off switching of three-way valves for circuit switching, without setting up unidirectional shut-off structures in the branches. In the heating mode, the high-temperature working fluid can easily flow into the joint branches that do not require heating, resulting in ineffective heat loss and extending the preheating time of core components. Furthermore, there is no buffer transition during mode switching, and sudden changes in temperature within the pipeline can easily trigger thermal shock. Long-term operation will accelerate the aging of pipeline seals and reduce the service life of pipelines and components.

[0007] Therefore, a thermal management system and its control method for robots are needed to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a thermal management system and control method for robots to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a thermal management system for robots and its control method, comprising a thermal management module, multiple sets of heating components, a three-way valve, a one-way valve, and connecting pipelines; the thermal management module integrates a water pump, a radiator, a fan, a PTC heater, and a water temperature sensor; the three passages of the three-way valve are respectively connected to the outlet end of the radiator, the outlet end of the PTC heater, and the inlet end of the water pump; the heating components are divided into a first branch and a second branch, which are connected in parallel between the outlet end of the water pump and the inlet end of the radiator.

[0010] In a further technical solution, the second branch is an electronic control and battery cooling branch, in which a control board, a computing board, a battery module and a sensing module are arranged in sequence along the working fluid flow direction. The outlet end of the sensing module is connected in series with the one-way valve, and the one-way valve is open from the sensing module side to the heat sink side.

[0011] A further technical solution is that the first branch is a joint motor cooling branch, which includes four joint motors. The joint motors are connected by two series and two parallel pipelines. After the working fluid flows through the two series joint motors in sequence, the two parallel branches converge into the main return water pipeline.

[0012] In a further technical solution, each of the heating components is provided with a corresponding liquid cooling plate. The heating components are attached to the surface of the liquid cooling plate. The liquid cooling plate has a continuous working fluid flow channel inside. The two ends of the flow channel are respectively provided with a working fluid inlet and a working fluid outlet, and the working fluid inlet and the working fluid outlet are respectively connected to the corresponding connecting pipes.

[0013] In a further technical solution, when the heating mode is running, the one-way valve is in a reverse shut-off state, blocking the passage of the second branch to the radiator. The working fluid flows out through the water pump and then flows through the control board, computing board and battery module in sequence, and finally flows back to the inlet end of the PTC heater to form a closed heating cycle.

[0014] A thermal management control method for robots, applied to any of the above-described thermal management systems for robots, includes the following steps:

[0015] S1. Real-time acquisition of surface temperature of each heat-generating component of the robot, water temperature of the circulating working fluid, and working current and load information of the joint motors and computing board;

[0016] S2. Compare the collected temperature data of the heating component with the preset temperature threshold to determine whether the system is in cooling mode or heating mode.

[0017] S3. Control the switching of the three-way valve according to the determined operating mode: in cooling mode, open the radiator branch and water pump branch, and close the PTC heater branch; in heating mode, open the PTC heater branch and water pump branch, and close the radiator branch.

[0018] S4. In cooling mode, the collected component temperature, water temperature and load information are matched with the pre-calibrated operating condition mapping table, and the corresponding PWM signal is output to adjust the operating speed of the water pump and fan. In heating mode, the battery module temperature is continuously monitored. When the battery module temperature reaches the preset upper limit threshold, the PTC heater is turned off. After a preset delay, the three-way valve is switched to the cooling mode path to end the heating process.

[0019] A further technical solution is that the pre-calibrated working condition mapping table is obtained through preliminary calibration tests. The calibration process is as follows: under different load conditions of the robot, test the component temperature rise data corresponding to multiple combinations of water pump and fan speeds, select the appropriate speed combinations under each working condition and convert them into corresponding PWM values, and store them in the memory of the thermal management controller in advance.

[0020] A further technical solution involves keeping the fan off during heating mode operation, with the working fluid circulating solely through a water pump within the heating circuit, and the PTC heater continuously heating the circulating working fluid.

[0021] In a further technical solution, in step S4, the preset duration is 30 seconds. During the delay, the water pump remains running, and the residual heat in the pipeline is used to evenly heat each component.

[0022] A further technical solution is that, in heating mode, when the temperatures of the battery module and the computing board simultaneously reach the preset upper limit threshold, a shutdown command for the PTC heater is triggered.

[0023] This solution employs a three-tiered, progressive technical design—integrated architecture, branched layout, and intelligent control—to form a complete performance enhancement system. These three elements support and synergize with each other. The first layer, the single-pump dual-mode integrated architecture, forms the system's hardware foundation. By simplifying core power components, it frees up space for the internal structural layout, enabling the arrangement of the second layer—centralized heat dissipation and branched shut-off structures. The second layer, the parallel dual-branch + one-way valve loop structure, is the carrier of functionality. It ensures flow distribution for parallel heat dissipation of multiple components in cooling mode and achieves directional heat delivery in heating mode, providing a controllable loop foundation for the third layer—intelligent control. The third layer, multi-parameter mapping control and delayed switching logic, is the core of performance upgrades. Building upon the first two layers, it fully unleashes the system's potential, dynamically matching power according to operating conditions, while buffering logic reduces losses and impacts caused by structural switching. The combination of these three elements simultaneously improves the system in four dimensions: space utilization, thermal management efficiency, operating energy consumption, and long-term stability. A single-dimensional technical improvement cannot achieve the same comprehensive performance.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0025] This invention utilizes a single water pump with a three-way valve for channel switching to achieve dual-mode working fluid circulation drive for both cooling and heating. This eliminates the need for multiple pump bodies and independent heat exchange components, effectively simplifying the piping layout, reducing the space occupied by redundant pump bodies and connectors, lowering the overall system weight, and making it suitable for the compact internal installation environment of robots. At the same time, single-pump operation also reduces drive energy consumption, which helps extend the robot's battery life.

[0026] This invention features a unified radiator and a single PTC heater. In cooling mode, the high-temperature working fluid from all branches converges to the same radiator, and a single fan centrally exhausts the heat, reducing problems such as airflow turbulence, severe dust accumulation, and excessive noise caused by multiple fans running in parallel. In heating mode, a single PTC heater can provide heating for multiple key components, eliminating the need to install heating films or PTC components separately for each component. This improves the reuse rate of heating functions and reduces system complexity and material costs.

[0027] This invention incorporates a pre-calibrated test-based operating condition mapping table, which dynamically matches the corresponding PWM speeds of the water pump and fan by combining multi-dimensional parameters such as the temperature of heat-generating components, the temperature of the working fluid, and the load current of the motor and computing board. Under high-load, high-heat-flow conditions, it increases operating power to ensure the heat dissipation requirements of core components; under low-load conditions, it reduces speed to achieve energy saving and noise reduction. While ensuring reliable heat dissipation, it can reduce the overall energy consumption of the thermal management system and extend the robot's continuous operating time.

[0028] This invention incorporates a one-way valve in the sensing module branch. In heating mode, the reverse shut-off characteristic of the one-way valve blocks the flow of working fluid to the joint motor branch, reducing ineffective heat loss and improving heating efficiency. Simultaneously, a delayed switching step is included in the heating exit process. After the PTC heater is turned off, the water pump continues to run for a preset time, using the residual heat in the pipeline to even out the component temperature before switching to the cooling circuit. This mitigates thermal shock caused by sudden temperature changes, protects pipeline seals and electronic components, and improves the long-term reliability of the system.

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the structural features and effects of the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of the overall architecture of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heating element and liquid cooling plate of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall process of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments.

[0034] The following embodiments are used to illustrate the present invention, but should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. The conditions in the embodiments can be further adjusted according to specific conditions, and simple improvements to the method of the present invention under the premise of the concept of the present invention are all within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0035] Example 1

[0036] like Figure 1-3 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a thermal management system for a robot, including a thermal management module, four sets of joint motors, a control board, a computing board, a battery module, a sensing module, a three-way valve, a one-way valve, and connecting pipes.

[0037] The thermal management module is an integrated modular structure, internally integrating a water pump, radiator, fan, PTC heater, and water temperature sensor. The fan is mounted on one side of the radiator to drive airflow through the radiator fins, carrying away heat from the working fluid. The PTC heater is located on the heating circuit piping to heat the circulating working fluid. The water temperature sensor is installed on the water pump outlet pipe to monitor the temperature of the circulating working fluid in real time.

[0038] The three-way valve is an electric three-way valve with three ports: a first port, a second port, and a third port. The first port connects to the outlet of the radiator, the second port connects to the outlet of the PTC heater, and the third port connects to the inlet of the water pump. The three-way valve can switch between different pathways by rotating its internal valve core, thereby changing the system's circulation loop.

[0039] The system's heat dissipation circuit is divided into two parallel branches. The first branch is the joint motor cooling branch, which includes four sets of joint motors connected in a two-series-two-parallel piping configuration: the first and second sets of joint motors are connected in series to form the first series branch, and the third and fourth sets of joint motors are connected in series to form the second series branch. The two series branches are connected in parallel to the main piping. The second branch is the electronic control and battery branch, which connects the control board, computing board, battery module, and sensing module in series along the working fluid flow direction. A one-way valve is installed in series at the outlet of the sensing module. The one-way valve opens from the sensing module to the heat sink and closes in the opposite direction.

[0040] The inlet ends of the two sets of parallel branches are connected to the outlet end of the water pump, and the outlet ends of the two sets of parallel branches are connected to the inlet end of the radiator; the inlet end of the PTC heater is connected to the pipeline between the battery module and the sensing module.

[0041] Each heat-generating component is fitted with a liquid cooling plate, which contains continuously bent working fluid channels. The two ends of these channels are the working fluid inlet and outlet, respectively. The heating surface of the heat-generating component is tightly fitted to the surface of the liquid cooling plate, with a thermally conductive interface material filling the gaps to improve thermal conductivity. In cooling mode, the heat generated by the heat-generating component is transferred to the liquid cooling plate via thermal conduction, and then to the flowing working fluid within the channels via thermal convection. In heating mode, the heat from the high-temperature working fluid is conducted through the liquid cooling plate to the electronic component to be heated.

[0042] In this embodiment, the circulating working fluid is an aqueous solution of ethylene glycol, which has both good thermal conductivity and low-temperature antifreeze capability, making it suitable for a wide temperature range of working environments.

[0043] In this embodiment, the heat exchange power of the liquid cooling plate, the flow distribution of the parallel branches, and the PWM speed regulation follow the following quantitative relationship:

[0044] The heat exchange power of the liquid cooling plate is the core calculation parameter for the system's heat exchange capacity, and the calculation formula is as follows:

[0045]

[0046] in:

[0047] : Heat exchange power of a single liquid cooling plate, in W; in cooling mode, it is the heat dissipation of the heat-generating component, and in heating mode, it is the heat absorbed by the component to be heated;

[0048] : Specific heat capacity at constant pressure of the circulating working fluid, expressed in J / (kg·℃);

[0049] Density of the circulating working fluid, in kg / m³ 3 ;

[0050] : The volumetric flow rate of the working fluid flowing through this liquid cooling plate, in m³ / s. 3 / s;

[0051] : The temperature of the working fluid at the inlet of the liquid cooling plate, in °C;

[0052] : The working fluid temperature at the working fluid outlet of the liquid cooling plate, in °C.

[0053] Variable acquisition method:

[0054] and The parameters are determined by the material parameters of the selected working medium and are pre-stored in the controller parameter library. The parameters are updated accordingly when the working medium is changed.

[0055] The calibration data is calculated by converting the pump speed and the flow resistance of the corresponding branch, and the calibration data is pre-stored in the controller.

[0056] and Temperature data can be collected directly from temperature sensors located at the inlet and outlet of the branch, or it can be estimated by combining water temperature sensor data with the branch temperature drop model.

[0057] Constraints and control logic:

[0058] In cooling mode, the heat exchange power of a single liquid cooling plate must be guaranteed. The rated heating power of the corresponding heating component should not be less than the rated heating power of the component to prevent the component temperature from rising continuously.

[0059] In heating mode, heat exchange power must be guaranteed. The heating rate requirements of the components must be met, while not exceeding the upper limit of the device's tolerable temperature rise rate.

[0060] The controller can change the flow rate by adjusting the pump speed. This allows for dynamic adjustment of heat exchange power. To meet the real-time heating requirements of the matching components.

[0061] Overall function of the formula: This formula can quantify the heat exchange capacity of each branch, provide a calculation basis for pump speed calibration and operation condition mapping table establishment, and ensure that the heat exchange capacity of the thermal management system matches the heat load.

[0062] The flow distribution in a dual-branch parallel structure follows the pipe flow resistance characteristics, and the calculation formula is as follows:

[0063]

[0064] in:

[0065] The working fluid volumetric flow rate of the first branch (joint motor cooling branch), in cubic meters per second (m³). 3 / s;

[0066] The working fluid volumetric flow rate of the second branch (electronic control and battery cooling branch), in m³ / s. 3 / s;

[0067] Total flow resistance of the first branch, in Pa·s / m 3 ;

[0068] Total flow resistance of the second branch, in Pa·s / m 3 .

[0069] Variable acquisition method:

[0070] and The data is obtained through fluid simulation calculations during the system design phase and calibrated through prototype flow rate testing. The calibrated data is then pre-stored in the controller.

[0071] The flow resistance of a branch is determined by the length of the pipe, the number of bends, the flow channel structure of the liquid cooling plate, and the number of joints.

[0072] Constraints and control logic:

[0073] During the design phase, the flow resistance was adjusted by modifying the pipe diameters of the two branches and the dimensions of the liquid-cooled plate flow channels. , It is matched with the total heat generation power of the branch circuit to ensure that the branch circuit with a larger heat generation power obtains a higher flow rate;

[0074] During operation, the flow ratio of the two branches remains basically stable. When the pump speed is adjusted, the flow rates of the two branches rise and fall synchronously, without the need for additional branch regulating valves.

[0075] Overall effect of the formula: This formula can guide the flow channel design of dual-branch systems, realize natural flow distribution without valves, simplify the system structure, and ensure that the cooling requirements of both branches are met.

[0076] The intelligent speed regulation in cooling mode is based on a mapping relationship fitted by multiple parameters. The basic fitting formula is:

[0077]

[0078] in:

[0079] The duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal output by the controller to the water pump or fan ranges from 0 to 100%.

[0080] The difference between the highest temperature of the heating element and the preset reference temperature, in °C;

[0081] : The operating current of the corresponding component, used to characterize the load size, and the unit is A;

[0082] The temperature of the circulating working fluid collected by the water temperature sensor is in °C.

[0083] , , : The weighting coefficients of the corresponding parameters.

[0084] Variable acquisition method:

[0085] The value is calculated by subtracting the preset reference temperature from the value collected by the component temperature sensor.

[0086] The current detection module of the robot's electronic control system collects and transmits data in real time to the thermal management controller;

[0087] Data is collected in real time by a water temperature sensor;

[0088] , , The calibration coefficients for the water pump and the fan were obtained by fitting the dataset from the previous multi-condition calibration test.

[0089] Constraints and control logic:

[0090] The calculated PWM value must be limited within the preset minimum and maximum duty cycle range to avoid the water pump speed being too low, causing flow interruption, or the speed being too high, exceeding the device's rated value.

[0091] The pre-calibrated operating condition mapping table is a discretized lookup table form of the fitting formula, which can reduce the amount of calculation by the controller and improve the response speed.

[0092] When the component temperature is close to the upper limit of the threshold, the water pump speed is increased first. When the temperature difference between the water and the ambient temperature is large, the fan speed is increased first.

[0093] Overall effect of the formula: Through the speed regulation logic of multi-parameter joint fitting, the heat dissipation power and heat load can be accurately matched. Compared with single temperature threshold control, it has higher adaptability to operating conditions and reduces unnecessary energy consumption while ensuring heat dissipation reliability.

[0094] In this embodiment, the cooling mode works as follows:

[0095] When the system determines that it has entered cooling mode, the three-way valve opens the passage between the radiator outlet and the water pump inlet, while closing the passage on the PTC heater side. After the water pump starts, the cooled working fluid flows out of the radiator, enters the water pump through the three-way valve, and after being pressurized by the pump, flows through the water temperature sensor, and then splits into two parallel flows:

[0096] The first flow into the joint motor cooling branch passes through two sets of joint motor liquid cooling plates connected in series, carrying away the heat generated by the joint motor during operation and completing the motor cooling.

[0097] The second flow into the electronic control and battery branch passes sequentially through the liquid cooling plates corresponding to the control board, computing board, battery module, and sensing module, carrying away the heat generated by the operation of each electronic control component. Then, the working fluid flows out of the branch through a one-way valve.

[0098] After the two high-temperature working fluids merge in the main return water pipe, they flow into the radiator together. The fan drives the air to flow through the radiator fins, dissipating the heat in the working fluid to the external environment. The cooled working fluid then enters the next cycle.

[0099] The working principle of the heating mode is as follows:

[0100] When the system determines that it has entered heating mode, the three-way valve opens the passage between the PTC heater outlet and the water pump inlet, while closing the passage on the radiator side. The PTC heater starts, and the fan remains off. The water pump drives the working fluid to flow. The heated high-temperature working fluid flows out of the PTC heater, enters the water pump through the three-way valve, and flows through the water temperature sensor after being pressurized. At this time, due to the reverse shut-off effect of the one-way valve, the working fluid cannot flow to the sensing module and radiator side. It can only flow sequentially along the electronic control branch through the control board, computing board, and liquid cooling plate of the battery module, transferring heat to each component to be heated, and finally flowing back to the inlet of the PTC heater to complete the heating cycle.

[0101] The control process for the cooling mode is as follows:

[0102] The system collects real-time surface temperatures of each joint motor, control board, computing board, battery module, and sensing module, as well as the working fluid temperature detected by the water temperature sensor. It also collects the operating current and load signals of the joint motors and computing board. The controller matches this collected data with a pre-stored operating condition mapping table, queries the corresponding PWM values ​​of the water pump and fan under the corresponding operating condition, and outputs control signals to adjust the speed of the water pump and fan, achieving dynamic heat dissipation regulation.

[0103] The control process for the heating mode is as follows:

[0104] When the temperature of the battery module or computing board is detected to be lower than the preset low-temperature threshold, the system enters heating mode, controls the three-way valve to switch to the heating path, and starts the PTC heater and water pump. During the heating process, the temperature of the battery module is continuously monitored. When the battery temperature rises to the preset upper limit threshold, the PTC heater is turned off, while the water pump continues to run. After a 30-second delay, the three-way valve is controlled to switch to the cooling path, ending the heating process, and the system enters standby or cooling mode.

[0105] In this embodiment, the integrated architecture, branched layout, and intelligent control technologies form a mutually supportive and collaborative system:

[0106] The integrated design of the thermal management module combines the water pump, radiator, PTC heater and water temperature sensor into a single module, which greatly shortens the internal pipeline length and reduces flow resistance. This not only improves the driving efficiency of a single water pump, but also saves space inside the robot, making the dual-branch parallel layout feasible.

[0107] The dual-branch parallel structure, combined with the unidirectional conduction characteristic of the check valve, allows for the switching of cooling and heating modes through a single three-way valve, eliminating the need for additional branch control valves. This simplifies the system structure and provides a structural basis for the directional heat transfer in heating mode, ensuring the feasibility of the shared PTC heating solution.

[0108] The intelligent control logic of multi-parameter mapping is based on the parallel loop structure with fixed flow resistance mentioned above. It can accurately match the heat dissipation requirements by adjusting the speed of the water pump and fan, give full play to the heat exchange efficiency of the centralized radiator, and avoid airflow interference caused by the dispersed arrangement of multiple fans. At the same time, the delay switching logic, in combination with the structural characteristics of the three-way valve and the one-way valve, can alleviate the thermal shock caused by the sudden change in the working fluid temperature during mode switching, and extend the service life of pipeline seals and electronic components.

[0109] With the combined effect of these three factors, the system achieves efficient heat dissipation, low-temperature preheating, and intelligent regulation within a compact space, resulting in overall performance superior to single-dimensional technological improvements.

[0110] Example 2

[0111] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is that the inlet end of the PTC heater is connected to the upstream pipeline of the control board, and the working fluid flow direction of the heating circuit is as follows: PTC heater, three-way valve, water pump, water temperature sensor, battery module, computing board, control board and PTC heater.

[0112] In this embodiment, the working fluid prioritizes heating the battery module in heating mode, then flows sequentially through the computing board and control board. The heating sequence can be adjusted according to the low-temperature start-up priority of different components. For scenarios where battery activity decreases more significantly in low-temperature environments, this flow direction can prioritize ensuring the preheating rate of the battery module, enabling the battery to quickly reach the preset operating temperature range and improving the reliability of the robot's low-temperature start-up. The one-way valve remains in the reverse shut-off state, blocking the flow of working fluid to the joint motor and heat sink, ensuring that heat is concentrated on supplying the core electronic control and battery components. The remaining structure and working principle of this embodiment are the same as in Embodiment 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0113] Example 3

[0114] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 2 is that in the control process of the cooling mode, the mapping table matching adopts graded speed regulation logic, which divides the load conditions into three levels: light load, medium load, and heavy load. Each level corresponds to multiple sets of speed parameters for temperature ranges.

[0115] In this embodiment, the controller first determines the current load level based on the current load information, and then, combined with the highest component temperature and the working fluid temperature, matches the PWM values ​​of the water pump and fan within the mapping range corresponding to the load level. When the component temperatures are in the same range, a higher speed corresponds to a heavy load condition, and a lower speed corresponds to a light load condition. This hierarchical mapping method can further improve the accuracy of operating condition adaptation and avoid power waste or insufficient heat dissipation caused by speed adjustment based on a single temperature dimension. For example, at the same temperature, the heat dissipation power is increased when the robot is under heavy load operation and reduced when it is in standby light load, maximizing energy consumption reduction while ensuring temperature compliance. The remaining structure and working principle of this embodiment are the same as those of Embodiment 2.

[0116] Example 4

[0117] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 3 is that the control process of the heating mode adds the computing board temperature as an auxiliary threshold for exit determination. The PTC heater is only triggered when the temperatures of the battery module and the computing board reach the preset upper limit threshold at the same time.

[0118] In this embodiment, heating termination employs dual temperature criteria, reducing premature termination of heating due to single sensor failure or localized temperature unevenness. In low-temperature environments, both the battery and computing board are critical components affecting startup performance; dual threshold determination ensures that both reach their optimal operating temperatures before heating ends, improving the stability of low-temperature startup. The 30-second delay buffer process remains unchanged, utilizing residual heat in the piping to further even out the temperature of each component and reduce temperature shocks during circuit switching. The remaining structure and working principle of this embodiment are consistent with Embodiment 3.

[0119] Example 5

[0120] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 4 is that the joint motor cooling branch includes six joint motors, which are connected in a three-series-two-parallel pipeline configuration, that is, three joint motors are connected in series to form one branch, and there are two parallel branches in total.

[0121] In this embodiment, it can be adapted to multi-degree-of-freedom robots with more joints. By increasing the number of heat-generating components in a single branch through series connection, and by controlling the total flow resistance through parallel connection, the flow rate of each branch is ensured to be balanced. The flow channel size of the liquid cooling plate can be adapted and adjusted according to the flow rate requirements of a single branch, ensuring that each joint motor receives sufficient cooling flow. The outlets of the two parallel branches still merge into the heat sink, maintaining the advantages of the centralized heat dissipation architecture. The remaining structures and control methods in this embodiment are consistent with those in Embodiment 4.

[0122] Example 6

[0123] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 5 is that the circulating working fluid is a fluorinated liquid.

[0124] In this embodiment, the fluorinated liquid has the characteristics of good insulation and stable chemical properties. Even if a small amount of leakage occurs in the liquid cooling plate, it is not likely to cause short circuit damage to the electronic control components, making it suitable for special operation robot scenarios with high reliability requirements. The fluorinated liquid has a wide operating temperature range, which can adapt to extreme high and low temperature environments. At the same time, it has low viscosity characteristics, which can reduce the driving power consumption of the water pump. The flow channel structure of the liquid cooling plate does not require material changes. Only the flow channel density needs to be optimized according to the thermal conductivity of the working fluid to ensure heat exchange efficiency. The remaining structures and control methods in this embodiment are the same as in Embodiment 5.

[0125] Example 7

[0126] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 6 is that the calibration process of the operating condition mapping table adds an environmental temperature dimension, and the calibration test is carried out under different environmental temperatures to generate mapping sub-tables under multiple environmental temperatures.

[0127] In this embodiment, the system first collects the ambient temperature during operation, calls the mapping sub-table corresponding to the ambient temperature, and then matches the rotation speed parameters with the load and component temperatures. This method can further improve control accuracy. For example, in low-temperature environments, with the same load and component temperatures, the fan speed can be appropriately reduced to utilize natural ambient heat dissipation for cooling; in high-temperature environments, the speed can be appropriately increased to compensate for the decrease in ambient heat dissipation capacity. Calibration tests are completed in high and low temperature environmental chambers, covering the entire operating ambient temperature range of the robot. After calibration data is verified, it is written into the controller memory. The remaining structure and working principle of this embodiment are the same as those of Embodiment 6.

[0128] Example 8

[0129] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 7 is that the delay time for heating to exit can be dynamically adjusted according to the ambient temperature; the lower the ambient temperature, the longer the delay time.

[0130] In this embodiment, the controller matches the corresponding delay duration based on the ambient temperature: 30 seconds at normal temperature and 45-60 seconds at low temperature. At low temperatures, the initial temperature of pipes and components is low, and the temperature drops more quickly after the PTC is turned off. A longer delay allows residual heat to be used to evenly distribute the component temperature, preventing the temperature from rapidly dropping below the threshold after switching cooling circuits, thus avoiding repeated start-stop cycles of the heating process. This dynamic delay logic improves the stability of the heating process at low temperatures and reduces frequent valve switching. The remaining structure and working principle of this embodiment are consistent with Embodiment 7.

[0131] Working principle and usage process of this invention:

[0132] This system has two operating modes: cooling and heating, which can be automatically switched according to the robot's working status and ambient temperature.

[0133] In normal or high-temperature operating scenarios, the system operates in cooling mode: a three-way valve opens the passage between the radiator and the water pump, while closing the PTC heater branch. The water pump drives the cooling medium to flow out, which then splits into two parallel branches. One branch flows through the joint motor to remove heat from its operation, while the other flows sequentially through the control board, computing board, battery module, and sensing module to remove heat from the various electronic control components. The two high-temperature cooling media then merge and enter the radiator, where a fan drives air to dissipate the heat to the outside. The cooled cooling medium then circulates again. The controller dynamically adjusts the speed of the water pump and fan based on real-time collected temperature, load, and water temperature parameters using a pre-calibrated mapping table to match the current cooling requirements.

[0134] In low-temperature startup scenarios, the system operates in heating mode: the three-way valve opens the passage between the PTC heater and the water pump, while closing the radiator branch. The PTC heater starts heating the working fluid, and the water pump drives the high-temperature working fluid to circulate. At this time, the one-way valve reverses and closes, and the working fluid only flows through the control board, computing board, and battery module to preheat the core components. When the component temperature reaches the preset threshold, the PTC heater is turned off, and after a delay, it switches back to the cooling path to complete the preheating process.

[0135] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for robots, characterized in that, It includes a thermal management module, multiple heating elements, a three-way valve, a check valve, and connecting pipes; the thermal management module integrates a water pump, a radiator, a fan, a PTC heater, and a water temperature sensor; the three-way valve has three passages connected to the outlet of the radiator, the outlet of the PTC heater, and the inlet of the water pump, respectively; the heating elements are divided into a first branch and a second branch, which are connected in parallel between the outlet of the water pump and the inlet of the radiator.

2. A thermal management system for a robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second branch is the electronic control and battery cooling branch. A control board, computing board, battery module and sensing module are arranged in sequence along the working fluid flow direction. The one-way valve is connected in series at the outlet end of the sensing module. The one-way valve is open from the sensing module side to the heat sink side.

3. A thermal management system for a robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first branch is the joint motor cooling branch, which includes four joint motors. The joint motors are connected by two series and two parallel pipelines. After the working fluid flows through the two series joint motors in sequence, the two parallel branches converge into the main return water pipeline.

4. A thermal management system for a robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the heating components is provided with a corresponding liquid cooling plate. The heating components are attached to the surface of the liquid cooling plate. The liquid cooling plate has a continuous working fluid flow channel inside. The two ends of the flow channel are respectively provided with a working fluid inlet and a working fluid outlet, and the working fluid inlet and the working fluid outlet are respectively connected to the corresponding connecting pipes.

5. A thermal management system for a robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the heating mode is running, the one-way valve is in the reverse cut-off state, blocking the passage of the second branch to the radiator. The working fluid flows out through the water pump and flows through the control board, computing board and battery module in sequence, and finally flows back to the inlet of the PTC heater to form a closed heating cycle.

6. A thermal management control method for a robot, applied to a thermal management system for a robot as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Real-time acquisition of surface temperature of each heat-generating component of the robot, water temperature of the circulating working fluid, and working current and load information of the joint motors and computing board; S2. Compare the collected temperature data of the heating component with the preset temperature threshold to determine whether the system is in cooling mode or heating mode. S3. Control the switching of the three-way valve according to the determined operating mode: in cooling mode, open the radiator branch and water pump branch, and close the PTC heater branch. In heating mode, the PTC heater branch and water pump branch are turned on, while the radiator branch is turned off. S4. In cooling mode, the collected component temperature, water temperature and load information are matched with the pre-calibrated operating condition mapping table, and the corresponding PWM signal is output to adjust the operating speed of the water pump and fan. In heating mode, the battery module temperature is continuously monitored. When the battery module temperature reaches the preset upper limit threshold, the PTC heater is turned off. After a preset delay, the three-way valve is switched to the cooling mode path to end the heating process.

7. A thermal management control method for a robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pre-calibrated working condition mapping table was obtained through previous calibration tests. The calibration process is as follows: under different load conditions of the robot, test the component temperature rise data corresponding to multiple combinations of water pump and fan speeds, select the appropriate speed combinations under each working condition and convert them into corresponding PWM values, and store them in the memory of the thermal management controller in advance.

8. A thermal management control method for a robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the heating mode is running, the fan remains off, and the working fluid is circulated in the heating circuit only by the water pump. The PTC heater continuously heats the circulating working fluid.

9. A thermal management control method for a robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, In step S4, the preset duration is 30 seconds. During the delay, the water pump remains running, using the residual heat in the pipeline to evenly heat each component.

10. A thermal management control method for a robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, In heating mode, when the temperature of the battery module and the computing board simultaneously reaches the preset upper limit threshold, the PTC heater is triggered to shut down.

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