Control system and method for controlling a thermal management system of an electric vehicle

Abstract

A method for controlling a thermal management system of an electric vehicle includes obtaining, for each of one or more operating modes of the thermal management system, an energy cost associated with the operating mode, selecting an operating mode based on the one or more obtained energy costs, and providing an output indicative of the selected operating mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to methods and control systems for controlling thermal management systems of electric vehicles. Aspects of the invention relate to methods, control systems, computer-readable instructions, computer-readable media, and vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] The temperature of certain components in an electric vehicle can significantly affect their operational efficiency. For example, at low temperatures, chemical reactions in the traction battery may be inhibited, and in extremely cold conditions, the battery electrolyte may freeze, significantly increasing losses within the battery. Conversely, as the temperature of the traction battery rises, resistive losses within the battery may increase. Therefore, it can be beneficial to maintain the traction battery of an electric vehicle within a certain temperature range. Similarly, the vehicle's motor, electronics, and other components, as well as the vehicle cabin for human comfort, can have desired temperature ranges within which they should ideally be maintained.

[0003] However, the temperature of components in the management system may draw a significant amount of power from the traction battery, for example, when powering the resistance heater. This itself may reduce the efficiency of the power supplied from the traction battery and thus shorten the driving range of the electric vehicle.

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Various aspects and embodiments of the present invention provide methods for controlling a thermal management system and associated control systems, computer-readable instructions, computer-readable media, and vehicles as claimed in the appended claims.

[0006] The disclosed arrangement relates to a control system for controlling a thermal management system of an electric vehicle, the thermal management system having multiple operating modes, the control system including one or more processors configured to: compare energy costs associated with operating modes of the thermal management system, and select an operating mode from among the operating modes.

[0007] Therefore, an efficient operating mode can be selected.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention provides a control system for controlling a thermal management system of an electric vehicle, the thermal management system having multiple operating modes, the control system including one or more processors configured to: for each of two or more operating modes of the thermal management system, obtain an energy cost associated with that operating mode; select an operating mode based on the obtained energy cost; and provide an output indicating the selected operating mode.

[0009] Therefore, the operating mode of a thermal management system can be selected by considering the energy cost associated with the operating mode. This promotes energy efficiency, for example, by allowing the selection of an operating mode with low (or minimum) energy costs.

[0010] In some examples, the choice of operating mode includes selecting the operating mode with the lowest energy cost from two or more operating modes.

[0011] Therefore, operating modes with low energy costs can be selected, thereby improving energy efficiency.

[0012] Energy cost can indicate one or more of the following: energy requirements converted to the corresponding operating mode, energy requirements for operating the thermal management system in the corresponding operating mode, and heat energy transferred from the vehicle in the operating mode.

[0013] Therefore, various potential energy cost sources can be considered when selecting an operating mode.

[0014] In some examples, one or more processors are collectively configured to: receive thermal energy information of multiple components of an electric vehicle, the thermal energy information indicating at least one thermal energy transfer requirement of at least a first component among the multiple components; and for each of multiple operating modes of a thermal management system, obtain a conformity indication of the operating mode with at least one thermal energy transfer requirement, wherein the selection of the operating mode is based on the obtained energy cost and the conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement.

[0015] Therefore, the operating mode of the thermal management system can be selected by considering the energy cost associated with the operating mode and the energy delivery requirements of vehicle components. This promotes energy efficiency, for example, by allowing the selection of an operating mode with low (or lowest) energy cost from among those that meet the needs of the components.

[0016] According to the disclosed embodiments, a control system for controlling a thermal management system of an electric vehicle is provided, wherein one or more processors are collectively configured to: receive thermal energy information of a plurality of components of the electric vehicle, the thermal energy information indicating at least one thermal energy transfer requirement of a first component among the plurality of components; for each of a plurality of operating modes of the thermal management system, obtain a conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement; for one or more operating modes of the thermal management system, obtain an energy cost associated with the operating mode; select an operating mode, wherein the selection is based on one or more of the obtained energy costs and the conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement; and provide an output indicating the selected operating mode.

[0017] Therefore, the operating mode of the thermal management system can be selected by considering the energy cost associated with the operating mode and the energy delivery requirements of vehicle components. This promotes energy efficiency, for example, by allowing the selection of an operating mode with low (or lowest) energy cost from among those that meet the needs of the components.

[0018] In the disclosed arrangement, one or more processors are collectively configured to: receive thermal energy information of multiple components of an electric vehicle, the thermal energy information indicating at least one thermal energy transfer requirement of a first component among the multiple components; evaluate the conformity indication of an operating mode with the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement for each of multiple operating modes of a thermal management system; obtain the energy cost associated with one or more operating modes of the thermal management system; select an operating mode, wherein the selection is based on one or more of the obtained energy costs and the conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement; and provide an output indicating the selected operating mode.

[0019] Therefore, when selecting the operating mode of a thermal management system, the energy costs associated with the operating mode and the energy delivery requirements of vehicle components can be considered.

[0020] In the disclosed arrangement, a control system for controlling a thermal management system of an electric vehicle is provided, wherein one or more processors are collectively configured to: receive thermal energy information of a plurality of components of the electric vehicle, the thermal energy information indicating at least one thermal energy transfer requirement of a first component among the plurality of components; for each of one or more operating modes of the thermal management system: obtain an energy cost associated with the operating mode based on the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement; select an operating mode based on one or more obtained energy costs; and provide an output indicating the selected operating mode.

[0021] Therefore, the operating mode of the thermal management system can be selected based on the energy cost associated with the operating mode and the energy delivery requirements of vehicle components.

[0022] According to some examples, the selection of operating modes includes: selecting one or more operating modes from a variety of operating modes based on their respective compliance indications.

[0023] Therefore, the energy cost can be determined for an operating mode that is determined to meet the at least one heat transfer requirement.

[0024] In some examples, one or more processors are collectively configured to: obtain indications, based on thermal information, of one or more components requesting thermal energy and one or more components with excess thermal energy (e.g., above their target operating temperature range and components to be cooled to approach their target operating temperature range); and determine candidate operating modes, wherein each candidate operating mode is an operating mode of the thermal management system that provides heat to each component requesting thermal energy and removes heat from each component with excess thermal energy, wherein the conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement is based on whether the operating mode is a candidate operating mode.

[0025] Therefore, an operating mode that provides appropriate heat transfer (e.g., heating or cooling) to each component can be reliably selected. In some examples, inappropriate operating modes for current heat transfer requirements can be removed from consideration in a simple and reliable manner.

[0026] In some examples, candidate operating modes are determined before energy costs are obtained, and the candidate operating modes include two or more operating modes.

[0027] Therefore, operating modes that are inconsistent with the system’s heat requirements (e.g., in terms of heat flowing to or from components) can be removed from consideration before energy costs are obtained, thereby reducing the number of modes for which energy costs are obtained.

[0028] In some examples, obtaining the energy cost associated with an operating mode uses more computational resources than determining whether an operating mode is a candidate operating mode.

[0029] Advantageously, determining the operating mode before acquiring energy costs can reduce the computational burden associated with selecting an operating mode. For example, acquiring energy costs can be achieved by using more processor time, more operations, more memory, or some combination thereof, compared to determining whether an operating mode is a candidate operating mode.

[0030] In some examples, the conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one heat transfer requirement is based on a comparison of the at least one heat transfer requirement with the heat transfer that can be achieved in the thermal management system according to the operating mode.

[0031] Therefore, the choice of operating mode can take into account whether the operating mode can meet the heat demand indicated in the received thermal energy information.

[0032] According to some examples, each operating mode is associated with a corresponding set of thermal loops, each thermal loop including a set of components that are thermally connected to each other via a thermal management system in that operating mode, and the comparison of the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement with the thermal energy transfer that can be achieved in the operating mode includes: for each thermal loop in the set of thermal loops associated with that operating mode, determining whether the thermal energy transfer that can be achieved in the thermal loop is consistent with the thermal energy transfer requirement of the components in the thermal loop.

[0033] Therefore, compliance indications with at least one heat transfer requirement can take into account which components are thermally connected to each other.

[0034] In some examples, each operating mode is associated with a corresponding set of thermal loops, each thermal loop including a set of components that are thermally connected to each other via a thermal management system in that operating mode, wherein the comparison of the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement with the thermal energy transfer achievable in the operating mode includes: for each thermal loop in that operating mode: obtaining an indication of the achievable thermal energy transfer rate in the thermal loop, obtaining an indication of the target thermal energy transfer rate in the thermal loop, and comparing the indicated achievable thermal energy transfer rate with the target thermal energy transfer rate.

[0035] Advantageously, the selection of the operating mode can take into account whether the operating mode can meet the target heat transfer rate.

[0036] In some examples, each operating mode is associated with a corresponding set of thermal loops, each thermal loop including a set of components that are thermally connected to each other via a thermal management system in that operating mode, wherein a comparison of at least one thermal energy transfer requirement with the thermal energy transfer achievable in the operating mode includes: for each thermal loop in that operating mode: obtaining an indication of thermal energy availability in the thermal loop, obtaining an indication of thermal energy demand in the thermal loop, and comparing the indicated thermal energy availability with the indicated thermal energy demand.

[0037] Advantageously, the choice of operating mode can take into account whether the operating mode can transfer a certain amount of heat energy to meet the heat demand.

[0038] In some examples, a comparison of at least one heat transfer requirement with the heat transfer that can be achieved is performed before obtaining the energy cost, wherein an operating mode is accepted or rejected based on the comparison of at least one heat transfer requirement with the heat transfer that can be achieved, and the accepted operating mode includes two or more operating modes.

[0039] Advantageously, rejections of operating modes based on their achievable thermal transfer can be determined before the associated energy costs are obtained. Therefore, the determination of energy costs associated with rejected operating modes can be avoided.

[0040] In some examples, the energy cost for the rejected operating mode is not obtained.

[0041] Therefore, by not performing the determination of energy costs for rejected operating modes, at least one of the time or computational workload associated with obtaining energy costs is reduced.

[0042] In some examples, obtaining the energy cost associated with an operating mode uses more computing resources than determining whether an operating mode is accepted or rejected.

[0043] Therefore, rejecting an operating mode before obtaining energy costs can reduce the computational burden associated with selecting an operating mode.

[0044] The conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one heat transfer requirement can indicate whether the at least one heat transfer requirement is met in the operating mode.

[0045] Therefore, the operating mode can be selected based on whether the at least one heat transfer requirement is met.

[0046] When an operating mode does not meet at least one heat transfer requirement, the conformity indicator of the operating mode with the at least one heat transfer requirement can indicate the degree to which the operating mode does not meet the at least one heat transfer requirement.

[0047] Therefore, the degree to which the operating mode does not meet the at least one heat transfer requirement can be considered. For example, if none of the operating modes can meet the at least one heat transfer requirement, the operating mode can be selected based on the degree to which each operating mode is close to meeting the at least one heat transfer requirement.

[0048] In some examples, when the operating mode does not meet the at least one heat transfer requirement, the conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one heat transfer requirement can indicate the difference between the target heat transfer rate and the heat transfer rate achievable in that operating mode.

[0049] Therefore, the difference between the target heat transfer rate and the energy transfer rate achievable under a specific operating mode can be considered. For example, if none of the operating modes can satisfy the at least one heat transfer requirement, the operating mode can be selected based on how closely each operating mode approaches satisfying the at least one heat transfer requirement.

[0050] In some examples, when the operating mode does not meet the at least one heat transfer requirement, the conformity indication of the operating mode to the at least one heat transfer requirement can indicate the difference between the amount of energy to be transferred according to the at least one heat transfer requirement and the amount of energy transferred in the operating mode.

[0051] Therefore, the difference between the required heat transfer and the energy transfer achievable under a specific operating mode can be considered. For example, if no operating mode can satisfy the at least one heat transfer requirement, the operating mode can be selected based on how closely each operating mode approaches satisfying the at least one heat transfer requirement.

[0052] Electric vehicles may include a set of components, each with its own target temperature range, wherein each component in this set is a heat demand end. A thermal management system may be arranged to control the temperature of the heat demand ends, for example, to give each heat demand end a corresponding temperature within its respective target temperature range. Therefore, the heat demand ends may also be referred to as controlled components or control targets, as they can be considered as components of the electric vehicle ultimately controlled by the thermal management system. In some examples, the heat demand ends are not components of the thermal management system, but are thermally connected to it.

[0053] The first component may be a first heat demand end, and at least one heat transfer demand may include the respective heat transfer demands of multiple heat demand ends, including the first heat demand end. Each heat demand end may have a target operating temperature range. The thermal management system may be arranged to control the temperature of the heat demand ends, for example, to enable the heat demand ends to have corresponding temperatures within their respective target temperature ranges.

[0054] Therefore, thermal management systems can provide an energy-efficient method for controlling the temperature at the heat demand side.

[0055] The heat demand side may include one or more of the following: traction battery; electric drive unit; and cabin air conditioning unit.

[0056] Therefore, the thermal management system can manage the temperature of one or more of the traction battery, electric drive unit, and cabin air conditioning unit.

[0057] In some examples, multiple components of the vehicle include one or more of the following: traction battery; electric drive unit; radiator; external heat exchanger; coolant heater; and compartment.

[0058] Therefore, the operating mode of the thermal management system can be selected based on at least one heat transfer requirement at the heat demand end of the vehicle, which makes it easier to select the operating mode of the thermal management system on the vehicle that retains heat energy while meeting the heat demand of the components.

[0059] According to some examples, the first component has a target operating temperature range, and at least one heat transfer requirement indicates that when the first component is within its target operating temperature range, the first component can be used as a heat source and can be used as a heat sink.

[0060] Therefore, the first component can be used to store residual heat energy, rather than transferring it away from the vehicle.

[0061] In some examples, at least one of the following is indicated: to supply heat energy to the component (e.g., the component requests heat energy); to extract heat energy from the component (e.g., the component has excess heat energy); or to supply or extract heat energy to the component (e.g., the component is within a target operating temperature range).

[0062] Therefore, the thermal state of the components can be taken into account when selecting the operating mode.

[0063] In some examples, at least one of the heat transfer requirements of a component includes at least one of an indication of the rate at which heat energy is supplied to the component or an indication of the rate at which heat energy is extracted from the component.

[0064] Therefore, when selecting an operating mode, the rate at which heat is supplied to or extracted from the component can be considered.

[0065] In some examples, at least one of the heat transfer requirements of a component includes at least one of an indication of the amount of heat energy to be supplied to the component or an indication of the amount of heat energy to be extracted from the component.

[0066] Therefore, when selecting an operating mode, the amount of heat energy to be supplied to the component or the amount of heat energy to be extracted from the component can be considered.

[0067] In some examples, at least one heat transfer requirement of a component is based on the difference between the component's current temperature and the target operating temperature associated with the component.

[0068] Therefore, the choice of operating mode can be based on whether the component is overheated or undercooled.

[0069] The target operating temperature of a component can be either the highest or lowest point within its target operating temperature range. The target operating temperature can be either the highest or lowest point within the target operating temperature range that is closest to the component's current temperature.

[0070] Therefore, the choice of operating mode can be based on whether the component is within, above or below the target operating temperature range.

[0071] In some examples, the energy cost of the operating mode includes: a thermal cost value, which represents the amount of heat energy transferred from the vehicle in the operating mode; and an actuator energy cost value, which represents the energy cost associated with operating the thermal management system in the operating mode.

[0072] Therefore, the energy cost of each potential operating mode of the thermal management system of an electric vehicle can be evaluated, and a mode can be selected based on this (e.g., the mode with the lowest energy cost, allowing the selection of the most efficient operating mode to meet the required heat transfer needs of vehicle components). In particular (but not exclusively), the energy cost can include both the cost of operating the thermal management system, such as the energy required to operate the compressor, and a thermal cost value representing the amount of heat energy lost from the vehicle (e.g., lost to the environment via the radiator). Thus, this method enables the selection of an operating mode for the thermal management system that retains as much heat energy as possible while meeting the required cooling and / or heating needs of the components, thereby improving overall efficiency.

[0073] In some examples, the actuator energy cost value associated with the operating mode represents at least one of the following: the energy cost of operating the compressor according to the operating mode; the valve actuation energy cost associated with the operating mode; the vehicle drag cost associated with operating the heat exchanger according to the operating mode; the energy cost of operating the pump according to the operating mode; and the energy cost of operating the fan according to the operating mode.

[0074] Therefore, this method can take into account a range of energy costs associated with the operation of the thermal management system, including energy costs associated with switching the thermal management system from a first operating mode to a second operating mode, such as valve actuation costs.

[0075] According to some examples, each of the multiple operating modes is associated with one of at least two configurations of the thermal management system, and each configuration defines the flow direction of the heat transfer fluid to at least one of the multiple components.

[0076] Therefore, this method can operate to select an operating mode for a reconfigurable thermal management system, wherein the route of the coolant circuit through vehicle components can be changed for different operating modes to facilitate heat transfer in different directions between components, thereby meeting the heat transfer requirements of each component.

[0077] Some examples provide a control system for controlling a thermal management system of an electric vehicle, the control system including one or more processors configured to: for each of one or more operating modes of the thermal management system, obtain the energy cost associated with that operating mode; select an operating mode based on the obtained energy cost; and provide an output indicating the selected operating mode.

[0078] Some examples provide a control system for controlling a thermal management system of an electric vehicle, the control system including one or more processors configured to: receive thermal energy information of a plurality of components of the electric vehicle, the thermal energy information indicating at least one thermal energy transfer requirement of at least a first component of the plurality of components; for each of a plurality of operating modes of the thermal management system, obtain a conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement; for one or more operating modes of the thermal management system, obtain an energy cost associated with the operating mode; select an operating mode, wherein the selection is based on one or more of the obtained energy costs and the conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one thermal energy transfer requirement; and provide an output indicating the selected operating mode.

[0079] Some examples provide a control system for controlling the thermal management system of an electric vehicle, the control system including one or more processors configured to perform any of the methods described herein.

[0080] Some examples provide a computer-readable instruction that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform any of the methods described herein.

[0081] Some examples provide a computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause any of the methods described herein to be performed.

[0082] Computer-readable media can be non-transitory computer-readable media.

[0083] Some examples provide a vehicle that includes: any system in the control system described herein; and a thermal management system communicatively coupled to the control system.

[0084] Within the scope of this application, it is expressly intended that various aspects, embodiments, examples, and alternatives, and in particular their features, set forth in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims, and / or in the following description and drawings, may be adopted independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and / or features of any embodiment may be combined in any manner and / or combination unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to amend any originally filed claim or accordingly file any new claim, including the right to modify any originally filed claim to any feature subordinate to and / or incorporated into any other claim, although not initially claimed in this manner. Attached Figure Description

[0085] One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0086] Figure 1 A thermal management system for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0087] Figure 2 It shows including Figure 1 The system and the vehicle suitable for implementing the embodiments of the present invention;

[0088] Figure 3 A schematic representation of a power system thermal management system suitable for implementing embodiments of the present invention is shown;

[0089] Figures 4A to 4F An example configuration of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0090] Figure 5 A method for controlling a thermal management system for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0091] Figure 6 An example of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; and

[0092] Figure 7 A control system suitable for performing the methods described herein is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0093] The control system can select an operating mode for the thermal management system to meet the heat transfer requirements of components in an electric vehicle (e.g., a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)). The selection of the operating mode can be based on the energy cost associated with that mode (e.g., the operating mode with the lowest energy cost). Therefore, depending on the implementation, energy-based calculations can be performed for each of the various possible operating modes of the thermal management system to determine the energy cost associated with that mode. A predictive thermal model of the thermal management system can be used to determine the energy cost.

[0094] By assessing the energy costs associated with corresponding operating modes, the selection of operating modes can improve energy efficiency compared to temperature-based methods, for example, by avoiding operating modes with high energy costs. This can reduce the amount of energy that will be drawn from the traction battery in other ways, resulting in increased driving range and a correspondingly improved user experience.

[0095] Furthermore, by determining the energy costs associated with switching to and / or maintaining an operating mode, such as the energy required to supply actuators, heating elements, compressors, etc., an operating mode can be selected that helps avoid unnecessary energy usage.

[0096] By adopting a system-wide energy approach for multiple vehicle components, while considering their thermal requirements, compared to a temperature-based approach, the amount of heat energy retained in the vehicle for use by other systems and components can be maximized or at least significantly increased. This is achieved, for example, by avoiding the dissipation (to the external environment) of heat generated by the traction battery during operation that could be usefully transferred to another system, such as a climate control system. This increase in retained heat energy reduces the amount of energy that is otherwise drawn from the traction battery to provide heat to these other systems, thereby improving the efficiency of energy use in electric vehicles, resulting in increased driving range and a correspondingly improved user experience.

[0097] In some examples, the selection of operating mode may take into account the vehicle's thermal requirements and the energy costs associated with those operating modes. For example, the operating mode with the lowest energy cost may be selected from among those that meet the thermal transfer requirements. In another example, if it is determined that no operating mode meets the thermal transfer requirements, the operating mode that most closely meets those requirements may be selected.

[0098] The selected operating mode can be output as a signal to provide an indication of the selected system operating mode, thereby meeting the current requirements of the thermal management system, and the thermal management system can be controlled according to the output signal to put the thermal management system into the selected operating mode.

[0099] By assessing the energy costs associated with various operating modes, it is possible to avoid selecting modes that are unnecessarily associated with high energy costs, thereby providing improved efficiency. Furthermore, by determining the compatibility of various operating modes with heat transfer requirements, the effectiveness of the thermal management system can be maintained.

[0100] Reference Figure 1 A thermal management system 100 for an electric vehicle 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The thermal management system includes a controller 106 communicatively coupled to a powertrain thermal management system (PTM) 102 and a climate control system 104. The climate control system 104 may include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The controller 106 receives status information and / or sensor readings, such as temperature and mass flow rate values ​​(e.g., based on measurement or model), from one or more components of the powertrain thermal management system 102 and the climate control system 104. The mass flow rate may indicate one or more of the mass flows of, for example, coolant in a coolant circuit, refrigerant in a refrigerant circuit, or airflow in an air conditioning unit.

[0101] In one implementation, controller 106 may be communicatively coupled to one or more components of electric vehicle 200, for example, via a controller area network (CAN) bus or similar network present on electric vehicle 200, and is operable to obtain thermal information from the components, the thermal information defining the thermal energy transfer requirements of each component of electric vehicle 200. Controller 106 is also arranged to provide instructions to powertrain thermal management system 102 and climate control system 104 regarding selected operating modes to influence the operation of these systems.

[0102] exist Figure 1 In this arrangement, the thermal management system 100 includes a controller 106, but it will be understood that this is merely illustrative. The controller includes a processing device (e.g., a processor 108) and a memory device (e.g., a memory device 110). The processing device may be one or more electronic processing devices operably executing computer-readable instructions 112. The memory device may be one or more memory devices. The memory device is electrically coupled to the processing device. The memory device is configured to store instructions 112, and the processing device is configured to access the memory device and execute the instructions 112 stored thereon.

[0103] Figure 2 An electric vehicle 200, such as a car, is shown, which is configured as follows: Figure 1 The controller 106, powertrain thermal management system 102, and climate control system 104 are shown. The powertrain of the electric vehicle 200 includes at least one electric drive unit 202 (e.g., a front electric drive unit 202a and a rear electric drive unit 202b) and a traction battery 204. The electric drive unit 202 includes one or more electric traction motors for propelling the electric vehicle 200. The traction battery 204 is a high-voltage (HV) battery and is configured to supply current to at least one electric drive unit 202. In this embodiment, the electric vehicle 200 includes a front electric drive unit 202a for driving the front wheels of the electric vehicle 200; and a rear electric drive unit 202b for driving the rear wheels of the electric vehicle 200. In use, both the front electric drive unit 202a and the rear electric drive unit 202b are powered by the traction battery 204. Each electric drive unit 202 may include power electronics, such as an inverter, to convert DC current from the traction battery 204 into AC current to supply to the electric traction motors. Figure 1 As shown, the powertrain thermal management system 102 is coupled to the climate control system 104 of the vehicle compartment of the electric vehicle 200, which is capable of controlling the temperature of the vehicle compartment for passenger comfort.

[0104] While the traction battery 204, electric drive unit 202, and climate control system 104 may be the primary generators and / or users of heat energy supplied by the powertrain thermal management system 102, it will be recognized that other vehicle components may be coupled to the powertrain thermal management system 102 and may have thermal demands that need to be met by the powertrain thermal management system 102. For example, in embodiments, the electric vehicle 200 may also include separate power electronics, such as an onboard AC charger, which may be a significant generator of heat energy and requires cooling to maintain operating temperatures. Similarly, the electric vehicle 200 may be equipped with computer processing hardware that requires active cooling.

[0105] Components of the electric vehicle 200 may have target operating temperature ranges, and operating components outside these ranges may result in increased power consumption of the components or the electric vehicle 200 as a whole. For example, when the temperature of the traction battery 204 rises, the internal resistance loss within the traction battery 204 may also be expected to increase, while at low temperatures, chemical reactions within the traction battery 204 may be inhibited, similarly leading to increased losses within the battery 204. When powertrain components are not maintained within the desired operating temperature range, such losses may result in a reduction in the driving range of the electric vehicle 200.

[0106] The thermal management system 100 can operate as a thermal energy source (supply device) or heat sink for the components of the vehicle 200. The powertrain thermal management system 102 is thermally coupled to the traction battery 204 and the electric drive unit 202, and is capable of extracting or supplying thermal energy to meet the thermal energy transfer needs of these components. Similarly, thermal energy can be transferred between the vehicle compartment and the climate control system 104. For example, when the electric vehicle 200 starts operating from a low temperature, energy can be supplied to the traction battery 204 and the electric drive unit 202 to enable the components to reach the desired operating temperature range more quickly. During the operation of the electric vehicle 200, heat may be generated in the traction battery 204 and the electric drive unit 202, for example, due to the internal resistance of the individual cells of the traction battery 204. In order to maintain the temperature of the powertrain components within the desired temperature range, the thermal management system 100 can extract the heat generated in the powertrain components of the electric vehicle 200. The extracted thermal energy can be transferred between the components of the electric vehicle 200, or it can be transferred from the electric vehicle 200, for example, via a low-temperature radiator, to transfer the thermal energy to the external environment.

[0107] The thermal management system 100 can operate in a wide range of different operating modes to meet the diverse heat transfer requirements of the components. Identifying the most efficient operating mode of the thermal management system 100 based on the current thermal requirements of the vehicle components can be difficult and may depend on a number of factors. Some of these factors may be external to the vehicle, such as ambient temperature.

[0108] Figure 3A schematic representation of an example powertrain thermal management system 102 is shown. A control valve device 302 is configured to control the circulation of a heat transfer fluid, or coolant, to manage the thermal loads of the front electric drive unit 202a, the rear electric drive unit 202b, the battery 204, and the climate control system 104 for the vehicle compartment for occupant comfort. The powertrain thermal management system 102 includes a coolant heater 304, a first heat exchanger 306, and a second heat exchanger 308. The coolant heater 304 is configured to heat the coolant to provide rapid preheating of the traction battery 204, for example, during initial operation of the electric vehicle 200. The coolant heater 304 may be a high-voltage (HV) heater that draws power directly from the traction battery 204.

[0109] The first heat exchanger 306 can be selectively configured to cool the coolant of the powertrain thermal management system 102. The refrigerant circuit of the climate control system 104 is coupled to the refrigerant side of the first heat exchanger 306 so that the first heat exchanger 306 operates as a cooler. Therefore, the first heat exchanger 306 allows heat extracted from the coolant to be transferred to the refrigerant of the climate control system 104. In this way, heat can be transferred from powertrain components to heat the vehicle cabin, for example, when the powertrain components are above a lower limit of their target operating temperature. In some embodiments, the first heat exchanger 306 can be bidirectional, allowing heat to be transferred from the refrigerant of the climate control system 104 to the coolant of the powertrain thermal management system 102, for example, to allow heat to be supplied from the external environment via an external heat exchanger of the climate control system 104 to heat the coolant. The refrigerant circuit can be coupled to an external heat exchanger operable to transfer heat between the refrigerant and the external environment. The supply of refrigerant can be stopped to reduce or prevent heat exchange in the first heat exchanger 306. The second heat exchanger 308 is a cryogenic heat exchanger (or cryogenic radiator) and is operable to dissipate heat from the coolant to the external environment.

[0110] The control valve assembly 302 includes a first pump 310 and a second pump 312. The powertrain thermal management system 102 includes a first coolant circulation loop 314 and a second coolant circulation loop 316. Liquid coolant or heat transfer fluid circulates through the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 to supply or absorb heat energy from the front electric drive unit 202a, the rear electric drive unit 202b, and the battery 204. At least one coolant temperature sensor 318 may be provided for measuring the temperature of the coolant. In the illustrated example, the coolant temperature sensor 318 is located at the inlet of the second pump 312. The coolant temperature sensor 318 measures the temperature of the coolant supplied to the second pump 312. An electric fan (not shown) may optionally be provided to circulate air above the second heat exchanger 308, thereby promoting coolant cooling.

[0111] A first coolant circulation loop 314 is configured to supply coolant to the traction battery 204. A coolant heater 304 and a first heat exchanger 306 are disposed in the first coolant circulation loop 314. The coolant heater 304 is disposed downstream of the traction battery 204 and is operable in use to heat the coolant. The first heat exchanger 306 is disposed upstream of the traction battery 204 and is configured in use to cool the coolant before it is introduced into the traction battery 204. As described herein, the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 can be selectively connected to each other to enable the supply of coolant from the first heat exchanger 306 to the front electric drive unit 202a and the rear electric drive unit 202b.

[0112] The first coolant circulation loop 314 includes a battery supply conduit 320 and a battery bypass conduit 322. The battery supply conduit 320 is configured to supply coolant to the battery 204. The battery bypass conduit 322 can be selectively opened and closed to control the coolant supply used to perform cooling of the battery 204.

[0113] The second coolant circulation loop 316 is configured to supply coolant to the front electric drive unit 202a and the rear electric drive unit 202b. The second heat exchanger 308 is disposed in the second coolant circulation loop 316, downstream of the front electric drive unit 202a and the rear electric drive unit 202b.

[0114] In operation, the second heat exchanger 308 discharges heat from the coolant to the external environment. The second coolant circulation loop 316 includes: a heat exchanger coolant conduit 324 for supplying coolant to the second heat exchanger 308; and a heat exchanger bypass conduit 326 for selectively bypassing the second heat exchanger 308. A control valve device 302 can provide proportional control of the coolant flow rate through the heat exchanger bypass conduit 326, thereby controllably increasing or decreasing the flow rate through the second heat exchanger 308.

[0115] The control valve device 302 includes a crossflow valve 328, which is arranged to couple or decouple the first coolant circulation loop 314 (battery coolant circulation loop) and the second coolant circulation loop 316 (electric drive unit coolant circulation loop). Additionally, the crossflow valve 328 determines whether the first heat exchanger 306 is coupled to either the battery 204 or the electric drive unit 202 in the coolant circulation loop. In other words, when the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 are coupled, the crossflow valve 328 determines whether the first heat exchanger 306 is coupled to the first coolant circulation loop 314, the second coolant circulation loop 316, or both. The coupling and decoupling of the first coolant circulation loop 314, the second coolant circulation loop 316, and the first heat exchanger 306, as well as the state (on or off) of the first heat exchanger 306, define the configuration of the thermal management system 100.

[0116] When activated, the first heat exchanger 306 couples its coolant circulation loop to the refrigerant loop. Therefore, the first heat exchanger 306 is an example of a thermal link component in the powertrain thermal management system 102. A thermal link component is a component capable of switching between a first state and a second state, in which the thermal link component provides thermal connectivity between the cooling system and the refrigerant system, and in the second state, the thermal link component does not provide thermal connectivity between the cooling system and the refrigerant system.

[0117] In this document, the coupling between the first coolant circulation loop 314, the second coolant circulation loop 316, and / or the refrigerant circuit indicates that the first coolant circulation loop 314, the second coolant circulation loop 316, and / or the refrigerant circuit are thermally connected, allowing heat energy to be transferred between them. Similarly, when they are decoupled, they are no longer thermally connected, and no heat energy (or a negligible amount of heat energy) is transferred between them.

[0118] The control valve device 302 enables the thermal management system 100 to be controlled to selectively bypass certain components of the power system thermal management system 102, such as the second heat exchanger 308, and to selectively couple the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 together, allowing heat transfer between components served by different coolant circulation loops. This means that a large number of possible arrangements of the thermal management system 100 can exist. For each arrangement, one or more components can be controlled to different states, for example, the first heat exchanger 306 can be turned on or off depending on whether refrigerant is supplied to it, and the second heat exchanger 308 can be selectively bypassed, etc. Therefore, for each configuration of the thermal management system 100, multiple operating modes of the thermal management system 100 can exist, resulting in a large number of possible operating modes of the thermal management system 100 from which the controller 106 selects the operating mode.

[0119] In one embodiment, the climate control system 104 includes a refrigerant circuit comprising: a compressor; at least one internal evaporator operable to extract heat energy from air in the vehicle compartment; at least one internal condenser operable to supply heat energy to air in the vehicle compartment; and an external heat exchanger for exchanging heat energy with the external environment. As discussed above, the refrigerant of the climate control system 104 can be selectively supplied to the first heat exchanger 306 to allow heat energy transfer between the coolant of the powertrain thermal management system 102 and the refrigerant of the climate control system 104. Therefore, the climate control system 104 can operate in multiple modes. In some embodiments, the selection of the operating mode of the climate control system 104 can be coordinated with the selected operating mode of the powertrain thermal management system 102 to further improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle thermal management system 100.

[0120] The vehicle's components may include one or more thermal demand terminals. Each thermal demand terminal may have a corresponding target operating temperature range or target operating temperature (e.g., where the upper and lower limits of the target operating temperature range may be considered the same). The thermal management system 100 may be arranged to control the temperature of the thermal demand terminals, for example, to cause the thermal demand terminals to have a corresponding temperature within the corresponding target operating temperature range. Traction battery 204; electric drive unit 202; and vehicle compartment are examples of thermal demand terminals.

[0121] Figures 4A to 4F It shows including Figure 3An example of the configuration of the thermal management system of the powertrain thermal management system. Here, the first coolant circulation loop 314 includes a battery 204 and a coolant heater 304, and the second coolant circulation loop 316 includes an electric drive unit 202 and a second heat exchanger 308. The first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 can be selectively coupled or decoupled via a crossflow valve 328. Furthermore, the first heat exchanger 306 can be coupled to either the first coolant circulation loop 314 or the second coolant circulation loop 316 via the crossflow valve 328 (or the first heat exchanger 306 can be coupled to both when the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 are coupled to each other). Figure 3 As shown, valves 328 in the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 can be arranged in multiple operating positions, thereby interconnecting their respective ports 1 to 4 and 5 to 8. Figures 4A to 4F In this arrangement, they have the following arrangement, as will become apparent from the following description of the circulation loop produced when the valves are arranged in this way:

[0122] Figure 4A and Figure 4B :like Figure 3 As shown, ports 1 and 3, 2 and 4, 5 and 7, and 6 and 8 are interconnected;

[0123] Figure 4C and Figure 4D :and Figure 3 and Figure 4A The differences are that ports 5 and 8 are interconnected, and ports 6 and 7 are interconnected; and

[0124] Figure 4E and Figure 4F :and Figure 4C and Figure 4D Similarly, in addition to ports 1 and 4 being interconnected, ports 2 and 3 are also interconnected.

[0125] exist Figure 4A In this configuration, the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 are decoupled, and the first heat exchanger 306 is located in the first coolant circulation loop 314. The first heat exchanger 306 is not activated, causing the first coolant circulation loop 314 to be decoupled from the CCS 104, which includes the refrigerant circuit 408. This results in the formation of three thermal circuits. The first thermal circuit 402a corresponds to the first coolant circulation loop 314 and includes the battery 204 and the coolant heater 304. The second thermal circuit 402b corresponds to the second coolant circulation loop 316 and includes the electric drive unit 202 and the second heat exchanger 308. The third thermal circuit 402c corresponds to the refrigerant circuit 408 and includes an internal evaporator 404 and an external heat exchanger 406.

[0126] Figure 4B It shows the relationship with Figure 4A The same configuration, wherein the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 are decoupled, and the first heat exchanger 306 is in the first coolant circulation loop 314. However, in Figure 4B In this configuration, the first heat exchanger 306 is activated, and thus the first coolant circulation loop 314 is coupled to the refrigerant loop 408. This results in two thermal loops. The first thermal loop 402a includes the battery 204, the coolant heater 304, the first heat exchanger 306, the internal evaporator 404, and the external heat exchanger 406. The second thermal loop 402b includes the electrically driven unit 202 and the second heat exchanger 308.

[0127] exist Figure 4C In this configuration, a first coolant circulation loop 314 and a second coolant circulation loop 316 are coupled together. A first heat exchanger 306 is also coupled to the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316. The first heat exchanger 306 is deactivated, thus decoupling the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 from the refrigerant circuit 408. This results in the formation of two thermal circuits. A first thermal circuit 402a corresponds to the combined first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316, and includes a battery 204, a coolant heater 304, an electric drive unit 202, and a second heat exchanger 308. A second thermal circuit 402b corresponds to the refrigerant circuit 408.

[0128] Figure 4D It shows the relationship with Figure 4C The same configuration, wherein the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 are coupled. However, in Figure 4D In this configuration, the first heat exchanger 306 is activated, and thus the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 are coupled to the refrigerant circuit 408. This results in an arrangement having a single thermal circuit 402a comprising all the components shown.

[0129] exist Figure 4E In this process, the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 are decoupled, as follows: Figure 4A As before, but now the first heat exchanger 306 is in the second coolant circulation loop 316. The first heat exchanger 306 is not activated, causing the second coolant circulation loop 316 to be decoupled from the refrigerant circuit 408. This results in the formation of three thermal loops. These thermal loops, except for the first heat exchanger 306 being in the second coolant circulation loop 316, are connected to... Figure 4A The same applies. Therefore, heat transfer in this arrangement is similar to... Figure 4A The arrangements are the same or similar. However, these operating modes are not necessarily equivalent. For example, converting to Figure 4AThe energy cost of this mode can be less than that of converting to Figure 4E The energy cost of the mode, for example, and therefore in this case, Figure 4A The pattern can be more than Figure 4E A better choice of mode. For example, the energy cost of conversion can be associated with driving the actuator to control the crossflow valve 328.

[0130] Figure 4F It shows the relationship with Figure 4E The same configuration, wherein the first coolant circulation loop 314 and the second coolant circulation loop 316 are decoupled, and the first heat exchanger 306 is in the second coolant circulation loop 316. However, in Figure 4F In this configuration, the first heat exchanger 306 is activated, and thus the second coolant circulation loop 316 is coupled to the refrigerant loop 408. This results in two thermal loops. The first thermal loop 402a includes a battery 204 and a coolant heater 304. The second thermal loop 402b includes an electrically driven unit 202, a second heat exchanger 308, a first heat exchanger 306, an internal evaporator 404, and an external heat exchanger 406.

[0131] Such as Figure 3 as well as Figures 4A to 4F The arrangements shown result in a significant number of possible operating modes for the thermal management system 100. In each configuration, components such as the second heat exchanger 308, the coolant heater 304, and the external heat exchanger 406 can be activated or deactivated, respectively. Similarly, one or more components can be bypassed in the heat transfer fluid loop, such that the bypassed components do not exchange heat energy via the thermal management system 100. In some examples, the number of modes can exceed one hundred. In some examples, the number of modes can exceed two hundred.

[0132] In systems where fewer configurations are possible, there are fewer potential operating modes and fewer options for heat transfer among the vehicle's components. In such systems, the selection of operating modes can be straightforward, for example, using a lookup table indicating modes based on the temperature of the vehicle's components (e.g., considering the temperatures of three or fewer components). However, the reduced options for heat transfer between components may limit the achievable energy efficiency.

[0133] In providing and Figure 3 as well as Figures 4A to 4FIn some systems with a range of configurations comparable to the example thermal management system 100, the full benefits of these configurations may not be realized if the system significantly limits the selectable combinations of configurations and component operating states (e.g., heater on / off or radiator used / bypassed). In such systems, only a small fraction of the potential modes are selectable. Similar to the case where a small number of configurations are available, in such systems, the mode of the thermal system can be selected based on the relative temperature of the components according to a table of selectable modes. In such systems, the number of selectable modes may be, for example, less than 20 or less than 15. Therefore, these systems offer limited flexibility in controlling heat transfer between components, potentially sacrificing opportunities for energy efficiency.

[0134] As mentioned above, in systems with a relatively small number of selectable operating modes (e.g., 20 or fewer), the operating mode can be selected in a relatively straightforward manner, such as based on a table of component-based temperatures. The table (or other mode selection method) can be predefined based on engineer intuition. Extending such a temperature-based approach by considering the thermal availability or thermal requirements of specific components in the selection of a particular mode does not address the limitations of systems with few selectable operating modes and does not consider the efficiency of the operating mode when selecting it.

[0135] With a significant increase in the number of available operating modes, mode selection based on engineer intuition becomes impractical, and it becomes increasingly difficult to reliably select the appropriate operating mode using simple table-based, rule-based, or similar methods.

[0136] Based on the examples in this paper, the energy costs associated with different operating modes are determined and used to select the operating mode to be implemented. This allows for a more reliable selection of energy-efficient operating modes. Furthermore, compared to simple temperature-based, table-based, or rule-based methods, the selection of operating modes can better take into account the current state of vehicle components.

[0137] Figure 5 A method 500 for controlling a thermal management system 100 for an electric vehicle is shown. At block 502, one or more energy costs are obtained, each associated with one or more operating modes of the thermal management system 100.

[0138] At box 504, the operating mode is selected based on one or more of the obtained energy costs. For example, the operating mode with the lowest energy cost can be selected.

[0139] At box 506, an output indicating the selected operating mode is provided. This output can be provided as a signal to components of the thermal management system 100 to indicate the selected operating mode of the system. In some examples, the output causes the thermal management system 100 to switch to the selected operating mode.

[0140] Energy cost may indicate one or more of the following: energy requirements for switching to a corresponding operating mode, energy requirements for operating the thermal management system 100 in the corresponding operating mode, and / or heat energy transferred from the vehicle in that operating mode. For example, energy cost associated with an operating mode may include one or more of the following: a thermal cost value representing the amount of heat energy transferred from the vehicle in that operating mode; and an actuator energy cost value representing the energy cost associated with operating the thermal management system 100 in that operating mode.

[0141] The actuator energy cost value associated with the operating mode can represent at least one of the following: the energy cost of operating the compressor according to the operating mode; the valve actuation energy cost associated with the operating mode; the vehicle resistance cost associated with the operation of the heat exchanger according to the operating mode (e.g., vehicle resistance associated with active blade management); the energy cost of operating the pump according to the operating mode; and the energy cost of operating the fan according to the operating mode.

[0142] Energy costs can be obtained, for example, from a lookup table, or by using a model of the thermal management system 100.

[0143] In some examples, actuator energy costs may include any energy associated with operating the thermal management system 100, such as the energy cost required to operate the compressor of the refrigerant circuit 408 to supply refrigerant to the first heat exchanger 306, or the resistance cost associated with providing airflow to an external heat exchanger. Examples of actuator energy costs associated with an operating mode may include: the energy cost of operating the compressor according to that operating mode; the valve actuation energy cost associated with that operating mode; the vehicle resistance cost associated with the operation of the heat exchanger according to that operating mode; the energy cost of operating the pump according to that operating mode; and the energy cost of operating the fan according to that operating mode. When the thermal management system 100 operates in a particular operating mode, certain actuators in the thermal management system 100, such as pumps, compressors, fans, etc., may have associated duty cycle or activation level settings to meet the heat transfer requirements of components. The actuator energy cost may also be calculated based on the duty cycle to provide a more accurate determination of the energy associated with operating the actuator.

[0144] The energy cost for each operating mode can be determined using a predictive model of the thermal management system 100. In some embodiments, the predictive model of the thermal management system 100 may include multiple predictive models, each associated with a corresponding subcomponent of the thermal management system 100. Therefore, the energy cost of each actuator can be calculated using a model of the corresponding actuator, which defines the relationship between one or more operating parameters of the thermal management system 100 and the energy cost associated with the actuator. For example, a predictive model for the compressor in the refrigerant circuit 408 could allow the energy cost of operating the compressor to be determined based on certain operating parameters (e.g., duty cycle). Each model can be determined empirically or by simulating the thermal management system 100 and the climate control system 104. In some embodiments, the model of each actuator can be stored as a lookup table (LUT) that associates one or more operating parameters of the actuator with the associated actuator energy cost.

[0145] Similarly, predictive models can be provided for the first and second heat exchangers and the external heat exchanger of the refrigerant circuit 408 to allow the determination of thermal energy transferred from the vehicle to the external environment based on one or more measured parameters. For example, the heat discharged from the second heat exchanger 308 to the external environment can be predicted based on one or more of the following: the ambient temperature of the external environment; the flow rate and / or temperature of the coolant through the second heat exchanger 308; the operating status of the fan associated with the second heat exchanger 308, etc.

[0146] In one implementation, the actuator energy cost of the operating mode can be determined by summing all actuator energy costs associated with operating the thermal management system 100 in that operating mode to meet the heat transfer requirements of the components. Then, the energy cost associated with the operating mode can be calculated by summing the actuator energy cost with the total amount of heat energy transferred from the vehicle via the external heat exchangers of the second heat exchanger 208 and the refrigerant circuit 408.

[0147] In some examples, the fact that an operating mode meets one or more heat transfer requirements can be a factor in selecting the operating mode. Thermal information from multiple components of the electric vehicle can be received, indicating at least one heat transfer requirement of at least one of the components. In some examples, the thermal information can also describe the heat transfer capability of the components.

[0148] The first component is a component with a target operating temperature range and can be the heat demand side. A component with a single target temperature can be considered to have a target operating temperature range with a width of zero, such that the upper and lower limits of the temperature range are the same.

[0149] The method may include obtaining an indication that the operating mode meets at least one heat transfer requirement for each of a plurality of operating modes of the thermal management system 100. Furthermore, the selection of the operating mode may be based on one or more obtained energy costs and the indication that the operating mode meets at least one heat transfer requirement.

[0150] Instructions for obtaining that the operating mode meets at least one heat transfer requirement may include: assessing the compliance of the operating mode with at least one heat transfer requirement, and providing instructions for compliance.

[0151] Thermal energy information may include, for example, multiple thermal energy transfer demands associated with their respective thermal demand ends.

[0152] Figure 6 An example of a method according to some examples is shown. Thermal energy information is received at box 602, and an indication that the considered operating mode meets the thermal energy transfer requirements is received at box 604. At box 606, the compliance of the operating mode with the thermal energy transfer requirements is checked, and if the operating mode is indicated to meet the thermal energy transfer requirements, the method proceeds to box 608, where the energy cost associated with the operating mode is determined as previously described, and the method proceeds to box 610. Alternatively, if the operating mode does not meet the thermal energy transfer requirements, the method proceeds from box 606 to box 610. At box 610, it is determined whether any further operating modes are to be considered. If no further operating modes are to be considered, the method stops at box 614. On the other hand, if further operating modes are to be considered, the method proceeds from box 610 to box 612. At box 612, information about the next operating mode is obtained, and the method returns to box 604, where the new operating mode (received at box 612) is the considered operating mode.

[0153] The operating mode can be selected at box 614 based on the energy cost associated with the operating mode that meets the heat transfer requirements. Note that in Figure 6 In this arrangement, only the energy cost of the operating mode that meets the heat transfer requirements is obtained, and therefore the selection is also based on the conformity of the operating mode with the heat transfer requirements. In other words, in Figure 6 In the arrangement, the selection of operating modes includes selecting one or more operating modes based on compliance instructions to target the energy cost.

[0154] If there is more than one heat transfer requirement, then the operating mode can be considered to meet the heat transfer requirements if it meets all the heat transfer requirements.

[0155] according to Figure 6The arrangement, for operating modes that do not meet at least one heat transfer requirement, does not require acquiring energy costs. This can lead to improved computational efficiency, especially when acquiring energy costs uses more computational resources than acquiring an indication of meeting heat transfer requirements.

[0156] When considering a large number of operating modes, obtaining the energy cost for each mode may be computationally infeasible, and this can be improved by removing unsuitable operating modes from consideration without obtaining their associated energy costs. Computational efficiency can be important when computational resources are limited, such as in some onboard controllers in vehicles. Additionally, in some implementations, the interface with other components of the vehicle control system can impose strict time constraints on the selection of operating modes, and for this reason, computational efficiency may also be important when implementing operating mode selection.

[0157] In some examples, the indication of compliance with an operating mode can be based on determining whether the operating mode provides a heat flow to each component with insufficient heat energy and whether the operating mode provides a heat flow to remove heat energy from each component with excess heat energy. In other words, the indication of compliance can be based on determining whether the operating mode heats all heat demand ends that are undercooled (i.e., whose temperature is below their target operating temperature range) and cools all heat demand ends that are overheated (i.e., whose temperature is above their target operating temperature range).

[0158] Therefore, it is easy to determine whether the direction of thermal energy flow in the operating mode corresponds to the demand in the system. This determination can typically be performed with relatively few computational resources, and in such cases, selecting the mode for further consideration (e.g., by determining their respective energy costs) can reduce the computational burden associated with this method.

[0159] In some examples, the method includes indicating, based on thermal information, one or more components requesting thermal energy (e.g., insufficient thermal energy) and one or more components with excess thermal energy. Components requesting thermal energy may correspond to heat-demanding terminals with temperatures below their target operating temperature range. Components with excess thermal energy may correspond to heat-demanding terminals with temperatures above their target operating temperature range. Some components or heat-demanding terminals may be indicated not to request thermal energy transfer (e.g., if they are at or within their target operating temperature range). In some examples, if a heat-demanding terminal is within its target operating temperature range and can increase or decrease its temperature while remaining within its target operating temperature range (i.e., receiving or providing thermal energy), then the heat-demanding terminal may be indicated as usable as a thermal energy source or heat sink. Thus, in some examples, the first component may have a relatively wide target operating temperature range, and the thermal energy transfer demand may operate the first component as a thermal energy source or heat sink while the first component remains within its target operating temperature range.

[0160] In some examples, the heat transfer requirement of a component (e.g., a first component) includes at least one of the following: an indication that heat energy should be supplied to the component (e.g., the component requests heat energy, which may correspond to the component being below its target operating temperature range); an indication that heat energy should be extracted from the component (e.g., the component has excess heat energy, which may correspond to the component being above its target operating temperature range); or an indication that heat energy can be supplied to or extracted from the component (e.g., the component is within its target operating temperature range, particularly where the component has the ability to receive or supply heat energy and remain within its target operating temperature range).

[0161] The method may further include determining candidate operating modes, wherein each candidate operating mode is an operating mode of the thermal management system that provides heat to each component requesting thermal energy and removes heat from each component having excess thermal energy, where “excess” indicates that the component is above its target operating temperature range.

[0162] An indication that an operating mode meets at least one heat transfer requirement is based on whether the operating mode is a candidate operating mode. For example, if it is determined that an operating mode is not a candidate operating mode, the compliance indication could indicate that the operating mode does not meet the heat transfer requirement.

[0163] In some examples, candidate operating modes are determined before obtaining energy costs, and the candidate operating modes include one or more operating modes for which energy costs are to be determined. Therefore, energy costs can be obtained only for the operating modes that are candidate operating modes, which can improve computational efficiency, especially when obtaining the energy cost associated with an operating mode uses more computational resources than determining whether an operating mode is a candidate.

[0164] In some examples, the indication that the operating mode meets the heat transfer requirements is based on comparing the heat transfer requirements with the heat transfer that can be achieved in the thermal management system according to the operating mode.

[0165] In some examples, comparing the heat transfer requirements with the heat transfer capabilities may include evaluating the heat transfer requirements and the heat transfer capabilities for each thermal loop in the operating mode.

[0166] Such as about Figures 4A to 4F As described, each operating mode can be associated with a corresponding set of thermal loops, each thermal loop including a group of components that are thermally connected to each other via a thermal management system in that operating mode. Comparing the heat transfer requirements with the heat transfer achievable in the operating mode can include, for each thermal loop in the set of thermal loops associated with that operating mode, determining whether the heat transfer achievable in the thermal loop matches the heat transfer requirements of the components in the thermal loop. For example, in Figure 4A In the illustrated mode, the achievable heat transfer in the first thermal loop 402a is compared with the heat transfer requirement associated with the first thermal loop 402a; the achievable heat transfer in the second thermal loop 402b is compared with the heat transfer requirement associated with the second thermal loop 402b; and the achievable heat transfer in the third thermal loop 402c is compared with the heat transfer requirement associated with the third thermal loop 402c. In some examples, if it is determined that the achievable heat transfer in each thermal loop of the operating mode is consistent with the heat transfer requirement in each corresponding thermal loop, then the operating mode can be determined to meet the heat transfer requirement. In some examples, if it is determined that for any thermal loop of the operating mode, the achievable heat transfer in that thermal loop is inconsistent with the heat transfer requirement in that thermal loop, then the operating mode can be determined to not meet the heat transfer requirement.

[0167] The heat transfer requirement may include one or more of the amount of heat transfer requested by the first component and the rate of heat transfer requested by the first component. Therefore, the heat transfer requirement of a component may include at least one of the following: an indication of the rate at which heat energy is to be supplied to the component, an indication of the rate at which heat energy is to be extracted from the component, an indication of the amount of heat energy to be supplied to the component, or an indication of the amount of heat energy to be extracted from the component.

[0168] Where the heat transfer demand indicates a target rate of heat transfer, the heat transfer demand may indicate a target rate at which the heat demand end is heated or cooled to make the operating mode satisfactory. Therefore, comparing the heat transfer demand with the heat transfer achievable in the operating mode may include, for each thermal loop in the operating mode: obtaining an indication of the achievable heat transfer rate in the thermal loop, obtaining an indication of the target heat transfer rate in the thermal loop, and comparing the indicated achievable heat transfer rate with the target heat transfer rate. In some examples, the target heat transfer rate at the heat demand end may be determined based on the temperature of the heat demand end and the target operating temperature range of the heat demand end. In some examples, the target heat transfer rate may be based on a model of the component. In some examples, the target heat transfer rate may be obtained from a lookup table. In some examples, the heat transfer demand of the component may be based on the difference between the component's current temperature and the target operating temperature or target operating temperature range associated with the component.

[0169] When a component has a target operating temperature range, the target operating temperature of the component can be either the highest or lowest point within that range. If the component's current temperature is currently outside the target range, the target operating temperature can be either the highest or lowest point within the target operating temperature range that is closest to the component's current temperature.

[0170] In cases where the heat transfer demand indicates the amount of heat energy to be transferred, the heat transfer demand can indicate the amount of heat energy to be supplied to or removed from the heat demand end to keep it within its target operating temperature range. Therefore, comparing the heat transfer demand with the heat transfer achievable in the operating mode can include, for each thermal loop in the operating mode: obtaining an indication of the availability of heat energy in the thermal loop, obtaining an indication of the heat energy demand in the thermal loop, and comparing the indicated heat energy availability with the indicated heat energy demand.

[0171] Comparing the heat transfer requirement with the achievable heat transfers can be performed before obtaining the energy cost, and based on this comparison, an operating mode is indicated as accepted or rejected. In this case, accepted operating modes include one or more operating modes for which energy costs need to be determined. Therefore, the rejection of an operating mode can be determined based on its achievable heat transfers before obtaining the associated energy cost, and thus the determination of the energy cost associated with rejected operating modes can be avoided. This can improve computational efficiency, especially when obtaining the energy cost associated with an operating mode uses more computational resources than determining whether the operating mode is accepted or rejected. In some examples, the energy cost for rejected operating modes is not obtained.

[0172] An indicator that the operating mode meets the heat transfer requirements can indicate whether the heat transfer requirements are met under the current operating mode. In some examples, when the operating mode does not meet the heat transfer requirements, the indicator can indicate the degree to which the operating mode does not meet the heat transfer requirements. Information about the degree to which the operating mode does not meet the heat transfer requirements can be used to select an operating mode. For example, if it is determined that no operating mode meets the heat transfer requirements, the operating mode that is closest to meeting the heat transfer requirements can be selected.

[0173] In some examples, when the operating mode does not meet the heat transfer requirements, the indication that the operating mode meets the heat transfer requirements can indicate the difference between the target heat transfer rate and the heat transfer rate achievable in the operating mode. In other examples, when the operating mode does not meet the heat transfer requirements, the indication that the operating mode meets the heat transfer requirements can indicate the difference between the amount of energy to be transferred according to the heat transfer requirements and the amount of energy transferred (or transferable) in the operating mode.

[0174] As described above, the compliance indication may indicate whether a particular operating mode is consistent with the direction of heat flow indicated by one or more heat transfer requirements (e.g., whether the mode provides heat to components with insufficient heat and removes heat from components with excess heat). Alternatively or additionally, the compliance indication may indicate whether one or more target heat transfer requirements in terms of the amount / rate of heat transfer are met in the operating mode. Alternatively or additionally, the compliance indication may indicate the degree to which one or more target heat transfer requirements are met in the operating mode.

[0175] In some examples, compliance indications may include both indications regarding the direction of thermal energy flow and indications based on the amount / rate of energy transfer. In some examples, compliance determination based on the direction of thermal energy flow can be performed before determining compliance based on the amount / rate of thermal energy transfer. In some examples, candidate operating modes can be determined based on the direction of thermal energy flow, and the determination based on the amount / rate of thermal energy transfer can be performed for these candidate operating modes (e.g., the determination based on the amount / rate of thermal energy transfer can be performed only for candidate operating modes, so that the determination is not performed for operating modes not identified as candidate operating modes). This can improve computational efficiency. In particular, where compliance evaluation based on the amount / rate of energy transfer requires more computational resources than compliance evaluation based on the direction of thermal energy flow, the more computationally expensive evaluation can be avoided for operating modes that do not meet the requirements according to the less computationally expensive evaluation.

[0176] Figure 6The method 600 shown is suitable for rapidly considering a large number of operating modes to select the operating mode to be implemented. This may be particularly beneficial for real-time use in vehicles with limited onboard computing resources, but other possibilities are also considered. For example, the compliance assessment may be based on the energy transfer rate / amount before or instead of an assessment based on the direction of heat flow. In some examples, a first compliance assessment (e.g., regarding the direction of heat flow) may be performed, energy costs may be calculated (e.g., for modes determined to have a compliant direction of heat flow), and further compliance assessments (e.g., based on the amount / rate of heat transfer) may be performed. In some examples, energy costs for all available operating modes may be obtained, and compatibility with heat transfer requirements may be determined after obtaining the energy costs. In some examples, an operating mode may be selected based on the energy cost, and the selected operating mode may then be evaluated against the heat transfer requirements. If the selected mode is determined to comply with the heat transfer requirements, it may be selected as the operating mode to be implemented. However, if an operating mode is determined to be incompatible with heat transfer requirements, the next mode can be selected based on energy cost, and then the compatibility of that operating mode with heat transfer requirements can be evaluated. This process can be repeated until a compatible operating mode is found or until all modes have been determined to be incompatible. If all modes are incompatible, the operating mode to be implemented can be selected based on energy cost, the degree of compatibility with heat transfer requirements, or some combination of these.

[0177] In some examples, each stage can occur sequentially. For instance, in an arrangement where each stage can be completed before the next stage begins, a list of candidate operating modes is determined before an evaluation based on heat transfer rate is performed: generating a list of candidate operating modes based on the direction of heat transfer, then accepting or rejecting an operating mode based on heat transfer rate, and then selecting an operating mode based on energy cost. This evaluation can be completed before determining the energy cost associated with the operating mode.

[0178] Alternatively, these stages can be performed in parallel. For example, when a mode is identified as a candidate operating mode, an evaluation based on heat transfer rate can be performed immediately, while other operating modes are evaluated regarding the direction of heat transfer. Similarly, when an operating mode is determined to meet a heat transfer rate, the energy cost associated with that operating mode can be calculated immediately, while evaluations of other operating modes regarding heat transfer rate continue.

[0179] In some examples, the method may include identifying one or more unusable operating modes and excluding these unusable operating modes from consideration. For example, an external heat exchanger may not function below a certain temperature. In such cases, when it is determined that the external heat exchanger is not functioning (e.g., due to very low temperatures), the operating mode using the external heat exchanger can be omitted from consideration. More generally, an operating mode can be removed from consideration if the conditions that determine it to be unusable are met. In some examples, the determination of unusable operating modes may be performed before obtaining indication that the operating mode meets the heat transfer requirements and / or before obtaining the energy cost associated with the operating mode. However, in some examples, the order of these operations may be changed.

[0180] The specific methods and systems described herein can be implemented by one or more processors that process program code retrieved from storage media (e.g., non-transitory storage media). Figure 7 An example of a device 700 is shown, comprising a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., memory device 110) coupled to at least one processor 108. The computer-readable medium 110 can be any medium that can contain, store, or maintain programs and data for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system. The computer-readable medium 110 can include any of a number of physical media such as, for example, electronic media, magnetic media, optical media, electromagnetic media, or semiconductor media. More specific examples of suitable machine-readable media include, but are not limited to, hard disk drives, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory, or portable disks.

[0181] exist Figure 7 In this context, the computer-readable storage medium 110 includes program code 112 to execute code corresponding to... Figure 5 The method 500 of the embodiment shown includes: obtaining 502 one or more energy costs associated with one or more operating modes of the thermal management system 100; selecting 504 an operating mode based on one or more obtained energy costs; and providing 506 an output indicating the selected operating mode.

[0182] For example, device 700 may include, for example, Figure 2 In the controller 106 of the electric vehicle 200 shown.

[0183] It will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A control system for an electric vehicle thermal management system, the thermal management system having multiple operating modes, the control system comprising one or more processors configured to: For each of two or more operating modes of the thermal management system, obtain the energy cost associated with that operating mode; The operating mode is selected based on the obtained energy cost; and Provides an output indicating the selected operating mode.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein, Selecting an operating mode includes choosing the operating mode with the lowest energy cost from among the two or more operating modes.

3. The control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The one or more processors are configured together to: Receive thermal energy information from multiple components of the electric vehicle, the thermal energy information indicating at least one thermal energy transfer requirement of at least a first component among the multiple components; as well as For each of the multiple operating modes of the thermal management system, a conformity indication between that operating mode and the at least one heat transfer requirement is obtained, wherein... The selection of the operating mode is based on the obtained energy cost and the indication of the compliance of the operating mode with the at least one heat transfer requirement.

4. The control system according to claim 3, wherein, Selecting an operating mode includes choosing one or more operating modes from the multiple operating modes based on their respective compliance indications.

5. The control system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The one or more processors are configured together to: Based on the thermal energy information, indications are obtained for one or more components requesting thermal energy and one or more components having excessive thermal energy. Candidate operating modes are determined, wherein each candidate operating mode is an operating mode of the thermal management system that provides heat to each component requesting thermal energy and removes heat from each component with excess thermal energy. The conformity indication of the operating mode with the at least one heat transfer requirement is based on whether the operating mode is a candidate operating mode.

6. The control system according to claim 5, wherein, The candidate operating modes are determined before the energy cost is obtained, and the candidate operating modes include the two or more operating modes.

7. The control system according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein, The compliance indication of the operating mode with the at least one heat transfer requirement is based on a comparison between the at least one heat transfer requirement and the heat transfer that can be achieved in the thermal management system according to the operating mode.

8. The control system according to claim 7, wherein: Each operating mode is associated with a corresponding set of thermal loops, each thermal loop including a set of components that are thermally connected to each other via the thermal management system in that operating mode, and, The comparison of the at least one heat transfer requirement with the heat transfer achievable under the operating mode includes: for each heat loop in the set of heat loops associated with the operating mode, determining whether the heat transfer achievable in the heat loop is consistent with the heat transfer requirement of at least one component in the heat loop.

9. The control system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, The comparison between the at least one heat transfer requirement and the achievable heat transfer is performed before the energy cost is obtained, wherein, Based on the comparison between the at least one heat transfer requirement and the achievable heat transfer, an operating mode is accepted or rejected, and The accepted operating modes include two or more of the aforementioned operating modes.

10. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The energy cost of the operating mode includes: a thermal cost value, which represents the amount of heat energy transferred from the vehicle in the operating mode; and an actuator energy cost value, which represents the energy cost associated with operating the thermal management system in the operating mode.

11. The control system according to claim 10, wherein, The actuator energy cost value associated with the operating mode represents at least one of the following: the energy cost of operating the compressor according to the operating mode; the valve actuation energy cost associated with the operating mode; the vehicle resistance cost associated with operating the heat exchanger according to the operating mode; and the energy cost of operating the pump according to the operating mode. And the energy cost of operating the fan according to this operating mode.

12. A method for operating a control system for controlling a thermal management system of an electric vehicle, the thermal management system having multiple operating modes, the method comprising: For each of two or more operating modes of the thermal management system, obtain the energy cost associated with that operating mode; The operating mode is selected based on the obtained energy cost; and Provides an output indicating the selected operating mode.

13. A computer-readable instruction that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method according to claim 12.

14. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the method of claim 12 to be performed.

15. A vehicle comprising: The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 11; as well as The thermal management system is communicatively coupled to the control system.

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