Thermal management multi-way valve integrated with temperature sensor

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of multi-way valves, and provides a thermal management multi-way valve integrated with a temperature sensor, which comprises a valve body, water pipe joints are fixedly connected to four sides of the valve body, the water pipe joints are used for connecting cooling liquid pipelines, the water pipe joints are communicated with the interior of the valve body, and the temperature sensor is arranged in the valve body. One side of the water pipe connector is fixedly connected with a plug-in rubber shell, a connector is fixedly installed in the plug-in rubber shell, and a temperature sensor is fixedly installed on one side of the connector and used for measuring the temperature of cooling liquid; the temperature sensor is integrated into the water pipe connector of the multi-way valve, so that the multi-way valve has the capability of directly detecting the temperature of the cooling liquid, multiple functions are integrated, and in a heat management system, the multi-way valve is not only a component for controlling the flow direction of the cooling liquid any more, and the cost is reduced. And the system becomes an important node capable of providing temperature information in real time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of multi-way valve technology, specifically relating to a thermal management multi-way valve with an integrated temperature sensor. Background Technology

[0002] With the booming development of the new energy vehicle industry, the heat pump thermal management system, as a key component to ensure the efficient operation and comfort of vehicles, has received widespread attention for its performance and reliability. The thermal management multi-way valve, as one of the core components of the heat pump thermal management system, plays an important role in controlling the flow of coolant and switching between different thermal management circuits.

[0003] Currently, common thermal management multi-way valves typically employ a combination of valve body and flow channel plate. This design primarily focuses on controlling and switching the coolant flow direction, neglecting the need to monitor the actual water-side temperature of the thermal management system. Because the multi-way valve body cannot directly measure the coolant temperature, real-time and accurate coolant temperature information cannot be obtained during thermal management. In the actual operation of new energy vehicles, coolant temperature is crucial for the precise control of the thermal management system. For example, under different operating conditions, such as high-speed driving, low-temperature starting, or charging, the coolant temperature will change significantly. If the coolant temperature cannot be monitored in a timely manner... Without proper temperature control, the thermal management system cannot adjust the coolant flow rate and direction according to the actual temperature, potentially leading to excessively high or low temperatures in critical components such as the battery and motor, affecting vehicle performance and safety. To monitor the coolant temperature in the thermal management system, current technology typically involves adding a dedicated temperature sensor connecting pipe and connecting hoses and clamps at both ends. Specifically, this requires placing a dedicated temperature sensor in the connecting pipe, then connecting both ends of the pipe to hoses with clamps before connecting it to the thermal management system. This structure results in a fragmented system layout, with multi-way valves and temperature sensor piping each occupying space, leading to a less compact overall layout of the thermal management system. In the limited interior space of new energy vehicles, this dispersed structure not only occupies a significant amount of valuable space but also increases the complexity and length of the system piping, increases the flow resistance of coolant in the pipes, and reduces system efficiency. Temperature sensor connectors must be fixed to dedicated mounting points on the vehicle, which undoubtedly increases the number of mounting points. Each mounting point requires precise design and positioning to ensure the stability and sealing of the connector. This not only increases the design difficulty and cost of the entire vehicle but also increases the labor time required to install the temperature sensor connectors. Installers need to spend extra time and effort during the vehicle assembly process to install and debug these connections. The addition of tubing reduces overall vehicle production efficiency. Furthermore, the temperature sensor connecting tube requires clamps to connect to the hose at both ends, increasing assembly time and cost. Clamp installation requires skill and tools, and installers must ensure a tight connection to prevent leaks. Moreover, the clamps and hose, as additional components, increase material and management costs. The two additional connection points between the temperature sensor connecting tube and the hose increase the potential leakage risk of the vehicle's thermal management system. Due to sealing issues at these connection points, leaks may occur during long-term vehicle operation due to vibration, temperature changes, and other factors. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a thermal management multi-way valve with an integrated temperature sensor to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A thermal management multi-way valve with an integrated temperature sensor, comprising:

[0007] The valve body has water pipe connectors fixedly connected to all four sides. The water pipe connectors are used to connect to the coolant pipeline. The water pipe connectors are interconnected with the interior of the valve body. A plug-in housing is fixedly connected to one side of the water pipe connector. A connector is fixedly installed inside the plug-in housing. A temperature sensor is fixedly installed on one side of the connector. The temperature sensor is used to measure the temperature of the coolant.

[0008] Preferably, the valve body has a hollow structure and an internal flow channel partition structure that divides the internal space of the valve body into multiple interconnected flow channels to guide the flow direction of the coolant.

[0009] Preferably, the temperature sensor is in contact with the coolant.

[0010] Preferably, the temperature sensor is a thermistor.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0012] (1) This utility model integrates a temperature sensor into the water pipe connector of a multi-way valve, enabling the multi-way valve itself to directly detect the temperature of the coolant, thus realizing multi-functional integration. In the thermal management system, the multi-way valve is no longer just a component that controls the flow of coolant, but also becomes an important node that can provide temperature information in real time. Since the multi-way valve itself can directly measure the temperature of coolant, the thermal management system no longer needs to add a temperature sensor and its connecting pipes specifically for temperature detection. This not only simplifies the structure of the system, but also reduces the number and dependence on external equipment, and improves the stability and reliability of the system.

[0013] (2) The number of temperature sensors in this utility model can be increased or decreased according to system requirements. This feature enables the multi-way valve to flexibly meet the needs of different thermal management systems. In traditional thermal management systems, each additional temperature sensor requires two hoses, two clamps, and one temperature sensor pipeline, resulting in a significant increase in the number of system components. However, after integrating the temperature sensor, the multi-way valve of this application reduces these additional components through optimized design and integrated manufacturing. It eliminates the traditional process of connecting temperature sensor pipelines with clamps and hoses, thereby reducing potential leakage points in the vehicle thermal management system. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0015] Figure 2 This is a top view of the structure of this utility model;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the plug-in housing of this utility model;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the six-way valve structure according to Embodiment 2 of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the eight-way valve structure in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.

[0019] In the diagram: 1. Valve body; 2. Water pipe connector; 3. Insert housing; 4. Connector; 5. Temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

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

[0021] Example 1:

[0022] Please see Figure 1 - Figure 3 As shown, a thermal management multi-way valve with an integrated temperature sensor includes:

[0023] Valve body 1, with water pipe connectors 2 fixedly connected to all four sides of valve body 1. Water pipe connectors 2 are used to connect to coolant pipes. Water pipe connectors 2 are interconnected with the interior of valve body 1. Insert housing 3 is fixedly connected to one side of water pipe connector 2. Connector 4 is fixedly installed inside insert housing 3. Temperature sensor 5 is fixedly installed on one side of connector 4. Temperature sensor 5 is used to measure the temperature of coolant.

[0024] Specifically, valve body 1 has a hollow structure and an internal flow channel partition structure. The flow channel partition structure divides the internal space of valve body 1 into multiple interconnected flow channels to guide the flow direction of coolant. Temperature sensor 5 is in contact with coolant and is a thermistor.

[0025] As can be seen from the above, the valve body 1 has multiple flow channels inside to guide the flow direction of the coolant. The water pipe connector 2 is used to connect the coolant pipeline of the thermal management system. The plug-in housing 3 is installed on one side of the water pipe connector 2. The temperature sensor 5 is installed inside the connector 4. The temperature sensor 5 uses a high-precision temperature measuring element, such as a thermistor or thermocouple. In this embodiment, the NTC thermistor of the Jingtai brand is selected. The temperature sensor 5 converts the measured temperature signal into an electrical signal and transmits it to the controller of the thermal management system through a wire.

[0026] Working principle: When the thermal management system needs to change the flow direction of the coolant, the controller sends a control signal to the drive unit. The drive unit drives the valve core to rotate or move according to the control signal, changing the connection state of the flow channel inside the valve body 1. For example, when the vehicle is traveling at high speed, the battery and motor generate a lot of heat, requiring the coolant to be directed to a more efficient heat dissipation circuit. At this time, the controller controls the valve core to move, causing the coolant to flow from the flow channel where the battery and motor are located to the heat dissipation circuit, thereby achieving precise control of the coolant flow direction. The temperature sensor 5, integrated in the plug housing 3, is in direct contact with the coolant and can sense the temperature change of the coolant in real time. When the coolant flows through the water pipe joint 2, the temperature sensor 5 generates a corresponding resistance change according to the temperature of the coolant. (If it's a thermistor) or thermoelectric potential change (if it's a thermocouple), these changes are converted into electrical signals and transmitted to the controller of the thermal management system via wires. The controller processes and analyzes the received electrical signals to obtain the real-time temperature value of the coolant. Based on the coolant temperature value detected by temperature sensor 5 and the vehicle's operating conditions, the controller of the thermal management system makes a comprehensive judgment and issues corresponding control commands. For example, when the battery temperature is detected to be too high, the controller will not only control the valve core to guide the coolant to the heat dissipation circuit, but may also adjust the coolant flow rate to accelerate the battery's heat dissipation. At the same time, the controller can also adjust the operating parameters of the thermal management system in advance according to the temperature change trend to achieve intelligent control and optimization of the thermal management system.

[0027] Example 2:

[0028] Please see Figure 4 - Figure 5As shown, temperature sensor 5 can be installed at one water pipe joint 2, or at two or more water pipe joints 2. The number can be 1-4 in any combination. When two multi-way valves are combined into a six-way valve, temperature sensor 5 can be installed on one side of the six water pipe joints 2 of the six-way valve. The number can be 1-6 in any combination. When three multi-way valves are combined into an eight-way valve, temperature sensor 5 can be installed on one side of the eight water pipe joints 2 of the eight-way valve. The number can be 1-8 in any combination. The number of temperature sensors 5 can be increased or decreased according to the actual needs of different thermal management systems to flexibly match the thermal management system. When adding temperature sensor 5, other components of the thermal management system will not be increased.

[0029] The accompanying drawings of the embodiments disclosed in this utility model only involve the structures involved in the embodiments disclosed in this utility model. Other structures can refer to the general design. In the absence of conflict, the same embodiment and different embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other.

[0030] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal management multi-way valve with an integrated temperature sensor, characterized in that, include: The valve body (1) has water pipe connectors (2) fixedly connected to all four sides. The water pipe connectors (2) are used to connect to the coolant pipeline. The water pipe connectors (2) are interconnected with the inside of the valve body (1). A plug-in housing (3) is fixedly connected to one side of the water pipe connector (2). A connector (4) is fixedly installed inside the plug-in housing (3). A temperature sensor (5) is fixedly installed on one side of the connector (4). The temperature sensor (5) is used to measure the temperature of the coolant.

2. The thermal management multi-way valve with integrated temperature sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body (1) is a hollow structure. The valve body (1) has a flow channel partition structure inside. The flow channel partition structure divides the internal space of the valve body (1) into multiple interconnected flow channels to guide the flow direction of the coolant.

3. The thermal management multi-way valve with integrated temperature sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature sensor (5) is in contact with the coolant.

4. The thermal management multi-way valve with integrated temperature sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature sensor (5) is a thermistor.

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