Thermal management system of a vehicle, vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of vehicles, in particular, to a thermal management system of a vehicle, a vehicle. The system comprises: a battery circuit, a first end of a chiller being a first interface of the circuit, a second end of the chiller being connected with a first end of a battery pipeline, a second end of the pipeline being a second interface of the circuit; an electric drive circuit, a first end of a radiator being a first interface of the circuit, a second end of the radiator being connected with a first end of a three-way pipe, a second end of the three-way pipe being connected with a first end of an electric drive pipeline, a second end of the pipeline being a second interface of the circuit, a third end of the three-way pipe being a third interface of the circuit; a sixth port of a six-way valve being connected with the first interface of the electric drive circuit, a fifth port being connected with the second interface of the electric drive circuit, a first port being connected with the third interface of the electric drive circuit; a second port being connected with the second interface of the battery circuit, a third port being connected with the first interface of the battery circuit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a thermal management system for a vehicle and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] During operation, both the electric drive system and the battery generate heat. Excessively high or low temperatures can affect the operation of both the electric drive system and the battery. Therefore, appropriate thermal management systems are needed to control the temperature of the electric drive system and battery within a suitable range.

[0003] In related technologies, thermal management of electric drives and batteries relies on external cooling and heating equipment such as compressors and heat pumps, which consume a lot of power in certain specific scenarios. Utility Model Content

[0004] To overcome the problems existing in the related technologies, this disclosure provides a thermal management system for a vehicle and a vehicle that can solve the above problems.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a thermal management system for a vehicle is provided. The system includes: a battery circuit, comprising a cooler and a battery line, wherein a first end of the cooler serves as a first interface of the battery circuit, a second end of the cooler is connected to a first end of the battery line, and a second end of the battery line serves as a second interface of the battery circuit; an electric drive circuit, comprising a radiator, a tee, and an electric drive line, wherein a first end of the radiator serves as a first interface of the electric drive circuit, a second end of the radiator is connected to a first end of the tee, a second end of the tee is connected to a first end of the electric drive line, a second end of the electric drive line serves as a second interface of the electric drive circuit, and a third end of the tee serves as a third interface of the electric drive circuit; a six-way valve and a heat pump, wherein a sixth port of the six-way valve is connected to the first interface of the electric drive circuit, a fifth port is connected to the second interface of the electric drive circuit, a first port is connected to the third interface of the electric drive circuit; a second port is connected to the second interface of the battery circuit, a third port is connected to the first interface of the battery circuit; and a fourth port is connected to the heat pump.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, the vehicle being equipped with a thermal management system as described in the first aspect embodiment.

[0007] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects:

[0008] This disclosure uses a six-way valve to connect the battery circuit and the electric drive circuit. Based on the different connection methods of the six-way valve, the thermal management system can adopt different modes to cope with different scenarios. This allows the thermal management system to maintain the electric drive and battery within a suitable temperature range with lower power consumption in each scenario, reducing power loss while controlling the temperature of the battery and electric drive.

[0009] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this disclosure, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0011] Figure 1 This disclosure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2 This disclosure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0013] Figure 3 This disclosure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0014] Figure 4 This disclosure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0015] Figure 5 This disclosure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0016] Figure 6 This disclosure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0017] Figure 7 This disclosure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0018] Figure 8 This disclosure is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of an engine cooling circuit connected to a heat pump according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0020] The terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” as used in this disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0021] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used in this disclosure to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to determination."

[0022] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure proposes a thermal management system for vehicles.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle's thermal management system includes:

[0025] The battery circuit 100 includes a cooler 110 and a battery line 120. The first end of the cooler 110 serves as the first interface of the battery circuit 100, and the second end of the cooler 110 is connected to the first end of the battery line 120. The second end of the battery line 120 serves as the second interface of the battery circuit 100.

[0026] The electric drive circuit 200 includes a heat sink 210, a tee 220, and an electric drive pipe 230. The first end of the heat sink 210 serves as the first interface of the electric drive circuit 200. The second end of the heat sink 210 is connected to the first end of the tee 220. The second end of the tee 220 is connected to the first end of the electric drive pipe 230. The second end of the electric drive pipe 230 serves as the second interface of the electric drive circuit 200. The third end of the tee 220 serves as the third interface of the electric drive circuit 200.

[0027] A six-way valve 300 and a heat pump 400 are provided. The sixth port 6# of the six-way valve 300 is connected to the first interface of the electric drive circuit 200, the fifth port 5# is connected to the second interface of the electric drive circuit 200, the first port 1# is connected to the third interface of the electric drive circuit 200, the second port 2# is connected to the second interface of the battery circuit 100, the third port 3# is connected to the first interface of the battery circuit 100, and the fourth port 4# is connected to the heat pump 400.

[0028] It should be noted that, in Figure 1 The direction of the middle arrow indicates the direction of fluid movement in the circuit. Figure 1 As an example only, adjusting the direction of fluid movement is also within the scope of protection of this solution. For example, the fluid movement direction of the electric drive circuit 200 can start from the sixth port of the six-way valve 300, pass through the radiator 210, the tee 220, the electric drive pipeline 230, the electric drive water pump, and then flow to the fifth port of the six-way valve 300.

[0029] In some embodiments, battery conduits 120 are arranged around the battery for controlling the battery temperature.

[0030] When the ambient temperature is high, the battery can be cooled; when the ambient temperature is low, the battery circuit 120 can heat up the battery.

[0031] In some embodiments, the electric drive piping 230 is arranged around the electric drive for controlling the temperature of the electric drive.

[0032] In some embodiments, the vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle.

[0033] In some embodiments, the vehicle's thermal management system can achieve thermal management through fluids flowing in loops and pipes.

[0034] For example, the fluid could be water. It should be noted that a vehicle's thermal management system can include both cooling via a low-temperature fluid and heating via a high-temperature fluid.

[0035] In some embodiments, the six-way valve 300 can be connected to two arbitrary ports under control.

[0036] After connecting any two ports, other circuits, such as the heat pump 400, can be connected using these two ports.

[0037] In some embodiments, the heat pump 400 is used to provide high-temperature fluid.

[0038] It should be noted that, based on Figure 1 The thermal management system disclosed herein only shows the necessary framework, and those skilled in the art can add other components based on the thermal management system presented herein as needed.

[0039] This disclosure proposes a vehicle thermal management system based on the six ports of a six-way valve 300. This allows for selective connection of other circuits connected to the six-way valve 300 and the heat pump 400. Furthermore, the ports of the six-way valve 300 can employ different connection configurations in different scenarios, enabling the connection of different circuits and / or the heat pump 400 to suit various situations. Compared to related technologies where battery cooling relies on the cooler 110 and electric drive cooling relies on the radiator 210, the thermal management system of this disclosure, based on the connection configuration of the six-way valve 300 in specific scenarios, can reduce the use of cooling and heating equipment or lower equipment power consumption, thereby achieving energy savings.

[0040] In some embodiments, the port of the six-way valve 300 supports at least one connection method. By switching between different connection methods, the electric drive circuit 200 and the battery circuit 100 can adopt different thermal management modes.

[0041] By switching the connection mode of the port of the six-way valve 300, the electric drive circuit 200, the battery circuit 100 and the heat pump 400 can be connected or disconnected, thereby achieving different thermal management effects in different scenarios.

[0042] Based on different thermal management requirements, different connection methods can be used to control the ports of the six-way valve 300 to achieve the corresponding thermal management requirements.

[0043] In some embodiments, when the electric drive circuit 200 is cooled by the radiator 210, the battery circuit 100 performs at least one of the following: cooling by the cooler 110 connected to the compressor, cooling by the radiator 210 in connection with the electric drive circuit 200, and heating by the heat pump 400.

[0044] The electric drive circuit 200 is cooled by the radiator 210, which means that the fluid in the circuit passes through the electric drive pipe 230, the tee 220 and the radiator 210 in sequence. The first port of the six-way valve 300 is not connected to prevent the high-temperature fluid from flowing out through the third end of the tee 220 without passing through the radiator 210.

[0045] In this case, the battery circuit 100 can be cooled by the cooler 110, which is connected to the compressor. Figure 1 (The compressor is not shown in the image). The cooler 110 and the radiator 210 work together to cool the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 respectively, achieving the most efficient cooling effect.

[0046] Battery circuit 100 can also be connected to electric drive circuit 200, allowing the high-temperature fluid in battery circuit 100 to be cooled by heat sink 210 in electric drive circuit 200. This method allows the compressor to be turned off, the cooler 110 to stop working, and battery circuit 100 and electric drive circuit 200 to share heat sink 210 for cooling. While the cooling effect is relatively weaker, the system power consumption is lower due to the compressor being shut down, making it suitable for applications with low heat dissipation requirements.

[0047] The battery circuit 100 can also be heated by the heat pump 400. In some scenarios, the electric drive generates a lot of heat due to its large operating conditions and high energy consumption. To maintain the high efficiency of the electric drive, heat dissipation is required. On the other hand, the battery temperature is low due to the low ambient temperature. The battery discharges poorly in low-temperature environments, so it is necessary to heat the battery to keep it at a suitable discharge temperature.

[0048] In some embodiments, when the electric drive circuit 200 is cooled by the battery circuit 100, the battery circuit 100 performs at least one of the following: cooling by the heat sink 210 in the connected electric drive circuit 200, and heating by the connected electric drive circuit 200.

[0049] The battery circuit 100 can be connected to the electric drive circuit 200 and cooled by the heat sink 210 in the electric drive circuit 200. Since the electric drive circuit 200 generally has a higher temperature than the battery circuit 100, the electric drive circuit 200 can be connected to the battery circuit 100 for cooling. Simultaneously, to prevent the battery circuit 100 from being unable to dissipate all the heat due to the high temperature in the electric drive circuit 200, the heat sink 210 can also be used to cool both the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200. This method uses both the heat sink 210 and the battery circuit 100 to cool the electric drive circuit 200, thus appropriately reducing the power consumption of the heat sink 210 and saving energy.

[0050] The battery circuit 100 can be heated by the electric drive circuit 200. The first port of the six-way valve 300 can be opened, and the sixth port closed, so that the fluid in the electric drive circuit 200 can only circulate through the third end of the three-way valve 220, and cannot flow through the radiator 210. In other words, under these conditions, the radiator 210 in the electric drive circuit 200 is not working. The electric drive circuit 200 can be connected to the battery circuit 100. Due to the temperature difference between the electric drive and the battery (generally, the electric drive temperature is higher and the battery temperature is lower), this temperature difference can be used to cool the electric drive circuit 200 while simultaneously heating the battery circuit 100. When the ambient temperature is suitable, the radiator 210 is not needed; the battery circuit 100 alone can meet the heat dissipation requirements of the electric drive circuit 200. Furthermore, the waste heat generated in the electric drive circuit 200 can also be used to heat the battery circuit 100, maintaining a high discharge efficiency for the battery.

[0051] In some embodiments, when the electric drive circuit 200 is heated by the heat pump 400, the battery circuit 100 is heated by the electric drive circuit 200.

[0052] A heat pump 400 can be connected to the electric drive circuit 200 to heat the circuit. In this case, the heat generated by the electric drive itself is insufficient to maintain the appropriate operating temperature, indicating that the ambient temperature is low. Therefore, it is necessary to connect the heat pump 400 to maintain the temperature of the electric drive circuit 200.

[0053] The battery circuit 100 generates less heat than the electric drive circuit 200, so it also needs to be heated. This can be achieved by connecting the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200, so that the battery circuit 100 can be heated by the heat flow in the electric drive circuit 200.

[0054] In some embodiments, when the electric drive circuit 200 self-heats up by storing heat, the battery circuit 100 is heated by the heat pump 400.

[0055] The electric drive circuit 200 can form a self-circulating loop and bypass the heat sink 210, allowing the heat generated by the electric drive to continuously accumulate, so that the electric drive circuit 200 can heat up through self-heat storage. This situation is usually used when the electric drive circuit 200 needs to heat up and the ambient temperature is not too low, so that the electric drive circuit 200 can rely on the heat generated by the electric drive to heat up without the need for the heat pump 400.

[0056] Since the battery generates relatively little heat, it cannot be heated by a self-heating method similar to that of the electric drive circuit 200. Therefore, the heat pump 400 can be connected to the battery circuit 100 to heat up the battery circuit 100.

[0057] In some embodiments, the connection method between the ports of the six-way valve 300 is used to control the connection between the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200. In the case that the second port is connected to the third port, the fifth port is connected to the sixth port or the first port, and in this case, the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 are not connected.

[0058] like Figure 1 As shown, when the second and third ports of the six-way valve 300 are connected, if the fifth and sixth ports are connected, the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 are not connected, and the electric drive circuit 200 is cooled by the radiator 210; if the fifth port is connected to the first port, the electric drive circuit 200 and the battery circuit 100 are not connected, and the fluid in the electric drive circuit 200 does not pass through the radiator 210.

[0059] Based on the connection method of this embodiment, the electric drive circuit 200 and the battery circuit 100 can be relatively independent, and the fluid between the two circuits is not interconnected. In this case, based on actual needs, the electric drive circuit 200 has two connection methods. Depending on whether the heat sink 210 is needed for heat dissipation, it can be selected whether to connect the sixth port to the fifth port.

[0060] When the fluids between the two circuits are not interconnected, the thermal management strategies of the electric drive circuit 200 and the battery circuit 100 do not interfere with each other, and different management measures can be adopted, such as cooling the electric drive circuit 200 and heating the battery circuit 100. Of course, even if they are not interconnected, the same management measures can be adopted, such as both circuits needing to be cooled.

[0061] In some embodiments, when the second port and the third port are not connected, either the second port or the third port is connected to the fifth port, and the other port is connected to the first port or the sixth port. In this case, the battery circuit 100 is connected to the electric drive circuit 200.

[0062] When connecting the electric drive circuit 200 and the battery circuit 100 through the six-way valve 300, attention must be paid to ensuring the consistency of the fluid movement direction. For example, using... Figure 1 For example, taking the fluid movement direction shown in the figure as an example, the third port can be connected to the fifth port, and the second port can be connected to the first or sixth port, thereby connecting the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200.

[0063] The second port can be selectively connected to either the first port or the sixth port. If it is connected to the first port and the sixth port is closed, the fluid will not flow through the radiator 210; if it is connected to the sixth port and the first port is closed, the fluid will flow through the radiator 210. Therefore, different ports can be connected based on different heat dissipation requirements.

[0064] In some embodiments, when the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 are not connected: if the battery circuit 100 needs to be cooled in scenario one, the cooler 110 is connected to the compressor; if the battery circuit 100 needs to be heated in scenario two, the fourth port is connected to the corresponding port of the battery circuit 100; if the electric drive circuit 200 needs to be heated in scenario three, the fourth port is connected to the corresponding port of the electric drive circuit 200; if the electric drive circuit 200 needs to be cooled in scenario four, the fifth port is connected to the sixth port; if the electric drive circuit 200 does not need to be cooled in scenario five, the first port is connected to the fifth port.

[0065] When the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 are not connected, the thermal management requirements of the battery circuit 100 cannot be met by the electric drive circuit 200, and similarly, the thermal management requirements of the electric drive circuit 200 cannot be met by the battery circuit 100.

[0066] If the battery circuit 100 needs to be cooled, the cooler 110 can be connected to the compressor, and the compressor will work to cool the cooler 110, thereby achieving cooling.

[0067] If battery circuit 100 needs to be heated, heat pump 400 can be connected to battery circuit 100, for example... Figure 1 As shown, based on the direction of fluid movement, the fourth port is connected to the second port, thereby achieving heating through the high-temperature heat flow input by the heat pump 400;

[0068] If the electric drive circuit 200 needs to be heated, the heat pump 400 can be connected to the electric drive circuit 200, for example... Figure 1 As shown, based on the direction of fluid movement, the fourth port is connected to the fifth port, thereby achieving heating through the high-temperature heat flow input by the heat pump 400;

[0069] If the electric drive circuit 200 needs to be cooled, the fifth port can be connected to the sixth port so that the electric drive circuit 200 can be cooled through the heat sink 210.

[0070] If the electric drive circuit 200 does not require cooling, the heat sink 210 can be stopped to reduce system power consumption. In this case, the first port is connected to the fifth port.

[0071] It should be noted that since the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 are not connected, their requirements can be combined arbitrarily. For example, both scenario two and scenario three may exist simultaneously, in which case the fourth port corresponding to the heat pump 400 can be connected to both the second port leading to the battery circuit 100 and the fifth port leading to the electric drive circuit 200.

[0072] In some embodiments, if both the electric drive circuit 200 and the battery circuit 100 need to be heated, or if the electric drive circuit 200 needs to be cooled and the battery circuit 100 needs to be heated, then the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 are connected.

[0073] Connecting the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 allows the two circuits to share a cooling or heating device in some scenarios. For example, if both circuits need to heat up, they can share the heat flow provided by the heat pump 400; or if both circuits need to cool down, they can share the radiator 210. This approach reduces the number of heating and cooling devices required and avoids using two devices with the same function in each circuit.

[0074] In another scenario, when the electric drive circuit 200 needs cooling and the battery circuit 100 needs heating, the two circuits are connected. This allows waste heat from the electric drive circuit 200 to flow to the battery circuit 100 via fluid, where it is dissipated. The battery circuit 100, in turn, receives the heat from the electric drive circuit 200 and heats up its battery. This method eliminates the need for refrigeration or heating equipment, fully utilizing the waste heat generated by the electric drive operation to cool the electric drive circuit 200 while simultaneously heating the battery circuit 100 without consuming any equipment power.

[0075] In some embodiments, when the battery circuit 100 is connected to the electric drive circuit 200:

[0076] If the first cooling condition is met in scenario six, the sixth port corresponding to the radiator 210 is connected to the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200.

[0077] If the second cooling condition is met in scenario seven, the first port is connected to the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200;

[0078] If the scenario is in scenario eight where the first heating condition is met, the first port is connected to the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200, and the fourth port is connected to the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200.

[0079] The two interfaces of the battery circuit 100 correspond to the second and third ports of the six-way valve 300, respectively. Therefore, when the two circuits are connected, these two ports need to be connected to one of the corresponding ports (first port, sixth port, or fifth port) of the electric drive circuit 200, respectively.

[0080] However, the electric drive circuit 200 has three interfaces, so you can select two interfaces to connect to the battery circuit 100.

[0081] Since the first interface of the electric drive circuit 200 corresponds to the sixth port, and the first interface is connected to the heat sink 210, the sixth port can be connected when cooling through the heat sink 210 is required. The heat sink 210 has a relatively good cooling effect, so scenario six is ​​generally used for scenarios with high cooling requirements. The first cooling condition can be that the ambient temperature is higher than the first temperature.

[0082] The third interface of the electric drive circuit 200 is the third end of the three-way valve 220, and it is connected to the first port of the six-way valve 300. Therefore, if the first port is connected to the port of the battery circuit 100, it cannot be cooled by the heat sink 210. The electric drive circuit 200 can only achieve cooling by releasing heat to the battery circuit 100, which has a relatively lower overall temperature. Therefore, this method is suitable for scenario seven, which also requires cooling of the electric drive circuit 200, but the cooling requirement is relatively lower than that of scenario six. The second cooling condition can be that the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first temperature, but greater than the second temperature.

[0083] In some embodiments, the battery circuit 100 is used to heat or dissipate heat for the vehicle's power battery.

[0084] The batteries in this disclosure include vehicle power batteries. The efficiency of power batteries is affected by temperature and needs to be maintained within a suitable range.

[0085] In some embodiments, when the six-way valve 300 has multiple ports leading to the same port, the flow rates of the multiple ports are adjustable.

[0086] The flow rate at the ports of the six-way valve 300 can be changed under control. For example, this can be achieved by adjusting the size of the port.

[0087] When multiple ports lead to the same port, the flow rates of the multiple ports can be adjusted so that the proportion of flow from different ports to the same port is different. This allows for adjustment of the amount of fluid and / or the temperature of the fluid, thereby achieving different thermal management requirements.

[0088] For example, the fourth port can be connected to the fifth port, and the third port can also be connected to the fifth port, allowing adjustment of the flow rate from the fourth port to the fifth port. Since the fourth port is connected to the heat pump 400, the fluid flowing out of the fourth port is at a higher temperature. Therefore, by adjusting the flow rate from the fourth port, the temperature of the fluid flowing into the fifth port can be controlled, achieving more precise thermal management.

[0089] In some embodiments, the system further includes an engine cooling circuit, which is connected to the heat pump 400 at least when the conditions for engine operation are met.

[0090] If the vehicle is a hybrid electric vehicle, the system may also include an engine cooling circuit. When the engine is running, it can generate a lot of waste heat. This waste heat can be utilized by connecting the engine cooling circuit to the heat pump 400, thereby using the engine waste heat to heat the fluid in the heat pump 400, thus saving energy.

[0091] The following specific examples will further illustrate this solution.

[0092] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0093] like Figure 2 As shown, the fifth port is connected to the sixth port, and the second port is connected to the third port. Figure 2 The embodiment shown can be used in environments with high temperatures, such as summer when the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to 25°C, to cool down the electric drive circuit 200 and the battery circuit 100.

[0094] Figure 2 The illustrated embodiment conforms to scenarios one and four. In this embodiment, the cooler 110 is connected to the compressor, which supplies cryogenic fluid to the cooler 110 to cool the battery circuit 100; while the cooling of the electric drive circuit 200 is achieved by the heat sink 210. In this scenario, due to the high ambient temperature, the cooling requirements of the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 are high. Therefore, the two circuits are not connected and each uses a cooling device to achieve the cooling requirements in the high-temperature environment.

[0095] exist Figure 2 The embodiment shown also includes a cryogenic water jug, which can supply cryogenic fluid to the battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 through two tee valves, respectively.

[0096] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0097] like Figure 3 As shown, the sixth port is connected to the second port, the fifth port is connected to the third port, and the battery circuit 100 is connected to the electric drive circuit 200. Figure 3 The illustrated embodiment can be used at ambient temperatures below Figure 2 In the scenario described in the embodiment, for example, in spring and autumn when the ambient temperature is between 25°C and 10°C, the heat sink 210 is used to dissipate heat from the electric drive circuit 200 and the battery circuit 100 when the ambient temperature is not so high.

[0098] Figure 3The illustrated embodiment conforms to Scenario Six. In this embodiment, the battery circuit 100 does not accumulate excessive heat due to ambient temperature, thus eliminating the need for cooling using a compressor and a cooling system 110. In this scenario, connecting the electric drive circuit 200 and the battery circuit 100 allows the electric drive circuit 200 to utilize the battery circuit 100 for cooling, helping it maintain a temperature conducive to efficient battery use. Furthermore, excess heat can be dissipated through the heat sink 210. In this scenario, since a compressor is not used for cooling, the overall system power consumption is relatively low. Simultaneously, while cooling the electric drive, the waste heat generated by the electric drive is used to heat (or maintain) the battery, ensuring good battery efficiency.

[0099] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0100] like Figure 4 As shown, the first port is connected to the second port, the third port is connected to the fifth port, and the fourth port is connected to the fifth port. The heat pump 400 can be a plate heat exchanger. The battery circuit 100 also includes a tee, through which fluid in the battery circuit 100 can be transported to the plate heat exchanger, where it is heated. The heated fluid is then output from the fourth port to the fifth port. Because heating is required, the low-temperature kettle can be shut off.

[0101] Figure 4 The illustrated embodiment can be used in scenarios where temperatures are low and both the electric drive circuit 200 and the battery circuit 100 need to be heated. For example, it can be used in spring and autumn when the temperature is between 10°C and -15°C for heating and dehumidification. If the ambient temperature is even lower and the efficiency of the heat pump 400 decreases, but the heating demand is stronger, a water heater can be used for heating based on this embodiment.

[0102] Figure 4 The illustrated embodiment conforms to scenario eight. Furthermore, the fourth port is connected to the fifth port, so that the heat flowing from the fourth port first flows through the electric drive circuit 200 to heat the electric drive, and after the fluid temperature drops slightly, it then flows through the battery circuit 100 to heat the battery.

[0103] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0104] like Figure 5As shown, the first port is connected to the fifth port, the second port is connected to the third port, and the second port is connected to the fourth port. The battery circuit 100 and the electric drive circuit 200 are not connected. The electric drive circuit 200 can store heat to raise the fluid temperature, while the battery circuit 100, due to its smaller heat generation, needs to rely on the heat flow output by the heat pump 400 to maintain the temperature.

[0105] Figure 5 The illustrated embodiment can be used in low-temperature environments, such as winter. In this scenario, the temperature in the electric drive circuit 200 is relatively low. The fluid in the electric drive circuit 200 can circulate through the radiator 210 and without connecting to the battery circuit 100, instead forming a loop through the first port to accumulate heat. This allows the electric drive circuit 200 to maintain a higher temperature while saving energy, which is beneficial for the efficient operation of the electric drive. On the other hand, based on the heat pump 400, heat flow is injected into the battery circuit 100 to maintain a suitable operating temperature for the battery as well.

[0106] Figure 5 The illustrated embodiment conforms to scenarios two and five. The electric drive circuit 200 does not require cooling and is connected to the fifth port via the first port for self-heating. The battery circuit 100, however, requires heating. In this embodiment, the vehicle's passenger compartment and battery can be heated, making it suitable for use in conditions requiring heating.

[0107] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0108] like Figure 6 As shown, port 6 is connected to port 5, port 2 is connected to port 4, and port 3 is connected to port 2. This embodiment is similar to... Figure 5 The difference in the illustrated embodiment lies in whether the electric drive circuit 200 includes a heat sink 210 in its self-circulation. Figure 6 The embodiment shown is based on a loop formed by connecting the sixth port and the fifth port, and therefore includes a heat sink 210, which can cool the electric drive circuit 200.

[0109] Figure 6 The illustrated embodiment can be used in scenarios where the temperature is low, but the electric drive is performing high-power operations, resulting in significant heat dissipation from the electric drive. For example, in winter, the ambient temperature is low, but the vehicle may be an off-road vehicle with high operating conditions, and the electric drive has high heat dissipation requirements, thus requiring heat dissipation for the electric drive and heating for the battery.

[0110] Figure 6The illustrated embodiment conforms to scenarios two and four. In this case, the crew compartment can be heated, the battery can be warmed, and the electric drive can be cooled, thus preventing excessive heat generation in the electric drive under high operating conditions, which could lead to excessively high temperatures and affect the efficiency of the electric drive.

[0111] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0112] like Figure 7 As shown, the first port is connected to the fifth port, the second port is connected to the fourth port, and the third port is connected to the second port. The engine assembly includes an engine cooling circuit, which can be connected to the heat pump 400. Since the engine generates a high amount of heat during startup, the engine can be connected to the heat pump 400 for heat exchange. The waste heat generated by the engine is used to heat the fluid in the heat pump 400, making full use of the engine's waste heat, saving energy, and enabling the heat pump 400 to provide heat flow to the fourth port of the six-way valve 300.

[0113] Figure 7 The illustrated embodiment can be used when the engine is running and there is a heating requirement. The vehicle includes a hybrid electric vehicle, which can reuse the heat generated during engine operation via heat pump 400, and when there is a heating requirement, the heat pump 400 delivers this heat to the battery circuit 100.

[0114] Figure 7 The embodiments shown conform to scenarios two and five, and are used when the system includes an engine cooling circuit, the engine is running, and there is a heating requirement.

[0115] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between an engine cooling circuit and a heat pump 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0116] like Figure 8 As shown, the engine cooling circuit can be connected to the heat pump 400 via a four-way valve. The engine cooling circuit (engine assembly) is connected to the first and fourth ports of the four-way valve, while the heat pump 400 is connected to the second and third ports of the four-way valve. When the engine is running and the passenger compartment or battery requires heating, the first and second ports of the four-way valve are connected, and the third and fourth ports are connected, thus connecting the engine cooling circuit to the heat pump 400 to utilize the waste heat generated by the engine for heating. Conversely, when the engine is running but there is no heating requirement, the first and fourth ports of the four-way valve are connected, preventing the engine cooling circuit from connecting to the heat pump 400 and avoiding excessive waste heat from the engine cooling circuit affecting the heat pump 400, as well as the battery circuit 100 or the electric drive circuit 200.

[0117] This disclosure also proposes a vehicle equipped with a thermal management system as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0118] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0119] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

[0120] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. The terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0121] The methods and apparatus provided in the embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this disclosure. The descriptions of the embodiments above are only for the purpose of helping to understand the methods and core ideas of this disclosure. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this disclosure. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A thermal management system of a vehicle, characterized by, The system includes: A battery circuit includes a cooler and a battery pipeline. The first end of the cooler serves as the first interface of the battery circuit, and the second end of the cooler is connected to the first end of the battery pipeline. The second end of the battery pipeline serves as the second interface of the battery circuit. An electric drive circuit includes a radiator, a T-junction, and an electric drive pipeline. The first end of the radiator serves as the first interface of the electric drive circuit. The second end of the radiator is connected to the first end of the T-junction. The second end of the T-junction is connected to the first end of the electric drive pipeline. The second end of the electric drive pipeline serves as the second interface of the electric drive circuit. The third end of the T-junction serves as the third interface of the electric drive circuit. A six-way valve and a heat pump are provided. The sixth port of the six-way valve is connected to the first interface of the electric drive circuit, the fifth port is connected to the second interface of the electric drive circuit, the first port is connected to the third interface of the electric drive circuit, the second port is connected to the second interface of the battery circuit, the third port is connected to the first interface of the battery circuit, and the fourth port is connected to the heat pump.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, The six-way valve supports at least one connection method at its ports. By switching between different connection methods, When the electric drive circuit is cooled by the radiator, the battery circuit performs at least one of the following: cooling by the cooler connected to the compressor, cooling by the radiator in connection with the electric drive circuit, and heating by the heat pump; When the electric drive circuit is cooled by the battery circuit, the battery circuit performs at least one of the following: cooling by the heat sink in the connected electric drive circuit, or heating by the connected electric drive circuit; When the electric drive circuit is heated by the heat pump, the battery circuit is heated by the electric drive circuit. When the electric drive circuit self-heats up, the battery circuit is heated by the heat pump.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein, The connection method between the various ports of the six-way valve is used to control the connection between the battery circuit and the electric drive circuit, wherein, When the second port is connected to the third port, and the fifth port is connected to the sixth port or the first port, the battery circuit and the electric drive circuit are not connected. When the second port and the third port are not connected, either the second port or the third port is connected to the fifth port, and the other port is connected to the first port or the sixth port. In this case, the battery circuit is connected to the electric drive circuit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein, When the battery circuit and the electric drive circuit are not connected: If the battery circuit requires cooling, the cooler is connected to the compressor; If the battery circuit requires heating in scenario two, the fourth port is connected to the corresponding port of the battery circuit. If the electric drive circuit needs to be heated in scenario three, the fourth port is connected to the port corresponding to the electric drive circuit. If the electric drive circuit requires cooling in scenario four, the fifth port is connected to the sixth port; If the electric drive circuit does not require cooling in scenario five, the first port is connected to the fifth port.

5. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that, If both the electric drive circuit and the battery circuit need to be heated, or if the electric drive circuit needs to be cooled and the battery circuit needs to be heated, then the battery circuit and the electric drive circuit are connected.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the battery circuit is connected to the electric drive circuit: If the first cooling condition is met in scenario six, the sixth port corresponding to the radiator is connected to the battery circuit and the electric drive circuit; If the second cooling condition is met in scenario seven, the first port is connected to the battery circuit and the electric drive circuit; If the scenario meets the first heating condition (Scenario 8), the first port is connected to the battery circuit and the electric drive circuit, and the fourth port is connected to the battery circuit and the electric drive circuit.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the six-way valve has multiple ports leading to the same port, the flow rate of the multiple ports is adjustable.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, The system also includes: An engine cooling circuit is connected to the heat pump at least when the engine operating conditions are met.

9. The system of any one of claims 1-8, wherein, The battery circuit is used to heat or dissipate heat from the vehicle's power battery.

10. A vehicle characterized by comprising: The vehicle is equipped with a thermal management system as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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