Thermal system for motor vehicles.

Abstract

Thermal system for a motor vehicle. Thermal system (1) for a motor vehicle (100), comprising a first assembly (10) including components such as: - an electric motor (11), - a battery (12), - a heating element (14), - a cooler (13) connected to an air conditioning circuit of the vehicle's passenger compartment, - a radiator (15), further comprising a second assembly (20) including conduits for a heat transfer fluid, connecting the components of the first assembly, and a third assembly (30) including at least one solenoid valve, and in particular at most three solenoid valves, connected to conduits of the second assembly (20), and, when the solenoid valve(s) of the third assembly are all in their resting state, the thermal system (1) implements a first circulation (101) of heat transfer fluid through said conduits in a first series circuit connecting the components of the first assembly (10). Figure for the abbreviation: 2

Description

Title of the invention: Thermal system for motor vehicle.

[0001] The invention relates to a thermal system for a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a method for thermal management of a motor vehicle. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle equipped with a thermal system.

[0002] To minimize the energy consumption of motor vehicles, particularly electric vehicles, cooling systems are designed to recover heat generated by one component of the system to heat another component. More generally, a cooling system must allow for different circulation patterns of the coolant to adapt to different vehicle operating conditions, for example, varying cabin heating requirements, while minimizing the vehicle's energy consumption. Furthermore, a cooling system must be designed to facilitate maintenance, i.e., the periodic replacement of the coolant.

[0003] However, the implementation of such cooling circuits can be complex, and require the use of many controllable components, including many pumps and solenoid valves, which increases the cost and complexity of developing the cooling system.

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a thermal system that overcomes the above drawbacks and improves upon known prior art systems. In particular, the invention makes it possible to implement a thermal system that is reliable and efficient, minimizes the number of controllable components, and simplifies the maintenance of the cooling circuit.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to a thermal system for a motor vehicle comprising a first assembly including components among which - an electric motor, - a battery, - a thermal resistor, - a cooler connected to the air conditioning system of a vehicle's passenger compartment. - a radiator, the thermal system further comprising, a second assembly including ducts for a heat transfer fluid, connecting the components of the first assembly, and a third assembly including at least one solenoid valve, and in particular at most three solenoid valves, connected to ducts of the second assembly, and, when the solenoid valve(s) of the third assembly are all in their resting state, the thermal system implements a first circulation of heat transfer fluid by the said conduits in a first series circuit linking together the components of the first assembly.

[0006] In one embodiment, the thermal system is capable of being implemented by actuation of the solenoid valve(s): - a second circulation of heat transfer fluid through said conduits moving, on the one hand, between the radiator and the electric motor, and, on the other hand, between the electric resistance or the cooler and the battery, and / or - a third circulation of heat transfer fluid through said conduits moving between the electric motor and the battery, and / or - a fourth circulation of heat transfer fluid through said conduits moving, on the one hand, between the electric motor and the battery, and, on the other hand, between the electric resistance and the battery, and / or - a fifth circulation of heat transfer fluid through said conduits moving in a loop near the electric motor without passing through the cooler or the battery, and / or - a sixth circulation of heat transfer fluid through said conduits moving between the electric motor and the cooler without passing through the battery.

[0007] In one embodiment, the third assembly consists of - a single solenoid valve with at least seven ways, or - two solenoid valves, including one with four ways and one with at least three ways, or - three solenoid valves with at least three ways.

[0008] In one embodiment, the thermal system comprises a single degassing jar, and / or the degassing jar is a circulating type jar, and / or the degassing jar and the radiator are arranged on parallel circuit portions by said conduits, and / or an altitude of the degassing jar is greater than an altitude of each component of the first assembly.

[0009] The invention further relates to a method for thermal management of a motor vehicle equipped with a thermal system according to the invention, comprising: - a first step in maintaining the thermal system, and / or - a second stage of cooling the electric motor by the radiator, further including cooling and / or heating of the battery by the cooler and / or by the electric resistance, the second stage including implementation of the second circulation, and / or - a third stage of battery heating by recovering heat released by the electric motor, further including heating, by thermal resistance, of a heat transfer fluid circulating upstream of the cooler, the third stage including implementation of the third circulation, and / or - a fourth stage of battery heating by recovering heat released by the electric motor and by the thermal resistance, further including heating, by the thermal resistance, of a heat transfer fluid circulating upstream of the cooler, the fourth stage including an implementation of the fourth circulation, and / or - a fifth stage of recovering heat released by the electric motor to exclusively heat the electric motor, further including heating, by thermal resistance, of a heat transfer fluid circulating upstream of the cooler, the fifth stage including the implementation of the fifth circulation, and / or - a sixth stage of recovering heat released by the electric motor to warm a heat transfer fluid circulating upstream of the cooler, the sixth stage including an implementation of the sixth circulation.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first step of thermal system maintenance comprises: - a sub-step for implementing the first circulation, then - a sub-step of draining a heat transfer fluid circulating in the entire ductwork of the thermal system, then - a sub-step of filling all the ducts of the thermal system with a new heat transfer fluid, then - a sub-step for evacuating gas bubbles contained in the entire ductwork of the thermal system.

[0011] The invention also relates to a thermal management system comprising hardware and / or software elements implementing the process according to the invention, in particular hardware and / or software elements designed to implement a process according to the invention, and / or the device comprising means of implementing the process according to the invention.

[0012] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle equipped with a thermal system according to the invention.

[0013] Fig. 1 schematically represents a motor vehicle equipped with a thermal system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0014] Fig. 2 represents an implementation of a first circulation of heat transfer fluid in a thermal system according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0015] Fig. 3 represents an implementation of a second circulation of heat transfer fluid in a thermal system according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0016] Figure 4 represents an implementation of a third fluid circulation ca- loporteur in a thermal system according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0017] Fig. 5 represents an implementation of a fourth heat transfer fluid circulation in a thermal system according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0018] Fig. 6 represents an implementation of a fifth heat transfer fluid circulation in a thermal system according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0019] Figure 7 represents an implementation of a sixth fluid circulation ca- loporteur in a thermal system according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0020] Figure [8] represents an operating diagram of a four-way valve of a thermal system according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0021] Figure 9 represents an implementation of the first circulation of ca- loporteur in a thermal system according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0022] Fig. 10 represents an implementation of the second heat transfer fluid circulation in a thermal system according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0023] Fig. 11 represents an implementation of the third heat transfer fluid circulation in a thermal system according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0024] Fig. 12 represents an implementation of the fourth heat transfer fluid circulation in a thermal system according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0025] Fig. 13 represents an implementation of the first heat transfer fluid circulation in a thermal system according to a third embodiment of the invention.

[0026] Fig. 14 represents an implementation of the second heat transfer fluid circulation in a thermal system according to the third embodiment of the invention.

[0027] Fig. 15 represents an implementation of the third heat transfer fluid circulation in a thermal system according to the third embodiment of the invention.

[0028] Fig. 16 represents an implementation of the fourth heat transfer fluid circulation in a thermal system according to the third embodiment of the invention.

[0029] Figure 17 is a flowchart of a thermal management process according to the invention.

[0030] Three embodiments of a motor vehicle 100 according to the invention are described below with reference to figures 1 to 17. The motor vehicle 100 is a motor vehicle of any type, in particular a passenger vehicle or a utility vehicle.

[0031] In one embodiment more specifically described in this document, the motor vehicle 100 is an electric vehicle, and includes a first assembly 10 comprising components including an electric motor 11, a battery 12, a cooler 13 connected to an air conditioning system of a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle 100, a thermal resistor 14, and a radiator 15.

[0032] In the remainder of the document, the term "cooler 13" refers to a cooler connected to an air conditioning system in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle 100.

[0033] In the remainder of this document, the term "motor 11" is used to refer to the electric motor itself, as well as various components associated with the motor and located near it, such as current converters and a charger. In other words, the term "motor 11" encompasses a set of components dedicated to the operation of the motor 11, including the electric traction chain comprising one or more electric motors and inverters and / or one or more converters and / or one or more chargers.

[0034] In the remainder of the document, a thermal system 1 is defined comprising the first assembly 10. The thermal system 1 takes charge of the thermal management of the motor 11, the battery 12, the cooler 13 (in particular by a heat exchange at the level of the radiator 15) and the heating element 14.

[0035] The thermal system 1 further comprises, a second set 20 comprising conduits and a third set 30 comprising at most three solenoid valves 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37 connected to conduits of the second set 20. The valves of the third set 30 are arranged so that, when they are all in a state of rest, the thermal system 1 implements a first circulation 101 of heat transfer fluid in a first series circuit connecting the components of the first set 10.

[0036] The radiator 15 is a vehicle cooling radiator. Air passing through the radiator 15 cools the heat transfer fluid circulating in the ducts of the second assembly 20.

[0037] In the embodiments presented below, the thermal system further comprises a first pump 41 and a second pump 42 enabling the generation of a circulation of heat transfer fluid in the conduits of the second assembly 20.

[0038] The third set 30 of at most three solenoid valves is made up of - either a single solenoid valve 31 with at least seven ports, thus defining a first embodiment of thermal system 1, - either of two solenoid valves 32, 33, of which one solenoid valve 32 has four ways and one solenoid valve 33 has at least three ways, thus defining a second embodiment of thermal system 1, - either three solenoid valves 35, 36, 37 with at least three ways, thus defining a third embodiment of the thermal system 1.

[0039] A thermal system 1 according to the first, second or third embodiment is also suitable for implementation - a second circulation 102 of heat transfer fluid moving, on the one hand, between the radiator 15 and the electric motor 11, and, on the other hand, between the electric resistance 14 or a cooler 13 and the battery 12, and / or - a third circulation 103 of heat transfer fluid moving between the electric motor 11 and the battery 12, and / or - a fourth circulation 104 of heat transfer fluid moving, on the one hand, between the electric motor 11 and the battery 12, and, on the other hand, between the electric resistance 14 and the battery 12, and / or - a fifth circulation 105 of heat transfer fluid moving in a loop through the electric motor 11 without passing through the cooler 13 or the battery 12, and / or - a sixth circulation 106 of heat transfer fluid moving between the electric motor 11 and the cooler 13 without passing through the battery 12.

[0040] With reference to figures 2 to 7, a thermal system 1 is first described according to the first embodiment, allowing the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth circulations 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 to be implemented alternately.

[0041] An implementation of the first circulation 101 according to the first embodiment of the thermal system 1 is illustrated by [Fig. 2]. The first circulation 101, which creates a series circuit of conduits connecting all the components 30, is particularly suited to filling the thermal circuit 1 in the factory, as well as to a maintenance phase of the thermal circuit 1.

[0042] In the first embodiment, the first circulation 101 is advantageously obtained when the solenoid valve 31 (with at least 7 ports 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317) is at rest, that is, when the solenoid valve is not receiving an activation command. In this case, - the 311 and 312 channels are connected to each other, creating a circuit linking in series the battery 12 to the assembly consisting of the heating element 14 in series with the cooler 13, - Tracks 313 and 316 are connected to each other, creating a series circuit linking battery 12 to motor 11, - tracks 315 and 314 are connected to each other, creating a series circuit linking between motor 11 and radiator 15.

[0043] Thus, this configuration of the solenoid valve 31 allows the conduits of the second assembly 50 to be drained and filled without having to activate the solenoid valve 31. Then, by simply adjusting the operating speed of the water pumps located on the circuit, the first circulation 101 can be used to expel all the air bubbles trapped in the circuit. These processes will be described in more detail later in this document.

[0044] Fig. 3 illustrates an implementation of the second circulation 102, according to the first embodiment of the thermal system 1. An implementation of the second circulation 102 represents a main operating mode of the thermal system 1, this operating mode being able to be used in different phases of use of the motor vehicle 100 (driving, charging, ...).

[0045] The second circulation 102 includes a first circulation loop 1021 of heat transfer fluid, allowing the temperature of the coil 12 to be managed. The coil 12 can be cooled or heated by the cooler 13 and / or heated by the heating element 14. If the coil requires neither cooling nor heating, a flow of water can pass through the coil 12 to prevent the formation of hot spots within it. For this purpose, the solenoid valve 31 is configured as follows: the paths 311 and 312 are connected to each other, creating a series circuit connecting the assembly consisting of the heating element 14 in series with the cooler 13 to the coil 12, and - the 313 and 317 paths are connected to each other, creating a circuit linking the battery 12 to a first water pump 41 located upstream of the assembly consisting of the heating element 14 in series with the cooler 13.

[0046] The second circulation 102 further includes a second loop 1022 of heat transfer fluid circulation, allowing cooling of the components of the electric traction chain, i.e. the motor 11, by the radiator 15. For this purpose, the solenoid valve 31 is further configured as follows: the paths 314 and 315 are connected to each other, creating a circuit linking the motor 11 to the radiator 15.

[0047] Fig. 4 illustrates an implementation of the third circulation 103, according to the first embodiment of the thermal system 1.

[0048] The third circulation 103 enables the implementation of a first energy recovery mode comprising two circulation loops 1031, 1032. In the first circulation loop 1031, heat from the engine 11 is transferred to the battery 12 to increase its temperature. Furthermore, in the second loop 1032, the thermal resistance can be used to support the operation of the air conditioning when the outside temperature is low, and when the heat pump is used in heat pump mode for cabin heating needs.

[0049] In other words, in the case of low temperatures, particularly below 0°, the third circulation makes it possible to increase the autonomy of the motor vehicle 100. Indeed, thanks to a first loop 1031, the heating of the battery 12 by the motor 11 makes it possible to increase the energy that can be extracted from the battery without using the heating element 14. In addition, thanks to a second loop 1032, the heat supplied by the thermal element 14 makes it possible to quickly bring the air conditioning (operating in heat pump mode) to a temperature that promotes its energy efficiency, in particular by a transfer of calories through the cooler 13 which then acts as a heater for the refrigerant circulating in the air conditioning circuit.

[0050] For this purpose, the solenoid valve 31 is configured as follows, - the first loop 1031 containing battery 12 and motor 11 is made by connecting tracks 312 and 315 on one side, and tracks 313 and 316 on the other, and - the paths 311 and 317 are connected to each other, to create the second loop 1032, that is to say a circuit connecting the heating resistance 14 in series with the cooler 13.

[0051] Fig. 5 illustrates an implementation of the fourth circulation 104, according to the first embodiment of the thermal system 1.

[0052] The fourth circulation 104 enables the implementation of a second energy recovery mode. In this energy recovery mode, the battery 12 receives the heat generated by the motor 11 and can also receive some of the heat released by the thermal resistor 14. The heat released by the thermal resistor 14 is also used to support the operation of the air conditioning (operating in heat pump mode).

[0053] The fourth circulation 104 is particularly interesting when the outside temperature is low, especially below 10°C.

[0054] Heating the battery 12 by the motor 11 increases the energy that can be extracted from the battery without using the heating element 14. In addition, the heat supplied by the thermal element 14 allows the air conditioner (operating in heat pump mode) to be brought quickly to a temperature that promotes its energy efficiency.

[0055] For this purpose, the solenoid valve 31 is configured as follows, - the 311 and 312 channels are connected together, thus directing a heat transfer fluid heated by the heating element 14 towards the battery 12, - the interconnected paths 315 and 312, thus directing a heat transfer fluid heated by the engine 11 towards the battery 12, and - the 313 channel is connected to the 316 and 317 channels for the return of the heat transfer fluid to on the one hand the motor 11 and on the other hand the heating element 14.

[0056] Fig. 6 illustrates an implementation of the fifth circulation 105, according to the first embodiment of the thermal system 1. The fifth circulation 105 is particularly interesting when the outside temperature is extremely low, for example when the outside temperature is below 0°, for example around -20°C.

[0057] In a first loop of the heat transfer fluid circulation, the fifth circulation 105 allows the calories generated by the operation of the engine 11 to be used exclusively for heating the engine IL. The calories produced by the operation of the engine 11 are not dissipated to any other component; in particular, the calories produced by the engine are not directed to the air conditioning circuit via the heat exchanger 13. The first loop allows the engine oil to reach operating temperature in extremely cold conditions, which improves engine operation.

[0058] In addition, the fifth circulation 105 allows the implementation of a second closed loop of circulation of the heat transfer fluid, comprising the thermal resistance 14 in series with the cooler 13, the calories produced by the activation of the thermal resistance 14 constituting a heat source intended to supply the air conditioning circuit.

[0059] Thus, the fifth circulation 105 creates two cooling fluid circulation loops isolated from each other, on the one hand in the electric motor 11 and on the other hand in the heat exchanger 13, without passing through the battery 12 which is in a nominal operating state.

[0060] For this purpose, the solenoid valve 31 is configured as follows: - to create the first closed loop for circulating the heat transfer fluid in engine 11, ports 315 and 316 are connected together, - to create the second closed loop for circulating the heat transfer fluid in the thermal resistance 14 in series with the exchanger 13, the paths 311 and 317 are connected together, and - to prevent circulation of the heat transfer fluid in the battery, the 312 and 313 channels are connected together.

[0061] Fig. 7 illustrates an implementation of the sixth circulation 106, according to the first embodiment of the thermal system 1. The sixth circulation 106 is particularly interesting when the cold outside temperature is between 0°C and 10°C.

[0062] The sixth circulation 106 creates a heat transfer fluid circulation loop connecting in series the electric motor 11, the resistor 14 in series with the heat exchanger 13 which operates as a heater for the air conditioning circuit. Advantageously, the heating resistor 14 can be deactivated, so that the vehicle's passenger compartment is heated solely by the heat generated by motor 11. Furthermore, the battery is in thermal self-management mode due to its operation at its nominal temperature. Consequently, battery 12 is isolated from the circulation loop connecting the electric motor 11, the heating element 14, and the heat exchanger 13. In other words, there is no heat exchange between battery 12 and the cooling fluid circulating through motor 11 and heat exchanger 13.

[0063] For this purpose, the solenoid valve 31 is configured as follows: - to create the closed loop for circulating the heat transfer fluid in the motor 11, the heating element 14 and the heat exchanger 13, channel 311 is connected to channel 316, and channel 315 is connected to channel 317, and - to prevent circulation of the heat transfer fluid in the battery, the 312 and 313 channels are connected together.

[0064] With reference to figures 8 to 12, a thermal system 1 is then described according to the second embodiment, allowing the first, second, third and fourth circulations 101, 102, 103, 104 to be implemented alternately.

[0065] In the second embodiment of the thermal system 1, the set of solenoid valves 3 consists of two solenoid valves 32, 33 of which at least one solenoid valve 32 has four ways and one solenoid valve has at least three ways 33.

[0066] Figure 8 shows a diagram of the operation of the four-way solenoid valve 32 of a thermal system according to the second embodiment of the invention, in which: - a first track 321 is connected by a conduit to battery 12, - a second channel 322 is connected to the first pump 41, - a third channel 323 is connected to the cooler 13, and - a fourth channel 324 is connected to the second pump 42.

[0067] Furthermore, [Fig.8] describes three configurations 325, 326, 327 implemented by the four-way solenoid valve 32, each configuration being obtained by connecting at least two ports taken from among the four ports 321, 322, 323, 324 of the solenoid valve 32: - the first configuration 325 connects battery 12 to the first pump 41, - the second configuration 326 connects the cooler 13 to the first pump 41 and the battery to the second pump 42, - the third configuration 327 connects battery 12 to the second pump 42.

[0068] A solenoid valve with at least three ways 33 and the three configurations 325, 326, 327 described for the solenoid valve 32 allow the implementation of the first, second, third and fourth circulations 101, 102, 103, 104.

[0069] An implementation of the first circulation 101 by a thermal system according to the second embodiment (i.e. with solenoid valves 32 and 33) is illustrated by [Fig.9].

[0070] In the second embodiment, the first circulation 101 is advantageously obtained when - the solenoid valve 32 is in the third configuration 327, that is to say the solenoid valve 32 connects the battery 12 to the second pump 42, and - Solenoid valve 33 connects motor 11 to the radiator.

[0071] Thus, all the components of the component set 10 are connected together in series.

[0072] An implementation of the second circulation 102 by a thermal system 1 according to the second embodiment is illustrated by [Fig. 10]. The second circulation 102 is advantageously obtained when - solenoid valve 32 is in the first configuration 325, that is to say solenoid valve 32 connects battery 12 to the first pump 41, and - Solenoid valve 33 connects motor 11 to the radiator.

[0073] An implementation of the third circulation 103 by a thermal system 1 according to the second embodiment is illustrated by [Fig. 11]. The third circulation 103 is advantageously obtained when - the solenoid valve 32 is in the second configuration 326, that is to say the solenoid valve 32 connects the cooler 13 to the first pump 41 and the battery to the second pump 42, and - solenoid valve 33 connects motor 11 to battery 12.

[0074] An implementation of the fourth circulation 104 by a thermal system 1 according to the second embodiment is illustrated by [Fig. 12]. The fourth circulation 104 is advantageously obtained when - the solenoid valve 32 is in the third configuration 327, that is to say the solenoid valve 32 connects the battery 12 to the second pump 42, and - solenoid valve 33 connects motor 11 to battery 12.

[0075] With reference to figures 13 to 16, a thermal system 1 is then described according to the third embodiment, allowing the first, second, third and fourth circulations 101, 102, 103, 104 to be implemented alternately.

[0076] In the third embodiment of the thermal system 1, the set of solenoid valves 3 consists of three solenoid valves 35, 36, 37 with at least three ways.

[0077] An implementation of the first circulation 101 by a thermal system 1 according to the third embodiment is illustrated by [Fig. 13]. In the third embodiment, the first circulation 101 is advantageously obtained when - the solenoid valve 35 connects the battery 12 to the second pump 42, and - the solenoid valve 36 connects the motor 11 to the radiator.

[0078] An implementation of the second circulation 102 by a thermal system 1 according to The third embodiment is illustrated by [Fig. 14]. In the third embodiment, the second circulation 102 is advantageously obtained when - the solenoid valve 35 connects the battery 12 to the first pump 41, and - the solenoid valve 36 connects the motor 11 to the radiator. - Solenoid valve 37 connects the battery in series with the heating element and the air conditioning.

[0079] An implementation of the third circulation 103 by a thermal system 1 according to the third embodiment is illustrated by [Fig. 15]. The third circulation 103 is advantageously obtained when - Solenoid valve 35 connects the battery to the second pump 42, - the solenoid valve 37 connects the cooler 13, and - solenoid valve 36 connects motor 11 to battery 12.

[0080] An implementation of the fourth circulation 104 by a thermal system 1 according to the third embodiment is illustrated by [Fig. 16]. The fourth circulation 104 is advantageously obtained when - solenoid valve 35 connects battery 12 to the second pump 42, and - solenoid valve 36 connects motor 11 to battery 12.

[0081] In the remainder of this document, the term "jar" or "degassing jar" is used to refer to an expansion vessel, also called a "manifold." A jar in a thermal system is pressurized and serves to create sufficient pressure at the inlet of each water pump in the thermal system to prevent cavitation in the water pump. Indeed, if the pressure at a pump is too low, cavitation can occur, i.e., the heat transfer fluid boils at the pump impeller, which damages the pump impeller.

[0082] Advantageously, the degassing jar 50 can be a circulating type jar, that is to say the jar 50 has a first inlet nozzle for the heat transfer fluid placed in its upper part, and a second outlet nozzle for the fluid placed at its lowest point.

[0083] In a preferred embodiment, the thermal system 1 comprises a single degassing jar 50, which facilitates maintenance operations of the thermal system 1.

[0084] Furthermore, the position of the jar 50 on the thermal system circuit can be chosen to facilitate rapid and simple degassing of the circuit, in particular by creating a circuit connecting all the components of the first assembly in series. Advantageously, the jar 50 can be placed on a circuit loop 70 in parallel with the component offering the greatest resistance to the flow of the heat transfer fluid, such as the radiator 15. The air bubbles are then pushed towards the jar 50, the jar 50 allowing separation of the liquid and gaseous phases.

[0085] Moreover, an altitude of the degassing jar 50 is preferably greater than an altitude of each component of the first set 10 of components.

[0086] The thermal system may further include a check valve 71 to prevent the heat transfer fluid from flowing in the opposite direction to a desired direction of movement. Such a phenomenon can occur, in particular, due to negative pressures in a pipe upstream of a pump.

[0087] The thermal system 1 may include a controller 90 that determines which of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth circulations of the heat transfer fluid should be implemented. The controller 90 may, for example, manage the transition conditions from one circulation to another, for example, based on the temperature of the outside air of the vehicle and / or a setpoint for the passenger compartment temperature and / or a vehicle operating mode, the vehicle operating mode being either a driving mode or a maintenance mode.

[0088] In an advantageous embodiment, the thermal system 1 further comprises means for implementing a thermal management method according to the invention. In particular, the thermal system 1 comprises a processing unit 80 including a microprocessor 81, a memory 78, and communication interfaces 79.

[0089] The thermal system 1, and particularly the microprocessor 81, mainly comprises the following modules which cooperate with each other: - a thermal system maintenance module 811, this module being able to cooperate with the controller 90, the solenoid valves of the third set 30, the first and second pumps 41, 42, - an 812 module for cooling the electric motor via the radiator, this module being able to cooperate with the controller 90, the solenoid valves of the third set 30, the first and second pumps 41, 42, - a battery heating module 813 that recovers heat from the electric motor; this module can cooperate with the controller 90, the solenoid valves of the third assembly 30, and the first and second pumps 41 and 42; - a battery heating module 814 that recovers heat from the electric motor and the thermal resistance; this module can cooperate with the controller 90, the solenoid valves of the third assembly 30, and the first and second pumps 41 and 42. - a module 815 for recovering heat released by the operation of the electric motor to exclusively heat the electric motor, this module being able to cooperate with the controller 90, the solenoid valves of the third assembly 30, the first and second pumps 41, 42, - a module 816 for recovering heat released by the electric motor to heat a heat transfer fluid circulating upstream of the cooler, this module able to cooperate with controller 90, solenoid valves of the third set 30, first and second pumps 41, 42.

[0090] The motor vehicle 100, in particular the thermal system 1, preferably comprises all the hardware and / or software elements configured so as to implement the process defined in the object of the invention or the process described below.

[0091] With reference to [Fig. 17], a thermal management process is described comprising an alternation between: - a first stage El of thermal system maintenance, including the implementation of the first circulation 101, - a second stage E2 of cooling the electric motor by the radiator, including an implementation of the second circulation 102, - a third stage E3 of battery heating by recovering heat released by the electric motor, including the implementation of the third circulation 103, - a fourth stage E4 of battery heating by recovering heat released by the electric motor and by the thermal resistance, including an implementation of the fourth circulation 104, - a fifth stage E5 for recovering heat released by the operation of the electric motor to exclusively heat the electric motor, including the implementation of the fifth circulation 105, - a sixth stage E6 of recovering heat released by the electric motor to heat a heat transfer fluid circulating upstream of the cooler, including an implementation of the sixth circulation 106.

[0092] The first step El of thermal system maintenance 1 comprises: - a sub-step El 1 of the implementation of the first circulation 101, then - a sub-step E12 of draining a heat transfer fluid circulating in the set of ducts 20 of the thermal system 1, then - a sub-step E13 of filling the entire set of ducts 20 of the thermal system 1 with a new heat transfer fluid, then - a sub-step E14 for evacuating gas bubbles contained in the duct assembly 20 of the thermal system 1.

[0093] The first step El includes receiving a maintenance order for the thermal system 1, the order originating from the controller 90.

[0094] Following receipt of a maintenance order, in substep El 1, the solenoid valves of thermal system 1 are configured to allow the implementation of the first circulation 101 of heat transfer fluid. To this end, the solenoid valves of the third assembly 30 are activated to implement a circuit connecting the components of the first assembly 10 in series. Advantageously, thermal system 1 is designed so that circulation 101 is implemented when the solenoid valves are in a rest state.

[0095] Then we proceed to a sub-step E12 of draining the heat transfer fluid contained in the thermal system 1. After opening drain plugs, the heat transfer fluid flows naturally out of the set of conduits 20, and out of the components it passes through, such as the battery 12. The heat transfer fluid is thus automatically replaced by air.

[0096] Once the thermal system 1 has been drained, a pipe filling tool 60 can be used. For this purpose, the tool 60 is connected to the jar 50.

[0097] The tool 60 is equipped with a vacuum pump which sucks the air present in the conduits of the assembly 20. The tool 60 thus creates a vacuum in the conduits of the assembly 20, in particular the pressure inside the conduits is close to 900 millibars.

[0098] Next, we proceed to substep E13, which involves filling the ducts with a new heat transfer fluid. To do this, the ducts of assembly 20 are connected to a heat transfer fluid reservoir that is part of tool 60. This reservoir is at atmospheric pressure. The heat transfer fluid is drawn into the ducts of assembly 20 due to the vacuum previously created in the ducts. This pressure equalization process allows the ducts of assembly 20 to be filled with the new heat transfer fluid. However, the filling—although facilitated by tool 60—is not perfect, as a significant amount of air may remain in the ducts and / or the components of the thermal system 1.

[0099] In a degassing substep E14, a heat transfer fluid circulation is initiated in all the conduits of the assembly 20. In other words, the first circulation 101 is implemented, notably by starting the pumps 41, 42 of the thermal system 1. Advantageously, the implementation of the first circulation 101 allows residual air pockets to be moved to the degassing reservoir. Upstream of substep E14, that is, imperatively before the pumps 41, 42 start, manual bleed screws 111 positioned at local high points, such as on the motor 11, can be opened.

[0100] In other words, - sub-step E12 of the draining process includes suction of the heat transfer fluid generating a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure in the ducts of the second assembly 20, and / or - Substep E13 of the filling process includes a pressurized injection of a new heat transfer fluid into the second set of 20 ducts, and / or - the thermal system 1 includes at least one pump 41, 42 and sub-step E14 of evacuation of gas bubbles contained in the thermal system 1 includes a circulation of the new fluid by actuation of at least one pump 41, 42.

[0101] In addition or alternatively, the E13 filling substep includes a pressurized injection of the new heat transfer fluid into the second set 20 of ducts.

[0102] In addition or alternatively, the thermal system 1 includes at least one pump 41, 42 and the sub-step of evacuating gas bubbles contained in the thermal system includes a circulation of the new fluid by actuation of at least one pump.

[0103] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the radiator includes a bleed screw, and the degassing substep includes the evacuation of gas bubbles by opening the bleed screw.

[0104] The second step E2 includes receiving an order to activate the second circulation 102, the order originating from the controller 90. Following receipt of this order, the second circulation 102 is activated. To do this, the solenoid valves are actuated so as to create - a first circulation loop 1021 of heat transfer fluid, allowing the temperature management of the battery 12, the battery 12 being able to be cooled or heated by the air conditioning via the cooler 13 and / or heated by the heating element 14, and / or - a second loop 1022 of heat transfer fluid circulation, allowing cooling of the components of the electric traction chain, i.e. of the motor 11, by the radiator 15.

[0105] The third step E3 includes receiving an order to activate the third circulation 103, the order originating from the controller 90. Following receipt of this order, the third circulation 103 is activated. To do this, the solenoid valves are actuated so as to create - a first circulation loop 1031, in which the heat from the engine 11 is transferred to the battery 12 to increase its temperature, and / or - a second circulation loop 1032, in which thermal resistance can be used to support the operation of the air conditioning, when the outside temperature is low, and when the heat pump is used in heat pump mode for cabin thermal needs.

[0106] The fourth step E4 includes receiving an order to implement the fourth circulation 104, the order originating from the controller 90. Following the receipt of this order, the fourth circulation 104 is implemented. For this, the solenoid valves are actuated so that the battery 12 receives the heat generated by the motor 11 and / or the battery can also receive part of the heat released by the thermal resistance 14.

[0107] The fifth step E5 includes receiving an order to activate the fifth circulation 105, the order originating from controller 90. Following receipt of this order, the fifth circulation 105 is activated. To do this, the solenoid valves are actuated so as to create - a first circulation loop 1051, in which the heat emitted by the operation of the engine 11 is used exclusively to increase the temperature of the engine 11, and / or - a second circulation loop 1052, in which thermal resistance can be used to support the operation of the passenger compartment air conditioning, when the outside temperature is low, and when the heat pump is used in heat pump mode for passenger compartment thermal requirements.

[0108] The sixth step E6 includes receiving an order to implement the fifth circulation 106, the order originating from the controller 90. Following the receipt of this order, the sixth circulation 106 is implemented. For this, the solenoid valves are actuated so as to create a circulation in which the heat emitted by the operation of the engine 11 is used exclusively to support the operation of the passenger compartment air conditioning, when the outside temperature is low, and when the heat pump is used in heat pump mode for passenger compartment heating needs.

[0109] Finally, the thermal system according to the invention and the thermal management method according to the invention have several advantages.

[0110] First, they improve the energy autonomy of the motor vehicle equipped with the invention. Indeed, thanks to the various heat transfer fluid circulations implemented by the thermal system, several modes of energy recovery from the electric drivetrain to the battery are possible. Similarly, it is also possible to use heat from the cooling circuit to heat the vehicle's passenger compartment via the cooler connected to the air conditioning circuit. This limits the activation of the heating element used to heat the battery or the passenger compartment. It is also possible to cool the electric motor and the battery by the radiator located at the front of the vehicle, which limits the activation of the energy-intensive electric air conditioning compressor.

[0111] Secondly, the thermal system according to the invention and the thermal management method according to the invention allow for time savings on cooling circuit filling tasks in the factory. Indeed, the thermal system according to the invention comprises only one reservoir, which reduces factory filling time compared to thermal systems comprising two or more reservoirs. Furthermore, the filling tasks can be performed with a single filling machine, whereas for cooling circuits comprising several reservoirs, it was Sometimes it is necessary to invest in several machines to save time on the filling phase.

[0112] Thirdly, the thermal system according to the invention and the thermal management method according to the invention allow for time savings in after-sales maintenance. Indeed, thanks to the optimal position of the cooling circuit reservoir within the system, with the reservoir directly supplying the two water pumps, the time required for a technician to refill the cooling circuit is reduced. Furthermore, a coolant circulation method, corresponding to the first circulation described above, has been designed to facilitate the degassing of the cooling circuit after refilling during a vehicle service visit. This method allows for the simultaneous degassing of all components of the cooling circuit via the reservoir mounted in parallel with the radiator.The time required to degas the cooling circuit is greatly reduced, which contributes to lowering the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of the vehicle, i.e., reducing the overall cost of owning the vehicle.

[0113] Fourth, the first embodiment of the thermal system (and, to a lesser extent, the second embodiment) allows for a significant reduction in the number of solenoid valves required to implement the thermal system. This leads to a reduction in the number of actuators and therefore a reduction in the cost of the components constituting the cooling circuit. Furthermore, it simplifies the calibration phase of the thermal system, reducing the costs associated with the calibration phase.

Claims

Demands

1. Thermal system (1) for a motor vehicle (100), characterized in that it comprises a first assembly (10) including components among which - an electric motor (11), - a battery (12), - a thermal resistance (14), - a cooler (13) connected to an air conditioning circuit of a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, - a radiator (15), in that it further comprises a second assembly (20) comprising conduits for a heat transfer fluid, connecting the components of the first assembly, and a third assembly (30) comprising at least one solenoid valve, and in particular at most three solenoid valves, connected to conduits of the second assembly (20), and in that, when the solenoid valve(s) of the third set are all in a state of rest, the thermal system (1) implements a first circulation (101) of heat transfer fluid through said conduits in a first circuit in series linking together the components of the first set (10).

2. Thermal system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it is capable of being implemented by actuation of the solenoid valve(s): - a second circulation (102) of heat transfer fluid through said conduits moving, on the one hand, between the radiator (15) and the electric motor (11), and, on the other hand, between the electric resistance (14) or the cooler (13) and the battery (12), and / or - a third circulation (103) of heat transfer fluid through said conduits moving between the electric motor (11) and the battery (12), and / or - a fourth circulation (104) of heat transfer fluid through said conduits moving, on the one hand, between the electric motor (11) and the battery (12), and, on the other hand, between the electric resistance (14) and the battery (12), and / or - a fifth circulation (105) of heat transfer fluid through said conduits moving in a loop near the electric motor (11) without passing through the cooler (13) or the battery (12), and / or - a sixth circulation (106) of heat transfer fluid through said conduits moving between the electric motor (11) and the cooler (13) without passing through the battery (12).

3. Thermal system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third assembly (30) consists of - a single solenoid valve (31) with at least seven ways, or - two solenoid valves (32, 33), of which a solenoid valve (32) has four ways, and a solenoid valve (33) has at least three ways, or - three solenoid valves (35, 36, 37) have at least three ways.

4. Thermal system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a single degassing jar (50), and / or in that the degassing jar (50) is a circulating type jar and / or in that the degassing jar (50) and the radiator (15) are arranged on parallel circuit portions by said conduits, and / or in that an altitude of the degassing jar (50) is greater than an altitude of each component of the first assembly (10).

5. A method for thermal management of a motor vehicle (100) equipped with a thermal system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises: - a first step (E1) of maintenance of the thermal system, and / or - a second step (E2) of cooling the electric motor (E1) by the radiator (15) further comprising cooling and / or heating the battery (12) by the cooler (13) and / or by the electric resistance (14), the second step (E2) comprising implementation of the second circulation (102), and / or - a third step (E3) of heating the battery (12) by recovering heat released by the electric motor (11) further comprising heating, by the thermal resistance (14), of a heat transfer fluid circulating upstream of the cooler (13), the third step comprising implementation of the third circulation (103),and / or - a fourth stage (E4) of heating the battery (12) by recovering heat released by the electric motor (11) and by the thermal resistance (14), further comprising heating, by the thermal resistance (14), of a heat transfer fluid circulating upstream of the cooler (13), the fourth stage (E4) comprising implementation of the fourth circulation (104), and / or - a fifth stage (E5) of recovering heat released by the, electric motor (11) for exclusively heating the electric motor (11), further comprising heating, by thermal resistance (14), of a heat transfer fluid circulating upstream of the re-cooler (13), the fifth stage (E5) comprising an implementation of the fifth circulation (105), and / or - a sixth stage (E6) of recovering heat released by the electric motor (11) to heat a heat transfer fluid circulating upstream of the cooler (13), the sixth stage (E6) comprising an implementation of the sixth circulation (106).

6. Thermal management method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the first step (E1) of thermal system maintenance comprises - a substep (E11) of implementing the first circulation (E101), then - a substep (E12) of draining a heat transfer fluid circulating in the duct assembly (20) of the thermal system (1), then - a substep (E13) of filling the duct assembly (20) of the thermal system (1) with a new heat transfer fluid, then - a substep (E14) of evacuating gas bubbles contained in the duct assembly (20) of the thermal system (1).

7. A thermal management system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the system comprising hardware and / or software elements (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41, 42, 50, 60, 61, 70, 71, 78, 79, 80, 81, 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816) implementing the method according to any one of claims 5 or 6, in particular hardware elements (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41, 42, 50, 60, 61, 70, 71, 78, 79, 80, 81) and / or software designed to implement a process according to one of claims 5 or 6, and / or the device comprising means for implementing the process according to one of claims 5 or 6.

8. Motor vehicle (100) equipped with a thermal system (1) according to the preceding claim and / or according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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