MOTOR VEHICLE FEATURING A POWER DISSIPATION DEVICE TO ASSIST BRAKING

Abstract

Energy regulation method for downhill driving of a hybrid motor vehicle (1000) comprising a thermal management system (500) controlling a high-temperature cooling circuit (100) of the internal combustion engine (50), a passenger compartment heating circuit (110) with an air conditioning unit (30) comprising independent airflow separation flaps, a very low-temperature cooling circuit (120) associated with an electrochemical traction energy storage unit (26) supplying an electric powertrain (40) associated with a low-temperature cooling circuit (130), controlling the dissipation of excess energy in a heat sink of the very low-temperature (120) and / or low-temperature (130) and / or high-temperature (100) cooling circuit, by coupling the high-temperature cooling circuit (100) with a heat transfer fluid loop (110, 120, 130) and the air conditioning unit (30),and by coupling the heat sink of the very low temperature cooling circuit (120) to the low temperature cooling circuit (130). Figure 13,

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A DISSIPATION DEVICE POWER TO ASSIST BRAKING

[0001] The invention relates to a method of energy regulation during the long descent phase of a hybrid motor vehicle comprising at least one internal combustion engine, a thermal management system for the powertrain associated with this at least one energy source, and at least one cabin air conditioning unit comprising a plurality of air circulation flaps, and a cabin heating circuit, said vehicle comprising a high-temperature cooling circuit for cooling said at least one internal combustion engine, a low-temperature cooling circuit for at least one electric powertrain supplied by an electrochemical energy storage unit, and a very low-temperature cooling circuit for cooling said electrochemical energy storage unit.

[0002] The invention relates to the field of hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles or PHEVs, range extender electric vehicles (REX), mild hybrids, comprising at least one internal combustion engine, one electric motor and one battery, where the electric motor is a starting aid and a means of limiting the consumption of an internal combustion engine providing traction, and relates to the thermal management of the associated powertrain, as well as the HVAC cabin air conditioning unit.

[0003] Vehicle speed control on long descents is a comfort function (minimizing pressure on the brake pedal during descent to maintain vehicle speed), a satisfaction function (canceling brake temperature alerts), and a total cost of ownership function for the user (reliability / durability of the friction braking system by reducing its use on descents). However, the friction braking system must be capable of stopping the vehicle in an emergency (for example, if regenerative braking is unavailable due to a fault or component failure).

[0004] Engine braking is a braking method by which a vehicle is slowed down by the resistance its engine offers to its operation. This technique is linked to piston engines, which then incur significant losses due to pumping (fuel injection being cut off) and friction of the mechanical parts of the drivetrain. The term is also used for vehicles powered by engines electric when they operate as generators and recharge, for example, a battery of accumulators by regenerative braking.

[0005] Engine braking is an important measure for vehicles towing and / or transporting heavy loads on steep roads because it considerably reduces the vehicle's braking work on descents. Intensive use of the friction braking system on long, steep descents quickly (within minutes) reaches its limit of effectiveness due to excessive heating, or even leads to its destruction. Under the effect of the temperature, the brake pads and drum linings can melt, while the brake fluid can vaporize. Very long descents are thus sometimes the site of accidents, for example, in Isère on the Laffrey ramp which ends in a curve.

[0006] A diesel powertrain generates significant braking power: for a given engine, up to 160 kW at 3500 rpm, approximately 100 kW at 2500 rpm, and up to 50 kW at 1500 rpm. A spark-ignition powertrain of equivalent engine power delivers approximately 100 kW less at 5500 rpm and less than 20 kW less at 2500 rpm.

[0007] In the case of a hybrid electric vehicle (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, range-extended electric vehicle, mild hybrid), the internal combustion engine is preferably switched off (not running). It can also be kept running, with fuel injection cut off, in order to take advantage of friction and pumping losses (optimization of average losses indicated by controlling combustion load parameters, including valve timing). These losses remain insufficient to dissipate the vehicle's excess power, and it is preferable, for the sake of continuous performance, to keep the internal combustion engine switched off. In this case, the hybrid electric vehicle behaves like a purely electric vehicle.

[0008] The braking power of electric vehicles is significantly lower than that of vehicles with internal combustion engines. Electric vehicles, however, have highly efficient regenerative braking systems that can generate high braking performance, provided that the state of charge of the electrochemical energy storage device (HVB for "High Voltage Battery") is sufficiently low at the top of the descent to store all the energy accumulated during braking.

[0009] Over long distances downhill, and especially on steep inclines, the state of charge of the electrochemical energy storage system can quickly reach 100%, inhibiting any opportunity for further energy storage. Thus, the recharging potential of the electrochemical energy storage system is limited when Its state of charge reaches and exceeds a high value (to protect this energy storage device from overload and / or overvoltage) when its internal temperature is low or when the electrical components of the powertrain are close to their thermal limits. In this case, the vehicle's friction braking system must dissipate the energy required to brake the vehicle on its own. At the maximum permissible gross vehicle weight, if the trailer brakes are limited, the vehicle's friction braking system will quickly overheat, leading to its destruction and thus the loss of the vehicle's braking function.

[0010] Electrified vehicles have measures implemented to dissipate excess energy on board the vehicle in order to enable regenerative braking and extend its operation in the worst conditions, essentially by activating electrical consumers located mainly within the vehicle's thermal system: electric heaters (usually used to heat the passenger compartment and / or the electrochemical energy storage system), motor-fan groups, electric clutch of mechanically driven fans, heated rear window (used in winter to defrost the rear window of the vehicle) and heated mirrors, electric air conditioning compressor, intentional degradation of the efficiencies of electric motors and their inverters.

[0011] All subsystems and components of the vehicle and its powertrain are used to dissipate excess electrical power: electric heaters (electrochemical storage of traction, passenger compartment), deliberate degradation of the efficiency of the electric motor(s) and its inverter(s), the electric air conditioning compressor, the vehicle's thermal systems including the motor-fan units and heat transfer circuits, as well as the cooling water pump.

[0012] The vehicle's operating conditions (ambient temperature, cabin temperature control, particularly in refrigeration mode, and the HVB electrochemical traction energy storage system) reduce the power dissipation capacity of the vehicle's thermal systems, as these systems are then dedicated to regulating the cabin temperature, defrosting / demisting the cabin, and / or regulating the HVB electrochemical traction energy storage system. These functions sometimes all need to be performed simultaneously. A minimum additional electrical power dissipation must therefore be ensured to dissipate this excess power without interfering with, hindering, or compromising the other thermal regulation processes in operation.

[0013] Also, solutions derived from the state of the art do not offer optimal functionality for the purpose of dissipating part of the excess electrical power as thermal power.

[0014] If present, the electric air compressor is an auxiliary component of the supercharging system of the internal combustion engine (ICE), or heat engine, hereinafter referred to simply as "the engine." Under these conditions, the engine is either switched off or running at its losses, but its electric air compressor is activated, if possible at maximum power, to help dissipate the excess electrical power generated by the vehicle during descent. The air propelled by the compressor bypasses the engine, in a manner known from the prior art. However, preventing the electric air compressor from operating at excessively high speeds and compression ratios limits its electrical power consumption. Furthermore, the operating conditions of the electric air compressor decrease as the altitude (intake pressure) and / or the temperature of the air entering the compressor increases.However, the need to dissipate the excess electrical power generated by the vehicle during descent increases with altitude, becoming more significant at higher altitudes, and the capacity to dissipate this excess electrical power decreases at higher ambient temperatures. These considerations limit the use of the electric air compressor in the internal combustion engine's supercharging system as an electrical power dissipation device.

[0015] The objective of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks by proposing to develop a method for dissipating excess electrical power generated by the vehicle and / or by one of its components such as the engine.

[0016] On a hybrid electric vehicle with an internal combustion engine, a device allows an electric heater to be connected to the engine cooling circuit, to the branch of the circuit carrying the air heater in order to provide heating for the passenger compartment, but also to the engine cooling circuit radiator while bypassing it. More specifically, the heater is connected to the radiator.

[0017] The HVAC cabin air conditioning unit adopts an additional, dedicated operating mode, available independently of the other operating modes of the HVAC cabin air conditioning unit, which increases the electrical power dissipated by the vehicle's thermal systems. This operating mode also increases the engine's cooling potential.

[0018] The electric heater of the electrochemical motor storage unit can be connected to either low temperature or very low temperature circuits and offers the vehicle an additional source of power dissipation without impacting other components.

[0019] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a method for regulating energy during the long descent phase of a hybrid motor vehicle comprising at least one internal combustion engine, a thermal management system for the powertrain traction associated with at least one internal combustion engine, and at least one passenger compartment air conditioning unit comprising a plurality of air circulation flaps, and a passenger compartment heating circuit, said vehicle comprising a high-temperature cooling circuit for cooling said at least one internal combustion engine, a low-temperature cooling circuit for at least one electric powertrain powered by an electrochemical energy storage system, and a very low-temperature cooling circuit for cooling said electrochemical energy storage system. According to the invention, said passenger compartment air conditioning unit is arranged to allow the separation of two independent airflows, one for air conditioning the passenger compartment of said vehicle and the other for heat exchange with the environment external to said vehicle, and in that said thermal management system of said vehicle is arranged to,When said vehicle is in a long descent phase, control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle in at least one heat sink consisting of an element of said very low temperature cooling circuit and / or said low temperature cooling circuit and / or said high temperature cooling circuit, by coupling said high temperature cooling circuit with at least one heat transfer fluid loop of said vehicle and with said passenger compartment air conditioning unit, and by coupling the heat sink consisting of an element of said very low temperature cooling circuit to said low temperature cooling circuit, in an additional operating mode to increase the electrical power dissipated by the thermal systems comprising said vehicle and to increase the cooling potential of said at least one internal combustion engine.

[0020] Thanks to the invention, it is possible to quickly dissipate excess power produced by the vehicle using an on-board energy source.

[0021] Advantageously, said thermal management system of said vehicle is arranged to, when said vehicle is in a long descent phase, control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle by using said at least one heat sink differently from its nominal use, and by directing said air circulation flaps of said at least one cabin air conditioning unit to reject excess thermal energy outside the vehicle as required for cabin comfort.

[0022] Thus, in order to quickly dissipate excess power, the thermal components already present on the vehicle in the high-temperature cooling circuit are used as energy dissipators, other than in their usual mode of use.

[0023] More specifically, said thermal management system is arranged to control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle in at least one heat sink consisting of an element of said high-temperature cooling circuit, in at least one heat sink consisting of an element of said low-temperature cooling circuit and / or said very low-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling at least one first circulation pump or a second circulation pump included in said high-temperature cooling circuit to manage the flow through a heater included in said passenger compartment air conditioning unit, by controlling a first valve and a second valve included in said high-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling a third circulation pump and a fourth circulation pump and a third valve and / or a fourth valve included in said low-temperature cooling circuit to regulate the flow in a possible electric supercharger of said at least one internal combustion engine, a possible electric air conditioning compressor,a first electric heater comprising the vehicle's passenger compartment heating circuit, a second electric heater comprising said electrochemical energy storage unit, a first motor-fan assembly comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit associated with a first radiator, a second motor-fan assembly comprising said low-temperature cooling circuit associated with a second radiator, said at least one electric powertrain, a DC / DC converter, a passenger compartment coolant / refrigerant heat exchanger, and by directing said air circulation flaps of said at least one passenger compartment air conditioning unit to expel excess thermal energy from the vehicle as required for passenger compartment comfort.

[0024] Thus, in order to quickly dissipate excess power, the thermal components already present on the vehicle in the high temperature cooling circuit, and / or in the low temperature cooling circuit, and / or in the very low temperature cooling circuit, are used as energy dissipators, other than in their usual mode of use.

[0025] More particularly, said thermal management system is arranged to control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle in at least one heat sink consisting of an element of said high-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling at least one first circulation pump or a second circulation pump included in said high-temperature cooling circuit to manage the flow through an air heater included in said passenger compartment air conditioning unit, by controlling a first valve and a second valve included in said high-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling a first electric heater included in said vehicle passenger compartment heating circuit.

[0026] Thus, the flow through the air heater is managed optimally.

[0027] More specifically, said thermal management system is arranged to control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle in the less a heat sink consisting of an element of said high-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling at least a first circulation pump or a second circulation pump included in said high-temperature cooling circuit to manage the flow through a first radiator, by controlling a first valve and a second valve included in said high-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling a first electric heater included in said vehicle passenger compartment heating circuit, by controlling a first motor-fan assembly included in said high-temperature cooling circuit associated with the first radiator.

[0028] Thus, the first radiator also constitutes a source of dissipation of excess thermal power produced by said vehicle.

[0029] Advantageously, said thermal management system is arranged to control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle in at least one heat sink constituted by an element of said low-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling a third circulation pump and a fourth circulation pump and a third valve and / or a fourth valve comprising said low-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling a second electric heater of said electrochemical energy storage system comprising said low-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling a second motor-fan assembly comprising said low-temperature cooling circuit associated with a second radiator, by controlling said at least one electric powertrain, a DC / DC converter comprising said low-temperature cooling circuit,and a coolant / cabin refrigerant heat exchanger, which is part of said low-temperature cooling circuit.

[0030] Thus, the control of the pumps and valves of the low temperature circuit allows a rapid reaction to the observation of a need to dissipate excess power.

[0031] More particularly, said thermal management system is arranged to control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle in at least one heat sink constituted by an element of said high-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling at least said first circulation pump or one of said circulation pumps included in said high-temperature cooling circuit to manage the flow through a heater included in said passenger compartment air conditioning unit, by controlling said first valve and said second valve included in said high-temperature cooling circuit, by controlling said third circulation pump and said fourth circulation pump and said third valve and / or said fourth valve included in said low-temperature cooling circuit, an electric air conditioning compressor, an optional electric supercharger compressor for said internal combustion engine,said first heater, electric which comprises the vehicle passenger compartment heating circuit, said second electric heater of said electrochemical storage of motor power, said first motor-fan unit which comprises said high temperature cooling circuit associated with a first radiator, said second motor-fan unit which comprises said low temperature cooling circuit associated with said second radiator, said at least one electric powertrain unit, said DC / DC converter, said coolant / passenger compartment refrigerant exchanger.

[0032] Thus, the control of the pumps and valves of the high-temperature circuit also allows a rapid reaction to the observation of a need to dissipate excess power.

[0033] More specifically, said vehicle passenger compartment heating circuit is replaced or supplemented by a thermoregulation circuit for said electrochemical motor storage at very low temperature, under the action of said coolant / passenger compartment refrigerant exchanger.

[0034] This optimizes heat exchange in the vehicle.

[0035] More specifically, said second electric heater is connected to said electrochemical motor storage, or to said low temperature cooling circuit, or to said very low temperature thermoregulation circuit, to provide said vehicle with an additional source of power dissipation without impacting other components.

[0036] Thus, the best use is made of all existing thermal components to dissipate excess power.

[0037] Advantageously, said second heater of said low temperature cooling circuit is coupled with said first heater of said high temperature cooling circuit, on a branch of the circuit carrying said air heater in order to provide heating of the passenger compartment, and with the radiator of the high temperature cooling circuit while bypassing said internal combustion engine.

[0038] Overall efficiency is thus improved.

[0039] Advantageously, a single heater is connected with said radiator of the high-temperature cooling circuit.

[0040] This simple arrangement lightens the entire thermal circuit of the vehicle.

[0041] The invention will be further detailed by describing non-limiting embodiments, and based on the accompanying figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig. 1] schematically illustrates a high-temperature cooling circuit of a heat engine, driven by a first pump which propels a cooling fluid into it; [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a low temperature cooling circuit of an electric powertrain, consisting of an electric machine, its inverter and a reducer, which converts into mechanical energy making the vehicle move the electrical energy supplied, either by the internal combustion engine, and / or by an electrochemical storage of drive, i.e. a high voltage battery regulated by a very low temperature cooling circuit comprising a liquid coolant / cabin refrigerant exchanger called chiller; [Fig.3] schematically illustrates a passenger compartment air conditioning unit advantageously implemented for each variant of the invention, comprising two separate ducts; [Fig.4] is a diagram that illustrates the activation of the power dissipation function during a downhill journey; [Fig.5] illustrates a configuration of the high-temperature cooling circuit of [Fig.1] suitable for a first arrangement, with activation of a first heater, even without any need to heat and / or defrost / demist the passenger compartment; [Fig.6] illustrates a configuration suitable for a second arrangement, in a "full cold" operating mode, in case of a large demand for cooling of the air supplied to the passenger compartment and with at the same time a large need for dissipation of excess power; [Fig.7] illustrates a third arrangement, which makes it possible to increase the dissipation of thermal power through an air heater by passing through it colder cooling air, taken downstream of the evaporator of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit; [Fig.8] illustrates a fourth arrangement, according to a configuration which allows the dissipation of excess power from the vehicle to be increased by disconnecting the first electric heater from the passenger compartment heating branch and connecting it to the high-temperature radiator for cooling the internal combustion engine, with the engine running; [Fig.9] illustrates a variant of [Fig.8], in a non-rotating motor configuration; [Fig. 10] illustrates a fifth arrangement, according to a configuration such that the first heater of the passenger compartment dissipates thermal power to the outside air, both through the high-temperature radiator, in accordance with the fourth arrangement of [Fig. 8], and at the same time through the air heater; - [Fig. 11] illustrates a sixth arrangement, according to a configuration which activates simultaneously and deliberately inefficiently the electric heater of the electrochemical motor storage unit and the air conditioning compressor included in the vehicle's refrigeration circuit; - [Fig. 12] illustrates a variant of the configuration according to [Fig. 11] in which the electrochemical drive storage unit is forced to cool down, via the coolant / cabin coolant exchanger, to a temperature below 25°C, and in which the electric heater of the electrochemical drive storage unit is disconnected from the very low temperature cooling circuit and connected to the low temperature cooling radiator; - [Fig. 13] illustrates a motor vehicle capable of implementing the process according to the invention, comprising a thermal management system controlling a high-temperature cooling circuit associated with a thermal engine, a passenger compartment heating circuit associated with a passenger compartment air conditioning unit, a very low-temperature cooling circuit associated with an electrochemical traction storage unit, and a low-temperature cooling circuit associated with an electric powertrain.

[0042] The invention relates to a method of energy regulation during the long descent phase of a hybrid motor vehicle 1000 comprising at least one internal combustion engine 50, a thermal management system 500 of the powertrain associated with this at least one internal combustion engine, and at least one cabin air conditioning unit 30 comprising a plurality of air circulation flaps, and a cabin heating circuit 110.

[0043] The method according to the invention addresses the need to dissipate excess electrical power generated by the vehicle, particularly during long descents, as thermal power through the vehicle's thermal management systems and its equipment. In this specific case, an additional power dissipation source is implemented to increase the electrical power that can be dissipated by the vehicle's thermal systems.

[0044] This additional power dissipation source is implemented by dedicating the heater core, when it is not needed because it is bypassed by air within the HVAC cabin air conditioning unit, to additional power dissipation. An airflow, originating from outside or from the passenger compartment or drawn from within the HVAC cabin air conditioning unit, passes through the heater core and is then discharged outside the HVAC cabin air conditioning unit and the passenger compartment, into the underbody or underhood environment.

[0045] Document FR3070315 Bl, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a particular 30 HVAC cabin air conditioning unit, comprising an additional air circuit having a dedicated air intake and blower and which opens into the main circuit between the heater and the evaporator, downstream of the distribution flap, an air outlet outside the vehicle and an air outlet control flap, so that the distribution flap also allows the air from the additional air circuit to pass through the heater or not.

[0046] The electric heater of the electrochemical energy storage unit is arranged in parallel with the passenger compartment refrigerant / cooling fluid exchanger, also called chiller, for cooling the electrochemical energy storage unit and the latter, whose very low temperature heat transfer circuit is controlled, i.e. connected to the low temperature cooling circuit or separated from the low temperature cooling circuit.

[0047] The method according to the invention takes into account the need to dissipate as thermal power, by the thermal management systems of the vehicle and in particular of the engine, the excess electrical power generated by the vehicle.

[0048] The thermal engine providing traction is in particular an internal combustion engine, equipped or not with a turbocharger itself assisted or not by an electric compressor.

[0049] In this proven case, an additional power dissipation source is implemented to increase the electrical power dissipated by the vehicle's thermal systems and, in other operating cases, the engine's cooling potential.

[0050] An additional device allows the conventionally used electric heater to be disconnected from the passenger compartment heating branch and coupled to the engine cooling branch, carrying the high-temperature radiator, while bypassing the engine so as not to disturb its thermal regulation.

[0051] The method manages the conditions for entering the dissipation mode of excess electrical power generated by the vehicle, as well as the associated actions to be carried out.

[0052] At least one valve, located within the engine cooling circuit, on the branch containing the cabin heating heat exchanger (air heater), allows in certain operating modes the cabin heater to be coupled directly to the radiator branch while inhibiting the circulation of the hot coolant, from the heater, within the engine in order not to disturb its thermal regulation and impair its durability.

[0053] The vehicle's HVAC unit 30 includes an additional air circuit, comprising a dedicated air intake and blower, which connects to the main circuit between the heater and the evaporator, downstream of the distribution flap. It also includes an air outlet outside the vehicle and a control flap for the air outlet, such that the distribution flap allows the air from the additional air circuit to pass through the heater or not. The outlet end of a first additional duct opens upstream of the heater via a dedicated, controlled flap. A second duct, located immediately downstream of the heater and with one end also controlled by a dedicated flap, opens into the environment under the hood or, preferably, under the body, in a low-pressure area to facilitate the sizing of the additional blower (pressure jump and required airflow).The air heater is then separated from the passenger compartment and made available to dissipate additional thermal power, thereby increasing the electrical power dissipated by the vehicle's thermal systems and increasing the vehicle's heat dissipation capacity.

[0054] The air heater is available to dissipate additional power to dissipate or increase the electrical power dissipated by the vehicle's thermal systems, and also to increase the vehicle's heat dissipation capacity to cool the engine.

[0055] Non-limiting examples of implementation of this disclosure are described below; other embodiments may naturally take various forms. Of course, various features illustrated and described with reference to one or more figures may be isolated, or combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described.

[0056] [Fig-1] to [Fig. 12] illustrate a cooling architecture with three circuits heat transfer fluids implemented within the framework of the invention.

[0057] [Fig. 1] details the high-temperature cooling circuit 100 of a heat engine 50, driven by a first pump 11 which propels a coolant, for example a demineralized water / ethylene glycol mixture with a volume concentration of ethylene glycol of 30%-50%, or similar.

[0058] A water outlet housing 60, referred to as BSE, collects the coolant flow from the main passage of the internal combustion engine 50, coming from the cylinder head, and from secondary passages that may be arranged parallel to the cylinder head, such as, for example, the cooling lines of a heat exchanger between the coolant and the lubricating oil of the engine and / or the crankcase and bearings of a turbocharger, and distributes it to a fan heater 24 (to contribute to heating the passenger compartment) and / or to an EGR heat exchanger (for "recirculation of exhaust gas”, for cooling the recirculated exhaust gases, not shown in the figures) and / or the cooling radiator 12 (which ensures the evacuation to the outside air of the calories dissipated by the internal combustion engine 50 and / or other components of the drive chain such as a transmission, and therefore ensures its or their cooling). To this end, the BSE 60 incorporates a thermostat, in particular a double-acting thermostat 61, and advantageously a pressure-sensing valve 62 which judiciously obstructs the way to a bypass tube 69 from a bypass conduit made in the BSE 60, downstream of the thermostat, when the pressure acting on this pressure-sensing valve 62 (dependent on the engine speed) is less than a predetermined threshold (for example so that this pressure-sensing valve 62 is closed for an engine speed Nmot less than or equal to 1500 rpm, or 2500 rpm, or any other suitable value).The double-acting thermostat 61, shown here at the outlet of the heat engine 50 in the water outlet housing 60, can be located at the inlet of the first pump 11, in particular a water pump, without changing the scope of the invention.

[0059] Reference number 501 is a location that can be occupied by the compressor of a conventional turbocharger, which is not electrically driven but by the rotation of the turbine generated by the temperature and flow rate of the exhaust gases. An optional electric compressor can be installed in series or in parallel, on the air intake line, of the conventional turbocharger's compressor. This location can also include a coolant / oil heat exchanger for the internal combustion engine.

[0060] [Fig. 1] illustrates, on a branch of the vehicle's passenger compartment heating circuit 110, which is located within the high-temperature cooling circuit 100 of the internal combustion engine 50, a second pump 23, preferably of the electric type, which propels the coolant (LR) through an air heater 24 (heat exchanger between this liquid and the air entering the passenger compartment) upstream of which is located a first heater 25, for example of the electric type, which can be activated to heat the passenger compartment in cold ambient conditions, assisting or not a heat pump not shown (implemented by a particular configuration of the refrigerant circuit).

[0061] The first heater 25 and the second pump 23, separate from the first heater 25 or integrated within the first heater 25, are advantageously arranged between two valves: a first valve 15, here a 4-way valve, whose inlets and outlets are marked Ax, and a second valve 18, here a 4-way valve whose ports are marked Bx.

[0062] As an alternative not illustrated, the upstream and downstream ends of the combination of the first heater 25 and the second pump 23 are connected to two ends of a valve unique distribution, not shown, replacing the first valve 15 and the second valve 18.

[0063] The second pump 23 is indifferently arranged upstream or downstream of the first heater 25, preferably upstream in order to promote its suction of coolant, but always between the first valve 15 and the second valve 18 in this preferred embodiment.

[0064] In yet another alternative, the first heater 25 of [Fig.1] is replaced by an air heater disposed in the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30, or in an air duct opening into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0065] The first valve 15 is arranged within the high temperature circuit 100 according to the following configuration of its different ways A1, A2, A3, A4.

[0066] The A1 route constitutes a coolant inlet in the first valve 15, connected to a pipe connected to the outlet of the water outlet housing 60 and to the outlet of the high-temperature radiator 12 for cooling the internal combustion engine 50, assisted by a first motor-fan unit 13. The pipe 64 located between the outlet pipe 121 of the high-temperature radiator 12 and the outlet pipe 65 of the water outlet housing 60 to the air heater 24 carries a first non-return valve 66, shown closed in [Fig.1].

[0067] Way A2 constitutes a coolant outlet from the first valve 15, connected to the inlet of the first electric heater 25 for heating the passenger compartment.

[0068] The A3 route is connected to the air heater 24, and can, depending on the operating modes, constitute an inlet or outlet of coolant from the first valve 15.

[0069] The A4 line constitutes a coolant outlet of the first valve 15, and is connected by a pipe 112 to the inlet 111 of the first coolant pump 11 of the internal combustion engine 50.

[0070] The second valve 18 is arranged within the high temperature circuit 100 as follows, and has four ways Bl, B2, B3, B4.

[0071] The Bl route constitutes a coolant inlet into the second valve 18, connected to the outlet of the first electric heater 25 for heating the passenger compartment;

[0072] Way B2 is connected to the air heater 24 and can, depending on the operating modes, constitute an inlet or outlet of coolant for the second valve 18.

[0073] Way B3 constitutes a coolant outlet of the second valve 18 and is connected to the inlet 111 of the first pump 11 of the heat engine 50.

[0074] Way B4 constitutes a coolant outlet of the second valve 18, connected to a pipe 68 carrying a second check valve 67 and connecting to the inlet of the high-temperature radiator 12 for cooling the internal combustion engine 50. The second check valve 67, shown closed in [Fig.1], is located downstream of way B4, and upstream of the connection of this pipe 68 with a connecting pipe 122 between the outlet of the water outlet housing 60 and the inlet of the high-temperature radiator 12.

[0075] Advantageously, the high-temperature circuit 100 also includes at least one venting branch from the heat engine 50 (for example, from a high point on the heat engine 50 or its water outlet housing 60) and / or from the high-temperature radiator 12 (for example, from a high point on the inlet connecting pipe 122 to the high-temperature radiator 12 or on the inlet water box of the high-temperature radiator 12), and connecting to a first venting box (not shown), and / or to an expansion vessel (not shown), the outlet of which connects to the inlet of the first pump 11, either directly, or via the outlet pipe 121 of the high-temperature radiator 12, downstream of the connection between the outlet pipe 121 of the high-temperature radiator 12 and the outlet pipe from the water outlet housing 60 to the air heater 24, or even to the bypass tube 69, at the inlet 111 of the first pump 11 of the internal combustion engine 50.

[0076] Certain particular configurations of the first valve 15 and the second valve 18 and of the high temperature circuit are summarized below.

[0077] In a first configuration, with the internal combustion engine 50 running, the outlet of the water outlet housing 60 is connected to the inlet of the air heater 24, and the outlet of the air heater 24 is connected to the inlet of the first pump 11, in order to ensure, through the air heater 24, the heating of the passenger compartment by the sole thermal losses of the internal combustion engine 50: the first heater 25 and the second pump 23 are inactive, on the first valve 15 the ports A1 and A3 are connected together and the ports A2 and A4 are closed, on the second valve 18 the ports B2 and B3 are connected together and the ports B1 and B4 are closed.

[0078] In a second configuration, with the internal combustion engine 50 running, the heating of the passenger compartment through the air heater 24 is ensured by the heat losses of the internal combustion engine 50 assisted by the operation of the first heater 25: the first heater 25 is active and the second pump 23 is active or not, on the first valve 15 the A1 and A2 ports are connected together and the A3 and A4 ports are connected together, on the second valve 18 the B1 and B2 ports are connected together and the B3 and B4 ports are closed.

[0079] In a third configuration, with the internal combustion engine 50 not running and the first pump 11 inactive, the air heater 24 is disconnected from the high-temperature circuit 100, and the first heater 25 is connected to the internal combustion engine 50 in order to provide ICE thermal preconditioning "off in plug-in phase", i.e. when the engine 50 is stopped / switched off and while the vehicle is connected or plugged into an external power source (high-voltage electrical network of the place of residence, work, motorway, shopping center, or high-voltage electrical network of a second vehicle to which the first vehicle is connected and from which the first vehicle draws electrical energy, or other): the first heater 25 and the second pump 18 are active, the bypass pressure relief valve 62 in the water outlet housing 60 is closed and obstructs the passage of coolant through the engine bypass tube 69 to the water outlet housing 60 without passing through the cylinder block or the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine 50,On the first valve 15, ports A1 and A2 are connected together and ports A3 and A4 are closed (alternatively, pipe 112 connecting port A4 to the inlet of the first pump 11 is fitted with a non-return valve, not shown, inhibiting any circulation of coolant in this pipe towards port A4), and on the second valve 18, ports B1 and B3 are connected together and ports B2 and B4 are closed.

[0080] In a fourth configuration, with the internal combustion engine 50 running, whether the first pump 11 is active or not, the branch of the heating circuit 110 carrying the air heater 24 and the first heater 25 is disconnected from the high-temperature circuit 100, so as to reduce the flow and volume of coolant internal to the internal combustion engine 50 during the temperature rise phase or so as to increase, with the internal combustion engine 50 hot, the proportion of the flow through the high-temperature radiator 12 in the total flow of coolant through the internal combustion engine 50: the first heater 25 and the second pump 23 are inactive, on the first valve 15 the A1 is closed, on the second valve 18 the B3 is closed, the first check valve 66 and the second check valve 67 are closed.

[0081] [Fig.2] illustrates a low temperature cooling circuit 130 of an electric powertrain 40, i.e. an assembly consisting of an electric machine, its inverter and a reducer (in English EDU “electric drive unit”), which converts the electrical energy supplied, either by the motor 50, and / or by an electrochemical motor energy storage 26 (in English HVB “high voltage battery”) i.e. a high voltage battery, into mechanical energy causing the vehicle 1000 to move.

[0082] This low-temperature cooling circuit 130 includes a third pump 27 which propels a coolant through a low-temperature radiator 28 assisted by a second fan motor assembly 29. This low-temperature cooling circuit 130 also ensures the thermoregulation of various components: - if it exists, the charge air cooler 31, cooled by coolant (in English WCAC: "water-cooled charge air cooler") of the supply air of the internal combustion engine 50 (this cooler 31 is optional in a variant of direct cooling of the charge air by ambient air). The circulation of the coolant through the charge air cooler 31 WCAC is controlled by a third valve 32; - the electric motor and inverter of the intake air supercharging device, in particular an electric air compressor 35, for supercharging the internal combustion engine 50; - at least one second DC / DC converter 37; - at least partially, of the electrochemical motor storage unit 26: beyond a given demand on the electrochemical motor storage unit 26, and / or a given ambient temperature, this branch is dissociated by a fourth valve 38 from the low temperature circuit 130, and the thermoregulation of the electrochemical motor storage unit 26 is then ensured by a bypass of the refrigerant circuit (not illustrated in the figures) of the vehicle 1000 via a coolant / cabin refrigerant exchanger 41, called chiller, in which the coolant is driven by a fourth pump 42.

[0083] These latter components are advantageously, but not exclusively, arranged on branches of the circuit in parallel with each other.

[0084] The low temperature circuit 130 also carries a second heater 43, for example of the electric type.

[0085] A third conduit 44 and a fourth conduit 45 emerge respectively from the electrochemical motor storage unit 26 and the low temperature radiator 28 to enter a second degassing box 46 (both preferably above ground: above the maximum level of coolant in the second degassing box 46) from which the return 4627 of the coolant into the low temperature circuit 130 is carried out immediately upstream of the third pump 27 in order to ensure its pressurization.

[0086] The very low temperature cooling circuit 120 of the electrochemical drive storage unit 26 by the coolant / cabin refrigerant exchanger 41, more precisely coolant / refrigerant circuit fluid of the vehicle air conditioning system, called chiller, is illustrated in the lower part of [Fig.2].

[0087] In certain specific modes, the low-temperature cooling circuit 130 and the very low-temperature cooling circuit 120 mentioned above can be assembled in the same fluid loop, depending on the configuration taken by the fourth valve 38, or, in other cases, dissociated from each other, for example when the coolant / cabin coolant exchanger 41 is used to cool the electrochemical drive storage 26.

[0088] [Fig.3] details a passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 (HVAC) advantageously implemented for each variant of the invention. A recirculation flap 301, operated according to the vehicle equipment manually by the vehicle occupants and / or automatically by the function of piloting and regulating the air quality in the passenger compartment, selects the composition of the air drawn in by a blower 302, between a source entirely from the passenger compartment 3010 (INT in the figure) or from outside 3030 (EXT in the figure), in this case, via an air filter 303 arranged upstream of the recirculation flap 301.

[0089] In a first configuration, an evaporator 304, which is part of the refrigerant circuit, is located downstream and immediately at the outlet of the blower 302, regardless of the operating mode of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 and the refrigerant circuit. The air to be air-conditioned then passes through the evaporator 304, even if the refrigeration is inactive or if this passage is not necessary (air pressure losses in the evaporator 304 impacting the electrical consumption of the blower 302 to overcome them).

[0090] Immediately downstream of the evaporator 304, a local or global lower part is provided with an exhaust duct 305 to carry away to the outside of the vehicle the condensate produced during the operation of the refrigeration (example: condensation on the evaporator of the humidity contained in the air drawn in from outside) so that it does not fall inside the passenger compartment and, for example, soil the carpet and / or generate a false alarm among the occupants, making them believe there is a leak in the heat transfer circuit or the refrigerant circuit.

[0091] A second distribution flap 306 allows the air from the evaporator 304 (whether the refrigeration circuit is active or not) to bypass or not a heater 24 (conventionally arranged to provide heating for the passenger compartment). Finally, a last series of distribution flaps 309, 310, 311 allows the air from the mixing chamber, at the outlet of the heat exchangers (evaporator 304, heater 24), to be directed towards the different targeted areas in the passenger compartment (windowed areas to be defrosted / demisted if necessary, lower and / or upper parts of the passenger compartment).

[0092] The invention relies on an additional duct 312, which is disposed between an air inlet 319 and the upstream side of the air heater 24, and is equipped with an additional blower 313, and diverts the air passing through this additional duct 312 around the evaporator 304. The inlet end 319 of the additional duct 312 preferably opens upstream of the recirculation flap 301, on the side of the outside air inlet 3030 so as not to compete, in certain operating modes, with the The passenger compartment is cooled without increasing the noise of air intake by the two blowers 302 and 313, and downstream of the filter 303, to prevent dust or impurities from outside from entering the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 and the passenger compartment. The outlet end of this additional duct 312 opens upstream of the heater 24 and is controlled by a dedicated flap 314.

[0093] A second conduit 315, located immediately downstream of the air heater 24 and one end of which is also controlled by a dedicated flap 316, opens into the environment under the hood or preferably under the body, in a low-pressure area in order to promote the sizing of the additional blower 313 (pressure jump and air flow to be supplied).

[0094] The control of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30, and more specifically the bypassing of the evaporator 304, relies in particular on information relating to the degree of humidity present in the passenger compartment and more specifically at the level of the front windows of the vehicle (windshield and left and right side windows). The principle described above applies equally to a basic single-zone passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 or to a so-called "dual-zone" type.

[0095] This particular arrangement is necessary due to the problem of excess power dissipation by the heater. Without this air conditioning unit arranged in this way, the power dissipation capacity would be too limited, due to the resulting limitations on passenger compartment thermal comfort. This approach makes it possible to reconcile currently conflicting needs.

[0096] [Fig.4] shows the activation of the power dissipation function during a The route is downhill. The dashed line represents the change in the road's gradient over time along this route: it begins with a flat section (zero gradient), then the vehicle enters (at the first SI star on the dashed line) a long descent (the gradient remains negative throughout this section). Consequently, the vehicle power required (thick solid line) to maintain a constant speed (at the driver's setpoint) is initially positive but relatively low while the vehicle is traveling on the flat, then becomes negative as soon as the vehicle begins the descent.

[0097] This required vehicle power is determined based on information transmitted by the coasting and speed control functions (set and actual vehicle speeds and acceleration, wheel rotation speeds, steering wheel angle, estimated vehicle mass obtained from trailer connection information, or other factors), the position, speed, and deflection of the brake pedal by the driver, as well as various power levels, or, in the case of a hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine, information transmitted by the internal combustion engine control unit 50 (engine speed, coolant temperature). cooling, air intake valve, friction loss torque, engine torque taken from all consumers, pumping loss torque, turbocharger control data, especially if variable geometry, exhaust back pressure, valve timing control - exhaust and intake, current status of the fuel injection system and injection into the combustion chambers, control - especially of the temperature - of the emissions control devices, and others).

[0098] The algorithm calculates a torque offset to compensate for a slope or a load on the wheel torque. The vehicle's acceleration is limited within a minimum / maximum range, taking into account the vehicle speed. An acceleration exceeding the maximum limit is then due either to a negative slope (downhill) or to a load lower than the nominal load. Conversely, an acceleration below the minimum limit is then due either to a positive slope (uphill) or to a load higher than the nominal load. The acceleration limit is then set as the controller's target.

[0099] The thin dashed line represents the time evolution of the state of charge (SoC) of the electrochemical motor storage unit 26: the state of charge is slightly decreasing as long as the vehicle is moving on the flat, while the electrochemical motor storage unit 26, assisted or not by the internal combustion engine depending on the configuration and / or control of the powertrain, provides the electric powertrain (EDU) with the power needed to move the vehicle, and the power from regenerative braking (thin solid line) is then zero and the temperature of the friction braking system (thick dashed line) is constant and low (this system is not being used).

[0100] As the vehicle enters the descent and progresses downhill, the power from regenerative braking increases sharply and then remains positive (thin solid line): consequently, the state of charge of the electrochemical energy storage unit 26 increases (thin dashed line) until it reaches a state of charge close to, but lower than (second star S2), the maximum permissible state of charge of the electrochemical energy storage unit 26 (value between 85% and 97%); at the same time, the temperature of the friction braking system (thick dashed line) increases slightly. When the maximum permissible state of charge of the electrochemical energy storage unit 26 is reached, it can no longer be charged and its state of charge is maintained constant; the friction braking system then takes over to control the vehicle's speed, and its temperature increases more sharply.At a temperature close to, by lower value (third star S3) the maximum temperature (500°C to 600°C) accessible by the friction braking system, the power dissipation process is activated (lightning S4 on the curve in thick dotted lines): . hitherto unused (flat curve: zero power value to dissipate), this process requires a positive power level to dissipate, which varies over time.

[0101] Thus, the activation of this process occurs when the following three conditions are met: - slope: the threshold can be set at strictly 0° angle or 0% slope, or at any value of downward angle or downward slope; - charge acceptance of the electrochemical motor storage unit 26: this manifests itself either by a high state of charge value as in the previous example, above a threshold (second star S2), or by a reduced charge acceptance of the electrochemical motor storage unit 26 due to its temperature (in order not to degrade it by high charging currents, and thus avoid any phenomenon such as "lithium plating", i.e. formation of metallic lithium around the anode during charging, formation of dendrites, or other, internal to the cells of the electrochemical motor storage unit 26). - and the temperature of the friction braking system, measured or calculated.

[0102] Alternatively, the power dissipation process is activated when the first two conditions are met only, without waiting for a temperature threshold of the braking system to be reached.

[0103] Upon activation, the power dissipation process evaluates in real time and continuously: - on the one hand, the total power to be dissipated, taking into account the ongoing dynamics of the vehicle (in particular according to the evolution of the speed); - but also, the total power that can be dissipated, from nominal operating conditions and in degraded operating mode of the potential heat sinks.

[0104] These heat sinks include, in particular, the internal combustion engine, whose power dissipation mode is activated according to, in particular, its temperature, an electric supercharger of the internal combustion engine, the electric air conditioning compressor, the electric heater located on the vehicle's passenger compartment heating circuit, the electric heater of the HVB storage unit, the heat transfer circuit pumps, the cooling fan units of the high temperature and low temperature / very low temperature circuits and of the refrigerant circuit, the electrical machine(s), and all direct current / direct current (DC / DC) converters or inverters.

[0105] The electric air conditioning compressor is not shown in the figures to avoid overloading them, nor is the refrigerant circuit to which the chiller 41 belongs, i.e., the passenger compartment refrigerant / cooling fluid heat exchanger (for the portion of the refrigerant flowing through it). The operation of the electric compressor air conditioning depends on the thermal conditioning requirements of the passenger compartment and / or the electrochemical drive storage unit 26 (either separately or both at the same time) via the passenger compartment coolant / coolant exchanger 41, the thermal comfort setpoint or defrosting / demisting of the passenger compartment, the outside temperature, the relative humidity, the temperature of the electrochemical storage unit 26 and inter- and intra-cell thermal gradients, the current and the integral of the current exchanged over time passing through the electrochemical drive storage unit 26.

[0106] The operation of the first heater 25, in particular an electric heater, located on the vehicle passenger compartment heating circuit 110 depends, on the one hand, on the flow rate and temperature of the coolant that passes through it, and on the other hand, on the availability of a potential for dissipating this thermal power.

[0107] Regarding the flow rate and temperature of the coolant passing through it, such a first heater 25 can usually dissipate its maximum rated power up to a given coolant temperature: for example, 50°C to 60°C, then this maximum dissipated power decreases steadily as the coolant temperature increases. It is therefore advisable to have a heat dissipation capacity equal to this power, in order to regulate the coolant temperature through this heater to a value that allows the dissipation of its maximum rated power.

[0108] A potential for dissipating this thermal power is available in particular, through the air heater 24 in the passenger compartment or to the outside air, depending on the configurations taken by the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30, in particular according to [Fig.3], (the second pump 23 being active at full power as well as at a minimum the additional blower 313 of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 according to the constraints of ventilation noise perceptible in the passenger compartment), and according to the temperature and air flow passing through the air heater 24 (according to the setpoint applied to the blower 302 and the additional blower 313 of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30).

[0109] The availability of a potential for dissipating this thermal power exists through the high-temperature radiator 12 for cooling the internal combustion engine 50, which dissipates this power to the outside air via the operation at maximum power of its second pump 23, via the positions, described by the figures below, taken by the first valve 15 and by the second valve 18, which allow the coolant from the first heater 25 to pass through the high-temperature radiator 12 at maximum flow rate, and via the operation at the maximum permissible power of the first motor-fan group 13, subject to a limitation to a maximum threshold in particular due to noise and vibration nuisances.

[0110] The technology and operation of the electric heater 43 of the electrochemical energy storage unit 26 are analogous to those of the electric heater 25. The power dissipation potential is made possible by the connection of this second heater 43 between the low temperature cooling circuit 130 and the very low temperature cooling circuit 120.

[0111] The heat transfer circuit pumps (first pump 11, second pump 23, third pump 27, fourth pump 42) are advantageously activated at full power in order to dissipate the maximum of excess electrical power and ensure the cooling of components whose operation is intentionally degraded and inefficient.

[0112] The cooling fan motor groups, referenced as first fan motor group 13 of the high temperature circuit, and second fan motor group 29 of the low temperature / very low temperature circuit, and of the refrigerant circuit (not shown, to contribute to / ensure the condensation of the refrigerant fluid within the condenser also not shown), are also activated at their maximum permissible powers (in order to dissipate the maximum excess electrical power) (taking into account the acoustic and vibrational constraints induced by their operation and their rotation speeds, relative to each other, taking into account their relative arrangements).

[0113] With regard to the electrical machine(s), their operation is intentionally made inefficient in order to dissipate the maximum electrical power, at the maximum of their thermal capability (maximum winding temperatures: winding insulation, coil heads; where applicable, magnets, or other) and the thermal dissipation potential of the low temperature circuit 130. Where applicable, if the vehicle 1000 was previously in two-wheel drive mode (FWD (front wheel drive) or RWD (rear wheel drive)), the AWD four-wheel drive mode is engaged, in order to dissipate more electrical power.

[0114] It is possible to dissipate power at all DC / DC converters or inverters by increasing the switching frequency (transistors, diodes, IGBTs, MOSFETs). Switching losses are increased, therefore more power is dissipated. This deliberately inefficient operating mode depends on the internal temperature of the semiconductor and inductor components, transformers, capacitors, connectors, cables, busbars, and printed circuit boards, and on the temperature of the coolant flowing through these subsystems (converters, inverters) within the low-temperature cooling circuit 130.

[0115] In general, the electrical operation of all these heat sinks also depends on their supply voltage.

[0116] From the total power to be dissipated and taking into account the total power that can be dissipated through the previous heat sinks, first of which is the heat engine 50, the availability of a potential for dissipating this thermal power exists through and taking into account different configurations taken by the cabin air conditioning unit 30 and the high temperature 100, low temperature 130, very low temperature 120 heat transfer circuits, which will be described later, the power dissipation process then determines the power remaining to be dissipated through the other heat sinks.

[0117] The power dissipation process determines the remaining power to be dissipated through the different heat sinks according to a hierarchy which is preferably established in order to limit the use of this demanding mode of operation for these other heat sinks.

[0118] Alternatively, arbitration can be carried out in parallel and by reallocating the effective power to be dissipated in proportion to the dissipable power.

[0119] If the power to be dissipated is less than or equal to the power dissipated by the heat engine 50 alone, then none of the other heat sinks listed previously are used.

[0120] If the power to be dissipated is greater than the power dissipated by the heat engine 50 alone and less than or equal to the sum of the powers dissipated by each of the heat sinks listed previously, then either an order is established between these heat sinks: the first, in this case the heat engine 50 at 100% of its dissipated power, then the second at 100% and so on until the power to be dissipated is satisfied, or all the heat sinks are used up to their dissipated power plus the ratio between the sum of the dissipated powers and the power to be dissipated.

[0121] In particular, the maximum current dissipable power of an electric supercharging air compressor of the internal combustion engine 50 is determined taking into account its operating conditions: outside temperature, altitude, axial load on the bearings of the electric motor of the compressor, internal temperatures of the electric motor and of the compressor inverter, air temperature at the inlet of the compressor and at the inlet of the cylinders of the internal combustion engine 50 taking into account in particular the operation of the supercharging air cooler 31 WCAC, operating pressure (avoiding compressor pumping), compressor rotation speed (avoiding any overspeed), internal temperature of the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine 50 and exhaust gas temperature (upstream of the turbocharger turbine).

[0122] Another alternative, illustrated in [Fig.4], consists of identifying different power levels to be dissipated (for example, four levels Niv1, Niv2, Niv3, Niv4, as in [Fig.4]) and associating, with each of these levels, different strategies for dissipable power, for example at least one given heat sink for the first level, and the addition of at least one different heat sink for the second level and so on, or variable dissipation levels for at least one heat sink (example: inefficient operation of the electrical machine(s)).

[0123] Seven provisions presented below, which are not exhaustive, can be implemented in order to increase the power dissipated by the heat sinks.

[0124] [Fig. 5] illustrates a configuration suitable for a first arrangement. The first Heater 25 is activated, even when there is no need to heat and / or defrost / demist the passenger compartment, and is supplied with excess electrical power, which it transforms into thermal power. This thermal power is then transported by the activation of the second pump 23 within the passenger compartment heating circuit via the air heater 24. To this end, ports A2 and A3 of the first valve 15 are connected together, as are ports B1 and B2 of the second valve 18, whether the internal combustion engine 50 is running or not, and regardless of the position of the thermostat 61. The air heater 24 transfers this heat to the outside air, taking into account the configuration then assumed by the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 according to the second or third arrangement described below.

[0125] In the first arrangement according to the configuration of [Fig. 5], the excess electrical power, converted into thermal power by the first heater 25 then active in the passenger compartment heating circuit, may not be able to be dissipated through the air heater, given the conventional operating modes of a passenger compartment air conditioning unit according to the prior art, if it is likely to degrade thermal comfort and / or the demisting / defrosting of the passenger compartment. In this case, this first heater 25 is deactivated, its current dissipative power is reduced to zero, and the powertrain loses an opportunity for power dissipation.

[0126] In the configuration of the first arrangement according to [Fig.5], the cabin air conditioning unit 30 adopts the operating mode illustrated in a second arrangement in [Fig.6], while the cabin air conditioning unit 30 is in "full cold" mode to meet a significant demand for refrigeration of the air supplied to the cabin.

[0127] The air heater 24 is then not unused (as is the case in the prior art, because it is totally bypassed by the air passing through the air conditioning unit of the passenger compartment 30) but on the contrary is usefully devoted to the dissipation of excess electrically generated thermal power produced by the vehicle going downhill.

[0128] Thus, a passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 according to the present invention, while ensuring the required refrigeration of the passenger compartment, simultaneously supplies the air heater 24 with an airflow from outside 3030 or recirculated from the passenger compartment 3010, this airflow then being, downstream of the air heater 24, rejected outside the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 and the passenger compartment, into the environment under the body or under the hood by a second duct 315, without degrading the acoustic, olfactory and thermal comfort then provided in the passenger compartment.

[0129] A passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 thus makes it possible to provide additional power dissipation (without implementing an additional heat exchanger) made available by the passage of air through the air heater. Conversely, in the same operating conditions, a state-of-the-art HVAC passenger compartment air conditioning unit does not exploit these additional heat exchange and power dissipation potentials since the air heater is completely bypassed by the air passing through the HVAC passenger compartment air conditioning unit, which is entirely dedicated to passenger compartment cooling.

[0130] [Fig. 6] illustrates the second arrangement, according to the configuration then assumed by the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 according to the invention in this "full cooling" operating mode, in the event of a high demand for cooling the air supplied to the passenger compartment and with, at the same time, a significant need for dissipation of excess power. The cooling is then active and the recirculation flap 301 directs the air to the evaporator 304 entirely from the passenger compartment recirculated air intake 3010. This position of the recirculation flap 301 connects the air intake of the additional duct 312 bypassing the evaporator 304 with the outside air intake 3030 downstream of the filter 303. This position of the recirculation flap 301 initiates the circulation through the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 of two separate airflows, which do not mix.

[0131] If, according to another non-preferred architecture, the air intake of the additional duct 312 bypassing the evaporator 304 is located downstream of the recirculation flap 301, through an additional flap situated between the recirculation flap 301 and the conventional blower 302 and thus open, then the additional duct 312 bypassing the evaporator 304 and the duct 3040 conveying air to the evaporator 304 are both supplied, via the same upstream duct downstream of the recirculation flap 301, by recirculated air from the passenger compartment 3010. Thus, according to this architecture, the additional duct 312 bypassing the evaporator 304 (for the dissipation of excess power) and the duct 3040 conveying air to the evaporator 304 (for the refrigeration of the passenger compartment) are in competition, requiring a corresponding increase in the rotation speeds of the conventional blower 302 and the additional blower 313 (with the effect, in particular, to increase accordingly the noise of the air intake by the two blowers 302 and 313) in order to at least maintain the flow of refrigerated air through the passenger compartment: this is therefore a non-preferred architecture.

[0132] In this "full cold" operating mode, in the event of a significant demand for cooling of the air supplied to the passenger compartment and with at the same time a significant need for power dissipation, the conventional blower 302 and additional blower 313 are activated and the flap 314 ensuring the outlet of the additional bypass duct 312 of the evaporator 304 into the mixing chamber 3070 of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 upstream of the air heater 24, is opened. The flap 306, which conventionally ensures the bypass of the air heater 24 by the air from the evaporator 304, then occupies a position such that all the airflow from the evaporator 304 bypasses the air heater 24 and that the airflow from the additional bypass duct 312 of the evaporator 304 passes entirely through the air heater 24. The flap 316 releases the fluidic connection of air downstream of the air heater 24 to a second duct 315 opening under the hood or preferably under the body.Thus, the airflow heated by passing through the heater 24 is discharged outside the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 and the passenger compartment, into the environment under the hood or under the body, without being mixed, downstream of the heater 24, with the airflow that has simultaneously passed through the evaporator 304 to be cooled before being introduced into the passenger compartment via the "head" ducts 311 and / or "foot" ducts 310 and / or "demist / defrost" ducts 309, depending on the position of the associated air distribution flaps. This configuration of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 in "full cooling" mode, particularly due to the position of the recirculation flap 301, creates two separate, independent air circuits through the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30, which do not mix.

[0133] A third arrangement in the configuration of [Fig.7] allows the dissipation of thermal power through the air heater 24 to be increased by passing through it colder cooling air, taken downstream of the evaporator 304, and allows the load applied to the air conditioning compressor to be increased at an iso-moderate need for passenger compartment refrigeration.

[0134] In this configuration, the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30, while providing the required passenger compartment cooling, simultaneously supplies the air heater 24 with a flow of cold air drawn downstream of the evaporator 304. This airflow is also discharged, downstream of the air heater 24, into the environment under the body or hood, via the second duct 315. Cooling is then active, and the recirculation flap 301 directs the air entirely from the passenger compartment recirculated air intake 3010 to the evaporator 304. This position of the recirculation flap301 connects the air intake of the additional duct 312 bypassing the evaporator 304 with the outside air intake 3030, downstream of the filter 303. The conventional blower 302 and additional blower 313 are activated, and the flap 314 ensuring the outlet of the additional duct 312 bypassing the evaporator 304 into the mixing chamber 3070 of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 upstream of the heater 24, is open.The flap 306, which conventionally ensures the bypass of the air heater 24 by the air from the evaporator 304, then occupies a position such that the flow of fresh air from the evaporator 304 is distributed between, on the one hand, a first part opening into the passenger compartment via the "head" ducts 311 and / or "feet" ducts 301 and / or "demist / defrost" ducts 309 according to the position taken by the associated air distribution flaps, and on the other hand, a second part opening into the mixing chamber 3070 of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 upstream of the air heater 24, mixing with the air flow from the additional duct 312 bypassing the evaporator 304, the air flow from this mixture then passing entirely through the air heater 24.

[0135] Alternatively, the additional blower 313 is inactive, and the flap 314 ensuring the outlet of the additional bypass duct 312 of the evaporator 304 into the mixing chamber 3070 of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 upstream of the heater 24, is closed, so that the second part of the fresh air flow from the evaporator 304 passes through the heater 24 without being mixed with the air from the additional duct 312.

[0136] Downstream of the heater 24, the associated flap 316 releases the air fluid connection to the second duct 315, which opens under the hood or preferably under the body. Thus, the airflow heated by passing through the heater 24 is discharged outside the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 and the passenger compartment, into the environment under the hood or under the body, without being mixed, downstream of the heater 24, with the airflow that has simultaneously passed through the evaporator 304 to be cooled before being introduced into the passenger compartment via the ducts 311 "head" and / or 310 "feet" and / or 309 "demist / defrost" depending on the position of the associated air distribution flaps.

[0137] This configuration taken by the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 in the "full cold" operating mode, in particular by the position taken by the recirculation flap 301, creates through the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 two separate air circuits which do not mix.

[0138] As an alternative to the configuration illustrated in [Fig. 7] taken by the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 in the "full cold" operating mode, for a high demand for cooling the air supplied to the passenger compartment and with at the same When there is a significant need for power dissipation, the air passing through the evaporator 304 is drawn from outside 3030 through the filter 303.

[0139] As an alternative to the previous configurations (illustrated in [Fig.6] and [Fig.7]) taken by the cabin air conditioning unit 30, for a large demand for cooling of the air supplied to the cabin and with at the same time a large need for power dissipation, the air passing through the evaporator 304 is drawn from outside 3030 through the filter 303.

[0140] Thus, a simultaneous implementation of the configurations illustrated in [Fig.5] and [Fig.6] or [Fig.7] makes it possible to assist the dissipation of excess power generated by the vehicle by dedicating the air heater 24 to it, which, thanks to the arrangement taken by the air conditioning unit of the passenger compartment 30, provides the vehicle 1000, via the high temperature circuit 100, with an additional source of thermal power dissipation to the outside air, without impacting thermal comfort in the passenger compartment.

[0141] In addition, while the high-temperature heat transfer circuit 100 for cooling the internal combustion engine 50 takes a conventional configuration according to the prior art, the implementation of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 according to the configurations illustrated in [Fig.6] or [Fig.7] makes it possible to assist the cooling of the internal combustion engine 50 under full load, when it releases a high thermal power in the high-temperature heat transfer circuit 100 under severe conditions.

[0142] In this case, the hot coolant from the internal combustion engine 50 passes in parallel, on the one hand through the high-temperature radiator 12, through which it dissipates its heat to the outside air (whether the first motor-fan group 13 is active or not), and on the other hand through the heater 24, which, thanks to the arrangement of the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30, provides the high-temperature circuit 100 with an additional source of heat dissipation to the outside air, without impacting thermal comfort in the passenger compartment.

[0143] [Fig.8] illustrates a fourth arrangement, according to a configuration which allows to increase the dissipation of excess power from the vehicle by disconnecting the first electric heater 25 from the passenger compartment heating branch 110 and connecting it to the high-temperature radiator 12 for cooling the internal combustion engine 50. Under these operating conditions, with the excess power dissipation function active, the internal combustion engine 50 operates under low load (since the vehicle is going downhill) and its thermostat 61 is transiently open (for example, just after an uphill slope during which it was under greater stress at full load) and then closes to stabilize at a slightly open position or closes completely. In this configuration, the first heater 25 is activated at its maximum permissible power, for example, taking into account the temperature of the coolant flowing through it, and is supplied with electrical power. excess. The A1 and A2 ports of the first valve 15 are connected together, as well as the B1 and B4 ports of the second valve 18, and the second pump 23 is activated at its maximum power.

[0144] The coolant propelled through the first heater 25 by means of the second pump 23 passes through the second valve 18 via the ways B1 and B4, and is then introduced into the inlet pipe of the radiator 12, by means of the opening of the second check valve 67: the coolant from the first heater 25 then joins the coolant from the internal combustion engine 50 via its water outlet housing 60 BSE through the thermostat 61, and these two parts of coolant then pass through the high temperature radiator 12, more particularly without the coolant from the first heater 25 passing through the internal combustion engine 50.

[0145] At the outlet of the high-temperature radiator 12, the coolant returns to the inlet of the first pump 11 of the internal combustion engine 50, because the first check valve 66 is closed due to the pressure differential across its terminals. Indeed, on one side of the first check valve 66, the coolant pressure from the outlet of the water outlet housing 60 BSE towards the air heater branch 110 is applied (more specifically here, at the inlet of the second pump 23 and the first heater 25 via the position of the first valve 15), while on the other side of the first check valve 66, the coolant pressure from the outlet of the internal combustion engine 50 is applied, close to that at the suction of the first pump 11.While the A3 and A4 ports of the first valve 15, and the B2 and B3 ports of the second valve 18 are connected to each other respectively, and to each other in the same loop via the air heater 24, no circulation of coolant takes place in this loop, from which the second pump 23 is decoupled and whose two ends are at the same level of absolute pressure, substantially at the suction pressure of the first pump 11.

[0146] As an alternative, this first pump 11 is deactivated (even if the internal combustion engine 50 remains running, for example, if the first pump 11 is disengaged from the accessory drive by the internal combustion engine 50): in this case, the coolant circulation is similar to that described in [Fig. 9], which describes the case where the internal combustion engine 50 is not running. In both cases, the coolant passing through the high-temperature radiator 12 is entirely that from the first heater 25, via the open second check valve 67 and the B1 and B4 ports of the second valve 18. At the outlet of the high-temperature radiator 12, no suction is drawn from the first pump 11 (in both cases not running) and no overpressure is applied to the first check valve 66 at the outlet of the water outlet housing 60 BSE (no coolant passing through the internal combustion engine 50), so that this first non-return valve 66 opens under the suction exerted by the second pump 23. Thus, the coolant from the high-temperature radiator 12 is then directed, via the first open non-return valve 66 and the A1 and A2 paths of the first valve 15, to the suction of the second pump 23 which propels the coolant through the first heater 25.

[0147] Under the same conditions as before (thermal engine 50 not running, or thermal engine 50 running with first pump 11 deactivated), [Fig. 10] illustrates a fifth arrangement, according to a configuration taken so that the electrical power dissipator which is then the first heater 25 of the passenger compartment heating dissipates thermal power to the outside air, both through the high temperature radiator 12 (in accordance with the fourth arrangement shown above) and at the same time through the air heater 24 (in accordance with the first arrangement shown above, the passenger compartment air conditioning unit 30 then occupying the second or third arrangement shown above).

[0148] In this case, the second pump 23 and the first heater 25 are activated at their maximum permissible power. Port B3 of the second valve 18 is closed, and port B1 constitutes the coolant inlet to the second valve 18, which provides the coolant from the first heater 25 with port B2 to the air heater 24 and port B4 to the high-temperature radiator 12 as outlets, the second check valve 67 being open. At the outlet of the high-temperature radiator 12, similarly to the configuration illustrated in [Fig. 9], the first check valve 66 is open for the same reasons.The suction exerted by the second pump 23 directs, within the first valve 15, whose port A4 is closed, the portion of coolant from the air heater 24 from port A3 and the portion of coolant from the high-temperature radiator 12 from port A1, into the inlet of the first heater 25 via the outlet port A2.

[0149] By this arrangement, the air heater 24 and the cabin air conditioning unit 30 on one side, and the high-temperature radiator 12 on the other, are made available to dissipate excess power.

[0150] The following provisions, adopted simultaneously with the preceding ones, increase the excess power dissipation capacity of the traction chain, by implementing for this purpose the low temperature circuits 130 and very low temperature circuits 120. Only the configurations specifically developed within the framework of the invention are explained here; the conventional configurations ensuring the thermoregulation of the electrochemical motor storage 26 and the cooling of the other components carried by these circuits are not illustrated or described since they are known from the prior art.

[0151] [Fig. 11] illustrates a sixth arrangement, according to a configuration adapted to vehicle operating conditions such that it is necessary to activate the excess power dissipation process, the fourth valve 38 decouples the low temperature 130 and very low temperature 120 circuits, and the thermoregulation setpoint of the electrochemical motor storage 26 is set to a temperature such that after implementation of the excess power dissipation process, the temperature of the electrochemical motor storage 26 does not exceed 50°C, given that the electrochemical motor storage 26 does not then exchange current.This configuration then activates simultaneously and deliberately inefficiently the electric heater 43 of the electrochemical drive storage unit 26 and the air conditioning compressor included in the vehicle's refrigeration circuit in order to, via the second heater 43 which heats a portion of very low temperature coolant which passes through it after the fourth pump 42 and the fourth valve 38, and via the coolant / cabin refrigerant heat exchanger 41 which cools the other portion of very low temperature coolant which passes through it after the fourth pump 42 and the fourth valve 38, supply the very low temperature coolant at the required temperature to the electrochemical drive storage unit 26 inlet in order to ensure the thermoregulation of the electrochemical drive storage unit 26 at the expected setpoint.

[0152] In one variant, the low temperature circuit 130 adopts a configuration known from the state of the art, however with the second motor-fan group 29 preferentially activated at a maximum setpoint (in compromise between its electrical power consumption and its acoustic and vibration emissions) in order to consume excess power, and with its third pump 27 activated at its maximum setpoint, not only in order to dissipate part of the excess power, but also in order to ensure the cooling, in particular of the electrical machine(s) 40 used deliberately inefficiently in order to increase their losses, of all the DC / DC converters or inverters, also used deliberately inefficiently for example by increasing their switching losses, and of the motor and inverter of the electric air compressor 35 supercharging the thermal engine 50, operated at its maximum permissible power..

[0153] Alternatively, the electric heater 43 of the electrochemical energy storage unit 26 and the air conditioning compressor of the refrigeration circuit are activated alternately, for the purpose of thermoregulating the electrochemical energy storage unit 26. For example, initially the electric heater 43 is active and the air conditioning compressor is inactive (for the purpose of thermoregulating the electrochemical energy storage unit 26, but it may also be inactive for the purpose of maintaining the ambient temperature in the passenger compartment). so that the temperature of the electrochemical motor storage unit 26 reaches a temperature threshold between 45°C and 50°C, then in a second step the electric heater 43 is deactivated and the air conditioning compressor is activated, as part of the thermoregulation of the electrochemical motor storage unit 26, in order to lower the temperature of the electrochemical motor storage unit 26 to a temperature threshold between 25°C and 35°C, and so on as appropriate until the power dissipation mode is exited.

[0154] In this configuration, the electric heater 43 of the electrochemical storage unit and the cabin coolant / refrigerant heat exchanger 41, or chiller, are connected in parallel within the very low temperature circuit 120 in order to minimize hydraulic pressure losses. Alternatively, the second heater 43 and the chiller, i.e., the cabin coolant / refrigerant heat exchanger 41, can be connected in series without changing the scope of the invention.

[0155] In a seventh arrangement, [Fig. 12] illustrates a configuration that is a variant of that of [Fig. 11]. Under vehicle operating conditions such that the excess power dissipation process must be activated, it may be relevant, while the electrochemical drive storage unit 26 is not exchanging current, to force its cooling via the coolant / cabin refrigerant exchanger 41 or chiller to a sufficiently low temperature (for example, in a range of 10°C to 25°C) in order to consume, via the activation of the air conditioning compressor of the vehicle's refrigeration circuit, excess electrical power and thus, by the thermal mass (product of the mass and the thermal capacity of the electrochemical drive storage unit 26), delay a future need for thermoregulation of the electrochemical drive storage unit 26.

[0156] At the same time, the electric heater 43 of the electrochemical motility storage unit 26 is disconnected by the fourth valve 38 from the very low temperature circuit 120, connected to the low temperature circuit 130 and activated in order to also deliberately consume excess electrical power inefficiently.This second heater 43 is then connected by the fourth valve 38 to the low temperature circuit 130 in parallel with the other components present on this low temperature circuit, so that the thermal power released by the heater 43 is directly dissipated to the ambient air via the low temperature radiator 28 and the second motor-fan group 29, which is preferentially active (in compromise between its electrical power consumption and its acoustic and vibration emissions), so that it too consumes excess power, without the heat thus dissipated in the low temperature coolant hindering the cooling of these other components present on the low temperature circuit 130.

[0157] In an unillustrated variant, the second heater 43 of the low-temperature cooling circuit 130 is coupled with the first heater 25 of the high-temperature cooling circuit 100, on a branch of the circuit carrying the air heater 24 in order to provide heating for the passenger compartment, and with the radiator 12 of the high-temperature cooling circuit 100 while bypassing the internal combustion engine 50. This architecture, however, requires additional valves (not described here) for connecting the high-temperature 100 and low-temperature 130 cooling circuits.

[0158] More specifically, a single heater is connected with this radiator 12 of the high temperature cooling circuit 100.

[0159] The method according to the invention ensures a function of comfort and customer satisfaction. Naturally, the conventional braking system must remain designed to ensure critical safety.

[0160] The thermal management system 500 is advantageously grafted onto the hardware base of any current vehicle thermal management system, uses information from the same sensors (coolant temperature, coolant temperature, oil temperature), and the same actuators, and includes means for controlling pumps, single or multi-way circulation valves, motor-fan units, circulation flaps in the passenger compartment air conditioning circuit, and for switching on or off the various usable heat sinks.

[0161] The processes, methods, or algorithms referred to herein may be provided or implemented by a processing device, controller, calculator, or computer, which may include any existing or dedicated programmable electronic control unit. Similarly, the processes, methods, or algorithms may be stored as data and instructions executable by a controller, calculator, or computer in many forms, including, but not limited to, information stored permanently on non-writable storage media, such as ROM devices, and information stored in parallel on writable storage media such as floppy disks, magnetic tapes, CDs, DVDs, RAM devices, and other magnetic and optical media. The processes, methods, or algorithms may also be implemented in a software executable object.Furthermore, processes, methods, or algorithms can be incorporated in whole or in part using appropriate hardware components, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), state machines, controllers, or other hardware components or peripherals, or a combination of hardware, software, and firmware components.

[0162] The invention is not limited to the embodiments, means, and configurations described above. The invention also extends to all equivalent means, configurations, and embodiments, as well as to any technically feasible combination of these means, configurations, and embodiments. The embodiments and examples described above offer particular advantages and are not limiting to the implementation of the invention.

[0163] The vehicle has an additional source of power dissipation, available continuously. The internal combustion engine is protected from any disturbance of its thermal regulation and has a second source of cooling (the air heater via the cabin HVAC unit outside) adding relatively few components to the known prior art system.

[0164] Implementing the invention requires few special components; choosing an air conditioning unit according to FR3070315 B1 is advantageous for all vehicle powertrain variants. The fluid loop architectures illustrated in the figures allow for the explicit and inefficient dissipation of electrical power.

[0165] The arrangement of the heater located between the air heater and radiator branches of the internal combustion engine's cooling circuit allows for the various possibilities illustrated: either heater to air heater, provided that the air heater is capable of dissipating the additional thermal power resulting from the excess electrical power to the outside air, because it should be noted that an air conditioning unit according to the prior art does not always allow this, particularly in hot weather when it is necessary to cool the passenger compartment, which justifies the use by the invention of a passenger compartment air conditioning unit arranged to have within it two independent airflows, allowing, by a first airflow, this heat dissipation to the outside independently of a second airflow contributing to thermal comfort in the passenger compartment, or heater to radiator,Whether the internal combustion engine is running or not, and whether the coolant circulation within it is active or not, and without impacting the engine cooling system, by transforming excess electrical power into heat (within the heater) and dissipating this heat to the outside air via the radiator, in the same circuit as the engine cooling system but in parallel with it, without impacting it.

[0166] In summary, the invention focuses in particular on adaptations of the heat transfer circuit to increase the opportunity for dissipation of thermal and electrical power via the electric heater for heating the passenger compartment (in certain modes, connected directly to the engine cooling radiator), with additional adaptations to ensure the operation of the circuit in all living situations.

[0167] Hence the implementation of additional valves, conduits and check valves. Any safety risk of overheating, degradation, ignition, boiling of the vehicle's friction braking system, and of accident, is eliminated, and the vehicle thus has an increased potential for long distances or downhill driving time.

[0168] The process described herein ensures a function of comfort and customer satisfaction, but not the critical safety function, for which the conventional braking system must be designed.

[0169] In the prior art, electric vehicles conventionally have an electric braking resistor. This is a dedicated component, added to the conventional nomenclature of the vehicle (its composition), dissipating excess electrical power as heat. The advantage is that, being dedicated, it is sized accordingly and available at all times to perform its function. Its disadvantages are its cost and its integration into the vehicle (geometric layout, high-voltage electrical network of the vehicle).

[0170] The invention does not require dedicated equipment, and is committed to managing power by making the best use of the existing equipment, constituting the various heat sinks described above, by deliberately making them operate inefficiently, in order to avoid any additional equipment costs, and to control the potential impacts of these more or less abnormal operating modes on their durability.

[0171] A heat engine does not have any mode of power dissipation explicitly claimed as such, under these conditions of use of the vehicle, and is not used in a specific operating mode designed to increase its losses (friction, pumping, in compromise or complement with the fuel injection cut-off).

[0172] The electric heater located on the vehicle's passenger compartment heating circuit is not used in the prior art because existing systems do not always have a source for dissipating the generated thermal power, which is provided by the air conditioning unit implemented by the invention, and by the proposed configuration of the cooling circuit, by connecting the heater to the radiator.

[0173] The air conditioning compressor explicitly operates beyond the just necessary need to consume some excess power (generate more cold than expected), which is compensated for by heating this air (or the coolant or refrigerant fluid) which is too cold to return to the expected setpoint value (again consuming excess power).

[0174] The electric heater of the HVB electrochemical motility storage unit is, in the prior art and by definition, never positioned within the same fluidic loop lower temperature than components other than the battery, and never directly connected to the inlet of the low-temperature radiator. Indeed, by activating this heater, the heat generated by the invention through the heater is dissipated directly via the radiator to the outside air without any further processing.

[0175] In summary, the invention goes against the normal concepts of use of the various components of the traction chain, cooling circuits, and air conditioning, and uses for a common purpose of dissipation of excess power what would be a set of energy malfunctions outside the particular context of the invention.

[0176] In particular, and without limitation, the fan motors and / or pumps are activated when not necessary, or at setpoints higher than required. Alternatively, an electrical machine, its inverter, or other current converters are deliberately operated inefficiently (for example, by increasing their operating frequency). Or, a component is heated and cooled simultaneously and deliberately inefficiently to a given setpoint temperature, which could have been met much more efficiently with lower energy consumption.

[0177] The invention also focuses on reducing the number of components.

[0178] In particular, the present description mentions a single air heater. This does not exclude the possibility of a plurality of air heaters, which is necessary for vehicles such as buses or for passenger transport which may have several, these air heaters being able to be arranged in series or preferably in parallel with each other.

[0179] On the other hand, there is no air heater within the low and very low temperature cooling circuits, because the temperature of the coolant and the thermal power that can be dissipated in the passenger compartment (through the air heater) are then insufficient to meet the need on their own.

[0180] In summary, the proposed process makes it possible to use additional non-specific sources of power dissipation in order to dissipate the excess power of the vehicle on a slope, in the form of heat, in particular diffused towards the external environment, providing a significant margin with regard to the safety risks of overheating, degradation, ignition, boiling of the conventional friction braking system of the vehicle, and to the risks of accident, and ensuring the user a potential for long distances or downhill driving time without risk.

[0181] The vehicle thus has an additional source of power dissipation, available at all times. This power can then be dissipated in the form of thermal power released outside the vehicle, if no electrical consumer is then able to take it up.

[0182] The vehicle downhill speed control thus proposed reduces the total cost of ownership for the user (reliability / durability of the friction braking system increased by reducing its use downhill).

[0183] The invention allows for immediate vehicle responsiveness in the event of a need to dissipate power; its response time is very short, the control actions of the pumps, valves, flaps and heat sinks are immediate, which makes it possible to dissipate excess power for a short period, of a few seconds or minutes, in a particular phase of vehicle evolution.

Claims

1.

2. Demands Energy regulation method during the long descent phase of a hybrid motor vehicle (1000) comprising at least one internal combustion engine (50), a thermal management system (500) for the powertrain associated with said at least one internal combustion engine (50), and at least one passenger compartment air conditioning unit (30) comprising a plurality of air circulation flaps, and a passenger compartment heating circuit (110), said vehicle comprising a high-temperature cooling circuit (100) for cooling said at least one internal combustion engine (50), a low-temperature cooling circuit (130) for at least one electric powertrain (40) powered by an electrochemical power storage unit (26), and a very low-temperature cooling circuit (120) for cooling said electrochemical power storage unit (26),characterized in that said passenger compartment air conditioning unit (30) is arranged to allow the separation of two independent airflows, one for air conditioning the passenger compartment of said vehicle and the other for heat exchange with the external environment of said vehicle (1000), and in that said thermal management system (500) of said vehicle (1000) is arranged to, when said vehicle (1000) is in a long descent phase, control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle (1000) in at least one heat sink consisting of an element of said very low temperature cooling circuit (120) and / or said low temperature cooling circuit (130) and / or said high temperature cooling circuit (100), by coupling said high temperature cooling circuit (100) with at least one heat transfer fluid loop of said vehicle (100) and with said passenger compartment air conditioning unit (30),and by coupling the heat sink, consisting of an element of said very low temperature cooling circuit (120), to said low temperature cooling circuit (130), in an additional operating mode to increase the electrical power dissipated by the thermal systems comprising said vehicle (1000) and to increase the cooling potential of said at least one internal combustion engine (50). Method according to claim 1 characterized in that said thermal management system (500) of said vehicle (1000) is arranged

3. to, when said vehicle (1000) is in a long descent phase, control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle (1000) by using said at least one heat sink differently from its nominal use, and by orienting said air circulation flaps of said at least one cabin air conditioning unit (30) to expel excess thermal energy from the vehicle as required for cabin comfort A method according to claim 2 characterized in that said thermal management system (500) is arranged to control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle (1000) in at least one heat sink constituted by an element of said high-temperature cooling circuit (100), in at least one heat sink constituted by an element of said low-temperature cooling circuit (130) and / or of said very low-temperature cooling circuit (120), by controlling at least a first circulation pump (11) or a second circulation pump (23) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100) to manage the flow through an air heater (24) comprising said passenger compartment air conditioning unit (30), by controlling a first valve (15) and a second valve (18) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100),by controlling a third circulation pump (27) and a fourth circulation pump (42) and a third valve (32) and / or a fourth valve (38) comprising said low-temperature cooling circuit (130) to regulate the flow in an optional electric supercharger of said at least one internal combustion engine (50), an optional electric air conditioning compressor, a first electric heater (25) comprising the vehicle passenger compartment heating circuit, a second electric heater (43) of said electrochemical drive storage unit (26), a first cooling fan assembly (13) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100) associated with a first radiator (12), a second cooling fan assembly (29) comprising said low-temperature cooling circuit (130) associated with a second radiator (28), said at least one electric powertrain assembly (40), a DC / DC converter (37),a cabin coolant / coolant heat exchanger (41), and by orienting said air circulation flaps of said at least, a passenger compartment air conditioning unit (30) to expel excess thermal energy from the vehicle as needed for passenger compartment comfort.

4. The method according to claim 3 characterized in that said thermal management system (500) is arranged to control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle (1000) in at least one heat sink constituted by an element of said high-temperature cooling circuit (100), by controlling at least one first circulation pump (11) or a second circulation pump (23) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100) to manage the flow through an air heater (24) comprising said passenger compartment air conditioning unit (30), by controlling a first valve (15) and a second valve (18) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100), by controlling a first electric heater (25) comprising said passenger compartment heating circuit (110),by controlling a first motor-fan unit (13) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100) associated with a first radiator (12).

5. The method according to claim 3 characterized in that said thermal management system (500) is arranged to control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle (1000) in at least one heat sink constituted by an element of said high-temperature cooling circuit (100), by controlling at least one first circulation pump (11) or a second circulation pump (23) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100) to manage the flow through a first radiator (12), by controlling a first valve (15) and a second valve (18) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100), by controlling a first electric heater (25) comprising said heating circuit (110) of the vehicle's passenger compartment, by controlling a first motor-fan unit (13) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100) associated with said first radiator (12).

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said thermal management system (500) is arranged to control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle (1000) in at least one heat sink constituted by an element of said

7. low temperature cooling circuit (130), by controlling a third circulation pump (27) and a fourth circulation pump (42) and a third valve (32) and / or a fourth valve (38) comprising said low temperature cooling circuit (130), by controlling a second electric heater (43) of said electrochemical drive storage unit (26) comprising said low temperature cooling circuit (130), by controlling a second motor-fan unit (29) comprising said low temperature cooling circuit (130) associated with a second radiator (28), by controlling said at least one electric powertrain unit (40), a DC / DC converter (37) comprising said low temperature cooling circuit (130), and a coolant / cabin refrigerant heat exchanger (41), comprising said very low temperature cooling circuit (120). A method according to claims 4 and 6, characterized in that said thermal management system is arranged to control the dissipation of excess energy produced by said vehicle (1000) in at least one heat sink constituted by an element of said high-temperature cooling circuit (100), by controlling at least said first circulation pump (11) or one of said circulation pumps (23) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100) to manage the flow through an air heater (24) comprising said passenger compartment air conditioning unit (30), by controlling said first valve (15) and said second valve (18) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100), by controlling said third circulation pump (27) and said fourth circulation pump (42) and said third valve (32) and / or said fourth valve (38) comprising said low-temperature cooling circuit (130),an electric air conditioning compressor, an optional electric supercharger (35) for said internal combustion engine (50), said first electric heater (25) comprising the vehicle passenger compartment heating circuit, said second electric heater (43) of said electrochemical power storage unit (26), said first cooling fan assembly (13) comprising said high-temperature cooling circuit (100) associated with a first radiator (12), said second cooling fan assembly (29) that, includes said low temperature cooling circuit (130) associated with said second radiator (28), said at least one electric powertrain (40), said DC / DC converter (37), said coolant / cabin coolant heat exchanger (41).

8. Method according to claim 6 or 7 characterized in that said vehicle passenger compartment heating circuit (110) is replaced or supplemented by a thermoregulation circuit (120) of said electrochemical motor storage unit (26) at very low temperature, under the action of said passenger compartment coolant / coolant exchanger (41).

9. Method according to claim 8 characterized in that said second electric heater (43) of said electrochemical motor storage unit (26), or said low temperature cooling circuit (130), or said very low temperature thermoregulation circuit (120), is connected to provide said vehicle (1000) with an additional source of power dissipation without impacting other components.

10. A method according to claim 3 and any one of claims 1 to 9 characterized in that said second heater (43) of said low temperature cooling circuit (130) is coupled with said first heater (25) of said high temperature cooling circuit (100), on a branch of the circuit carrying said air heater (24) in order to provide heating of the passenger compartment, and with the radiator (12) of the high temperature cooling circuit (100) while bypassing said internal combustion engine (50).

Images