Thermal management systems and automobiles

Abstract

The present application discloses a thermal management system and a vehicle, the thermal management system including a refrigerant circuit and a water circuit, the refrigerant circuit containing a liquid refrigerant, the refrigerant circuit including a corresponding circuit formed according to needs by a plurality of components including a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a condenser, a first evaporator, a second evaporator, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, and a third expansion valve, the water circuit containing a coolant, the water circuit including a corresponding circuit formed according to needs by a plurality of components including the first heat exchanger, a first water pump, a drive component, a first four-way valve, a second four-way valve, a battery component, a second water pump, a three-way valve, and the second heat exchanger.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application bearing application number 202211512426.6, filed on November 29, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This application relates to the automotive technical field, and more particularly to thermal management systems and automobiles. [Background technology]

[0003] Currently, the thermal comfort and heating function of new energy vehicles poses a major challenge compared to traditional fuel oil-fueled vehicles, and most of the industry currently adopts heat pump systems and PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heaters to solve this problem.

[0004] However, heat pump systems and thermal management systems using PTC heaters still have some drawbacks. For example, currently, switching between cooling and heating the cabin in a heat pump system is complicated, requiring the compressor to be stopped and the on-off valve and different electronic expansion valves to be adjusted to achieve the required functionality. Furthermore, while a PTC heater is required to supplement heat, its heating efficiency is lower than 1. Therefore, turning on the PTC heater increases the vehicle's overall energy consumption, ultimately affecting the vehicle's driving range. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The main objective of this application is to propose a thermal management system that simplifies the thermal management system and reduces the overall energy consumption of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the thermal management system proposed in this application comprises: a refrigerant circuit having a liquid refrigerant, the refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a condenser, a first evaporator, a second evaporator, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, and a third expansion valve, each of which is configured according to a need; It includes a water circuit in which a coolant is present, the water circuit including corresponding circuits formed according to needs by multiple components among the first heat exchanger, the first water pump, the drive component, the first four-way valve, the second four-way valve, the battery component, the second water pump, the three-way valve and the second heat exchanger.

[0007] In one embodiment, the thermal management system further comprises an air conditioning host, the air conditioning host comprising: a first heat exchange duct incorporating a condenser and having a first air intake end and a first air exhaust end, the first air intake end including a first air intake port communicating with the circulating air inlet and a second air intake port communicating with the exterior of the vehicle, and the first air exhaust end communicating with a first air outlet communicating with the interior of the vehicle and a second air outlet communicating with the exterior of the vehicle, respectively; a second heat exchange duct incorporating a first evaporator and having a second air intake end and a second air exhaust end, the second air intake end including a third air intake port communicating with the circulating air inlet and a fourth air intake port communicating with the exterior of the vehicle, and the second air exhaust ends respectively communicating with a third air outlet communicating with the interior of the vehicle and a fourth air outlet communicating with the exterior of the vehicle; and a circulation duct for recovering the gas after heat exchange through the first heat exchange duct and circulating and transporting it to the first suction port.

[0008] In one embodiment, the refrigerant circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit, the first circuit being a closed circuit formed by the compressor, the second heat exchanger, the condenser, the first expansion valve, and the first heat exchanger, which are connected in series in that order, and the second circuit being a closed circuit formed by the first evaporator, the second expansion valve, the third expansion valve, and the second evaporator, which are connected in series in that order, and a flow path between the second evaporator and the first evaporator is connected in series to a flow path between the compressor and the first heat exchanger, and a flow path between the second expansion valve and the third expansion valve is connected in series to a flow path between the condenser and the first expansion valve.

[0009] In one embodiment, the thermal management system has a first heating state, and in the first heating state, the water circuit includes a motor circuit and a battery circuit, and the motor circuit and the battery circuit are connected in parallel via the first four-way valve and the second four-way valve, the motor circuit and the refrigerant circuit are connected in parallel via the first heat exchanger, and the battery circuit and the refrigerant circuit are connected in parallel via the second heat exchanger; the motor circuit is a closed circuit formed by the first water pump, the driving component, the first four-way valve, the first heat exchanger, the second four-way valve, and the three-way valve, which are connected in series in this order; The battery circuit is a closed circuit formed by the first four-way valve, the second heat exchanger, the second four-way valve, the second water pump, and the battery components, which are connected in series in this order.

[0010] In one embodiment, in the first heating state, the first air inlet, the second air inlet, the third air inlet, the fourth air outlet and the circulation duct are all connected, and the interior circulation air inlet, the first air outlet, the second air outlet, the third air outlet and the fourth air inlet are all blocked, so that gas outside the vehicle enters the first heat exchange duct to exchange heat, and after passing through the first circulation duct, part of the gas enters the first air inlet to continue circulating, and another part of the gas flows into the second heat exchange duct through the third air inlet to exchange heat and then be discharged outside the vehicle.

[0011] In one embodiment, the thermal management system has a second heating state, and in the second heating state, the water circuit is connected in parallel to the refrigerant circuit via the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively, and the water circuit is arranged to form a closed circuit formed by the first water pump, the drive component, the first four-way valve, the second heat exchanger, the second four-way valve, the second water pump, the battery component, the first four-way valve, the first heat exchanger, the second four-way valve, and the three-way valve, which are connected in series in that order.

[0012] In one embodiment, in the second heating state, the interior circulation air inlet, the first air inlet, the second air inlet, the fourth air inlet, the first air outlet and the fourth air outlet are all electrically connected, and the third air inlet, the second air outlet, the third air outlet and the circulation duct are all blocked, so that the gas that has undergone heat exchange through the first heat exchange duct is discharged into the interior of the vehicle and then circulated back into the first heat exchange duct together with the gas inside the vehicle.

[0013] In one embodiment, the drive components include a first drive motor, a first control component, a second drive motor, and a second control component, the water circuit includes a first branch path and a second branch path arranged in parallel, the first drive motor and the first control component are connected in series to the first branch path, and the second drive motor and the second control component are connected in series to the second branch path.

[0014] In one embodiment, the thermal management system further includes a first reservoir device in communication with the refrigerant circuit to replenish the refrigerant circuit with liquid; and / or The thermal management system further includes a second reservoir device in communication with the water circuit for replenishing the water circuit with liquid.

[0015] The present application further proposes a motor vehicle equipped with the above-mentioned thermal management system.

[0016] (beneficial effects) The technical solution of the present application provides a refrigerant circuit and a water circuit, the refrigerant circuit including a corresponding circuit formed according to needs by a plurality of components including a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a condenser, a first evaporator, a second evaporator, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve and a third expansion valve, the water circuit having a coolant, the water circuit including a corresponding circuit formed according to needs by a plurality of components including the first heat exchanger, a first water pump, a driving component, a first four-way valve, a second four-way valve, a battery component, a second water pump, a three-way valve and the second heat exchanger. Compared with the conventional thermal management system using a heat pump system and a heater, the refrigerant circuit and water circuit in this embodiment are simpler and do not require the installation of an additional heater. By recovering the heat generated by the driving components through the first heat exchanger, the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit is heated, allowing the compressor, condenser, first evaporator, second evaporator, etc. to start up smoothly, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the automobile.

[0017] In order to more clearly describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative efforts. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a structural principle diagram of an embodiment of a thermal management system according to the present application; [Figure 2] 2 is a structural principle diagram of the thermal management system of FIG. 1 in a first heating state; [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a structural principle diagram of the thermal management system of FIG. 1 in a second heating state. [Figure 5]FIG. 5 is a partial enlarged view of a portion B in FIG. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The realization of the objects, functional features and advantages of the present application will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application are clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, but not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0021] It should be noted that all directional indications (e.g., up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present application are used only to explain the relative positional relationships and movement situations between each component in a specific posture (as shown in the figure), and when the specific posture changes, the directional indications also change accordingly.

[0022] Furthermore, when a description in the embodiments of the present application includes terms such as "first" and "second," such terms are for illustrative purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or quantity of technical features. Therefore, features qualified as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. Furthermore, the meaning of "and / or" in the entire text means including three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that satisfies both A and B simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions in each embodiment may be combined with each other, but they must be feasible for a person skilled in the art. If a combination of technical solutions is inconsistent or impossible to achieve, such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not included in the scope of protection claimed by the present application.

[0023] The present application proposes a thermal management system 10 .

[0024] In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 1 , the thermal management system 10 includes a refrigerant circuit 20 and a water circuit 30. The refrigerant circuit 20 contains a liquid refrigerant and includes a corresponding circuit formed according to needs by a plurality of components, including a compressor 21, a first heat exchanger 22, a second heat exchanger 23, a condenser 24, a first evaporator 25, a second evaporator 26, a first expansion valve 27, a second expansion valve 28, and a third expansion valve 29. The water circuit 30 contains a coolant and includes a corresponding circuit formed according to needs by a plurality of components, including the first heat exchanger 22, a first water pump 31, a driving component 32, a first four-way valve 33, a second four-way valve 34, a battery component 35, a second water pump 36, a three-way valve 37, and the second heat exchanger 23.

[0025] Specifically, in the refrigerant circuit 20, the first expansion valve 27, the second expansion valve 28, and the third expansion valve 29 are all used to throttle the refrigerant circuit 20 and lower the temperature of the liquid refrigerant. The first evaporator 25, the second evaporator 26, and the condenser 24 are all used to adjust the temperature in the cabin of the automobile. The first evaporator 25 and the condenser 24 are used to adjust the temperature in the front cabin, and the second evaporator 26 is used to adjust the temperature in the rear cabin. The first heat exchanger 22 is connected in parallel to the water circuit 30 and is used to recover heat generated by the drive components 32. The second heat exchanger 23 is also connected in parallel to the water circuit 30 and is used to heat the battery components 35. The first heat exchanger 22 and the second heat exchanger 23 may be water heat exchangers or chiller heat exchangers. The compressor 21 is used to heat the refrigerant circuit 20. In the water circuit 30, a driving component 32 heats the water circuit 30 or the refrigerant circuit 20. A first water pump 31 and a second water pump 36 are used to drive and regulate the flow of coolant in the water circuit 30. A first four-way valve 33, a second four-way valve 34, and a three-way valve 37 are used to change the flow direction of the coolant in the water circuit 30. Both the refrigerant circuit 20 and the water circuit 30 are equipped with multiple control valves to form corresponding circuits according to the needs of different thermal management modes, and their interaction achieves a predetermined effect. The first four-way valve 33, the second four-way valve 34, and the three-way valve 37 used in the thermal management system are all multi-way control valves that can control not only the flow direction of the water circuit 30 but also the coolant flow rate, allowing the thermal management system 10 to freely allocate the flow rate according to actual needs and improving the energy efficiency and control stability of the system. Of course, in other embodiments, the multi-way control valve may be replaced by a bank of control valves, which control the direction of coolant flow in the water circuit 30 .

[0026] In conventional technologies, the refrigerant circuit 20 is difficult to start on its own during cold winters due to low temperatures, so a heater is often required to provide additional heat. When the thermal management system 10 is activated, the heater is first turned on to heat the refrigerant circuit 20, ensuring smooth startup of the compressor 21, condenser 24, first evaporator 25, and second evaporator 26. The heater may be a PTC heater, but because the heating efficiency of PTC heaters is lower than 1, starting the PTC heater increases the overall energy consumption of the vehicle and ultimately affects the vehicle's range. In this solution, an additional heater is not required. Instead, heat generated by the drive components 32 is recovered via the first heat exchanger 22 to heat the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 20, allowing the compressor 21, condenser 24, first evaporator 25, and second evaporator 26 to smoothly start, thereby reducing the vehicle's energy consumption.

[0027] The technical solution of the present application provides a refrigerant circuit 20 and a water circuit 30, in which the refrigerant circuit 20 includes a corresponding circuit formed according to needs by a plurality of components including a compressor 21, a first heat exchanger 22, a second heat exchanger 23, a condenser 24, a first evaporator 25, a second evaporator 26, a first expansion valve 27, a second expansion valve 28, and a third expansion valve 29; the water circuit 30 contains a coolant, and the water circuit 30 includes a corresponding circuit formed according to needs by a plurality of components including the first heat exchanger 22, a first water pump 31, a driving component 32, a first four-way valve 33, a second four-way valve 34, a battery component 35, a second water pump 36, a three-way valve 37, and the second heat exchanger 23. Compared with the thermal management system 10 using a heat pump system and a heater in the prior art, the refrigerant circuit 20 and the water circuit 30 in this embodiment are simpler and do not require the installation of an additional heater. By recovering the heat generated by the driving components 32 through the first heat exchanger 22, the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 20 is heated, and the compressor 21, the condenser 24, the first evaporator 25, the second evaporator 26, etc. are smoothly started, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the automobile.

[0028] 1 to 5, in one embodiment, the thermal management system 10 further includes an air conditioning host 40, which includes a first heat exchange duct 41, a second heat exchange duct 42, and a circulation duct 43. The first heat exchange duct 41 has a built-in condenser 24. The first heat exchange duct 41 has a first air intake end 411 and a first air discharge end 412. The first air intake end 411 includes a first air intake port 414 communicating with the circulation air inlet and a second air intake port 415 communicating with the exterior of the vehicle. The first air discharge end 412 is respectively connected to a first air outlet 416 communicating with the interior of the vehicle and a second air outlet 417 communicating with the exterior of the vehicle. The second heat exchange duct 42 has a first evaporator 25 built in, and the second heat exchange duct 42 has a second air intake end 421 and a second air exhaust end 422, the second air intake end 421 includes a third air intake port 423 communicating with the circulating air inlet and a fourth air intake port 424 communicating with the outside of the vehicle, and the second air exhaust end 422 communicates with a third air outlet 425 communicating with the inside of the vehicle and a fourth air outlet 426 communicating with the outside of the vehicle, respectively; The circulation duct 43 is used to collect the gas after heat exchange through the first heat exchange duct 41 and circulate and transport it to the first suction port 414 .

[0029] Specifically, the circulating air inlet includes a vehicle interior circulating air inlet 413, one end of which is connected to the vehicle interior and the other end of which is connected to the first air inlet 414 and the third air inlet 423. The air supply end of the circulation duct 43 is connected to the first air outlet end 412, and the air outlet end of the circulation duct 43 may be connected to the first air supply end 411 and connected to the first air inlet 414, or may be connected between the vehicle interior circulating air inlet 413 and the first air inlet 414. A condenser 24 is provided in the first heat exchange duct 41, and the condenser 24 increases the temperature of the gas in the first heat exchange duct 41. Therefore, in the heating mode, the outside air passes through the vehicle's air filtration system, thereby forming fresh air after filtering, and enters the first heat exchange duct 41 through the second inlet 415. The gas heated through the first heat exchange duct 41 passes through the first outlet 412 and is discharged into the vehicle interior through the first outlet 416, thereby heating the vehicle interior; the outside air passes through the vehicle's air filtration system, thereby forming fresh air after filtering, and enters the second heat exchange duct 42 through the fourth inlet 424. The gas cooled through the second heat exchange duct 42 passes through the second outlet 422 and is discharged outside the vehicle through the fourth outlet 426, thus completing the gas flow in the heating mode and heating the vehicle interior. It should be noted that the term "communication" used in this application merely indicates the connection relationship between different ventilation ducts, and does not indicate the state of communication between them. Specifically, whether or not there is communication or whether or not each duct is controlled to be blocked is controlled by a corresponding control switch. For example, in a description in which the first exhaust end 412 is respectively connected to a first air outlet 416 that is connected to the inside of the vehicle and a second air outlet 417 that is connected to the outside of the vehicle, the first exhaust end 412 may be connected only to the first air outlet 416, or may be connected only to the second air outlet 417, or may be connected to both the first air outlet 416 and the second air outlet 417 at the same time.In addition, the first exhaust end 412 mentioned in this embodiment refers to the part of the duct from behind the condenser 24 position to before the first outlet 416 and the second outlet 417, and the first exhaust end 412 communicating with the first outlet 416 and the second outlet 417 respectively means that the first exhaust end 412 is directly connected to the first outlet 416 and the second outlet 417, that is, the first outlet 416 and the second outlet 417 are directly provided at the end of the first exhaust end 412 away from the condenser 24, or the first exhaust end 412 is indirectly connected to the first outlet 416 and the second outlet 417, for example, the first exhaust end 412 is connected to the first outlet 416 and the second outlet 417 in advance. eye This may mean that the air is connected to the first air outlet 416 and the second air outlet 417 via a set duct. The second heat exchange duct 42 is provided with a first evaporator 25, which lowers the temperature of the gas in the second heat exchange duct 42. The second exhaust end 422 mentioned in this embodiment refers to the part of the duct from the rear of the first evaporator 25 to the front of the third outlet 425 and the fourth outlet 426. The second exhaust end 422 communicates with the third outlet 425 and the fourth outlet 426, respectively. This means that the second exhaust end 422 communicates directly with the third outlet 425 and the fourth outlet 426, that is, the third outlet 425 and the fourth outlet 426 are directly provided on the second exhaust end 422, or the second exhaust end 422 is indirectly connected to the third outlet 425 and the fourth outlet 426. For example, the second exhaust end 422 is not connected to the third outlet 425 and the fourth outlet 426. eye It may also mean that they are connected to the third air outlet 425 and the fourth air outlet 426, respectively, via set ducts.

[0030] However, during actual operation, particularly in extremely cold or hot seasons, such as cold winters, the outdoor environmental temperature is very low, and the temperature of the fresh air drawn in from outside through the first heat exchange duct 41 is also very low, which can cause the intake temperature and intake pressure of the compressor 21 to be too low, which is unfavorable for the heat exchange in the condenser 24 and makes it difficult for the thermal management system 10 to enter operation quickly, resulting in a slow temperature rise. Therefore, a circulation duct 43 is provided to collect the gas after heat exchange through the first heat exchange duct 41, and for a while immediately after the air conditioning host 40 is started, the intake air temperature of the first evaporator 25 is raised, facilitating the air conditioning system to enter operation quickly. The circulation duct 43 returns the gas that has undergone heat exchange through the condenser 24 to the second heat exchange duct 42, thereby increasing the temperature of the gas entering the second heat exchange duct 42, thereby assisting the heat exchange in the first evaporator 25 and increasing the temperature of the liquid refrigerant in the first evaporator 25. The liquid refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit 20 also increases the overall temperature of the liquid refrigerant, facilitating the air conditioner host 40 to quickly enter an operating state. The opening and closing of the circulation duct 43 can be controlled to accommodate different operating modes or states of the air conditioner host 40. Furthermore, the opening and closing of the first inlet 414, the second inlet 415, the third inlet 423, the fourth inlet 424, the first outlet 416, the second outlet 417, the third outlet 425, the fourth outlet 426, and the circulating air inlet can all be adjusted according to the different operating modes or states of the thermal management system 10.

[0031] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 1, 2 and 4, the refrigerant circuit 20 includes a first circuit and a second circuit, the first circuit being a closed circuit formed by a compressor 21, a second heat exchanger 23, a condenser 24, a first expansion valve 27 and a first heat exchanger 22 connected in series in that order, the second circuit being a closed circuit formed by a first evaporator 25, a second expansion valve 28, a third expansion valve 29 and a second evaporator 26 connected in series in that order, and the flow path between the second evaporator 26 and the first evaporator 25 is connected in series to the flow path between the compressor 21 and the first heat exchanger 22, and the flow path between the second expansion valve 28 and the third expansion valve 29 is connected in series to the flow path between the condenser 24 and the first expansion valve 27. Specifically, the flow direction of the liquid refrigerant will be described below using the first heat exchanger 22, which is the starting point of the refrigerant, as an example. In the first circuit, the first heat exchanger 22 recovers heat generated by the driving component 32 and raises the temperature of the liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant is then further heated by the compressor 21 and passes through the second heat exchanger 23 to transfer heat to the battery component 35, thereby heating the battery component 35 and improving its operating efficiency. The liquid then flows through the condenser 24 to heat the cabin, and is then throttled again through the first expansion valve 27 before returning to the first heat exchanger 22. In the second circuit, the liquid refrigerant passes through the first evaporator 25, where its temperature is further reduced through the second expansion valve 28. It then passes through the third expansion valve 29, where it is throttled again, before flowing into the second evaporator 26, where its temperature is adjusted, and then returned to the first evaporator 25.In the first circuit and the second circuit, the liquid refrigerant is merged and split twice to neutralize the temperature of the liquid refrigerant. The first merge and split occurs when the coolant in the first circuit flows between the first heat exchanger 22 and the compressor 21, and when the coolant in the second circuit flows between the second evaporator 26 and the first evaporator 25. That is, the flow path between the first heat exchanger 22 and the compressor 21 and the flow path between the second evaporator 26 and the first evaporator 25 are connected by a four-way pipe. This causes the liquid refrigerant to mix and neutralize the heat, and the second confluence and division occurs when the coolant in the first circuit flows between the condenser 24 and the first expansion valve 27, and the coolant in the second circuit flows between the second expansion valve 28 and the third expansion valve 29; that is, the flow paths between the condenser 24 and the first expansion valve 27 and the flow paths between the second expansion valve 28 and the third expansion valve 29 are connected by a four-way pipe, causing the liquid refrigerant to mix and neutralize the heat.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, the thermal management system 10 has a first heating state, and in the first heating state, the water circuit 30 includes a motor circuit 50 and a battery circuit 60, the motor circuit 50 and the battery circuit 60 are connected in parallel by a first four-way valve 33 and a second four-way valve 34, the motor circuit 50 and the refrigerant circuit 20 are connected in parallel by a first heat exchanger 22, and the battery circuit 60 and the refrigerant circuit 20 are connected in parallel by a second heat exchanger 23; The motor circuit 50 is a closed circuit formed by a first water pump 31, a driving component 32, a first four-way valve 33, a first heat exchanger 22, a second four-way valve 34, and a three-way valve 37, which are connected in series in this order; The battery circuit 60 is a closed circuit formed by a first four-way valve 33, a second heat exchanger 23, a second four-way valve 34, a second water pump 36 and a battery component 35, which are connected in series in this order.

[0033] In one embodiment, in the first heating state, the flow direction of the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 20 is configured to be the above-mentioned flow direction. As shown in FIG. 2, this is a structural principle diagram of the thermal management system 10 in the first heating state, and the arrows in the figure indicate the flow direction of the coolant in the motor circuit 50 and the battery circuit 60. The motor circuit 50 and the battery circuit 60 are connected in parallel by the first four-way valve 33 and the second four-way valve 34, meaning that no heat exchange occurs between them. In the motor circuit 50, the coolant flows back and forth between the drive component 32 and the first heat exchanger 22 by the drive of the first water pump 31, and constantly flows through the first four-way valve 33, the second four-way valve 34, and the three-way valve 37, thereby recovering heat from the drive component 32. In the battery circuit 60, the coolant flows back and forth between the battery component 35 and the second heat exchanger 23 by the drive of the second water pump 36, and also flows continuously through the first four-way valve 33 and the second four-way valve 34, thereby heating the battery component 35 and improving the operating efficiency of the battery component 35. The first heating state is the operating state immediately after the automotive thermal management system 10 is started, in which the air conditioning host 40 is first turned on to rotate the impellers in the first heat exchange duct 41 and the second heat exchange duct 42 at low speeds, and then the first water pump 31 drives the impellers in the motor circuit 50. R The coolant is controlled to flow at a small flow rate, allowing the temperature of the coolant to rise quickly and be transferred to the refrigerant circuit 20 through the first heat exchanger 22. After the temperature of the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 20 reaches the first temperature, the compressor 21 begins to operate, further increasing the temperature of the liquid refrigerant, ensuring the stable operation of the related devices in the refrigerant circuit 20 and increasing the rotation speed of the impeller, ensuring the normal operation of the refrigerant circuit 20. There is no need for a heater in the air conditioner host 40 to supplement heat, and the normal operation of the refrigerant circuit 20 can be quickly achieved.

[0034] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 3 , in the first heating state, the first air inlet 414, the second air inlet 415, the third air inlet 423, the fourth air outlet 426 and the circulation duct 43 are all open, and the interior circulation air inlet 413, the first air outlet 416, the second air outlet 417, the third air outlet 425 and the fourth air inlet 424 are all blocked, so that the outside air enters the first heat exchange duct 41 and undergoes heat exchange. After passing through the first circulation duct 43, part of the gas enters the first air inlet 414 and continues to circulate, and the other part of the gas flows from the third air inlet 423 into the second heat exchange duct 42 and undergoes heat exchange before being discharged outside the vehicle. 3, which shows the structural principle of the air conditioning host 40 when the thermal management system 10 is in the first heating mode, the arrows in the figure indicate the airflow direction in the air conditioning host 40. Fresh air from outside the vehicle enters the first heat exchange duct 41 through the second air inlet 415, is heated by the condenser 24, and then enters the circulation duct 43. The outlet end of the circulation duct 43 is connected to both the first air inlet 414 and the third air inlet 423. This allows some of the gas to enter the first heat exchange duct 41 through the first air inlet 414 and mix with the fresh air from the second air inlet 415 before flowing into the first heat exchange duct 41, thereby increasing the inlet temperature of the fresh air and the supply air temperature of the first heat exchange duct 41, reducing heat loss and reducing the power required to operate the condenser 24. The other portion flows from the third suction port 423 into the second heat exchange duct 42 for heat exchange, increasing the supply air temperature of the second heat exchange duct 42, allowing the first evaporator 25 to recover waste heat and assisting the heat exchange of the first evaporator 25, thereby contributing to the rapid entry into operation of the thermal management system 10. Furthermore, the increase in supply air temperature of the second heat exchange duct 42 further heats the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 20, increasing the refrigerant temperature of the entire refrigerant circuit 20 and ultimately improving heating efficiency. In this embodiment, due to the presence of the circulation duct 43, all gas temperature recovery is completed by the circulation duct 43 without passing through the vehicle interior, which not only increases heat recovery efficiency but also prevents the generation of excess water vapor.The gas in the air conditioner host 40 is entirely fresh air taken in from outside the vehicle and finally discharged to the outside of the vehicle, which not only effectively recovers heat but also reduces the water vapor content of the fresh air outside the vehicle, thereby reducing the possibility of fogging up the interior of the vehicle.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 4 , in one embodiment, the thermal management system 10 has a second heating state. In the second heating state, the water circuit 30 is connected in parallel to the refrigerant circuit 20 via the first heat exchanger 22 and the second heat exchanger 23, respectively. The water circuit 30 is arranged to form a closed circuit formed by the first water pump 31, the drive component 32, the first four-way valve 33, the second heat exchanger 23, the second four-way valve 34, the second water pump 36, the battery component 35, the first four-way valve 33, the first heat exchanger 22, the second four-way valve 34, and the three-way valve 37, which are connected in series in this order. Specifically, in the first heating state, the flow direction of the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 20 is the above-mentioned flow direction. As shown in FIG. 4 , this is a structural principle diagram of the thermal management system 10 in the second heating state. The arrows in the figure indicate the flow direction of the coolant in the water circuit 30. The water circuits 30 are connected in series in order. The following describes the flow direction of the coolant using the first heat exchanger 22 as an example, which serves as the starting point. When the first water pump 31 is driven, the coolant passes through the first heat exchanger 22 to transfer the heat generated by the drive component 32 to the refrigerant circuit 20. Then, it flows through the drive component 32 again to absorb the heat of the drive component 32. Then, it flows through the first four-way valve 33 and the second heat exchanger 23 to further heat the coolant. Then, it flows through the second four-way valve 34. When the second water pump 36 is driven, the coolant flows through the battery component 35 to heat the battery component 35. Then, it flows through the first four-way valve 33 and the second four-way valve 34 in order again. Then, it returns to the first heat exchanger 22, and the first heat exchanger 22 recovers the residual heat of the second heat exchanger 23 and the drive component 32 again. The second heating state refers to the state when the thermal management system 10 is in a stable state. At this time, it is necessary to maximize the heat utilization rate in the thermal management system 10. The first heat exchanger 22 recovers and reuses the heat generated by the second heat exchanger 23 and the drive components 32, thereby reducing heat waste in the thermal management system 10, thereby increasing the heat utilization rate and reducing the overall energy consumption of the vehicle.

[0036] In one embodiment, in the second heating state, the interior circulation air inlet 413, the first intake 414, the second intake 415, the fourth intake 424, the first outlet 416, and the fourth outlet 426 are all open, while the third intake 423, the second outlet 417, the third outlet 425, and the circulation duct 43 are all closed, so that the gas that has undergone heat exchange through the first heat exchange duct 41 is discharged into the interior of the vehicle and then circulates again with the gas inside the vehicle back into the first heat exchange duct 41. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, this is a structural principle diagram of the air conditioning host 40 when the thermal management system 10 is in the second heating state, and the direction of the arrow in the figure is the airflow direction in the air conditioning host 40. After the thermal management system 10 operates for a certain period of time and the first evaporator 25 enters a normal operating state, the vehicle interior circulation air inlet 413, the fourth air inlet 424 and the first air outlet 416 are opened, the third air inlet 423 and the second air outlet 417 are closed, the first circulation duct 43 is adjusted to be blocked, the first heating state is switched to the second heating state, and fresh air outside the vehicle is taken into the first heat exchange duct 41 through the second air inlet 415, The gas heated by the condenser 24 flows into the vehicle interior through the first air outlet 416, raising the temperature inside the vehicle, and then flows back into the first air inlet 414 through the vehicle interior circulation air inlet 413. The mixed air is mixed with fresh air from the second air inlet 415 and flows into the first heat exchange duct 41, raising the inlet temperature of the fresh air and the supply air temperature of the first heat exchange duct 41, reducing heat loss and the power required to operate the condenser 24. Furthermore, fresh air from outside the vehicle enters the second heat exchange duct 42 through the fourth air inlet 424, and the first evaporator 25 operates normally to exchange heat, after which the gas is discharged from the fourth air outlet 426.

[0037] 1, 2 and 4, in one embodiment, the drive component 32 includes a first drive motor 321, a first control component 322, a second drive motor 323 and a second control component 324, and the water circuit 30 includes a first branch path and a second branch path arranged in parallel, with the first drive motor 321 and the first control component 322 connected in series to the first branch path, and the second drive motor 323 and the second control component 324 connected in series to the second branch path. Specifically, the first drive motor 321 is a front drive motor, and the second drive motor 323 is a rear drive motor. Compared to a case where the first branch path and the second branch path are arranged in parallel and the first branch path and the second branch path are arranged in series, this solution can increase the flow rate of coolant in the water circuit 30, improve the heat recovery efficiency of the drive component 32, and reduce heat loss. Of course, in other embodiments, the first branch and the second branch may be arranged in parallel.

[0038] 1, in one embodiment, the thermal management system 10 further includes a first reservoir device 70, which is in communication with the refrigerant circuit 20 to replenish the refrigerant circuit 20 with liquid. Specifically, the first reservoir device 70 may be located anywhere in the refrigerant circuit 20, but in this embodiment, the first reservoir device 70 is located after the condenser 24, which facilitates subsequent heat neutralization between the first circuit and the second circuit.

[0039] In another embodiment, the thermal management system 10 further includes a second reservoir device 80, which is connected to the water circuit 30 so as to replenish the water circuit 30 with liquid. The second reservoir device 80 may be provided at any position in the water circuit 30, but in this embodiment, the second reservoir device 80 is connected near the first water pump 31 and the second water pump 36 because both the first water pump 31 and the second water pump 36 can increase the water flow rate and improve the efficiency of liquid replenishment.

[0040] The present application further proposes an automobile equipped with a thermal management system 10, and the specific structure of the thermal management system 10 can refer to the above embodiments. Since the present automobile adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it will have at least all the beneficial effects of the technical solutions of the above embodiments, and therefore no further explanation will be given here.

[0041] The above are merely optional embodiments of the present application and do not limit the patent scope of the present application. Equivalent structural modifications made based on the inventive concept of the present application using the contents of the specification and drawings of the present application, or direct or indirect operation in other related technical fields, are all included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

[0042] 10. Thermal Management System 20 Refrigerant circuit 21 Compressor 22 First heat exchanger 23 Second heat exchanger 24 Condenser 25 First evaporator 26 Second evaporator 27 First expansion valve 28 Second expansion valve 29 Third expansion valve 30 water circuit 31 First water pump 32 Drive Components 321 First drive motor 322 First Control Component 323 Second drive motor 324 Second Control Component 33 First four-way valve 34 Second four-way valve 35 Battery Components 36 Second water pump 37 Three-way valve 40 Air Conditioner Host 41 First heat exchange duct 411 First air supply end 412 First exhaust end 413 Vehicle interior recirculation air inlet 414 First intake port 415 Second intake 416 First air outlet 417 Second air outlet 42 Second heat exchange duct 421 Second air supply end 422 Second exhaust end 423 Third Inlet 424 Fourth Inlet 425 Third air outlet 426 Fourth Air Outlet 43 Circulation Duct 50 Motor Circuit 60 battery circuit 70 First reservoir device 80 Second reservoir device

Claims

1. 1. A thermal management system comprising: a refrigerant circuit having a liquid refrigerant therein, the refrigerant circuit including a corresponding circuit formed according to needs by a plurality of components among a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a condenser, a first evaporator, a second evaporator, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, and a third expansion valve; a water circuit having a coolant therein, the water circuit including corresponding circuits formed according to needs by a plurality of components among the first heat exchanger, the first water pump, the drive component, the first four-way valve, the second four-way valve, the battery component, the second water pump, the three-way valve, and the second heat exchanger; Thermal management system.

2. The thermal management system further includes an air conditioner host; The air conditioner host is a first heat exchange duct incorporating a condenser and having a first air intake end and a first air exhaust end, the first air intake end including a first air intake port communicating with the circulating air inlet and a second air intake port communicating with the exterior of the vehicle, and the first air exhaust end communicating with a first air outlet communicating with the interior of the vehicle and a second air outlet communicating with the exterior of the vehicle, respectively; a second heat exchange duct incorporating a first evaporator and having a second air intake end and a second air exhaust end, the second air intake end including a third air intake port communicating with the circulating air inlet and a fourth air intake port communicating with the exterior of the vehicle, and the second air exhaust ends respectively communicating with a third air outlet communicating with the interior of the vehicle and a fourth air outlet communicating with the exterior of the vehicle; a circulation duct for recovering the gas after heat exchange through the first heat exchange duct and circulating and transporting it to the first suction port, The thermal management system of claim 1 .

3. the refrigerant circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit; the first circuit is a closed circuit formed by the compressor, the second heat exchanger, the condenser, the first expansion valve, and the first heat exchanger, which are connected in series in this order; the second circuit is a closed circuit formed by the first evaporator, the second expansion valve, the third expansion valve, and the second evaporator, which are connected in series in this order; a flow path between the second evaporator and the first evaporator is connected in series to a flow path between the compressor and the first heat exchanger; and a flow path between the second expansion valve and the third expansion valve is connected in series to a flow path between the condenser and the first expansion valve. The thermal management system of claim 2 .

4. the thermal management system has a first heating state, and in the first heating state, the water circuit includes a motor circuit and a battery circuit, the motor circuit and the battery circuit are connected in parallel via the first four-way valve and the second four-way valve, the motor circuit and the refrigerant circuit are connected in parallel via the first heat exchanger, and the battery circuit and the refrigerant circuit are connected in parallel via the second heat exchanger; the motor circuit is a closed circuit formed by the first water pump, the driving component, the first four-way valve, the first heat exchanger, the second four-way valve, and the three-way valve, which are connected in series in this order; the battery circuit is a closed circuit formed by the first four-way valve, the second heat exchanger, the second four-way valve, the second water pump, and the battery components, which are connected in series in this order; The thermal management system of claim 3 .

5. In the first heating state, the first air inlet, the second air inlet, the third air inlet, the fourth air outlet and the circulation duct are all connected, and the interior circulation air inlet, the first air outlet, the second air outlet, the third air outlet and the fourth air inlet are all blocked, and the outside air enters the first heat exchange duct to exchange heat and passes through the first circulation duct, after which a part of the gas enters the first air inlet to continue circulating, and another part of the gas passes through the third air inlet to flow into the second heat exchange duct, to exchange heat and then be discharged outside the vehicle. The thermal management system of claim 4 .

6. the thermal management system has a second heating state, and in the second heating state, the water circuit is connected in parallel to the refrigerant circuit via the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively, and the water circuit is arranged to form a closed circuit formed by the first water pump, the drive component, the first four-way valve, the second heat exchanger, the second four-way valve, the second water pump, the battery component, the first four-way valve, the first heat exchanger, the second four-way valve, and the three-way valve, which are connected in series in this order; The thermal management system of claim 3 .

7. In the second heating state, the interior circulation air inlet, the first air inlet, the second air inlet, the fourth air inlet, the first air outlet, and the fourth air outlet are all connected, and the third air inlet, the second air outlet, the third air outlet, and the circulation duct are all blocked, so that the gas that has undergone heat exchange through the first heat exchange duct is discharged into the vehicle and then circulates again to the first heat exchange duct together with the gas inside the vehicle. The thermal management system of claim 6 .

8. the drive components include a first drive motor, a first control component, a second drive motor, and a second control component; the water circuit includes a first branch path and a second branch path arranged in parallel, the first drive motor and the first control component being connected in series to the first branch path, and the second drive motor and the second control component being connected in series to the second branch path; The thermal management system of claim 1 .

9. The thermal management system includes: a first reservoir device in communication with the refrigerant circuit to supply liquid to the refrigerant circuit; and a second reservoir device in communication with the water circuit to replenish the water circuit with liquid; A thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, car.

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