Thermal management system

Abstract

This system enables efficient use of heat generated from the drive unit while efficiently controlling the self-heating of the energy storage unit. [Solution] The thermal management system 1 includes a battery 173 (energy storage device) provided in the flow path 170b (first flow path), a PCU 133 (drive device) provided in the flow path 130b (second flow path), a low-temperature radiator 122 (radiator) provided in the flow path 130a (third flow path), a chiller 160 (chiller device) provided in the flow path 170a (fourth flow path), and five-way valves 180 and 190 (switching devices). In the thermal management system 1, when the temperature of the battery 173 rises, the five-way valves 180 and 190 are controlled to form a first circuit having a first closed circuit 20 having a first path of heat transfer medium circulating between flow paths 170b and 170a, and a second closed circuit 10 having a second path of heat transfer medium circulating between flow paths 130b and 130a.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a thermal management system.

Background Art

[0002] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-272395 (Patent Document 1) discloses an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle includes a power storage device (battery), an inverter, a motor, and a control device. The power storage device is connected to the inverter. The inverter is connected to the motor. The control device controls the current of the power storage device by switching control of the inverter. As a result, the control device controls the heat generated due to the power loss in the internal resistance of the power storage device. As a result, the control device can execute a temperature increase control (self-temperature increase of the power storage device) that increases the temperature of the power storage device by the current of the power storage device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In electrical equipment such as electric vehicles, it may be important to effectively utilize the heat from a drive device including an inverter and a motor. Furthermore, it is desired to efficiently execute the self-temperature increase of the power storage device. That is, it is desired to efficiently execute the self-temperature increase of the power storage device while enabling effective utilization of the heat generated from the drive device.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a thermal management system capable of efficiently executing the self-temperature increase of the power storage device while enabling effective utilization of the heat generated from the drive device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A thermal management system relating to a certain aspect of this disclosure is a thermal management system provided for electrical equipment. This thermal management system comprises a first channel, a second channel, a third channel, and a fourth channel through which a heat transfer medium can flow; an energy storage device that exchanges heat with the heat transfer medium in the first channel; a drive device that exchanges heat with the heat transfer medium in the second channel and supplies driving force to the electrical equipment; a radiator provided in the third channel; a chiller device provided in the fourth channel; and a switching device that can switch the connection state between the first channel, the second channel, the third channel, and the fourth channel. When the temperature of the energy storage device is raised by energizing the energy storage device, the switching device forms a first circuit having a first path of heat transfer medium circulating between the first channel and the fourth channel, and a second path of heat transfer medium circulating between the second channel and the third channel.

[0007] In this way, the heat generated by the self-heating of the energy storage device can be stored in the heat transfer medium in the first path of the first circuit. Furthermore, the heat generated in the drive unit can be stored in the heat transfer medium in the second path of the first circuit. The heat stored in these heat transfer mediums can be used to warm up various devices. Therefore, the self-heating of the energy storage device can be efficiently carried out while making effective use of the heat generated from the drive unit.

[0008] In one embodiment, the radiator is provided with a shut-off device that can switch between an intake state, where outside air can be introduced into the radiator, and a shut-off state, where the introduction of outside air is blocked. The shut-off device is switched to the shut-off state when the first circuit is formed.

[0009] In this way, it is possible to suppress the release of heat accumulated in the heat transfer medium in the second path of the first circuit into the outside air via the radiator.

[0010] In another embodiment, the electrical equipment is an electric vehicle. The temperature rise occurs when the electric vehicle's running system is started.

[0011] This method allows the temperature of the energy storage device to easily rise when the electric vehicle starts running. As a result, the electric vehicle's running performance can easily be brought above a certain level when it starts running.

[0012] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the energy storage device is configured to be externally charged by charging power supplied from an external charging facility for electrical equipment. When external charging begins, the energy storage device is heated up so that its temperature reaches a predetermined temperature or higher.

[0013] This method allows the temperature of the energy storage device to easily rise above a predetermined temperature when external charging begins. As a result, the charging speed and charging efficiency can easily be set to a constant level or higher when external charging starts.

[0014] In one further embodiment, the system further includes a first temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the energy storage device, a second temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the heat transfer medium in the first flow path, and a pump for circulating the heat transfer medium in the first circuit. When the temperature rises while the first circuit is formed, the pump is stopped if the reading from the first temperature sensor is higher than the reading from the second temperature sensor. When the temperature rises while the first circuit is formed, the pump is driven if the reading from the first temperature sensor is less than or equal to the reading from the second temperature sensor.

[0015] In this configuration, if the reading from the first temperature sensor is higher than the reading from the second temperature sensor, the pump stops, preventing the heat transfer medium from the first channel from flowing. This suppresses the transfer of heat from the energy storage device to the heat transfer medium in the first channel. Conversely, if the reading from the first temperature sensor is less than or equal to the reading from the second temperature sensor, the pump is activated, allowing the heat transfer medium in the first channel to flow, thus transferring heat from the heat transfer medium in the first channel to the energy storage device.

[0016] In yet another embodiment, the electrical device is an electric vehicle. The chiller device is configured to exchange heat with an air conditioning circuit that adjusts the room temperature of the electric vehicle. When there is a heating requirement using the air conditioning circuit during the temperature rise of the power storage device, the switching device forms the first circuit.

[0017] In this way, the heat of the self-temperature rise of the power storage device can be effectively utilized in the air conditioning circuit.

Advantages of the Invention

[0018] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to efficiently execute the self-temperature rise of the power storage device while enabling the effective utilization of the heat generated from the drive device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an electric vehicle equipped with a heat management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the heat management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the heat management circuit in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the state of the heat management circuit during the temperature rise of the battery in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing the control of the heat management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the heat management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the heat management circuit in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing the state of the heat management circuit of the battery temperature rise communication pattern in the second embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart showing the control of the heat management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the heat management system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11]This figure shows an example of the configuration of the thermal management circuit in the third embodiment. [Figure 12] This figure shows the state of the thermal management circuit of the battery temperature rise communication pattern in the third embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a flowchart illustrating the control of the thermal management system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of the overall configuration of the thermal management system according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 15] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the thermal management circuit in the fourth embodiment. [Figure 16] This figure shows the state of the thermal management circuit of the battery temperature rise communication pattern in the fourth embodiment. [Figure 17] This is a flowchart illustrating the control of the thermal management system according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 18] This diagram shows the circuit configuration including the battery, converter, inverter, and motor. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0021] [First Embodiment] The following description will use an example of a configuration in which the thermal management system according to this disclosure is installed in an electric vehicle 1a. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an electric vehicle 1a on which the thermal management system according to the first embodiment is installed. As shown in Figure 1, the electric vehicle 1a is preferably a vehicle equipped with a battery 173 for driving, and is, for example, an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle). The electric vehicle 1a may also be a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle). It may be a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). However, the use of the thermal management system relating to this disclosure is not limited to vehicles. Note that electric vehicle 1a is an example of the "electrical equipment" relating to this disclosure.

[0022] <Overall Structure> Figure 2 shows an example of the overall configuration of the thermal management system 1 according to the first embodiment. The thermal management system 1 comprises a thermal management circuit 100, an electronic control unit (ECU) 500, and a human-machine interface (HMI) 600.

[0023] The thermal management circuit 100 is configured to allow a heat transfer medium to flow through it. The thermal management circuit 100 includes, for example, a high-temperature circuit 110, a radiator 120, a low-temperature circuit 130, a condenser 140, a refrigeration cycle 150, a chiller 160, a battery circuit 170, a five-way valve 180, and a five-way valve 190. The five-way valves 180 and 190 are examples of the "switching device" in this disclosure. The chiller 160 is an example of a "chiller device".

[0024] The high-temperature circuit 110 includes, for example, a water pump (W / P) 111, an electric heater 112, a three-way valve 113, a heater core 114, and a reservoir tank (R / T) 115. The heater core 114 is an example of the "air conditioning circuit" in this disclosure.

[0025] Radiator 120 is connected to (i.e., shared with) both the high-temperature circuit 110 and the low-temperature circuit 130. Radiator 120 is the high-temperature (HT) radiator 12 This includes a low-temperature (LT) radiator 122 (see Figure 3 for both). Note that the low-temperature radiator 122 is an example of the "radiator" in this disclosure. The low-temperature radiator 122 is provided with a grill shutter 124 (see Figure 3).

[0026] The low-temperature circuit 130 includes, for example, a water pump 131, a smart power unit (SPU) 132, a power control unit (PCU) 133, an oil cooler (O / C) 134, a buck-boost converter 135, and a reservoir tank 136. Note that the PCU 133 and the oil cooler 134 are examples of the "drive unit" in this disclosure.

[0027] The capacitor 140 is connected to both the high-temperature circuit 110 and the refrigeration cycle 150.

[0028] The refrigeration cycle 150 includes, for example, a compressor 151, an expansion valve 152, an evaporator 153, an evaporation pressure regulator (EPR) 154, and an expansion valve 155.

[0029] The chiller 160 is connected to both the refrigeration cycle 150 and the battery circuit 170. In the chiller 160, heat exchange occurs between the heat transfer medium flowing through the battery circuit 170 and the medium circulating through the refrigeration cycle 150.

[0030] The battery circuit 170 includes, for example, a water pump 171, an electric heater 172, a battery 173, a bypass channel 174, a battery temperature sensor 175, and a heat transfer medium temperature sensor 176. The water pump 171 and battery 173 are examples of the "pump" and "energy storage device" as defined in this disclosure, respectively. The battery temperature sensor 175 and heat transfer medium temperature sensor 176 are examples of the "first temperature sensor" and "second temperature sensor" as defined in this disclosure, respectively.

[0031] Each of the five-way valves 180 and 190 is connected to the low-temperature circuit 130 and the battery circuit 170, respectively. The configuration of the thermal management circuit 100 is explained in detail in Figure 3.

[0032] The ECU 500 controls the thermal management circuit 100. The ECU 500 includes a processor 501, memory 502, storage 503, and interface 504.

[0033] The processor 501 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit). The memory 502 includes, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage 503 includes rewritable non-volatile memory such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory. Page 503 includes system programs, including the OS (Operating System), and control calculations. The system and control programs, including the necessary computer-readable code, are stored in the memory 502. The processor 501 performs various processes by reading the system program and control programs, loading them into memory 502, and executing them. The interface 504 controls communication between the ECU 500 and the components of the thermal management circuit 100.

[0034] The ECU 500 generates control commands based on sensor values ​​obtained from various sensors included in the thermal management circuit 100 (for example, the battery temperature sensor 175 and the heat transfer medium temperature sensor 176), user operations received by the HMI 600, and outputs the generated control commands to the thermal management circuit 100. The ECU 500 may be divided into multiple ECUs for each function. Also, although Figure 2 shows an example in which the ECU 500 includes one processor 501, the ECU 500 may include multiple processors. Regarding memory 502 and storage 503 The same applies to the latter.

[0035] In this specification, "processor" is not limited to processors that execute processing using stored-program methods, but may include hardwired circuits such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) and FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays). Therefore, the term "processor" refers to a processing circuit whose processing is predefined by computer-readable code and / or hardwired circuitry. It can also be interpreted as "circuitry."

[0036] The HMI600 consists of a touchscreen display, control panel, console, etc. The HMI600 receives user input to control the thermal management system 1. The HMI600 outputs signals indicating user input to the ECU500.

[0037] <Configuration of the thermal management circuit> Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of the thermal management circuit 100 in the first embodiment. The heat transfer medium (usually hot water) circulating in the high-temperature circuit 110 flows through one or both of the following paths: a first path from water pump 111 - condenser 140 - electric heater 112 - three-way valve 113 - heater core 114 - reservoir tank 115 - water pump 111, and a second path from water pump 111 - condenser 140 - electric heater 112 - three-way valve 113 - high-temperature radiator 121 - reservoir tank 115 - water pump 111.

[0038] The heat transfer medium (coolant) circulating in the low-temperature circuit 130 flows through the following path: water pump 131 - SPU 132 - PCU 133 - oil cooler 134 - step-up / step-down converter 135 - five-way valve 180 - low-temperature radiator 122 - five-way valve 190 - reservoir tank 136 - water pump 131.

[0039] The water pump 131 circulates the heat transfer medium within the low-temperature circuit 130 according to control commands from the ECU 500. The SPU 132 controls the charging and discharging of the battery 173 according to control commands from the ECU 500. The PCU 133 converts the DC power supplied from the battery 173 into AC power according to control commands from the ECU 500 and supplies that AC power to a motor (not shown) built into the transaxle. The oil cooler 134 circulates the motor's lubricating oil using an electric oil pump (EOP) (not shown). The oil cooler 134 cools the transaxle by heat exchange between the heat transfer medium circulating in the low-temperature circuit 130 and the motor's lubricating oil. The SPU 132, PCU 133, oil cooler 134, and buck-boost converter 135 are cooled by the heat transfer medium circulating in the low-temperature circuit 130. The reservoir tank 136 maintains the pressure and amount of the heat transfer medium in the low-temperature circuit 130 by storing a portion of the heat transfer medium in the low-temperature circuit 130. Each of the five-way valves 180 and 190 switches the heat transfer medium path in the low-temperature circuit 130 and the battery circuit 170 according to control commands from the ECU 500. The low-temperature radiator 122 is located near the high-temperature radiator 121 and exchanges heat with the high-temperature radiator 121. Alternatively, the transaxle may be provided in the low-temperature circuit 130 instead of the oil cooler 134. The grill shutter 124 is configured to be switchable between a closed state, which blocks the introduction of outside air to the low-temperature radiator 122, and an open state, which releases the blockage of the introduction of outside air to the low-temperature radiator 122, in accordance with a control command from the ECU 500. The grill shutter 124 is an example of a “blocking device” of this disclosure.

[0040] The heat transfer medium (gas-phase or liquid-phase refrigerant) circulating in the refrigeration cycle 150 flows through one or both of the following paths: the first path from compressor 151 to condenser 140 to expansion valve 152 to evaporator 153 to EPR 154 to compressor 151, and the second path from compressor 151 to condenser 140 to expansion valve 155 to chiller 160 to compressor 151.

[0041] The heat transfer medium (coolant) circulating in the battery circuit 170 flows through one or both of the following paths: the first path from water pump 171 - chiller 160 - five-way valve 180 - electric heater 172 - battery 173 - five-way valve 190 - water pump 171, and the second path from water pump 171 - chiller 160 - five-way valve 180 - bypass path 174 - five-way valve 190 - water pump 171.

[0042] The water pump 171 circulates the heat transfer medium within the battery circuit 170 according to control commands from the ECU 500. The chiller 160 cools the heat transfer medium circulating in the battery circuit 170 by heat exchange between the heat transfer medium circulating in the refrigeration cycle 150 and the heat transfer medium circulating in the battery circuit 170. The electric heater 172 heats the heat transfer medium according to control commands from the ECU 500. The battery 173 supplies power for driving to the motor built into the transaxle. The battery 173 may be heated using the electric heater 172 or cooled using the chiller 160. A bypass channel 174 is provided so that the heat transfer medium bypasses the electric heater 172 and the battery 173. When the heat transfer medium flows through the bypass channel 174, temperature changes in the heat transfer medium due to heat absorption / dissipation between the heat transfer medium and the battery 173 can be suppressed. A battery temperature sensor 175 detects the temperature of the battery 173. The heat transfer medium temperature sensor 176 detects the temperature of the heat transfer medium flowing through the battery circuit 170.

[0043] The five-way valve 180 is provided with five ports P1 to P5. Port P1 is an inlet port through which the heat transfer medium flows in from the chiller 160. Port P2 is an outlet port through which the heat transfer medium flows out toward the electric heater 172 and battery 173 of the battery circuit 170. Port P3 is an inlet port through which the heat transfer medium flows in from the SPU 132, PCU 133, oil cooler 134, and buck-boost converter 135 of the low-temperature circuit 130. Port P4 is an outlet port through which the heat transfer medium flows out toward the bypass passage 174 of the battery circuit 170. Port P5 is an outlet port through which the heat transfer medium flows out toward the low-temperature radiator 122.

[0044] The five-way valve 190 is provided with five ports P11 to P15. Port P11 is an outlet port through which the heat transfer medium flows out toward the chiller 160. Port P12 is an inlet port through which the heat transfer medium flows in from the electric heater 172 and battery 173 of the battery circuit 170. Port P13 is an outlet port through which the heat transfer medium flows out toward the SPU 132, PCU 133, oil cooler 134, and buck-boost converter 135 of the low-temperature circuit 130. Port P14 is an inlet port through which the heat transfer medium flows in from the bypass passage 174 of the battery circuit 170. Port P15 is an inlet port through which the heat transfer medium flows in from the low-temperature radiator 122.

[0045] Figure 4 shows the state of the thermal management circuit when the battery temperature rises in the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 4, the battery 173 is located in the flow path 170b of the battery circuit 170. The battery 173 exchanges heat with the heat transfer medium in the flow path 170b. The flow path 170b is in thermal contact with the battery 173. The flow path 170b is a flow path connecting port P2 of the five-way valve 180 and port P12 of the five-way valve 190. Note that the flow path 170b is an example of the "first flow path" in this disclosure.

[0046] The low-temperature radiator 122 is provided in the flow path 130a of the low-temperature circuit 130. Flow path 130a is a flow path connecting port P5 of the five-way valve 180 and port P15 of the five-way valve 190. Flow path 130a is an example of the "third flow path" of this disclosure.

[0047] The water pump 131, SPU 132, PCU 133, oil cooler 134, buck-boost converter 135, and reservoir tank 136 are each located in the flow path 130b of the low-temperature circuit 130. The PCU 133 and oil cooler 134, etc., exchange heat with the heat transfer medium in the flow path 130b. The flow path 130b is connected to the SPU 132, PCU 133, oil cooler 134. It is in thermal contact with 34 and the step-up / step-down converter 135. The flow path 130b is a flow path connecting port P3 of the five-way valve 180 and port P13 of the five-way valve 190. Note that flow path 130b is an example of the "second flow path" of this disclosure.

[0048] The chiller 160 is located in the flow path 170a of the battery circuit 170. The flow path 170a is a flow path connecting port P1 of the five-way valve 180 and port P11 of the five-way valve 190. Note that the flow path 170a is an example of the "fourth flow path" of this disclosure.

[0049] <Communication Pattern> Figure 4 shows an overview of a predetermined communication pattern (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the battery temperature rise communication pattern) of the thermal management circuit 100 formed by controlling the five-way valves 180 and 190. The battery temperature rise communication pattern is an example of the "first circuit" of this disclosure.

[0050] In electric vehicles, since they sometimes lack engines, it may not be possible to heat the components of the electric vehicle using engine waste heat. Therefore, it is sometimes important to effectively utilize the heat generated by the drive system, including the inverter and motor. Furthermore, it is desirable to efficiently achieve self-heating of the energy storage device. In other words, it is desirable to efficiently achieve self-heating of the energy storage device while enabling the effective utilization of the heat generated by the drive system.

[0051] Therefore, in the first embodiment, when the battery 173 heats up, the ECU 500 sets the grill shutter 124 to a closed state and forms the battery heating communication pattern shown in Figure 4. In the battery heating communication pattern, the five-way valve 180 forms a path connecting port P1 and port P2, and a path connecting port P3 and port P5.

[0052] Furthermore, in the battery temperature rise communication pattern, the five-way valve 190 forms a path connecting port P11 and port P12, and a path connecting port P13 and port P15.

[0053] As a result, a closed circuit 20 having a first path of heat transfer medium circulating through flow paths 170a and 170b, and a closed circuit 10 having a second path of heat transfer medium circulating through flow paths 130a and 130b are formed.

[0054] In the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 4, when battery 173 is used, the heat generated by the self-heating of battery 173 is accumulated (heat stored) in the closed circuit 20. In this case, heat exchange is not performed in the chiller 160, but heat exchange may be performed in response to the heat requirements of the air conditioning system.

[0055] Furthermore, while the battery 173 is generating its own heat, the PCU 133 and the transaxle (not shown) also generate heat. The heat generated in the PCU 133 and the transaxle is accumulated (stored) in the closed circuit 10. In addition, since the grill shutter 124 of the low-temperature radiator 122 is set to the closed state, the heat accumulated in the closed circuit 10 is prevented from being dissipated in the low-temperature radiator 122. The heat accumulated in the closed circuit 10 can be used to warm up various devices.

[0056] As a result, it becomes possible to efficiently self-heat the battery 173 while making effective use of the heat generated from the drive unit such as the PCU 133.

[0057] <Control method for thermal management circuits> The control method for the thermal management system 1 will be described below with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the control of the thermal management system according to the first embodiment. Note that the flowchart shown in Figure 5 is merely an example, and the control in this disclosure is not limited to the example shown in Figure 5.

[0058] In step S1, the electric vehicle 1a is started to run (the driving system is activated). Specifically, a start button (not shown) on the electric vehicle 1a is pressed, and the PCU 133 and the battery 173 are electrically connected (by an SMR (not shown)). The ECU 500 detects that the electric vehicle 1a has started to run by receiving a predetermined internal signal from the electric vehicle 1a.

[0059] In step S2, the ECU 500 determines whether the temperature of the battery 173, as detected by the battery temperature sensor 175, is less than 10°C. If the temperature of the battery 173 is less than 10°C (Yes in S2), the process proceeds to step S3. If the temperature of the battery 173 is 10°C or higher (No in S2), the process proceeds to step S10. Note that the threshold value in step S2 may be a value other than 10°C.

[0060] In step S3, the ECU 500 controls the five-way valves 180 and 190 respectively so that the thermal management circuit 100 follows the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 4.

[0061] In step S4, the ECU 500 sets the grill shutter 124 to the closed state. At this time, the introduction of outside air into the low-temperature radiator 122 is suppressed, and the amount of heat exchanged with the outside air in the low-temperature radiator 122 decreases compared to when the grill shutter 124 is in the open state.

[0062] In step S5, the ECU 500 determines whether the temperature of the battery 173, detected by the battery temperature sensor 175, is higher than the temperature of the heat transfer medium flowing through the battery circuit 170, detected by the heat transfer medium temperature sensor 176. If the temperature of the battery 173 is higher than the temperature of the heat transfer medium (Yes in S5), the process proceeds to step S6. If the temperature of the battery 173 is less than or equal to the temperature of the heat transfer medium (No in S5), the process proceeds to step S7.

[0063] In step S6, the ECU 500 deactivates the water pump 171. If the water pump 171 is already deactivated, the ECU 500 maintains this deactivated state. This prevents heat generated in the battery 173 from being dissipated into the heat transfer medium. Next, the process proceeds to step S8.

[0064] In step S7, the ECU 500 activates the water pump 171. If the water pump 171 is already operating, the ECU 500 continues to operate it. This allows the heat from the heat transfer medium in the battery circuit 170 to be stored in the battery 173. Next, the process proceeds to step S8.

[0065] In step S8, the ECU 500 determines whether the temperature of the battery 173, as detected by the battery temperature sensor 175, is 10°C or higher. If the temperature of the battery 173 is 10°C or higher (Yes in S8), the process proceeds to step S9. If the temperature of the battery 173 is less than 10°C (No in S8), the process returns to step S5. Note that the threshold value in step S8 only needs to be greater than or equal to the threshold value in step S2, and may be a value other than 10°C.

[0066] In step S9, the ECU 500 sets the grill shutter 124 to the open state. At this time, outside air is allowed to be introduced into the low-temperature radiator 122, and the grill shutter 124 Compared to the case where the valve is closed, the amount of heat exchanged with the outside air in the low-temperature radiator 122 increases.

[0067] In step S10, the ECU 500 controls the five-way valves 180 and 190 respectively to change the thermal management circuit 100 from the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 4 to another communication pattern (for example, a communication pattern suitable for the operation of the electric vehicle 1a). After that, the process ends.

[0068] As described above, in the first embodiment, when controlling the temperature rise of the battery 173, the ECU 500 forms a closed circuit 20 having a first path of heat transfer medium circulating through flow paths 170a and 170b, and a closed circuit 10 having a second path of heat transfer medium circulating through flow paths 130a and 130b, and the grill shutter 124 is set to a closed state. This allows the heat generated by the self-heating of the battery 173 to be stored in the closed circuit 20. In addition, the heat generated in the PCU 133 can be stored in the closed circuit 10. Therefore, the heat stored in the closed circuit 10 can be used to warm up various devices. As a result, the self-heating of the battery 173 can be efficiently performed while making effective use of the heat generated from the PCU 133. Furthermore, for example, the temperature difference between the heat transfer medium in the closed circuit 10 and the closed circuit 20 can be reduced by the self-heating of the battery 173 and the heat generated from the PCU 133. Therefore, for example, if the battery temperature rise communication pattern is changed to another communication pattern, and at least one of the flow paths 170a and 170b is connected to at least one of the flow paths 130a and 130b, it is possible to suppress a rapid decrease in the temperature of the heat transfer medium.

[0069] Furthermore, if the user of the electric vehicle 1a presses the button to activate the heating, or if it is determined that there is a request to activate the heating, such as when the interior temperature is lower than the set temperature, the compressor 151 is activated when the water pump 171 is operating. In this case, the heat from the battery 173 is supplied to the heater core 114 as an air conditioning circuit via the chiller 160. On the other hand, when the water pump 171 is not operating, the compressor 151 is stopped. In this case, only the heat from the high-temperature circuit 110 is used for heating the electric vehicle 1a. Also, if there is no request to activate the heating, the heating is deactivated. Deactivating means that the water pump 111 and electric heater 112, etc., are deactivated.

[0070] [Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment described above, a configuration in which five-way valves 180 and 190 are used as a switching device was explained. However, the configuration of the switching device according to this disclosure is not limited thereto. In the second embodiment, a configuration in which the switching device according to this disclosure is an eight-way valve will be described.

[0071] <Overall Structure> Figure 6 shows an example of the overall configuration of the thermal management system 2 according to the second embodiment. The thermal management system 2 differs from the thermal management system 1 according to the first embodiment (see Figure 2) in that it includes a thermal management circuit 200 instead of a thermal management circuit 100 and an ECU 510 instead of an ECU 500.

[0072] The thermal management circuit 200 includes, for example, a chiller circuit 210, a chiller 220, a radiator circuit 230, a refrigeration cycle 240, a condenser 250, a drive unit circuit 260, a battery circuit 270, and a multi-way valve 280. The multi-way valve 280 is an example of a "switching device" as disclosed herein. The chiller 220 and the refrigeration cycle 240 are examples of a "chiller device" and an "air conditioning circuit" as disclosed herein, respectively.

[0073] The chiller circuit 210 includes a water pump (W / P) 211. The chiller 220 is connected to (shared with) both the chiller circuit 210 and the refrigeration cycle 240. Note that the water pump 211 is an example of a "pump" as described herein.

[0074] The radiator circuit 230 includes a radiator 231 and a grill shutter 232. The grill shutter 232 is provided on the radiator 231 (see Figure 7). The refrigeration cycle 240 includes, for example, a compressor 241, a solenoid valve 242 (see Figure 7), solenoid valves 244A, 244B, 245, 246 (see Figure 7), an evaporator 247, a check valve 248, and an accumulator 249. The condenser 250 includes a water-cooled condenser 251 and an air-cooled condenser 252 (see Figure 7), with the water-cooled condenser 251 connected to both the refrigeration cycle 240 and the radiator circuit 230.

[0075] The drive unit circuit 260 includes, for example, a water pump 261, an SPU 262, a PCU 263, an oil cooler 264, and a reservoir tank 265. A transaxle may be provided in place of the oil cooler 264 in the drive unit circuit 260. The PCU 263 and oil cooler 264 are examples of the “drive device” in this disclosure. Furthermore, a system including the PCU 263, oil cooler 264, and battery 272 is an example of the “driving system” in this disclosure.

[0076] The battery circuit 270 includes, for example, a battery 272, a battery temperature sensor 273, and a heat transfer medium temperature sensor 274. The battery 272 is an example of the "energy storage device" in this disclosure. The battery temperature sensor 273 and the heat transfer medium temperature sensor 274 are examples of the "first temperature sensor" and the "second temperature sensor," respectively.

[0077] The eight-way valve 280 includes eight ports P21 to P28 (see Figure 7) and is connected to the chiller circuit 210, the radiator circuit 230, the drive unit circuit 260, and the battery circuit 270.

[0078] The ECU 510 controls the thermal management circuit 200. The ECU 510 includes a processor 511, memory 512, storage 513, and interface 514.

[0079] <Configuration of the thermal management circuit> Figure 7 shows an example of the configuration of the thermal management circuit 200 in the second embodiment. The heat transfer medium circulating in the chiller circuit 210 flows through the path of eight-way valve 280 (port P23) - water pump 211 - chiller 220 - eight-way valve 280 (port P25).

[0080] The water pump 211 circulates the heat transfer medium within the chiller circuit 210 according to control commands from the ECU 510. The chiller 220 exchanges heat between the heat transfer medium circulating in the chiller circuit 210 and the heat transfer medium circulating in the refrigeration cycle 240. The eight-way valve 280 switches the path to which the chiller circuit 210 is connected according to control commands from the ECU 510. The switching of paths by the eight-way valve 280 will be explained in detail later.

[0081] In the example shown in Figure 7, the heat transfer medium circulating in the radiator circuit 230 flows through the eight-way valve (port P26) - water-cooled condenser 251 - radiator 231 - eight-way valve 280 (port P27). The radiator 231 is located downstream of the grill shutter 232 and exchanges heat between the vehicle's outside air and the heat transfer medium. The configuration of the grill shutter 232 is the same as that of the grill shutter 124 in the first embodiment described above, so a detailed explanation will not be repeated. Note that the path of the heat transfer medium circulating in the radiator circuit 230 may include the path flowing through the eight-way valve (port P26) - water-cooled condenser 251 - bypass passage 230b - eight-way valve (port P27).

[0082] The heat transfer medium (gas-phase or liquid-phase refrigerant) circulating in the refrigeration cycle 240 is connected in two paths: first path: compressor 241 - solenoid valve 244A - air-cooled condenser 252 - check valve 248 - solenoid valve (expansion valve) 245 - evaporator 247 - accumulator 249 - compressor 241; and second path: compressor 241 - solenoid valve 244A - air-cooled condenser 252 - check valve 248 - solenoid valve (expansion valve) 246 - chiller 220 - accumulator 2 The current flows through one of the following paths: 49-compressor 241 (second path), compressor 241-solenoid valve 244B-water-cooled condenser 251-solenoid valve (expansion valve) 245-evaporator 247-accumulator 249-compressor 241 (third path), or compressor 241-solenoid valve 244B-water-cooled condenser 251-solenoid valve 246-chiller 220-accumulator 249-compressor 241 (fourth path).

[0083] Compressor 241 compresses the gaseous refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle 240 according to control commands from ECU 500. Solenoid valve 242 is connected in parallel to compressor 241 and adjusts the amount of gaseous refrigerant flowing into compressor 241 according to control commands from ECU 500. Solenoid valves 244 (244A, 244B) switch whether the gaseous refrigerant discharged from compressor 241 flows into water-cooled condenser 251 or air-cooled condenser 252 according to control commands from ECU 500. Water-cooled condenser 251 exchanges heat between the gaseous refrigerant discharged from compressor 241 and the heat transfer medium flowing in radiator circuit 230. Air-cooled condenser 252 exchanges heat with the air introduced into the passenger compartment to produce warm air. Solenoid valve 245 restricts the flow of liquid refrigerant into evaporator 247 according to control commands from ECU 500. Solenoid valve 246 restricts the inflow of liquid-phase refrigerant into chiller 220 according to control commands from ECU 500. Solenoid valves 245 and 246 also have the function of expanding the liquid-phase refrigerant. Accumulator 249 removes liquid-phase refrigerant from the gas-liquid mixture, preventing liquid-phase refrigerant from being drawn into compressor 241 if it is not completely vaporized by evaporator 247.

[0084] The heat transfer medium (coolant) circulating in the drive unit circuit 260 flows through the following path: eight-way valve 280 (port P28) - reservoir tank 265 - water pump 261 - SPU 262 - PCU 263 - oil cooler 264 - eight-way valve 280 (port P22).

[0085] The water pump 261 circulates the heat transfer medium within the drive unit circuit 260 according to control commands from the ECU 510. The SPU 262 controls the charging and discharging of the battery 272 according to control commands from the ECU 510. The PCU 263 converts the DC power supplied from the battery 272 into AC power according to control commands from the ECU 510 and supplies that AC power to a motor (not shown) built into the transaxle. The oil cooler 264 cools the transaxle by heat exchange between the heat transfer medium circulating in the drive unit circuit 260 and the motor's lubricating oil. Alternatively, heat exchange may occur between the heat generated by supplying power to the stator without rotating the motor's rotor and the heat transfer medium circulating in the drive unit circuit 260. The SPU 262, PCU 263, and oil cooler 264 are cooled by the heat transfer medium circulating in the drive unit circuit 260. The reservoir tank 265 maintains the pressure and amount of the heat transfer medium in the drive unit circuit 260 by storing a portion of the heat transfer medium in the drive unit circuit 260 (the heat transfer medium that overflows as the pressure rises).

[0086] The heat transfer medium (coolant) circulating in the battery circuit 270 flows through the path of eight-way valve 280 (port P21) - battery 272 - eight-way valve 280 (port P24).

[0087] The battery 272 supplies power for driving to the motor built into the transaxle. The battery temperature sensor 273 detects the temperature of the battery 272. The heat transfer medium temperature sensor 274 detects the temperature of the heat transfer medium flowing through the battery circuit 270 (flow path 270a described later).

[0088] Figure 8 shows the state of the thermal management circuit of the battery temperature rise communication pattern in the second embodiment. Figure 8(A) shows an example of the state of the thermal management circuit 200 of the battery temperature rise communication pattern when the battery 272 is heated. Figure 8(B) shows a schematic configuration of the thermal management circuit 200.

[0089] As shown in Figure 8, the chiller 220 is located in the flow path 210a (see Figure 8(B)) of the chiller circuit 210. The flow path 210a is a flow path connecting port P23 and port P25 of the eight-way valve 280. Note that the flow path 210a is an example of the "fourth flow path" of this disclosure.

[0090] The radiator 231 is located in the flow path 230a (see Figure 8(B)) of the radiator circuit 230. Flow path 230a is provided to connect the radiator 231 and the eight-way valve 280. Flow path 230a is also provided to run parallel to the bypass flow path 230b. The bypass flow path 230b is provided to connect the portion between the water-cooled condenser 251 and the radiator 231 to the eight-way valve 280. When the heat transfer fluid flows through the bypass flow path 230b, the heat transfer fluid does not flow through the radiator 231 (flow path 230a). Conversely, when the heat transfer fluid flows through the radiator 231 (flow path 230a), the heat transfer fluid does not flow through the bypass flow path 230b. Flow path 230a is an example of the "third flow path" in this disclosure.

[0091] The water pump 261, SPU 262, PCU 263, oil cooler 264, and reservoir tank 265 (only PCU 263 is shown in Figure 8 as a representative) are located in the flow path 260a of the drive unit circuit 260 (see Figure 8(B)). The flow path 260a is a flow path connecting port P28 and port P22 of the eight-way valve 280. Note that the flow path 260a is an example of the "second flow path" in this disclosure.

[0092] The battery 272 is located in the flow path 270a (see Figure 8(B)) of the battery circuit 270. The flow path 270a is a flow path connecting port P21 and port P24 of the eight-way valve 280. Note that the flow path 270a is an example of the "first flow path" in this disclosure.

[0093] <Communication Pattern> Figure 8 shows an overview of the battery temperature rise communication pattern using the eight-way valve 280. In the battery temperature rise communication pattern (see Figure 8), the internal flow path 281 of the eight-way valve 280 forms a path connecting port P23 and port P24. In the battery temperature rise communication pattern, the internal flow path 282 of the eight-way valve 280 forms a path connecting port P21 and port P25. In the battery temperature rise communication pattern, the internal flow path 283 of the eight-way valve 280 forms a path connecting port P27 and port P28. In the battery temperature rise communication pattern, the internal flow path 284 of the eight-way valve 280 forms a path connecting port P22 and port P26. In the battery temperature rise communication pattern, the flow path 230a is connected to port P27 of the eight-way valve 280, and the end of the bypass flow path 230b is blocked.

[0094] This creates a closed circuit 40 (see Figure 8(B)) having a first path for the heat transfer medium circulating through a flow path 210a where the chiller 220 is located and a flow path 270a where the battery 272 and the like are located, and a closed circuit 30 (see Figure 8(B)) having a second path for the heat transfer medium circulating through a flow path 230a where the radiator 231 is located and a flow path 260a where the PCU 263 and the like are located. As a result, the heat transfer medium in the closed circuit 30 flows through the flow path of radiator 231-eight-way valve 280-PCU 263-eight-way valve 280-water-cooled condenser 251. The heat transfer medium in the closed circuit 40 flows through the flow path of battery 272-eight-way valve 280-chiller 220-eight-way valve 280. The closed circuits 30 and 40 formed by the battery temperature rise communication pattern are examples of the "first circuit" of this disclosure.

[0095] Here, as shown in Figure 8(A), the eight-way valve 280 has a circular shape when viewed perpendicular to the plane of the paper. The eight-way valve 280 is configured such that a rotating body having internal passages 281, 282, 283, and 284 is rotatable clockwise or counterclockwise by an actuator (not shown) within the housing. When the actuator is driven by a control command from the ECU 510, the rotating body rotates, changing the connection destination of each port, thereby changing the communication pattern in the thermal management circuit 200.

[0096] <Control method for thermal management circuits> The control method for the thermal management system 2 will now be described with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the control of the thermal management system 2 according to the second embodiment. Note that the flowchart shown in Figure 9 is merely an example, and the control in this disclosure is not limited to the example shown in Figure 9. Furthermore, the explanation of steps similar to those in the control flowchart of the first embodiment will be simplified or omitted.

[0097] In step S2, if the ECU 510 determines that the temperature of the battery 272 detected by the battery temperature sensor 273 is less than 10°C (Yes in S2), the process proceeds to step S11. If the temperature of the battery 272 is 10°C or higher (No in S2), the process proceeds to S10.

[0098] In step S11, the ECU 510 controls the eight-way valve 280 so that the thermal management circuit 200 forms the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 8. Specifically, the ECU 510 controls the actuator so that the rotating body of the eight-way valve 280 rotates to a position that forms the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 8. The process then proceeds to step S4.

[0099] Furthermore, the other configurations and effects in the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

[0100] [Third Embodiment] In the third embodiment, unlike the second embodiment in which an eight-way valve 280 is used, two six-way valves are used as the switching device. Components that are the same as in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described repeatedly.

[0101] <Overall Structure> Figure 10 shows an example of the overall configuration of the thermal management system 3 according to the third embodiment. The thermal management system 3 differs from the thermal management system 2 according to the second embodiment (see Figure 6) in that it includes a thermal management circuit 300 instead of a thermal management circuit 200 and an ECU 520 instead of an ECU 510.

[0102] The thermal management circuit 300 includes a chiller circuit 210, a chiller 220, a radiator circuit 230, a refrigeration cycle 240, a condenser 250, a drive unit circuit 260, a battery circuit 270, a six-way valve 380, and a six-way valve 390. Each of the six-way valves 380 and 390 is an example of the “switching device” of this disclosure.

[0103] The chiller 220 is provided in the flow path 210b of the chiller circuit 210. The flow path 210b is provided to connect the chiller circuit 210 to the hexagonal valve 380 and the hexagonal valve 390, respectively. The flow path 210b is an example of the "fourth flow path" of this disclosure.

[0104] The radiator 231 is provided in the flow path 230c. The radiator 231 is provided with a grill shutter 232. The flow path 230c is provided to connect the radiator 231 and the hexagonal valve 390. Note that the flow path 230c is an example of the "third flow path" of this disclosure. be.

[0105] The water pump 261, SPU 262, PCU 263, oil cooler 264, and reservoir tank 265 are located in the flow path 260b of the drive unit circuit 260. The flow path 260b is provided to connect the drive unit circuit 260 to the six-way valve 380 and the six-way valve 390, respectively. The flow path 260b is an example of the "second flow path" of this disclosure.

[0106] The battery 272 is provided in the flow path 270b of the battery circuit 270. The flow path 270b is provided to connect the battery circuit 270 and the six-way valve 380. The flow path 270b is an example of the "first flow path" in this disclosure.

[0107] The ECU 520 controls the thermal management circuit 300. The ECU 520 includes a processor 521, memory 522, storage 523, and interface 524.

[0108] <Configuration of the thermal management circuit> Figure 11 shows an example of the configuration of the thermal management circuit 300 in the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 11, the hexagonal valve 380 includes six ports P31 to P36. The hexagonal valve 390 also includes six ports P41 to P46.

[0109] The hexagonal valve 380 is connected to the hexagonal valve 390. Specifically, port P35 of the hexagonal valve 380 and port P45 of the hexagonal valve 390 are connected by a flow path 5. In addition, port P36 of the hexagonal valve 380 and port P46 of the hexagonal valve 390 are connected by a flow path 6.

[0110] The heat transfer medium circulating in the chiller circuit 210 flows through the following path: six-way valve 380 (port P33) - water pump 211 - chiller 220 - six-way valve 390 (port P43).

[0111] The heat transfer fluid circulating in the radiator circuit 230 flows through the hexagonal valve 390 (port P41) - radiator 231 - hexagonal valve 390 (port P44).

[0112] The heat transfer medium (coolant) circulating in the drive unit circuit 260 flows through the following path: six-way valve 390 (port P42) - reservoir tank 265 - water pump 261 - SPU 262 - PCU 263 - oil cooler 264 - water cooling condenser 251 - six-way valve 380 (port P32).

[0113] The heat transfer medium (coolant) circulating in the battery circuit 270 flows through the path of hexagonal valve 380 (port P31) - battery 272 - hexagonal valve 380 (port P34).

[0114] <Communication Pattern> Figure 12 shows the state of the thermal management circuit 300 in the battery temperature rise communication pattern in the third embodiment. Figure 12 shows an overview of the battery temperature rise communication pattern of the thermal management circuit 300 formed by controlling the six-way valves 380 and 390. In the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 12, the six-way valve 380 forms a path connecting port P31 and port P36, a path connecting port P32 and port P35, and a path connecting port P33 and port P34.

[0115] Furthermore, in the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 12, the hexagonal valve 390 forms paths connecting port P41 and port P45, paths connecting port P42 and port P44, and paths connecting port P43 and port P46.

[0116] This forms a closed circuit 60 having a first path for a heat transfer medium circulating through a flow path 270b where a battery 272 etc. is provided, a flow path 210b where a chiller 220 etc. is provided, a hexagonal valve 380 and a hexagonal valve 390, and a flow path 230c where a radiator 231 etc. is provided, a flow path 260b where a PCU 263 etc. is provided, a hexagonal valve 380 and a hexagonal valve 390, and a second path for a heat transfer medium circulating through these two. Note that the closed circuits 50 and 60 formed by the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 12 are examples of the "first circuit" of this disclosure.

[0117] <Control method for thermal management circuits> The control method for the thermal management system 3 will be described below with reference to Figure 13. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the control of the thermal management system 3 according to the third embodiment. Note that the flowchart shown in Figure 13 is merely an example, and the control in this disclosure is not limited to the example shown in Figure 13. Furthermore, the explanation of the same steps as in the control flowchart of the third embodiment described above will be simplified or omitted.

[0118] In step S2, if the ECU 520 determines that the temperature of the battery 272 detected by the battery temperature sensor 273 is less than 10°C (Yes in S2), the process proceeds to S12. If the temperature of the battery 272 is 10°C or higher (No in S2), the process proceeds to S10.

[0119] In step S12, the ECU 520 controls the hexagonal valves 380 and 390 respectively so that the thermal management circuit 300 follows the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 12. The process then proceeds to S4.

[0120] In step S10, the ECU 520 controls the six-way valves 380 and 390 respectively to change the thermal management circuit 300 from the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 12 to another communication pattern (for example, a communication pattern suitable for the operation of the electric vehicle 1a). The process then ends.

[0121] Furthermore, the other configurations and effects in the third embodiment are the same as those in the second embodiment described above.

[0122] [Fourth Embodiment] In the fourth embodiment, unlike the third embodiment in which six-way valves 380 and 390 are used, a ten-way valve is used as the switching device. The same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as in the third embodiment, and repeated explanations are not provided.

[0123] <Overall Structure> Figure 14 shows an example of the overall configuration of the thermal management system 4 according to the fourth embodiment. The thermal management system 4 differs from the thermal management system 3 according to the third embodiment (see Figure 10) in that it includes a thermal management circuit 400 instead of a thermal management circuit 300 and an ECU 530 instead of an ECU 520.

[0124] The thermal management circuit 400 includes a chiller circuit 210, a chiller 220, a radiator circuit 230, a refrigeration cycle 240, a condenser 250, a drive unit circuit 260, a battery circuit 270, and a ten-way valve 480. The ten-way valve 480 is an example of the “switching device” of this disclosure.

[0125] The chiller 220 is installed in the flow path 210c of the chiller circuit 210. The flow path 210c is installed to connect the chiller circuit 210 and the ten-way valve 480. 0c is an example of the “fourth channel” of this disclosure.

[0126] The radiator 231 is located in the flow path 230d. The radiator 231 is provided with a grill shutter 232. The flow path 230d is provided to connect the radiator 231 and the ten-way valve 480. Note that the flow path 230d is an example of the "third flow path" of this disclosure.

[0127] The water pump 261, SPU 262, PCU 263, oil cooler 264, and reservoir tank 265 are located in the flow path 260c of the drive unit circuit 260. The flow path 260c is provided to connect the drive unit circuit 260 and the ten-way valve 480. Note that the flow path 260c is an example of the "second flow path" of this disclosure.

[0128] The battery 272 is provided in the flow path 270c of the battery circuit 270. The flow path 270c is provided to connect the battery circuit 270 and the ten-way valve 480. The flow path 270c is an example of the "first flow path" in this disclosure.

[0129] The ECU 530 controls the thermal management circuit 400. The ECU 530 includes a processor 531, memory 532, storage 523, and interface 524.

[0130] <Configuration of the thermal management circuit> Figure 15 shows an example of the configuration of the thermal management circuit 400 in the fourth embodiment. As shown in Figure 15, the 16-way valve 480 includes ports P50 to P59.

[0131] The heat transfer medium circulating in the chiller circuit 210 flows through the path of 16-way valve 480 (port P53) - water pump 211 - chiller 220 - 16-way valve 480 (port P55).

[0132] The heat transfer fluid circulating in the radiator circuit 230 flows through the path of the 16-way valve 480 (port P56) - water cooling condenser 251 - radiator 231 - 16-way valve (port P57).

[0133] The heat transfer medium (coolant) circulating in the drive unit circuit 260 flows through the following path: 16-way valve 480 (port P58) - reservoir tank 265 - water pump 261 - SPU 262 - PCU 263 - oil cooler 264 - 16-way valve 480 (port P52).

[0134] The heat transfer medium (coolant) circulating in the battery circuit 270 flows through the path of the 16-way valve 480 (port P51) - battery 272 - 16-way valve 480 (port P54).

[0135] <Communication Pattern> Figure 16 shows the state of the thermal management circuit 400 of the battery temperature rise communication pattern in the fourth embodiment. Figure 16(A) shows an example of the state of the thermal management circuit 400 of the battery temperature rise communication pattern when the battery 272 is heated. Figure 16(B) shows a schematic configuration of the thermal management circuit 400.

[0136] In the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 16, the 16-way valve 480 forms a path connecting port P51 and port P55 (internal flow path 482), a path connecting port P52 and port P56 (internal flow path 483), a path connecting port P53 and port P54 (internal flow path 481), and a path connecting port P57 and port P58 (internal flow path 484).

[0137] This provides a closed circuit 70 having a first path for a heat transfer medium circulating through a flow path 210c where a chiller 220 etc. is provided and a flow path 270c where a battery 272 etc. is provided, and a radiator 23 A closed circuit 80 is formed having a second path for a heat transfer medium that circulates through a flow path 230d where a first-order device is provided and a flow path 260c where a PCU 263 or the like is provided. The closed circuits 70 and 80 formed by the battery temperature rise communication pattern are examples of the "first circuit" of this disclosure.

[0138] Here, as shown in Figure 16(A), the ten-way valve 480 has a circular shape when viewed perpendicular to the plane of the paper. The ten-way valve 480 is configured such that a rotating body having internal flow paths 481, 482, 483, and 484 is rotatable clockwise or counterclockwise by an actuator (not shown) within the housing. When the actuator is driven by a control command from the ECU 530, the rotating body rotates, changing the connection destination of each port, thereby changing the communication pattern in the thermal management circuit 400.

[0139] <Control method for thermal management circuits> The control method for the thermal management system 4 will be described below with reference to Figure 17. Figure 17 is a flowchart showing the control of the thermal management system 4 according to the fourth embodiment. Note that the flowchart shown in Figure 17 is merely an example, and the control in this disclosure is not limited to the example shown in Figure 17. Furthermore, the explanation of the same steps as in the control flowchart of the third embodiment described above will be simplified or omitted.

[0140] In step S2, if the ECU 530 determines that the temperature of the battery 272 detected by the battery temperature sensor 273 is less than 10°C (Yes in S2), the process proceeds to S13 (No). If the temperature of the battery 272 is 10°C or higher (No in S2), the process proceeds to S10.

[0141] In step S13, the ECU 530 controls the ten-way valve 480 so that the thermal management circuit 400 follows the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 16. The process then proceeds to S4.

[0142] In step S10, the ECU 530 controls the 16-way valve 480 to change the thermal management circuit 400 from the battery temperature rise communication pattern shown in Figure 16 to another communication pattern (for example, a communication pattern suitable for the operation of the electric vehicle 1a). After that, the process ends.

[0143] Furthermore, the other configurations and effects of the fourth embodiment are the same as those of the third embodiment described above.

[0144] The first to fourth embodiments described above show examples of controlling the temperature rise of the battery when the electric vehicle 1a starts to drive (when the driving system starts up), but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the temperature rise control may be performed so that the temperature of the battery rises to a predetermined temperature or higher when external charging starts, when the battery is charged using charging power supplied from an external charging facility (not shown) to the electric vehicle. The predetermined temperature is not particularly limited and can be any temperature within a temperature range in which the battery can be charged efficiently. Alternatively, the temperature rise control of the battery may be performed when the charging plug is plugged into the electric vehicle 1a, or it may be performed even before plugging in, for example, when it is a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) before the scheduled start of external charging (start of charging power supply). Furthermore, the temperature rise control may be performed based on it being a predetermined time (for example, 30 minutes) before the next scheduled start of driving.

[0145] The first to fourth embodiments described above show examples in which the thermal management system is installed in an electric vehicle, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The thermal management system may be installed in electrical equipment other than an electric vehicle (for example, a stationary energy storage device).

[0146] In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the temperature of the battery is determined based on the temperature of the heat transfer medium. An example of control that switches the operating state of the water pump has been shown, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. In addition to or instead of the above control, control may be performed to switch the presence or absence of heat exchange in the chiller based on whether or not there is a request for heating, or neither control may be performed, or for example, the operation of the water pump may be maintained continuously during the period in which the water pump can operate, regardless of the result of the comparison between the battery temperature and the heat transfer medium temperature, or intermittent operation or strong operation may be performed depending on various temperature conditions such as the battery temperature and the heat transfer medium temperature.

[0147] In the first embodiment described above, an example was shown in which a high-temperature circuit 110 is provided in the thermal management circuit 100, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The thermal management circuit 100 does not need to have a high-temperature circuit 110. Furthermore, the thermal management circuit 200 of the second embodiment, the thermal management circuit 300 of the third embodiment, and the thermal management circuit 400 of the fourth embodiment may also be provided with high-temperature circuits having the same function as the high-temperature circuit 110.

[0148] The first to fourth embodiments described above show examples in which battery temperature control is performed when the electric vehicle 1a starts driving (when the driving system is started), but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the temperature control may be performed not when the electric vehicle 1a starts driving (when the driving system is started), but when the battery temperature falls below a predetermined threshold (10°C in the above embodiments). In this case, the ECU may acquire the detected battery temperature at predetermined intervals (for example, every hour). Alternatively, the battery may be heated by flowing a larger-than-usual current through the battery while the electric vehicle 1a is running, with a battery temperature communication pattern formed.

[0149] Furthermore, the configurations (processes) of the above embodiments and each of the above modified examples may be combined with each other.

[0150] Furthermore, the details of the temperature rise control of the battery 173 will be explained with reference to Figure 18. Figure 18 is a diagram showing the circuit configuration including the battery 173, converter 810, inverter 820, and motor 830. The battery 173 is controlled via the SMR (System Main Relay) 800. The battery 173 is connected to a converter 810. The converter 810 is connected to an inverter 820. The inverter 820 is connected to a motor 830. A discharge circuit 840, which includes a switch and a resistor, is connected to the battery 173. A smoothing capacitor 850 is provided between the battery 173 and the converter 810. A discharge circuit 860, which consists of a switch and a resistor, is connected in parallel with the smoothing capacitor 850. In Figure 18, the configuration of the first embodiment is shown as a representative example, but the second to fourth embodiments may be configured similarly.

[0151] The temperature rise control of battery 173 may include, for example, a control that electrically disconnects SMR 800 and switches on discharge circuit 840. This causes current to flow through the closed circuit formed by battery 173 and discharge circuit 840. Alternatively, the temperature rise control of battery 173 may include a control that switches off discharge circuit 840 and switches on SMR 800 and discharge circuit 860. This causes current to flow through the closed circuit formed by battery 173, SMR 800 and discharge circuit 860. Furthermore, the temperature rise control of battery 173 may include a control that, with SMR 800 turned on and the switches of discharge circuit 840 and discharge circuit 860 turned off, supplies a current adjusted so that no torque is generated in motor 830.

[0152] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included. [Explanation of symbols]

[0153] 1,2,3,4 Thermal management system, 1a Electric vehicle, 10,20,30,40,50,60,70,80 Closed circuit, 100,200,300,400 Thermal management circuit, 110 High temperature circuit, 111,131,171,211,261 Water pump, 112,172 Electric heater, 113 Three-way valve, 114 Heater core, 115,136,265 Reservoir tank, 120,231 Radiator, 121 High temperature radiator, 122 Low temperature radiator, 124,232 Grill shutter, 130 Low temperature circuit, 134,264 Oil cooler, 135 Step-up / Step-down converter, 140,250 Capacitor, 150,240 Refrigeration cycle, 151,241 Compressor, 152, 155 Expansion valve, 153, 247 Evaporator, 160, 220 Chiller, 170, 270 Battery circuit, 173, 272 Battery, 175, 273 Battery temperature sensor, 176, 274 Heat transfer medium temperature sensor, 180, 190 Five-way valve, 210 Chiller circuit, 230 Radiator circuit, 251 Water-cooled condenser, 252 Air-cooled condenser, 260 Drive unit circuit, 133, 263 PCU40 controls, 280 octagonal valves, 380, 390 hexagonal valves, 480 ten-way valves, 500, 510, 520, 530 ECUs.

Claims

1. A thermal management system installed in electrical equipment, A first channel, a second channel, a third channel, and a fourth channel through which a heat transfer medium can flow, A power storage device that performs heat exchange with the heat transfer medium in the first flow path, A drive device that exchanges heat with the heat transfer medium in the second flow path and supplies driving force to the electrical equipment, A radiator provided in the third flow path, A chiller device provided in the fourth flow path, The system includes a switching device capable of switching the connection state between the first channel, the second channel, the third channel, and the fourth channel, A thermal management system in which, when the temperature of the energy storage device is raised by energizing the energy storage device, the switching device forms a first circuit having a first path of the heat transfer medium circulating through the first flow path and the fourth flow path, and a second path of the heat transfer medium circulating through the second flow path and the third flow path.

2. The radiator is provided with a shut-off device that can switch between an intake state in which outside air can be introduced into the radiator and a shut-off state in which the introduction of outside air is blocked. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the shut-off device is switched to the shut-off state when the first circuit is formed.

3. The aforementioned electrical equipment is an electric vehicle, The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature increase is performed when the running system of the electric vehicle is started.

4. The aforementioned energy storage device is configured to be capable of external charging, which is carried out by charging power supplied from an external charging facility for the electrical equipment. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein when the external charging is initiated, the temperature of the energy storage device is raised so that the temperature of the energy storage device is above a predetermined temperature.

5. A first temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the energy storage device, A second temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the heat transfer medium in the first flow path, The first circuit further comprises a pump for circulating the heat transfer medium, When the temperature rise occurs while the first circuit is formed, if the measurement value of the first temperature sensor is higher than the measurement value of the second temperature sensor, the pump is stopped. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pump is driven when the measurement value of the first temperature sensor is less than or equal to the measurement value of the second temperature sensor during the temperature rise in the state in which the first circuit is formed.

6. The aforementioned electrical equipment is an electric vehicle, The chiller device is configured to exchange heat with an air conditioning circuit that adjusts the room temperature of the electric vehicle. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the temperature of the energy storage device rises, the switching device forms the first circuit when a heating request is made using the air conditioning circuit.

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