Electric vehicle compressor waste heat application

Abstract

This relates to a thermal management system for electric vehicles, including a compressor. [Solution] The present invention relates to a thermal management system for an electric vehicle, which includes a compressor 110, comprising a compressor motor 316 and an inverter 320. The system collects the heat generated by the compressor 110 and distributes it for various applications such as cabin heating, battery heating, or cooling. The compressor 110 can be controlled to operate in multiple modes, including waste heat mode, TIM health detection mode, liquid reduction mode, and liquid pump-out mode. Heat generation is achieved by methods such as instructing an increase in current, changing the switching frequency of the inverter 320, or injecting high-frequency current. The controller adjusts the system operation based on input data.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to heating systems for use in motor vehicles, and more particularly, to methods for generating heat from electric vehicle components for various applications in electric vehicles. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Heat pumps are increasingly being used for efficient heating and cooling in a variety of applications, including buildings, industrial processes, and vehicles. Heat pumps can be more efficient than other types of heating systems because they can transfer heat from one location to another, as opposed to generating heat.

[0003] For vehicles, heat pumps can be used to extract heat from ambient air, powertrains, or batteries to heat the cabin or help maintain a specific battery temperature range. In electric vehicles, heat pumps can be particularly useful because the vehicle does not have an internal combustion engine that acts as a heat source. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] [Figure 1] 1 is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle thermal management system for an electric vehicle.

[0005] [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary thermal management system for an electric vehicle.

[0006] [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary compressor included in a thermal management system for an electric vehicle.

[0007] [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of an exemplary process for a controller to determine an operating mode and perform operations based on the current operating mode.

[0008] [Figure 5A] This figure shows an illustrative process flowchart for the controller used in the waste heat mode.

[0009] [Figure 5B] This figure shows exemplary heat flow and fluid flow in an exemplary waste heat mode.

[0010] [Figure 5C] This is a cross-sectional view of exemplary heat flow and fluid flow in an exemplary waste heat mode.

[0011] [Figure 6A] This figure shows a flowchart of an exemplary process by a controller for an exemplary thermal interface material (TIM) integrity detection mode.

[0012] [Figure 6B] This figure shows exemplary heat flow in an exemplary TIM health detection mode.

[0013] [Figure 6C] This is a cross-sectional view of exemplary heat flow in an exemplary TIM health detection mode.

[0014] [Figure 7A] This figure shows a flowchart of an exemplary process with a controller for an exemplary liquid reduction mode.

[0015] [Figure 7B] This figure shows exemplary heat and fluid flows through an exemplary compressor in an exemplary liquid reduction mode.

[0016] [Figure 8A] This figure shows an exemplary process flowchart with a controller for an exemplary liquid pump-out mode.

[0017] [Figure 8B]Figure showing exemplary heat flow and refrigerant flow through an exemplary compressor in an exemplary liquid pump-out mode.

[0018] [Figure 9] Block diagram of an exemplary vehicle including a compressor.

[0019] The embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the following detailed description. It should be understood that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the drawings, and the representations therein are intended to illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure, not to limit the same. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0020] The disclosed technology relates to a thermal management system, for example, a thermal management system for an electric vehicle. A thermal management system can be used to control the heating and cooling of various components of a vehicle, such as the cabin, battery, and / or powertrain components. The thermal management system may include a heat pump system that circulates a refrigerant to transfer heat throughout the vehicle, for example, to the cabin via a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) case. In a heat pump system, a compressor may be used to compress and circulate the refrigerant. The compressor may be a component configured to do work on a fluid passing through it and increase the pressure of the fluid. For example, the compressor may include a motor configured to compress the fluid and an inverter configured to control the motor. During operation, the compressor motor and / or inverter may have losses in the form of heat, which can be circulated through the vehicle by the vehicle thermal management system. As described herein, a controller may be configured to cause the compressor to use at least a portion of the electrical energy supplied to it for the purpose of generating heat. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to operate the compressor inefficiently so that at least a portion of the electrical energy supplied to it is intentionally dissipated as heat. Waste heat may reflect heat exceeding the heat normally or nominally generated by the compressor when operating efficiently. The waste heat generated by the compressor can be used for a variety of purposes, such as supplementing the heating capacity of a vehicle, testing the integrity of thermal interface materials (TIMs), improving compressor reliability by reducing the liquid content at the compressor inlet, and preventing liquids from damaging the compressor.

[0021] An exemplary thermal management system within a vehicle may include a heat pump system. As described herein, a heat pump system can be used to transport a fluid, such as a refrigerant, throughout the vehicle to transfer heat. The thermal management system may also include one or more coolant loops. For example, one coolant loop may be thermally connected to the vehicle's battery, and another coolant loop may be thermally connected to the vehicle's powertrain components. Each of the one or more coolant loops can transfer heat throughout the vehicle by thermally connecting to each other and to the heat pump system.

[0022] In some embodiments, a vehicle may include a valve that controls the configuration of coolant loops and allows for complex routing of heat through the vehicle. The valve may have one or more input ports and one or more output ports and may be configured to connect any of the input ports to any of the output ports to form one or more configurations of coolant loops. In some embodiments, there may be eight ports and may reflect an octo valve, which is described in detail in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2024 / 0278617, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. For example, a battery coolant loop and a powertrain coolant loop may be configured to operate in series with respect to cool the battery, powertrain, and cabin. In some embodiments, the battery coolant loop and the powertrain coolant loop may be configured to operate in parallel with respect to allow for cabin heating and battery and powertrain cooling. A thermal management system may include a controller that can be configured to control which input ports are fluidly connected to which output ports and can control any of the components of the thermal management system.

[0023] A heat pump system may include a compressor that pressurizes a refrigerant and circulates it throughout the heat pump system. The compressor may include a motor that powers the compressor and an inverter that controls the motor. During operation, both the motor and the inverter can generate heat. For example, the motor may generate heat due to the electrical resistance of its motor windings, and the inverter may generate heat due to the switching frequency of its transistors. This heat generated by the compressor can be captured by the refrigerant flowing through the compressor, and the refrigerant can then be circulated throughout the vehicle through the heat pump system and one or more coolant loops.

[0024] As disclosed herein, compressors such as scroll compressors 110 can be controlled to operate inefficiently and thus generate waste heat (e.g., heat exceeding the heat generated when the compressor operates efficiently). Exemplary techniques exist for controlling a compressor to generate waste heat, as will be discussed later. For example, but not limited to, a compressor can be controlled to direct an additional current (e.g., compared to efficient operation) while outputting a constant torque. In some embodiments, the switching frequency of a transistor can be controlled and optimized to generate additional heat. In some embodiments, a high-frequency current can be injected into a motor to generate waste heat. The additional heat can be used, for example, to compensate for cabin heating under extremely low-temperature conditions, to reduce the liquid content of the scroll, and / or to test the integrity of the thermal interface material (TIM) contained in the compressor described herein.

[0025] Electric vehicles face various challenges related to the utilization of excess or waste heat generated by the compressor. For example, in winter and extremely cold weather conditions, little to no heat can be supplied from the ambient air or powertrain. This may be because the ambient temperature is too low to be a sufficient heat source, and the powertrain cannot generate enough heat to comfortably heat the cabin. Alternatively, the battery may not generate enough heat to comfortably heat the cabin. A thermal management system can address this problem by including an electric heater, but this can add additional cost and complexity to the thermal management system. Advantageously, the need for such an electric heater can be eliminated by generating excess heat from the compressor. The compressor can act as a heater so that the thermal management system provides heat at COP=1, meaning the compressor directly converts electrical energy into heat. The coefficient of performance (COP) is a measure of the efficiency of a heating or cooling system, where COP=1 means the system converts all electrical energy into heat. Excess heat generated by the compressor can be captured by the refrigerant and transferred to the cabin, battery, or powertrain via a heat pump system and coolant loop.

[0026] Furthermore, the thermal management system may include an inverter that can be configured to control the electric motor of the compressor. The inverter may generate heat, which can be transferred from the inverter via a thermal interface material (TIM) as described herein. For example, the TIM may be placed between the inverter and the compressor housing. In this example, the TIM can transfer the heat generated by the inverter to the compressor body and to the refrigerant passing through the compressor.

[0027] TIMs can have several problems. For example, the TIM and / or compressor may be imperfect when they are first manufactured. This can lead to reduced thermal conductivity, potentially causing the inverter to overheat, which in turn can lead to reduced compressor efficiency or even failure. Furthermore, TIMs can degrade over time due to thermal cycling.

[0028] Advantageously, it can be possible to test the health of the TIM by generating excess heat from the compressor. For example, if excess heat is generated by the compressor, the temperature difference can be measured and compared to a threshold to determine whether the TIM is effectively transferring heat. For example, if waste heat is generated within the inverter, and a thermistor adjacent to the inverter measures a temperature rise greater than the threshold indicating TIM health, it can be concluded that the TIM is incomplete or not sufficiently healthy. Testing the TIM allows for the implementation of mitigation measures and contributes to the consideration of long-term design solutions. For example, but not limited to, if the TIM health detection mode determines that the TIM is incomplete, the controller can be configured to reject the part during manufacturing, schedule maintenance, notify the user, and / or operate the system at a lower capacity.

[0029] Another problem that can arise in thermal management systems is too much liquid content entering the compressor. For example, a thermal management system may include a scroll compressor, which may include a scroll section configured to circulate a fluid, such as a refrigerant, throughout the heat pump system. Too much liquid content entering the scroll section of the compressor can damage the compressor. Advantageously, the waste heat generated by the compressor can be used to evaporate any liquid content before it enters the compressor. For example, if the compressor is a scroll compressor and the inverter and compressor motor are upstream of the scroll inlet, the inverter and compressor can be controlled to generate waste heat, which can be used to evaporate or reduce any liquid content in the fluid before it reaches the scroll section of the compressor.

[0030] Another problem can arise if the compressor is not operating and some of the fluid condenses (for example, due to low ambient temperatures) and becomes liquid inside the compressor. When the fluid condenses, its liquid content can increase to an amount that could cause damage to the compressor when it restarts operation. Advantageously, the compressor can be controlled to generate waste heat to evaporate or reduce the liquid content of the fluid inside the compressor. Furthermore, the controller can be configured to use one or more sensors to detect whether the fluid has likely condensed to the point of containing a liquid content that could cause damage to the compressor, and a liquid pump-out mode can be implemented to generate waste heat, in which the scroll portion of the compressor can spin slowly while the compressor generates waste heat to help remove the liquid content from the compressor.

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary vehicle thermal management system 100 of the vehicle of this disclosure. The thermal management system 100 may be configured to transfer heat between the cabin, battery 128, front drive unit 134, rear drive unit 132, and / or ambient air 240. The management system may include a heat pump system (e.g., heat pump system 210), one or more coolant loops (e.g., battery coolant loop 220 and / or powertrain coolant loop 230), a valve 124 (e.g., an octo valve) which may be configured to allow one or more coolant loops to be in thermal communication with each other selectively, and a controller 105. The components of the vehicle thermal management system 100 may be in thermal communication with each other via piping 136 and / or pipes 138 which may be configured to carry refrigerant and / or coolant.

[0032] The heat pump system 210 may be configured to transfer heat throughout the vehicle. The heat pump system 210 may include a compressor 110, a cabin heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) case 120, a chiller 118, a liquid-cooled condenser (LCC) 126, an expansion valve (not shown), an accumulator 116, and / or one or more pressure and / or temperature sensors 112, which may be called components of the heat pump system 210. The components of the heat pump system 210 may be connected by piping 136. The heat pump system 210 may include a refrigerant configured to transfer heat throughout the heat pump system 210 via the piping 136. The HVAC case 120 may include a cabin condenser (not shown) and / or a cabin evaporator (not shown) which may be configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the cabin. The HVAC case may be configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the cabin air. For example, the condenser may be configured to release heat from the refrigerant into the cabin air, and the evaporator may be configured to absorb heat from the cabin air into the refrigerant. The accumulator can be configured to reduce the amount of liquid entering the compressor 110.

[0033] The thermal management system 100 may include one or more coolant loops. One or more coolant loops may be configured to transfer heat to one or more components of the entire vehicle. For example, but not limited to, one or more coolant loops may have thermal communication with a radiator 122, a front drive unit 134 and / or a rear drive unit 132, a battery 128, a liquid-cooled condenser 126, a chiller 118, and / or one or more pumps (not shown). One or more coolant loops may include piping 138 and coolant configured to carry or transport heat throughout the vehicle via the piping 138. The radiator 122 may be configured to exchange heat with ambient air. The front drive unit 134 and the rear drive unit 132 may be configured to generate mechanical motion to move the vehicle. The battery 128 may include one or more battery packs, each containing a number of batteries, and may be configured to supply power to components of the vehicle. Each of the liquid-cooled condenser 126 and chiller 118 can be configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant in the heat pump system 210 and the coolant in one or more coolant loops.

[0034] For example, in some embodiments, the vehicle may include a battery coolant loop 220 and a powertrain (e.g., front drive unit 134, rear drive unit 132) coolant loop 230. The battery coolant loop 220 may be configured to transfer heat to and from the battery 128. The battery coolant loop 220 may include one or more pumps (not shown), one or more structures (not shown) configured to exchange heat with the battery 128, and a chiller 118. The chiller 118 may be configured to exchange heat between a refrigerant and a coolant, thereby enabling thermal communication between the battery coolant loop 220 and the heat pump system 210.

[0035] The powertrain coolant loop 230 may, but is not limited to, be configured to transfer heat to the powertrain, such as the front drive unit 134 and the rear drive unit 132. The powertrain coolant loop 230 may include one or more pumps, one or more structures (not shown) configured to exchange heat with the front drive unit 134 and / or the rear drive unit 132, and / or a liquid-cooled condenser 126. The liquid-cooled condenser 126 may be configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the coolant, thereby enabling the powertrain coolant loop 230 to be in thermal communication with the heat pump system 210.

[0036] One or more coolant loops can be connected to a valve 124, which in some embodiments may have eight ports (e.g., an octo valve as described herein). The valve 124 may include one or more input ports and one or more output ports. The input ports may be configured to allow fluid to enter the valve 124, and the output ports may be configured to allow fluid to exit the valve 124. The valve 124 may be configured to selectively connect one or more input ports to one or more output ports. For example, the valve may include an actuator (not shown) which may be configured to rotate a stem shell (not shown) within the valve that can control which input ports are in fluid communication with which output ports. The valve may be configured to allow one or more loops to be in thermal communication with each other. The valve may be configured to form one or more loops by selectively connecting specific input ports and output ports to be in fluid communication with each other. The valve 124 may be able to switch between one or more configurations to selectively transfer heat to various components throughout the vehicle. One or more configurations of components and loops are sometimes referred to as modes.

[0037] For example, but not limited to, the valve 124 may be configured to allow the battery coolant loop 220 to operate in series with the powertrain coolant loop 230, which may be called the series mode. In the series mode, one or more coolant loops may be configured to fluidly communicate with each other to form a single continuous loop. In some embodiments, the valve 124 may be configured to allow the battery coolant loop 220 to operate in parallel with the powertrain coolant loop 230. In the parallel mode, the battery coolant loop 220 and the powertrain coolant loop 230 can circulate coolant independently of each other within separate loops. The configuration of one or more valves 124 may include an ambient source mode, in which the radiator 122 may be configured to thermally communicate with the chiller 118, thereby allowing the heat pump system 210 to extract heat from the ambient. The configuration of one or more valves 124 may include a series radiator bypass mode in which the battery coolant loop 220 and the powertrain coolant loop 230 are in thermal communication with each other, but the coolant bypasses the radiator 122 and retains heat rather than dissipates it.

[0038] The thermal management system 100 may include a controller 105. For example, the controller 105 may represent a processor, ASIC, etc., that can utilize information to control the components of the thermal management system 100. The controller 105 may be configured to control the valve 124 to operate in one or more modes. For example, the controller 105 may be configured to selectively connect one or more input ports to one or more output ports. In some embodiments, the controller 105 may be configured to control the valve 124 to operate one or more coolant loops in series mode, parallel mode, ambient source mode, or series radiator 122 bypass mode. The controller 105 may be configured to control and / or communicate with any of the components of the thermal management system 100. For example, but not limited to, the controller 105 may be configured to control the compressor 110 and may be configured to receive information from one or more sensors 112.

[0039] Further descriptions of the thermal management system 100 are included in U.S. Patent No. 10,967,702 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2024 / 0278617. These documents are thus incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0040] The thermal management system 100 may include additional or fewer components than those shown in Figures 1 and 2, and may have configurations different from those shown in Figures 1 and 2. For example, the configuration shown in Figure 1 may correspond to an ambient source mode, in which the radiator 122 may be configured to draw heat from ambient air 240 and transfer that heat to the refrigerant via the chiller 118. The thermal management system 100 may be configured to operate in many different modes or configurations, including, but not limited to, a series mode, a parallel mode, or a series radiator 122 bypass mode.

[0041] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary vehicle thermal management system 100. The vehicle thermal management system 100 may include a heat pump system 210, a battery coolant loop 220, a powertrain coolant loop 230, a valve 124, and / or a controller 105.

[0042] The heat pump system 210 may be configured to exchange heat with ambient air 240, cabin air 250, battery coolant loop 220, and / or powertrain coolant loop 230. The battery coolant loop 220 may include a battery 128 and may be configured to exchange heat with the battery, the heat pump system 210, and the powertrain coolant loop 230. The powertrain coolant loop 230 may include a front drive unit 134 and / or a rear drive unit 132 and may be configured to exchange heat with the front drive unit 134 and / or the rear drive unit 132, the heat pump system 210, and the battery coolant loop 220.

[0043] The thermal management system 100 may include a valve 124 that can be configured to allow the battery coolant loop 220 to have thermal and / or fluid communication with the powertrain coolant loop 230. For example, but not limited to, the valve 124 may allow the battery coolant loop 220 and the powertrain coolant loop 230 to operate in series or in parallel with each other. The valve 124 may be configured to fluidly connect one or more input ports to one or more output ports in order to form one or more loops for transferring heat throughout the vehicle. In some embodiments, the thermal management system 100 may include a radiator 122 that can be configured to exchange heat with ambient air 240.

[0044] Although the controller 105 is shown as being connected to the heat pump system 210, the controller may be connected to or communicate with any of the components of the thermal management system 100. For example, but not limited to, the controller may be connected to a valve 124 to control which input port is fluidly connected to which output port, one or more sensors 112 for receiving measurements, and / or one or more pumps, etc.

[0045] The vehicle thermal management system 100 can be configured to collect and transfer heat generated by various components of the vehicle. For example, the vehicle thermal management system 100 can be configured to control a compressor 110 to generate excess heat and transfer the generated heat throughout the vehicle. The compressor 110 can be configured to operate in an efficient mode, in which the compressor 110 can generate a specific amount of heat (e.g., below a threshold measurement).

[0046] The compressor 110 can be configured to receive power and output mechanical power via the motor 316. During operation, the motor 316 and / or inverter 320 of the compressor 110 may have losses, which can be dissipated as heat. In efficient mode, the compressor 110 may have an efficiency above the threshold efficiency (see exemplary values ​​below). In overheat mode, the compressor can be controlled to operate inefficiently so that the motor and / or inverter increase losses and generate excess heat. In overheat mode, the compressor 110 may have an efficiency below the threshold efficiency (see exemplary values ​​below). Efficiency can be calculated as the mechanical power output divided by the power input.

[0047] For example, but not limited to, the compressor motor 316 may be configured to supply mechanical power of 8.5 kW or approximately 8.5 kW, or in the range of 6 kW or approximately 6 kW to 10 kW or approximately 10 kW, or in the range of 3.5 kW or approximately 3.5 kW to 12.5 kW or approximately 12.5 kW, or any value, approximation, or range of values ​​within the aforementioned ranges. During operation, the motor 316 and / or inverter 320 may have losses in the form of heat. When operating in an efficient mode, the motor 316 may have losses of 1 kW or approximately 1 kW, or in the range of 750 W or approximately 750 W to 1.25 kW or approximately 1.25 kW, or in the range of 500 W or approximately 500 W to 1.5 kW or approximately 1.5 kW, or any value, approximation, or range of values ​​within the aforementioned ranges. When operating in efficient mode, the inverter 320 may have losses of 140W or approximately 140W, or in the range of 100W or approximately 100W to 180W or approximately 180W, or in the range of 60W or approximately 60W to 120W or approximately 120W, or any value, approximation, or any range of values ​​within the aforementioned ranges. Therefore, when operating in efficient mode, the compressor 310 may have an efficiency of 88% or approximately 88%, or in the range of 84% or approximately 84% to 92% or approximately 92%, or in the range of 80% or approximately 80% to 96% or approximately 96%, or any value, approximation, or any range of values ​​within the aforementioned ranges (which can be called the threshold efficiency in efficient mode). Efficiency can be calculated by dividing the mechanical power output by the total power input.

[0048] The motor 316 and / or inverter 320 of the compressor 110 may be controlled to operate inefficiently in order to increase losses in order to generate excess heat. When operating inefficiently, which may be called overheating mode, the compressor motor 316 may have losses of 1.7 kW or about 1.7 kW, or in the range of 1.4 kW or about 1.4 kW to 2.0 kW or about 2.0 kW, or in the range of 1.1 kW or about 1.1 kW to 2.3 kW or about 2.3 kW, or any value, approximation, or range of values ​​within the aforementioned ranges. When operating inefficiently, the inverter 320 may have losses of 250 W or about 250 W, or in the range of 200 W or about 200 W to 300 W or about 300 W, or in the range of 150 W or about 150 W to 350 W or about 350 W, or any value, approximation, or range of values ​​within the aforementioned ranges. Therefore, when operating in superheat mode, the compressor 110 can have an efficiency of 81% or about 81%, or in the range of 77% or about 77% to 85% or about 85%, or in the range of 73% or about 73% to 89% or about 89%. In some embodiments, in superheat mode, the compressor 110 may be configured to have 100% inefficiency or about 100% inefficiency, or 0% efficiency or about 0% efficiency, meaning that all or almost all of the power supplied to the compressor is lost as heat. Superheat mode can be defined as a mode in which the compressor operates at an efficiency below the threshold efficiency, the threshold efficiency may be 88% or about 88%, or in the range of 84% or about 84% to 92% or about 92%, or in the range of 80% or about 80% to 96% or about 96%, or any value, approximation, or range of values ​​within the aforementioned ranges.

[0049] The compressor 110 may be configured to operate in a superheat mode, in which case the compressor 110 may be configured to generate a larger measured value of heat than when operating in an efficient mode (e.g., greater than a threshold measured value). Heat can be generated from the compressor 110 using various methods as described herein, and the controller 105 may have multiple uses for the heat generated by the compressor 110.

[0050] The controller 105 can be configured to determine when to activate one or more of several modes (also referred to herein as operating modes), each mode corresponding to a different use of the excess heat generated by the compressor 110. Throughout this disclosure, the term “mode” can be used to refer to the operating states of the compressor 110 and / or the vehicle thermal management system 100. For example, but not limited to, it can be said that the compressor 110 operates in a particular mode, such as a waste heat mode, or that the vehicle thermal management system 100 operates in a particular mode.

[0051] Figure 3 shows an exemplary compressor 110 included in an exemplary vehicle thermal management system 100. The compressor 110 may include an inlet 322 and an outlet 324. The compressor 110 may be configured to receive a fluid 311 through the inlet 322 and output, discharge, or release the fluid 311 through the outlet 324. The fluid 311 may be a refrigerant. The refrigerant may be, but is not limited to, R134a, R1234yf, or other types of refrigerants. The fluid 311 may pass through the compressor 110 and through the piping 136 to the entire heat pump system 210. The compressor 110 may be configured to pressurize the fluid 311 and circulate the fluid 311 throughout the heat pump system 210.

[0052] In some embodiments, the compressor 110 may be a scroll compressor. For example, the compressor 110 may include a scroll section 312, a shaft 314, and a compressor motor 316. The scroll section 312 may include one or more interleaved scrolls (not shown). In the operation of the compressor 110, one scroll (not shown) may be fixed, and the other scroll (not shown) may move in a circular motion relative to the fixed scroll without rotating, to capture pockets of fluid and push them toward the center of the scroll to compress the fluid. The scroll section 312 may be connected to the compressor motor 316 via the shaft 314. The compressor motor 316 can control or direct the movement of one or more of the scrolls of the scroll section 312 via the shaft 314. In some embodiments, the compressor 110 may be a different type of compressor.

[0053] While scroll compressors are described herein, other compressors or other types of compressors may be used and may be included within the scope of this disclosure, as can be understood. For example, the compressor may be a reciprocating compressor (e.g., a piston compressor). Another example is that the compressor may be a rotary compressor (e.g., a rotary screw compressor). Thus, waste heat can be generated using different compressors or different types of compressors. Furthermore, different compressors or different types of compressors may implement the modes described herein (e.g., waste heat mode, thermal interface material integrity detection mode, liquid reduction mode, and / or liquid pump-out mode).

[0054] The compressor motor 316 may be an electric induction motor, a permanent magnet motor, or another type of motor. The compressor motor 316 may be configured to transmit motion to one or more scrolls of the scroll section 312 via a shaft 314. The compressor motor 316 may include one or more windings (not shown), which may be one or more wires wound in a pattern for generating an electromagnetic field. The windings may come into direct or indirect contact with the fluid 311 as it passes through the compressor, thereby allowing the windings to transfer heat to the fluid 311. In some embodiments, the scroll section 312 may be located upstream of the compressor motor 316 so that the fluid 311 can pass through the compressor motor 316 and its windings before it passes through the scroll section 312.

[0055] The compressor 110 can be controlled by an inverter 320. The inverter 320 can be connected to or on a printed circuit board assembly (PCB) 326. The inverter 320 may be configured to convert DC from the battery 128 to AC to drive the compressor motor 316. The inverter 320 may include one or more transistors, which may be insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) 321, or other types of transistors.

[0056] PCB326 may include a thermal interface material (TIM)318. The TIM318 may be a material configured to improve heat transfer from electronic components such as a MOSFET321. For example, but not limited to, the TIM318 may be configured to transfer heat generated by the MOSFET to a coolant flowing through a compressor.

[0057] The compressor 110 may have a compressor body 332 that surrounds and encloses the compressor 110. The compressor body 332 can isolate the fluid 311 inside the compressor 110 from the outside of the compressor 110. The heat generated by the inverter 320 can be transferred through the TIM 318 and the compressor body 332 before being transferred to the fluid 311 inside the compressor 110.

[0058] In some embodiments, the controller 105 may be configured to control the compressor 110 to generate more heat than the compressor 110 generates when operating efficiently. For example, the controller 105 may be configured to control the compressor 110 to operate inefficiently in order to generate additional heat that can be transferred to the refrigerant passing through the compressor 110.

[0059] One or more techniques may exist for generating excess heat from the compressor 110. In one example, the compressor 110 can generate heat by directing a higher current than it normally directs when operating in an efficient mode. In some embodiments, the controller 105 can control the compressor motor 316 to direct more current from the controller 105 and / or battery 128 without generating more torque. In other words, the controller 105 can cause the compressor 110 to direct more current while generating the same torque that the compressor 110 generates in an efficient mode. For example, when the compressor 110 is operating in an efficient mode, the compressor motor 316 may aim to operate at maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) to minimize copper losses and maximize efficiency. However, more current can be drawn for a given torque by using either a strengthening or weakening method.

[0060] In some embodiments, the controller 105 can control the compressor motor 316 to draw more current using either a strengthening or weakening flux. In the weakening flux method, the controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to direct more current by reducing the stator flux linkage. The controller 105 may be configured to reduce the stator flux linkage while maintaining a constant torque output from the compressor motor 316. This is equivalent to what the compressor motor produces in an efficient mode, but can result in an output torque that directs more current. Similarly, in the strengthening flux method, the controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to direct more current by increasing the stator flux linkage. The controller 105 may be configured to increase the stator flux linkage while maintaining a constant torque output from the compressor motor 316. This is equivalent to what the compressor motor 316 produces in an efficient mode, but can result in an output torque that directs more current. Decreasing the stator flux linkage means reducing the strength of the magnetic field generated by the motor windings. Increasing the stator flux linkage means increasing the strength of the magnetic field generated by the motor windings. In a dq reference frame (not shown) where the d-axis current controls the flux and the q-axis current controls torque generation, weakening the flux means applying a negative d-axis current, and strengthening the flux means applying a positive d-axis current.

[0061] The controller 105 can be configured to control the compressor to direct a higher current and thus generate heat by using either a weakening or strengthening flux, while still outputting the same torque that the compressor motor 316 outputs when the compressor 110 is operating efficiently. This method is not limited to strengthening and / or weakening flux. For example, but not limited to this, the controller 105 may use other means or methods to draw an additional current to the compressor motor 316 to generate additional heat.

[0062] In another example, the compressor 110 may generate heat from the inverter 320. For example, but not limited to this, the controller 105 may change the switching frequency of one or more transistors in the inverter 320. For example, by increasing the switching frequency of one or more MOSFETs 321, additional heat can be generated from the inverter 320. However, in some embodiments, increasing the switching frequency may not increase the total loss, or the total amount of heat generated from the compressor 110. For example, if the switching frequency decreases, which may result in less heat being generated from the inverter 320, the loss of the compressor motor 316 may increase by an amount that leads to an increase in the total loss, or total amount of heat generated, where the total loss refers to the total amount of heat generated by both the inverter 320 and the compressor motor 316.

[0063] Therefore, a lookup table (not shown) can be accessed and optionally generated to determine the total heat generated at a given switching frequency. For example, the switching frequency may be adjusted and the heat generated from the inverter 320 and the compressor motor 316 recorded for each switching frequency. The lookup table may include one or more rows specifying the switching frequency, a measured value of the heat generated by the inverter 320 with respect to the switching frequency, a measured value of the heat generated by the compressor motor 316 with respect to the switching frequency, and the total heat generated between the inverter 320 and the compressor motor 316 with respect to the switching frequency. In some embodiments, the lookup table may be stored in a non-temporary computer-readable medium. The controller 105 may include a hardware processor (not shown) that can read the lookup table to identify the switching frequency and be configured to achieve a desired total heat generated. Based on the desired heat generated recorded in the lookup table, the controller 105 can control the inverter 320 to have a specific switching frequency.

[0064] In another example, the controller 105 can generate heat from the compressor 110 by injecting a high-frequency current into the compressor 110. Injecting a high-frequency current causes the compressor motor 316 to generate little to no torque, which may cause the scroll of the scroll section 312 to remain stationary. For example, but not limited to, a current with a frequency above 50 Hz can be injected into the compressor motor 316. In some embodiments, a current with a frequency above 100 Hz can be injected into the compressor motor 316. In some embodiments, a current with a frequency above 250 Hz can be injected into the compressor motor 316.

[0065] The controller 105 can be configured to control the compressor 110 to generate heat using any, all, or a combination of the heat generation techniques described above. The controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to generate heat using one or more of the heat generation methods described above, according to one or more modes. For example, but not limited to, in the waste heat mode, the controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to generate heat by increasing the amount of current drawn by the motor and optimizing the switching frequency of the inverter. The controller 105 can be configured to generate heat in the compressor 110 using one or more of the heat generation techniques described above, according to one or more modes that can accommodate one or more uses for the heat generated by the compressor 110.

[0066] Figure 4 shows a flowchart of an exemplary process 400 for the controller 105 to determine a mode and take action based on the current or selected mode. The controller 105 can be configured to activate, enable, update, and / or change modes that can correspond to specific uses of the heat generated by the compressor 110. For example, but not limited to, the controller 105 can be configured to activate a waste heat mode, as described herein, in which the controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to operate inefficiently to generate a certain amount of heat, and the controller 105 can control the thermal management system 100 to distribute that heat throughout the vehicle, such as the cabin.

[0067] In block 402, the controller 105 can acquire input data. The input data may include operating parameters (e.g., whether the vehicle is charging, whether it is in a particular driving mode), sensor information (e.g., temperature information of internal components, ambient air temperature), etc. For example, the input data may include data from sensors such as the first sensor 112 or the second sensor 114, but is not limited to these. The input data may include, for example, the temperature and / or pressure of the fluid 311 entering and leaving the compressor 110. The input data may include information about the fluid 311, such as the type of fluid (e.g., type of refrigerant). The input data may include information about the environment, such as ambient temperature and / or ambient pressure. The input data may include any other data or information collected by any other sensors on the vehicle and / or determined by the controller 105. For example, but is not limited to these, the input data may include whether the battery 128 is charging or about to be charged.

[0068] In some embodiments, the input data may include the configuration of the valve 124. For example, the input data may include whether one or more coolant loops are operating in series mode or in parallel mode. The input data may include information received from the vehicle's user interface. The input data may include whether the vehicle is navigating to a location, the distance to that location, the expected weather during the trip, the location and distance to the charger, and whether the vehicle is charging. The input data may include whether the compressor is operating in an efficient mode or an inefficient mode, and if the compressor is operating in an inefficient mode, it may include how the compressor is controlled to generate heat.

[0069] In block 404, the controller 105 can determine one or more modes based at least in part on the input data. One or more modes can correspond to different uses of the heat generated by the compressor. For example, but not limited to, these modes may include a waste heat mode, a TIM health detection mode, a liquid reduction mode, and / or a liquid pump-out mode, as described herein. In any of these modes, the controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to operate inefficiently or in an overheating mode in order to increase the portion of the power supplied to the compressor 110 that is dissipated as heat due to losses.

[0070] In waste heat mode, the controller 105 can be configured to control the vehicle thermal management system 100 so that its heating capacity is supplemented by the waste heat generated by the compressor 110.

[0071] In TIM health detection mode, the health of TIM 318 can be tested using waste heat generated by the compressor 110. For example, but not limited to, after the compressor 110 is manufactured, the TIM health detection mode can be used to generate heat from the compressor and test the quality of TIM 318. In another example, but not limited to, TIM 318 may be tested periodically throughout its life to check for degradation or other problems that may occur over time.

[0072] In liquid reduction mode, waste heat generated by the compressor 110 can be used to remove the liquid content from the compressor inlet 322. For example, the sensor 112 may be configured to measure the temperature and / or pressure of the fluid 311 before it enters the compressor 110. The controller 105 can determine, at least in part, that the liquid content of the fluid 311 entering the compressor 110 is too high and generate waste heat from the compressor 110 to evaporate or reduce the liquid content of the fluid 311 before it enters the compressor 110.

[0073] In some embodiments, a liquid pump-out mode can be used to generate heat from the compressor 110 and slowly rotate the motor 316 of the compressor 110 to pump liquid out of the compressor outlet 324 (e.g., by rotating the scroll below a threshold speed). For example, when the compressor 110 is not operating, the fluid 311 may condense (e.g., at low ambient temperatures) and form liquid inside the compressor 110. This condensed liquid inside the compressor 110 can damage the compressor 110 when it starts or restarts operation. In liquid pump-out mode, the controller 105 may be configured to control the compressor 110 to generate waste heat and slowly spin the motor 316 of the compressor 110 to remove liquid from the compressor 110 and avoid damage to the compressor 110.

[0074] In block 406, the controller 105 can cause the vehicle thermal management system 100 to update the current mode to a determined mode, which is determined at least in part based on the input data.

[0075] In block 408, the controller can operate based on the current mode. For example, the controller 105 may generate waste heat in the compressor 110 depending on the current mode. Figures 5A to 8B below illustrate the various operations that the thermal management system 100 can take according to the current mode.

[0076] The controller 105 may be configured to operate one or more modes simultaneously. For example, but not limited to this, the controller 105 can be configured to simultaneously operate the vehicle thermal management system 100 in waste heat mode and liquid reduction mode.

[0077] Figure 5A shows a flowchart of an exemplary process by the controller 105 for the waste heat mode. In block 502, the controller 105 can determine that the thermal management system 100 is entering waste heat mode. The controller 105 can determine that the system is entering waste heat mode, for example, when the ambient temperature falls below a threshold and the thermal management system 100 cannot supply enough heat (greater than the threshold or a set of thresholds) from the powertrain to adequately heat the cabin and / or battery 128.

[0078] In block 504, the controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to generate heat for use in waste heat mode. The controller 105 can control the compressor motor 316 and / or inverter 320 to generate heat using one or more of the heat generation methods described above. For example, the controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to draw additional current while maintaining a substantially constant torque. In some embodiments, the controller 105 can control the inverter 320 to adjust its switching frequency to generate waste heat. In some embodiments, the controller 105 can cause a high-frequency current to be injected into the compressor 110 to generate waste heat.

[0079] In block 506, the controller 105 can control the vehicle thermal management system 100 to transfer heat throughout the vehicle. For example, the controller 105 can control the vehicle thermal management system 100 to transfer the generated heat to the cabin, battery 128, or powertrain. The controller 105 may be configured to transfer heat throughout the vehicle via the heat pump system 210 and / or one or more coolant loops.

[0080] Figure 5B shows an example of heat and fluid flowing through a compressor in waste heat mode. For example, fluid 311 can be configured to enter the compressor through the compressor inlet 322, pass through the compressor 110, pass through the scroll portion 312 of the compressor 110, and exit from the compressor outlet 324. As fluid 311 passes through the compressor 110, fluid 311 can receive heat generated by the compressor 110.

[0081] For example, the controller 105 can control the inverter 320 to generate heat 513, for example, by controlling the switching frequency. The heat 513 generated by the inverter can be transmitted to the fluid 311 as it passes through the TIM 318 and the compressor body when the fluid 311 passes through the compressor 110.

[0082] In some embodiments, in waste heat mode, the controller 105 can be configured to cause the compressor motor 316 to generate waste heat 515 (for example, by drawing in additional current or by injecting high-frequency current). The heat 515 generated by the compressor motor 316 can be absorbed by the fluid 311 as the fluid 311 passes through the compressor 110.

[0083] Therefore, when the fluid 311 leaves the compressor 110, the fluid 311 can receive heat generated by the inverter 320 and / or the compressor motor 316. This waste heat can be transferred to the entire vehicle via the heat management system 100, through the heat pump system 210 and / or one or more coolant loops.

[0084] The controller 105 can communicate electrically with the inverter 320 and / or the compressor motor 316, and the inverter 320 can communicate electrically with the compressor motor 316. The controller 105 may include a mode selection module 501 that can determine and / or receive one or more modes in which the vehicle thermal management system 100 will operate or is currently operating. For example, the mode selection module 501 may be configured to perform the process shown in Figure 4.

[0085] Figure 5C shows a cross-sectional view of exemplary heat and coolant flows through an exemplary inverter 320 in waste heat mode. In some embodiments, the die 523 of the inverter 320 may include one or more MOSFETs 321 that can be used to generate heat 513. The heat 513 can be transferred to a heat spreader 528 and / or to the compressor body 332 of the compressor 110 via the TIM 318. The heat 513 can then be transferred to the fluid 311 flowing through the compressor 110. In some embodiments, the die 523 may be supported by a PCB 326 which may also include a sensor 530. The sensor 530 may be a thermistor that can be configured to measure temperature. In some embodiments, the sensor 530 can be used to test the integrity of the TIM 318, as described herein.

[0086] Figure 6A shows a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process by the controller 105 for the TIM health detection mode. In block 602, the controller 105 can determine that the vehicle thermal management system 100 has entered the TIM health detection mode. The TIM health detection mode can be used to measure the health of the TIM 318. In the TIM health detection mode, various methods can be used to measure how the TIM 318 responds to the generated heat and how the health and / or functionality of the TIM 318 is measured, as described herein. The TIM health detection mode can be manually triggered, for example, by commanding the vehicle to test the health of the TIM 318 via a button or user interface. In some embodiments, the TIM health detection mode may be automatically triggered when the TIM 318 is first installed, after a certain period of time, or after a specified event occurs.

[0087] In block 604, after the TIM integrity detection mode is determined, the controller 105 can control the compressor motor 316 to stop its spin. In other words, the controller 105 may control the scrolling of the scroll portion 312 to stop its spin or relative movement. By stopping the spin of the scroll portion 312, the fluid 311 (e.g., refrigerant) can be stopped from flowing through the heat pump system 210. Stopping the spin of the scroll portion 312 may be advantageous in order to prevent the fluid 311 from cooling the inverter 320 and TIM 318 during the TIM integrity detection test. For example, by preventing the fluid 311 from cooling the inverter 320, the inverter 320 can reach a higher temperature in a shorter time, thereby allowing the integrity of the TIM 318 to be tested more quickly. In some embodiments, in TIM health detection mode, the compressor 110 may be configured to operate 100% inefficiently or approximately 100% inefficiently, meaning that all or almost all of the power supplied to the compressor 110 can be dissipated as heat, and there is little or no mechanical output from the compressor motor 316.

[0088] In block 606, the controller 105 can control the compressor motor 316 and / or inverter to generate heat. In TIM health detection mode, the controller 105 can generate heat in the compressor 110 using any of the methods described herein.

[0089] In block 608, the controller 105 can measure the health of the TIM 318 as described below with respect to Figure 6B.

[0090] Figure 6B shows exemplary heat flowing through an exemplary compressor 110 in TIM health detection mode. The controller 105 can be configured to control the compressor 110 to stop spinning, thereby stopping the flow of fluid 311 through the compressor. The controller 105 can control the inverter 320 (for example, by controlling the switching frequency) to generate heat. This configuration, in which the compressor motor 316 does not rotate and the compressor generates waste heat, is sometimes called the static waste heat mode.

[0091] The controller 105 may control the transistors in the inverter 320 to generate waste heat. This heat may be transferred in two directions: into the compressor body 332 via the TIM 318 and into the PCB 326.

[0092] In some embodiments, the controller 105 can communicate electrically with the inverter 320. The controller 105 may include a mode selection module 501 that can determine and / or receive one or more modes in which the vehicle thermal management system 100 will operate or is currently operating. For example, the mode selection module 501 may be configured to perform the process shown in Figure 4.

[0093] Figure 6C is a cross-sectional view showing exemplary heat flowing through an exemplary inverter 320 in the TIM health detection mode. In some embodiments, heat may be generated from the die 523 of the MOSFET 321. The heat 513 flows in the following directions: (1) through the heat spreader 528, through the TIM 318, toward the compressor body 332, and (2) toward the PCB 326. It can move in two directions. PCB326 may include a sensor 530 which may be configured to measure the temperature at its location. Controller 105 can use the sensor 530 on PCB326 to determine the health of TIM318 by measuring the temperature rise during a test run in TIM waste heat mode.

[0094] The health of the TIM318 can be measured using one or more methods. In an exemplary method for determining the health of the TIM318, the temperature can be measured using the sensor 530 before waste heat is generated using the TIM health detection mode and after waste heat is generated using the TIM health detection mode. The health of the TIM318 can be determined by analyzing the temperature rise measured by the sensor 530 from the heat generated from the TIM health detection mode. By comparing this temperature rise to a threshold, it can be determined whether the TIM318 is healthy.

[0095] For example, but not limited to, the sensor 530 can measure the ambient temperature before the thermal management system 100 enters TIM health detection mode. During TIM health detection mode, the controller 105 can control the inverter 320 to generate waste heat, and the controller 105 can control the sensor 530 to measure the temperature during or after the waste heat is being generated. The difference between the ambient temperature before waste heat is generated and the temperature after waste heat is generated may be called the temperature difference or temperature rise during TIM health detection mode. The controller 105 can be configured to determine the health of the TIM by comparing the temperature difference to a threshold. If the temperature difference measured by the sensor 530 on the PCB 326 is greater than the threshold, it may indicate that the TIM 318 is not effectively transferring heat from the inverter 320 to the compressor body 332.

[0096] For example, but not limited to, the temperature rise may be 23°C, meaning that the temperature measured by the sensor 530 has risen by 23°C after excessive heat has been generated in the TIM health detection mode. If the threshold for determining that the TIM 318 is healthy is 25°C, the controller 105 can determine that the TIM 318 is healthy. On the other hand, if the temperature rise is measured to be 27°C, this may indicate that the TIM 318 is not healthy and may require repair or replacement. In other words, the TIM 318 may not be healthy if it does not effectively transfer heat from the inverter 320 to the compressor body 332.

[0097] This test may be performed when the compressor 110 is manufactured to check the quality of the TIM 318. In some embodiments, the health of the TIM 318 may be measured once or multiple times throughout the life of the TIM 318 to measure its health. In some embodiments, the controller 105 may be configured to activate or enable the TIM health detection mode based on user input. In some embodiments, the controller 105 may be configured to activate or enable the TIM health detection mode at predetermined time intervals. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to activate or enable the TIM health detection mode based on the occurrence of an event, such as when a vehicle has traveled a certain number of miles. Thresholds may be recorded or stored on a non-temporary computer-readable medium.

[0098] There are numerous exemplary techniques by which the controller 105 can measure the health of the TIM 318 using the waste heat generated by the compressor 110. For example, the health of the TIM 318 can be determined based on a measurement of its thermal resistance. For example, but not limited to, the thermal resistance of the TIM 318 can be calculated by measuring a first temperature from a sensor 530 on the PCB 326. A second temperature of the fluid 311 passing through the compressor 110 can be measured. The second temperature may be measured by a second thermistor (not shown) on or near the compressor 110. The second temperature may be subtracted from the first temperature, and this difference may be divided by the heat generation rate by the inverter 320 to determine the thermal resistance of the TIM 318. The calculated thermal resistance of the TIM 318 can be compared to a threshold to ensure that the TIM 318 is healthy. For example, but not limited to, the controller 105 may determine that the TIM 318 is healthy if the calculated thermal resistance is lower than a certain threshold. Thresholds(s) can be recorded or stored on a non-temporary computer-readable medium.

[0099] In some embodiments, the health of the TIM 318 can be determined based on the measurement of the thermal resistance of the TIM 318 when the fluid 311 is not flowing through the compressor 110. For example, but not limited to, heat can be generated in the inverter 320 and / or the compressor motor 316. Heat can be generated in the compressor motor 316 without spinning the scroll portion 312 by injecting a high-frequency current into the compressor motor 316. The first temperature can be measured using a sensor 530 on the PCB 326. The second ambient temperature can be measured using a second thermistor (not shown). The second temperature may be subtracted from the first temperature, and this difference may be divided by the rate of heat generation by the inverter 320 to determine the thermal resistance of the TIM 318. The calculated thermal resistance of the TIM 318 can be compared to a threshold to measure the health of the TIM 318. For example, but not limited to, the controller 105 may determine that the TIM 318 is healthy if the calculated thermal resistance is lower than the threshold. Thresholds(s) can be recorded or stored on a non-temporary computer-readable medium.

[0100] The controller 105 can be configured to display the results of the TIM health detection test to the user. For example, the controller 105 can be configured to display the results of the TIM health detection test via a user interface (e.g., a user interface on a display in the vehicle). In some embodiments, depending on the results of the TIM health detection test, the controller 105 may be configured to warn the user whether the TIM 318 is faulty and needs to be replaced, or whether the TIM 318 is healthy.

[0101] Figure 7A shows a flowchart of an exemplary process in liquid reduction mode. This process may be performed, for example, by controller 105. Using liquid reduction mode, the amount of liquid content entering the compressor 110 can be evaporated or reduced. The compressor 110 may only be able to receive a certain amount of liquid content before the compressor fails or breaks down. Thus, in liquid reduction mode, controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to generate waste heat to evaporate or reduce the liquid content in the fluid 311 before or as the fluid 311 passes through the compressor 110.

[0102] In block 702, the controller 105 can determine when the vehicle thermal management system 100 enters liquid reduction mode. In some embodiments, the controller 105 can enter liquid reduction mode if one or more sensors near the compressor inlet and / or outlet determine that the fluid 311 entering or leaving the compressor 110 has a temperature and / or pressure higher or lower than a threshold temperature and / or pressure. The controller 105 can use the temperature and / or pressure thresholds to determine whether there is too much fluid entering or leaving the compressor 110.

[0103] For example, the first sensor 112 may indicate that the fluid upstream of the compressor 110 has a first temperature and / or pressure. The controller 105 can determine whether the first temperature and / or pressure is above or below a threshold temperature and / or pressure. The threshold temperature and / or pressure may be a temperature and / or pressure indicating whether the fluid is likely to have a liquid content that allows it to pass through the compressor 110 safely without damaging it. The threshold temperature and / or pressure may correspond to a specific type of fluid 311 used. For example, different types of refrigerants may have different threshold temperatures and / or pressures that may indicate a liquid content that is too high to pass through the scroll safely. If the controller 105 determines that the threshold temperature and / or pressure has been reached or is likely to be reached, the controller 105 can control the thermal management system 100 to enter liquid reduction mode.

[0104] In block 704, the controller 105 can control the compressor motor 316 and / or inverter 320 to generate waste heat. The controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to generate waste heat using any of the waste heat generation methods described herein.

[0105] In block 706, the waste heat generated by the compressor 110 can help evaporate or reduce the liquid content of the fluid 311 before it enters the scroll portion 312 of the compressor 110.

[0106] In some embodiments, the liquid reduction mode may be activated simultaneously with the waste heat mode. For example, the controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to generate waste heat that can be circulated throughout the vehicle by the thermal management system 100 and can also be used to reduce the liquid content of the fluid 311 passing through the compressor.

[0107] Figure 7B shows an example of heat and fluid flowing through a compressor in liquid reduction mode. For example, fluid 311 can be configured to enter the compressor through the compressor inlet 322, pass through the compressor 110, pass through the scroll portion 312 of the compressor 110, and exit from the compressor outlet 324. As fluid 311 passes through the compressor 110, fluid 311 can receive heat generated by the compressor 110.

[0108] For example, the controller 105 can control the inverter 320 to generate heat 513, for example, by controlling the switching frequency. The heat 513 generated by the inverter can be transmitted to the fluid 311 as it passes through the TIM 318 and the compressor body when the fluid 311 passes through the compressor 110.

[0109] In some embodiments, the controller 105 can be configured to cause the compressor motor 316 to generate waste heat 515 (for example, by drawing in additional current or by injecting high-frequency current). The heat 515 generated by the compressor motor 316 may be received by the fluid 311 as it passes through the compressor 110. When the fluid 311 receives heat 515 from the compressor, the liquid content of the fluid 311 may evaporate, thereby allowing the fluid 311 to safely pass through the scroll portion 312 of the compressor 110 without damaging the compressor 110.

[0110] The controller 105 can communicate electrically with the inverter 320 and / or the compressor motor 316, and the inverter 320 can communicate electrically with the compressor motor 316. The controller 105 may include a mode selection module 501 that can determine and / or receive one or more modes in which the vehicle thermal management system 100 will operate or is currently operating. For example, the mode selection module 501 may be configured to perform the process shown in Figure 4.

[0111] Figure 8A shows a flowchart of an exemplary process in liquid pump-out mode. This process may be performed, for example, by controller 105.

[0112] The liquid pump-out mode can be used to evaporate or remove any liquid that may have condensed or formed in the compressor, for example, when the compressor was not operating at low temperatures. The controller 105 can control the thermal management system 100 to enter liquid pump-out mode if it determines that liquid has accumulated, or is likely to have accumulated, in the compressor 110 while the compressor 110 is not operating. This may occur, for example, if refrigerant remains in or moves into the compressor 110 after the compressor 110 has stopped operating, and that refrigerant condenses to have a liquid content. The refrigerant may condense in the scroll section 312, near the compressor motor 316, or in any part of the compressor 110. This liquid content may be detrimental to the compressor 110 when the compressor 110 starts operating again and the fluid 311 passes through the scroll section 312.

[0113] In liquid pump-out mode, the controller 105 can use one or more of the above-described heating methods to control the inverter 320 and / or the compressor motor 316 to generate excess heat. The controller 105 can control the compressor motor 316 to slowly spin the scroll of the scroll section 312, thereby pumping fluid out of the scroll section 312. Using liquid pump-out mode before operating the compressor motor 316 at a higher speed can ensure that any liquid that may have condensed in the compressor 110 is pumped out before the compressor 110 operates at maximum speed again.

[0114] In block 802, the controller 105 can determine when the vehicle thermal management system 100 enters liquid pump-out mode. The controller 105 can receive information from one or more sensors to determine whether there is a high probability of liquid being present in the compressor. For example, the controller 105 may receive information from a first sensor 112 located near the compressor inlet 322 or a second sensor 114 located near the compressor outlet 324 to determine whether there is a high probability of an unsafe amount of liquid being present in the compressor 110.

[0115] In block 804, the controller 105 can control the inverter 320 and / or the compressor motor 316 to generate excess heat. The controller 105 can control the compressor 110 to generate heat using any of the heat generation methods described herein.

[0116] In block 806, the controller 105 can cause the scroll of the scroll section 312 to spin slowly (e.g., below a threshold scale). For example, the controller 105 can control the compressor motor 316 to spin slowly, thereby causing the scroll section 312 of the compressor 110 to spin slowly. Spinning the scroll slowly allows the condensed fluid 311 with a high liquid content to be removed from the compressor without damaging the compressor 110. If the controller 105 determines that there is a high probability of a safe amount of liquid being present in the fluid 311, the compressor can allow the compressor motor 316 to operate at its normal speed.

[0117] In block 808, excess heat from the inverter and / or motor can cause some or all of the liquid in fluid 311 to evaporate. The fluid can then be slowly pumped out of the compressor 110 by a slowly spinning scroll. The controller 105 can move the compressor motor 316 at a faster speed or enable it to move after any condensed liquid content has been removed from the compressor 110. For example, sensors at the inlet and / or outlet of the compressor 110, such as the first sensor 112 or the second sensor 114, can be used to measure the temperature and / or pressure of fluid 311 as it enters and exits the compressor 110. The temperature and / or pressure measured at the outlet 324 of the compressor 110 can be compared to a threshold to determine whether there is still a high probability that liquid content remains in fluid 311. If the controller determines, at least in part, based on the information from the sensors, that there is still liquid content in the scroll portion 312, the controller 105 can maintain the system in liquid pump-out mode. If the controller 105 determines, at least partially, that the scroll portion 312 contains no liquid or an amount below a threshold, the controller 105 may allow the compressor motor 316 to spin the scroll portion 312 at a higher speed and / or terminate the liquid pump-out mode.

[0118] Figure 8B shows an exemplary flow of heat and coolant through an exemplary compressor 110 in liquid pump-out mode. For example, the controller 105 can control the inverter 320 to generate heat 513, for example by controlling the switching frequency. The heat 513 generated by the inverter can be transferred to the fluid 311 through the TIM 318 and the compressor body as the fluid 311 passes through the compressor 110.

[0119] In some embodiments, the controller 105 can be configured to cause the compressor motor 316 to generate waste heat 515 (for example, by drawing in additional current or by injecting high-frequency current). The heat 515 generated by the compressor motor 316 may be received by the fluid 311 when the fluid 311 is removed from the compressor 110. When the fluid 311 receives heat 515 from the compressor, the liquid content of the fluid 311 may evaporate, thereby allowing the fluid 311 to safely pass through the scroll portion 312 of the compressor 110 without damaging the compressor 110.

[0120] The controller 105 can communicate electrically with the inverter 320 and / or the compressor motor 316, and the inverter 320 can communicate electrically with the compressor motor 316. The controller 105 may include a mode selection module 501 that can determine and / or receive one or more modes in which the vehicle thermal management system 100 will operate or is currently operating. For example, the mode selection module 501 may be configured to perform the process shown in Figure 4.

[0121] Figure 9 shows a block diagram of the vehicle 900. The vehicle 900 may include a vehicle body 960 and one or more electric motors 932 that cause the vehicle to move via one or more wheels 952. The electric motors 932 may include, for example, induction motors, permanent magnet motors, and the like. As is known to those skilled in the art, batteries 128 (for example, one or more battery packs, each containing a number of batteries) may be used to power the electric motors 932 and any other components of the vehicle 900.

[0122] The vehicle 900 may include a thermal management system 100. The thermal management system may include, but is not limited to, any of the components and functions disclosed herein, such as a heat pump system 210 and one or more coolant loops. The thermal management system 100 may include a compressor 110 that can be controlled by a controller 105 to generate waste heat using any of the heat generation methods described herein. The controller 105 may control the thermal management system 100 to operate in any of the methods disclosed herein, such as a waste heat mode, a TIM health detection mode, a liquid reduction mode, and / or a liquid pump-out mode.

[0123] It is understood that the methods described herein may have applications outside the context of vehicles. Other types of heating systems, including compressors, can be controlled to generate and apply waste heat as described herein. For example, but not limited to, there may be applications in the aerospace industry, such as rockets. Residential and industrial heating systems can also be controlled to generate and apply waste heat using the methods described herein.

[0124] The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the disclosure to the exact form or specific field of use disclosed. Therefore, various alternative embodiments and / or modifications to the disclosure, whether expressly described or implied herein, are possible in light of the disclosure. While embodiments of the disclosure have been described in this manner, those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications in form and detail can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0125] The above specification describes the disclosure with reference to specific embodiments. However, as those skilled in the art will understand, the various embodiments disclosed herein can be modified or implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, this description should be considered illustrative and is intended to teach those skilled in the art how to make and use the various embodiments of the disclosure. It should be understood that the forms of disclosure shown and described herein should be construed as representative embodiments. Equivalent elements or materials may be substituted for those shown and described herein as representative. Furthermore, all particular features of the disclosure can be utilized independently of the use of other features, so as will become apparent to those skilled in the art after benefiting from this description of the disclosure. Expressions such as “including,” “comprising,” “incorporating,” “consisting of,” “have,” and “is” used to describe and claim the disclosure are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, that is, to allow for the existence of items, components, or elements not expressly described. References to the singular form should also be interpreted as relating to the plural form.

[0126] Furthermore, without limitation, numerical terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” “primary,” “secondary,” “main,” or any other ordinary and / or numerical terms should also be interpreted solely as identifiers to aid the reader’s understanding of the various elements, embodiments, variations, and / or modifications of this disclosure, and in particular, no limitation shall be made with respect to the order or preference of any element, embodiment, variation, and / or modification of another element, embodiment, variation, and / or modification, or beyond.

[0127] It will also be understood that, depending on the specific application, one or more of the elements shown in the drawings / figures may also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or in certain cases even be removed.

Claims

1. A vehicle thermal management system, Inverter and A compressor that communicates with the inverter, wherein the compressor is A compressor inlet configured to receive fluid, A compressor outlet configured to output the aforementioned fluid, A compressor comprising a motor configured to compress the aforementioned fluid, A controller that communicates with the inverter and the compressor, wherein the controller A step of receiving input data, wherein the input data includes temperature or pressure related to the compressor, A controller configured to perform the steps of operating the compressor in a mode in which at least a portion of the electrical energy supplied to the compressor is used to generate heat, based at least in part on the input data, A vehicle thermal management system equipped with this system.

2. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the mode is one of a plurality of modes including a waste heat mode, a thermal interface material integrity detection mode, a liquid reduction mode, and a liquid pump-out mode.

3. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the compressor is in fluid communication with a refrigerant loop, and the refrigerant loop is in thermal communication with a coolant loop.

4. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, further comprising a first sensor located near the compressor and a second sensor located distal to the compressor.

5. The compressor includes a plurality of scrolls, The aforementioned liquid pump-out mode is To generate a first waste heat source in the motor included in the compressor, The inverter generates a second waste heat source, The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 2, comprising spinning the plurality of scrolls below a threshold speed.

6. The compressor includes a plurality of scrolls, The aforementioned liquid reduction mode is To generate a first waste heat source in the motor included in the compressor, This includes generating a second waste heat source in the inverter, The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 2, wherein the first waste heat source and the second waste heat source are sufficient to evaporate the liquid content of the fluid in the compressor before the fluid reaches the plurality of scrolls.

7. The aforementioned waste heat mode is To generate a first waste heat source in the motor included in the compressor, The inverter generates a second waste heat source, The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 2, further comprising controlling the thermal management system to transfer the first waste heat source and the second waste heat source to the cabin of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the inverter is configured to generate waste heat by changing the switching frequency of the inverter, and the motor included in the compressor is configured to generate waste heat by weakening or strengthening magnetic flux.

9. The compressor includes a plurality of scrolls, The thermal interface material integrity detection mode is, To stop the spinning of the aforementioned multiple scrolls, The inverter generates waste heat, The first value is calculated using the measured inverter temperature, The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 2, comprising: comparing the first value with a threshold value to determine the integrity of the thermal interface material.

10. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 9, further comprising the thermal interface material integrity detection mode accessing a lookup table via the controller to determine a switching frequency associated with the generation of waste heat.

11. The vehicle thermal management system according to claim 10, wherein the lookup table is configured to correlate individual switching frequencies with individual measurements of waste heat, and the individual measurements of waste heat include waste heat generated by the compressor and the inverter.

12. A method carried out by a controller related to controlling a compressor configured for use as part of a vehicle's thermal management system, A step of receiving input data that reflects the temperature or pressure related to the compressor, the temperature related to the inverter, or the temperature related to the environment, The compressor comprises a compressor inlet configured to receive fluid, a compressor outlet configured to output the fluid, and a motor. The inverter includes a thermal interface material, and The steps of operating the compressor in a mode in which at least a portion of the electrical energy supplied to the compressor is used to generate heat, based at least in part on the input data, Methods that include...

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the mode is one of a plurality of modes, including a waste heat mode, a thermal interface material integrity detection mode, a liquid reduction mode, and a liquid pump-out mode.

14. The compressor includes a plurality of scrolls, The thermal interface material integrity detection mode is, To stop the spinning of the aforementioned multiple scrolls, The inverter generates waste heat, The method according to claim 13, comprising comparing a temperature value related to the inverter with a threshold value to determine the integrity of the thermal interface material.

15. The compressor includes a plurality of scrolls, The aforementioned liquid pump-out mode is To generate a first waste heat source in the motor included in the compressor, The inverter generates a second waste heat source, The method according to claim 13, comprising slowly spinning the plurality of scrolls.

16. The compressor includes a plurality of scrolls, The aforementioned liquid reduction mode is To generate a first waste heat source in the motor included in the compressor, This includes generating a second waste heat source in the inverter, The method according to claim 13, wherein the first waste heat source and the second waste heat source are sufficient to evaporate the liquid content of the fluid in the compressor before the fluid reaches the plurality of scrolls.

17. The aforementioned waste heat mode is To generate a first waste heat source in the motor included in the compressor, The inverter generates a second waste heat source, The method according to claim 13, further comprising controlling the thermal management system to transfer the first waste heat source and the second waste heat source to the cabin of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein generating waste heat in the inverter includes changing the switching frequency of the inverter, and generating waste heat in the motor included in the compressor includes weakening or strengthening the magnetic flux.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of accessing a lookup table via the controller to determine the switching frequency related to the generation of waste heat.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the lookup table is configured to correlate individual switching frequencies with individual measurements of waste heat, and the individual measurements of waste heat include waste heat generated by the compressor and the inverter.

Images