Valve group integration module, thermal management system and vehicle

By designing a valve group integration module that integrates multiple internal flow paths and electric valves, the complex connection and high cost problems caused by independent installation of valves in existing vehicle thermal management systems are solved, and the simplified design of the thermal management system and the implementation of multiple predetermined thermal management modes are realized.

JP7665784B2Active Publication Date: 2025-04-21BYD CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023560617
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2021-05-31
Filing Date
2022-05-27
Publication Date
2025-04-21
Estimated Expiration
2042-05-27

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the existing vehicle thermal management system, multiple types of valves are independently installed in the pipeline, resulting in complex system pipeline connections, increasing the difficulty of vehicle platform design, and the connection of electronic valves increases the cost and complexity of the wire harness.

Method used

A valve group integration module is designed, which includes multiple internal flow paths and connection ports, integrates the first and second electric valves to form a variety of different thermal management circuits, and implements a variety of predetermined thermal management modes by controlling the opening and closing or adjustment of the valve.

Benefits of technology

The connection design of the thermal management system is simplified, the volume and weight of the module is reduced, the overall weight of the vehicle is reduced, and the implementation of multiple predetermined thermal management modes is realized through the integration of multiple valve functions, and the system cost is reduced.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

A valve group integration module, a thermal management system, and a vehicle. The valve group integration module includes a body having a plurality of internal flow paths and a plurality of connection ports for communicating the internal flow paths with an external heat exchange assembly, and a first motorized valve and a second motorized valve mounted on the body and used for communicating some of the plurality of internal flow paths to form a plurality of different thermal management circuits, the first motorized valve and the second motorized valve being arranged to be capable of opening, closing, and / or throttling the thermal management circuits to achieve at least one of a plurality of predetermined thermal management modes.
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to a Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on May 31, 2021, bearing application number 202110603393.5 and entitled "Valve Group Integration Module, Thermal Management System and Vehicle," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of vehicle technology, and more particularly, to valve group integration modules, thermal management systems and vehicles. [Background technology]

[0003] The thermal management system is an important component of a vehicle, and can change the temperature environment inside the vehicle to allow the driver and passengers to have a good riding experience. In the existing thermal management system, various types of valves with different functions are arranged according to functional needs. Usually, various types of valves are installed in the pipeline independently, which makes the connection of the system pipeline complicated, which is disadvantageous to the design of the vehicle platform. In addition, the existing valves are mostly electronic valves, so each electronic valve needs to be connected to the electric harness of the entire vehicle, and each valve body is installed in a distributed manner, which increases the cost of the vehicle harness. In the prior art, there are also integrated valves, but the existing integrated valves have a low degree of integration and still occupy a relatively large space. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A first objective of the present disclosure is to provide a valve group integration module that integrates multiple types of valves, is advantageous in simplifying the structure of a vehicle thermal management system, reduces the occupied space, and reduces costs.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present disclosure provides a valve group integration module for a thermal management system having a plurality of types of predetermined thermal management modes, comprising: a body having a plurality of internal flow passages and a plurality of connection ports for communicating the internal flow passages with an external heat exchange assembly of the thermal management system; A valve group integration module is provided, the valve group integration module including: a first motorized valve and a second motorized valve that are installed on the main body and are used to communicate some of the internal flow paths to form a plurality of different thermal management circuits, and are arranged to open, close, and / or throttle the thermal management circuits to achieve at least one of a plurality of predetermined thermal management modes.

[0006] Optionally, the internal flow path includes a built-in flow path and an external flow path, the main body includes a first division having a first connecting surface and a second division having a second connecting surface, the first connecting surface and the second connecting surface are hermetically connected, a plurality of the built-in flow paths are provided inside the first division, and at least one groove is provided in the second connecting surface of the second division, and the groove in the second connecting surface together with the first connecting surface defines the external flow path.

[0007] Selectively, the first motor-operated valve is arranged to be able to open and close different of the thermal management circuits, a first end of the first motor-operated valve communicating with a compressor connection port and a second end of the first motor-operated valve selectively opening and closing an in-vehicle heat exchanger inlet connection port or an in-vehicle condenser inlet connection port, and the second motor-operated valve is arranged to be able to throttle different of the thermal management circuits, a first end of the second motor-operated valve communicating with a receiver outlet connection port and a second end of the second motor-operated valve selectively throttling an in-vehicle evaporator inlet connection port or an exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port.

[0008] Optionally, the valve may further include a check valve provided on the main body, the inlet of the check valve being connected to the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port, and the outlet of the check valve being connected to the second motor-operated valve.

[0009] Optionally, the device may further include a first solenoid valve provided in the main body, a first end of the first solenoid valve communicating with an exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port and a second end of the first solenoid valve communicating with a gas-liquid separator inlet connection port.

[0010] Selectively, the first motor-operated valve is arranged to be able to open, close, and throttle different of the thermal management circuits, a first end of the first motor-operated valve being connected to an in-vehicle condenser outlet connection port and a second end of the first motor-operated valve being connected to an in-vehicle heat exchanger inlet connection port, and the second motor-operated valve is arranged to be able to open and close different of the thermal management circuits, a first end of the second motor-operated valve being connected to an in-vehicle heat exchanger outlet connection port and a second end of the second motor-operated valve being selectively connected to an in-vehicle evaporator inlet connection port or a gas-liquid separator connection port.

[0011] Optionally, the refrigerant coolant supply unit may further include a first electronic expansion valve installed in the main body, a first end of the first electronic expansion valve communicating with the second motor-operated valve, and a second end of the first electronic expansion valve communicating with the in-vehicle evaporator inlet connection port.

[0012] Optionally, the vehicle may further include a second solenoid valve installed in the main body, a first end of the second solenoid valve communicating between the vehicle condenser outlet connection port and the first electric valve via a pipe, and a second end of the second solenoid valve communicating between the second electric valve and the first electronic expansion valve via a pipe.

[0013] Optionally, the battery pack further includes a second electronic expansion valve provided in the main body, a first end of the second electronic expansion valve communicating with an exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port, and a second end of the second electronic expansion valve communicating with a battery pack heat exchanger inlet connection port provided in the main body.

[0014] Optionally, the battery pack heat exchanger may further include a battery pack heat exchanger installed on the main body, the inlet of the battery pack heat exchanger being connected to the battery pack heat exchanger inlet connection port, and the outlet of the battery pack heat exchanger being connected to a gas-liquid separator.

[0015] A second object of the present disclosure is to provide a thermal management system including an external heat exchange assembly of the thermal management system including a compressor, an on-board condenser, an external heat exchanger, an on-board evaporator, a gas-liquid separator, a PTC air heater, a blower, and a PTC water heater, and a valve group integration module described in any one of the above items.

[0016] A third object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle equipped with the above-mentioned thermal management system.

[0017] In the above technical solution, multiple internal flow paths are installed inside the valve group integrated module body to replace the existing connecting lines, which is advantageous for simplifying the design of the connecting lines in the thermal management system. From the viewpoint of weight reduction, multiple internal flow paths are installed in the body and multiple valves are designed to be integrated into the module, which is advantageous for reducing the weight of the entire module and is advantageous for the design of the entire vehicle to be lightweight. In addition, the internal flow paths communicate with the heat exchange assembly of the external thermal management system through different connection ports installed on the body to form multiple different thermal management circuits, and the first and second motorized valves integrated on the module control the opening and closing or throttling of the thermal management circuits to achieve the purpose of realizing multiple predetermined thermal management modes.

[0018] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be described in detail in the specific embodiments section below. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] The drawings are provided for a further understanding of the present disclosure, constitute a part of the specification, and are used to interpret the present disclosure together with the following specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of a thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an assembly view of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an assembly view of the valve group integration module of FIG. 2 from another perspective. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a front view of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a bottom view of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7]FIG. 1 illustrates a left side view of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an internal flow path layout of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 7 is a cross-sectional view of the valve group integration module of FIG. 6 taken along the line AA. [Figure 11] 6 is a cross-sectional view of the valve group integration module of FIG. 5 along the line BB. [Figure 12] 8 is a cross-sectional view of the valve group integration module of FIG. 7 taken along the line CC. [Figure 13] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the valve group integration module of FIG. 8 taken along the line DD. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a principle diagram of another thermal management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is an assembly view of another valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is an assembly view of the valve group integration module of FIG. 15 from another perspective. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a front view of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a bottom view of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a right side view of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an internal flow path layout of a valve group integration module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 21] 19 is a cross-sectional view of the valve group integration module of FIG. 18 along the line AA. [Figure 22] 20 is a cross-sectional view of the valve group integration module of FIG. 19 taken along the line BB. [Figure 23] 18 is a cross-sectional view of the valve group integration module of FIG. 17 along the CC direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail in conjunction with the drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely intended to illustrate and construe the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0021] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, the directional terms "inside, outside" refer to the inside and outside of the associated parts. The terms "first" and "second" are for the purpose of distinction and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. In addition, in the description of this disclosure, it is necessary to further explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "mounting" that appear should be understood in a broad sense, for example, as being fixedly connected, removably connected or integrally connected, directly connected to each other, indirectly connected to each other through an intermediate medium, or communicating the insides of two elements with each other. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific situation.

[0022] The present disclosure provides a valve group integration module, which can be used to realize at least one of a plurality of types of predetermined thermal management modes, including but not limited to an air conditioning cooling mode, a heat pump heating mode, a battery cooling mode, an air conditioning cooling and battery cooling dual operation mode, a dehumidification mode, etc. The specific working principles of these thermal management modes will be described in detail later.

[0023] In order to realize the multiple types of predetermined thermal management modes listed above, the thermal management system comprises an external heat exchange assembly and a valve group integration module provided in the present disclosure, and the heat exchange assembly comprises multiple of a compressor 2, an on-board condenser 3, an exterior heat exchanger 4, an on-board evaporator 5, a gas-liquid separator 6, a PTC air heater 7, a blower 8, and a PTC water heater 9.

[0024] 1 to 23, the valve group integration module provided in the present disclosure includes a main body 11, a first motor-operated valve 13, and a second motor-operated valve 14, and the main body 11 is provided with a plurality of internal flow paths and a connection port for communicating the internal flow paths with an external heat exchange assembly of a thermal management system. The first motor-operated valve 13 and the second motor-operated valve 14 are both installed on the main body 11 and are used to communicate some of the plurality of internal flow paths to form a plurality of different thermal management circuits, and the first motor-operated valve 13 and the second motor-operated valve 14 are arranged to be able to open, close, and / or throttle the thermal management circuit to realize at least one of a plurality of predetermined thermal management modes.

[0025] The first motor-operated valve 13 and the second motor-operated valve 14 being arranged to open / close and / or throttle the thermal management circuit means that the first motor-operated valve 13 and the second motor-operated valve 14 are each an independent valve, and in order to realize predetermined different thermal management modes, for example, the first motor-operated valve 13 can be configured to be switchable between two functions, opening / closing and throttling / reducing pressure, in other words, the first motor-operated valve 13 may be used as both a solenoid valve and an expansion valve, the first motor-operated valve 13 may throttle different thermal management circuits as an expansion valve, or the first motor-operated valve 13 may open / close different thermal management circuits as a solenoid valve. The second motor-operated valve 14 can achieve the same function as the first motor-operated valve 13 by having a similar configuration, but a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0026] The first motor-operated valve 13 and the second motor-operated valve 14 can be any motor-operated valve capable of switching between two functions, opening / closing and throttling / reducing pressure. Taking the first motor-operated valve 13 as an example, as shown in FIG. 4, the first motor-operated valve 13 can include a spherical valve body 1305, an adjustment seat 1307, and an actuator motor 1301, the valve body 1305 is provided with a first passage and a second passage for communicating with each other and with the internal flow path, the adjustment seat 1307 is used to hold the valve body 1305 in the body 11, for example, the adjustment seat 1307 is provided with a male thread, the body 11 is provided with a female thread for fitting with the male thread, the actuator motor 1301 is used to drive the rotation of the valve body 1305, and the first motor-operated valve 13 can switch between two functions, opening / closing and throttling / reducing pressure, with the rotation of the valve body 1305. In addition, the first motor-operated valve 13 is further provided with an annular sealing block 1304 for closing the connection port at both ends along the mounting direction. The actuator motor 1301 is attached to the main body 11 by a screw 1302. The first motor-operated valve 13 and the second motor-operated valve 14 may have a similar structure, but will not be described here.

[0027] In the above technical solution, multiple internal flow paths are installed inside the valve group integrated module body 11 to replace the existing connecting lines, which is advantageous for simplifying the design of the connecting lines in the thermal management system. From the viewpoint of weight reduction, multiple internal flow paths are installed in the body and multiple valves are designed to be integrated into the module, which is advantageous for reducing the weight of the entire module and is advantageous for the design of the entire vehicle to be lightweight. In addition, the internal flow paths communicate with the heat exchange assembly of the external thermal management system through different connection ports installed on the body 11 to form multiple different thermal management circuits, and the first motor-operated valve 13 and the second motor-operated valve 14 integrated on the module are used to control the opening and closing or throttling of the thermal management circuits, thereby achieving the purpose of realizing multiple types of predetermined thermal management modes.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the internal flow path includes a built-in flow path and an external flow path, and the main body 11 includes a first divided body 1101 having a first connection surface and a second divided body 1102 having a second connection surface, and the first connection surface and the second connection surface are hermetically connected. A plurality of the built-in flow paths are provided inside the first divided body 1101, and at least one groove is provided on the second connection surface of the second divided body 1102, and the groove on the second connection surface defines an external flow path together with the first connection surface. By providing a plurality of the built-in flow paths inside the first divided body 1101, defining an external flow path between the first divided body 1101 and the second divided body 1102, and selectively communicating the external flow path and the built-in flow path by a valve, the arrangement of the internal flow paths of the main body 1 is optimized, for example, the number of internal flow paths is reduced, and mutual interference between the internal flow paths is avoided. The present disclosure will provide an exemplary description of the internal flow path arrangement later.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the first motor-operated valve 13 is configured to be able to open and close different thermal management circuits, i.e., the first motor-operated valve 13 opens and closes different thermal management circuits as a solenoid valve. Here, a first end of the first motor-operated valve 13 communicates with the compressor connection port 11009, and a second end of the first motor-operated valve 13 selectively opens and closes the in-vehicle heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005 or the in-vehicle condenser inlet connection port 11001. Selective opening and closing here refers to controlling the first motor-operated valve 13 to communicate with the in-vehicle heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005 in some thermal management modes and to communicate with the in-vehicle condenser inlet connection port 11001 in some other thermal management modes, as necessary. The second motor-operated valve 14 is configured to be able to throttle different thermal management circuits, i.e., the second motor-operated valve 14 throttles different thermal management circuits as an expansion valve. Here, a first end of the second motor-operated valve 14 communicates with the receiver outlet connection port 11006, and a second end of the second motor-operated valve 14 selectively throttles to the interior evaporator inlet connection port 11004 or the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005. Selective throttling here refers to controlling the second motor-operated valve 14 to throttle to the interior evaporator inlet connection port 11004 in some thermal management modes and to throttle to the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005 in some other thermal management modes, as necessary.

[0030] In addition, the valve group integration module further includes a check valve 15 provided in the main body 11, the inlet of the check valve 15 communicates with the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005, and the outlet of the check valve 15 communicates with the second motor-operated valve 14. This kind of design can realize the purpose of swapping the inlet and outlet of the exterior heat exchanger. For example, in the air conditioning cooling mode, the refrigerant flows from the first connection port to the second connection port, and at this time, the design of the flow path inside the exterior heat exchanger is suitable for air conditioning cooling. Since the state of the refrigerant is different during cooling and heating, and in the heating mode, the refrigerant still flows from the first connection port to the second connection port of the exterior heat exchanger, the design of the flow path inside the exterior heat exchanger is not ideal for refrigerant compatibility in the heating mode, so the above problem can be solved by swapping the inlet and outlet of the exterior heat exchanger.

[0031] The valve group integration module may also include a first solenoid valve 16 disposed on the body 11, the first end of which is connected to the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008 and the second end of which is connected to the gas-liquid separator inlet connection port 11003. That is, by controlling the opening and closing of the first solenoid valve 16, further different predetermined thermal management modes can be realized.

[0032] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a thermal management mode for cooling the battery pack is further realized. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the valve group integration module may further include a second electronic expansion valve 18 provided in the main body 11, and a first end of the second electronic expansion valve 18 communicates with an exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008, and a second end of the second electronic expansion valve 18 communicates with a battery pack heat exchanger inlet connection port provided in the main body 11. The second electronic expansion valve 18 may have an insertion part 1801 for insertion into the main body 11, and the second electronic expansion valve 18 and the main body 11 are fixedly connected by a pin 1802 provided through the main body 11 and having a screw at its tail end.

[0033] The valve group integrated module may further include a battery pack heat exchanger 19 installed on the main body 11, and the battery pack heat exchanger 19 may be connected to the main body 11 by a screw 1107. The inlet of the battery pack heat exchanger 19 is connected to the battery pack heat exchanger inlet connection port, and the outlet of the battery pack heat exchanger 19 is connected to the gas-liquid separator 6. As a method for mounting the battery pack heat exchanger 19, the main body 11 is provided with connection joints 1103 and 1105 that connect to the first and second ends of the battery pack heat exchanger 19, and O-rings 1104 and 1106 that seal the first and second ends of the battery pack heat exchanger 19, respectively, and the battery pack heat exchanger 19 and the main body 11 are connected with a screw fastener.

[0034] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13 of the drawings, thermal management modes that can be achieved by the above technical solutions will be exemplarily described.

[0035] In order to facilitate the explanation of the thermal management mode, the arrangement of the internal flow paths will be described as an example. The first internal flow path 11-1 is formed by connecting the outlet 11-102 of the first solenoid valve 16, the outlet 1901 of the battery pack heat exchanger 19, the connection port 11-101, the in-vehicle evaporator inlet connection port 11002, and the gas-liquid separator inlet connection port 11003. The second internal flow path 11-2 is formed by connecting the inlet 11-201 of the second electronic expansion valve 16, the receiver outlet connection port 11006, and the connection port 11-202. The third internal flow path 11-3 is formed by connecting the outlet of the second electronic expansion valve 16 to the inlet 1902 of the battery pack heat exchanger. The fourth internal flow path 11-4 is formed by connecting the inlet of the second motor-operated valve 14 to the condenser outlet connection port 11006. The outlet of the second motor-operated valve 14 is connected to the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005 to form the fifth internal flow passage 11-5. The outlet of the first motor-operated valve 13, the inlet 11-601 of the second solenoid valve 16, and the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008 are connected to form the sixth internal flow passage 11-6. The PT high pressure connection port is connected to the compressor outlet to form the seventh internal flow passage 11-7. Of the multiple internal flow passages formed as described above, it is possible to select which ones are to be built-in flow passages and which ones are to be external flow passages as necessary. For example, of the first internal flow passage 11-1, the part between the outlet 11-102 of the first solenoid valve 16 and the connection port 11-101 and the second internal flow passage are to be external flow passages, and the extension direction of the external flow passage can be specifically set as necessary, such as to avoid interference, but this is not limited here, and other internal flow passages can be built-in flow passages.

[0036] Air conditioning cooling mode The compressor 2 discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which enters the first electric valve 13 via the compressor outlet connection port 11009 through the connecting pipe. At this time, the first electric valve 13 maintains communication between the seventh internal flow path 11-7 and the sixth internal flow path 11-6, and the refrigerant flows out of the valve group integration module via the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008. The refrigerant flowing out of the module enters the exterior heat exchanger 4 through the connecting pipe and performs heat exchange. The refrigerant flowing out of the exterior heat exchanger 4 enters the check valve 15 via the connecting pipe and the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005. The refrigerant after flowing through the check valve 15 is connected to the receiver 10 via the connecting pipe via the receiver inlet connection port 11007. The refrigerant enters the receiver 10. The refrigerant flowing out from the refrigerant cooler 11-4 enters the second electric valve 14 via the receiver outlet connection port 11006 through the connecting pipe, and the second electric valve 14 maintains communication between the fourth internal flow path 11-4 and the interior evaporator inlet connection port 11004 and throttles to reduce pressure, so that the refrigerant enters the interior evaporator 5, absorbs environmental heat and evaporates. After being cooled, the ambient temperature is reduced to cool air that is blown into the member cabin by the blower 8 to achieve cooling. The refrigerant flowing out from the interior evaporator 5 enters the valve group integration module via the connecting pipe through the interior evaporator outlet connection port 11002, passes through the PT low pressure sensor 12, and then enters the gas-liquid separator 6 via the gas-liquid separator inlet connection port 11003, and finally returns to the compressor 2, thereby completing one air conditioning cooling mode cycle.

[0037] Heat pump heating mode The compressor 2 discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which enters the first motor-operated valve 13 via the compressor outlet connection port 11009 through the connecting pipe line. At this time, the first motor-operated valve 13 maintains communication between the seventh internal flow path 11-7 and the in-vehicle condenser inlet connection port 11001. The refrigerant flowing out of the module enters the in-vehicle condenser through the connecting pipe line and dissipates heat. The heat dissipation of the in-vehicle condenser 3 is combined with the PTC air heater 7. Hot air is then blown into the vehicle by the blower 8 to heat the vehicle interior. The refrigerant dissipates heat in the in-vehicle condenser 3 and is then liquefied. After that, the refrigerant flows into the receiver 10 through the connecting pipe line and is stored. The refrigerant flowing out of the receiver 10 enters the second motor-operated valve 14 via the receiver outlet connection port 11006 on the module through the connecting pipe line. The second motor-operated valve 14 connects the fourth internal flow path 11-4 and the fifth internal flow path 11-5. The internal flow path 11-5 is kept connected, and the refrigerant flows into the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005 via the connection port 11-501. The refrigerant flowing out of the module is connected to the exterior heat exchanger 4 via a connecting pipe line and enters the exterior heat exchanger 4 for heat exchange. The refrigerant flowing out of the exterior heat exchanger 4 enters the first solenoid valve 16 via the connecting pipe line and the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008. At this time, the first solenoid valve 16 is turned on, and the refrigerant flowing out of the first solenoid valve outlet 11-102 passes through the first internal flow path 11-1, passes through the connection port 11-103 of the PT low pressure sensor 12, and is connected to the gas-liquid separator 6 via the gas-liquid separator inlet connection port 11003 via a connecting pipe line, and finally returns to the compressor 2, completing the heat pump heating mode cycle.

[0038] Dehumidification mode The compressor 2 discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which then enters the first electric valve 13 via the compressor outlet connection port 11009 through the connecting pipe. At this time, the first electric valve 13 maintains communication between the seventh internal flow path 11-7 and the sixth internal flow path 11-6, and the refrigerant flows out of the valve group integration module via the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008. The refrigerant that flows out of the module enters the exterior heat exchanger 4 through the connecting pipe and performs heat exchange. The refrigerant that flows out of the exterior heat exchanger 4 enters the check valve 15 via the connecting pipe and the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005. The refrigerant that flows through the check valve 15 is then discharged. The refrigerant passes through the receiver inlet connection port 11007 and is connected to the receiver 10 via a connecting pipe, the refrigerant enters the receiver 10, the refrigerant flowing out from the receiver 10 passes through the receiver outlet connection port 11006 and enters the second electric valve 14 via the connecting pipe, the second electric valve 14 keeps the fourth internal flow path 11-4 and the interior evaporator inlet connection port 11004 in communication and throttles to reduce pressure, the refrigerant enters the interior evaporator 5, the refrigerant absorbs heat in the interior evaporator 5 and then cools the vehicle, the blower 8 circulates the indoor air to the interior evaporator 5, and the indoor water vapor condenses as it passes outside the interior evaporator 5, thereby performing the dehumidification function.

[0039] Battery Cooling Mode The compressor 2 discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which enters the first electric valve 13 via the compressor outlet connection port 11009 through the connecting pipe. At this time, the first electric valve 13 maintains communication between the seventh internal flow path 11-7 and the sixth internal flow path 11-6, and the refrigerant flows out of the valve group integration module via the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008. The refrigerant flowing out of the module enters the exterior heat exchanger 4 through the connecting pipe to perform heat exchange. The refrigerant flowing out of the exterior heat exchanger 4 flows out of the valve group integration module via the connecting pipe. The refrigerant then passes through the check valve 15 via the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005, and after flowing through the check valve 15, it passes through the receiver inlet connection port 11007 and is connected to the receiver 10 via a connecting pipe, and the refrigerant enters the receiver 10. The refrigerant flowing out of the receiver 10 passes through the connecting pipe and flows into the module via the receiver outlet connection port 11006, and is then atomized by the second electronic expansion valve 18 before entering the battery pack heat exchanger 19, where the low-temperature refrigerant exchanges heat with the water passage to cool the battery pack.

[0040] Dual operation modes: air conditioning cooling and battery cooling The compressor 2 discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which enters the first electric valve 13 via the compressor outlet connection port 11009 through the connecting pipe. At this time, the first electric valve 13 maintains communication between the seventh internal flow path 11-7 and the sixth internal flow path 11-6, and the refrigerant flows out of the valve group integration module via the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008. The refrigerant flowing out of the module enters the exterior heat exchanger 4 through the connecting pipe to perform heat exchange. The refrigerant flowing out of the exterior heat exchanger 4 enters the check valve 15 via the connecting pipe to the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005. The refrigerant after flowing through the check valve 15 passes through the receiver inlet connection port 11007 and is connected to the receiver 10 through the connecting pipe, the refrigerant enters the receiver 10, the refrigerant flowing out from the receiver 10 passes through the receiver outlet connection port 11006 and enters the second motor-operated valve 14 through the connecting pipe, the second motor-operated valve 14 maintains communication between the fourth internal flow path 11-4 and the interior evaporator inlet connection port 11004 and throttles and reduces the pressure, the refrigerant enters the interior evaporator 5 and absorbs environmental heat to evaporate, and the cooled environmental temperature is blown into the member cabin by the blower 8 to achieve cooling. The second electronic expansion valve 18 is turned on, the refrigerant is atomized and then enters the battery pack heat exchanger 19, the low-temperature refrigerant exchanges heat with the water passage, and the battery pack is cooled.

[0041] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Fig. 14 to Fig. 16, the first motor-operated valve 13 is configured to be capable of opening, closing, and throttling different heat management circuits, i.e., the first motor-operated valve 13 is configured to be switchable between an open / close position and a throttling position, i.e., the first motor-operated valve 13 can be used as both a solenoid valve and an expansion valve. Here, a first end of the first motor-operated valve 13 is connected to the interior condenser outlet connection port 11010, and a second end of the first motor-operated valve 13 is connected to the exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port 11005. The second motor-operated valve 14 is configured to be capable of opening and closing different heat management circuits, i.e., the second solenoid valve 14 opens and closes different heat management circuits as a solenoid valve. Here, a first end of the second electric valve 14 is connected to the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008, and a second end of the second electric valve 14 is selectively connected to the interior evaporator inlet connection port 11004 or the gas-liquid separator inlet connection port 11003.

[0042] Furthermore, the valve group integration module may further include a first electronic expansion valve 17 installed in the main body 11, a first end of the first electronic expansion valve 17 communicates with the second motor-operated valve 14, and a second end of the first electronic expansion valve 17 communicates with the in-vehicle evaporator inlet connection port 11004. Optionally, the valve group integration module may further include a second solenoid valve 20 installed in the main body 11, a first end of the second solenoid valve 20 communicates between the in-vehicle condenser outlet connection port 10010 and the first motor-operated valve 13 via a pipe, and a second end of the second solenoid valve 20 communicates between the second motor-operated valve 14 and the first electronic expansion valve 17 via a pipe.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a thermal management mode for cooling the battery pack is further realized. As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the valve group integration module may further include a second electronic expansion valve 18 provided on the main body 11, and a first end of the second electronic expansion valve 18 communicates with the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008, and a second end of the second electronic expansion valve 18 communicates with the battery pack heat exchanger inlet connection port provided on the main body 11. The valve group integration module may further include a battery pack heat exchanger 19 provided on the main body 11. An inlet of the battery pack heat exchanger 19 communicates with the battery pack heat exchanger inlet connection port, and an outlet of the battery pack heat exchanger 19 is connected to the gas-liquid separator 6.

[0044] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 14 to 23 of the drawings, thermal management modes that can be achieved by the above technical solutions will be exemplarily described.

[0045] In order to facilitate the explanation of the thermal management mode, the arrangement of the internal flow paths will be described by way of example. The outlet 11-101' of the second motor-operated valve 14, the outlet 11-102' of the second solenoid valve 20, the outlet 11-103' of the first electronic expansion valve 17, and the inlet of the second electronic expansion valve 18 are connected to each other to form a first internal flow path 11-1', the outlet of the second electronic expansion valve 18 is connected to the battery pack heat exchanger inlet 1902 via a connection port 11-201' to form a second internal flow path 11-2', and the outlet of the second motor-operated valve 14, i.e., 11-301', The third internal flow path 11-3' is formed by connecting the battery pack heat exchanger outlet 1901 connected via the battery pack heat exchanger outlet 1901 to the gas-liquid separator inlet connection port 11003, the fourth internal flow path 11-4', the PT low pressure sensor connection port 11-401', and the in-vehicle evaporator outlet connection port 11002, and the fifth internal flow path 11-5' is formed by connecting the first motor-operated valve 13 inlet 11-701' to the second solenoid valve 20 inlet, i.e., the in-vehicle condenser outlet connection port 11010. Of the multiple internal flow paths formed as described above, which one is the built-in flow path and which one is the external flow path can be selected as necessary. For example, the first internal flow path 11-1' can be set as the external flow path, and the extension direction of the external flow path can be specifically set as necessary to avoid interference, but this is not limited here, and the other internal flow paths can be the built-in flow paths.

[0046] Air conditioning cooling mode The compressor 2 discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which enters the on-board condenser 3. After the refrigerant is liquefied by dissipating heat in the on-board condenser 3, it enters the first electric valve 13 via the on-board condenser outlet connection port 11010. At this time, the first electric valve 13 is switched to be used as a solenoid valve and is in the on state, and maintains communication between the connection port 11-701' of the first internal flow path 11-7' and the outlet of the first electric valve 13, i.e., the external heat exchanger inlet 11005. The refrigerant enters the external heat exchanger 4 via the connecting pipe, and the refrigerant flowing out of the external heat exchanger 4 enters the second electric valve 14 via the connecting pipe through the external heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008. At this time, the second electric valve 14 maintains communication between the on-board evaporator outlet connection port 11008 and the outlet 11-101' of the second electric valve 14. The refrigerant is held in the refrigerant tank, and communicates with the inlet 11-103' of the first electronic expansion valve 17 through the first internal flow path 11-1'. After being throttled and reduced in pressure through the first electronic expansion valve 17, the refrigerant enters the interior evaporator 5 through the connecting pipe through the interior evaporator inlet connection port 11004, absorbs environmental heat, evaporates, and the cooled environmental temperature is blown into the member cabin by the blower 8 to achieve cooling. The refrigerant flowing out of the interior evaporator 5 enters the valve group integration module through the interior evaporator outlet connection port 11002 through the connecting pipe, enters the third internal flow path 11-3' through the connection port of the PT low pressure sensor 12 through the fourth internal flow path 11-4', then enters the gas-liquid separator 6 through the gas-liquid separator inlet connection port 11003, and finally returns to the compressor 2, thereby completing one air conditioning cooling mode cycle.

[0047] Heat pump heating mode The compressor 2 discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which enters the in-vehicle condenser 3 to dissipate heat. The heat dissipated by the in-vehicle condenser 3 is combined with the PTC air heater 7, and the blower 8 blows hot air into the vehicle interior to heat the vehicle interior. The refrigerant dissipates heat and becomes liquid in the in-vehicle condenser 3, and then enters the first motor-operated valve 13 via the in-vehicle condenser outlet connection port 11010. At this time, the first motor-operated valve 13 is switched to an expansion valve and used. The connection port 11-701' of the seventh internal flow path 11-7' and the outlet of the first motor-operated valve 13, i.e., the inlet connection port of the external heat exchanger, 11005 is opened, and the refrigerant after throttling and reducing its pressure enters the exterior heat exchanger 4 through the connecting pipe, and the refrigerant flowing out from the exterior heat exchanger 4 enters the second electric valve 14 through the connecting pipe and the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008.At this time, the second electric valve 14 keeps the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008 and the third internal flow path 11-3' in communication, connects the refrigerant to the gas-liquid separator 6 through the gas-liquid separator inlet connection port 11003, and finally returns to the compressor 2, completing the heat pump heating mode cycle.

[0048] Dehumidification mode The compressor 2 discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which enters the on-board condenser 3. After the refrigerant is liquefied by dissipating heat in the on-board condenser 3, it enters the first electric valve 13 through the on-board condenser outlet connection port 11010. At this time, the first electric valve 13 is switched to be used as a solenoid valve and is in the on state. The connection port 11-701' of the first internal flow path 11-7' is maintained in communication with the outlet of the first electric valve 13, i.e., the exterior heat exchanger inlet 11005. The refrigerant enters the exterior heat exchanger 4 through the connecting pipe, and the refrigerant flowing out of the exterior heat exchanger 4 is connected to the exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port 1100 through the connecting pipe. 8 and into the second electric valve 14, at which time the second electric valve 14 maintains communication between the in-vehicle evaporator outlet connection port 11008 and the outlet 11-101' of the second electric valve 14, and communicates with the inlet 11-103' of the first electronic expansion valve 17 through the first internal flow path 11-1', and after being throttled and reduced in pressure through the first electronic expansion valve 17, it enters the in-vehicle evaporator inlet connection port 11004 and through the connecting pipe to the in-vehicle evaporator 5, where the refrigerant absorbs heat to cool the vehicle, and the blower 8 circulates the indoor air to the in-vehicle evaporator 5, and the indoor water vapor is condensed as it passes outside the in-vehicle evaporator 5, thereby performing the dehumidification function.

[0049] Battery Cooling Mode The compressor 2 discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which enters the in-vehicle condenser 3. After the refrigerant is liquefied by dissipating heat in the in-vehicle condenser 3, it enters the first electric valve 13 via the in-vehicle condenser outlet connection port 11010. At this time, the first electric valve 13 is switched to an electromagnetic valve and turned on, maintaining the connection port 11-701' of the first internal flow path 11-7' and the outlet of the first electric valve 13, i.e., the external heat exchanger inlet 11005, in communication with each other. The refrigerant enters the external heat exchanger 4 via the connecting pipe. The refrigerant flowing out of the external heat exchanger 4 enters the second electric valve 14 via the connecting pipe via the external heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008, and is atomized by the second electronic expansion valve 18 before entering the battery pack heat exchanger 19. The low-temperature refrigerant exchanges heat with the water passage to cool the battery pack.

[0050] Dual operation modes: air conditioning cooling and battery cooling The compressor 2 discharges high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which enters the on-board condenser 3. After the refrigerant is liquefied by dissipating heat in the on-board condenser 3, it enters the first motor-operated valve 13 via the on-board condenser outlet connection port 11010. At this time, the first motor-operated valve 13 is switched to be used as a solenoid valve and is in the on state. The connection port 11-701' of the first internal flow path 11-7' is maintained in communication with the outlet of the first motor-operated valve 13, i.e., the exterior heat exchanger inlet 11005. The refrigerant enters the exterior heat exchanger 4 through the connecting pipe, and the refrigerant flowing out of the exterior heat exchanger 4 is discharged to the exterior heat exchanger 4 through the connecting pipe. The refrigerant enters the second motor-operated valve 14 through the heat exchanger outlet connection port 11008, and the second motor-operated valve 14 maintains the interior evaporator outlet connection port 11008 in communication with the outlet 11-101' of the second motor-operated valve 14, and communicates with the inlet 11-103' of the first electronic expansion valve 17 through the first internal flow path 11-1'. After being throttled and decompressed through the first electronic expansion valve 17, the refrigerant enters the interior evaporator inlet connection port 11004 through the connecting pipe to the interior evaporator 5, absorbs environmental heat, evaporates, and the cooled environmental temperature is blown into the member cabin by the blower 8 to achieve cooling. The second electronic expansion valve 18 is turned on, and the refrigerant is atomized and then enters the battery pack heat exchanger 19, where the low-temperature refrigerant exchanges heat with the water passage to cool the battery pack.

[0051] A second object of the present disclosure is to provide a thermal management system, comprising an external heat exchange assembly of the thermal management system and a valve group integration module according to any of the above-mentioned embodiments, wherein the external heat exchange assembly includes multiple of a compressor 2, an on-board condenser 3, an exterior heat exchanger 4, an on-board evaporator 5, a gas-liquid separator 6, a PTC air heater 7, a blower 8, and a PTC water heater 9.

[0052] The third object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle, which is equipped with the above-mentioned thermal management system and can realize all the predetermined thermal management modes of the thermal management system, but the details are omitted here. Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above in combination with the drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above-mentioned embodiments, and various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the present disclosure within the technical concept of the present disclosure, and all of these simple modifications belong to the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0053] It should also be noted that the specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner if not contradictory, and in order to avoid unnecessary repetition, the present disclosure does not separately describe various possible combination manners.

[0054] In addition, various different embodiments of the present disclosure can be arbitrarily combined, and should be considered as contents disclosed in the present disclosure as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. 1. A valve group integration module for a thermal management system having a plurality of types of predefined thermal management modes, comprising: a body (11) having a plurality of internal flow passages and a plurality of connection ports for communicating the internal flow passages with an external heat exchange assembly of the thermal management system; a first motor-operated valve (13) and a second motor-operated valve (14) that are installed on the body (11), are used to communicate a portion of a plurality of internal flow paths to form a plurality of different thermal management circuits, are configurable to be switchable between two functions, namely, opening / closing and throttling pressure reduction, and are arranged to open / close and / or throttle the thermal management circuits to achieve at least one of a plurality of predetermined thermal management modes.

2. The valve group integration module of claim 1, characterized in that the internal flow path includes a built-in flow path and an external flow path, the main body (11) includes a first division (1101) having a first connection surface and a second division (1102) having a second connection surface, the first connection surface and the second connection surface are sealedly connected, a plurality of the built-in flow paths are provided inside the first division (1101), and at least one groove is provided on the second connection surface of the second division (1102), and the groove in the second connection surface together with the first connection surface defines the external flow path.

3. The valve group integration module of claim 1, characterized in that the first electric valve (13) is arranged to be able to open and close different thermal management circuits, a first end of the first electric valve (13) communicating with a compressor connection port (11009) and a second end of the first electric valve (13) selectively opening and closing an on-board heat exchanger inlet connection port (11005) or an on-board condenser inlet connection port (11001), and the second electric valve (14) is arranged to be able to throttle different thermal management circuits, a first end of the second electric valve (14) communicating with a receiver outlet connection port (11006) and a second end of the second electric valve (14) selectively throttling an on-board evaporator inlet connection port (11004) or an exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port (11005).

4. The valve group integration module of claim 1, further comprising a check valve (15) provided in the main body (11), the inlet of the check valve (15) being connected to an exterior heat exchanger inlet connection port (11005), and the outlet of the check valve (15) being connected to the second electric valve (14).

5. The valve group integration module of claim 1, further comprising a first solenoid valve (16) provided in the main body (11), a first end of the first solenoid valve (16) communicating with an exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port (11008), and a second end of the first solenoid valve (16) communicating with a gas-liquid separator inlet connection port (11003).

6. The valve group integration module of claim 1, characterized in that the first electric valve (13) is arranged to be able to open, close, and throttle different thermal management circuits, a first end of the first electric valve (13) is connected to an on-board condenser outlet connection port (11010) and a second end of the first electric valve (13) is connected to an off-board heat exchanger inlet connection port (11005), and the second electric valve (14) is arranged to be able to open and close different thermal management circuits, a first end of the second electric valve (14) is connected to an off-board heat exchanger outlet connection port (11008), and a second end of the second electric valve (14) is selectively connected to an on-board evaporator inlet connection port (11004) or a gas-liquid separator inlet connection port (11003).

7. The valve group integration module of claim 6, further comprising a first electronic expansion valve (17) installed in the body (11), a first end of the first electronic expansion valve (17) communicating with the second motor-operated valve (14), and a second end of the first electronic expansion valve (17) communicating with an in-vehicle evaporator inlet connection port (11004).

8. 8. The valve group integration module of claim 7, further comprising a second solenoid valve (20) installed in the main body (11), a first end of the second solenoid valve (18) communicating between the on-board condenser outlet connection port (10010) and the first electric valve (13) via a pipe, and a second end of the second solenoid valve (20) communicating between the second electric valve (14) and the first electronic expansion valve (17) via a pipe.

9. The valve group integration module of claim 1, further comprising a second electronic expansion valve (18) provided in the main body (11), a first end of the second electronic expansion valve (18) communicating with an exterior heat exchanger outlet connection port (11008), and a second end of the second electronic expansion valve (18) communicating with a battery pack heat exchanger inlet connection port provided in the main body (11).

10. 10. The valve group integration module of claim 9, further comprising a battery pack heat exchanger (19) installed on the body (11), an inlet of the battery pack heat exchanger (19) communicating with the battery pack heat exchanger inlet connection port, and an outlet of the battery pack heat exchanger (19) connected to a gas-liquid separator (6).

11. 1. A thermal management system comprising: A thermal management system comprising: an external heat exchange assembly of the thermal management system, the external heat exchange assembly including a plurality of a compressor (2), an on-board condenser (3), an external heat exchanger (4), an on-board evaporator (5), a gas-liquid separator (6), a PTC air heater (7), a blower (8), and a PTC water heater (9); and a valve group integration module according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A vehicle comprising the thermal management system of claim 11.

Citation Information

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