Thermal management system and an at least partly electrically powered vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermal management system (100) for a vehicle (200) which is at least partly electrically powered. The vehicle (200) has an electric axle (210), a battery (220), and at least one electric unit (230) which are to be cooled and / or heated, in particular during the operation of the vehicle (200), wherein the thermal management system (100) forms a common fluid circuit in order to cool and / or heat the electric axle (210), the battery (220), and the at least one electric unit (230), and an electrically conductive or non-electrically conductive fluid flows through said fluid circuit and / or the fluid circuit comprises said fluid. The thermal management system (100) comprises: at least one pump (110) for pumping the fluid and a cooling unit (120) for cooling the fluid, said pump (110) being arranged upstream of the cooling unit (120); a cooling line section which is designed to conduct the fluid from the pump (110) to the cooling unit (120) and then to the battery (220), the at least one electric unit (230), and a pressure-less system section (130); and the pressure-less system section (130) which is designed to cool the electric axle (210) and conduct the fluid downstream of the electric axle (210) to the pump (110).

Description

[0001] Thermal management system and at least partially electrically powered vehicle

[0002] The invention relates to a thermal management system for an at least partially electrically powered vehicle and a vehicle with such a system.

[0003] Generally, electrically powered vehicles with an electric motor utilize two or more fluid circuits with different media to ensure cooling of the electric motor and heating and cooling of other vehicle components, such as the vehicle's power electronics. A dielectric medium such as oil can be used to cool the motor. Each of these fluid circuits includes various components such as pumps, coolers, heaters, valves, and fluid reservoirs to ensure the proper functioning of the fluid circuits. The design of these fluid circuits can be complex, and maintenance can be costly.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal management system and an at least partially electrically powered vehicle that eliminate or at least improve one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal management system and an at least partially electrically powered vehicle that provide a common fluid circuit with at least one pump for an electric motor, a battery, and at least one electrical unit.

[0005] According to a first aspect, the object is achieved by a thermal management system for an at least partially electrically powered vehicle, wherein the vehicle has an electric axle, a battery and at least one electrical unit which are to be heated and / or cooled, in particular during operation of the vehicle. The thermal management system forms a common fluid circuit for cooling and / or heating the electric axle, the battery and the at least one electrical unit, through which fluid circuit an electrically conductive or non-conductive fluid can be conducted and / or which comprises the fluid. The thermal management system comprises at least one pump for pumping the fluid and a cooling unit for cooling the fluid, wherein the pump is arranged upstream of the cooling unit.The system further comprises a cooling line section configured to conduct the fluid from the pump to the cooling unit and further to the battery, to the at least one electrical unit, and to a pressureless system section. The system further comprises the pressureless system section configured to cool the electrical axis and to conduct the fluid downstream of the electrical axis to the pump.

[0006] The thermal management system provides a holistic fluid circuit with a single pump for the electric axle, in particular an electric motor of the electric axle, as well as the battery and the at least one electrical unit, in particular an inverter. The system can be expanded as required with various components such as valves, a heating unit, in particular a PTC heating unit, and / or bypasses to ensure various additional functions such as heating the battery and / or providing efficient, on-demand cooling of the battery depending on the operating and temperature conditions. Furthermore, the proposed system simplifies the design of a thermal management system for a vehicle, as well as its maintenance and repair.Furthermore, a single fluid, namely the electrically conductive or non-conductive fluid for the electrical axis, is used for the battery and the at least one electrical unit, so that only one type of fluid is necessary.

[0007] The at least one electrical unit may be an inverter and / or power electronics, in particular for controlling the electric axle, the motor and / or other units of the vehicle and / or the system.

[0008] The pressureless system section can be a system section configured such that the fluid can be conducted to the electrical axis and / or to the pump via lowered lines. The pressureless system section can be a system section configured to conduct the fluid by gravity. Consequently, no additional pump is required for the pressureless system section. The electrically conductive fluid can comprise or be a water-glycol mixture and / or a water-glycol lubricant. The non-conductive fluid can comprise or be distilled water and / or non-ionized water.

[0009] The non-conductive fluid may be a fluid whose electrical conductivity is less than 10' 8 S / cm and / or whose resistivity is above 108 Ωcm.

[0010] The system can comprise one or more electrically insulated lines for the electrical insulation of an electrical component of the electrical axle, such as the electric motor, the at least one electrical unit, the battery and / or the at least one further electrical unit, from the electrically conductive fluid. For this purpose, the one or more lines can comprise and / or consist of a thermally conductive material, in particular plastic. An outer surface of the one or more lines can comprise or consist of this material or this plastic. Alternatively or additionally, the electrical component, the at least one electrical unit, the battery and / or the at least one further unit can have a defect-free coating, in particular on an outer surface of the respective unit, by means of which electrical insulation from the electrically conductive fluid is provided.When using a non-conductive fluid, especially an electrically non-conductive fluid, insulation is not necessary. The thermally conductive material, especially a thermally conductive plastic, can be applied to the cable using Transfer Molding (SCTM), or the cable itself can be formed using Transfer Molding (SCTM).

[0011] The thermal management system can be designed to cool and / or heat the electric axle, the at least one electrical unit and the battery directly by means of the fluid.

[0012] The pressureless system section can have at least one intake line arranged downstream of the electrical axis and configured to conduct the fluid to the pump. The intake line has a predetermined diameter determined such that, during pumping, in particular with a predetermined maximum pumping power by the pump, a pressure of the fluid is at least partially greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure along the intake line, in particular to prevent cavitation of the fluid upstream of the pump along the intake line. The predetermined pressure can be the vapor pressure of the fluid.

[0013] The intake line can be designed such that a negative pressure of the fluid is present along the intake line, in particular in order to prevent cavitation of the fluid.

[0014] The pressureless system section can be designed to conduct the fluid to the electric motor of the electric axle and to a transmission of the electric axle, wherein the transmission comprises a sump for collecting the fluid and the pressureless system section is designed to conduct the fluid at least from the electric motor to the sump. The system can be designed such that the fluid can be conducted downstream of the sump to the pump. The electric axle can have the electric motor with a stator and rotor. The electric axle can have the transmission with gearing, a bearing, and the sump. The system, in particular the pressureless system section, can be designed such that the fluid can be conducted to the electric motor and downstream of the motor to the gearing and the bearing in the form of a parallel circuit and / or in the form of a series circuit.In a parallel connection, a fluid flow downstream of the electric motor can be divided into a gear flow and a bearing flow, with the gear flow being a fluid flow of the fluid to the gears and the bearing flow being a fluid flow of the fluid to the bearings. In a series connection, the fluid can be directed first to the gears and downstream of these to the bearings, or vice versa. Downstream of the bearings and the gears, the fluid can be directed to the sump via the unpressurized system section. The system can include the sump.

[0015] The system may comprise at least one of the following lines: a battery cooling line for conducting the fluid from the cooling unit to the battery; a unit cooling line for conducting the fluid from the battery to the at least one electrical unit; a system section line for conducting the fluid from the at least one electrical unit to the unpressurized system section; and / or a cooling unit line for conducting the fluid from the pump to the cooling unit.

[0016] The cooling line section can comprise a battery supply line configured to at least partially conduct the fluid from the pump to the battery. Alternatively or additionally, the cooling line section can comprise a battery return line configured to at least partially conduct the fluid from the battery to the pump. The battery supply line and / or the battery return line can enable heating and / or cooling of the battery as needed.

[0017] The system may further comprise a heating unit configured to heat the fluid, wherein the heating unit is configured to heat the fluid along the battery supply line and / or along the battery cooling line.

[0018] The cooling line section may comprise a battery bypass line configured to conduct the fluid from the battery cooling line at least partially parallel to the battery and to conduct the fluid downstream of the battery to the unit cooling line of the cooling line section.

[0019] The system may further comprise a cyclone separator and / or a vent valve for removing gas, particularly air, from the fluid along the intake line. The cyclone separator and / or the vent valve may be included in the pump. If the transmission is lubricated, cooled, and / or heated by the fluid, gas may be introduced into the fluid through the transmission. This gas can be removed from the fluid by means of the cyclone separator and / or the vent valve.

[0020] The system may further comprise a unit bypass line configured to conduct the fluid at least partially parallel to the at least one electrical unit and to conduct it downstream of the at least one electrical unit to the unpressurized system section and / or the system section line. Consequently, demand-based cooling and / or heating of the at least one electrical unit can be provided.

[0021] The at least one pump may comprise a filter unit for filtering the fluid. When using the non-conductive fluid, the filter unit may be designed to filter ions, in particular to prevent ionization of the non-conductive fluid.

[0022] The cooling unit line and / or the intake line can be configured as rising lines at least up to the cooling unit. The rising lines can reduce or prevent air buildup on and / or in the cooling unit. A rising line can be a line that has an increasing height along a fluid flow direction. Accordingly, gas, particularly air, which can be introduced into the fluid, for example, by the transmission, can rise and collect along the rising line.

[0023] The system may further comprise at least one check valve and / or at least one dBV, wherein the at least one check valve and / or the at least one dBV are arranged in particular along the system section line and / or the unit bypass line. The at least one check valve and / or at least one dBV can prevent the fluid from running dry in the unpressurized system section.

[0024] The system may further comprise a backing pump for pumping the fluid and a fluid reservoir configured to receive and discharge the fluid, wherein, along the intake line, the backing pump is arranged upstream of the fluid reservoir and the fluid reservoir is arranged upstream of the at least one pump, wherein the fluid reservoir is arranged at a higher position relative to the backing pump. Accordingly, a fluid reservoir line configured to conduct the fluid from the backing pump to the fluid reservoir may be an ascending line, in particular a line ascending to the fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoir may be arranged at a higher position relative to the at least one pump, in particular in order to be able to provide a constant fluid pressure to the at least one pump. Here, a descending line from the fluid reservoir to the at least one pump may be provided.

[0025] The cooling line section can be designed such that the fluid can be conducted from the pump to the cooling unit, downstream of the cooling unit to the battery, downstream of the battery to the at least one electrical unit and downstream of the at least one electrical unit to the unpressurized system section.

[0026] The system can comprise a valve arrangement with at least one valve, in particular three valves, wherein the valve arrangement is designed to switch the common fluid circuit between a single fluid circuit and a double fluid circuit by switching the at least one valve, in particular the three valves, such that in the double fluid circuit a first sub-fluid circuit of the common fluid circuit is designed to cool the electric axle, in particular the motor, and a second sub-fluid circuit of the common fluid circuit is designed to cool and / or heat the at least one electrical unit and the battery.

[0027] The system may be configured to cool and / or heat the electric motor and / or the transmission.

[0028] The system may comprise a second or more pumps. The system with the valve arrangement may be configured such that a first pump or the at least one pump is configured to pump the fluid from the electric axis, in particular the electric motor, to the heating unit. The system with the valve arrangement may be configured such that a second pump of the system is configured to pump the fluid from the battery to the cooling unit.

[0029] The system can further be configured to heat and / or cool a passenger compartment heat exchanger using the common fluid circuit. A passenger compartment can be heated and / or cooled by means of the passenger compartment heat exchanger. The passenger compartment heat exchanger can comprise a first and a second passenger compartment heat exchanger, wherein the first passenger compartment heat exchanger is configured to heat and the second passenger compartment heat exchanger is configured to cool the passenger compartments. The system can be configured such that the first sub-fluid circuit is configured to conduct the fluid from the electric axle, in particular the motor, to the first passenger compartment heat exchanger, and the second sub-fluid circuit is configured to conduct the fluid from the cooling unit to the second passenger compartment heat exchanger.

[0030] The system can be configured to couple the common fluid circuit to a cooling fluid circuit of the vehicle and / or to include the cooling fluid circuit. Consequently, additional units such as a passenger compartment heat exchanger for air conditioning a passenger compartment of the vehicle and / or a radiator can be cooled and / or heated.

[0031] The system may be configured to lubricate the vehicle's transmission using the fluid.

[0032] One or more lines of the system may be fluidically connected to each other and / or units of the system and / or the vehicle.

[0033] The system can further be configured to direct the fluid to the vehicle's radiator. The system with the valve arrangement can be configured such that the first sub-fluid circuit is configured to direct the fluid downstream of the passenger compartment heat exchanger, in particular the first passenger compartment heat exchanger, to the radiator. Thermal energy of the fluid can be dissipated into ambient air by means of the radiator. The radiator can be arranged upstream of the electrical axle, in particular of the motor.

[0034] The system may comprise a heat pump configured to enable thermal energy exchange with the fluid circuit, in particular the fluid. The heat pump may comprise the cooling unit and / or the heating unit.

[0035] The cooling unit can be a chiller. According to a second aspect, the object is achieved by an at least partially electrically powered vehicle, comprising an electric axle, a battery, at least one electrical unit, and a thermal management system according to the first aspect.

[0036] Features described with respect to the system according to the first aspect may be implemented as features of the vehicle according to the second aspect and vice versa.

[0037] The vehicle can be a hybrid vehicle or a fully electric vehicle.

[0038] Preferred embodiments are explained using the accompanying figures. They show:

[0039] Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a thermal management system for an at least partially electrically driven vehicle with an electric axle;

[0040] Fig. 2 shows a section of the electrical axis from Fig. 1;

[0041] Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of a thermal management system for demand-based cooling and heating of a vehicle battery;

[0042] Fig. 4 shows a third embodiment of a thermal management system for cooling and heating the vehicle's battery as required;

[0043] Fig. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of a thermal management system for demand-based cooling and heating of the vehicle's battery;

[0044] Fig. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of a thermal management system with a battery bypass line and a unit bypass line;

[0045] Fig. 7 shows a sixth embodiment of a thermal management system with a backing pump; Fig. 8 shows a seventh embodiment of a thermal management system with a valve arrangement; and

[0046] Fig. 9 shows an embodiment of an at least partially electrically powered vehicle with a thermal management system.

[0047] In the figures, identical or essentially functionally identical or similar elements are designated by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, individual features of the illustrated embodiments can be combined with individual features of other embodiments.

[0048] Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a thermal management system 100 for an at least partially electrically powered vehicle 200 (see Fig. 9). The vehicle 200 has an electric axle 210, a battery 220, and at least one electrical unit 230, here an inverter 230, which are to be heated and / or cooled, particularly during operation of the vehicle 200.

[0049] The thermal management system 100 forms a common fluid circuit for cooling and / or heating the electric axle 210, the battery 220, and the inverter 230, through which an electrically conductive or non-conductive fluid can be conducted and / or which contains the fluid. Here, the fluid is an electrically conductive medium, in particular a water-glycol lubricant.

[0050] In the figures, arrows indicate fluid flow directions. Arrows can also represent pipes.

[0051] The thermal management system 100 comprises at least one pump 110 for pumping the fluid and a cooling unit, in particular a chiller 120 for cooling the fluid, wherein the pump 110 is arranged upstream of the cooling unit 120.

[0052] The pump 110 may include a filter configured to filter the fluid. When using a non-conductive fluid for the common fluid circuit, such as non-ionized water, the filter may be configured to filter ions.

[0053] The thermal management system 100 further comprises a cooling line section configured to conduct the fluid from the pump 110 to the cooling unit 120 and further to the battery 220, to the inverter 230, and to a pressureless system section 130. The system 100 further comprises the pressureless system section 130, which is configured to cool the electric axis 210 and to conduct the fluid downstream of the electric axis 210 to the pump 110.

[0054] System 100 creates a common fluid circuit through which the electric axle 210, the battery 220, and the inverter 230 can be cooled and / or heated. An additional fluid circuit, such as an oil circuit for cooling an electric motor 240 and / or a transmission 250 of the electric axle 210 and / or for lubricating the transmission 250, can be omitted. This simplifies the design of a thermal management system, and eliminates the need for an additional fluid circuit with a different medium. Furthermore, only a single pump 110 can be used.

[0055] Fig. 2 shows a section of the electric axis 210 of Fig. 1 , showing the electric motor 240 and the gearbox 250. The electric motor 240 comprises a stator 241 and a rotor 242. The gearbox 250 comprises a gearing 251, a bearing 252 and a sump 253. Downstream of the inverter 230, the fluid is first guided to the electric motor 240 by means of the unpressurized system section 130. The fluid flow is divided into a stator fluid flow and a rotor fluid flow, the stator fluid flow being a fluid flow of the fluid to the stator 241 and the rotor fluid flow being a fluid flow of the fluid to the rotor 242. According to Fig. 2, a parallel connection is shown, but alternatively a series connection may be present such that the fluid is first directed to the stator 241 and then to the rotor 242 or vice versa.

[0056] Downstream of the motor 240, the fluid is directed to the transmission 250. In the parallel circuit shown, the stator fluid flow and the rotor fluid flow are recirculated downstream of the stator 241 and the rotor 242. Further, downstream of the stator 241 and the rotor 242, the recirculated fluid flow is again divided into a gearing fluid flow and a bearing fluid flow. The gearing fluid flow is a fluid flow of the fluid to the gearing 251, and the bearing fluid flow is a fluid flow of the fluid to the bearing 252. Downstream of the gearing 251 and the bearing 252, the two flows are recirculated, and the fluid flow is directed to a sump 253 of the transmission 250. The sump 253 can be basin-shaped and / or designed to collect the fluid.The system 100, in particular the pressureless system section 130, is designed such that the fluid can be conducted downstream of the electrical axis 210, in particular the sump 253, to the pump 110.

[0057] The pressureless system section 130 is a single-line or multi-line system section in which the fluid is conveyed through downstream lines to the various units, such as the electric motor 240 and the transmission 250. Consequently, no pump is required in this section of the fluid circuit.

[0058] The pressureless system section 130 is fluidly connected to the pump 110 by means of an intake line AL. The intake line AL has a predetermined diameter, which is determined such that, when pumping with a predetermined pumping power, in particular a maximum pumping power by the pump 110, a pressure of the fluid, at least in sections along the intake line AL, is greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure, here a vapor pressure of the fluid, in particular in order to prevent cavitation of the fluid upstream of the pump 110 along the intake line AL.

[0059] The pump 110 may include a cyclone separator or a vent valve. Alternatively, the cyclone separator or the vent valve may be arranged along the intake line AL to remove air from the fluid before the pump 110. Furthermore, the intake line AL is configured to form a rising line. Consequently, the fluid rises relatively in height along the intake line AL and in the flow direction from an inlet section of the intake line to the pump 110 to prevent air buildup.

[0060] From the pump 110, the system 100 directs the fluid to the cooling unit 120 via a cooling unit line KEL. The cooling unit line KEL is also a rising line such that the fluid rises relative to the height along the cooling unit line KEL to the cooling unit in order to prevent air from accumulating.

[0061] Furthermore, the system 100 has a battery cooling line BKL, which is designed to conduct the fluid from the cooling unit 120 to the battery 220. The cooling unit 120 is designed to cool the fluid.

[0062] The system 100 further comprises a unit cooling line EKL, by means of which the fluid is conducted from the battery 220 to the inverter 230. Finally, the system 100 further comprises a system section line SL, which is designed to conduct the fluid from the inverter 230 to the unpressurized system section 130.

[0063] Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the system 100, wherein, in comparison to the first embodiment 100, the system 100 according to Fig. 2 comprises a battery supply line BZL and a battery return line BRL. The system 100 further comprises a heating unit 140 arranged along the battery supply line BZL. The battery supply line BZL is designed to at least partially conduct the fluid from the pump 110 to the heating unit 140 and the battery 220, so that heating of the battery 220 is possible as needed. Cooling of the battery 220 takes place via the battery cooling line BKL. Furthermore, the fluid can be at least partially conducted from the battery 220 to the pump 110 by means of the battery return line BRL, so that it can be cooled again by the cooling unit 120. Consequently, cooling of the battery 220 as needed is possible. Fig.Fig. 4 shows a third embodiment of the system 100, in which, compared to the first embodiment, the system 100 according to Fig. 4 has the heating unit along the battery cooling line BKL to provide cooling and heating of the battery 220 as needed. Furthermore, the system 100 has the battery return line BRL.

[0064] Fig. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the system 100, in which, in comparison to the third embodiment, no heating unit 100 is provided.

[0065] Fig. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of the system 100, in which, compared to the first embodiment, the system 100 according to Fig. 5 further comprises a battery bypass line BBL and a unit bypass line EBL. By means of the battery bypass line BBL, the fluid can be at least partially routed parallel to the battery 220 and the unit cooling line EKL. By means of the unit bypass line EBL, the fluid can be at least partially routed parallel to the inverter 230 and to the system section line SL and / or directly to the system section 130. Accordingly, the fluid flows of the fluid can be divided as needed.

[0066] Fig. 7 shows a sixth embodiment of the system 100, in which, compared to the first embodiment, the system 100 according to Fig. 7 further comprises a backing pump 150 and a fluid reservoir 170. To prevent too much air from entering the cooling line section, the backing pump 150 and the fluid reservoir 170 can be used.

[0067] The fluid reservoir 170 is arranged higher relative to the backing pump 150. By means of the backing pump 150, the fluid is pumped from the unpressurized system section 210 and conveyed to the fluid reservoir 170. The fluid reservoir 170 is connected by a line to the pump 110, which is positioned lower relative to the fluid reservoir 170. In particular, an end section connected to the fluid reservoir 170 can be fluidically connected at a lowest point of the fluid reservoir 170, so that during pumping of the pump 110, the fluid can be pumped out of the fluid reservoir 170 at a constant pressure and any gas, in particular air, remains in the fluid reservoir 170 as it rises.

[0068] Fig. 8 shows a seventh embodiment of the system with a valve arrangement 180. The valve arrangement 180 comprises three valves 181 to 183. The valves 181 to 183 can be connected to several lines of the system, in particular such that a single valve of the valves 181 to 183 can switch at least two fluid streams without mixing them.

[0069] By means of the valve arrangement 180, it is possible to switch between a single fluid circuit, as may be present in Figs. 1 to 7, and a double fluid circuit, as shown in Fig. 8. According to Fig. 8, there is a first sub-fluid circuit, which is shown by dashed lines and arrows, and a second sub-fluid circuit, which is shown by dotted lines and arrows. The vehicle 200 further has a passenger compartment heat exchanger 260 with a first passenger compartment heat exchanger 261 and a second passenger compartment heat exchanger 262, as well as a radiator 270. According to Fig. 7, the system 100 comprises a heat pump 170 with the heating unit 140 and the cooling unit 120.

[0070] From the heating unit 140, the fluid is conducted according to the first sub-fluid circuit to the first passenger compartment heat exchanger 261, by means of which a passenger compartment of the vehicle 200 can be heated. Downstream of the first passenger compartment heat exchanger 261, the fluid is conducted via the second valve 182 to the first valve 181 and downstream of the first valve 181 to the radiator 270. A heat energy exchange with the ambient air can take place by means of the radiator 270. In particular, heat energy can be released to the ambient air by means of the radiator 270. Downstream of the radiator 270, the fluid is conducted by means of the third valve to the electric axle 210, in particular the electric motor 240 and / or the transmission 250. The fluid is then pumped and conducted to the heating unit 120 by means of a second pump 190 of the system 100.From the cooling unit 140, the fluid is directed according to the second sub-fluid circuit to the second passenger compartment heat exchanger 262 for cooling the passenger compartment and downstream of the second passenger compartment heat exchanger 262 to the inverter 230. Downstream of the inverter 230, the fluid is directed to the battery 220 via the second valve 182. Downstream of the battery 220, the fluid is pumped and directed to the pump 110 and finally to the cooling unit 140 via the second valve 183.

[0071] By means of the valve arrangement 180, heating and cooling of the various units of the vehicle 200 can therefore be carried out as required.

[0072] Fig. 9 shows an at least partially electrically driven vehicle 200 with a thermal management system according to one of Figs. 1 to 8. The vehicle 200 can be a hybrid vehicle or a fully electric vehicle 200 with an electric axle 210, a battery 220 and at least one electrical unit 230 such as an inverter and / or power electronics, which can be cooled and / or heated by means of the thermal management system 100.

[0073] Reference symbol

[0074] 100 thermal management system

[0075] 110 Pump

[0076] 120 cooling unit

[0077] 130 pressureless system section

[0078] 140 heating unit

[0079] 150 backing pump

[0080] 160 fluid reservoir

[0081] 170 heat pump

[0082] 180 valve arrangement

[0083] 181 first valve

[0084] 182 second valve

[0085] 183 third valve

[0086] 190 second pump

[0087] 200 at least partially electrically powered vehicles

[0088] 210 electric axle of the vehicle

[0089] 220 battery

[0090] 230 electrical units

[0091] 240 electric motor

[0092] 241 Stator

[0093] 242 Rotor

[0094] 250 gearbox

[0095] 251 Gearing

[0096] 252 Storage

[0097] 253 Swamp

[0098] 260 passenger compartment heat exchangers

[0099] 261 first passenger compartment heat exchanger

[0100] 262 second passenger compartment heat exchanger

[0101] 270 Radiator

[0102] AL intake line

[0103] BKL battery cooling line

[0104] EKL unit cooling line SL system section line

[0105] KEL cooling unit line

[0106] BZL battery supply line

[0107] BRL battery return line

[0108] BBL battery bypass line

[0109] EBL unit bypass line

Claims

Patent claims 1. Thermal management system (100) for an at least partially electrically powered vehicle (200), wherein the vehicle (200) has an electric axle (210), a battery (220), and at least one electrical unit (230) that are to be heated and / or cooled, in particular during operation of the vehicle (200), wherein the thermal management system (100) forms a common fluid circuit for cooling and / or heating the electric axle (210), the battery (220), and the at least one electrical unit (230), through which an electrically conductive or non-conductive fluid can be conducted and / or which comprises the fluid, the thermal management system (100) comprising: at least one pump (110) for pumping the fluid and a cooling unit (120) for cooling the fluid, wherein the pump (110) is arranged upstream of the cooling unit (120);a cooling line section configured to conduct the fluid from the pump (110) to the cooling unit (120) and further to the battery (220), to the at least one electrical unit (230), and to a pressureless system section (130); the pressureless system section (130) configured to cool the electrical axis (210) and to conduct the fluid downstream of the electrical axis (210) to the pump (110); 2. System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive fluid comprises or is a water-glycol mixture and / or a water-glycol lubricant, wherein the non-conductive fluid comprises or is distilled water and / or non-ionized water.

3. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressureless system section (130) has at least one suction line (AL) arranged downstream of the electrical axis (210) and designed to conduct the fluid to the pump (110), wherein the suction line has a predetermined diameter which is determined such that, when pumped by the pump (110), a pressure of the fluid at least in sections along the suction line (AL) is greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure, in particular in order to prevent cavitation of the fluid upstream of the pump (110) along the suction line (AL).

4. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure-free system section (130) is designed to conduct the fluid to an electric motor (240) of the electric axle (210) and to a gearbox (250) of the electric axle (210), wherein the gearbox (250) comprises a sump (253) for collecting the fluid and the pressure-free system section (130) is designed to conduct the fluid at least from the electric motor (240) to the sump (253), wherein the system (100) is designed such that the fluid can be conducted downstream of the sump (253) to the pump (110).

5. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one of the following lines: a battery cooling line (BKL) for conducting the fluid from the cooling unit (110) to the battery (220); a unit cooling line (EKL) for conducting the fluid from the battery (220) to the at least one electrical unit (230); a system section line (SL) for conducting the fluid from the at least one electrical unit (230) to the unpressurized system section (130); a cooling unit line (KEL) for conducting the fluid from the pump (110) to the cooling unit (120).

6. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling line section comprises a battery supply line (BZL) which is designed to at least partially conduct the fluid from the pump (110) to the battery (220), and / or wherein the cooling line section comprises a battery return line (BRL) which is designed to at least partially conduct the fluid from the battery (220) to the pump (110).

7. System (100) according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising: a heating unit (140) configured to heat the fluid, wherein the heating unit (140) is configured to heat the fluid along the battery supply line (BZL) and / or along the battery cooling line (BKL).

8. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling line section comprises a battery bypass line (BBL) which is designed to guide the fluid from the battery cooling line (BKL) at least partially parallel to the battery (220) and to guide the fluid downstream of the battery (220) to the unit cooling line (EKL) of the cooling line section.

9. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a unit bypass line (EBL) which is designed to conduct the fluid at least partially parallel to the at least one electrical unit (230) and to conduct it downstream of the at least one electrical unit (230) to the unpressurized system section (130) and / or the system section line (SL).

10. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling unit line (KEL) and / or the intake line (AL) are designed such that these are rising lines at least up to the cooling unit (110).

11. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: at least one check valve and / or at least one dBV, wherein the at least one check valve and / or the at least one dBV are arranged in particular along the system section line (SL) and / or the unit bypass line (EBL).

12. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a backing pump (150) for pumping the fluid and a fluid reservoir (170) designed to receive and discharge the fluid, wherein, along the suction line (AL), the backing pump (140) is arranged upstream of the fluid reservoir (170) and the fluid reservoir (170) is arranged upstream of the at least one pump (110), wherein the fluid reservoir (170) is arranged in a higher position relative to the backing pump (150).

13. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling line section is designed such that the fluid can be conducted from the pump (110) to the cooling unit (120), downstream of the cooling unit (120) to the battery (220), downstream of the battery (220) to the at least one electrical unit (230) and downstream of the at least one electrical unit (230) to the pressureless system section (130).

14. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a valve arrangement (180) with at least one valve (181-183), in particular three valves, wherein the valve arrangement (180) is designed to switch the common fluid circuit between a single fluid circuit and a double fluid circuit by switching the at least one valve (181-183), in particular the three valves, such that in the double fluid circuit a first sub-fluid circuit of the common fluid circuit is designed to cool the electric axis (210), in particular the motor (240), and a second sub-fluid circuit of the common fluid circuit is designed to cool and / or heat the at least one electrical unit (230) and the battery (220).

15. At least partially electrically powered vehicle (200), comprising an electric axle (210), a battery (220), at least one electrical unit (230) and a thermal management system (100) according to one of the preceding claims.

Images