Fluid distribution assembly and thermal management system

Abstract

A fluid distribution assembly (1) and a thermal management system. The fluid distribution assembly (1) comprises: a sensor (101); a first distribution plate (10), which is provided with a pump mounting cavity (12); and a second distribution plate (20) fixed to a first side of the first distribution plate (10) so as to define a flow channel (30) between the first distribution plate (10) and the second distribution plate (20), the flow channel (30) being in fluid communication with the pump mounting cavity (12), wherein the second distribution plate (20) is provided with a sensor mounting cavity (21), the sensor mounting cavity (21) is arranged opposite to the pump mounting cavity (12), and the sensor (101) is mounted in the sensor mounting cavity (21) and is inserted into the flow channel (30).

Description

Fluid distribution components and thermal management systems Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fluid distribution assembly and a thermal management system including the fluid distribution assembly. Background Art

[0002] A vehicle's thermal management system typically includes a refrigerant circuit and a coolant circuit. The coolant circuit's thermal management targets include battery components, motor components, and heater components. Typically, each thermally managed target is connected in series with a water pump to form an independent coolant sub-circuit. To measure the performance parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.) of the coolant in each sub-circuit, sensors must be installed in each sub-circuit. This inevitably results in high vehicle thermal management system costs, a large number of coolant pipes and components, difficult assembly, and heavy weight.

[0003] Therefore, how to design a fluid distribution assembly and a thermal management system including the fluid distribution assembly so that the cost is low, the number of coolant pipes and parts is small, the assembly is simple, and the assembly is more miniaturized and lightweight has become an urgent problem that needs to be solved.

[0004] Utility Model Content

[0005] The object of the present disclosure is to provide a fluid distribution component, which can make the sensor or its probe installed in the sensor installation cavity be inserted into the inlet side of the pump installation cavity, that is, inserted into the upstream of the pump installation cavity, to measure the temperature of the fluid flowing through the pump installation cavity by arranging the pump installation cavity and the sensor installation cavity relatively and coaxially, and making the interfaces of the two overlap at least partially, so that the sensor installed in the sensor installation cavity can be inserted into the inlet side of the pump installation cavity, that is, inserted into the upstream of the pump installation cavity, to measure the temperature of the fluid flowing through the pump installation cavity. At this time, if the first water pump installed in the pump installation cavity stops moving, the sensor inserted into the upstream of the pump installation cavity can also be used to sense the fluid temperature in other fluid sub-circuits connected to the flow channel upstream of the pump installation cavity, avoiding the problems in the prior art of separately arranging sensors in each fluid sub-circuit, resulting in high cost, large number of parts, difficult assembly, and heavy weight.

[0006] The present disclosure provides a fluid distribution assembly, which includes: a sensor; a first distribution plate, the first distribution plate having a pump mounting cavity; and a second distribution plate fixed to a first side of the first distribution plate to define a flow channel between the first distribution plate and the second distribution plate, the flow channel being in fluid communication with the pump mounting cavity; wherein the second distribution plate has a sensor mounting cavity, the sensor mounting cavity being arranged opposite to the pump mounting cavity; the sensor is mounted in the sensor mounting cavity and inserted into the flow channel.

[0007] In one or more embodiments, the pump mounting cavity has a first interface located on a first distribution plate, the sensor mounting cavity has a second interface located on a second distribution plate, and the sensor is inserted into the flow channel through the second interface; the first interface is the fluid inlet of the pump mounting cavity; wherein in a direction perpendicular to the second distribution plate, the first interface and the second interface at least partially overlap.

[0008] Through the above-mentioned arrangement of the fluid distribution component disclosed in the present invention, a sensor or its probe can be inserted into the flow channel upstream of the pump installation cavity to measure the temperature of the fluid flowing through the pump installation cavity. When the first water pump installed in the pump installation cavity stops working, the above-mentioned sensor can be used to measure the temperature of the fluid in other fluid sub-circuits connected to the flow channel upstream of the pump installation cavity, thereby avoiding the problems in the prior art of having to set up sensors in each fluid sub-circuit, resulting in high cost, a large number of parts, difficult assembly, and heavy weight.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, the pump installation cavity and the sensor installation cavity are coaxially arranged.

[0010] In one or more embodiments, the first interface is located at the center of the bottom wall of the pump installation cavity; the second interface is located at the center of the bottom wall of the sensor installation cavity.

[0011] The present disclosure can facilitate manufacture and installation through the above-mentioned arrangement of the pump installation cavity and the sensor installation cavity, and can reduce the fluid flow resistance caused by inserting the sensor to a certain extent.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the first interface of the pump installation cavity is located at an end of the flow channel.

[0013] The present disclosure adjusts the flow direction of the fluid in the flow channel at the first interface to be perpendicular to the direction of the fluid distribution component through the above-mentioned setting of the first interface of the pump installation cavity, so that the flow direction of the fluid entering the pump installation cavity is parallel to the insertion direction of the sensor, further reducing the fluid flow resistance caused by the insertion of the sensor.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, a limiting portion is provided in the sensor installation cavity, and the limiting portion is used to cooperate with the sensor in a limiting manner.

[0015] The present disclosure can limit the position where the sensor or its probe is inserted into the flow channel through the above-mentioned arrangement of the limiting portion.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the limiting portion includes a fixed slot.

[0017] The present disclosure provides a fixed slot so that the sensor can be locked and fixed in the sensor installation cavity through components such as a retaining spring.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, the second distribution plate is further provided with a first port connected to the flow channel, and the first port is provided adjacent to the sensor installation cavity; the first port is an inlet for the fluid to enter the flow channel.

[0019] Through the above arrangement of the first port, the present disclosure can use the above sensor to accurately detect / sense the temperature of the fluid in other fluid sub-circuits communicating with the flow channel when the first water pump installed in the pump installation cavity stops moving.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the first distribution plate is provided with a flow channel groove, and the second distribution plate is a cover plate.

[0021] The present disclosure simplifies the structure of the first and second distribution plates and facilitates the manufacture and installation of the fluid distribution assembly.

[0022] The present disclosure also provides a thermal management system, which includes the aforementioned fluid distribution assembly.

[0023] In one or more embodiments, the thermal management system includes: a first coolant pipeline, wherein the first coolant pipeline is sequentially provided with a sensor, a first water pump and a motor assembly of the fluid distribution assembly along the flow direction of the fluid, wherein the upstream of the sensor is connected to the first connection point, and the downstream of the motor assembly is connected to the second connection point, and the first port in the fluid distribution assembly adjacent to the sensor mounting cavity is provided at the first connection point; a second coolant pipeline, wherein the second coolant pipeline is sequentially provided with a second water pump and a heater core along the flow direction of the fluid, wherein the upstream of the second water pump is connected to the first connection point, and the downstream of the heater core is connected to the second connection point; and a third coolant pipeline, wherein both ends of the third coolant pipeline are respectively connected to the first connection point and the second connection point.

[0024] The present disclosure utilizes the aforementioned configuration of the thermal management system, namely, the motor assembly and the heater core are connected in parallel in different coolant lines, and a sensor is disposed at the inlet of the first water pump in the first coolant line (i.e., upstream of the first water pump) and is also connected to the second coolant line. This allows the sensor to detect the temperature of the coolant flowing into both the first coolant line and the second coolant line. Furthermore, even when the first water pump in the first coolant line stops operating, the sensor can still detect the temperature of the coolant flowing into the second coolant line. This configuration reduces the cost of the thermal management system, reduces the number of sensors required, simplifies assembly, and is more lightweight.

[0025] In one or more embodiments, the first connection point and the second connection point include a tee structure.

[0026] In one or more embodiments, a low-temperature radiator is provided on the third coolant pipeline, wherein the upstream of the low-temperature radiator is connected to the second connection point, and the downstream of the low-temperature radiator is connected to the first connection point.

[0027] In one or more embodiments, the first water pump is fixedly mounted in a pump mounting cavity of the fluid distribution assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG1 shows a perspective view of a fluid distribution assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein a sensor is omitted;

[0029] FIG2 shows a perspective view of a first distribution plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG3 shows a perspective view of the first distribution plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure at another viewing angle;

[0031] FIG4 shows a perspective view of a second distribution plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG5 shows a perspective view of a second distribution plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure at another viewing angle;

[0033] FIG6 illustrates a cross-sectional perspective view of a fluid distribution assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG7 shows a cross-sectional view of a fluid distribution assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG8 shows a partial enlarged view of a fluid distribution assembly after being installed with a first water pump according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] FIG9 shows a connection diagram of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] FIG10 is a schematic diagram showing a first operating mode of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] FIG11 is a schematic diagram showing a second operating mode of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] FIG12 is a schematic diagram showing a third operating mode of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] FIG13 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth operating mode of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] FIG14 is a schematic diagram showing a fifth operating mode of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0042] FIG15 is a schematic diagram showing a sixth operating mode of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The following describes the embodiments of the present disclosure through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present disclosure from the contents disclosed in this specification.

[0044] It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in the drawings attached to this specification are only used to match the contents disclosed in the specification for the understanding and reading of those skilled in the art, and are not used to limit the limiting conditions for the implementation of the present disclosure. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modification of the structure, change in the proportional relationship, or adjustment of the size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present disclosure without affecting the efficacy and purpose that can be achieved by the present disclosure. At the same time, the terms such as "on" and "a" quoted in this specification are only for the convenience of description and are not used to limit the scope of the implementation of the present disclosure. Changes or adjustments in their relative relationships should also be regarded as the scope of the implementation of the present disclosure without substantially changing the technical content.

[0045] In order to more clearly understand the present disclosure, various embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] The present disclosure provides a fluid distribution assembly 1. As shown in FIG1 , the fluid distribution assembly 1 includes a first distribution plate 10, a second distribution plate 20 fixed to a first side of the first distribution plate 10, and a sensor 101 mounted on the second distribution plate 20. The sensor 101 may be a temperature sensor, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the sensor 101 may also be another sensor for measuring other performance parameters of the fluid. It should be noted that, to clearly illustrate the structure of the fluid distribution plate 1, the sensor 101 is omitted from the fluid distribution plate 1 shown in FIG1-7 , and the sensor 101 is only shown in the partially enlarged view of the fluid distribution assembly 1 shown in FIG8 and in the thermal management system of FIG9-15 .

[0047] Referring to Figures 2 and 3 , the first distribution plate 10 is provided with a pump mounting cavity 12 on its outer side away from the second distribution plate 20 for mounting a first water pump 102 (as shown in Figure 8 ). The first distribution plate 10 is provided with a flow channel groove 11 on its inner side near the second distribution plate 20 to cooperate with the second distribution plate 20 to form a flow channel 30. The pump mounting cavity 12 is in fluid communication with the flow channel 30.

[0048] Referring to Figures 4 and 5 , the second distribution plate 20 can be a cover plate that cooperates with the flow channel 11 (also referred to as the first flow channel 11) on the first distribution plate 10 to form the flow channel 30. The second distribution plate 20 has a simple structure, making the fluid distribution assembly easy to manufacture and install. Of course, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the second distribution plate 20 can also have a second flow channel, and the flow channel 30 of the fluid distribution assembly 1 can be formed by splicing the second flow channel and the first flow channel 11. In other words, as long as the second distribution plate 20 is fixed to the first side of the first distribution plate 10, the flow channel 30 can be defined between the two. The second distribution plate 20 is provided with a sensor installation cavity 21 on the outside away from the first distribution plate 10. The sensor installation cavity 21 is arranged opposite to the pump installation cavity 12. The sensor 101 can be installed in the sensor installation cavity 21, and the probe of the sensor 101 can be inserted into the flow channel 30 defined by the first distribution plate 10 and the second distribution plate 20 (as shown in Figure 8) to measure the temperature of the fluid flowing through the pump installation cavity 12 in the flow channel 30, especially to measure the temperature of the fluid flowing upstream of the pump installation cavity 12.

[0049] Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the pump installation chamber 12 can be roughly cylindrical. The pump installation chamber 12 has a first interface 12, which can serve as a fluid inlet for the pump installation chamber 12. The first interface 12 is located on the first distribution plate 10 and is connected to the flow channel groove 11 on the inner side of the first distribution plate 10, so that the fluid in the flow channel 30 can flow into the pump installation chamber 12. In addition, the pump installation chamber 12 also has a fluid outlet (not shown) connected to the flow channel 30, for example, which can be located on the side wall of the pump installation chamber 12, so that the first water pump 102 installed in the pump installation chamber 12 can provide driving force for the fluid in the flow channel 30, forming a fluid circuit.

[0050] As shown in Figures 4, 5, and 8, the sensor mounting chamber 21 can also be generally cylindrical. The sensor mounting chamber 21 has a second port 210 located on the second distribution plate 20 and connected to the flow channel 30. The sensor 101, particularly the sensor probe of the sensor 101, can be inserted into the flow channel 30 through the second port 210. In a direction perpendicular to the second distribution plate 20, the first port 120 and the second port 210 at least partially overlap, allowing the sensor 101 or its probe to be inserted into the inlet side of the pump mounting chamber 12, i.e., upstream of the pump mounting chamber 12, to measure the temperature of the fluid flowing through the pump mounting chamber 12. In this manner, when the first water pump 102 installed in the pump mounting chamber 12 stops, the sensor 101 inserted upstream of the pump mounting chamber 12 can also be used to sense the temperature of the fluid in other fluid sub-circuits connected to the flow channel 30 (particularly in the fluid sub-circuits connected to the pump mounting chamber 12). This avoids the high cost, large number of parts, difficult assembly, and heavy weight associated with installing separate sensors in each fluid sub-circuit in the prior art.

[0051] Preferably, as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the pump installation cavity 12 and the sensor installation cavity 21 can be roughly coaxially arranged, the first interface 120 is located at the center of the bottom wall of the pump installation cavity 12, and the second interface 210 is located at the center of the bottom wall of the sensor installation cavity 21. This can facilitate manufacturing and installation, and can reduce the fluid flow resistance caused by inserting the sensor 101 to a certain extent.

[0052] More preferably, the first interface 120 of the pump installation cavity 12 is arranged at the end of the flow channel 30, so that the flow direction of the fluid in the flow channel 30 at this end is adjusted to be perpendicular to the direction of the fluid distribution component 1, so that the flow direction of the fluid entering the pump installation cavity 12 is parallel to the insertion direction of the sensor 101, further reducing the fluid flow resistance caused by the insertion of the sensor 101.

[0053] Please continue to refer to Figures 4 and 5. In one embodiment, a roughly annular limiting portion 211 may be provided inside the sensor mounting cavity 21 for limiting the position of the sensor 101 to limit the position of the sensor 101 or its probe inserted into the flow channel 30. Preferably, the sensor 101 can be sealedly connected to the limiting portion 211 to prevent fluid from leaking through the pump mounting cavity 12. In this embodiment, the limiting portion 211 serves as / is provided on the bottom wall of the pump mounting cavity 12, and the second interface 210 is located at the center of the limiting portion 211, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the limiting portion 211 can also be provided on the side wall of the pump mounting cavity 12, as long as it can be limited and fitted with the sensor 101. In addition, the present disclosure is not limited to the sensor 101 being sealedly connected to the limiting portion 211. For example, the sensor 101 can also be sealed and connected to the side wall of the sensor mounting cavity 21, as long as fluid leakage can be avoided.

[0054] Continuing with FIG4 , the sidewall of the sensor mounting cavity 21 may also be provided with a fixing slot 212, so that the sensor 101 can be engaged and fixed within the sensor mounting cavity 21 via a retaining spring or other component. Of course, the present disclosure is not limited thereto; for example, the fixing slot 212 may also be provided on the limiting portion 211, as long as the sensor 101 can be fixed within the sensor mounting cavity 21.

[0055] Continuing with Figures 4 and 5 , the second distribution plate 20 may also be provided with a first port 22 connected to the flow channel 30. This first port 22 serves as an inlet for fluid to enter the flow channel 30. Preferably, the first port 22 may be located adjacent to the sensor mounting cavity 21. In this manner, when the first water pump 102 installed in the pump mounting cavity 12 stops, the sensor 101 can accurately detect / sense the temperature of the fluid in other fluid sub-circuits connected to the flow channel 30. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5 , in this embodiment, the fluid entering the flow channel 30 from the first port 22 is divided into three paths due to the flow channel design. The first path flows directly to the branch in the flow channel 30 where the sensor mounting cavity 21 is located (indicated by the arrow at the top of Figure 5 ), the second path flows to the flow channel 40 of other fluid sub-circuits connected to the flow channel 30 (indicated by the arrow at the bottom left of Figure 5 ), and the third path flows to other branches of the flow channel 30 (indicated by the arrow at the bottom right of Figure 5 ). In this way, when the first water pump 102 installed in the pump installation cavity 12 stops running, the fluid will not form a loop in the flow channel 30 (especially the pump installation cavity 12 connected to the flow channel 30). At this time, the sensor 101 inserted upstream of the pump installation cavity 12 will not be able to measure the temperature of the fluid circuit flowing through the pump installation cavity 12. However, since the flow channel 30 upstream of the pump installation cavity 12 is connected to the flow channel 40 of other fluid sub-circuits, the fluid entering from the first port 22 can flow into the flow channel 40 of other fluid sub-circuits through a part of the flow channel 30, and the sensor installation cavity 21 is adjacent to the first port 22, which enables the sensor 101 inserted upstream of the pump installation cavity 12 to detect / sense the fluid temperature of the other fluid sub-circuits (i.e., the fluid sub-circuits flowing through the flow channel 40), thereby omitting the additional sensor in the other fluid sub-circuits, saving costs, reducing the number of parts, simplifying assembly, and making it more miniaturized and lightweight.

[0056] Of course, when the first water pump installed in the pump installation cavity 12 is operating normally, the fluid entering from the first port 22 can form a fluid circuit in the flow channel 30 (especially the pump installation cavity 12 connected to the flow channel 30). At the same time, the flow channel 30 upstream of the pump installation cavity 12 also forms a fluid circuit with the flow channel 40 of other fluid sub-circuits. At this time, the sensor 101 inserted upstream of the pump installation cavity 12 can detect the temperature of the fluid flowing into the pump installation cavity 12 and the temperature of the fluid flowing into the flow channel 40 of other fluid sub-circuits.

[0057] Although the present disclosure is described as the limiting portion 211 being annular, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the limiting portion 211 may also be in other shapes as long as it can limit the insertion position of the sensor 101 .

[0058] The present disclosure further provides a thermal management system including the above-mentioned fluid distribution assembly. Various embodiments of the thermal management system are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 9, which shows the connections between the various components of the thermal management system. As shown in the figure, the thermal management system includes a first coolant line 100, a second coolant line 200, and a third coolant line 300. Coolant, such as a mixture of water and ethanol, flows through the first coolant line 100, the second coolant line 200, and the third coolant line 300.

[0060] The first coolant circuit 100 (also known as the motor coolant sub-circuit) is provided with the sensor 101, first water pump 102, and motor assembly 103 of the fluid distribution assembly 1 in sequence along the direction of fluid flow. The motor assembly 103 includes, among other things, an electronic control module 1031 and a motor 1032. The sensor 101 is used to sense the temperature of the coolant flowing into the first water pump 102. The first water pump 102 is used to pump the coolant through the motor assembly 103. The upstream of the sensor 101 is connected to the first connection point 221. The downstream of the motor assembly 103 is connected to the second connection point 222. The first port 22, located adjacent to the sensor mounting cavity 21 in the fluid distribution assembly 1 shown in FIG5 , is located at the first connection point 221 of the thermal management system. The first water pump 102 is fixedly mounted in the pump mounting cavity 12 of the fluid distribution assembly 1 shown in FIG1 . The first coolant circuit 100 of the thermal management system includes the flow channel 30 of the fluid distribution assembly 1.

[0061] The second coolant circuit 200 (also known as the heater core coolant sub-circuit) is provided with a second water pump 201 and a heater core 202 in sequence along the direction of fluid flow. The second water pump 201 is used to pump coolant to the heater core 202, and the upstream of the second water pump 201 is connected to the first connection point 221. The heater core 202 is used to heat the vehicle cabin, and the downstream of the heater core 202 is connected to the second connection point 222. In this embodiment, a first heat exchanger 203 and a high-pressure liquid heater 204 may also be provided in sequence between the second water pump 201 and the heater core 202. The first heat exchanger 203 may be a water-cooled condenser having a first flow channel and a second flow channel for circulating refrigerant and coolant, respectively. The high-pressure liquid heater 204 is used to heat the coolant flowing through it. When heating the vehicle cabin, if the temperature of the warm air blown by heater core 202 does not reach the user-set temperature, high-pressure liquid heater 204 can be activated to heat the coolant, raising the temperature of the coolant flowing to heater core 202. This helps increase the temperature of the warm air and promotes warming of the vehicle cabin. The second coolant line 200 in the thermal management system includes a flow channel 40 in the fluid distribution assembly 1 that connects to the flow channel 30 upstream of the pump mounting cavity 12, which is another fluid sub-circuit.

[0062] The third coolant line 300 has two ends connected to the first connection point 221 and the second connection point 222, respectively. The first connection point 221 and the second connection point 222 may include a tee structure or other connection structure. In this embodiment, a radiator 301, such as a low-temperature radiator 301, may be provided on the third coolant line 300 to transfer heat to the outside world or absorb heat from the outside world. The upstream end of the low-temperature radiator 301 is connected to the second connection point 222, and the downstream end of the low-temperature radiator 301 is connected to the first connection point 221.

[0063] As can be seen from the above configuration, the motor assembly 103 and the heater core 202 in the thermal management system of the present disclosure are connected in parallel in different coolant pipelines 100 and 200. The sensor 101 is disposed at the inlet end of the first water pump 102 in the first coolant pipeline 100 (i.e., upstream of the first water pump 102). It is also connected to the second coolant pipeline 200, so that the sensor 101 can detect the temperature of the coolant flowing into the first coolant pipeline 100 and the second coolant pipeline 200. When the first water pump 102 in the first coolant pipeline 100 stops operating, the sensor 101 can detect the temperature of the coolant flowing into the second coolant pipeline 200. In other words, the first coolant pipeline 100 and the second coolant pipeline 200 of the thermal management system of the present disclosure can share a single sensor 101 to detect the coolant temperature, thereby reducing the cost of the thermal management system, reducing the number of sensors required, simplifying assembly, and making it more lightweight.

[0064] Of course, the thermal management system of the present disclosure may also include a fourth coolant line 400, such as a battery coolant line. As shown in Figure 9, the fourth coolant line 400 is provided with a third water pump 401, a second heat exchanger 507 and a heat-generating battery assembly 402 along the flow direction of the fluid, wherein the second heat exchanger 507 is, for example, a chiller. In addition, the fourth coolant line 400 may also have a sensor (not shown) for measuring the temperature of the coolant flowing through it, which may be provided on the pipelines at the input and output ends of the battery assembly 402. The fourth coolant line 400 may be connected to the first connection point 221 and the second connection point 222 through a plurality of connecting structures to form a coolant loop with the first coolant line 100, the second coolant line 200 and / or the third coolant line 300.

[0065] In addition to a coolant circuit, the thermal management system also includes a refrigerant circuit. A refrigerant, such as Freon, circulates in the refrigerant circuit. As shown in Figure 9, the refrigerant circuit may include a compressor 501, which compresses the refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The refrigerant circuit also includes a first heat exchanger 203 (the first heat exchanger 203 is the water-cooled condenser in the second coolant circuit 200), an intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) 502, and an evaporator 503. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant output by the compressor 501 undergoes heat exchange in the first heat exchanger 203 to produce a medium-temperature refrigerant. This medium-temperature refrigerant undergoes heat exchange in the intermediate heat exchanger 502 to produce a low-temperature refrigerant. This low-temperature refrigerant enters the evaporator 503, evaporates, and absorbs heat. The resulting refrigerant then flows back to the compressor 501 via the intermediate heat exchanger 502. A dryer 504 may be provided between the first heat exchanger 203 and the intermediate heat exchanger 502 to filter impurities from the refrigerant and to dry the environment. A first valve 505, such as an expansion valve, may also be provided between the intermediate heat exchanger 502 and the evaporator 503. The refrigerant circuit may also include a second valve 506, which functions to throttle and expand the refrigerant. The second heat exchanger 507 functions to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the coolant flowing therethrough. Specifically, when the battery assembly 402 needs to be cooled, the refrigerant, after throttling and expanding through the second valve 506, enters the second heat exchanger 507 to evaporate and absorb heat, thereby reducing the temperature of the coolant flowing through the second heat exchanger 507. The cooled coolant then flows through the battery assembly 402, thereby cooling the battery assembly 402. The low-temperature refrigerant obtained by heat exchange in the intermediate heat exchanger 502 can flow to the second valve 506, throttle and expand at the second valve 506, and evaporate and absorb heat in the second heat exchanger 507; the second heat exchanger 507 has a first flow channel and a second flow channel for circulating refrigerant and coolant respectively; then the refrigerant returns to the intermediate heat exchanger 502 and flows to the compressor 501. The refrigerant circuit may also have various sensors 509, 509 (this disclosure is only described with these two sensors, but is not limited to this), which are used to measure parameters such as the temperature or pressure of the refrigerant. For example, sensor 508 can be set between the first heat exchanger 203 and the dryer 504. Sensor 509 can be set on the pipeline at the input end of the compressor 1.

[0066] The thermal management system disclosed herein includes multiple operating modes. The different operating modes of the thermal management system are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0067] Figure 10 illustrates the first operating mode of the thermal management system. As shown, the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from compressor 501 enters first heat exchanger 203 for heat exchange. The refrigerant is cooled to medium-temperature refrigerant and releases heat. After passing through dryer 504, the medium-temperature refrigerant enters the first channel of intermediate heat exchanger 502. After throttling expansion through first valve 505, the medium-temperature refrigerant is converted to low-temperature refrigerant. The low-temperature refrigerant enters evaporator 503, evaporates, and absorbs heat from the airflow passing through evaporator 503. The airflow is cooled and delivered to the vehicle cabin, achieving cooling or dehumidification. The refrigerant flowing out of evaporator 503 flows back to compressor 501 via the second channel of intermediate heat exchanger 502.

[0068] The coolant flowing out of the second water pump 201 enters the first heat exchanger 203, where it absorbs the heat released by the refrigerant. The heated coolant then flows through the high-pressure liquid heater 204 and enters the heater core 202, where it heats the air cooled by the evaporator 503, thereby heating the vehicle cabin. The coolant leaving the heater core 202 flows back to the second water pump 201 under the control of the first connecting structure 81.

[0069] The coolant flowing out of the first water pump 102 flows through the electronic control module 1031 and the motor 1032 in sequence and reaches the second connection point 222, and flows to the radiator 301 under the control of the first connecting structure 81 and the second connecting structure 82. The coolant flowing out of the radiator 301 flows to the first connection 221 and is divided into two paths. The first path flows back to the first water pump 102 through the sensor 101, and the other path can merge with the coolant flowing out of the heater core 202 and flow into the second water pump 201.

[0070] Figure 11 illustrates the second operating mode of the thermal management system. As shown, compared to the first operating mode, shutoff valve 600 is closed and expansion valve 601 is open. Refrigerant shutoff valve 603 is closed, preventing the refrigerant flowing out of evaporator 503 from passing through refrigerant shutoff valve 603. Instead, the refrigerant flows through expansion valve 601, throttled, and then to external heat exchanger 602. Refrigerant leaving external heat exchanger 602 then flows back to compressor 501 via intermediate heat exchanger 502. Expansion valve 601 is, for example, a thermal expansion valve with a shutoff function. In this second operating mode, external heat exchanger 602 acts as an evaporator, absorbing heat from the external airflow. In addition, under the control of the first connecting structure 81 and the second connecting structure 82, a portion of the coolant leaving the motor assembly 103 will flow to the radiator 301, and the other portion will flow to the battery assembly 402 and the third water pump 401, wherein the battery assembly 402 performs heat exchange with the coolant, and the coolant leaving the third water pump 401 is connected to the first connection point 221 and the second water pump 201 under the control of the third connecting structure 83.

[0071] Figure 12 shows the third operating mode of the thermal management system. As shown in the figure, compared with the second operating mode, the stop valve 600 is in an open state and the expansion valve 601 is in a closed state. The external heat exchanger 602 acts as an evaporator in the third operating mode.

[0072] Figure 13 illustrates the fourth operating mode of the thermal management system. Compared to the second operating mode, second valve 506 is open, allowing a portion of the refrigerant leaving intermediate heat exchanger 502 to enter the first channel of second heat exchanger 507, where it evaporates and absorbs heat, thereby cooling the coolant flowing through the second channel of second heat exchanger 507. Refrigerant leaving the first channel of second heat exchanger 507 continues to flow toward intermediate heat exchanger 502 and back to compressor 501. Furthermore, under the control of first and second connecting structures 81 and 82, coolant leaving motor assembly 103 no longer flows toward radiator 301 but instead flows toward the second channel of second heat exchanger 507, where it absorbs heat and cools. Under the control of third connecting structure 83, the coolant then flows toward first connection point 221 and second water pump 201. In this fourth operating mode, no coolant flows through battery assembly 402 and third water pump 401.

[0073] When the thermal management system is in the first, second, third, or fourth operating modes, both the first water pump 102 and the second water pump 201 operate normally. Because sensor 101 is located at the inlet (i.e., upstream) of first water pump 102, it can detect the temperature of first coolant line 100 (i.e., the motor coolant sub-circuit) flowing through first water pump 102. Furthermore, because sensor 101 is located adjacent to first connection point 221, sensor 101 can also detect the coolant temperature of second coolant line 200 (i.e., the heater core coolant sub-circuit) connected to first connection point 221. Thus, in the first through fourth operating modes of the thermal management system, the first and second coolant lines 100, 200 can share a single sensor 101 to detect coolant parameters, reducing the cost of the thermal management system and the number of sensors required.

[0074] Figure 14 illustrates the fifth operating mode of the thermal management system. As shown, in this operating mode, no refrigerant flows through the refrigerant circuit. The first water pump 102 is deactivated, while the second water pump 201 operates normally. Coolant flowing from the second water pump 201 passes through the first heat exchanger 203 and the high-pressure liquid heater 204, where it is heated before flowing to the heater core 202, heating the airflow passing through it. Coolant exiting the heater core 202 is controlled by the first connecting structure 81 and splits into two paths: one path returns to the second heat pump 201, and the other path reaches the second connecting structure 82 via the second connection point 222. Under the control of the second connecting structure 82, it flows through the battery assembly 402 and the third water pump 401, reaching the third connecting structure 83. Under the control of the third connecting structure 83, the coolant exiting the battery assembly 402 merges with the coolant exiting the heater core 202 and flows back to the second heat pump 201.

[0075] When the thermal management system is in the fifth operating mode, first water pump 102 stops operating, while second water pump 201 operates normally. Because sensor 101 is located at the inlet (i.e., upstream) of first water pump 102 and adjacent to first connection point 221, sensor 101 can detect the coolant temperature in second coolant line 200 (i.e., the heater core coolant sub-circuit), which connects to first connection point 221. Thus, when the thermal management system is in the fifth operating mode, sensor 101 located in first coolant line 100 can measure coolant parameters in second coolant line 200, avoiding the high cost and large number of component parts associated with connecting sensors in series in each coolant sub-circuit in the prior art.

[0076] FIG15 shows the sixth operating mode of the thermal management system. As shown in the figure, in this operating mode, no refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circuit. The first water pump 102 operates normally, and the second water pump 201 stops operating. The coolant flowing out of the first water pump 102 flows through the electronic control module 1031 and the motor 1032 in sequence and reaches the second connection point 222. Under the control of the first connecting structure 81 and the second connecting structure 82, the coolant flows to the battery assembly 402. The coolant leaving the battery assembly 402 reaches the first connection point 211 via the third water pump 401 and the third connecting structure 83, and flows back to the first water pump 102.

[0077] When the thermal management system is in the above-mentioned sixth operating mode, the second water pump 201 stops running and the first water pump 102 operates normally. The sensor 101 arranged at the inlet end (i.e., upstream) of the first water pump 102 can detect the temperature of the first coolant pipeline 100 (i.e., the motor coolant sub-circuit) flowing through the first water pump 102.

[0078] Of course, the thermal management system disclosed herein may also include other operating modes, which are not listed here one by one.

[0079] The present disclosure provides a fluid distribution assembly and a thermal management system including the fluid distribution assembly. The fluid distribution assembly comprises a pump mounting cavity and a sensor mounting cavity disposed oppositely and coaxially, with their interfaces at least partially overlapping. This allows a sensor or its probe mounted in the sensor mounting cavity to be inserted into the inlet side of the pump mounting cavity, i.e., upstream of the pump mounting cavity, to measure the temperature of the fluid flowing through the pump mounting cavity. In this case, if a first water pump mounted in the pump mounting cavity stops, the sensor mounted upstream of the pump mounting cavity can also be used to sense the temperature of the fluid in other fluid sub-circuits in the communicating flow path located upstream of the pump mounting cavity. This avoids the problems of the prior art of requiring separate sensors for each fluid sub-circuit, resulting in high cost, a large number of parts, difficulty in assembly, and heavy weight. The thermal management system disclosed herein, by including the aforementioned fluid distribution assembly, allows the first and second coolant pipelines to use a common sensor mounted upstream of the first water pump to detect coolant parameters in both coolant pipelines when the first and second water pumps are operating normally. Furthermore, when the first water pump stops operating, the sensor can detect coolant parameters in the second coolant pipeline.

[0080] The above describes exemplary implementations of the fluid distribution assembly and thermal management system provided by the present disclosure with reference to preferred embodiments. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that, without departing from the concept of the present disclosure, various variations and modifications may be made to the above-mentioned specific embodiments, and various technical features and structures proposed in the present disclosure may be combined in various ways without exceeding the scope of protection of the present disclosure, which is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fluid distribution assembly (1), characterized in that: The fluid distribution assembly (1) comprises: Sensor(101); a first distribution plate (10) having a pump mounting cavity (12); and A second distribution plate (20) fixed to a first side of the first distribution plate (10) to define a flow channel (30) between the first distribution plate (10) and the second distribution plate (20), wherein the flow channel (30) is in fluid communication with the pump installation cavity (12); The second distribution plate (20) has a sensor installation cavity (21), and the sensor installation cavity (21) is arranged opposite to the pump installation cavity (12); the sensor (101) is installed in the sensor installation cavity (21) and inserted into the flow channel (30).

2. The fluid distribution assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pump installation chamber (12) has a first interface (120) located on a first distribution plate. The sensor installation cavity (21) has a second interface (210) located on a second distribution plate, and the sensor (101) is inserted into the flow channel (30) through the second interface (210); the first interface (120) is a fluid inlet of the pump installation cavity (12); In a direction perpendicular to the second distribution plate (20), the first interface (120) and the second interface (210) at least partially overlap.

3. The fluid distribution assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pump installation cavity (12) and the sensor installation cavity (21) are coaxially arranged.

4. The fluid distribution assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first interface (120) is located at the center of the bottom wall of the pump installation cavity (12); and the second interface (210) is located at the center of the bottom wall of the sensor installation cavity (21).

5. The fluid distribution assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first interface (120) of the pump installation cavity (12) is located at the end of the flow channel (30).

6. The fluid distribution assembly (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that A limiting portion (211) is provided in the sensor installation cavity (21), and the limiting portion (211) is used for limiting cooperation with the sensor (101).

7. The fluid distribution assembly (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that The limiting portion (211) comprises a fixed slot (212).

8. The fluid distribution assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second distribution plate (20) is also provided with a first port (22) connected to the flow channel (30); the first port (22) is arranged adjacent to the sensor installation cavity (21); the first port (22) is an inlet for fluid to enter the flow channel (30).

9. The fluid distribution assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first distribution plate (10) is provided with a flow channel groove (11), and the second distribution plate (20) is a cover plate.

10. A thermal management system, characterized in that: The thermal management system comprises a fluid distribution assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1-9.

11. The thermal management system according to claim 10, characterized in that: The thermal management system comprises: A first coolant pipeline (100), wherein the first coolant pipeline (100) is provided with a sensor (101), a first water pump (102) and a motor assembly (103) of the fluid distribution assembly (1) in sequence along the flow direction of the fluid, wherein the upstream of the sensor (101) is connected to a first connection point (221), and the downstream of the motor assembly (103) is connected to a second connection point (222), and a first port (22) disposed adjacent to the sensor mounting cavity (21) in the fluid distribution assembly (1) is disposed at the first connection point (221); a second coolant pipeline (200), wherein the second coolant pipeline (200) is provided with a second water pump (201) and a heater core (202) in sequence along the flow direction of the fluid, wherein the upstream of the second water pump (201) is connected to the first connection point (221), and the downstream of the heater core (202) is connected to the second connection point (222); and The third coolant pipeline (300) has two ends respectively connected to the first connection point (221) and the second connection point (222).

12. The thermal management system according to claim 11, characterized in that: The first connection point (221) and the second connection point (222) include a three-way structure.

13. The thermal management system according to claim 11, characterized in that: A low-temperature radiator (301) is provided on the third coolant pipeline (300), wherein the upstream of the low-temperature radiator (301) is connected to the second connection point (222), and the downstream of the low-temperature radiator is connected to the first connection point (221).

14. The thermal management system according to claim 11, wherein: The first water pump (102) is fixedly installed in the pump installation cavity (12) of the fluid distribution assembly (1).

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