Cooling system and control method therefor, and new energy vehicle

Abstract

A cooling system and a control method therefor, and a new energy vehicle. The cooling system comprises: a cooling loop (120), a driving electric motor (110), a first transmission apparatus (130) and a first power disengagement apparatus (140), wherein the cooling loop (120) comprises a cooling electric motor (121) and a compressor (122), the cooling electric motor (121) is connected to the compressor (122), and the cooling electric motor (121) may drive the operation of the compressor (122); the driving electric motor (110) is a power mechanism of a new energy vehicle, and may be used for driving the rotation of vehicle axles (210) and vehicle wheels (220), so as to drive the travel of the new energy vehicle, and the output power of the driving electric motor (110) is greater than the output power of the cooling electric motor (121); and the driving electric motor (110) is in transmission connection with the compressor (122) of the cooling loop (120) by means of the first transmission apparatus (130), and may configure a connection state between the driving electric motor (110) and the compressor (122) by means of the first power disengagement apparatus (140), for example, the first power disengagement apparatus (140) may enable or disengage the transmission connection between the driving electric motor (110) and the compressor (122).

Description

Refrigeration system and control method thereof, new energy vehicle

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on November 27, 2023, with application number 202311613652.8 and application name “Refrigeration system and its control method, new energy vehicle”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of new energy vehicle technology, and in particular to a refrigeration system and a control method thereof, and a new energy vehicle. Background Art

[0003] As battery and charging technologies for new energy vehicles continue to advance, battery capacities and charging power levels continue to increase. During charging, especially fast charging, batteries generate significant heat, placing significant demands on the heat dissipation capabilities of the battery cooling circuits in new energy vehicles. Current battery cooling circuits utilize a refrigeration motor to drive a compressor. However, due to the limited power of the refrigeration motor, this cannot address the heat generation caused by high charging power levels.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a refrigeration system and a control method thereof, and a new energy vehicle, to improve the problem that the heat dissipation capacity of the battery cooling circuit cannot meet the demand in a charging scenario.

[0006] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a refrigeration system, comprising: a refrigeration circuit, a drive motor, a first transmission device and a first power disconnect device, the refrigeration circuit comprises a refrigeration motor and a compressor, the refrigeration motor is connected to the compressor, and the refrigeration motor can drive the compressor to operate; the drive motor is the power mechanism of the new energy vehicle, which can be used to drive the axle and wheels to rotate and drive the new energy vehicle to move forward, and the output power of the drive motor is greater than the output power of the refrigeration motor; the drive motor is connected to the compressor of the refrigeration circuit through the first transmission device, and the connection state of the drive motor and the compressor can be configured through the first power disconnect device, for example, the first power disconnect device can make the drive motor and the compressor transmission connected or disconnected.

[0007] The refrigeration system provided in the embodiment of the present application is a drive motor for driving the vehicle to move forward, which can be connected to the compressor of the refrigeration circuit through a first transmission device, and the drive motor and the compressor can be configured to be transmission-connected or transmission-disconnected by a first power disconnecting device. When the battery generates a lot of heat during charging or other situations and the heat dissipation capacity of the refrigeration circuit cannot meet the demand, a higher-power drive motor can be used to drive the compressor of the refrigeration circuit for cooling, which can increase the refrigeration power and enhance the heat dissipation capacity.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the refrigeration system also includes a second transmission device, and the drive motor is connected to the axle through the second transmission device. Wheels can be installed on the axle. The drive motor is connected to the axle through the second transmission device, which can drive the axle and wheels to rotate and drive the vehicle to move.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the refrigeration system also includes a second power disconnect device, which is configured to switch the drive motor and the axle between a transmission connection state or a non-transmission connection state. For example, in a charging scenario, the drive motor is connected to the compressor of the refrigeration circuit through a first transmission device, and the drive motor rotates to drive the compressor to run. If in this case the drive motor is transmission-connected to the axle, it will also drive the axle to rotate, causing the vehicle to move. Therefore, in order to ensure safety in this case, the second power disconnect device can disconnect the transmission connection between the drive motor and the axle to prevent the drive motor from driving the compressor and driving the axle to rotate.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the second power disconnecting device is provided between the drive motor and the second transmission device, so that the connection between the drive motor and the second transmission device can be disconnected to prevent the axle from rotating when the drive motor drives the compressor.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the second power disconnecting device is provided between the second transmission device and the axle, so as to disconnect the drive motor from the axle and prevent the axle from rotating when the drive motor drives the compressor.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the refrigeration system also includes a third transmission device and a third power disconnect device. The refrigeration motor is connected to the compressor through the third transmission device. The third power disconnect device is configured to switch the refrigeration motor and the compressor between a transmission connection state or a non-transmission connection state. After the third power disconnect device is set, the connection between the refrigeration motor and the compressor can be disconnected in some cases to avoid the refrigeration motor being driven to rotate when the drive motor drives the compressor.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the transmission modes of the first transmission device and the second transmission device include gear transmission, chain transmission or belt transmission, and a suitable transmission mode can be selected according to actual needs.

[0014] On the second aspect, the embodiments of the present application also provide a control method for a refrigeration system, the control method comprising: when the temperature of the battery is higher than a first temperature threshold and the temperature of the drive motor is lower than a second temperature threshold, the first power disengagement device configures the drive motor and the compressor to switch to a transmission connection state; when the drive motor and the compressor are in transmission connection, the drive motor drives the compressor to operate at a set speed. The solution provided by the embodiments of the present application can utilize the drive motor to connect to the compressor of the refrigeration circuit when the battery generates a large amount of heat during charging and when the heat dissipation capacity is insufficient, so that the drive motor drives the compressor to cool, thereby increasing the refrigeration power and enhancing the heat dissipation capacity.

[0015] In one possible implementation, before the drive motor drives the compressor to operate, the method further includes: when the drive motor is in transmission connection with the axle, a second power disconnecting device disconnects the drive motor from the axle. If the drive motor is connected to the axle, then when the drive motor drives the compressor, it will also drive the axle and wheels to rotate. However, if the vehicle is moving during charging or other scenarios, this may pose a safety hazard. Therefore, before the drive motor drives the compressor to operate, it is necessary to detect whether the drive motor is connected to the axle. If the drive motor is connected to the axle, the second power disconnecting device controls the drive motor to disconnect from the axle, ensuring that the drive motor does not drive the axle and wheels to rotate when driving the compressor.

[0016] In one possible implementation, after the drive motor drives the compressor to operate, the method further includes: when the temperature of the battery is lower than or equal to the first temperature threshold or the temperature of the drive motor is higher than or equal to the second temperature threshold, the drive motor stops running; and the first power disconnecting device disconnects the transmission connection between the drive motor and the compressor.

[0017] In one possible implementation, after the first power disconnect device disconnects the transmission connection between the drive motor and the compressor, the method further includes: configuring the second power disconnect device to restore the connection state between the drive motor and the axle to an initial state, where the initial state is the connection state between the drive motor and the axle before the drive motor drives the compressor. After the drive motor stops running, the connection state between the drive motor and the axle is restored to the initial state. For example, before the drive motor drives the compressor, the drive motor and the axle are in a connected state. When the drive motor drives the compressor, the transmission connection between the drive motor and the axle is disconnected to ensure safety. Therefore, after the drive motor drives the compressor, the transmission connection between the drive motor and the axle needs to be restored.

[0018] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a new energy vehicle, which includes a vehicle controller and a refrigeration system provided by any possible implementation of the first aspect, wherein the vehicle controller is used to control the operation of the refrigeration system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a new energy vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a direct cooling heat dissipation system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of another refrigeration system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of another refrigeration system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of another refrigeration system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG7 is a control block diagram of a refrigeration system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG8 is a flow chart of a control method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. In the present application, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there may be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: the existence of A alone, the existence of A and B at the same time, and the existence of B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. "At least one of the following items (individuals)" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single items (individuals) or plural items (individuals). For example, at least one of a, b or c can represent: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c or a, b and c, where a, b and c can be single or multiple.

[0028] The embodiments of this application use terms such as "first" and "second" to distinguish objects with similar names, functions, or effects. Those skilled in the art will understand that terms such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or order of execution. The term "coupled" is used to indicate an electrical connection, including direct connection via wires or connectors or indirect connection via other devices. Therefore, "coupling" should be considered a broadly defined electronic communication connection.

[0029] It should be noted that, in this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described in this application as "exemplary" or "for example" should not be construed as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0030] The solution provided in the embodiment of the present application is applied to new energy vehicles. New energy vehicles generally refer to vehicles driven by motors. They can be pure electric vehicles, extended-range vehicles, or hybrid vehicles. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a new energy vehicle provided in the embodiment of the present application. The new energy vehicle may include a motor, a controller, and a battery. The controller can control the battery to power the motor. The battery can serve as a driving power source for the new energy vehicle, converting electrical energy into chemical energy for storage during charging and converting chemical energy into electrical energy during discharge to provide driving power for the new energy vehicle. The motor is connected to the running mechanism (such as wheels) through a transmission device. The motor can convert the electrical energy provided by the battery into mechanical energy to drive the vehicle forward.

[0031] Batteries and motors generate heat during use and operation. If this heat is not dissipated promptly, it will accumulate and cause the temperature to rise. Excessive temperatures may affect the operation of the battery and motor, posing a safety hazard. New energy vehicles are typically equipped with a motor cooling circuit and a battery cooling circuit. The motor cooling circuit is used to dissipate heat from the motor, while the battery cooling circuit is used to dissipate heat from the battery.

[0032] With the rapid development of battery technology, the demand for battery charging speed is also increasing rapidly. Fast charging technology can charge the battery to a full charge or a higher state of charge (SOC) in a shorter time, which can reduce the charging time cost of using new energy vehicles. It is also one of the technologies commonly used in new energy vehicles.

[0033] Taking the battery charging process as an example, if the heat generated by the battery during the charging process is not dissipated to the outside in time, and exceeds a certain temperature, the battery management system will reduce the battery charging power for the sake of battery safety. In order to ensure the normal charging process, a heat dissipation system or a refrigeration system is required to dissipate heat and cool the battery. Natural cooling, air cooling, liquid cooling and direct cooling are usually used to cool the battery.

[0034] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a direct cooling heat dissipation system provided in an embodiment of the present application. Direct cooling refers to the use of a refrigerant or a refrigerant, which is introduced into the evaporator inside the battery to achieve the purpose of cooling the battery. The direct cooling heat dissipation system includes a refrigeration motor, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, a battery cold plate and an evaporator. The compressor compresses the gaseous refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas, and sends it to the condenser to release heat for cooling. After cooling, it becomes a medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant is throttled and reduced in pressure by the expansion valve to a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid. It absorbs the heat of the battery through the battery cold plate and the evaporator and vaporizes. It then returns to the compressor to continue compression, and continues the cycle for refrigeration.

[0035] Since fast charging uses a larger charging power to charge the battery in a shorter time, the battery generates more heat in the fast charging scenario. The cooling or heat dissipation capacity of the original cooling system may not be able to meet the heat dissipation requirements, which requires a more efficient and more powerful cooling or heat dissipation system.

[0036] One possible implementation method is to use the refrigeration circuit on the charging pile to dissipate heat and cool the batteries of new energy vehicles during charging. This involves adding a refrigerant and a refrigeration circuit to the charging pile, allowing the vehicle to dissipate heat using the refrigeration circuit on the charging pile. However, this method requires first modifying the charging pile and then modifying the vehicle's refrigeration circuit so that the vehicle can dissipate heat using the refrigeration circuit on the charging pile. Due to the involvement of an external refrigeration circuit, this method can increase the cooling power of the vehicle's thermal management system. However, this cooling system not only requires the charging pile to provide a corresponding interface, but also involves connecting the thermal management circuit, which poses risks such as leakage and air ingress. Furthermore, different types of refrigerants cannot be mixed, making it difficult to directly connect the refrigeration circuit of the vehicle and the charging pile.

[0037] Another possible implementation method is to use the motor cooling circuit of new energy vehicles to dissipate heat from the battery: this method connects the fan radiator in the motor cooling circuit and the fan radiator in the battery cooling circuit in series during the charging process. During the charging process, the fan radiator in the motor cooling circuit is used to accelerate the cooling rate, allowing the thermal management system to be fully utilized. However, this method is limited by the cooling capacity of the fan and the loss of heat transfer efficiency caused by multiple rounds of heat exchange in fast charging scenarios. As a result, the fan radiator has very low heat dissipation efficiency in fast charging scenarios and may also cause excessive noise.

[0038] Some new energy vehicles are suitable for battery swapping, that is, replacing the power battery at a battery swap station. In this case, the battery that has run out of power can be removed from the new energy vehicle for charging first. During charging, an additional water cooling unit can be used to dissipate heat from the battery being charged. This method can monitor the battery temperature. When it is detected that the battery temperature is too high, an additional water cooling unit will be turned on to dissipate heat and cool the battery. However, this method is only applicable to charging scenarios at battery swap stations.

[0039] Although the above methods can enhance the heat dissipation of the battery, on the one hand, they may still not be able to meet the heat dissipation requirements in the fast charging scenario. On the other hand, the application scenarios of the above methods are relatively limited, the cost is high, and they cannot meet the needs. In order to improve the problem that the refrigeration system cannot meet the heat dissipation requirements, the present application provides a new refrigeration system. Since in the charging or fast charging scenario, it is mainly the battery that generates a lot of heat, the car is in a stationary state, and the drive motor does not work and will not generate a lot of heat. Therefore, in the fast charging scenario, the drive motor can replace the refrigeration motor in the refrigeration circuit to drive the compressor in the refrigeration circuit, increase the refrigerant flow, improve the refrigeration power, and accelerate the heat dissipation of the battery.

[0040] The following describes the refrigeration system provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIG3 , FIG3 shows a schematic diagram of the refrigeration system provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present application, comprising a drive motor 110 and a refrigeration circuit 120 . The drive motor 110 is the power mechanism of a new energy vehicle and is in transmission connection with the vehicle's running mechanism (e.g., wheels 220 ). The drive motor 110 can convert electrical energy provided by a power battery into mechanical energy to drive the wheels 220 .

[0041] The refrigeration circuit 120 here may be a battery cooling circuit. The refrigeration circuit 120 includes a refrigeration motor 121 and a compressor 122 . The refrigeration motor 121 is connected to the compressor 122 . The refrigeration motor 121 can drive the compressor 122 to operate, compress the refrigerant for heat exchange, and dissipate heat for the battery.

[0042] The refrigeration system provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes a first transmission device 130 and a first power disconnect device 140, wherein the drive motor 110 is also transmission-connected to the compressor 122 through the first transmission device 130, so that the compressor 122 can be driven by the drive motor 110 to operate, and the first power disconnect device 140 is configured to switch the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122 between a transmission connection state or a non-transmission connection state. When the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122 are in a transmission connection state, the drive motor 110 can drive the compressor 122 to operate; when the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122 are in a non-transmission connection state, the drive motor 110 cannot drive the compressor 122 to operate, and the compressor 122 can be driven to operate by the refrigeration motor 121.

[0043] The drive motor 110 is the power device of the new energy vehicle and can drive the entire new energy vehicle to move, while the refrigeration motor 121 is only used to drive the compressor 122 to dissipate heat for the battery. Under normal circumstances, the output power of the refrigeration motor 121 is often less than the output power of the drive motor 110.

[0044] When charging the battery, for example, in a fast charging scenario, the heat generated by the battery is high, and the refrigeration motor 121 of the refrigeration circuit may not be able to meet the heat dissipation requirements even if it runs at full capacity. In a charging scenario, the new energy vehicle is stationary, and the drive motor 110 does not need to drive the wheels 220 to move. Therefore, it is possible to consider using a higher-power drive motor 110 to drive the compressor 122 of the refrigeration circuit 120 to increase the refrigeration power and quickly cool the battery.

[0045] The solution provided in the embodiment of the present application is further provided with a first power disconnecting device 140 between the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122 of the refrigeration circuit 120. The first power disconnecting device 140 can switch the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122 to a transmission connection state, or switch the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122 to a non-transmission connection state, and disconnect the connection. For example, in non-charging scenarios or non-fast charging scenarios, when the battery generates less heat, the refrigeration motor 121 drives the compressor 122 to cool sufficiently to meet the heat dissipation demand. In this case, the first power disconnecting device 140 can disconnect the transmission connection between the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122; in fast charging scenarios, when the heat generation is large, the refrigeration motor 121 drives the compressor 122 to cool insufficient to meet the heat dissipation demand. In this case, the first power disconnecting device 140 can switch the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122 to a transmission connection state, and the drive motor 110 drives the compressor 122 to cool, thereby increasing the cooling power and enhancing the heat dissipation capacity.

[0046] In a new energy vehicle, the primary function of the drive motor 110 is still to drive the wheels 220, thereby driving the vehicle forward. To prevent the wheels 220 from being driven forward when the drive motor 110 drives the compressor 122 during charging or other situations, the embodiment of the present application provides a power disconnect device between the drive motor 110 and the axle 210. When the drive motor 110 is in transmission connection with the compressor 122, the power disconnect device can be disconnected from the axle 210, ensuring that the drive motor 110 does not drive the axle 210 or wheels 220 to rotate when the compressor 122 is driven.

[0047] For example, the refrigeration system provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes a second transmission device 150 and a second power disconnect device 160. The drive motor 110 is connected to the axle 210 through the second transmission device 150, and the wheel 220 is connected to the axle 210, so that the drive motor 110 can drive the axle 210 and the wheel 220 to rotate and drive the vehicle to move.

[0048] The second power disconnect device 160 can configure the connection state between the drive motor 110 and the second power disconnect device 160 , for example, the second power disconnect device 160 configures the transmission connection between the drive motor 110 and the axle 210 , or disconnects the transmission connection between the drive motor 110 and the axle 210 .

[0049] For example, when the vehicle is traveling, the second power disconnect device 160 is configured to connect the drive motor 110 to the axle 210, and the drive motor 110 can drive the axle 210 to rotate the wheels 220, thereby driving the vehicle forward. When the vehicle is stopped and charging (e.g., fast charging), if the battery's heat dissipation demand is large and the refrigeration circuit 120 cannot meet the demand, and the drive motor 110 is required to drive the compressor 122 to operate, the second power disconnect device 160 can configure the drive motor 110 to disconnect the transmission connection with the axle 210 to prevent the drive motor 110 from rotating and driving the axle 210 and wheels 220. At this time, the first power disconnect device 140 is configured to connect the drive motor 110 to the compressor 122, and the second power disconnect device 160 disconnects the transmission connection between the drive motor 110 and the axle 210.

[0050] In some possible implementations, referring to FIG. 4 , the refrigeration motor 121 is connected to the compressor 122 via a third transmission device 127 . For example, the third transmission device 127 may be a transmission device using gear transmission, belt transmission, or chain transmission.

[0051] In order to avoid the refrigeration motor 121 from rotating when the drive motor 110 drives the compressor 122, a third power disconnecting device 128 can be provided between the refrigeration motor 121 and the compressor 122. The third power disconnecting device 128 can configure the refrigeration motor 121 and the compressor 122 to be in a transmission connection state or a non-transmission connection state. For example, when the refrigeration motor 121 needs to drive the compressor 122, the refrigeration motor 121 and the compressor 122 are configured to be in a transmission connection. When the refrigeration motor 121 does not need to drive the compressor 122, the third power disconnecting device 128 disconnects the transmission connection between the refrigeration motor 121 and the compressor 122.

[0052] In addition, in some cases, the refrigeration motor 121 can be an asynchronous motor. When the drive motor 110 drives the compressor 122, there is no need to disconnect the transmission connection between the refrigeration motor 121 and the compressor 122. It is only necessary to disconnect the power supply of the refrigeration motor 121. In this case, there is no need to set up a third power disconnecting device; or, there is no need to set up a third power disconnecting device and a third transmission device, and the refrigeration motor 121 can be coaxially connected to the compressor 122.

[0053] The transmission modes of the first transmission device 130, the second transmission device 150, and the third transmission device 127 may include gear transmission, belt transmission, chain transmission, or other transmission modes. For example, the embodiment of the present application takes gear transmission as an example.

[0054] For example, referring to Figure 6, the drive motor 110 is connected to the compressor 122 through the first gear set 310. The first gear set 310 includes a first gear 311 and a second gear 312. The first gear 311 and the second gear 312 are meshed, wherein the first gear 311 is a driving wheel and the second gear 312 is a driven wheel. The first gear 311 is coaxially connected to the drive motor 110, and the second gear 312 is coaxially connected to the compressor 122. The first power disconnect device 140 can be coaxially connected to the drive motor 110, so that the connection state between the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122 can be controlled by the first power disconnect device 140.

[0055] The drive motor 110 can also be connected to the axle 210 through a second gear set 320 and a third gear set 330. The second gear set 320 includes a third gear 321 and a fourth gear 322, which mesh with each other. The third gear set 330 includes a fifth gear 331 and a sixth gear 332, which mesh with each other. In the second gear set 320, the third gear 321 is the driving gear and the fourth gear 322 is the driven gear. The third gear 321 is coaxially connected to the drive motor 110, and the fourth gear 322 is coaxially connected to the fifth gear 331. In the third gear set 330, the fifth gear 331 is the driving gear and the sixth gear 332 is the driven gear. The fifth gear 331 is coaxially connected to the fourth gear 322, and the sixth gear 332 is coaxially connected to the axle 210.

[0056] The third power disconnect device can configure or switch the connection state between the drive motor 110 and the axle 210 . For example, the second power disconnect device 160 can be coaxially connected to the axle 210 , or the second power disconnect device 160 can be coaxially connected to the drive motor 110 .

[0057] In the case where the vehicle has only one drive motor, for example, the vehicle only includes a front drive motor, then the drive motor provided in the embodiment of the present application can be the front drive motor; or, the vehicle only includes a rear drive motor, then the drive motor provided in the embodiment of the present application can be the rear drive motor. In some other cases, the vehicle can include both a front drive motor and a rear drive motor. In such a case, the drive motor provided in the embodiment of the present application can be either the front drive motor or the rear drive motor.

[0058] Alternatively, in some other possible scenarios, the vehicle may include a greater number of drive motors. In this case, any one of the multiple drive motors may be selected to drive the compressor of the refrigeration circuit. For example, the selection may be based on the relative position of the drive motor and the compressor of the refrigeration circuit, or the drive motor for driving the compressor may be selected based on temperature, for example, selecting the drive motor with the lowest temperature among the multiple drive motors to drive the compressor. As shown in FIG. 5 , FIG. 5 shows drive motor 110A and drive motor 110B, wherein drive motor 110A is connected to compressor 122 via a first transmission device 130 .

[0059] Alternatively, in some cases, one drive motor may be used to drive one half-axle of an axle, in which case a power disconnect device may be provided between the drive motor and the half-axle, or in some cases, one drive motor may be used to drive two half-axles of an axle, in which case a power disconnect device may be provided between the drive motor and each of the two half-axles.

[0060] In addition, since the output power of the drive motor is large, it may exceed the load capacity of the compressor. Therefore, the output speed of the drive motor can be adjusted by reducing the speed of the drive motor, adjusting the size relationship between the first gear and the second gear, etc., to avoid exceeding the load of the compressor and causing damage to the compressor.

[0061] In the above examples, the transmission between the drive motor and the compressor, and between the drive motor and the axle may be in the form of a chain drive, a belt drive or other transmission modes.

[0062] As mentioned in the above example, the operation of the new energy vehicle is controlled by a controller, which is called a vehicle control unit (VCU). The main functions of the vehicle control unit include coordinating and managing the operation status of the vehicle, including collecting the motor and battery status, collecting the accelerator pedal signal, brake pedal signal, actuator and sensor signal, and monitoring the actions of the lower-level component controllers after making corresponding judgments based on the driver's intention. In addition, the new energy vehicle also includes a variety of other controllers or processors. Refer to Figure 7, which shows the control architecture of the refrigeration system provided in the embodiment of the present application, including a vehicle controller 410, a human-machine interface (HMI) module 420, a battery management system (BMS) 430, a motor controller (MCU) 440, a control unit 450, a drive motor 110, a refrigeration motor 121 and multiple power disconnect devices.

[0063] The human-machine interface module 420, battery management system 430, motor controller 440, and control unit 450 are all connected to the vehicle controller 410. The motor controller 440 is connected to the drive motor 110, and the control unit 450 is connected to the multiple power disconnect devices and the refrigeration motor 121. The vehicle controller 410 controls the overall operation of the refrigeration system and can control the disconnection and connection of the drive motor 110 from the axle 210 and the disconnection of the drive motor 110 from the compressor 122 by sending commands. The human-machine interface module 420 provides a user interface, displays system-related information to the user, and can receive user commands. The battery management system 430 is used to detect the plug status, charging power, and battery temperature, and can send this information to the vehicle controller 410. The motor controller 440 is connected to the drive motor 110. The motor controller 440 can control the operation of the drive motor 110 according to the instructions of the vehicle controller 410, for example, controlling the drive motor 110 to run to the target speed and detecting information such as the temperature of the drive motor 110. The motor controller 440 can also send information such as the speed and temperature of the drive motor 110 to the vehicle controller 410; the control unit 450 is connected to the first power disconnect device 140, the second power disconnect device 160 and the refrigeration motor 121. The control unit 450 can control the operation of the first power disconnect device 140, the second power disconnect device 160 and the refrigeration motor 121, and send their operating status information to the vehicle controller 410. For example, taking the first power disconnect device 140 as an example, The first power disconnecting device 140 is an actuator that performs the disconnection and connection between the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122, and can provide feedback to the control unit 450 on the disconnection or connection status between the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122, corresponding to the disconnected transmission connection state or the transmission connection state between the drive motor 110 and the compressor 122. The control unit 450 can control the disconnection or connection of the first power disconnecting device 140 in response to the instruction of the vehicle controller 410, and feedback the disconnection state or connection state of the first power disconnecting device 140 to the vehicle controller 410; the control unit 450 can also control the operation of the refrigeration motor 121 in response to the instruction of the vehicle controller 410, and can feedback information such as the operation status of the refrigeration motor 121 to the vehicle controller 410.

[0064] Referring to FIG8 , FIG8 shows a flow chart of a control method for a refrigeration system according to an embodiment of the present application. The working principle of the refrigeration system according to an embodiment of the present application will be described below in conjunction with FIG7 .

[0065] S510: Detect whether the temperature of the battery is higher than a first temperature threshold and the temperature of the drive motor is lower than a second temperature threshold.

[0066] The solution provided in the embodiment of the present application is applied in a fast charging scenario. When the refrigeration motor driving the compressor of the refrigeration circuit does not meet the heat dissipation requirements, the drive motor drives the compressor to dissipate heat. Therefore, on the one hand, it is necessary to determine whether the battery temperature is higher than the first temperature threshold. If the battery temperature is lower, it indicates that the refrigeration motor driving the compressor is sufficient to meet the heat dissipation requirements, and there is no need to use the drive motor for heat dissipation. On the other hand, it is necessary to determine whether the temperature of the drive motor is lower than the second temperature threshold. If the drive motor has been running at a high temperature for a long time, it is not advisable to continue to increase the load on the drive motor, as this may cause the drive motor to be damaged by excessive temperature.

[0067] For example, the first temperature threshold may be 30° C., and the second temperature threshold may be 100° C. When the battery temperature is higher than 30° C. and the drive motor temperature is lower than 100° C., the drive motor may be activated to drive the compressor to enhance heat dissipation, and S520 is executed. Otherwise, the drive motor does not need to be activated for heat dissipation, and the refrigeration motor drives the compressor for heat dissipation, and the battery temperature and the drive motor temperature are continuously monitored.

[0068] S520: The first power disconnect device configures the drive motor and the compressor to switch to a transmission connection state.

[0069] When the temperature of the battery is higher than the first temperature threshold and the temperature of the drive motor is lower than the second temperature threshold, the drive motor can be controlled to start driving the compressor to dissipate heat. Here, it is first necessary to configure the drive motor and the compressor to switch to a transmission connection state by the first power disconnect device. In this way, when the drive motor and the compressor are transmission-connected, the drive motor can drive the compressor to operate.

[0070] However, before the drive motor drives the compressor to operate, it is necessary to ensure that the drive motor has been disconnected from the axle to avoid the axle and wheels from rotating when the drive motor drives the compressor.

[0071] S530: Detect the connection status between the drive motor and the axle, and record the current connection status as the initial state.

[0072] Before starting the drive motor for heat dissipation, it is necessary to detect and record the connection status of the drive motor and the axle, and record it as the initial state so that the state can be restored after the heat dissipation is completed. The initial state here may include: the state of the drive motor and the axle being transmission connected or the state of the drive motor and the axle being disengaged from the transmission connection.

[0073] If the drive motor is in a transmission connection with the axle, in order to prevent the drive motor from driving the axle and the wheel to rotate when driving the compressor, the transmission connection between the drive motor and the axle needs to be disconnected, and S540 is executed.

[0074] If the drive motor and the axle are in a state of being disengaged from the transmission connection, the drive motor will not drive the axle to rotate, and S550 is executed.

[0075] S540: When the drive motor is in transmission connection with the axle, the second power disengagement device disengages the transmission connection between the drive motor and the axle.

[0076] S550: The drive motor drives the compressor to operate at the set speed.

[0077] For example, the vehicle controller can send instructions to the control unit. The control unit controls the first power disconnect device to configure the drive motor and the compressor into a transmission connection state according to the instructions of the vehicle controller, and can control the second power disconnect device to disconnect the drive motor from the axle according to the instructions of the vehicle controller. Then, the control unit can control the drive motor to run at a set speed according to the instructions of the vehicle controller. The speed of the drive motor can be set based on the temperature of the battery and the speed that the compressor can withstand. On the one hand, it ensures that the heat dissipation requirements of the battery can be effectively met, and on the other hand, it avoids damage to the compressor due to excessive speed.

[0078] After the drive motor is connected to the compressor, the control unit can control the refrigeration motor to stop running, or in another case, a third power disconnecting device is provided between the refrigeration motor and the compressor, and the control unit can control the third power disconnecting device to disconnect the transmission connection between the refrigeration motor and the compressor, and control the refrigeration motor to stop running.

[0079] S560: Detect whether the temperature of the battery is lower than or equal to a first temperature threshold or the temperature of the drive motor is higher than a second temperature threshold.

[0080] The output power of the drive motor is greater than the output power of the refrigeration motor. Using the drive motor instead of the refrigeration motor to drive the compressor can increase the refrigeration efficiency and enhance the heat dissipation capacity. Therefore, after starting the drive motor to drive the compressor, the temperature of the battery will drop, and the drive motor will generate heat and increase in temperature due to operation. When the battery is lower than the first temperature threshold, it indicates that the battery temperature has dropped to a level that is sufficient for the refrigeration motor to meet the heat dissipation requirements. Otherwise, it indicates that the current heat dissipation has not met the heat dissipation requirements, and the drive motor is required to continue to drive the compressor to dissipate heat. If the battery temperature is lower than or equal to the first temperature threshold, it indicates that the battery heat dissipation has met the requirements, the heat dissipation power can be reduced, and the drive motor does not need to continue to drive the compressor. In addition, if the temperature of the drive motor is higher than the second temperature threshold, it indicates that the load on the drive motor is large, and continued operation may cause failure due to excessive temperature.

[0081] If the temperature of the battery is lower than or equal to the first temperature threshold or the temperature of the drive motor is higher than the second temperature threshold, S570 is executed; otherwise, S560 is continued to be executed, and the drive motor continues to drive the compressor to dissipate heat from the battery.

[0082] S570: The drive motor stops running.

[0083] When the temperature of the battery is lower than the first temperature threshold or the temperature of the drive motor is higher than the second temperature threshold, the drive motor is controlled to stop running. For example, the vehicle controller can send an instruction to the motor controller, and the motor controller controls the drive motor to stop running according to the instruction of the vehicle controller.

[0084] S580: The first power disconnecting device disconnects the transmission connection between the drive motor and the compressor.

[0085] After controlling the drive motor to stop, the vehicle controller may further send an instruction to the control unit to control the drive motor to disconnect the transmission connection with the compressor. For example, in response to the instruction from the vehicle controller, the control unit controls the first power disconnecting device to disconnect the transmission connection between the drive motor and the compressor.

[0086] S590: The second power disengagement device is configured to restore the connection state between the drive motor and the axle to the initial state.

[0087] After the compressor stops running, the drive motor disengages the transmission connection with the compressor and the connection with the axle. At this time, the connection state between the drive motor and the axle can be controlled to restore to the initial state. For example, the initial state is the state where the drive motor and the axle are disengaged from the transmission connection. In this case, there is no need to adjust the connection state between the drive motor and the axle; in another case, the initial state is the state where the drive motor and the axle are transmission connected, but the connection between the drive motor and the axle is disengaged when the drive motor drives the compressor, so it is necessary to restore the transmission connection between the drive motor and the axle. For example, the vehicle controller sends an instruction to the control unit, and the control unit controls the second power disengagement device in response to the instruction of the vehicle controller to configure the state of the drive motor and the axle to the transmission connection state, that is, to restore the initial state.

[0088] After disconnecting the transmission connection between the drive motor and the compressor, the refrigeration motor can be started to drive the compressor to operate.

[0089] To ensure safety, in the above example, when the first power disconnecting device performs the action of disconnecting or connecting the drive motor and the compressor, or when the second power disconnecting device performs the action of disconnecting or connecting the drive motor and the axle, it is necessary to ensure that the drive motor is in a stopped state or a low speed state, for example, the speed is lower than 20rpm.

[0090] In addition, the above examples all take the case where the vehicle is stationary in the charging scenario as an example, and illustrate that when the heat dissipation capacity of the refrigeration circuit does not meet the requirements in the charging scenario, the drive motor is used to drive the compressor of the refrigeration circuit to enhance the heat dissipation capacity. In some other possible implementation methods, the compressor of the refrigeration circuit can also be driven by the drive motor in other scenarios. For example, when the vehicle is driving, the drive motor is connected to the axle transmission to drive the axle and wheels to rotate and drive the vehicle to move forward. If the battery temperature is high in this case, the first power disconnect device can also be used to connect the drive motor to the compressor of the refrigeration circuit, and the drive motor can drive the compression to improve the refrigeration efficiency and enhance the heat dissipation capacity.

[0091] An embodiment of the present application also provides a new energy vehicle, for example, the new energy vehicle can be the new energy vehicle shown in Figure 1, and the new energy vehicle includes a vehicle controller and a refrigeration system provided in the embodiments described in Figures 3 to 6, and the vehicle controller is used to control the operation of the refrigeration system.

[0092] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited to this. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A refrigeration system, characterized in that: The refrigeration system comprises: A refrigeration circuit, comprising a refrigeration motor and a compressor, wherein the refrigeration motor is connected to the compressor; A driving motor, wherein the output power of the driving motor is greater than the output power of the refrigeration motor; A first transmission device and a first power disconnecting device, the drive motor is connected to the compressor through the first transmission device, and the first power disconnecting device is configured to switch the drive motor and the compressor between a transmission connection state or a non-transmission connection state.

2. The refrigeration system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigeration system further comprises a second transmission device, through which the drive motor is transmission-connected to the axle, and the axle is used for mounting wheels.

3. The refrigeration system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The refrigeration system further includes a second power disconnect device configured to switch the drive motor and the axle between a transmission connection state or a non-transmission connection state.

4. The refrigeration system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second power release device is arranged between the drive motor and the second transmission device.

5. The refrigeration system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second power disconnecting device is arranged between the second transmission device and the axle.

6. The refrigeration system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The refrigeration system further comprises a third transmission device and a third power disconnecting device, and the refrigeration motor is drivingly connected to the compressor via the third transmission device; The third power disconnect device is configured to switch the refrigeration motor and the compressor between a transmission connection state or a non-transmission connection state.

7. The refrigeration system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transmission modes of the first transmission device and the second transmission device include gear transmission, chain transmission or belt transmission.

8. A method for controlling a refrigeration system, characterized in that: The control method comprises: When the temperature of the battery is higher than the first temperature threshold and the temperature of the drive motor is lower than the second temperature threshold, the first power disconnect device configures the drive motor and the compressor to switch to a transmission connection state; The driving motor drives the compressor to operate at a set rotation speed.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that Before the driving motor drives the compressor to operate, the method further includes: When the drive motor is in transmission connection with the axle, the second power disconnecting device disconnects the drive motor from the axle.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: After the driving motor drives the compressor to operate, the method further includes: When the temperature of the battery is lower than or equal to the first temperature threshold or the temperature of the drive motor is higher than or equal to the second temperature threshold, the drive motor stops running; The first power disconnecting device disconnects the driving connection between the drive motor and the compressor.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that After the first power disconnecting device disconnects the transmission connection between the drive motor and the compressor, the method further includes: The second power disconnecting device configures the connection state between the drive motor and the axle to be restored to an initial state, wherein the initial state is the connection state between the drive motor and the axle before the drive motor drives the compressor to operate.

12. A new energy vehicle, characterized in that: The new energy vehicle comprises a vehicle controller and a refrigeration system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, and the vehicle controller is used to control the operation of the refrigeration system.

Images