Thermal management system, energy storage system, and photovoltaic inverter system

Abstract

A thermal management system (100), comprising a coolant circulation system, a refrigerant circulation system, and a heat exchange assembly. The refrigerant circulation system comprises a refrigerant flow channel plate (140), wherein a refrigerant flow channel for being communicated with the heat exchange assembly is integrated in the refrigerant flow channel plate (140). The coolant circulation system comprises a first coolant flow channel plate and a second coolant flow channel plate, wherein a coolant flow channel for being communicated with the heat exchange assembly is integrated in each coolant flow channel plate, and the coolant flow channel in the first coolant flow channel plate and the coolant flow channel in the second coolant flow channel plate are communicated with each other. The second coolant flow channel plate, the first coolant flow channel plate, and the refrigerant flow channel plate (140) are sequentially stacked. By stacking the refrigerant flow channel plate (140) and the two coolant flow channel plates, the difficulty of installation and maintenance can be reduced. Additionally, the coolant flow channels are used for being communicated with components in the coolant circulation system, and by distributing the coolant flow channels on the two stacked coolant flow channel plates, the footprint of the coolant flow channel plates can be reduced, and the difficulty of layout of the coolant flow channels can be reduced.

Description

Thermal management systems, energy storage systems, and photovoltaic inverter systems

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on November 27, 2023, with application number 202311607836.3 and invention name “Thermal Management System, Energy Storage System and Photovoltaic Inverter System”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of thermal management technology, and in particular to a thermal management system, an energy storage system, and a photovoltaic inverter system. Background Art

[0003] With the rapid development of new energy technologies, energy storage technology is gaining increasing attention. In addition to battery clusters for storing electrical energy and the electronic devices used to manage them, existing energy storage systems also include thermal management systems to ensure their performance and safety.

[0004] One existing technique involves directly exchanging heat with the thermally managed object through a refrigerant, thereby cooling or heating the object. However, existing refrigerants are typically chemical substances. This makes them susceptible to corrosion, requiring the use of corrosion-resistant materials such as metal in pipes, increasing costs. Furthermore, leaks are difficult to clean and can be harmful to humans and the environment.

[0005] To address this issue, secondary cooling technology has been proposed. This involves exchanging heat between a refrigerant and a coolant, such as water, and then using the resulting coolant to cool or heat the thermally managed object. Because coolant is less corrosive, it requires less demanding piping materials, such as plastic, significantly reducing costs. Furthermore, since the coolant is primarily water, leaks are easier to clean and pose less risk to humans or the environment.

[0006] However, this secondary cooling technology requires the layout of both coolant and refrigerant circuits, resulting in increased thermal management system costs, complex installation, and significant space requirements. This is particularly true in power plants, where thermal management of large numbers of battery clusters is required, as the sheer number of pipes and complex connections make installation and maintenance challenging.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] The embodiments of the present application provide a thermal management system, an energy storage system, and a photovoltaic inverter system that can reduce the difficulty of installation and maintenance.

[0009] In a first aspect, a thermal management system is provided, which includes a coolant circulation system, a refrigerant circulation system and at least one heat exchange component, wherein the heat exchange component is used for heat exchange between the coolant and the refrigerant.

[0010] The refrigerant circulation system includes a refrigerant flow channel plate and a plurality of refrigerant end components. The refrigerant flow channel is integrated in the refrigerant flow channel plate, and the refrigerant flow channel is used to connect the plurality of refrigerant end components and the heat exchange component.

[0011] The coolant circulation system includes a first coolant flow channel plate, a second coolant flow channel plate and a plurality of coolant end assemblies. The second coolant flow channel plate, the first coolant flow channel plate and the refrigerant flow channel plate are stacked in sequence. A coolant flow channel is integrated in each coolant flow channel plate, and the coolant flow channels in the first coolant flow channel plate and the second coolant flow channel plate are connected. The coolant flow channel is used to connect the plurality of coolant end assemblies and the heat exchange assembly.

[0012] The heat exchange component is installed on a side of the refrigerant flow channel plate away from the second cooling liquid flow channel plate.

[0013] By stacking a refrigerant flow channel plate and two coolant flow channel plates and integrating a heat exchange component on the refrigerant flow channel plate, the difficulty of installation and maintenance can be reduced.

[0014] Furthermore, by distributing the coolant flow channels for connecting the components of the coolant circulation system on two coolant flow channel plates in a stacked configuration, the footprint of the coolant flow channel plates can be reduced, and the difficulty of layout of the coolant flow channels can be reduced, compared to arranging the coolant flow channels on one coolant flow channel plate, thereby further improving the practicality of the thermal management system provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0015] The plurality of refrigerant end components are arranged on at least one of a surface of the first coolant flow channel plate facing away from the refrigerant flow channel plate and a surface of the second coolant flow channel plate facing away from the first coolant flow channel plate.

[0016] For example, at least one refrigerant end component among the plurality of refrigerant end components, such as a gas-liquid separator, is further installed on a side of the first cooling liquid flow channel plate that is away from the refrigerant flow channel plate.

[0017] Furthermore, the refrigerant end assembly installed on the first coolant flow channel plate is located on the first coolant flow channel plate so that the second coolant flow channel plate is outside the projection of the first coolant flow channel plate.

[0018] Thus, the coolant flow channel plate at the bottom layer will not be blocked, and the refrigerant end assembly is arranged on the coolant flow channel plate at the middle, which facilitates the installation and maintenance of the refrigerant end assembly, and there is no need to occupy additional device configuration space on the coolant flow channel plate at the bottom layer due to the configuration of the refrigerant end assembly.

[0019] For another example, at least one refrigerant end component among a plurality of refrigerant end components, such as an expansion valve, is installed on a surface of the second coolant flow channel plate that is away from the first coolant flow channel plate.

[0020] Furthermore, at least one of the plurality of coolant end assemblies, such as a multi-way valve, is mounted on a side of the second coolant flow channel plate that is away from the first coolant flow channel plate.

[0021] By arranging the refrigerant end assembly and the coolant end assembly on a side of the second coolant flow channel plate away from the first coolant flow channel plate, the installation and maintenance of the assembly can be facilitated.

[0022] In an embodiment of the present application, there are multiple heat exchange components, and the heat exchange components are connected in parallel to the refrigerant flow channel and the coolant flow channel of the first coolant flow channel plate.

[0023] For example, the heat exchange assembly includes a plurality of evaporators, which are connected in parallel to the refrigerant flow channel and the coolant flow channel of the first coolant flow channel plate, thereby improving evaporation efficiency.

[0024] For another example, the heat exchange assembly includes a plurality of condensers, which are connected in parallel to the refrigerant flow channel and the coolant flow channel of the first coolant flow channel plate, thereby improving condensation efficiency.

[0025] As a way to realize the above-mentioned "parallel connection" of multiple condensers or evaporators, the following scheme can be adopted:

[0026] The cooling liquid flow channel of the first cooling liquid flow channel plate includes a main cooling liquid flow channel and a plurality of branch cooling liquid flow channels. One end of each branch cooling liquid flow channel is connected to the main cooling liquid flow channel, and the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of branch cooling liquid flow channels are the same.

[0027] Furthermore, the coolant flow channel of the refrigerant flow channel plate includes a main refrigerant flow channel and a plurality of branch refrigerant flow channels, one end of each branch refrigerant flow channel is connected to the main refrigerant flow channel, and the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of branch refrigerant flow channels are the same.

[0028] The other end of each branch coolant flow channel is used to communicate with an evaporator, and the other end of each branch refrigerant flow channel is used to communicate with an evaporator.

[0029] The other end of each branch coolant flow channel is used to connect to a condenser, and the other end of each branch refrigerant flow channel is used to connect to a condenser.

[0030] By making the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of branch coolant flow channels the same, the coolant can be made to flow uniformly into the condenser or the evaporator.

[0031] By making the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of branch refrigerant flow channels the same, the refrigerant can be made to enter the condenser or the evaporator uniformly.

[0032] In one possible embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the branch coolant flow channel is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main coolant flow channel.

[0033] Moreover, the cross-sectional area of ​​the branch refrigerant flow channel is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main refrigerant flow channel.

[0034] In an embodiment of the present application, the refrigerant flow channel plate extends in a plate shape, and includes side walls perpendicular to the extension direction of the refrigerant flow channel plate. When the refrigerant flow channel plate is placed parallel to the direction of gravity, a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet for the refrigerant to enter and exit are provided on the side walls of the refrigerant flow channel plate perpendicular to the direction of gravity and away from the ground.

[0035] For example, the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are formed into a tubular shape extending along a first direction, the first direction is perpendicular to the side surfaces where the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are located, and the first direction is parallel to the extension direction of the refrigerant flow channel plate.

[0036] This facilitates the routing of pipes for connecting the refrigerant flow channel plate and the compressor.

[0037] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present application, a cooling liquid inlet and a cooling liquid outlet for the cooling liquid to enter and exit are provided on a surface of the second cooling liquid flow channel plate that is away from the first cooling liquid flow channel plate.

[0038] For example, the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet are formed in a tubular shape extending along a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to an extending direction of the second coolant flow channel plate.

[0039] This facilitates the routing of pipes for connecting the coolant flow channel plate and the cold plate.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the heat exchange assembly includes at least one condenser and at least one evaporator, the at least one condenser is located on one side of a first axis, and the at least one condenser is located on the other side of the first axis, and the first axis is a straight line on a side of the refrigerant flow channel plate facing away from the first coolant flow channel plate.

[0041] Furthermore, a gas-liquid separator among the plurality of refrigerant end assemblies is installed on a side of the first cooling liquid flow channel plate away from the refrigerant flow channel plate, and the gas-liquid separator and the evaporator are located on the same side of the first axis.

[0042] A multi-way valve in the plurality of coolant end assemblies is installed on a side of the second coolant flow channel plate away from the first coolant flow channel plate, and the multi-way valve and the condenser are located on the same side of the first axis.

[0043] By locating the high-temperature components on one side of the thermal management system and the low-temperature components on the other side, the layout of the flow channels connecting the high-temperature components and the low-temperature components can be simplified. Furthermore, thermal insulation between the high-temperature and low-temperature components can be easily achieved.

[0044] In another possible implementation, the heat exchange assembly includes multiple condensers and multiple evaporators. When the refrigerant flow channel plate is placed parallel to the direction of gravity, the multiple condensers are arranged in at least one row, and the multiple evaporators are arranged in at least one row. The direction of the row is parallel to the direction of gravity. The expansion valve of the multiple refrigerant end assemblies is installed on the side of the second coolant flow channel plate away from the first coolant flow channel plate, and the projection of the expansion valve on the refrigerant flow channel plate is located between adjacent condenser rows and evaporator rows.

[0045] Thus, the length of the flow path for communicating the expansion valve with the evaporator or the condenser can be reduced.

[0046] The heat exchange assembly includes multiple condensers and multiple evaporators. When the refrigerant flow plate is placed parallel to the direction of gravity, the height of each condenser from the ground is greater than or equal to the height of each evaporator from the ground. This allows gravity to assist the flow of refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporator.

[0047] In a second aspect, an energy storage system is provided, which includes: a battery cluster and a thermal management system, wherein a coolant circulation system in the thermal management system includes a battery liquid cooling plate.

[0048] One end of the battery liquid cooling plate is connected to a coolant outlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, and the other end of the battery liquid cooling plate is connected to a coolant inlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, and the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet are connected to the coolant flow channel in the second coolant flow channel plate.

[0049] The battery cluster is arranged on the battery liquid cooling plate.

[0050] Thus, the coolant after heat exchange with the refrigerant flows out through the coolant outlet on the second coolant flow channel plate and enters the battery liquid cooling plate from one end of the battery liquid cooling plate, and exchanges heat with the battery cluster arranged on the battery liquid cooling plate inside the battery liquid cooling plate. The coolant after heat exchange flows out from the other end of the battery liquid cooling plate and flows back to the coolant flow channel through the coolant inlet on the second coolant flow channel plate.

[0051] In a possible implementation, the energy storage system further includes a power converter, which is used to perform power conversion on the battery cluster.

[0052] The coolant circulation system in the thermal management system includes a power converter liquid cooling plate.

[0053] One end of the power converter liquid cooling plate is connected to a coolant outlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, and the other end of the power converter liquid cooling plate is connected to a coolant inlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, and the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet are connected to the coolant flow channel in the second coolant flow channel plate.

[0054] The power converter liquid cooling plate is configured on the power converter liquid cooling plate liquid cooling plate.

[0055] Thus, the coolant after heat exchange with the refrigerant flows out through the coolant outlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, enters the power converter liquid cooling plate from one end of the power converter liquid cooling plate, and exchanges heat with the power converter configured on the power converter liquid cooling plate inside the power converter liquid cooling plate. The coolant after heat exchange flows out from the other end of the power converter liquid cooling plate and flows back to the coolant flow channel through the coolant inlet on the second coolant flow channel plate.

[0056] According to a third aspect, a photovoltaic inverter system is provided, which includes: photovoltaic panels, photovoltaic inverters, energy storage systems and thermal management systems. The photovoltaic panels are used to convert solar energy into electrical energy. The energy storage system includes a battery cluster, which is used to store electrical energy from the photovoltaic panels. The photovoltaic inverter is used to convert direct current from the photovoltaic panels into alternating current.

[0057] The coolant circulation system in the thermal management system includes a battery liquid cooling plate.

[0058] One end of the battery liquid cooling plate is connected to a coolant outlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, and the other end of the battery liquid cooling plate is connected to a coolant inlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, and the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet are connected to the coolant flow channel in the second coolant flow channel plate.

[0059] The battery cluster is arranged on the battery liquid cooling plate.

[0060] Thus, the coolant after heat exchange with the refrigerant flows out through the coolant outlet on the second coolant flow channel plate and enters the battery liquid cooling plate from one end of the battery liquid cooling plate, and exchanges heat with the battery cluster arranged on the battery liquid cooling plate inside the battery liquid cooling plate. The coolant after heat exchange flows out from the other end of the battery liquid cooling plate and flows back to the coolant flow channel through the coolant inlet on the second coolant flow channel plate.

[0061] In a possible implementation, the photovoltaic inverter system further includes a power converter, which is used to perform power conversion on the battery cluster.

[0062] The coolant circulation system in the thermal management system includes a power converter liquid cooling plate.

[0063] One end of the power converter liquid cooling plate is connected to a coolant outlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, and the other end of the power converter liquid cooling plate is connected to a coolant inlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, and the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet are connected to the coolant flow channel in the second coolant flow channel plate.

[0064] The power converter liquid cooling plate is configured on the power converter liquid cooling plate liquid cooling plate.

[0065] Thus, the coolant after heat exchange with the refrigerant flows out through the coolant outlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, enters the power converter liquid cooling plate from one end of the power converter liquid cooling plate, and exchanges heat with the power converter configured on the power converter liquid cooling plate inside the power converter liquid cooling plate. The coolant after heat exchange flows out from the other end of the power converter liquid cooling plate and flows back to the coolant flow channel through the coolant inlet on the second coolant flow channel plate.

[0066] The configuration and structure of the components in the thermal management system in the second and third aspects are similar to those in the first aspect, and their detailed descriptions are omitted here to avoid redundancy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] FIG1 is a schematic architecture diagram of an example of a photovoltaic inverter system to which the thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present application is applicable.

[0068] FIG2 is a schematic architecture diagram of an example of an energy storage system applicable to the thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0069] FIG3 is an architecture diagram of an example of a thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0070] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the layout of the thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0071] FIG5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a layout of multiple condensers and evaporators.

[0072] FIG6 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a refrigerant flow path for connecting a plurality of condensers or evaporators in parallel.

[0073] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the layout of the arrangement surface of the intermediate layer coolant flow channel plate.

[0074] FIG8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the layout of the arrangement surface of the bottom coolant flow channel plate.

[0075] FIG9 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the layout of the configuration surface of the bottom coolant flow channel plate.

[0076] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the structure of the mounting surface of the refrigerant flow channel plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] The technical solution in this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0078] The thermal management system provided in this application is applicable to energy storage systems or photovoltaic inverter systems, and is particularly applicable to scenarios with large-scale battery clusters as thermal management objects, such as energy storage systems or photovoltaic inverter systems in power stations.

[0079] Figure 1 illustrates an example of a photovoltaic inverter system suitable for use with the thermal management system provided herein. As shown in Figure 1, the photovoltaic inverter system includes photovoltaic (PV) panels and a PV inverter. PV panels convert solar energy into electrical energy. Since PV panels generate direct current (DC), a PV inverter is required to convert DC into AC for easier transmission and utilization.

[0080] The photovoltaic inverter includes a direct current to alternating current (DC / AC) converter, and the DC / AC converter is used to convert direct current into alternating current.

[0081] The photovoltaic inverter also includes a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) module, which is used to track the highest voltage and current values ​​so that the power generation system can output current at maximum power.

[0082] The MPPT module and DC / DC module in the photovoltaic inverter can be arranged in the same package device or in different package devices.

[0083] The MPPT module may include a direct current to direct current (DC / DC) converter, which is used to stabilize the DC power generated by the PV module (or, in other words, perform voltage conversion processing). The DC power after voltage stabilization can be output to the power energy storage system. One end of the DC / AC converter (denoted as end A) is connected to the MPPT module and an energy storage system, and the other end B is used to connect to the AC grid or AC load. Thus, the DC / AC converter converts the DC power output by the MPPT module or the energy storage system into AC power and provides it to the AC load or the AC grid.

[0084] The other end, B, of the DC / AC converter (referred to as "B-end") can also be connected to another energy storage system via an inverter (i.e., a DC / AC converter). This inverter converts the AC power from the PV inverter into DC power and stores it in the energy storage system. Furthermore, the DC power from the energy storage system can be converted into AC power and supplied to an AC load or the AC grid.

[0085] It should be noted that the photovoltaic inverter system provided in the present application may include only the energy storage system connected to the A-end of the DC / AC converter in the photovoltaic inverter, or may include only the energy storage system connected to the B-end of the DC / AC converter in the photovoltaic inverter, or may include both of the above energy storage systems.

[0086] The photovoltaic inverter system may also include a thermal management system that uses a coolant to cool the battery cluster in the energy storage system, the DC / DC converter in the photovoltaic inverter, and some or all of the components in the DC / AC converter. This thermal management system will be described in detail later.

[0087] FIG1 is an example of an energy storage system applicable to the thermal management system provided in this application. As shown in FIG2 , the energy storage system includes one or more DC / DC converters, one or more battery clusters, and one or more AC / DC converters. In addition, although not shown, the energy storage system also includes one or more battery management systems (BMS). Each battery pack corresponds to a BMS. BMS is generally used to implement functions such as dynamic monitoring of battery pack charging and discharging, battery pack balancing, and evaluation of battery pack charge state.

[0088] When the energy storage system includes multiple battery clusters, the multiple battery clusters are connected in parallel. Among them, a battery cluster is composed of multiple battery packs. Among them, each battery pack includes one or more battery packs (PACKs). In one implementation, each battery pack may also include a battery management unit (BMU), and the energy storage system also includes a battery control unit (BCU). The above-mentioned BMS includes the BMU and the BCU. The BMU is used to monitor the voltage, temperature and other information of the PACK and report the above information to the BCU. The BCU monitors the PCK based on the above information and generates power control instructions for the PACK.

[0089] The PACK in the embodiment may be a single battery or a battery cluster composed of multiple batteries. Specifically, the battery may be a combination of one or more of a lead-carbon battery, a lithium iron phosphate battery, a ternary lithium battery, a sodium sulfur battery, and a flow battery.

[0090] In an energy storage system, one end of a DC / DC converter is connected to a photovoltaic panel, and the other end is connected to a battery cluster. The DC / DC converter performs power conversion processing, such as voltage stabilization, on the DC power from the photovoltaic panel before outputting it to the battery cluster. One end of an AC / DC converter is connected to the battery cluster, and the other end is connected to the AC grid and / or AC battery. The AC / DC converter converts the DC power from the battery into AC power, which is then supplied to a load or the grid.

[0091] In one possible implementation, although not shown, another DC / DC converter may be configured between the AC / DC converter and the battery cluster. The other DC / DC converter is used to perform power conversion processing such as boosting on the DC power from the battery cluster.

[0092] The energy storage system may further include a thermal management system that cools part or all of the components in the battery cluster, DC / DC converter, and DC / AC converter in the energy storage system through a coolant.

[0093] The structure of the thermal management system 100 of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 3 .

[0094] Fig. 3 shows a logical architecture diagram of an example of the thermal management system 100 of the present application. As shown in Fig. 3, the thermal management system 100 includes a coolant circulation system, a refrigerant circulation system, and a heat exchange system.

[0095] The coolant circulation system uses a coolant as a thermal management medium. By way of example and not limitation, the coolant may include water. Furthermore, when performing thermal management on the battery, the coolant may be deionized to prevent electrical conductivity. Furthermore, when the energy storage system or photovoltaic inverter system is used in cold regions, antifreeze may be added to the coolant to prevent it from freezing.

[0096] Refrigerant circulation systems use refrigerants as a heat management medium. Refrigerants, also known as refrigerants, coolants, or refrigerants, are the medium used to convert energy in various heat engines. These substances typically increase power through reversible phase changes (such as gas-liquid).

[0097] In the present application, the refrigerant is a working fluid used to transfer heat energy and produce a freezing effect. In other words, the refrigerant can transfer heat through evaporation and condensation. The refrigerant can be a substance that easily absorbs heat to become a gas and easily releases heat to become a liquid. For example, the refrigerant is an intermediate substance in the refrigeration process. It first receives the coldness of the refrigerant and cools down, and then cools other cooled substances. As an example and not a limitation, in the present application, the refrigerant may include ammonia, air, water, brine, chlorofluorocarbons (or chlorofluorocarbons), etc. In the present application, the gaseous refrigerant releases heat to become a liquid when under pressure, and absorbs heat when the high-pressure liquid is decompressed to become a gas.

[0098] As shown in FIG3 , the heat exchange system includes one or more condensers 110 and one or more evaporators 120. Although not shown, condensers 110 and evaporators 120 each include a coolant channel and a refrigerant channel. Condensers 110 may also be referred to as condensing plates, and evaporators 120 may also be referred to as evaporating plates. The coolant and refrigerant can exchange heat within condensers 110 and evaporators 120.

[0099] It should be noted that when the heat exchange system includes multiple condensers 110, the multiple condensers 110 are connected in parallel. The "parallel connection" will be described in detail later in conjunction with the circulation process of the refrigerant.

[0100] Similarly, when the heat exchange system includes a plurality of evaporators 120 , the plurality of evaporators 120 are connected in parallel.

[0101] In addition, in the present application, the condenser 110 and the evaporator 120 participate in the temperature and gas phase change process of the refrigerant and the coolant, and therefore, the condenser 110 and the evaporator 120 can also be regarded as belonging to the refrigerant circulation system and the coolant circulation system.

[0102] Next, the refrigerant circulation system will be described.

[0103] As shown in FIG. 3 , the refrigerant system includes a plurality of refrigerant end components, such as a compressor, a condenser 110 , an evaporator 120 , and an expansion valve 130 .

[0104] A gas compressor compresses the low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant entering through the inlet port. The compressed gaseous refrigerant is heated and converted to a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which is then discharged from the compressor's outlet port. A compressor is a machine that compresses gas and simultaneously increases its pressure. Based on their operating principle, compressors can be categorized as positive-displacement compressors and aerodynamic compressors. Positive-displacement compressors introduce gas into a confined space, increasing the internal pressure by compressing the volume of the space where the original gas is dispersed, thereby converting mechanical energy into pressure energy. Depending on the compression method, they can be categorized as reciprocating, rotary, scroll, and screw types. Aerodynamic compressors utilize the high-speed rotation of an impeller to force the gas to flow at high speed, generating kinetic energy. As the gas passes through the boost ring, the increased cross-sectional area reduces the air flow rate, converting the kinetic energy into pressure energy and increasing the pressure. Currently, this type of compressor includes centrifugal and axial flow types. Based on lubrication method, air compressors can be categorized as oil-free or oil-lubricated. Based on performance, they can be categorized as low-noise, variable-frequency, or explosion-proof. Based on performance, they can be categorized as fixed, mobile, or enclosed. In this application, a single compressor or multiple compressors connected in parallel or series can be used; this is not specifically limited.

[0105] The expansion valve 130 is used to release the high-pressure refrigerant. The released refrigerant is cooled and converted to low-temperature refrigerant. The expansion valve 130 can reduce the pressure (or, in other words, release the pressure or throttle the flow) of the input high-pressure refrigerant to produce a low-temperature refrigerant. The expansion valve 130 can also be called an electronic expansion valve 130, a thermal expansion valve 130, or a throttle valve. The expansion valve 130 is used to throttle the medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant into a low-temperature, low-pressure wet steam. The refrigerant then absorbs heat in the heat exchange plate to achieve a cooling effect.

[0106] In the embodiment of the present application, the expansion valve 130 is composed of three major parts: a valve body, a temperature-sensitive bulb, and a balancing tube. The temperature-sensitive bulb is filled with refrigerant in a saturated state of gas-liquid equilibrium, and this part of the refrigerant is not connected to the refrigerant in the system. It is generally tied to the outlet pipe of the evaporator 120 and is in close contact with the pipe to sense the temperature of the steam at the outlet of the evaporator 120. Since the refrigerant inside it is saturated, the pressure of the saturated state at the temperature is transferred to the valve body according to the temperature. One end of the balancing tube is connected to a position slightly away from the temperature-sensitive bulb at the outlet of the evaporator 120, and is directly connected to the valve body through a capillary tube. Its function is to transfer the actual pressure at the outlet of the evaporator 120 to the valve body. There are two diaphragms in the valve body. The diaphragms move upward under the action of pressure to reduce the flow of refrigerant through the expansion valve 130, seeking balance in dynamics.

[0107] Thermostatic expansion valve 130 is installed at the inlet of evaporator 120 and is often referred to as expansion valve 130. It has two main functions:

[0108] 1) Throttling effect: After the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant passes through the throttling hole of the expansion valve 130, it becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure mist-like hydraulic refrigerant, creating conditions for the evaporation of the refrigerant;

[0109] 2) Controlling the refrigerant flow: Liquid refrigerant entering evaporator 120 evaporates from liquid to gas after passing through evaporator 120, absorbing heat and lowering the temperature of the object being managed (e.g., a vehicle battery). Expansion valve 130 controls the refrigerant flow to ensure that the outlet of evaporator 120 is entirely gaseous. If the flow is too high, liquid refrigerant may enter the compressor and cause liquid hammer. If the flow is too low, premature evaporation may occur, resulting in insufficient cooling.

[0110] In the present application, the refrigerant circulation system also includes a refrigerant flow plate 140, in which a refrigerant channel for connecting various devices or ports in the refrigerant circulation system is integrated. Subsequently, the structure and configuration of the refrigerant flow plate 140 are described in detail.

[0111] The following describes in detail the flow path, temperature changes, and gas phase changes of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation system.

[0112] As shown in Figure 3, the compressor compresses the low-temperature and low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, and the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant formed after compression is discharged from the exhaust port of the compressor. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant passes through the flow channel integrated in the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 and flows into the condenser 110 through the media inlet of the condenser 110.

[0113] It should be noted that, when there are multiple condensers 110 , the refrigerant inlet 170 of each condenser 110 is connected to the exhaust port of the compressor (via the refrigerant flow channel in the plate).

[0114] The high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant undergoes heat exchange with the coolant in the coolant circulation system in the condenser 110. The low-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant (the gas phase is liquid phase or gas-liquid two-phase) formed after the heat exchange is discharged. The low-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant passes through the flow channel integrated in the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 and flows into the expansion valve 130.

[0115] It should be noted that, when there are multiple condensers 110 , the refrigerant outlet 175 of each condenser 110 is connected to the refrigerant inlet 170 of the expansion valve 130 (via the refrigerant flow channel in the plate).

[0116] Furthermore, the expansion valve 130 can be one or more. When there are multiple expansion valves 130, the refrigerant inlet 170 of each expansion valve 130 is connected to the refrigerant outlet 175 of each condenser 110 (via the refrigerant flow channel in the plate).

[0117] The low-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant releases pressure and heat in the expansion valve 130 and is converted into a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant (in the gas phase, either liquid or both). This low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant passes through the flow channel integrated in the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 and enters the refrigerant inlet 170 of the evaporator 120.

[0118] It should be noted that when there are multiple expansion valves 130 , the refrigerant outlet 175 of each expansion valve 130 is connected to the refrigerant inlet 170 of each evaporator 120 (via the refrigerant flow channel in the plate).

[0119] In the evaporator 120, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant exchanges heat with the high-temperature coolant (specifically, the refrigerant absorbs heat) to form a high-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant (the gas phase is gas phase or gas-liquid two-phase). The high-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant passes through the flow channel integrated in the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 and flows into the inlet of the compressor.

[0120] It should be noted that, when there are multiple evaporators 120 , the refrigerant inlet 170 of each evaporator 120 is connected to the refrigerant outlet 175 of each expansion valve 130 (via the refrigerant flow channel in the plate).

[0121] Thus, the heat cycle process of the refrigerant is completed.

[0122] As mentioned above, the chemical substances used as refrigerants are usually corrosive, and the temperature difference is large during gas-liquid conversion. Therefore, in this application, corrosion-resistant and high- and low-temperature resistant materials such as metals are used to make various components in the refrigerant cycle, such as the refrigerant flow plate 140 and the expansion valve 130.

[0123] It should be understood that the structure of the refrigerant circulation system shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the refrigerant circulation system may further include a liquid storage tank and a gas-liquid separator 190 .

[0124] The storage tank is used to store and supply refrigerant to the refrigerant circulation system.

[0125] The gas-liquid separator 190 is used to prevent the refrigerant liquid from hitting the compressor and ensure the safe and normal operation of the compressor. Its working principle is that when the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant enters the gas-liquid separator, the expansion speed decreases, causing the liquid to separate or hit a baffle, thereby separating the liquid.

[0126] Next, the coolant circulation system will be described in detail.

[0127] Returning to FIG. 3 , the coolant system includes a plurality of coolant end components, such as a multi-way valve 195 , a pump, a radiator, a pump, and a heater.

[0128] Among them, the multi-way valve 195 includes multiple ports, and the multi-way valve 195 can control the connectivity between the multiple ports. The working principle of the multi-way valve 195 is to connect different flow channels to each other by rotating the valve core, so as to switch and control different fluid media. The multi-way valve 195 is usually composed of a valve body, a valve core, a spring, a sealing ring, a handle, an actuator, etc. The internal shape of the valve body is designed according to different functional requirements, and usually includes an inlet and outlet, a central flow channel and multiple flow channel connecting holes. The valve core is usually cylindrical, with multiple channels opened inside, and different channels can be connected to each other during rotation.

[0129] It should be noted that the function of the multi-way valve 195 shown in Figure 3 can also be achieved by a combination of two or more four-way valves, or the function of the multi-way valve 195 shown in Figure 3 can also be achieved by a combination of one or more four-way valves and one or more three-way valves, which is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0130] The pump is used to transfer mechanical energy or other external energy to the coolant, thereby increasing the coolant energy and accelerating the flow rate and pressure of the coolant.

[0131] The radiator is used to exchange heat between the coolant and the external environment.

[0132] The heater is used to heat the coolant. For example, the heater may be an electric heater for converting electrical energy into thermal energy.

[0133] As shown in FIG. 3 , port 1 of the multi-way valve 195 is in communication with the coolant inlet of the condenser 110 .

[0134] It should be noted that, although not shown, the coolant system includes a coolant flow channel for connecting port 1 of multi-way valve 195 to the coolant inlet of condenser 110, and this flow channel is integrated into the coolant flow channel plate. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, "communication between two components or ports in the coolant system" can be understood as communication between the two components or ports via a coolant channel.

[0135] In addition, when there are multiple condensers 110 , the coolant inlet of each condenser 110 is connected to port 1 of the multi-way valve 195 (via the coolant flow channel in the coolant flow channel plate).

[0136] The coolant outlet of the condenser 110 is in communication with port 2 of the multi-way valve 195 .

[0137] It should be noted that, when there are multiple condensers 110 , the coolant outlet of each condenser 110 is connected to port 2 of the multi-way valve 195 (via the coolant flow channel in the coolant flow channel plate).

[0138] Port 3 of the multi-way valve 195 is in communication with the coolant inlet of the evaporator 120 , and the coolant outlet of the evaporator 120 is in communication with port 4 of the multi-way valve 195 .

[0139] It should be noted that when there are multiple evaporators 120, the coolant inlet of each evaporator 120 is connected to port 3 of the multi-way valve 195 (via the coolant flow channel in the coolant flow channel plate), and the coolant outlet of each evaporator 120 is connected to port 4 of the multi-way valve 195 (via the coolant flow channel in the coolant flow channel plate).

[0140] Port 4 of the multi-way valve 195 is connected to the inlet of the heater. The coolant flowing out of the outlet of the heater can exchange heat with the battery cluster. The coolant after heat exchange can flow into the inlet of pump B. The outlet of pump B is connected to port 6 of the multi-way valve 195.

[0141] The coolant flowing out of the port 8 of the multi-way valve 195 can exchange heat with the AC / DC converter or the DC / DC converter, and the coolant after the heat exchange can flow into the port 7 of the multi-way valve 195 .

[0142] Port 10 of the multi-way valve 195 is in communication with the inlet of the radiator, the outlet of the radiator is in communication with the inlet of the pump B, and the outlet of the pump B is in communication with port 9 of the multi-way valve 195 .

[0143] The flow path and temperature changes of the coolant in the coolant system are described in detail below.

[0144] As shown in FIG. 3 , the low-temperature coolant flows out from port 1 of the multi-way valve 195 , passes through the flow channel integrated in the coolant flow channel plate, and enters the coolant input port of the condenser 110 .

[0145] The low-temperature coolant is heated after heat exchange with the high-temperature refrigerant in the condenser 110 to form a high-temperature coolant.

[0146] The high-temperature coolant flows out from the coolant outlet of the condenser 110 , passes through the flow channel integrated in the coolant flow channel plate, and enters port 2 of the multi-way valve 195 .

[0147] When the thermal management object needs to be heated (for example, when the outside temperature is low and the battery cluster needs to be heated), the multi-way valve 195 controls the connection between port 2 and port 5. The high-temperature coolant flows out of port 5 of the multi-way valve 195 and, under the action of pump B, flows into the battery cluster and undergoes heat exchange with the battery cluster to form a low-temperature coolant. After that, it flows into port 6 of the multi-way valve 195 under the action of pump B. It should be noted that when the new coolant circulation system includes a heater, the high-temperature coolant can be further heated by the heater before flowing into the battery cluster. In addition, the multi-way valve 195 can control the connection between port 6 and port 1, thereby allowing the low-temperature coolant to undergo heat exchange with the high-temperature refrigerant in the condenser 110 to form a high-temperature coolant.

[0148] As shown in FIG. 3 , the high-temperature coolant flows out from port 3 of the multi-way valve 195 , passes through the flow channel integrated in the coolant flow channel plate, and enters the coolant input port of the evaporator 120 .

[0149] The high-temperature coolant exchanges heat with the low-temperature refrigerant in the evaporator 120 and is cooled to form a low-temperature coolant.

[0150] The low-temperature coolant flows out from the coolant outlet of the evaporator 120 , passes through the flow channel integrated in the coolant flow channel plate, and enters port 4 of the multi-way valve 195 .

[0151] When the battery cluster needs to be cooled, multi-way valve 195 controls the connection between port 4 and port 5. Low-temperature coolant flows out of port 5 of multi-way valve 195 and, under the action of pump B, flows into the battery cluster, undergoes heat exchange with the battery cluster, and forms high-temperature coolant. The high-temperature coolant then flows into port 6 of multi-way valve 195 under the action of pump B. Furthermore, multi-way valve 195 can control the connection between port 6 and port 3, allowing the high-temperature coolant to undergo heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant within evaporator 120, forming low-temperature coolant.

[0152] When cooling the AC / DC converter or DC / DC converter is required, multi-way valve 195 controls port 4 to communicate with port 8. Low-temperature coolant flows out of port 8 of multi-way valve 195, flows through the coolant pipeline into the AC / DC converter or DC / DC converter, and exchanges heat with the AC / DC converter or DC / DC converter to form high-temperature coolant, which then flows into port 7 of multi-way valve 195. Furthermore, multi-way valve 195 can control port 7 to communicate with port 3, thereby allowing the high-temperature coolant to exchange heat with the low-temperature refrigerant in evaporator 120 to form low-temperature coolant.

[0153] In addition, multi-way valve 195 controls the connection between port 4 and port 10. Under the action of pump A, high-temperature coolant flows out of port 10 of multi-way valve 195, flows through the coolant pipeline into the radiator, and exchanges heat with the external environment in the radiator to form low-temperature coolant, which then flows into port 9 of multi-way valve 195. Furthermore, multi-way valve 195 can control the connection between port 9 and port 1, thereby allowing the low-temperature coolant to exchange heat with the high-temperature refrigerant in condenser 110 to form high-temperature coolant.

[0154] Thus, the thermal cycle process of the coolant is completed.

[0155] As mentioned above, since the coolant has low corrosiveness and the temperature change after heat exchange is small, in this application, low-cost waterproof materials such as plastic or rubber are used to make various components in the refrigerant cycle, such as the coolant flow channel plate.

[0156] It should be noted that the coolant and refrigerant circulation processes listed above are merely exemplary and are not specifically limited in this application. For example, in spring and autumn, the refrigerant circulation system may not be turned on. In this case, the low-temperature coolant flows out of port 5 of the multi-way valve 195, and under the action of pump B, flows into the battery cluster and undergoes heat exchange with the battery cluster to form a high-temperature coolant. Then, under the action of pump B, it flows into port 6 of the multi-way valve 195. Furthermore, the multi-way valve 195 can control the connection between port 6 and port 10. Under the action of pump A, the high-temperature coolant flows out of port 10 of the multi-way valve 195, flows into the radiator through the coolant pipe, and undergoes heat exchange with the external environment in the radiator to form a low-temperature coolant. Then, it flows into port 9 of the multi-way valve 195. Furthermore, the multi-way valve 195 can control the connection between port 9 and port 5, thereby completing a coolant circulation process.

[0157] It should be understood that the above-listed coolant system structures are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the present application. For example, the coolant system of the present application may not include a heater. Furthermore, the coolant system of the present application may include a coolant tank for replenishing coolant in the coolant circulation system to compensate for losses caused by evaporation and the like.

[0158] For another example, the above lists the working principles of the thermal management system 100 when the refrigerant system is in cooling mode (or providing cooling function), but the present application is not limited thereto, and the refrigerant system can also provide heating function.

[0159] The components of the thermal management system 100 of the present application are described in detail below with reference to Figures 4 to 10. In order to reduce the difficulty of installation and maintenance, multiple components or assemblies in the thermal management system 100 of the present application are integrated.

[0160] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the thermal management system 100 includes a refrigerant flow channel plate 140. The refrigerant flow channel plate 140 is integrated with a refrigerant flow channel for connecting to a refrigerant end component in the refrigerant circulation system, so that the refrigerant can pass through the refrigerant flow channel and enter the refrigerant end component in the refrigerant circulation system.

[0161] The refrigerant flow channel plate 140 is formed into a plate shape extending along a first plane, which is the plane formed by the X-axis and the Y-axis shown in Figure 4. In other words, the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 is formed with two relatively large surfaces, one of which is called the configuration surface and the other is called the mounting surface. The configuration surface is formed as a whole into a generally planar shape, but it does not exclude the possibility of having some uneven portions due to design and application requirements. In other words, the configuration surface of the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 is formed as a whole into a shape that is generally parallel to the first plane formed by the X-axis and the Y-axis. To avoid redundancy, the description of the same or similar situations will be omitted below.

[0162] When the thermal management system 100 is in normal use, the first plane is parallel to the direction of gravity. That is, the Y-axis can be understood as the height direction of the thermal management system 100 in normal use, the Z-axis shown in FIG4 can be understood as the thickness direction of the thermal management system 100 in normal use, and the X-axis can be understood as the width direction of the thermal management system 100 in normal use. In this case, when the thermal management system 100 is in normal use, the X-axis is perpendicular to the direction of gravity, and the Y-axis is parallel to the direction of gravity.

[0163] The evaporators 120 and the condensers 110 in the heat exchange system are arranged on the arrangement plane of the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 .

[0164] Specifically, a plurality of refrigerant interfaces are provided on the configuration plane. Each refrigerant interface communicates with the refrigerant flow path within the refrigerant flow channel plate 140. Furthermore, one refrigerant interface communicates with an evaporator 120 or a condenser 110 fixed to the configuration plane. Thus, refrigerant from other components of the refrigerant circulation system can enter the condenser 110 or evaporator 120 from the refrigerant interface via the refrigerant flow path in the refrigerant flow channel plate 140. Furthermore, refrigerant discharged from the condenser 110 or evaporator 120 enters the refrigerant flow path in the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 from the refrigerant interface, and then enters the other components of the refrigerant circulation system.

[0165] It should be noted that, FIG4 and FIG5 show the case where the heat exchange system includes multiple evaporators 120 and multiple condensers 110 , but the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto. The heat exchange system may also include one evaporator 120 and one condenser 110 .

[0166] In one implementation, as shown in FIG. 4 , a plurality of evaporators 120 are arranged into at least one evaporator 120 row. Each evaporator 120 row includes a plurality of evaporators 120 . The evaporators 120 in the same evaporator 120 row are arranged along the X-axis direction.

[0167] 4 shows a case where the multiple evaporators 120 of the heat exchange system are arranged in a row of evaporators 120. However, in the present embodiment and not limited thereto, the multiple evaporators 120 of the heat exchange system may also be arranged in a plurality of rows of evaporators 120, with the rows of evaporators 120 arranged in parallel in the Y-axis direction.

[0168] For example, each row of evaporators 120 may include the same number of evaporators 120. Alternatively, there may be at least two rows of evaporators 120 each including a different number of evaporators 120.

[0169] 4 , the plurality of condensers 110 are arranged into at least one condenser 110 row. Each condenser 110 row includes a plurality of condensers 110 . The condensers 110 in the same condenser 110 row are arranged along the X-axis direction.

[0170] 4 shows a case where the multiple condensers 110 of the heat exchange system are arranged in a row of condensers 110. However, in the present embodiment and not limited thereto, the multiple condensers 110 of the heat exchange system may also be arranged in multiple rows of condensers 110, and the multiple rows of condensers 110 are arranged along the Y-axis direction.

[0171] For example, each row of condensers 110 may include the same number of condensers 110. Alternatively, there may be at least two rows of condensers 110 each including a different number of condensers 110.

[0172] Since in the refrigerant circulation system, the condenser 110 is located upstream of the evaporator 120 in the flow direction of the refrigerant, as shown in Figure 4, when the thermal management system 100 is normally installed and used, the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 is arranged along the direction of gravity. At this time, each row of condensers 110 is located above each row of evaporators 120, so that the liquid refrigerant discharged from the condenser 110 can flow into the evaporator 120 under the action of gravity.

[0173] It should be noted that the configuration in which each row of condensers 110 is located above each row of evaporators 120 is only an example. Each row of condensers 110 can also be located below each row of evaporators 120. In this case, the pressure provided by the compressor can be used to make the refrigerant in the condenser 110 flow to the evaporator 120.

[0174] For example, the total number of condensers 110 may not be an integer multiple of the number of condensers 110 included in each condenser 110 row, or the total number of evaporators 120 may not be an integer multiple of the number of evaporators 120 included in each evaporator 120 row. To address this issue, as shown in FIG4 , a mixed row consisting of both condensers 110 and evaporators 120 may be configured on the refrigerant flow channel plate 140. Furthermore, in one implementation, this mixed row is located between the condenser 110 row and the evaporator 120 row along the Y-axis.

[0175] In another implementation, as shown in FIG5 , a plurality of evaporators 120 are arranged into at least one evaporator 120 column, each evaporator 120 column includes a plurality of evaporators 120 , and the evaporators 120 in the same evaporator 120 column are arranged along the Y-axis direction.

[0176] 5 shows a case where the multiple evaporators 120 of the heat exchange system are arranged in a row of evaporators 120. However, in the present embodiment and not limited thereto, the multiple evaporators 120 of the heat exchange system may also be arranged in a plurality of rows of evaporators 120, with the plurality of rows of evaporators 120 arranged in parallel in the X-axis direction.

[0177] For example, each evaporator 120 column may include the same number of evaporators 120. Alternatively, there may be at least two evaporator 120 columns including different numbers of evaporators 120.

[0178] 5 , the plurality of condensers 110 are arranged into at least one condenser 110 column. Each condenser 110 column includes a plurality of condensers 110 . The condensers 110 in the same condenser 110 column are arranged along the Y-axis direction.

[0179] 5 shows a case where the multiple condensers 110 of the heat exchange system are arranged into a condenser 110 column. However, in the present embodiment and not limited thereto, the multiple condensers 110 of the heat exchange system may also be arranged into multiple condenser 110 columns, which are arranged in the X-axis direction.

[0180] Since the temperature of the refrigerant in the condenser 110 is higher than the temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator 120, that is, the condenser 110 is a high-temperature device and the evaporator 120 is a low-temperature device, in order to better achieve heat insulation, as shown in Figure 5, in one implementation, the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 is divided into two parts by an axis O parallel to the Y axis (that is, an example of the first axis), and the at least one condenser 110 column is configured to be located on one side of the axis O, and the at least one evaporator 120 column is configured to be located on the other side of the axis O.

[0181] For example, each condenser 110 column may include the same number of condensers 110. Alternatively, there may be at least two condenser 110 columns including different numbers of condensers 110.

[0182] In the embodiment of the present application, when there are multiple condensers 110, the multiple condensers 110 can be connected in parallel. Also, when there are multiple evaporators 120, the multiple evaporators 120 can be connected in parallel.

[0183] Specifically, in order to realize the parallel connection of the above-mentioned multiple condensers 110 (or, multiple evaporators 120 ), as shown in FIG6 , the refrigerant flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 is divided into a main refrigerant flow channel 1401 and multiple branch refrigerant flow channels 1402 .

[0184] For example, when there are multiple condensers 110, the refrigerant flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 includes a main refrigerant flow channel 1401 and multiple condensation branch refrigerant flow channels 1402 (i.e., an example of a branch refrigerant flow channel 1402). The multiple condensation branch refrigerant flow channels 1402 correspond one-to-one to the multiple condensers 110. One end of each condensation branch refrigerant flow channel 1402 is connected to the main refrigerant flow channel 1401, and the other end of each condensation branch refrigerant flow channel 1402 is connected to its corresponding condenser 110. Therefore, different parts of the refrigerant in the main refrigerant flow channel 1401 enter different condensers 110 through different condensation branch refrigerant flow channels 1402.

[0185] In one implementation, the cross-sectional areas of the multiple condensation branch refrigerant flow channels 1402 are the same.

[0186] In another implementation, the cross-sectional area of ​​each condensation branch refrigerant flow channel 1402 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main refrigerant flow channel 1401 , thereby avoiding the problem of uneven flow distribution among multiple condensers 110 .

[0187] Furthermore, when there are multiple evaporators 120, the multiple evaporators 120 can be connected in parallel. Specifically, the refrigerant flow channel in the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 includes a main refrigerant flow channel 1401 and multiple evaporation branch refrigerant flow channels 1402 (i.e., another example of the branch refrigerant flow channel 1402). The multiple evaporation branch refrigerant flow channels 1402 correspond one-to-one to the multiple evaporators 120. One end of each evaporation branch refrigerant flow channel 1402 is connected to the main refrigerant flow channel 1401, and the other end of each evaporation branch refrigerant flow channel 1402 is connected to its corresponding evaporator 120. Thus, different portions of the refrigerant in the main refrigerant flow channel 1401 enter different evaporators 120 via different evaporation branch refrigerant flow channels 1402.

[0188] In one implementation, the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of evaporation-branch refrigerant flow channels 1402 are the same.

[0189] In another implementation, the cross-sectional area of ​​each evaporation branch refrigerant flow channel 1402 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main refrigerant flow channel 1401 , thereby avoiding the problem of uneven flow distribution among multiple evaporators 120 .

[0190] It should be noted that the cross-sectional area of ​​the condensation branch refrigerant flow channel 1402 and the cross-sectional area of ​​the evaporation branch refrigerant flow channel 1402 may be the same as or different from each other, and this embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit this.

[0191] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 , the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 is further provided with a refrigerant inlet for allowing the refrigerant to enter the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 , and a refrigerant outlet 175 for allowing the refrigerant to discharge from the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 .

[0192] In one possible implementation, when the thermal management system 100 is in normal use, the refrigerant flow plate 140 is parallel to the direction of gravity. Furthermore, the compressor is typically located further away from the ground than the refrigerant flow plate 140. Therefore, in this embodiment of the present application, the refrigerant inlet and refrigerant outlet 175 are disposed on the side A of the refrigerant flow plate 140 that is further away from the ground. This facilitates the layout of the pipelines connecting the refrigerant inlet and the compressor outlet, and the pipelines connecting the refrigerant outlet 175 and the compressor inlet.

[0193] Furthermore, in another possible implementation, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 , the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet 175 may be formed in a tubular shape extending along the Y-axis direction.

[0194] As shown in Figures 4 and 7 to 9, the thermal management system 100 includes two coolant flow channel plates. And, as shown in Figure 4, the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 and the two coolant flow channel plates described above are stacked in the above-mentioned Z direction (i.e., the thickness direction of the refrigerant flow channel plate 140). Among them, one coolant flow channel plate is located between the other coolant flow channel plate and the refrigerant flow channel plate 140. In the following, for the sake of ease of understanding and distinction, the coolant flow channel plate located in the middle is referred to as: the middle layer coolant flow channel plate 150 (i.e., an example of the first coolant flow channel plate), and the other coolant flow channel plate is referred to as: the lower layer coolant flow channel plate (i.e., an example of the second coolant flow channel plate).

[0195] Each coolant flow channel plate is integrated with a coolant flow channel for connecting the coolant end components in the coolant circulation system. Due to the large number of coolant end components, the layout of the coolant flow channels is complex. By distributing the coolant flow channels across two stacked coolant flow channel plates, the footprint of the coolant flow channel plates can be reduced, which facilitates the miniaturization of the thermal management system 100 (specifically, the miniaturization of the coolant flow channel plates). It also reduces the difficulty of coolant flow channel layout.

[0196] As shown in Figure 7, the intermediate coolant flow channel plate 150 is formed into a plate extending along the first plane. Specifically, the coolant flow channel plate has two relatively large surfaces, one of which is called the configuration surface and the other is called the mounting surface. The configuration and mounting surfaces are generally planar in shape.

[0197] The mounting surface of the intermediate coolant channel plate 150 and the mounting surface of the refrigerant channel plate 140 may be fixed to each other by various means such as bolt fixing, bonding or a snap-fit ​​mechanism.

[0198] Some components of the refrigerant circulation system, such as the aforementioned gas-liquid separator 190, are arranged on the configuration surface of the intermediate coolant flow channel plate 150. The gas-liquid separator 190 can be mounted on the configuration surface of the intermediate coolant flow channel plate 150 through various connection or fixing methods, such as bolting, bonding, or a snap-fit ​​mechanism. Furthermore, to connect the gas-liquid separator 190 to the refrigerant circulation system, a through-hole can be drilled in the intermediate coolant flow channel plate 150 to allow the pipe connecting the gas-liquid separator 190 and the refrigerant flow channel to pass through the through-hole.

[0199] As shown in Figure 4, the coolant flow channels in the intermediate layer coolant flow channel plate 150 are also connected to the condenser 110 and the evaporator 120. Since the coolant flow channels in the intermediate layer coolant flow channel plate 150 are separated from the condenser 110 and the evaporator 120 by the refrigerant flow channel plate 140, as shown in Figures 4 and 10, the projection of the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 on the intermediate layer coolant flow channel plate 150 can be located in a partial area (for example, the center) of the intermediate layer coolant flow channel plate 150. Therefore, in the cold part of the area (that is, on both sides of the cold refrigerant flow channel plate 140), a pipe 1505 for connecting the coolant flow channels in the intermediate layer coolant flow channel plate 150 with the condenser 110 and a pipe 1506 for connecting the coolant flow channels in the intermediate layer coolant flow channel plate 150 with the evaporator 120 can be arranged.

[0200] As shown in Figure 8, the lower coolant flow channel plate is formed into a plate-like shape extending along the first plane. Specifically, the coolant flow channel plate has two relatively large surfaces, one of which is called the configuration surface and the other is called the mounting surface. The configuration and mounting surfaces are formed as a whole into a generally planar shape.

[0201] The mounting surface of the bottom layer coolant flow channel plate 160 and the configuration surface of the middle layer coolant flow channel plate 150 can be fixed to each other by various means such as bolt fixing, bonding or a snap-fit ​​mechanism.

[0202] It should be noted that since the gas-liquid separator 190 is also installed on the configuration surface of the intermediate coolant flow channel plate 150, in order to facilitate the installation and maintenance of the gas-liquid separator 190, the area of ​​the bottom coolant flow channel plate 160 can be made smaller than the area of ​​the intermediate coolant flow channel plate 150. That is, the projection of the bottom coolant flow channel plate 160 on the intermediate coolant flow channel plate 150 only occupies a portion of the configuration plane of the intermediate coolant flow channel plate 150, so that the gas-liquid separator 190 can be installed in another portion of the area, and the installation and maintenance of the gas-liquid separator 190 will not be affected by the configuration of the bottom coolant flow channel plate 160. For example, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the bottom coolant flow channel plate 160 can be formed into an "L"-shaped plate. In this case, the gas-liquid separator 190 can be installed within the notch of the "L".

[0203] Some refrigerant-end components of the refrigerant circulation system, such as the aforementioned expansion valve 130, are disposed on the configuration plane of the bottom interlayer coolant flow channel plate. The expansion valve 130 is mounted on the configuration plane of the bottom interlayer coolant flow channel plate 160 by various connection or fixing methods, such as bolting, bonding, or a snap-fit ​​mechanism. Furthermore, to connect the expansion valve 130 to the refrigerant circulation system, a through-hole can be drilled in the intermediate interlayer coolant flow channel plate 150 to allow the pipe connecting the expansion valve 130 and the refrigerant flow channel to pass through the through-hole.

[0204] The coolant flow channel plate of the bottom interlayer is provided with some coolant end components of the coolant circulation system, such as the multi-way valve 195. The multi-way valve 195 is mounted on the configuration surface of the bottom coolant flow channel plate 160 by various connection or fixing methods, such as bolting, bonding, or a snap-fit ​​mechanism.

[0205] As shown in FIG5 , to facilitate thermal insulation between the condenser 110 and the evaporator 120 , the multiple condensers 110 are configured to be located on one side of the axis O, and the multiple evaporators 120 are configured to be located on the other side of the axis O. Similarly, since the gas-liquid separator 190 is a low-temperature device and the multi-way valve 195 is a high-temperature device, the gas-liquid separator and the evaporator 120 can be located on the same side of the axis O, and the multi-way valve 195 and the condenser 110 can be located on the same side of the axis O.

[0206] Furthermore, as shown in FIG5 , when the evaporators 120 and condensers 110 are arranged in two rows, the expansion valve 130 can be positioned between the row of evaporators 120 and the row of condensers 110 to shorten the flow path. In other words, the distances between the expansion valve 130 (or the projection of the expansion valve 130 on the refrigerant flow channel plate 140) and the evaporators 120 and condensers 110 in the same row are equal or substantially equal. It should be understood that the above-described layout of the expansion valve 130 is merely illustrative, and the position of the expansion valve 130 on the configuration plane of the bottom interlayer coolant flow channel plate can be arbitrarily set according to actual needs.

[0207] As shown in FIG8 , a battery cold plate interface 180 is further provided on the coolant flow channel plate for allowing the coolant to flow into the battery cold plate.

[0208] In a possible implementation, as shown in FIG8 , the battery cold plate interface 180 is disposed on the configuration surface of the bottom coolant flow channel plate 160 .

[0209] Furthermore, in another possible implementation, as shown in FIG. 8 , the battery cold plate interface 180 may be formed in a tubular shape extending along the Z-axis direction.

[0210] In addition, the number of battery cold plate interfaces 180 shown in FIG8 is for illustrative purposes only. The number of battery cold plate interfaces 180 can be adjusted arbitrarily according to the number of battery clusters in the energy storage system (or the number and type of battery cold plates used for heat exchange with the battery clusters).

[0211] As shown in FIG8 , multiple sensors in the thermal management system 100 are also provided on the coolant flow channel plate, such as the above-mentioned intake pressure and temperature sensor, exhaust pressure and temperature sensor, and liquid cooling pressure and temperature sensor.

[0212] It should be noted that, in order to accommodate or connect the above-mentioned sensors with the object to be detected, holes for accommodating or passing the above-mentioned sensors may be further provided on the refrigerant flow channel plate 140 and the intermediate layer coolant flow channel plate 150 .

[0213] As shown in FIG9 , a battery cold plate interface 180 is further provided on the coolant flow channel plate for allowing coolant to flow into a converter (eg, AC / DC converter and / or DC / DC converter) cold plate.

[0214] In a possible implementation, as shown in FIG. 9 , the converter cold plate interface 185 is disposed on the configuration surface of the bottom coolant flow channel plate 160 .

[0215] Furthermore, in another possible implementation, as shown in FIG. 9 , the converter cold plate interface 185 may be formed in a tubular shape extending along the Z-axis direction.

[0216] In addition, the number of converter cold plate interfaces 185 shown in FIG9 is for illustrative purposes only. The number of converter cold plate interfaces 185 can be adjusted arbitrarily according to the number of converters in the energy storage system (or the number and type of battery cold plates used for heat exchange with the converters).

[0217] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art 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 thermal management system, characterized in that: It includes a coolant circulation system, a refrigerant circulation system and at least one heat exchange component, wherein the heat exchange component is used for heat exchange between the coolant and the refrigerant; The refrigerant circulation system comprises a refrigerant flow channel plate and a plurality of refrigerant end components, wherein the refrigerant flow channel is integrated in the refrigerant flow channel, and the refrigerant flow channel is used to connect the plurality of refrigerant end components and the heat exchange component; The coolant circulation system comprises a first coolant flow channel plate, a second coolant flow channel plate and a plurality of coolant end assemblies, wherein the second coolant flow channel plate, the first coolant flow channel plate and the refrigerant flow channel plate are sequentially stacked, each coolant flow channel plate is integrated with a coolant flow channel, and the coolant flow channels in the first coolant flow channel plate and the second coolant flow channel plate are connected, and the coolant flow channel is used to connect the plurality of coolant end assemblies and the heat exchange assembly; The heat exchange component is installed on a side of the refrigerant flow channel plate away from the second coolant flow channel plate.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of refrigerant end components are disposed on at least one of a surface of the first coolant flow channel plate that is away from the refrigerant flow channel plate and a surface of the second coolant flow channel plate that is away from the first coolant flow channel plate.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The refrigerant end assembly disposed on the first coolant flow channel plate is located on the first coolant flow channel plate: the second coolant flow channel plate is outside the projection of the first coolant flow channel plate.

4. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: At least one of the plurality of coolant end assemblies is disposed on a side of the second coolant flow channel plate that is away from the first coolant flow channel plate.

5. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: There are multiple heat exchange components, and the heat exchange components are connected in parallel to the refrigerant flow channel and the coolant flow channel of the first coolant flow channel plate.

6. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The heat exchange assembly includes at least one condenser and at least one evaporator, the at least one condenser is located on one side of a first axis, and the at least one condenser is located on the other side of the first axis, and the first axis is a straight line on a side of the refrigerant flow channel plate that is away from the first coolant flow channel plate.

7. The thermal management system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The refrigerant end assembly includes a gas-liquid separator, which is arranged on a side of the first coolant flow channel plate away from the refrigerant flow channel plate, and the gas-liquid separator and the evaporator are located on the same side of the first axis.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The coolant end assembly includes a multi-way valve, which is arranged on a side of the second coolant flow channel plate away from the first coolant flow channel plate, and the multi-way valve and the condenser are located on the same side of the first axis.

9. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that: The heat exchange assembly includes a plurality of condensers and a plurality of evaporators. The plurality of condensers are arranged in at least one row along the first axis direction, and the plurality of evaporators are arranged in at least one row along the first axis direction.

10. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that: The refrigerant end assembly includes an expansion valve, which is arranged on a side of the second coolant flow channel plate away from the first coolant flow channel plate, and a projection of the expansion valve on the refrigerant flow channel plate is located between the condenser and the evaporator.

11. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The refrigerant flow channel plate extends in a plate shape, and the refrigerant flow channel plate includes a side wall perpendicular to the extension direction of the refrigerant flow channel plate, and the side wall is provided with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet for the refrigerant to enter and exit.

12. The thermal management system according to claim 11, characterized in that: The refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are formed in a tubular shape extending along a first direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the side surfaces where the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are located.

13. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: A cooling liquid inlet and a cooling liquid outlet for the cooling liquid to enter and exit are arranged on a surface of the second cooling liquid flow channel plate that is away from the first cooling liquid flow channel plate.

14. The thermal management system according to claim 13, characterized in that: The coolant inlet and the coolant outlet are formed in a tubular shape extending along a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to an extending direction of the second coolant flow channel plate.

15. An energy storage system, characterized in that: include: A battery cluster and a thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, The coolant circulation system in the thermal management system includes a battery liquid cooling plate, one end of the battery liquid cooling plate is connected to a coolant outlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, the other end of the battery liquid cooling plate is connected to a coolant inlet on the second coolant flow channel plate, and The coolant outlet and the coolant inlet are connected to the coolant channel in the second coolant channel plate. The battery cluster is arranged on the battery liquid cooling plate.

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