Vehicle heat management system

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle heat management system capable of performing all functions of an integrated heat management system of an electric car, capable of reducing the air conditioning device package, and capable of reducing manufacturing costs by using only two refrigerant valves. The vehicle heat management system comprises: a compressor for compressing and discharging a refrigerant; an indoor heat exchanger provided inside an air conditioning case so as to exchange heat with air discharged into the vehicle, thereby heating the air; an outdoor heat exchanger provided outside the air conditioning case so as to exchange heat with external air; an evaporator provided inside the air conditioning case upstream side of the indoor heat exchanger in the air flow direction so as to exchange heat with air discharged into the vehicle, thereby cooling the air; a chiller configured such that the refrigerant exchanges heat with cooling water; a first expansion valve for expanding the refrigerant that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger; an outdoor unit bypass line configured such that the refrigerant that has passed through the first expansion valve bypasses the outdoor heat exchanger; and a second expansion valve for expanding the refrigerant that has through the outdoor heat exchanger or the refrigerant that has bypassed the outdoor heat exchanger. The first expansion valve is made of a three-way valve such that the refrigerant can expand and change directions, and is configured such that the outlet of the expanded refrigerant can be changed through two of the three communication holes. The second expansion valve is also made of a three-way valve such that the refrigerant can expand and change directions, and is configured such that the outlet of the expanded refrigerant can be changed through two of the three communication holes.

Description

Thermal management system for vehicles

[0001] The present invention relates to a thermal management system for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a thermal management system for a vehicle installed in an electric vehicle or the like to perform air conditioning of the vehicle interior and integrated thermal management of a battery and electrical components.

[0002] Typically, a vehicle air conditioning system comprises a cooling system for cooling the vehicle's interior and a heating system for heating the interior. The cooling system is configured to cool the vehicle's interior by exchanging heat between refrigerant flowing through an evaporator and air passing through the evaporator. Furthermore, the heating system is configured to heat the vehicle's interior by exchanging heat between coolant flowing through a heater core and air passing through the heater core.

[0003] Recently, battery-powered vehicles, such as electric vehicles, have adopted vehicle heat pump systems that utilize a chiller that exchanges heat between coolant and refrigerant to cool the battery and the waste heat from the electrical components. Ultimately, heat pump performance is enhanced by recovering the air heat source through the outdoor unit and the waste heat from the electrical components and battery through the water-refrigerant heat exchanger (chiller).

[0004] Referring to Fig. 1, a conventional vehicle thermal management system (10) has a refrigerant circulation line (12). The refrigerant circulation line (12) has a compressor (12a), a high-pressure side indoor heat exchanger (12b), an expansion valve (12c) for a heat pump, a water-cooled heat exchanger (12d), a three-way valve (12e), an outdoor heat exchanger (12f), an expansion valve (12g) for an air conditioner, and a low-pressure side indoor heat exchanger (12h). The refrigerant circulation line (12) further has an expansion valve (14) for battery cooling and a chiller (16).

[0005] In cooling mode, the expansion valve (12c) for the heat pump is fully opened and the three-way valve (12e) is controlled toward the outdoor heat exchanger (12f). In heating mode, the expansion valve (12c) for the heat pump is turned ON to perform depressurization and expansion of the refrigerant and the three-way valve (12e) is controlled toward the compressor (12a). In addition, the refrigerant circulation line (12) is provided with a bypass line (18) and an on-off valve (19) that connect the outlet side of the expansion valve (12c) for the heat pump and the inlet side of the low-pressure indoor heat exchanger (12h).

[0006] Conventional vehicle thermal management systems require multiple refrigerant valves to manage the cooling, heating, dehumidification, battery, and electrical components of the vehicle interior. Implementing the aforementioned conventional thermal management system requires at least five refrigerant valves. This increases the overall system cost and increases the difficulty of system control.

[0007] In order to solve such conventional problems, the present invention provides a vehicle thermal management system that can perform all functions of an integrated thermal management system of an electric vehicle while reducing the package of an air conditioning unit and reducing manufacturing costs by using only two refrigerant valves.

[0008] A vehicle thermal management system according to the present invention comprises: a compressor that compresses and discharges a refrigerant; an indoor heat exchanger that is provided inside an air conditioning case and heats the air by exchanging heat with air discharged into the interior of a vehicle; an outdoor heat exchanger that is provided outside the air conditioning case and exchanges heat with outside air; an evaporator that is provided upstream of the indoor heat exchanger in the direction of air flow inside the air conditioning case and cools the air by exchanging heat with air discharged into the interior of the vehicle; a chiller that heat-exchanges the refrigerant with cooling water; a first expansion valve that expands or changes direction of the refrigerant that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger; and a second expansion valve that expands or changes direction of the refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger or the refrigerant that has bypassed the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0009] The above first expansion valve is configured as a three-way valve capable of expanding and changing the direction of the refrigerant, and refrigerant is introduced into one of the three communication ports, and refrigerant is selectively discharged through at least one of the remaining two communication ports depending on the mode.

[0010] The above second expansion valve is configured as a three-way valve capable of expanding and changing the direction of the refrigerant, and refrigerant is introduced into one of the three communication ports, and refrigerant is selectively discharged through at least one of the remaining two communication ports depending on the mode.

[0011] An outdoor unit bypass line is further provided to allow the refrigerant passing through the first expansion valve to bypass the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0012] The above second expansion valve is configured so that, when refrigerant is discharged through two communication ports, the expanded refrigerant can be discharged through both communication ports depending on the mode.

[0013] When dehumidifying and heating, the heat absorption through the outdoor heat exchanger and the heat absorption of the entire system waste heat through the chiller are configured to be possible simultaneously.

[0014] The first expansion valve has a first communication port connected to the indoor heat exchanger, a second communication port connected to the outdoor heat exchanger, and a third communication port connected to a refrigerant line between the outdoor heat exchanger and the second expansion valve, and the second expansion valve has a first communication port connected to the outdoor heat exchanger and the first expansion valve, a second communication port connected to the chiller, and a third communication port connected to the evaporator.

[0015] The first expansion valve is configured to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and expand the refrigerant and send it to one of the second communication port and the third communication port, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and send it as is to one of the second communication port and the third communication port without expansion, and the second expansion valve is configured to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and expand the refrigerant and send it to one of the second communication port and the third communication port, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and expand the refrigerant and send it to both the second communication port and the third communication port without expansion, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and send it to both the second communication port and the third communication port without expansion.

[0016] A chiller refrigerant line is provided that branches from the refrigerant line between the outdoor heat exchanger and the evaporator and is connected to the chiller, and the second expansion valve is provided at a branch point of the chiller refrigerant line.

[0017] In cooling mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, the first expansion valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, is expanded in the second expansion valve, passes through the evaporator, and circulates through the compressor. In this case, the second communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

[0018] In cooling and battery cooling mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, the first expansion valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, and is expanded in the second expansion valve. Some of the refrigerant passes through the evaporator and circulates through the compressor, and the other part passes through the chiller refrigerant line and circulates through the compressor. In this case, the expanded refrigerant is discharged through the second and third communication ports of the second expansion valve.

[0019] In battery cooling mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, the first expansion valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, is expanded in the second expansion valve, passes through the chiller, and circulates through the compressor. In this case, the third communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

[0020] In the first heating mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, expands in the first expansion valve, passes through the outdoor heat exchanger, passes through the second expansion valve as is, passes through the chiller through the chiller refrigerant line, and circulates through the compressor. In this case, the third communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

[0021] In the second heating mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger and the first expansion valve, expands in the second expansion valve through the outdoor unit bypass line, and then circulates through the compressor through the chiller through the chiller refrigerant line. In this case, the third communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

[0022] In the third heating mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, expands in the first expansion valve, and then passes through the second expansion valve via the outdoor unit bypass line, passes through the chiller via the chiller refrigerant line, and circulates through the compressor. In this case, the third communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

[0023] In the first dehumidifying heating mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger and the first expansion valve, expands in the second expansion valve through the outdoor unit bypass line, and then circulates through the compressor through the evaporator. In this case, the second communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

[0024] In the second dehumidifying heating mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, expands in the first expansion valve, and then passes through the second expansion valve via the outdoor unit bypass line, passes through the evaporator, and circulates through the compressor. In this case, the second communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

[0025] In the third dehumidifying heating mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, expands in the first expansion valve, and then passes through the second expansion valve through the outdoor unit bypass line, some of which passes through the evaporator and circulates through the compressor, and some of which passes through the chiller refrigerant line and circulates through the compressor. In this case, both the second communication port and the third communication port of the second expansion valve are open.

[0026] In the fourth dehumidifying heating mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger and the first expansion valve, and then expands in the second expansion valve through the outdoor unit bypass line. Some of the refrigerant passes through the evaporator and circulates through the compressor, and the other part passes through the chiller refrigerant line and circulates through the compressor. In this case, the expanded refrigerant is discharged through both the second and third communication ports of the second expansion valve.

[0027] In the fifth dehumidifying heating mode, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, expands in the first expansion valve, passes through the outdoor heat exchanger, and passes through the second expansion valve as is. Some of the refrigerant passes through the evaporator and circulates through the compressor, and the other part passes through the chiller refrigerant line and circulates through the compressor. In this case, the refrigerant is discharged as is without expansion through both the second and third communication ports of the second expansion valve.

[0028] The vehicle thermal management system according to the present invention can implement various air conditioning modes with a simple configuration by optimizing the positions of two expansion valves (three-way valves) and configuring the outlet of refrigerant expanded through two of three communication ports to be changeable.

[0029] This allows for a smaller overall air conditioning package. Furthermore, by configuring only two refrigerant valves (two expansion valves), the system can simultaneously implement various air conditioning modes—cooling, heating, dehumidification, and battery cooling—as well as the integrated thermal management system of an electric vehicle, significantly reducing manufacturing costs and enhancing price competitiveness.

[0030] Additionally, the first and second expansion valves can selectively expand the refrigerant, thereby improving heating efficiency. Furthermore, in dehumidifying heating mode, the system is configured to simultaneously absorb heat through the outdoor heat exchanger and absorb waste heat from the entire system through the chiller. Therefore, heating performance can be further maximized during dehumidifying heating mode.

[0031] Figure 1 illustrates a conventional vehicle heat pump system.

[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates a vehicle thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates a first expansion valve of a vehicle thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates a second expansion valve of a vehicle thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining the operation mode of the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 6 illustrates a cooling mode of a vehicle thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 7 illustrates the cooling and battery cooling modes of a vehicle thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 8 illustrates a battery cooling mode of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 9 illustrates a first heating mode of a vehicle thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 10 illustrates a second heating mode of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 11 illustrates a third heating mode of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 12 illustrates a first dehumidifying heating mode of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 13 illustrates a second dehumidifying heating mode of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 14 illustrates a third dehumidifying heating mode of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 15 illustrates a fourth dehumidifying heating mode of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 16 illustrates a fifth dehumidifying heating mode of a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] The technical configuration of a vehicle thermal management system is described in detail according to the attached drawings as follows.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, a vehicle thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a compressor (101) connected to a refrigerant line (191), an indoor heat exchanger (121), an expansion means, an outdoor heat exchanger (102), an evaporator (129), and a chiller (104).

[0049] In addition, a blower is provided on one side of the air conditioning case (120) to suck in internal or external air and discharge it into the vehicle interior. An evaporator (129) and an indoor heat exchanger (121) are sequentially provided in the air flow direction in the internal air passage of the air conditioning case (120). An electric heater (123) is provided downstream of the indoor heat exchanger (121) in the air flow direction inside the air conditioning case (120).

[0050] The electric heater (123) generates heat according to the application of power, and may be formed of a PTC heater, etc. The electric heater (123) functions as an auxiliary heat source, and is formed of a dual PTC so that it can be operated individually in the air passages partitioned on the left and right of the air conditioning case (120). A temp door (122) is provided between the evaporator (129) and the indoor heat exchanger (121) to control the discharge temperature of the air by controlling the amount of cold air and hot air.

[0051] The compressor (101) sucks in refrigerant, compresses it, and then discharges it in a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous state. The outdoor heat exchanger (102) is provided outside the air conditioning case (120) to exchange heat with the outside air, and can be installed in the front of the vehicle, etc. The indoor heat exchanger (121) is provided inside the air conditioning case (120) to exchange heat with the air discharged into the vehicle interior.

[0052] An accumulator (105) is provided upstream of the compressor (101) in the direction of refrigerant flow to separate the vapor and liquid of the refrigerant passing therethrough. In addition, a double pipe (103) is formed in the refrigerant pipe connecting the accumulator (105) and the compressor (101). The double pipe (103) exchanges heat between the refrigerant in the refrigerant line (191) connecting the outdoor heat exchanger (102) and the second expansion valve (300) and the refrigerant in the refrigerant line (191) connecting the accumulator (105) and the compressor (101).

[0053] The indoor heat exchanger (121) functions as a heating heat exchanger that heats the air. The expansion means expands the refrigerant. The evaporator (129) is provided upstream of the indoor heat exchanger (121) in the direction of air flow inside the air conditioning case (120). The evaporator (129) cools the air by exchanging heat with the air discharged into the vehicle interior. In other words, the evaporator (129) functions as a cooling heat exchanger that cools the air. The chiller (104) is a refrigerant-coolant heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the coolant circulating in the vehicle's electrical components or batteries.

[0054] A vehicle thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a chiller refrigerant line (192) and an outdoor unit bypass line (194). The chiller refrigerant line (192) branches from the refrigerant line between the outdoor heat exchanger (102) and the evaporator (129) and is connected to the chiller (104). The expansion means comprises a first expansion valve (200) and a second expansion valve (300). The outdoor unit bypass line (194) allows the refrigerant passing through the first expansion valve (200) to bypass the outdoor heat exchanger (102).

[0055] The outdoor unit bypass line (194) has one side connected to the first expansion valve (200), and the other side connected to the refrigerant line (191) between the outdoor heat exchanger (102) and the second expansion valve (300). The vehicle thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention controls the flow of refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) through the first expansion valve (200) and the second expansion valve (300), thereby performing a series of air conditioning operations such as cooling, heating, dehumidification, and battery cooling of the vehicle interior.

[0056] The first expansion valve (200) expands or changes the direction of the refrigerant that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger (121), and is composed of an electric expansion valve (EXV). In addition, the first expansion valve (200) is composed of a 3-way valve. The first expansion valve (200) is connected to the refrigerant lines between the indoor heat exchanger (121), the outdoor heat exchanger (102), and the outdoor heat exchanger (102) and the second expansion valve (300), respectively.

[0057] The first expansion valve (200) performs not only the expansion function of the refrigerant but also the direction changing function of changing the flow of the refrigerant, and can change the inlet and outlet when the refrigerant expands. That is, the first expansion valve (200) is configured as a three-way valve capable of expanding and changing the direction of the refrigerant, and is configured so that the outlet of the refrigerant expanded through two of the three communication ports can be changed. That is, the first expansion valve (200) is configured so that the refrigerant flows in through any one of the three communication ports, and the refrigerant is selectively discharged through at least any one of the remaining two communication ports, depending on the mode.

[0058] The second expansion valve (300) expands or changes the direction of the refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger (102) or the refrigerant that has bypassed the outdoor heat exchanger (102), and is composed of an electric expansion valve (EXV). In addition, the second expansion valve (300) is composed of a 3-way valve. The second expansion valve (300) is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger (102), the chiller (104), and the evaporator (129), respectively.

[0059] The second expansion valve (300) performs not only the expansion function of the refrigerant but also the direction changing function of changing the flow of the refrigerant, and can change the inlet and outlet when the refrigerant expands. That is, the second expansion valve (300) is configured as a three-way valve capable of expanding and changing the direction of the refrigerant, and is configured so that the outlet of the refrigerant expanded through two of the three communication ports can be changed. That is, the second expansion valve (300) is configured so that the refrigerant flows into any one of the three communication ports, and the refrigerant is selectively discharged through at least any one of the remaining two communication ports depending on the mode. In addition, when the refrigerant is discharged through two communication ports, the second expansion valve (300) is configured so that the expanded refrigerant can be discharged through both communication ports depending on the mode.

[0060] More specifically, the first expansion valve (200) has a first communication port (210), a second communication port (220), and a third communication port (230). The first communication port (210) is connected to the indoor heat exchanger (121), the second communication port (220) is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger (102), and the third communication port (230) is connected to a refrigerant line between the outdoor heat exchanger (102) and the second expansion valve (300). The first expansion valve (200) is configured to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port (210) and send the refrigerant to one of the second communication port (220) and the third communication port (230) after expansion, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port (210) and send the refrigerant to one of the second communication port (220) and the third communication port (230) without expansion.

[0061] In addition, the second expansion valve (300) has a first communication port (310), a second communication port (320), and a third communication port (330). The first communication port (310) is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger (102) and the first expansion valve (200). That is, the first communication port (310) is connected to the refrigerant line (191) connected to the outdoor heat exchanger (102) or to the outdoor unit bypass line (194). The second communication port (320) is connected to the chiller (104), and the third communication port (330) is connected to the evaporator (129).

[0062] The second expansion valve (300) is configured to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port (310) and send the refrigerant to one of the second communication port (320) and the third communication port (330) after expanding it, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port (310) and send the refrigerant to one of the second communication port (320) and the third communication port (330) without expansion, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port (310) and send the refrigerant to both the second communication port (320) and the third communication port (330) after expanding it, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port (310) and send the refrigerant to both the second communication port (320) and the third communication port (330) without expansion.

[0063] In this way, the first expansion valve (200) can be fully opened in one direction, allowing the refrigerant to pass through without expanding the refrigerant. In addition, the second expansion valve (300) can also be fully opened in one direction, allowing the refrigerant to pass through without expanding the refrigerant.

[0064] Meanwhile, the second expansion valve (300) is provided at a branch point of the chiller refrigerant line (192). In addition, the second expansion valve (300) is configured to enable simultaneous expansion of the refrigerant through two communication ports, which are refrigerant outlets. In particular, the vehicle thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured to simultaneously absorb heat through the outdoor heat exchanger (102) and absorb waste heat from the entire system through the chiller (104) during dehumidifying heating. Therefore, the heating performance can be further maximized during dehumidifying heating.

[0065] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the first expansion valve (200) and the second expansion valve (300) are not simply 3-way valves that change direction, nor are they throttles that perform one-way expansion, but are three-way valves that can expand in multiple directions. That is, the first expansion valve (200) according to the present invention may be in a state where the third communication port is closed and the first communication port and the second communication port are in communication (mode 1), or where the third communication port is closed and the refrigerant flows into the first communication port, expands, and then flows into the second communication port (mode 2), or where the second communication port is closed and the first communication port and the third communication port are in communication (mode 3), or where the second communication port is closed and the refrigerant flows into the first communication port, expands, and then flows into the third communication port (mode 4).

[0066] In addition, the second expansion valve (300) may be in a state where the second communication port is closed and the refrigerant flows into the first communication port, expands, and then flows into the third communication port (mode 1), or in a state where the refrigerant flows into the first communication port, expands, and then flows into the second and third communication ports (mode 2), or in a state where the third communication port is closed and the refrigerant flows into the first communication port, expands, and then flows into the second communication port (mode 3), or in a state where the third communication port is closed and the first and second communication ports are connected (mode 4), or in a state where the second communication port is closed and the first and third communication ports are connected (mode 5), or in a state where the first, second, and third communication ports are all connected (mode 6).

[0067] Meanwhile, the vehicle heat pump system further comprises a first connecting pipe (161) and a second connecting pipe (162). The first connecting pipe (161) allows the refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger (102) to flow to the second expansion valve (300) or allows the refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor unit bypass line (194) to flow to the second expansion valve (300). The second connecting pipe (162) allows the refrigerant that has passed through the evaporator (129) to flow to the compressor (101) or allows the refrigerant that has passed through the chiller (104) to flow to the compressor (101).

[0068] In addition, a vehicle thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention performs air conditioning such as cooling, heating, dehumidification, and battery cooling of the vehicle interior by using an evaporator (129), an indoor heat exchanger (121), and two expansion valves (200, 300). That is, by optimizing the positions of the two expansion valves (3-way valves) and configuring the expansion valves (200, 300) to enable expansion and direction change of the refrigerant, and configuring the outlet of the refrigerant expanded through two of the three communication ports to be changeable, various air conditioning modes can be implemented with a simple configuration.

[0069] This allows for a smaller overall air conditioning package. Furthermore, by configuring only two refrigerant valves (two expansion valves), the system can simultaneously implement various air conditioning modes—cooling, heating, dehumidification, and battery cooling—as well as the integrated thermal management system of an electric vehicle, significantly reducing manufacturing costs and enhancing price competitiveness.

[0070] Referring to Fig. 6, in the cooling mode (Only A / C Mode), the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), the first expansion valve (200), the outdoor heat exchanger (102), exchanges heat with the outdoor air, passes through the first connection pipe (161), expands in the second expansion valve (300), passes through the evaporator (129), passes through the second connection pipe (162), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101). The refrigerant passing through the evaporator (129) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior to perform cooling. In this case, the second communication port (320) of the second expansion valve (300) is closed and the refrigerant does not flow to the chiller (104). The temp door (122) closes the hot air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123).

[0071] Referring to Fig. 7, in the A / C and Battery Cooling Mode, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), the first expansion valve (200), the outdoor heat exchanger (102), exchanges heat with the outdoor air, passes through the first connection pipe (161), and is expanded in the second expansion valve (300). A portion of the refrigerant expanded in the second expansion valve (300) passes through the evaporator (129), the second connection pipe (162), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101). The refrigerant passing through the evaporator (129) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior to perform cooling.

[0072] Another portion of the refrigerant expanded in the second expansion valve (300) passes through the chiller (104) via the chiller refrigerant line (192), cools the coolant circulating in the battery, and then passes through the accumulator (105) and circulates through the compressor (101). In this case, the expanded refrigerant is discharged through the second communication port (320) and the third communication port (330) of the second expansion valve (300), and the expanded refrigerant is supplied to the chiller (104) and the evaporator (129). The temp door (122) closes the hot air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123).

[0073] Referring to Fig. 8, in the battery cooling mode (Only Battery Cooling Mode), the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), the first expansion valve (200), the outdoor heat exchanger (102), exchanges heat with the outdoor air, passes through the first connection pipe (161), expands in the second expansion valve (300), passes through the chiller refrigerant line (192), passes through the chiller (104), cools the coolant circulating in the battery, passes through the second connection pipe (162), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101). In this case, the third communication port (330) of the second expansion valve (300) is closed and the refrigerant does not flow to the evaporator (129). The temp door (122) closes the hot air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123).

[0074] Referring to Fig. 9, in the first heating mode (outside air and electric field waste heat absorption), the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), expands in the first expansion valve (200), then passes through the outdoor heat exchanger (102) to exchange heat with the outdoor air, and passes through the second expansion valve (300) without expansion to flow into the chiller refrigerant line (192). The refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior to perform heating.

[0075] Thereafter, the refrigerant circulates through the chiller (104) via the chiller refrigerant line (192), the accumulator (105), and the compressor (101). The refrigerant absorbs the waste heat of the entire system in the chiller (104) and the outside air in the outdoor heat exchanger (102). In this case, the third communication port (330) of the second expansion valve (300) is closed, and the refrigerant does not flow to the evaporator (129). The temp door (122) opens the hot air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123).

[0076] Meanwhile, when changing from the first heating mode to an air conditioning mode that only absorbs outside heat, the control of the second visor valve (300) can be maintained while turning off the flow of coolant circulating through the chiller (104) to implement the Only outside heat absorption mode. The Only outside heat absorption mode can be used in environments such as when the waste heat from the entire vehicle is insufficient at the beginning of vehicle operation.

[0077] Referring to Fig. 10, in the second heating mode (waste heat absorption from the entire system, second expansion valve expansion), the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), passes through the first expansion valve (200), bypasses the outdoor heat exchanger (102) through the outdoor unit bypass line (194), and flows to the second expansion valve (300). Thereafter, the refrigerant is expanded in the second expansion valve (300), passes through the chiller (104) through the chiller refrigerant line (192), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101).

[0078] In this case, the second communication port (220) of the first expansion valve (200) is closed, so that the refrigerant does not flow to the outdoor heat exchanger (102), and the third communication port (330) of the second expansion valve (300) is closed, so that the refrigerant does not flow to the evaporator (129). The temp door (122) opens the hot air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123).

[0079] Referring to Fig. 11, in the third heating mode (waste heat absorption, first expansion valve expansion), the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), expands in the first expansion valve (200), and then bypasses the outdoor heat exchanger (102) through the outdoor unit bypass line (194), passes through the first connection pipe (161), and flows to the second expansion valve (300). Thereafter, the refrigerant passes through the second expansion valve (300) as is, passes through the chiller refrigerant line (192), passes through the chiller (104), passes through the second connection pipe (162), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101).

[0080] In this case, the second communication port (220) of the first expansion valve (200) is closed, so that the refrigerant does not flow to the outdoor heat exchanger (102), and the third communication port (330) of the second expansion valve (300) is closed, so that the refrigerant does not flow to the evaporator (129). The temp door (122) opens the hot air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123).

[0081] In this way, through the configuration of the first expansion valve (200) and the second expansion valve (300), the refrigerant that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger (121) can be selectively expanded in the first expansion valve (200) or the second expansion valve (300). The second heating mode in which the refrigerant expands in the second expansion valve (300) can further maximize heating efficiency compared to the third heating mode structure in which the refrigerant expands in the first expansion valve (200). This is because, in addition to the indoor heat exchanger (121), more high-temperature refrigerant exists in the outdoor unit bypass line (194) between the first expansion valve (200) and the second expansion valve (300), so that when the performance is the same, the pressure of the overall heat pump system is lowered and the power consumption of the compressor (101) is lowered, so the structure in which the refrigerant expands in the second expansion valve (300) has better heating efficiency.

[0082] Referring to Fig. 12, in the first dehumidification and heating mode, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), passes through the first expansion valve (200), bypasses the outdoor heat exchanger (102) through the outdoor unit bypass line (194), and flows to the second expansion valve (300). Thereafter, the refrigerant is expanded in the second expansion valve (300), passes through the evaporator (129), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101).

[0083] The refrigerant passing through the evaporator (129) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior, thereby performing dehumidification. Furthermore, the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior, thereby performing heating. In this case, the second communication port (320) of the second expansion valve (300) is closed, preventing the refrigerant from flowing into the chiller (104). The temp door (122) opens the hot air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123).

[0084] Referring to Fig. 13, in the second dehumidification and heating mode, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), expands in the first expansion valve (200), and then flows to the second expansion valve (300) by bypassing the outdoor heat exchanger (102) through the outdoor unit bypass line (194). Thereafter, the refrigerant passes through the second expansion valve (300) as is, passes through the evaporator (129), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101).

[0085] The refrigerant passing through the evaporator (129) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior, thereby performing dehumidification. Furthermore, the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior, thereby performing heating. In this case, the second communication port (320) of the second expansion valve (300) is closed, preventing the refrigerant from flowing into the chiller (104). The temp door (122) opens the hot air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123).

[0086] Referring to Fig. 14, in the third dehumidification and heating mode, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), expands in the first expansion valve (200), and then flows to the second expansion valve (300) by bypassing the outdoor heat exchanger (102) through the outdoor unit bypass line (194). Thereafter, a portion of the refrigerant passes through the second expansion valve (300) as is, passes through the evaporator (129), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101).

[0087] Another portion of the refrigerant passes through the second expansion valve (300) as is, passes through the chiller (104) through the chiller refrigerant line (192), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101). The refrigerant passing through the evaporator (129) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior to perform dehumidification. In addition, the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior to perform heating. The temp door (122) opens the warm air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123). In this case, both the second communication port (320) and the third communication port (330) of the second expansion valve (300) are open, so that dehumidification and heating are possible through absorption of waste heat from the entire vehicle.

[0088] Referring to Fig. 15, in the fourth dehumidification and heating mode, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), passes through the first expansion valve (200), bypasses the outdoor heat exchanger (102) through the outdoor unit bypass line (194), and flows to the second expansion valve (300). Thereafter, a portion of the refrigerant is expanded in the second expansion valve (300), passes through the evaporator (129), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101).

[0089] Another portion of the refrigerant is expanded in the second expansion valve (300) and then passes through the chiller (104) via the chiller refrigerant line (192), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101). The refrigerant passing through the evaporator (129) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior, thereby performing dehumidification. In addition, the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior, thereby performing heating. The temp door (122) opens a hot air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123).

[0090] In this case, the expanded refrigerant is discharged through both the second communication port (320) and the third communication port (330) of the second expansion valve (300), thereby enabling dehumidifying heating through heat absorption of the entire system. Meanwhile, the fourth dehumidifying heating mode in which the refrigerant expands in the second expansion valve (300) can further maximize heating efficiency compared to the third dehumidifying heating mode structure in which the refrigerant expands in the first expansion valve (200).

[0091] Referring to Fig. 16, in the fifth dehumidification and heating mode, the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) passes through the indoor heat exchanger (121), expands in the first expansion valve (200), and then flows through the outdoor heat exchanger (102) to the second expansion valve (300). A portion of the refrigerant passes through the second expansion valve (300) as is, passes through the evaporator (129), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101).

[0092] Another portion of the refrigerant passes through the second expansion valve (300) as is, passes through the chiller (104) via the chiller refrigerant line (192), passes through the accumulator (105), and circulates through the compressor (101). The refrigerant passing through the evaporator (129) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior, thereby performing dehumidification. In addition, the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) exchanges heat with the air blown into the vehicle interior, thereby performing heating. The temp door (122) opens the hot air passage passing through the indoor heat exchanger (121) and the electric heater (123).

[0093] In this case, the refrigerant is discharged without expansion through both the second communication port (320) and the third communication port (330) of the second expansion valve (300). In this way, through the configuration of the first expansion valve (200) and the second expansion valve (300), both external air heat absorption through the outdoor heat exchanger (102) and total system waste heat absorption through the chiller (104) are possible in the dehumidifying heating mode.

[0094]

[0095] While the vehicle thermal management system according to the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, these are merely exemplary, and anyone skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A compressor that compresses and discharges refrigerant; An indoor heat exchanger installed inside the air conditioning case that heats the air by exchanging heat with the air discharged into the vehicle interior; An outdoor heat exchanger installed outside the air conditioning case to exchange heat with the outside air; An evaporator installed upstream of the indoor heat exchanger in the direction of air flow inside the air conditioning case to cool the air by exchanging heat with the air discharged into the vehicle interior; A chiller that exchanges heat between refrigerant and cooling water; A first expansion valve that expands or diverts the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger; A vehicle thermal management system including a second expansion valve that expands or diverts refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger or refrigerant that has bypassed the outdoor heat exchanger.

2. In paragraph 1, A vehicle thermal management system in which the first expansion valve is a three-way valve capable of expanding and changing the direction of refrigerant, and refrigerant is introduced into one of three communication ports and refrigerant is selectively discharged through at least one of the remaining two communication ports depending on the mode.

3. In paragraph 2, A vehicle thermal management system in which the second expansion valve is a three-way valve capable of expanding and changing the direction of refrigerant, and refrigerant is introduced into one of three communication ports and refrigerant is selectively discharged through at least one of the remaining two communication ports depending on the mode.

4. In paragraph 3, A vehicle thermal management system further comprising an outdoor unit bypass line that allows refrigerant passing through the first expansion valve to bypass the outdoor heat exchanger.

5. In paragraph 4, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the second expansion valve is configured so that, when refrigerant is discharged through two communication ports, the expanded refrigerant can be discharged through both communication ports depending on the mode.

6. In paragraph 5, A vehicle heat management system characterized in that, during dehumidifying heating, heat absorption through the outdoor heat exchanger and heat absorption of the entire body through the chiller are simultaneously possible.

7. In paragraph 5, The above first expansion valve has a first communication port connected to the indoor heat exchanger, a second communication port connected to the outdoor heat exchanger, and a third communication port connected to the refrigerant line between the outdoor heat exchanger and the second expansion valve. A vehicle thermal management system, wherein the second expansion valve has a first communication port connected to the outdoor heat exchanger and the first expansion valve, a second communication port connected to the chiller, and a third communication port connected to the evaporator.

8. In paragraph 7, The above first expansion valve is configured to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and expand the refrigerant and send it to one of the second communication port and the third communication port, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and send the refrigerant as is to one of the second communication port and the third communication port without expansion. A vehicle thermal management system in which the second expansion valve is configured to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and expand the refrigerant and send it to one of the second communication port and the third communication port, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and send the refrigerant as is to one of the second communication port and the third communication port without expansion, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and expand the refrigerant and send it to both the second communication port and the third communication port, or to introduce refrigerant into the first communication port and send the refrigerant as is to both the second communication port and the third communication port without expansion.

9. In paragraph 8, A chiller refrigerant line is provided that branches from the refrigerant line between the outdoor heat exchanger and the evaporator and is connected to the chiller. A vehicle thermal management system, characterized in that the second expansion valve is provided at a branch point of the chiller refrigerant line.

10. In paragraph 9, In cooling mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, passes through the first expansion valve, passes through the outdoor heat exchanger, is expanded in the second expansion valve, passes through the evaporator, and circulates through the compressor, and in this case, the second communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

11. In paragraph 9, In cooling and battery cooling mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, passes through the first expansion valve, passes through the outdoor heat exchanger, and is expanded in the second expansion valve, and then some of it passes through the evaporator and circulates through the compressor, and another part passes through the chiller through the chiller refrigerant line and circulates through the compressor, and in this case, all expanded refrigerant is discharged through the second communication port and the third communication port of the second expansion valve.

12. In paragraph 9, In battery cooling mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, passes through the first expansion valve, passes through the outdoor heat exchanger, is expanded in the second expansion valve, passes through the chiller, and circulates through the compressor, and in this case, the third communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

13. In paragraph 9, In the first heating mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, expands in the first expansion valve, passes through the outdoor heat exchanger, passes through the second expansion valve as is, passes through the chiller refrigerant line, and circulates through the compressor, and in this case, the third communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

14. In paragraph 9, In the second heating mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, passes through the first expansion valve as is, expands in the second expansion valve through the outdoor unit bypass line, passes through the chiller through the chiller refrigerant line, and circulates through the compressor, and in this case, the third communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

15. In paragraph 9, In the third heating mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, expands in the first expansion valve, and then passes through the outdoor unit bypass line to the second expansion valve, passes through the chiller through the chiller refrigerant line, and circulates through the compressor, and in this case, the third communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

16. In paragraph 9, In the first dehumidifying heating mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, passes through the first expansion valve, is expanded in the second expansion valve through the outdoor unit bypass line, and then passes through the evaporator and circulates through the compressor, and in this case, the second communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

17. In paragraph 9, In the second dehumidifying heating mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through an indoor heat exchanger, expands in a first expansion valve, and then passes through an outdoor unit bypass line to a second expansion valve, passes through an evaporator, and circulates through a compressor, and in this case, the second communication port of the second expansion valve is closed.

18. In paragraph 9, In the third dehumidifying heating mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, expands in the first expansion valve, and then passes through the second expansion valve through the outdoor unit bypass line, so that some of the refrigerant passes through the evaporator and circulates through the compressor, and the other part passes through the chiller through the chiller refrigerant line and circulates through the compressor, and in this case, the second communication port and the third communication port of the second expansion valve are both open.

19. In paragraph 9, In the 4th dehumidifying heating mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, passes through the first expansion valve as is, expands in the second expansion valve through the outdoor unit bypass line, and then some of it passes through the evaporator and circulates through the compressor, and another part passes through the chiller through the chiller refrigerant line and circulates through the compressor, and in this case, all expanded refrigerant is discharged through the second communication port and the third communication port of the second expansion valve.

20. In paragraph 9, In the 5th dehumidifying heating mode, A vehicle thermal management system characterized in that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes through the indoor heat exchanger, expands in the first expansion valve, passes through the outdoor heat exchanger, and passes through the second expansion valve as is, and then some of it passes through the evaporator and circulates through the compressor, and some of it passes through the chiller refrigerant line and circulates through the compressor, and in this case, the refrigerant is discharged as is without expansion through both the second communication port and the third communication port of the second expansion valve.

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