Valve assembly, pump-valve unit, thermal management system, and electric vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a valve assembly (2) comprising: a valve housing (4); a valve body (6) which is received by the valve housing (4) and can be pivoted about a rotational axis; a valve seal (8) which is arranged between the valve body (6) and the valve housing (4); and an actuator (10) for adjusting the valve body (6) into at least two valve positions in which the valve housing (4), the valve body (6), and the valve seal (8) interact in a fluid-tight manner via a conical sealing seat. The valve is designed in such a way that it both facilitates pivoting of the valve body (6) from such a first valve position into such a second valve position and maintains a sealing effect along the rotational axis. As a result, it is possible to avoid or at least significantly reduce power losses in a thermal management system which arise as a result of mixing hold and cold liquid flows between fluid-conducting channels (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) of the valve housing (4), which channels are spaced apart from one another along the rotational axis. The invention also relates to a pump-valve unit, to a thermal management system, and to an electric vehicle.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Valve arrangement, pump-valve unit, thermal management system and electric vehicle

[0003] The invention relates to a valve assembly. The invention also relates to a pump-valve unit, a thermal management system, and an electric vehicle, each comprising such a valve assembly.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a valve arrangement with an improved sealing effect.

[0005] A further object of the present invention is to enable the adjustment of a valve in the most energy-efficient manner possible or with the least possible energy requirement or expenditure.

[0006] This object is achieved by a valve arrangement proposed and protected according to claim 1.

[0007] The valve of this proposed valve arrangement is designed in the form of a so-called multi-way valve, which can connect fluid-carrying channels of the valve housing across different heights of the valve along the axis of rotation.

[0008] The valve seal can be designed or shaped in such a way that it encloses the valve body in a closed manner around the axis of rotation and has openings via which a liquid can be conveyed from at least one liquid inlet channel of the valve housing via at least one liquid channel of the valve body and at least one liquid outlet channel of the valve housing.

[0009] The valve seal can be designed or formed in a closed, circumferential manner and then pushed onto the valve body. Alternatively, the valve seal can be designed or formed in the form of a sealing strip, the two ends of which can be designed or formed in such a way that they complement each other and can be joined together in a form-fitting manner, so that the sealing strip forms or assumes such a closed, circumferential sealing shape.

[0010] However, the concept proposed in this disclosure for facilitating the adjustment or pivoting of a valve body is also applicable to valve arrangements of this type with several separately designed valve seals, each of which is assigned to a liquid inlet channel or a liquid outlet channel and extends in a closed circumferential manner around such a channel.

[0011] All these possible designs of the valve seals are designed or shaped conically at least in sections in a longitudinal extension of the valve arrangement along the axis of rotation and corresponding to the valve housing and the valve body.

[0012] By designing the valve body in such a way that it can be lifted out of the conical sealing seat during its pivoting, a contact pressure between the valve housing, the valve seal and the valve body can be temporarily eliminated or at least significantly reduced in order to facilitate the pivoting of the valve body.

[0013] This reduces the actuator's power requirements, allowing it to operate more efficiently and also be designed in a smaller size. At the very least, however, it ensures that significantly less energy is required by the actuator to adjust or pivot the valve body. This at least ensures energy-efficient operation of the actuator.

[0014] And due to the proposed conical sealing seat, which is designed or formed in the form of at least two conical sealing seat sections spaced apart from one another, a sealing effect can be maintained in the direction of the longitudinal extent or longitudinally to the axis of rotation and thereby between the fluid-carrying channels of the valve arrangement even during pivoting of the valve body.

[0015] Consequently, this proposed valve arrangement contributes to significantly increasing the range of a fully charged battery for powering an electric vehicle.

[0016] In one embodiment, the lifting means can be provided in an interface region between the actuator and the valve body and the pressing means can be provided in a region of an end of the valve body facing away from the actuator.

[0017] In a further embodiment, both the lifting means and the pressing means can be provided in the region of the end of the valve body facing away from the actuator.

[0018] It is proposed that the lifting means or the pressing means be designed in the form of at least one spring. This spring can be provided in the region of the end of the valve body facing away from the actuator and between a valve housing base and the valve body.

[0019] Additionally or alternatively, the lifting means or the pressing means can be designed in the form of at least one lifting magnet. This lifting magnet can be attached to the valve housing in the region of the end of the valve body facing away from the actuator. An armature of the lifting magnet, movable longitudinally to the rotational axis, extends through the valve housing and the valve housing base until it rests against the valve body.

[0020] Additionally or alternatively, the lifting means and / or the pressing means can (each) be designed in the form of two complementary profiles. The lifting means can be provided in the interface area between the actuator and the valve body, and the pressing means can be provided in the area of ​​the end of the valve body facing away from the actuator.

[0021] In the case of the lifting means, a first contour formed on the front side of the valve body and a second contour formed on an actuator housing are provided, formed or arranged, which interact in a form-fitting manner.

[0022] In the case of the pressure means, a third contour formed on the front side of the valve body and a fourth contour formed on the valve housing base are provided, formed or arranged, which interact in a form-fitting manner.

[0023] Such a lifting or pressing means is a contour with at least one cam-like projection that positively engages a correspondingly complementary counter-contour or recess in a counter-contour. The number of these complementary counter-contours or recesses depends on the number of intended valve positions. Such a projection can be provided or molded onto the valve body, the actuator housing, or the housing base.

[0024] Additionally or alternatively, the lifting means and / or the pressing means (each) can be designed in the form of at least one opening in the valve housing, through which a pressurized liquid can be conveyed against the valve body in order to lift the valve body out of the conical sealing seat or to press it into / against the conical sealing seat.

[0025] Furthermore, a pump-valve unit with at least one valve arrangement of the type described above is proposed.

[0026] Furthermore, a thermal management system with fluid circuits and at least one valve arrangement of the type described above is proposed. Such a thermal management system serves to control heat flows or heat transport in vehicles. And, particularly in electric vehicles, such a thermal management system is of great importance for enabling such an electric vehicle to operate with high efficiency.

[0027] Furthermore, an electric vehicle with at least one valve arrangement of the type described above is proposed.

[0028] The invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the figures. Further advantageous developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description of preferred embodiments. These schematically show:

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a proposed multi-way valve arrangement in a first embodiment,

[0030] Fig. 2 shows a proposed multi-way valve arrangement in a second embodiment,

[0031] Fig. 3 a proposed multi-way valve arrangement in a third embodiment and

[0032] Fig. 4 shows a proposed multi-way valve arrangement in a fourth embodiment.

[0033] 1, 2, 3 and 4 each show a multi-way valve arrangement 2 with a valve housing 4 with a valve body 6 arranged therein and adjustable or pivotable about a rotation axis in the X - X direction. A valve seal 8 is arranged between the valve housing 4 and the valve body 6. A cavity or recess in the valve housing 4 which receives the valve body 6, the valve body 6 and the valve seal 8 are shaped complementarily to one another and form a conical sealing seat via which they interact in a liquid-tight manner. This conical sealing seat tapers in the X - X direction to an actuator 10 which is positively joined to the valve body 6 and which can electrically adjust or pivot the valve body 6 about the rotation axis. A division of the valve housing 4 is not shown in these Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 for the sake of simplicity.Rather, one must imagine this in the lower area of ​​the valve housing 4 in order to be able to insert the valve body 6 into the cavity or recess of the valve housing 4.

[0034] This multi-way valve arrangement 2 can connect fluid-carrying channels 12, 16, 18, 22 of the valve housing 4 to one another via different heights of the multi-way valve along the axis of rotation.

[0035] For this purpose, the valve body 6 has a first fluid channel 14 and a second fluid channel 20, which - just like the channels 12, 16, 18, 22 - are spaced apart from each other along the axis of rotation.

[0036] The valve seal 8, which encloses the valve body 6 around the axis of rotation, has corresponding openings through which a liquid can be conveyed on the one hand from a liquid inlet channel 12 via the associated liquid channel 14 and an associated liquid outlet channel 16 and on the other hand from a liquid inlet channel 18 via the associated liquid channel 20 and an associated liquid outlet channel 22.

[0037] The valve body 6 is adjustable or pivotable into at least two valve positions, in which the conical sealing seat acts to seal against fluids. To facilitate the adjustment or pivoting of the valve body 6 between these valve positions, it is proposed that the valve body 6, during its adjustment or pivoting by the actuator 10 from such a first valve position to such a second valve position, be first lifted out of this conical sealing seat by means of at least one lifting means in a first lifting movement - longitudinal to the axis of rotation - and finally pressed back into or against this conical sealing seat by means of at least one pressing means in a second lifting movement opposite to the first lifting movement - longitudinal to the axis of rotation.The pivoting of the valve body 6 is effected via a shaft journal 28 of the actuator 10, wherein the shaft journal 28 is inserted in a form-fitting manner into a receiving section 30 of the valve body 6. This receiving section 30 can, for example, be formed in one piece or integrally with the valve body 6. The valve body 6 is received by this shaft journal 28 so that it can be moved longitudinally in the X-X direction, i.e., so that it can be moved longitudinally to the rotation axis.

[0038] Fig. 1 shows a spring 24—a compression spring that acts as a lifting means and is provided or arranged in an area of ​​an end of the valve body 6 facing away from the actuator 10, and between a valve housing base 26 and the valve body 6. This spring 24 passively presses the valve body 6 into or against the conical sealing seat.

[0039] In an interface area between the actuator 10 and the valve body 6, however, a lifting means in the form of two complementary shapes or two mutually complementary profiles or contours KA, Kva is provided. A first contour or contour Kva is provided or formed on the front side of the valve body 6, and a second contour or contour KA is provided or formed on an actuator housing around the shaft journal 28. The contour KA is fixed to the actuator housing, whereas the contour Kva is fixed to the valve body 6.

[0040] These two contours KA, Kva are also shown separately in Fig. 1 for better illustration, rolled up over an angular range and interacting in a form-fitting manner. This separate representation of the contours KA, Kva shows a cam-like projection of the contour Kva or the valve body 6, whereby this cam-like projection snaps or engages into a complementary recess of the contour KA or the actuator housing - due to the spring 24 - in the approached valve positions in which the conical sealing seat acts in a liquid-tight manner. Accordingly, the form-fitting connection between the two contours KA, Kva shown illustrates such a valve position in which the conical sealing seat acts in a liquid-tight manner and in which the valve body 6 is pressed into or against the conical sealing seat by the spring 24.

[0041] When the valve body 6 is pivoted, this positive connection between the contours KA, Kva is canceled or dissolved by the contour Kva being supported against the contour KA and thereby pushed away from it until the approached valve position is reached, in which these two contours KA, Kva again engage with each other in a positive fit and in which the conical sealing seat again has a liquid-tight effect.

[0042] In Fig. 2, however, both the pressing means and the lifting means are provided in the region of the end of the valve body 6 facing away from the actuator 10.

[0043] The pressure means is provided in the form of two complementary shapes or two mutually complementary profiles or contours KG, Kvb. A third contour or contour Kvb is provided or formed on the front side of the valve body 6, and a fourth contour or contour KG is provided or formed on the valve housing base 26 around the spring 24. The contour KG is fixed to the valve housing base 26, whereas the contour Kvb is fixed to the valve body 6.

[0044] The spring 24 acts - in the sense of a tension spring - as a lifting means which passively lifts the valve body 6 from the conical sealing seat.

[0045] Accordingly, the positive connection between the two contours KG, Kvb, which is additionally shown separately in Fig. 2, illustrates a valve position outside of those valve positions in which the conical sealing seat has a liquid-tight effect, and in which the valve body 6 is lifted out of the conical sealing seat by the spring 24 - in the sense of a tension spring. In the valve positions, however, in which the conical sealing seat has a liquid-tight effect, this positive connection between the contours KG, Kvb is canceled or dissolved. Fig. 3 shows a lifting magnet 32 ​​- in the sense of an alternative to the spring 24 in Fig. 2, which is attached to the valve housing 4. An armature of the lifting magnet 32, which is movable longitudinally to the axis of rotation, extends through the valve housing 4, the valve housing base 26 and until it rests on the valve body 6. In contrast to the spring 24 in Fig. 2, a pulling effect orelectromagnetically actively change or adjust the tensile force it has to apply (active adjustability).

[0046] In a further embodiment (not shown), such a lifting magnet 32 ​​is combined with a spring 24 as shown in Fig. 2, acting as a lifting device. This allows the lifting magnet 32 ​​to be designed to be more energy-efficient and compact.

[0047] In a further embodiment - not shown - the spring 24 in Fig. 1 is replaced by such a lifting magnet 32, the pressure effect of which or a pressure force to be applied by it can be changed or adjusted electromagnetically (active adjustability).

[0048] In a further embodiment (not shown), such a lifting magnet 32 ​​is combined with a spring 24 as shown in Fig. 1, acting as a pressure means. This allows the lifting magnet 32 ​​to be designed to be more energy-efficient and compact.

[0049] In a further embodiment (not shown), a complementary shape of the type described above is provided or arranged both in the interface area and in the area of ​​the end of the valve body 6 facing away from the actuator 10, with the shape in the interface area acting as a lifting means, and the shape in the area of ​​the end of the valve body 6 facing away from the actuator 10 acting as a pressing means. All of the lifting means described above are to be understood as being combinable with one another. The same applies to all of the pressing means described above.

[0050] What Figs. 1, 2 and 3 have in common is that the conical sealing seat extends in the X - X direction over the entire height of the valve.

[0051] In contrast, Fig. 4 shows a stepped design of a conical sealing seat in the form of two spaced-apart conical sealing seat sections, each formed around an associated fluid channel. At least between these two conical sealing seat sections, the multi-way valve has a first cylindrical valve section, Zyl.i, or the multi-way valve is designed or shaped cylindrically.

[0052] By means of this cylindrical valve section Zyl.i, a sealing effect can be maintained between the fluid-carrying channels 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, which are spaced apart from one another along the axis of rotation or in the X - X direction, even during pivoting of the valve body 6 by the actuator 10.

[0053] This makes it possible to avoid or at least significantly reduce performance losses in a thermal management system which occur due to mixing of cold and warm liquid flows between the liquid-carrying channels 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 which are spaced apart from one another along the axis of rotation or in the X - X direction.

[0054] This allows the thermal management system to be operated with a higher or better efficiency.

[0055] Consequently, the proposed valve arrangement according to Fig. 4 in particular contributes to increasing the range of a fully charged battery for powering an electric vehicle. Furthermore, a second cylindrical valve section Zyl.u can be provided or formed in the interface area between the actuator 10 and the valve body 6, and / or a third cylindrical valve section Zyl.ni can be provided or formed in the area of ​​the end of the valve body 6 facing away from the actuator 10, which adjoins the respective conical sealing seat section (Fig. 4).

[0056] These cylindrical valve sections Zyl.u, Zyl.ni also contribute to maintaining a sealing effect in the X - X direction.

[0057] The contours KA, Kva, KG, Kvb additionally shown separately in Figs. 1 and 2 for better illustration are to be understood only schematically. It is proposed that these contours KA, Kva, KG, Kvb be shaped in such a sinusoidal manner that they require only a minimal torque to be applied by the actuator 10.

[0058] Figs. 1 to 4 show cam-like projections that are provided or formed on the front side or on one of the two front ends of the valve body 6. For the sake of simplicity, only two cam-like projections are illustrated on the valve body 6. However, several such cam-like projections can also be provided or formed on the valve body 6, distributed in the circumferential direction.

[0059] Alternatively, such cam-like projections can also be provided or formed on the actuator housing and / or on the valve housing base 26.

[0060] These cam-like projections interact with a corresponding complementary counter-contour or recess into which they engage in a form-fitting manner.

[0061] The number of these complementary counter-contours or recesses depends on the number of intended valve positions in the circumferential direction of the multi-way valve arrangement 2. In all previously described designs, the valve housing 4 and / or the valve body 6 can be made, for example, of a glass-fiber-reinforced plastic with high wear resistance. The valve seal 8, on the other hand, can be made of a rubber material, which is coated on the valve body side with a so-called PTFE coating (PTFE Abbreviation for polytetrafluoroethylene, also called Teflon) and which as such has a wear-reducing effect.

[0062] Although exemplary embodiments are explained in the foregoing description, it should be noted that numerous modifications are possible. Furthermore, it should be noted that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection, applications, or structure in any way. Rather, the foregoing description provides the skilled person with a guide for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, whereby various modifications, particularly with regard to the function and arrangement of the described components, can be made without departing from the scope of protection as it results from the claims and equivalent combinations of features.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Valve arrangement (2) with a valve housing (4), a valve body (6) received by the valve housing (4) and pivotable about a rotational axis, a valve seal (8) arranged between the valve body (6) and the valve housing (4), and an actuator (10) for pivoting the valve body (6) into at least two valve positions, in which the valve housing (4), the valve body (6), and the valve seal (8) interact in a fluid-tight manner via a conical sealing seat, wherein the valve body (6), when pivoting from such a first valve position into such a second valve position, can first be lifted out of the sealing seat by means of at least one lifting means in a first lifting movement along the rotational axis in order to facilitate the pivoting of the valve body (6), and finally by means of at least one pressing means in a second,can be pressed into / against the conical sealing seat in a stroke movement opposite to the first stroke movement along the axis of rotation, wherein the valve housing (4) has at least one first and one second liquid inlet channel (12, 18) and at least one first and one second liquid outlet channel (16, 22), wherein in the longitudinal extension of the valve arrangement (2) along the axis of rotation, on the one hand these liquid inlet channels (12, 18) and on the other hand these liquid outlet channels (16, 22) are spaced apart from one another, wherein the valve body (6) has at least one first and one second liquid channel (14, 20), wherein in the longitudinal extension of the valve arrangement (2) along the axis of rotation, these liquid channels (14, 20) are spaced apart from one another, wherein the valve seal (8) has correspondingly assigned openings, via, which a liquid of the respective liquid inlet channel (12, 18) can be conveyed via the associated liquid channel (14, 20) and the associated liquid outlet channel (16, 22), and wherein the conical sealing seat is designed in the form of at least two spaced-apart conical sealing seat sections which are formed around a respectively associated liquid channel (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) and between which the multi-way valve is cylindrically formed.

2. Valve arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein the lifting means are provided in an interface region between the actuator (10) and the valve body (6) and the pressing means are provided in a region of an end of the valve body (6) facing away from the actuator (10).

3. Valve arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein the lifting means and the pressing means are provided in the region of the end of the valve body (6) facing away from the actuator (10).

4. Valve arrangement (2) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the lifting means or the pressing means: is designed in the form of at least one spring (24) which is provided in the region of the end of the valve body (6) facing away from the actuator (10) and between a valve housing base (26) and the valve body (6), and / or is designed in the form of at least one lifting magnet (32) which is attached to the valve housing (4) in the region of the end of the valve body (6) facing away from the actuator (10) and whose armature, which is movable longitudinally to the axis of rotation, extends through the valve housing base (26) until it rests against the valve body (6).

5. Valve arrangement (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lifting means and / or the pressing means: is / are designed in the form of two mutually complementary profiles which, when functioning as a lifting means, are provided in / in the interface region between the actuator (10) and the valve body (6) and have a first contour (Kva) formed on the end face of the valve body (6) and a second contour (KA) formed on an actuator housing, and which, when functioning as a pressing means, are provided in / in the region of an end of the valve body (6) facing away from the actuator (10) and have a third contour (Kvb) formed on the end face of the valve body (6) and a fourth contour (KG, Kvb) formed on the valve housing base (26), and / or is / are designed in the form of at least one opening in the valve housing (4),via which a pressurised liquid can be conveyed against the valve body (6).

6. Valve arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the valve body (6) and / or the valve housing (4) are made of a plastic, preferably in the form of a glass-fiber-reinforced plastic.

7. Pump-valve unit with at least one valve arrangement according to one of the preceding claims.

8. Thermal management system with fluid circuits and at least one valve arrangement according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 6.

9. Electric vehicle with at least one valve arrangement according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 6.

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