Coolant loop, thermal management system, control method, and vehicle

Abstract

A coolant loop (11), a thermal management system, a control method, and a vehicle, relating to the technical field of air conditioning. The coolant loop (11) comprises: an evaporator (1101), a first electronic water pump (1102), a first electronic three-way valve (1103), a second electronic three-way valve (1104), and a heat exchanger (1105). A first end of the evaporator (1101) is connected to a first end of the first electronic water pump (1102); a second end of the first electronic water pump (1102) is connected to a first end of the first electronic three-way valve (1103); a second end of the first electronic three-way valve (1103) is connected to a first end of the second electronic three-way valve (1104); a second end of the second electronic three-way valve (1104) is connected to a first end of the heat exchanger (1105); and a second end of the heat exchanger (1105) is connected to a second end of the evaporator (1101). A vehicle-mounted refrigerator is coupled with a vehicle thermal management system, and the coolant loop (11) in the vehicle thermal management system is used to provide refrigeration for the vehicle-mounted refrigerator, so that components such as a compressor (1201) and a condenser (1116) are not required in the vehicle-mounted refrigerator, thereby reducing the cost and weight of the vehicle-mounted refrigerator and significantly alleviating noise issues of the vehicle-mounted refrigerator inside the vehicle.

Description

A coolant circuit, a thermal management system, a control method, and a vehicle

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410505475.X, filed on April 24, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of air conditioning technology, specifically to a coolant circuit, a thermal management system, a control method, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0004] The thermal management system of a car provides functions such as air conditioning for cooling or heating. The thermal management system uses either a direct heat pump system or an indirect heat pump system.

[0005] Currently, whether it's the single air conditioning system in new energy vehicles, the more complex heat pump system, or the pure electric heat pump system architecture, they are usually two completely independent parallel systems with the in-vehicle refrigerator. The in-vehicle refrigerator contains independent compressors, condensers, and other components. However, this increases the cost and weight of the in-vehicle refrigerator, and since it is usually placed in the passenger compartment, these components also generate significant noise during operation, affecting the comfort of the passengers. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, this application provides a coolant circuit, thermal management system, control method and vehicle for a vehicle, with the main purpose of improving the technical problems in the prior art that lead to increased cost and weight of vehicle refrigerators and also generate significant noise.

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides a coolant circuit, including: an evaporator, a first electronic water pump, a first electronic three-way valve, a second electronic three-way valve, and a heat exchanger;

[0008] The first end of the evaporator is connected to the first end of the first electronic water pump, the second end of the first electronic water pump is connected to the first end of the first electronic three-way valve, the second end of the first electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the second electronic three-way valve, the second end of the second electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the heat exchanger, and the second end of the heat exchanger is connected to the second end of the evaporator.

[0009] The heat exchanger is installed inside the vehicle refrigerator and is used to cool the inside of the vehicle refrigerator.

[0010] In a second aspect, this application provides a thermal management system, including: a coolant circuit and a refrigerant circuit as described in the first aspect, wherein the coolant circuit and the refrigerant circuit are coupled.

[0011] Thirdly, this application provides a control method for a thermal management system, applied to the thermal management system as described in the second aspect, comprising:

[0012] In response to control commands from the thermal management system, the compressor in the refrigerant circuit is controlled to discharge refrigerant and open the electronic expansion valve;

[0013] The system controls the operation of a target water pump in the coolant circuit and opens a target electronic expansion valve in the coolant circuit. The target water pump includes one or more of a first water pump, a second water pump, and a third water pump. The target electronic expansion valve includes one or more of a first electronic three-way valve, a second electronic three-way valve, a third electronic three-way valve, a fourth electronic three-way valve, a fifth electronic three-way valve, a sixth electronic three-way valve, a seventh electronic three-way valve, and an eighth electronic three-way valve.

[0014] Fourthly, this application provides a vehicle including a thermal management system as described in the second aspect.

[0015] Based on the above technical solution, this application provides a coolant circuit, thermal management system, control method, and vehicle for a vehicle. The coolant circuit includes an evaporator, a first electronic water pump, a first electronic three-way valve, a second electronic three-way valve, and a heat exchanger. The first end of the evaporator is connected to the first end of the first electronic water pump, the second end of the first electronic water pump is connected to the first end of the first electronic three-way valve, the second end of the first electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the second electronic three-way valve, the second end of the second electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the heat exchanger, and the second end of the heat exchanger is connected to the second end of the evaporator. The heat exchanger is installed inside a vehicle refrigerator for cooling the refrigerator. Compared with existing technologies, this application designs a novel coolant circuit for vehicles. By coupling the vehicle refrigerator with the vehicle's air conditioning system, the coolant circuit in the vehicle's thermal management system is used to cool the vehicle refrigerator. This eliminates the need for compressors, condensers, and other components in the vehicle refrigerator, thus reducing its cost and weight. Furthermore, it significantly improves the noise level of the vehicle refrigerator inside the vehicle, enhancing the comfort of the occupants.

[0016] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of this application are given below. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle-mounted refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 3 shows a flowchart illustrating a control method for a thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application in one operating mode;

[0023] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of the thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application in one operating mode;

[0024] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application in one operating mode;

[0025] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application in one operating mode;

[0026] Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of the thermal management system provided in an embodiment of this application in one operating mode.

[0027] The attached diagram shows the following components: evaporator 1101; first electronic water pump 1102; first electronic three-way valve 1103; second electronic three-way valve 1104; heat exchanger 1105; cold core 1106; third electronic three-way valve 1107; battery cold plate 1108; second electronic water pump 1109; fourth electronic three-way valve 1110; fifth electronic three-way valve 1111; radiator 1112; electric drive assembly 1113; sixth electronic three-way valve 1114; third electronic water pump 1115; condenser 1116; seventh electronic three-way valve. 1117; Heating element; 1118; Eighth electronic three-way valve; 1119; Refrigerant unit; 1120; Blower; 1121; Expansion tank; 1122; First water temperature sensor; 1123; Second water temperature sensor; 1124; Third water temperature sensor; 1125; Fourth water temperature sensor; 1126; Compressor; 1201; Electronic expansion valve; 1202; Gas-liquid separator; 1203; Hot gas bypass valve; 1204; First PT sensor; 1205; Second PT sensor; 1206; Third PT sensor; 1207. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application, the solution of this application will be further described below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0029] To address the technical problems of existing technologies that increase the cost and weight of in-vehicle refrigerators and generate significant noise, this embodiment provides a coolant circuit 11 for a vehicle, as shown in Figure 1. The coolant circuit 11 includes: an evaporator 1101 (chiller), a first electronic water pump 1102, a first electronic three-way valve 1103, a second electronic three-way valve 1104, and a heat exchanger 1105. The first end of the evaporator 1101 is connected to the first end of the first electronic water pump 1102, the second end of the first electronic water pump 1102 is connected to the first end of the first electronic three-way valve 1103, the second end of the first electronic three-way valve 1103 is connected to the first end of the second electronic three-way valve 1104, the second end of the second electronic three-way valve 1104 is connected to the first end of the heat exchanger 1105, and the second end of the heat exchanger 1105 is connected to the second end of the evaporator 1101. The heat exchanger 1105 is installed inside the in-vehicle refrigerator and is used to cool the interior of the refrigerator.

[0030] In some examples, this embodiment uses a mode in which the evaporator 1101 in the vehicle air conditioning system is connected in series with the vehicle refrigerator to couple the vehicle refrigerator with the vehicle air conditioning system. The evaporator 1101 can achieve the purpose of cooling the passenger compartment and the vehicle refrigerator by exchanging heat with the coolant.

[0031] For example, to achieve the cooling function of the vehicle refrigerator, low-temperature (-1℃ to 5℃) coolant pumped from the evaporator 1101 of the vehicle's air conditioning system enters the heat exchanger 1105 inside the vehicle refrigerator through the second electronic three-way valve 1104, cooling the air inside the vehicle refrigerator. The heat exchanger 1105 inside the vehicle refrigerator can be an air-cooled heat exchanger 1105, or it can be an evaporator coil built into the refrigerator's foamed structure, achieving the same refrigeration effect. The opening and closing of the second electronic three-way valve 1104 determines the on / off state of the vehicle refrigerator (or a shut-off water valve can be installed on the vehicle refrigerator pipeline, and the refrigerator's on / off function can be achieved through the shut-off water valve's switching).

[0032] Compared with existing technologies, this embodiment proposes a coolant circuit 11, as shown in Figure 1. The coolant circuit 11 in the thermal management system of this application is formed by connecting an evaporator 1101, a first electronic water pump 1102, a first electronic three-way valve 1103, a second electronic three-way valve 1104, and a heat exchanger 1105 in series. In this way, by coupling the vehicle refrigerator with the vehicle's air conditioning system, the cooling needs of the vehicle refrigerator are met using the coolant circuit in the vehicle's thermal management system. This reduces the cost, weight, and space requirements of the vehicle refrigerator, and also reduces the power consumption and noise problems caused by the independent compressor in the vehicle refrigerator, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the vehicle's air conditioning thermal management system.

[0033] Furthermore, as a refinement and extension of the above embodiment, as shown in FIG1, the coolant circuit 11 may further include: a third electronic three-way valve 1107; the third end of the second electronic three-way valve 1104 is connected to the first end of the air conditioner's cooling core 1106, the second end of the cooling core 1106 is connected to the first end of the third electronic three-way valve 1107, the pipeline between the heat exchanger 1105 and the evaporator 1101 is provided with a first intermediate port, and the second end of the third electronic three-way valve 1107 is connected to the first intermediate port.

[0034] For example, the flow rate of coolant flowing from the air conditioning core 1106 through the battery cold plate 1108 and back to the evaporator 1101 can be regulated by the third electronic three-way valve 1107.

[0035] Optionally, the coolant circuit 11 may further include: a second electronic water pump 1109 and a fourth electronic three-way valve 1110; the third end of the third electronic three-way valve 1107 is connected to the first end of the battery cold plate 1108, the second end of the battery cold plate 1108 is connected to the first end of the second electronic water pump 1109, the second end of the second electronic water pump 1109 is connected to the first end of the fourth electronic three-way valve 1110, the second end of the fourth electronic three-way valve 1110 is connected to the first intermediate pipe port, and the third end of the fourth electronic three-way valve 1110 is connected to the second intermediate pipe port of the pipeline between the third electronic three-way valve 1107 and the battery cold plate 1108.

[0036] In this embodiment, since the battery and the air conditioner require different temperatures, it is necessary to adjust their inlet temperatures differently. In order to better meet the heating and cooling conditions of the battery, a relatively independent second electronic water pump 1109, as well as a third electronic proportional valve and an eighth electronic proportional valve, are used to achieve mixed adjustment of the outlet water temperature of the air conditioner heating / cooling core 1118 and the inlet water temperature of the battery.

[0037] Optionally, the coolant circuit 11 may further include: a fifth electronic three-way valve 1111, a radiator 1112, and a sixth electronic three-way valve 1114; the third end of the first electronic three-way valve 1103 is connected to the first end of the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111, the second end of the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111 is connected to the first end of the radiator 1112, the second end of the radiator 1112 is connected to the first end of the electric drive assembly 1113, the second end of the electric drive assembly 1113 is connected to the first end of the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114, and the second end of the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114 is connected to the first intermediate port.

[0038] In some examples, radiator 1112 may be a cryogenic water tank radiator, which can cool condenser 1116 in air conditioning and battery cooling modes, as well as cool electric drive assembly 1113. For example, the coolant flowing out of condenser 1116 is first cooled by cryogenic water tank radiator 1112, then enters electric drive assembly 1113 to cool the motor, and finally returns to condenser 1116 to complete the entire loop.

[0039] Optionally, the coolant circuit 11 may further include: a sixth electronic three-way valve 1114, a third electronic water pump 1115, a condenser 1116, a seventh electronic three-way valve 1117, and an eighth electronic three-way valve 1119; the third end of the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114 is connected to the first end of the third electronic water pump 1115, the second end of the third electronic water pump 1115 is connected to the first end of the condenser 1116, the second end of the condenser 1116 is connected to the first end of the seventh electronic three-way valve 1117, the second end of the seventh electronic three-way valve 1117 is connected to the first end of the air conditioner's heating element 1118, and the seventh electronic three-way valve 1119... The third end of the through valve 1117 is connected to the pipeline between the first electronic three-way valve 1103 and the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111; the second end of the heating core 1118 is connected to the first end of the eighth electronic three-way valve 1119, the second end of the eighth electronic three-way valve 1119 is connected to the second intermediate pipe port, and the third end of the eighth electronic three-way valve 1119 is connected to the third intermediate pipe port of the pipeline between the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114 and the third electronic water pump 1115; a fourth intermediate pipe port is also provided between the battery cooling plate 1108 and the second electronic water pump 1109, and a pipeline is connected between the third intermediate pipe port and the fourth intermediate pipe port.

[0040] In this embodiment, the condenser 1116 can be a water-cooled condenser (WCC). By controlling the electronic water pump and electronic three-way valve in the coolant circuit 11 system, the vehicle's air conditioning can heat and cool, the battery can be heated and cooled, the vehicle's refrigerator can be cooled, the motor can be cooled, and the motor's waste heat can be recovered, as well as the functions of these combinations. These electronic three-way valves can be further combined into multi-way valves. There can be various forms of combined valves, which are not specifically limited in this embodiment.

[0041] Optionally, the vehicle refrigerator may also include: a refrigerant device 1120 and a blower 1121; a heat exchanger 1105 is disposed between the refrigerant device 1120 and the blower 1121, the refrigerant device 1120 and the blower 1121 being used to cool the inside of the vehicle refrigerator when the compressor 1201 in the refrigerant circuit 12 stops working.

[0042] For example, in the coupled system of the vehicle refrigerator and the vehicle air conditioning thermal management system, the compressor 1201 of the vehicle air conditioning system has a strong cooling capacity. Even when the compressor 1201 is running at its lowest speed, its cooling capacity is far greater than the cooling demand of the refrigerator. This causes the compressor 1201 to frequently start and stop when the vehicle is stationary and the air conditioning is not on, as it is only serving the cooling of the refrigerator, which affects the lifespan of the compressor 1201. To address this, a refrigerant device 1120 is built into the vehicle refrigerator to increase the refrigerator's load. When the compressor 1201 stops working, the refrigerant can provide cooling capacity to the refrigerator. As shown in Figure 2, the vehicle refrigerator mainly includes a heat exchanger 1105, a blower 1121, a refrigerant device 1120, a vehicle storage space, and corresponding circulation air ducts. The circulating air is cooled by the low-temperature refrigerant flowing in the heat exchanger 1105. After the circulating cold air cools the refrigerant, it then cools the space in the vehicle refrigerator through the circulation air duct, and then returns to the blower 1121 through the circulation air duct, completing the circulation of cooling air. To ensure that the refrigerant does not flow within the heat exchanger 1105, when the cooling function is lost, the vehicle refrigerator can release cold air through the refrigerant, reducing the frequent start-stop of the compressor 1201. Furthermore, the vehicle refrigerator's heating function relies entirely on its built-in electric heater to maintain the refrigerator at the set temperature for heating purposes.

[0043] By combining natural air circulation and a refrigerant device 1120, the risk of loss or weakening of the vehicle refrigerator's cooling function is avoided, especially under parking conditions such as high temperatures and direct sunlight in summer. In this embodiment, the compressor and other components of the vehicle refrigerator are eliminated, reducing its size and facilitating its placement in the vehicle, and / or increasing its capacity to store more food.

[0044] In some examples, the coolant circuit 11 may also include an expansion tank 1122. An expansion tank 1122 may also be connected to the port between the third electronic water pump 1115 and the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114. The expansion tank 1122 can provide additional space to store the expanded coolant, prevent excessive pressure inside the cooling system, and can also serve to release air through the vent on the cover.

[0045] In some examples, the coolant circuit 11 may also include a first water temperature sensor 1123, a second water temperature sensor 1124, a third water temperature sensor 1125, and a fourth water temperature sensor 1126. By setting these four water temperature sensors, the temperature of the coolant in the sub-circuits of the coolant circuit 11 can be obtained, so as to accurately perform the corresponding heat exchange control.

[0046] Furthermore, based on the above-mentioned coolant circuit 11, this embodiment also proposes a thermal management system, including a coolant circuit 11 and a refrigerant circuit 12, wherein the coolant circuit 11 and the refrigerant circuit 12 are coupled.

[0047] Optionally, the refrigerant circuit 12 includes: a compressor 1201, an electronic expansion valve 1202 (EXV), and a gas-liquid separator 1203 (AD); the third end of the evaporator 1101 is connected to the first end of the gas-liquid separator 1203, the second end of the gas-liquid separator 1203 is connected to the first end of the compressor 1201, the second end of the compressor 1201 is connected to the third end of the condenser 1116, the fourth end of the condenser 1116 is connected to the fourth end of the evaporator 1101, and an electronic expansion valve 1202 is installed on the pipeline between the condenser 1116 and the evaporator 1101.

[0048] In some examples, the condenser 1116 can convert the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant pumped out by the compressor 1201 from a gaseous state to a liquid state, allowing the liquefied refrigerant to continue circulating in the system. It can also heat the passenger compartment through heat exchange with the refrigerant. The gas-liquid separator 1203 is mainly used to separate gaseous and liquid refrigerant and can also be used to store refrigerant. Furthermore, the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit 12 can be R290 refrigerant. Due to its significant flammability risk, reducing the refrigerant charge is crucial. The electronic expansion valve 1202, in conjunction with the compressor 1201, can adjust the refrigerant flow rate and evaporation pressure, enabling the system to operate efficiently under various load conditions, thus allowing for a reduction in refrigerant charge while maintaining system performance.

[0049] Optionally, the refrigerant circuit 12 may also include: a hot gas bypass valve 1204; a fifth intermediate port is provided in the pipeline between the compressor 1201 and the condenser 1116, and a sixth intermediate port is provided in the pipeline between the gas-liquid separator 1203 and the evaporator 1101; a bypass pipeline is connected between the fifth intermediate port and the sixth intermediate port, and a hot gas bypass valve 1204 is provided on the bypass pipeline.

[0050] For example, the hot gas bypass valve 1204 can be used for low-temperature heating in winter. In this embodiment, removing the hot gas bypass valve 1204 will not affect the function of the thermal management system, but the low-temperature heating capacity may be affected.

[0051] In some examples, the refrigerant circuit 12 may further include a first PT sensor 1205, a second PT sensor 1206, and a third PT sensor 1207. The PT sensors can detect temperature data at their location in real time, convert it into electrical signals, and record it for further data processing, analysis, and control system decision-making. In this embodiment, the PT sensors can be used to monitor the temperature of components such as the compressor 1201 and the electronic expansion valve 1202 in the refrigerant circuit 12, so that the control system can control these components based on the temperature data.

[0052] Furthermore, to illustrate the processing procedure of the aforementioned thermal management system, this embodiment also provides a control method, as shown in Figure 3, which includes:

[0053] Step 201: In response to the control command of the thermal management system, control the compressor in the refrigerant circuit to discharge refrigerant and open the electronic expansion valve.

[0054] In some examples, the control commands for the thermal management system may include: commands to activate the air conditioning and refrigerator cooling modes, commands to activate the air conditioning cooling mode alone, commands to activate the refrigerator cooling mode alone, commands to activate the air conditioning heating and refrigerator cooling modes, and commands to activate the refrigerator cooling mode in winter, etc.

[0055] Step 202: Control the operation of the target electronic water pump in the coolant circuit and open the target electronic expansion valve in the coolant circuit.

[0056] The target electronic water pump includes one or more of the first electronic water pump 1102, the second electronic water pump 1109, and the third electronic water pump 1115, and the target electronic expansion valve includes one or more of the first electronic three-way valve 1103, the second electronic three-way valve 1104, the third electronic three-way valve 1107, the fourth electronic three-way valve 1110, the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111, the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114, the seventh electronic three-way valve 1117, and the eighth electronic three-way valve 1119.

[0057] In some embodiments, the thermal management system may, in response to the start command of the air conditioning and refrigerator cooling mode, control the compressor 1201 in the refrigerant circuit 12 to discharge refrigerant and close the hot gas bypass valve 1204, and open the electronic expansion valve 1202; and control the first electronic water pump 1102, the second electronic water pump 1109 and the third electronic water pump 1115 in the coolant circuit 11 to operate, the first electronic three-way valve 1103 to open the first end and the second end, the second electronic three-way valve 1104 to open the first end, the second end and the third end, the third electronic three-way valve 1107 to open the first end, the second end and the third end, the fourth electronic three-way valve 1110 to open the first end, the second end and the third end, the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111 to open the first end and the second end, the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114 to open the first end, the second end and the third end, the seventh electronic three-way valve 1117 to open the first end, the second end and the third end, and the eighth electronic three-way valve 1119 to open the first end and the third end.

[0058] For example, as shown in Figure 4, the air conditioning and refrigerator cooling mode mainly includes a combination of air conditioning cooling, battery cooling and refrigerator cooling. The compressor 1201 discharges high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas, which releases heat through the condenser 1116 and absorbs heat in the evaporator 1101, completing the thermodynamic cycle of the refrigerant circuit 12 system. At this time, the hot gas bypass valve 1204 is closed, and the electronic expansion valve 1202 normally throttles and controls the outlet subcooling of the evaporator 1101.

[0059] In some examples, the three pumps in the coolant circuit 11 can operate independently or in series. For example, the first electronic pump 1102 and the third electronic pump 1115 operate in series, allowing the coolant to release heat to the outside through the low-temperature water tank radiator 1112; the first electronic pump 1102 draws in the coolant cooled by the refrigerant from the evaporator 1101, and connects to the cold core 1106 in the air conditioning unit through the first electronic three-way valve 1103 and the second electronic three-way valve 1104, cooling the hot air in the air conditioning unit; the cooled coolant is divided into two parts through the third electronic three-way valve 1107, one part returns to the confluence point before the evaporator 1101, and the other part flows to the battery inlet. The flow ratio of the two parts of coolant coming out of the third electronic three-way valve 1107 can be adjusted from 0% to 100%. For example, if adjusted to 0%, the coolant does not pass through the battery and does not need to cool the battery. If adjusted to 100%, the battery cooling temperature is the same as the air conditioning unit temperature. Specifically, the opening of the third electronic three-way valve 1107 can be adjusted or closed depending on whether the battery cold plate 1108 needs to be cooled.

[0060] In this embodiment, the coolant in the vehicle refrigerator is also low-temperature coolant flowing from the evaporator 1101. After passing through the first electronic three-way valve 1103, it then passes through the second electronic three-way valve 1104. The coolant flowing out of the second electronic three-way valve 1104 is divided into two parts: one part enters the air conditioning unit, and the other part enters the vehicle refrigerator. The flow rate regulation of the second electronic three-way valve 1104 is used to adjust the cooling ratio of the refrigerator and the air conditioning. When the refrigerator reaches the set temperature, the second end of the second electronic three-way valve 1104 can be closed to switch the refrigerator's cooling function on and off and adjust the coolant flow rate. In some examples, a flow cut-off valve can be installed on the refrigerator branch to replace the second electronic three-way valve 1104.

[0061] In some embodiments, the thermal management system may, in response to an activation command for a single air conditioning cooling mode, control the compressor 1201 in the refrigerant circuit 12 to discharge refrigerant and close the hot gas bypass valve 1204, and open the electronic expansion valve 1202; and control the operation of the first electronic water pump 1102, the second electronic water pump 1109, and the third electronic water pump 1115 in the coolant circuit 11, opening the first and second ends of the first electronic three-way valve 1103, the first and third ends of the second electronic three-way valve 1104, the first and third ends of the third electronic three-way valve 1107, the first, second, and third ends of the fourth electronic three-way valve 1110, the first, second, and third ends of the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111, the first and second ends of the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114, the first, second, and third ends of the seventh electronic three-way valve 1117, and the first and third ends of the eighth electronic three-way valve 1119.

[0062] For example, as shown in Figure 5, the single air conditioning cooling mode is mainly suitable for summer air conditioning cooling and refrigerator shutdown or heat preservation. By switching the mode of the second electronic three-way valve 1104 in front of the vehicle refrigerator, the function of turning the vehicle refrigerator on or off can be realized. After all the coolant passes through the second electronic three-way valve 1104 and enters the air conditioning core 1106, the heated coolant returns to the evaporator 1101 to realize the coolant circulation in the single air conditioning cooling mode.

[0063] In some embodiments, the thermal management system may, in response to a single refrigerator cooling mode activation command, control the compressor 1201 in the refrigerant circuit 12 to discharge refrigerant and close the hot gas bypass valve 1204, and open the electronic expansion valve 1202; and control the first electronic water pump 1102 and the third electronic water pump 1115 in the coolant circuit 11 to operate, the first electronic three-way valve 1103 to open the first end and the second end, the second electronic three-way valve 1104 to open the first end and the second end, the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111 to open the first end and the second end, the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114 to open the first end, the second end and the third end, and the seventh electronic three-way valve 1117 to open the first end and the third end.

[0064] For example, as shown in Figure 6, the single-refrigerator cooling mode is mainly suitable for situations where the vehicle's air conditioning is not needed, both cooling and heating functions are stopped, but the refrigerator needs to be turned on to cool the stored items. In this case, the compressor 1201 operates at its minimum speed, cooling the vehicle refrigerator independently. Since the cooling capacity of the compressor 1201 is much greater than the refrigerator's requirements, the refrigerant inside the refrigerator comes into play. When the thermal management system cools the refrigerator independently, the compressor 1201 can simultaneously cool both the stored items and the refrigerant. When the compressor 1201 stops cooling the refrigerator, it effectively expands the refrigerator's cooling demand to match the compressor 1201's cooling capacity. The refrigerant can also reduce the frequent starting and stopping of the vehicle's air conditioning by cooling the stored items or maintaining a constant temperature in the refrigerator, thus matching the cooling load requirements of the vehicle's air conditioning compressor 1201 with those of the refrigerator. In addition, since the thermal management system in this embodiment adopts a secondary circulation system, the heat capacity of the coolant circuit 11 system is relatively large. When the compressor 1201 stops running, the coolant cooled by the evaporator 1101 can still continue to cool the refrigerator until the coolant temperature is higher than the temperature inside the refrigerator, at which point the flow of coolant into the refrigerator can be stopped.

[0065] By applying the solution in this embodiment, the heat load of the vehicle refrigerator on the vehicle air conditioner is reduced, and the cooling efficiency is improved. Especially under parking conditions such as high temperature and sun exposure in summer, the risk of loss or weakening of the cooling function of the vehicle refrigerator is reduced.

[0066] In some embodiments, the thermal management system may, in response to the activation command of the air conditioning heating and refrigerator cooling modes, control the compressor 1201 in the refrigerant circuit 12 to discharge refrigerant and close the hot gas bypass valve 1204, and open the electronic expansion valve 1202; and control the first electronic water pump 1102 and the third electronic water pump 1115 in the coolant circuit 11 to operate, the first electronic three-way valve 1103 to open the first, second and third ends, the second electronic three-way valve 1104 to open the first, second and third ends, the third electronic three-way valve 1107 to open the first and second ends, the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111 to open the first and second ends, the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114 to open the first and second ends, the seventh electronic three-way valve 1117 to open the first and second ends, and the eighth electronic three-way valve 1119 to open the first, second and third ends.

[0067] For example, as shown in Figure 7, the air conditioning heating and refrigerator cooling modes are mainly applicable to heating the air conditioner or battery, or heating them simultaneously, in winter. The thermal management system, including compressor 1201, enables both air conditioning heating and battery heating functions. Specifically, the coolant discharged from the third electronic water pump 1115 absorbs heat from the refrigerant in the condenser 1116, becoming a high-temperature coolant. This coolant then passes through the second end of the seventh electronic three-way valve 1117 to heat the air conditioner and battery. The high-temperature coolant flowing from the second end of the seventh electronic three-way valve 1117 first passes through the air conditioning heating core 1118 to heat the cabin air conditioning (if heating of the passenger compartment is not required, the air conditioning temperature damper can be closed, and the heating core 1118 will not heat the air). After passing through the eighth electronic three-way valve 1119, it flows into the battery heating cold plate 1108 and finally returns to the main branch of the third electronic water pump 1115, completing the entire cycle. If only the air conditioner needs heating and the battery does not need heating, the second end of the eighth electronic three-way valve 1119 can be closed, that is, the passage flowing through the battery cold plate 1108 can be closed, so that all the coolant flowing out of the air conditioner heating core 1118 can return directly to the third electronic water pump 1115 through the third end of the eighth electronic three-way valve 1119.

[0068] In this embodiment, the coolant circuit 11 system on the evaporator 1101 side mainly uses the coolant discharged by the first electronic water pump 1102 to heat the refrigerant in the evaporator 1101, allowing the refrigerant to absorb heat and evaporate, returning to the gas-liquid separator 1203 and compressor 1201 to complete the refrigerant circuit 12 cycle. After the coolant heats the refrigerant in the evaporator 1101, its temperature decreases. It then passes through the third end of the first electronic three-way valve 1103, and then through the second end of the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111 before returning to the low-temperature water tank radiator 1112. The low-temperature water tank absorbs heat from the air. When the coolant passes through the electric drive assembly 1113, it absorbs the waste heat (or the electric drive actively generates heat) from the electric drive assembly 1113. It then passes through the first and second ends of the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114 to return to the inlet of the evaporator 1101, and then passes through the first electronic water pump 1102 to complete the entire cycle. In addition, depending on the specific situation, it can be determined whether the coolant needs to pass through the low-temperature water tank radiator 1112. If it does not need to pass through the low-temperature water tank radiator 1112, the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111 can be adjusted to close the second end and open the third end to achieve coolant bypass.

[0069] In some examples, the second electronic three-way valve 1104 can be used to switch the water circuit of the refrigerator and the water circuit of the indoor air conditioning core 1106 respectively. If it is necessary to turn on the cooling function of the vehicle refrigerator, the functions of heating and dehumidification of the refrigerator and air conditioner can be realized by switching the mode of the second electronic three-way valve 1104.

[0070] In some embodiments, the thermal management system may, in response to a command to activate the winter refrigerator cooling mode, control the compressor 1201 in the refrigerant circuit 12 to discharge refrigerant and close the hot gas bypass valve 1204, and open the electronic expansion valve 1202; and control the first electronic water pump 1102 in the coolant circuit 11 to operate, the first electronic three-way valve 1103 to open the first, second and third ends, the second electronic three-way valve 1104 to open the first and second ends, the fifth electronic three-way valve 1111 to open the first and second ends, and the sixth electronic three-way valve 1114 to open the first and second ends.

[0071] For example, as shown in Figure 8, the winter refrigerator cooling mode is mainly suitable for situations where the air conditioning heating function does not need to be turned on in winter, such as when the vehicle is stationary. When the ambient temperature is relatively low, the coolant inside the refrigerator can be cooled by the cool air from the natural air. At this time, it is not necessary to turn on the compressor 1201 to achieve the cooling of the refrigerator inside the vehicle (the temperature inside the vehicle is relatively high). In the winter refrigerator cooling mode, it is only necessary to start the first electronic water pump 1102 to split the coolant flowing out of the water pump into two paths. One path passes through the refrigerator to cool the contents inside, and the other path passes through the low-temperature water tank radiator 1112 of the front-end module to cool the coolant. Finally, they converge at the inlet of the evaporator 1101 to achieve heat exchange.

[0072] By applying the solution of this embodiment, the circulating coolant in the vehicle refrigerator can be cooled by using ambient cold air, without starting the compressor 1201, thus reducing energy consumption.

[0073] Currently, in existing automotive refrigerators, the compressor is placed inside the vehicle, causing significant noise and affecting passenger comfort. The refrigerator's condenser is also located inside the vehicle, transferring the heat load generated during cooling to the passenger compartment. This heat load requires cooling from the vehicle's thermal management system, leading to reduced overall vehicle energy efficiency. However, by applying the coupling system between the automotive refrigerator and the vehicle's air conditioning thermal management system provided in this embodiment, the cooling needs of the automotive refrigerator are met using the coolant circuit within the vehicle's thermal management system. This reduces the cost, weight, and space requirements of the automotive refrigerator, as well as the power consumption and noise issues associated with a separate compressor. Furthermore, because the coolant circuit system within the vehicle's thermal management system is used, the automotive refrigerator does not release heat into the vehicle through its own condenser as in previous methods, thus reducing the heat load on the vehicle's air conditioning system and improving cooling efficiency. In particular, it reduces the risk of loss or weakening of the refrigerator's cooling function under conditions such as high temperatures and direct sunlight during summer, increasing the refrigerator's lifespan and reliability.

[0074] Furthermore, this application also provides a vehicle, which may specifically include a thermal management system as shown in Figures 1 to 7. This vehicle may be a new energy vehicle or a traditional vehicle, etc.

[0075] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the term "comprising" or any other variations thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0076] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. A coolant circuit, comprising: Evaporator, first electronic water pump, first electronic three-way valve, second electronic three-way valve, and heat exchanger; The first end of the evaporator is connected to the first end of the first electronic water pump, the second end of the first electronic water pump is connected to the first end of the first electronic three-way valve, the second end of the first electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the second electronic three-way valve, the second end of the second electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the heat exchanger, and the second end of the heat exchanger is connected to the second end of the evaporator. The heat exchanger is installed inside the vehicle refrigerator and is used to cool the inside of the vehicle refrigerator.

2. The coolant circuit according to claim 1, wherein the coolant circuit further comprises: Third electronic three-way valve; The third end of the second electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the air conditioner's cooling core, the second end of the cooling core is connected to the first end of the third electronic three-way valve, the pipeline between the heat exchanger and the evaporator is provided with a first intermediate port, and the second end of the third electronic three-way valve is connected to the first intermediate port.

3. The coolant circuit according to claim 2, further comprising: Second electronic water pump, fourth electronic three-way valve; The third end of the third electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the battery cold plate, the second end of the battery cold plate is connected to the first end of the second electronic water pump, the second end of the second electronic water pump is connected to the first end of the fourth electronic three-way valve, the second end of the fourth electronic three-way valve is connected to the first intermediate pipe port, and the third end of the fourth electronic three-way valve is connected to the second intermediate pipe port of the pipeline between the third electronic three-way valve and the battery cold plate.

4. The coolant circuit according to claim 3, wherein the coolant circuit further comprises: Fifth electronic three-way valve, radiator, sixth electronic three-way valve; The third end of the first electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the fifth electronic three-way valve, the second end of the fifth electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the radiator, the second end of the radiator is connected to the first end of the electric drive assembly, the second end of the electric drive assembly is connected to the first end of the sixth electronic three-way valve, and the second end of the sixth electronic three-way valve is connected to the first intermediate pipe port.

5. The coolant circuit according to claim 4, further comprising: Sixth electronic three-way valve, third electronic water pump, condenser, seventh electronic three-way valve, eighth electronic three-way valve; The third end of the sixth electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the third electronic water pump, the second end of the third electronic water pump is connected to the first end of the condenser, the second end of the condenser is connected to the first end of the seventh electronic three-way valve, the second end of the seventh electronic three-way valve is connected to the first end of the heating element of the air conditioner, and the third end of the seventh electronic three-way valve is connected to the pipeline between the first electronic three-way valve and the fifth electronic three-way valve; the second end of the heating element is connected to the first end of the eighth electronic three-way valve, the second end of the eighth electronic three-way valve is connected to the second intermediate pipe port, and the third end of the eighth electronic three-way valve is connected to the third intermediate pipe port of the pipeline between the sixth electronic three-way valve and the third electronic water pump; A fourth intermediate pipe port is also provided between the battery cold plate and the second electronic water pump, and a pipeline connects the third intermediate pipe port and the fourth intermediate pipe port.

6. The coolant circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vehicle refrigerator further comprises: Refrigerant supply unit and blower; The heat exchanger is disposed between the refrigerant device and the blower. The refrigerant device and the blower are used to cool the inside of the vehicle refrigerator when the compressor in the refrigerant circuit stops working.

7. A thermal management system comprising a coolant circuit and a refrigerant circuit as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the coolant circuit is coupled to the refrigerant circuit.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein the refrigerant circuit comprises: Compressor, electronic expansion valve, and gas-liquid separator; The third end of the evaporator is connected to the first end of the gas-liquid separator, the second end of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the first end of the compressor, the second end of the compressor is connected to the third end of the condenser, the fourth end of the condenser is connected to the fourth end of the evaporator, and the electronic expansion valve is installed on the pipeline between the condenser and the evaporator.

9. The thermal management system according to claim 8, wherein the refrigerant circuit further comprises: Hot gas bypass valve; The pipeline between the compressor and the condenser is provided with a fifth intermediate port, and the pipeline between the gas-liquid separator and the evaporator is provided with a sixth intermediate port. A bypass pipeline is connected between the fifth intermediate port and the sixth intermediate port, and the hot gas bypass valve is provided on the bypass pipeline.

10. A control method for a thermal management system, applied to the thermal management system as described in claim 9, the method comprising: In response to control commands from the thermal management system, the compressor in the refrigerant circuit is controlled to discharge refrigerant and open the electronic expansion valve; The system controls the operation of a target electronic water pump in the coolant circuit and opens a target electronic expansion valve in the coolant circuit. The target electronic water pump includes one or more of a first electronic water pump, a second electronic water pump, and a third electronic water pump. The target electronic expansion valve includes one or more of a first electronic three-way valve, a second electronic three-way valve, a third electronic three-way valve, a fourth electronic three-way valve, a fifth electronic three-way valve, a sixth electronic three-way valve, a seventh electronic three-way valve, and an eighth electronic three-way valve.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein controlling the compressor in the refrigerant circuit to discharge refrigerant and open the electronic expansion valve in response to a control command from the thermal management system comprises: In response to the command to turn on the air conditioning and refrigerator cooling modes, the compressor in the refrigerant circuit is controlled to discharge refrigerant and close the hot gas bypass valve, and the electronic expansion valve is opened; The operation of the target electronic water pump in the control coolant circuit and the opening of the target electronic expansion valve in the coolant circuit include: The operation of the first, second, and third electronic water pumps in the coolant circuit is controlled. The first electronic three-way valve opens its first and second ends, the second electronic three-way valve opens its first, second, and third ends, the third electronic three-way valve opens its first, second, and third ends, the fourth electronic three-way valve opens its first, second, and third ends, the fifth electronic three-way valve opens its first and second ends, the sixth electronic three-way valve opens its first, second, and third ends, the seventh electronic three-way valve opens its first, second, and third ends, and the eighth electronic three-way valve opens its first and third ends.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein controlling the compressor in the refrigerant circuit to discharge refrigerant and open the electronic expansion valve in response to a control command from the thermal management system comprises: In response to the command to start the single air conditioning cooling mode, the compressor in the refrigerant circuit is controlled to discharge refrigerant and close the hot gas bypass valve, and the electronic expansion valve is opened; The operation of the target electronic water pump in the control coolant circuit and the opening of the target electronic expansion valve in the coolant circuit include: The operation of the first, second, and third electronic water pumps in the coolant circuit is controlled. The first electronic three-way valve opens its first and second ends, the second electronic three-way valve opens its first and third ends, the third electronic three-way valve opens its first, second, and third ends, the fourth electronic three-way valve opens its first, second, and third ends, the fifth electronic three-way valve opens its first and second ends, the sixth electronic three-way valve opens its first, second, and third ends, the seventh electronic three-way valve opens its first, second, and third ends, and the eighth electronic three-way valve opens its first and third ends.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein controlling the compressor in the refrigerant circuit to discharge refrigerant and open the electronic expansion valve in response to a control command from the thermal management system comprises: In response to the command to activate the single refrigerator cooling mode, the compressor in the refrigerant circuit is controlled to discharge refrigerant and close the hot gas bypass valve, and the electronic expansion valve is opened; The operation of the target electronic water pump in the control coolant circuit and the opening of the target electronic expansion valve in the coolant circuit include: The operation of the first and third electronic water pumps in the coolant circuit is controlled. The first electronic three-way valve opens the first and second ends, the second electronic three-way valve opens the first and second ends, the fifth electronic three-way valve opens the first and second ends, the sixth electronic three-way valve opens the first, second and third ends, and the seventh electronic three-way valve opens the first and third ends.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein controlling the compressor in the refrigerant circuit to discharge refrigerant and open the electronic expansion valve in response to a control command from the thermal management system comprises: In response to the command to activate the air conditioning heating and refrigerator cooling modes, the compressor in the refrigerant circuit is controlled to discharge refrigerant and close the hot gas bypass valve, and the electronic expansion valve is opened. The operation of the target electronic water pump in the control coolant circuit and the opening of the target electronic expansion valve in the coolant circuit include: The operation of the first and third electronic water pumps in the coolant circuit is controlled. The first electronic three-way valve opens the first, second and third ends. The second electronic three-way valve opens the first, second and third ends. The third electronic three-way valve opens the first and second ends. The fifth electronic three-way valve opens the first and second ends. The sixth electronic three-way valve opens the first and second ends. The seventh electronic three-way valve opens the first and second ends. The eighth electronic three-way valve opens the first, second and third ends.

15. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein controlling the compressor in the refrigerant circuit to discharge refrigerant and open the electronic expansion valve in response to a control command from the thermal management system comprises: In response to the command to activate the winter refrigerator cooling mode, the compressor in the refrigerant circuit is controlled to discharge refrigerant and close the hot gas bypass valve, and the electronic expansion valve is opened. The operation of the target electronic water pump in the control coolant circuit and the opening of the target electronic expansion valve in the coolant circuit include: The system controls the operation of the first electronic water pump in the coolant circuit, opens the first, second and third ends of the first electronic three-way valve, opens the first and second ends of the second electronic three-way valve, opens the first and second ends of the fifth electronic three-way valve, and opens the first and second ends of the sixth electronic three-way valve.

16. A vehicle comprising: The thermal management system as described in any one of claims 7 to 9.

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