Drive assembly and vehicle comprising such a drive assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a drive assembly (10) for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising a cooling circuit (12) in which a coolant (14) is conveyed, the cooling circuit comprising a coolant sump (16) for storing the coolant (14), a coolant pump (18) for conveying the coolant (14), and a bypassable heat exchanger (20), wherein the drive assembly (10) comprises a control unit (22), the control unit (22) being designed to control the bypassing of the heat exchanger (20) and to control the coolant pump (18). The invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising such a drive assembly.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] title

[0003] Drive arrangement and vehicle with such a drive arrangement

[0004] State of the art

[0005] The invention relates to a drive arrangement, in particular for a vehicle, with features of claim 1, and to a vehicle with features of the dependent claim.

[0006] Drive systems generate heat during operation, which must be dissipated to ensure the efficiency of the drive system. This applies particularly to drive systems in electric vehicles with an electric motor or hybrid vehicles with a conventional combustion engine and an electric motor.

[0007] DE 102019 117637 A1 discloses a drive arrangement with an electric machine and a cooling circuit used to cool the electric machine.

[0008] A disadvantage of this approach is that the temperature management operates independently of the system requirements. This negatively impacts the effectiveness, efficiency, and control over the heat input and output of the drive system.

[0009] Disclosure of the invention

[0010] According to the invention, a drive arrangement for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, is proposed. The drive arrangement comprises a cooling circuit in which a coolant is circulated. The cooling circuit includes a coolant sump for storing the coolant, a coolant pump for circulating the coolant, and a bypassable heat exchanger. The drive arrangement includes a control unit. The control unit is configured to control a bypass of the heat exchanger as well as to control the coolant pump.

[0011] The coolant can also act as a lubricant, so the terms cooling circuit, coolant, and coolant sump are to be understood analogously to the terms lubrication circuit, lubricant, and lubricant sump. The coolant or lubricant can be oil.

[0012] The control unit can include a logic box or be comprised of a logic box. The control unit can be a central unit within a module or be divided into several interconnected circuit sections. The control unit can be configured to make decisions or issue control commands based on system requirements or the cooling needs of individual components of the drive assembly.

[0013] This allows for targeted temperature management depending on system requirements. The effectiveness, efficiency, and control of heat input and output from the drive assembly can be optimized. In particular, the control unit enables the necessary coolant flow to the parts of the drive assembly or cooling circuit where coolant is needed.

[0014] According to a further development of the drive arrangement, the cooling circuit can include at least one filter for filtering the coolant.

[0015] This makes it possible to prevent foreign objects or particles from entering the cooling circuit using simple means.

[0016] According to a further development of the drive arrangement, the cooling circuit can include an electric machine. The electric machine can have a stator and a rotor. This allows the electric machine, in particular the stator and / or the rotor, to be supplied with coolant and thus cooled or lubricated using simple means.

[0017] The drive arrangement can, for example, be designed as an e-axle or form part of an e-axle.

[0018] According to a further development of the drive arrangement, the cooling circuit can include a gearbox. The gearbox can be connected downstream in the cooling circuit of the electric machine.

[0019] This allows the gearbox to be supplied with coolant using simple means, thus cooling and lubricating it.

[0020] In this context, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are to be understood as referring to an arrangement in relation to the flow direction of the coolant in the cooling circuit. For example, the heat exchanger can be downstream of the coolant pump and thus, in the direction of coolant flow in the cooling circuit, located after the coolant pump.

[0021] According to a further development of the drive arrangement, the electric machine and / or the gearbox can be at least partially arranged in a housing. The control unit can be integrated into the housing or arranged on the housing.

[0022] This allows for the most compact design possible.

[0023] According to a further development of the drive arrangement, the cooling circuit can include a first valve for directing the coolant through the transmission. The first valve can be used, in particular, to regulate the coolant flow through the transmission.

[0024] This allows the gearbox to be isolated from the coolant flow using simple means. According to a further development of the drive arrangement, the cooling circuit can include a second valve for directing the coolant through the electric machine, the stator, and / or the rotor.

[0025] This allows the coolant to be selectively routed through the electric machine, the stator and / or the rotor using simple means.

[0026] According to a further development of the drive arrangement, the cooling circuit can include a third valve to bypass the heat exchanger.

[0027] This allows the coolant to be routed either through the heat exchanger or around the heat exchanger, for example by means of a bypass line, using simple means.

[0028] According to a further development of the actuator arrangement, the first valve, the second valve, and / or a third valve can be controlled by the control unit. The control unit can be configured to control the valve(s) with a current control signal. Alternatively or additionally, the actuator arrangement can include data lines for this purpose, with the control unit being connected to the first, second, and / or third valve via a separate data line. In this case, the control of the individual valves by the control unit can then be implemented via a data bus.

[0029] The first, second, and / or third valve can each be configured as an actuator, with a control current for each actuator being generated in the control unit. Alternatively, the first, second, and / or third valve can each be configured as a "smart" actuator, in which case the "smart" actuator can generate its own control current and be controlled via a data bus.

[0030] This allows for simple control of the first, second, and / or third valve, and thus temperature management of the corresponding parts of the actuator assembly. The actuator assembly can include a manifold with flow channels, whereby the manifold and / or the flow channels can be part of the cooling circuit. The manifold can be integrated into the housing or mounted on it. The control unit, the first valve, the second valve, the third valve, at least one data line, the coolant pump, the heat exchanger, and / or the filter can be integrated into or mounted on the manifold.

[0031] This allows for the implementation of the most compact cooling circuit possible and thus a compact drive arrangement.

[0032] According to the invention, a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, with a drive arrangement as described above is proposed. Regarding the advantages achievable thereby, reference is made to the corresponding descriptions of the drive arrangement. The measures described in connection with the drive arrangement and / or those explained below can be used for further development of the vehicle.

[0033] One embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows:

[0034] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a drive arrangement.

[0035] The drive arrangement in Figure 1 bears the reference numeral 10. The drive arrangement 10 can be configured for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle.

[0036] The drive arrangement 10 comprises a cooling circuit 12 in which a coolant 14 is circulated. The cooling circuit 12 includes a coolant sump 16 for storing the coolant 14, a coolant pump 18 for circulating the coolant 14, and a bypassable heat exchanger 20.

[0037] The drive assembly 10 includes a control unit 22. The control unit 22 is configured to control a bypass of the heat exchanger 20. The control unit 22 is also configured to control the coolant pump 18. The cooling circuit 12 includes two filters 24 for filtering the coolant 14. A first filter 24 is located upstream of the coolant pump 18. A second filter 24 is located downstream of the coolant pump 18. In this configuration, the heat exchanger 20 is located downstream of the second filter 24. In this configuration, the coolant sump 16 is located upstream of the first filter 24.

[0038] The cooling circuit 12 comprises an electric machine 26 with a stator 28 and a rotor 30. In this case, the stator 28 and the rotor 30 can each be supplied with coolant separately (by means of a separate coolant line).

[0039] The cooling circuit 12 includes a gearbox 32. The gearbox 32 is connected downstream of the electric machine 26.

[0040] The electric machine 26 and the gearbox 32 are, in this case, at least partially arranged in a (common) housing 34. The control unit 22 can be integrated into the housing 34 or arranged on the housing 34.

[0041] The cooling circuit 12 has a first valve 36 for directing the coolant 14 through the transmission 32.

[0042] The cooling circuit 12 has a second valve 38 for directing the coolant 14 through the electric machine 26, the stator 28 and / or the rotor 30.

[0043] The first and second valves 36, 38 are located downstream of the heat exchanger 20. By closing or opening the first and / or the second valve 36, 38, the coolant can be selectively directed through the electric motor 26, the stator 28, the rotor 30 and / or the gearbox 32.

[0044] For example, by opening the first valve 36 and closing the second valve 38, the electric machine 26 (or the stator 28 and the rotor 30) can be bypassed. All the coolant 14 conveyed is routed directly to the gearbox 32 after the heat exchanger. By closing the first valve 36 and opening the second valve 38, all the coolant 14 conveyed can be routed after the heat exchanger 20 to the electric machine 26, the stator 28, and / or the rotor 30. The coolant 14 can then be routed to the gearbox 32 and the coolant sump 16.

[0045] The cooling circuit 12 includes a third valve 40 for bypassing the heat exchanger 20. The third valve 40 is located upstream of the heat exchanger 20. The coolant 14 can be directed either through the heat exchanger 20 or around the heat exchanger 20 via a bypass line 13 using the third valve 40.

[0046] The heat exchanger 20 can include an inlet 15 and an outlet 17.

[0047] The heat exchanger 20 can be designed to allow flow of a fluid (gas and / or liquid) around it, the fluid being supplied to the heat exchanger 20 through the inlet 15 and discharged from the heat exchanger 20 through the outlet 17. The fluid can be a coolant that is circulated in a separate (external) cooling circuit.

[0048] The first valve 36, the second valve 38, and / or the third valve 40 are each designed to be controllable by means of the control unit 22. The drive assembly 10 has a data line 42 for this purpose. The coolant pump 18 is also connected to the control unit 22 by means of a data line 42. Thus, the first valve 36, the second valve 38, the third valve 40, and / or the coolant pump 18 can be controlled by means of the control unit 22.

[0049] The coolant pump 18 controls the flow of coolant 14 within the cooling circuit 12. The flow of coolant 14 can be directed to the respective parts of the cooling circuit 12 as desired (selectively) by means of the three valves 36, 38, 40. This allows the entire temperature management of the drive assembly 10 to be implemented by means of the control unit 22.

[0050] The flow of coolant 14 within the cooling circuit 12 can be described as follows: The coolant 14 is stored in the coolant sump 16. From the coolant sump 16, the coolant 14 passes through the first filter 24 into the coolant pump 18. From the coolant pump 18, which circulates the coolant 14 within the cooling circuit 12, the coolant 14 passes through the second filter 24 either into the heat exchanger 20 or into a bypass line 13 (around the heat exchanger 20). Subsequently, the coolant 14 can be directed either to the electric machine 26, the stator 28, the rotor 30, and / or the gearbox 32. Finally, the coolant 14 returns to the coolant sump 16.

Claims

Claims 1. Drive arrangement (10) for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, with a cooling circuit (12) in which a coolant (14) is conveyed, comprising: a coolant sump (16) for storing the coolant (14), a coolant pump (18) for conveying the coolant (14), a bypassable heat exchanger (20), wherein the drive arrangement (10) comprises a control unit (22), wherein the control unit (22) is configured to control a bypass of the heat exchanger (20) as well as to control the coolant pump (18).

2. Drive arrangement (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooling circuit (12) comprises at least one filter (24) for filtering the coolant (14).

3. Drive arrangement (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cooling circuit (12) comprises an electric machine (26) with a stator (28) and a rotor (30).

4. Drive arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling circuit (12) comprises a gearbox (32).

5. Drive arrangement (10) according to claim 3 and / or 4, characterized in that the electric machine (26) and / or the transmission (32) are at least partially arranged in a housing (34), wherein the control unit (22) is integrated into the housing (34) or arranged on the housing (34).

6. Drive arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims and claim 4, characterized in that the cooling circuit (12) comprises a first valve (36) for directing the coolant (14) through the transmission (32).

7. Drive arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims and claim 3, characterized in that the cooling circuit (12) comprises a second valve (38) for directing the coolant (14) through the electric machine (26), the stator (28) and / or the rotor (30).

8. Drive arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling circuit (12) comprises a third valve (40) for bypassing the heat exchanger (20).

9. Drive arrangement (10) according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the first valve (36), the second valve (38) and / or the third valve (40) are controllable by means of the control unit (22), in particular by means of a data line (42) in each case.

10. Vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising at least one Drive arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

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