Battery Thermal Circuit Bypass Layout for Lower Refrigerant Pressure Drop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal management systems in electric and hybrid motor vehicles face inefficiencies due to pressure drops caused by the succession of expansion devices and heat exchangers, leading to increased energy consumption as they require more powerful compressors to maintain suction power.
Innovation Solution
A reversible thermal management device with a circulation circuit that includes a main loop and bypass branches, allowing the refrigerant fluid to circulate in parallel through a first heat exchanger and a cooler, reducing pressure drops by bypassing the internal condenser and expansion devices, and utilizing an internal heat exchanger for efficient heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the refrigerant fluid successively enters an expansion device, a first heat exchanger configured to absorb heat from the outside ambient air and then once more another expansion device and a second heat exchanger configured to recover heat coming from the batteries and/or the electric powertrain, then heat recovery at the batteries and/or the electric powertrain is achieved, but pressure drops occur which have an impact on the compressor and require more suction power
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation circuit is divided into a main loop and two bypass branches, allowing the refrigerant fluid to flow through different paths. The first bypass branch is dedicated to heat recovery at the batteries/electric powertrain, while the main loop handles ambient heat exchange. This segmentation eliminates the successive passage through multiple expansion devices and heat exchangers, reducing cumulative pressure drops and improving compressor efficiency.
2Reliability
If a more powerful compressor is used to compensate for pressure drops and maintain suction power, then the thermal management function is maintained, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically routes the refrigerant fluid through different circulation paths using bypass branches with controllable flow resistance. By adjusting the flow resistance of the bypass branches, the system can optimize the refrigerant flow path to minimize pressure drops under different operating conditions, thereby maintaining suction power with reduced compressor energy consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces the power required by the compressor and minimizes energy consumption by limiting pressure drops, enabling effective heat recovery from batteries and the electric powertrain while maintaining efficient heating and cooling of the vehicle interior.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger through which a flow of external air passes and which acts as an evaporator draws heat from the ambient air outside the motor vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a first heat exchanger configured to absorb heat from the outside ambient air
Implementation Method 3
an internal condenser configured to transfer the heat to a flow of internal air
Implementation Method 4
an internal condenser intended to directly or indirectly heat a flow of internal air intended for the vehicle interior
Implementation Method 5
a cooler intended to cool the batteries and/or the electric powertrain of the motor vehicle
Implementation Method 6
the circulation circuit in which a refrigerant fluid is intended to circulate
Implementation Method 7
a compressor, an internal condenser intended to directly or indirectly heat a flow of internal air
Implementation Method 8
a first expansion device and a first heat exchanger
Implementation Method 9
This succession of expansion devices and heat exchangers causes pressure drops
Implementation Method 10
utilizing an internal heat exchanger for efficient heat transfer
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal management device for an electric or hybrid motor vehicle is disclosed. The thermal management device includes a reversible circulation circuit configured to circulate a refrigerant fluid. The reversible circulation circuit includes a main loop, a first bypass branch, and a second bypass branch. The main loop includes, in the direction of circulation of the refrigerant fluid, a compressor, an internal heat exchanger configured to directly or indirectly heat a flow of internal air en route to the vehicle interior, a first expansion device, and a first heat exchanger. The first bypass branch includes a second expansion device disposed upstream of a cooler. The cooler is configured to cool the batteries and/or the electric powertrain of the motor vehicle. The first bypass branch is connected in parallel at least with the first heat exchanger.