Vehicle Coolant Mixing Circuit for Battery Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motor vehicles with electric drive systems face challenges in maintaining the performance, reliability, and service life of electrical energy storage devices at cold temperatures, as existing heat transport medium circuits are inefficient in temperature control.
Innovation Solution
A heat transport medium circuit with a mixing device that selectively directs heat transport medium between a passenger compartment heating circuit and an energy storage device circuit, allowing for parallel and series connections to optimize temperature control, thereby improving the performance, reliability, and service life of electrical energy storage devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heat transport medium from passenger compartment heating circuit is used to heat energy storage devices, then temperature control of energy storage devices is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional mixing device and circuit configuration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transport medium circuit is designed to serve multiple functions: it can heat the passenger compartment, heat the energy storage devices, or perform both simultaneously through the mixing device. This multi-functionality allows the system to improve temperature control for energy storage devices while utilizing existing heating infrastructure, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing device acts as an intermediary component that combines heat transport medium from the passenger compartment heating circuit with coolant from the energy storage device circuit. This mediator enables efficient heat transfer and temperature control while managing the complexity of coordinating multiple circuit requirements through a single integrated component.
2Reliability
If heat transport medium circuit is optimized for energy storage device heating, then performance and reliability of energy storage devices improve, but passenger compartment heating capability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing device is designed to dynamically adjust the ratio of heat transport medium from the passenger compartment circuit versus coolant from the energy storage device circuit. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to optimize for energy storage device heating when reliability is critical, while maintaining the ability to prioritize passenger compartment heating when needed, thus balancing reliability improvement with operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by varying the mixing ratio of heat transport medium sources based on system needs. When energy storage device heating is prioritized for reliability, the mixing device adjusts to direct more heat to that circuit; when passenger comfort is prioritized, the ratio shifts accordingly. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between improving reliability and maintaining ease of operation.
3Loss of energy
If series connection is used between first and second sub-circuits, then heat transfer efficiency improves, but temperature control flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing device provides dynamic control over the series connection between sub-circuits, allowing the system to adjust the degree of series connection based on thermal demands. When heat transfer efficiency is prioritized, the mixing device configures for maximum series connection; when temperature control flexibility is needed, it adjusts the mixing ratio to provide more independent control over each circuit's temperature, thus resolving the contradiction between efficiency and flexibility.
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
The proposed heat transport medium circuit enhances the temperature control of electrical energy storage devices, improving the performance, reliability, and service life of motor vehicles by efficiently utilizing heat from the passenger compartment heating circuit for energy storage device heating.
Implementation Method 1
a mixing device which can be selectively switched into at least one first operating state in which the mixing device directs a first portion, which in one embodiment may be zero, of heat transport medium flowing in from the first sub-circuit (into the mixing device) into the second sub-circuit
Implementation Method 2
at least one heating device which heats the heat transport medium flowing through the first partial circuit
Implementation Method 3
at least one cooling device which cools the heat transport medium flowing through the first partial circuit
Data Source
Figure 1~2(c)
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a heat transfer medium circuit for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, comprising: - a first partial circuit having at least one heating device (111, 115) for heating heat transfer medium flowing through the first partial circuit and/or at least one cooling device (104) for cooling heat transfer medium flowing through the first partial circuit; - a second partial circuit having at least one electrical energy store (202) which can be heated and/or cooled by heat transfer medium flowing through the second partial circuit to supply at least one electric motor (301) for driving the motor vehicle; and - a mixing device (400; 500, 600) which can be switched selectively to - at least one first operating state for directing a first fraction of heat transfer medium flowing in from the first partial circuit into the second partial circuit; and - at least one second operating state for directing a second fraction, which differs from the first fraction, of heat transfer medium flowing in from the first partial circuit into the second partial circuit and for returning heat transfer medium flowing in from the second partial circuit into the first partial circuit, and - the mixing device can be switched to at least one third operating state for directing a third fraction, which differs from the first and second fractions, of heat transfer medium flowing in from the first partial circuit into the second partial circuit and for returning heat transfer medium flowing in from the second partial circuit into the first partial circuit; and/or - the first partial circuit has at least one passenger compartment heating device (118) for heating a passenger compartment by heat transfer medium flowing through the first partial circuit and/or at least one passenger compartment cooling device (108) for cooling a passenger compartment by heat transfer medium flowing through the first partial circuit.