EV Thermal Circuit Coupling for Battery, Drive, and Cabin Heat Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal management systems for electric vehicles are complex and costly, requiring multiple components and valves to manage heat transfer between the drive circuit, battery circuit, and air conditioning circuit, which complicates temperature control and increases manufacturing effort.
Innovation Solution
A simplified thermal management system that uses a single heat exchanger and coolant valve to transfer waste heat from the drive and battery circuits to the vehicle interior, allowing for simultaneous heating and cooling, and integrates a coolant-operated heat transfer circuit to connect or separate the air conditioning circuit from the battery and drive circuits, reducing the need for additional components like air-refrigerant condensers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional thermal management systems use multiple heat exchangers and coolant valves to manage heat transfer between circuits, then temperature control capability is improved, but system complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling the heat exchanger to serve multiple purposes: it can transfer heat between the battery circuit and drive circuit, between the air conditioning circuit and coolant circuits, and can simultaneously heat or cool different components. The single heat exchanger replaces multiple separate heat exchangers, achieving the same temperature control capabilities with reduced system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple heat transfer functions into a single heat exchanger unit. Instead of using separate heat exchangers for battery cooling, drive circuit cooling, and air conditioning, the system combines these functions into one integrated heat exchanger that can handle all heat transfer operations between different circuits through controlled coolant flow paths.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional thermal management systems use multiple components and valves for heat transfer, then temperature control precision is improved, but manufacturing effort and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The controllable coolant valve is designed to perform multiple functions: it can direct coolant flow to different circuits (battery circuit, drive circuit, air conditioning circuit), regulate flow rates, and control the timing of heat transfer operations. This single multi-functional valve replaces multiple specialized valves, maintaining temperature control precision while reducing manufacturing complexity.
3Productivity
If the system integrates coolant-operated heat transfer circuit to connect air conditioning circuit with battery and drive circuits, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coolant-operated heat transfer circuit that acts as an intermediary between the air conditioning circuit and the battery/drive circuits. This intermediate coolant loop enables efficient heat transfer by using coolant as a mediator to transport thermal energy between circuits with different temperature levels, achieving high heat transfer efficiency while maintaining clear system architecture through controlled flow paths.
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 design enables efficient temperature control of the electric vehicle's drive battery, electric drive, power electronics, and interior while simplifying the system architecture, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs, and allowing for flexible heat transfer connections between circuits.
Implementation Method 1
both the heat exchanger and the cooler can be used simultaneously to transfer the waste heat from the drive circuit, namely the waste heat from the electric drive and the power electronics, and the waste heat from the battery circuit, namely the waste heat from the drive battery, to heat the vehicle interior of the electric vehicle
Implementation Method 2
both the heat exchanger and the cooler can be used simultaneously to transfer the waste heat from the drive circuit... and the waste heat from the battery circuit... to heat the vehicle interior
Implementation Method 3
the heat exchanger can be flowed through or not by refrigerant depending on the control of the refrigerant valve
Implementation Method 4
a heat transfer connection can therefore be established or severed between the air conditioning circuit with the coolant on the one hand and at least one of the aforementioned coolant circuits, namely the battery circuit and/or the drive circuit
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a thermal management system (2) for an electric vehicle, comprising a control unit (4), a battery circuit (8) connected for heat transfer to a drive battery (6) of the electric vehicle, a drive circuit (14) connected for heat transfer to an electric drive (10) of the electric vehicle and/or to a power electronics unit (12) for an electric drive (10), and an air conditioning circuit (16) connected for heat transfer to a vehicle interior of the electric vehicle, wherein on the one hand the battery circuit (8) and the drive circuit (14) are each operable with a coolant and can be connected to or separated from one another for transfer of coolant by means of at least one actuatable coolant valve (18), and on the other hand the air conditioning circuit (16) can be operated with a refrigerant different from the coolant, characterised in that a heat transfer connection between the battery circuit (8) and/or the drive circuit (14) on the one hand and the air conditioning circuit (16) on the other hand can be established or separated by means of at least one heat exchange device (24) of the thermal management system (2) depending on an actuation of the coolant valve (18) and an actuation of the heat exchange device (24) by means of the control unit (4). The invention also relates to a method for operating a thermal management system (2).