Flexible Heat Pump HVAC for EV Cabin and Battery Thermal Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) face challenges in thermal management, as they lack internal combustion engines, leading to inefficient heating and cooling solutions that drain battery power, limit range, and require alternative cooling methods, especially when the internal combustion engine is turned off.
Innovation Solution
A flexible thermal management system using a vapor compression refrigeration circuit with a refrigerant like R-1234yf, incorporating an inner and outside heat exchanger, and expansion devices to manage heating and cooling efficiently, allowing for simultaneous heating and cooling, and utilizing waste heat from electrical components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If electric heaters are used to provide heat in EVs, then heating needs are met, but vehicle range is limited due to high energy consumption from the battery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts waste heat from the battery cooling system into a useful heating source for the cabin. The heat exchanger captures thermal energy that would otherwise be discarded during battery cooling, and transfers it to the cabin air through the HVAC system, thereby reducing the need for additional heating energy from the battery.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery thermal management system is designed to serve dual functions: cooling the battery when needed and providing heat to the cabin when needed. The same heat exchanger and fluid circulation system used for battery cooling is repurposed to provide cabin heating, eliminating the need for separate heating systems and reducing overall energy consumption.
2Temperature
If a compressor mechanically driven by internal combustion engine is used for air conditioning, then cooling is provided, but EVs lack this mechanical drive source when the engine is turned off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanically driven compressor (which requires engine power) with an electrically driven compressor that draws power directly from the battery. This substitution allows the air conditioning system to operate independently of the internal combustion engine, providing cooling capability in EVs and hybrid vehicles regardless of engine status.
3Temperature
If traditional thermal management systems are used in EVs, then heating and cooling are provided, but system complexity increases due to lack of integrated engine cooling system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the battery thermal management system with the cabin HVAC system into a single integrated thermal management platform. The battery cooling loop and cabin heating/cooling loop share common components including the heat exchanger, refrigerant circuit, and control systems, thereby reducing overall system complexity while providing comprehensive thermal regulation for both battery and cabin.
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 system enhances heating capacity, reduces energy consumption, eliminates condensing capacity issues, and provides efficient temperature regulation with minimal impact on vehicle range, effectively managing both heating and cooling needs while utilizing waste heat sources.
Implementation Method 1
a compressor for compressing first refrigerant vapor from a first pressure to a higher second pressure
Implementation Method 2
an inner condenser for selectively condensing during low temperature ambient conditions at least a portion of first refrigerant vapor from the compressor by rejecting heat to the cabin
Implementation Method 3
an outside heat exchanger located downstream of the inner condenser to selectively either (1) condense during low temperature ambient conditions at least a portion of that higher pressure refrigerant vapor not condensed in the inner condenser by rejecting heat, directly or indirectly, to ambient air and/or to a circulating coolant
Implementation Method 4
an open/closed/expansion device connected between the inner condenser and the outside heat exchanger for selectively (1) providing in an expansion mode a flow of reduced pressure liquid refrigerant from the inner condenser to the outside heat exchanger
Implementation Method 5
an inside heat exchanger fluidly connectable to the refrigerant downstream of the inner condenser for selectively cooling to a flow of cabin air
Implementation Method 6
a chiller fluidly connectable to the refrigerant downstream of the inner condenser for selectively heating a flow of liquid coolant
Data Source
AI summary
A heat transfer system to alternatively and/or simultaneously provide heating and cooling in a mobile vehicle that includes an electrical power source requiring heating and/or cooling during charging and/or operation and that includes a cabin that requires heat input during low temperature ambient conditions.