EV Heat Pump Thermal Control for Waste Heat Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles face challenges in optimizing thermal management to enhance energy efficiency, as they lack engine-driven waste heat utilization and require efficient thermal management of high-voltage batteries and motors.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle thermal management system that includes a fluid transfer device with a heat pump function, capable of exchanging heat with vehicle parts to recover waste heat and control indoor heating. The system uses a control unit to optimize thermal management by deriving optimal control values based on current and predicted state values, ensuring minimal electric power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If waste heat recovery is performed through heat pump function, then indoor heating efficiency is improved, but electric power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers waste heat from vehicle parts (battery, motor, inverter) that would otherwise be discarded, and converts it into useful heating energy for the vehicle interior through the heat pump function. The control unit calculates optimal control values that maximize waste heat recovery while minimizing additional electric power consumption, thereby converting a harmful waste product into a beneficial resource.
2Reliability
If thermal management of vehicle parts is optimized, then operational performance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid transfer device serves multiple functions: it cools vehicle parts (battery, motor, inverter) when needed, recovers waste heat from these parts, and provides indoor heating through heat pump operation. The control unit integrates thermal management control and indoor heating control into a unified system that calculates optimal control values considering both vehicle part thermal requirements and heating demands, thereby reducing overall system complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors the thermal states of vehicle parts (battery temperature, motor temperature, inverter temperature) and the indoor heating requirements, then calculates optimal control values that adjust the fluid transfer device operation in real-time. This feedback mechanism ensures optimal operational performance while adapting to changing conditions without requiring overly complex manual control systems.
3Productivity
If hierarchical thermal management is implemented, then overall energy efficiency is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal management system is divided into hierarchical control levels: the control unit calculates optimal control values for the fluid transfer device based on thermal management results of individual vehicle parts (battery, motor, inverter), and separately controls indoor heating based on waste heat recovery potential. This segmented approach to hierarchical control enables comprehensive energy efficiency optimization while keeping the control logic organized and manageable through modular calculation of optimal control values for different system components.
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 improves overall energy efficiency by optimizing waste heat recovery and indoor heating, thereby increasing electric vehicle power efficiency and driving distance per charge.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid transfer device provided with a heat pump function for exchanging heat with at least one or more vehicle parts to selectively recover waste heat of the vehicle parts and discharging air into a vehicle interior to perform indoor heating
Implementation Method 2
a compressor configured to compress and discharge a refrigerant that recovers the waste heat from the vehicle parts through the coolant
Implementation Method 3
coolant pumps configured to flow a coolant for cooling the vehicle parts
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle thermal management system includes a fluid transfer device including an electric power consumption unit, and a control unit for controlling indoor heating through the fluid transfer device on the basis of an optimal control value for the indoor heating.