Integrated Chiller Heat Pump for Battery and Motor Thermal Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing heat pump systems for vehicles are complex, leading to increased size and weight due to separate cooling systems for batteries and motors, which results in noise, vibration, and reduced ride comfort, and inefficient heating and cooling performance.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump system that utilizes a single chiller for heat exchange between a coolant and refrigerant to adjust battery module temperature, recovering waste heat from electrical components and batteries for internal heating, simplifying the system and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate cooling systems are provided for battery and motor, then cooling performance is improved, but system complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the battery cooling system and motor cooling system into a single integrated cooling circuit. The coolant flows through both the battery cooler and motor cooler sequentially, allowing one cooling system to serve multiple thermal management functions. This reduces the number of separate cooling circuits, valves, and pumps, thereby decreasing system complexity and weight while maintaining adequate cooling performance for both components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed with multi-functionality where the same coolant circuit performs both battery cooling and motor cooling tasks. The single cooling system can adaptively serve different thermal management needs based on operating conditions, making the system more versatile and reducing the overall number of components required.
2Reliability
If separate cooling systems are provided for battery and motor, then cooling performance is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the battery cooling system and motor cooling system into a single integrated cooling circuit. The coolant flows through both the battery cooler and motor cooler sequentially, allowing one cooling system to serve multiple thermal management functions. This reduces the number of separate cooling circuits, valves, and pumps, thereby decreasing system complexity and weight while maintaining adequate cooling performance for both components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple valves are used for connection pipes, then system adaptability is improved, but noise and vibration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the number of valves by merging control functions. Instead of having multiple separate valves for different cooling paths, the system uses a simplified valve arrangement that controls the single integrated cooling circuit. This reduces the number of moving parts that generate noise and vibration while maintaining the ability to adapt to different thermal management requirements through electronic control of the reduced valve set.
4Reliability
If separate cooling systems are provided, then cooling capability is improved, but heating efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements waste heat recovery functionality where heat generated by the motor during operation is captured by the integrated cooling system and redirected to heat the battery or provide cabin heating. This converts the harmful waste heat into a useful resource, improving overall heating efficiency while the same system maintains effective cooling capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated cooling system is designed to perform multiple functions including cooling the battery, cooling the motor, recovering waste heat, and providing heating. This multi-functional design allows the system to adapt to different operational modes and improve overall energy efficiency by utilizing waste heat that would otherwise be lost.
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 approach optimizes battery performance, enhances heating efficiency, reduces system complexity and weight, and improves overall vehicle travel distance by efficiently managing battery temperature and utilizing waste heat for internal heating.
Implementation Method 1
a chiller connected to a first connection line, which is connected to the battery coolant line between the second radiator and the battery module, and a second connection line connected to the first valve, and connected to a refrigerant line of an air conditioner through a refrigerant connection line, to adjust a temperature of the coolant by performing heat exchange between the coolant which is introduced in the chiller and a refrigerant which is selectively supplied from the refrigerant line of the air conditioner
Implementation Method 2
a condenser provided in the heating line between the second valve and the heater so that the coolant circulating through the heating apparatus passes therethrough and connected to the coolant line and the refrigerant line, and configured for circulating the coolant therein to perform heat exchange between the coolant and a refrigerant supplied through the refrigerant line
Implementation Method 3
an evaporator connected to the refrigerant line; a condenser provided in the heating line between the second valve and the heater so that the coolant circulating through the heating apparatus passes therethrough and connected to the coolant line and the refrigerant line, and configured for circulating the coolant therein to perform heat exchange between the coolant and a refrigerant supplied through the refrigerant line
Data Source
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AI summary
A heat pump system for a vehicle includes a cooling apparatus (10) of circulating a coolant in a coolant line (11) to cool at least one electrical component (15) provided in the coolant line (11); a battery cooling apparatus (20) of circulating the coolant to the battery module (24); a chiller (30) for heat exchanging the coolant with a refrigerant to control a temperature of the coolant; a heating apparatus (40) that heats an interior of the vehicle using the coolant; the chiller being connected to a first connection line (32), which is connected to a battery coolant line (21), a second connection line (34) connected to the first valve (V1), and connected to a refrigerant line (51) of an air conditioner through a refrigerant connection line (61) and a third connection line (36) having a first end portion connected to the chiller (30), and a second end portion connected to a second valve (V2).