Integrated Heat Pump System for Electric Vehicle Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing heat pump systems in electric and hybrid vehicles are complex, leading to increased size and weight, noise, and vibrations due to separate cooling circuits for the motor, electric components, and batteries, which complicates the layout and reduces ride comfort.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump system that uses a centralized energy module to exchange thermal energy with a coolant, allowing for selective use of high-temperature or low-temperature coolants to control interior temperature, and efficiently utilizes waste heat from electric components and batteries to improve heating efficiency and reduce system complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate cooling circuits are used for motor, electric components, and batteries, then each component can be cooled effectively, but the system size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate cooling circuits (motor cooling, electric component cooling, battery cooling) into a single integrated cooling circuit that uses one coolant reservoir and shared cooling paths. This merging reduces the overall system weight while maintaining effective cooling of all components through a unified thermal management system.
2Reliability
If separate cooling circuits are used for motor, electric components, and batteries, then each component can be cooled effectively, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple cooling functions into a single cooling circuit with shared coolant reservoir and common cooling paths. This consolidation reduces the number of separate systems and connection pipes, thereby decreasing system complexity while maintaining the ability to cool all components effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The single coolant in the integrated cooling circuit serves multiple functions simultaneously: cooling the motor, cooling electric components, and cooling batteries. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate dedicated cooling systems for each component, reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If multiple valves are used to connect separate cooling circuits, then battery performance can be optimized, but noise and vibrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the number of valves by merging separate cooling circuits into one integrated system. Fewer valves mean fewer opening and closing operations, which directly reduces the noise and vibrations transmitted to the vehicle interior while still allowing optimal battery temperature control.
4Reliability
If separate cooling circuits are used, then heat generation of each component can be managed, but the layout of connection pipes becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple separate connection pipes into a single integrated cooling circuit with shared coolant reservoir and common piping. This merging simplifies the overall pipe layout and reduces the number of connection points while maintaining effective heat management for the motor, electric components, and batteries.
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 solution simplifies the heat pump system layout, reduces noise and vibrations, enhances heating efficiency, and increases the travel distance of the vehicle by optimizing battery performance, while also reducing the system's size and weight.
Implementation Method 1
exchanging thermal energy generated at the time of condensing and evaporating a refrigerant circulated therein with heat of a coolant
Implementation Method 2
condensing a high-temperature high-pressure gas-phase refrigerant compressed from the compressor by the condenser
Implementation Method 3
evaporating the refrigerant in the evaporator in a cooling mode
Implementation Method 4
a sub condenser in which the coolant and the refrigerant secondarily exchange heat to increase a condensing amount through a sub-cool increasing of the refrigerant and a sub heat exchanger in which the low-temperature refrigerant and the condensed refrigerant exchange heat to secondarily condense refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A heat pump system for vehicle includes a cooling device including a radiator and a first water pump by a cooling line and circulating a coolant along the cooling line to cool an electric component; a battery module provided on a battery cooling line selectively connected to the cooling line through a first valve; a HVAC module including an internal heater connected to the cooling line through a first connection line, a cooler connected to the battery cooling line through a second connection line, and an opening or closing door provided between the internal heater and the cooler and controlling external air passing through the cooler to be selectively introduced into the internal heater depending on cooling, heating, and heating and dehumidifying modes of the vehicle; and a centralized energy (CE) module connected to each of the battery cooling line and the cooling line.