Multi-Line Heat Management for EV Battery and Drive Motor Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heat management systems for electric vehicles face challenges in efficiently managing heat from electric components and batteries, particularly in improving cooling performance for high-capacity drive motors and utilizing waste heat from electric components.
Innovation Solution
A heat management system incorporating a refrigerant circulation line with a compressor, water-cooled and air-cooled condensers, expansion valves, and a refrigerant heat exchanger, along with separate cooling lines for batteries and electric components, including directional valves for flexible coolant circulation to optimize cooling and heating performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a high capacity drive motor is applied to increase power output, then the motor generates more heat, but the cooling performance becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling system into separate cooling lines: a first cooling line for cooling batteries and a second cooling line for cooling electric components including the drive motor. This segmentation allows independent optimization of cooling parameters for each component, enabling the drive motor to receive dedicated cooling flow while batteries receive appropriate thermal management, thus resolving the cooling insufficiency issue for high-capacity motors without compromising battery thermal management.
2Temperature
If a refrigerant compressor is used for air conditioning, then cooling performance is improved, but electricity consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the waste heat generated by electric components (drive motor, inverter) and batteries as a heat source for the air conditioning system. The refrigerant circulation system absorbs heat from these components during cooling operation, and this heat is then utilized for heating the indoor area during heating mode. This converts the harmful waste heat into a useful resource, reducing the electricity consumption required for air conditioning while improving overall system efficiency.
3Loss of energy
If waste heat from electric components is utilized, then energy efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a multi-functional heat management system where the refrigerant circulation line serves multiple purposes: cooling batteries, cooling electric components, and providing air conditioning. The same refrigerant system also functions as a heat source for heating mode. By making the system universal and multi-functional, the patent achieves waste heat utilization without proportionally increasing system complexity, as one integrated system performs multiple thermal management tasks that would otherwise require separate systems.
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 enables efficient heat management for electric components and batteries, enhances cooling performance for high-capacity drive motors, and effectively utilizes waste heat, improving overall vehicle thermal management.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant heat exchanger 233 heat-exchanging a refrigerant flowing into the second expansion valve 240 and a refrigerant discharged from the evaporator 242 with each other
Implementation Method 2
a water-cooled condenser 220
Implementation Method 3
an evaporator 242
Data Source
AI summary
A heat management system which includes: a refrigerant circulation line which includes a compressor, a water cooling-type condenser, a first expansion valve, an air cooling-type condenser, a second expansion valve, and an evaporator, and cools the indoor space by circulating a refrigerant; a heating line which heats the indoor space by circulating cooling water which exchanges heat with the refrigerant through the water cooling-type condenser; a first cooling line which cools a battery by circulating cooling water which exchanges heat with air or the refrigerant; and a second cooling line which cools electric components including a driving motor, by circulating cooling water which exchanges heat with air or the refrigerant. The heat management system enables efficient heat management of electric components and a battery in a vehicle as well as cooling and heating of the vehicle.