Refrigerant Thermal Module Layout for Low-Loss EV Heating and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electric vehicle thermal management systems have high costs due to a large number of components, complex control logic, and significant pressure drop losses in refrigerant systems, which affect performance and energy efficiency, especially in heating and cooling requirements.
Innovation Solution
A centrally arranged refrigerant thermal management module with a compressor, condenser, and parallel refrigerant loops, using a plate heat exchanger to absorb heat from a coolant loop for cooling and a condenser to release heat for heating, with a unified refrigerant flow direction to simplify control logic and reduce pipeline length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate refrigerant circuits are used for battery and powertrain thermal management, then thermal management effectiveness is improved, but system complexity and refrigerant quantity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the battery thermal management circuit and powertrain thermal management circuit into a single integrated refrigerant circuit. The battery cooling plate and powertrain heat exchanger share the same refrigerant loop, allowing one compressor and condenser to serve both thermal management needs, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining effective thermal control for both components.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant circuit is designed with multi-functionality to serve both battery and powertrain thermal management. By incorporating both the battery cooling plate and powertrain heat exchanger into the same refrigerant loop, the system achieves universal thermal management capability, reducing the need for separate dedicated circuits and components.
2Reliability
If separate refrigerant circuits are used for battery and powertrain thermal management, then thermal management effectiveness is improved, but refrigerant quantity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the battery thermal management circuit and powertrain thermal management circuit into a single integrated refrigerant circuit. The battery cooling plate and powertrain heat exchanger share the same refrigerant loop, allowing one compressor and condenser to serve both thermal management needs, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining effective thermal control for both components.
3Temperature
If battery is placed in front row of vehicle, then cooling efficiency is improved, but safety risk increases due to proximity to driver
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the battery thermal management by providing dedicated cooling plates for different battery modules (first cooling plate for first battery module, second cooling plate for second battery module). This segmentation allows optimized cooling pathways that can efficiently remove heat from each module while isolating potential thermal runaway risks to specific segments, reducing the safety impact on the driver.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling plates act as intermediaries between the battery modules and the refrigerant circuit. They provide thermal coupling for efficient heat removal while creating a physical and thermal barrier that isolates the battery chemistry from the passenger compartment, reducing safety risks to the driver even when the battery is positioned in the front row.
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 design reduces refrigerant flow resistance, lowers costs, and simplifies control, improving the thermal management system's performance and adaptability to various vehicle function modules while maintaining efficient heating and cooling capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger configured to be in heat exchange relationship with a battery module... capable of condensing the refrigerant into a liquid state when the refrigerant enters the first heat exchanger in a gaseous state
Implementation Method 2
a second heat exchanger configured to be in heat exchange relationship with the powertrain... capable of evaporating the refrigerant into a gaseous state when the refrigerant enters the second heat exchanger in a liquid state
Implementation Method 3
a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant... the compressor being positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger and upstream of the second heat exchanger
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application provide a refrigerant thermal management module, a thermal management system, and a vehicle. Components in the refrigerant thermal management module are centrally arranged, so that a pipeline connected between the components is shortened and a refrigerant flow resistance is reduced, improving working performance of a refrigerant loop. In addition, a platform-based design is implemented through modular design. In addition, a plate heat exchanger in the refrigerant loop is used to absorb heat from a coolant loop in a vehicle function module, to implement a function of cooling the vehicle function module; and a condenser in the refrigerant loop is used to release heat to the coolant loop of the vehicle function module, to implement a function of heating the vehicle function module. Regardless of whether the vehicle function module needs to be heated or cooled, refrigerant flows in the refrigerant thermal management module keep a same direction of circulation, and no direction switching is required, greatly simplifying control logic of the refrigerant thermal management module.