Vehicle Thermal Fluid Circuit With Bypass Loops for Battery and Cabin Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal management systems in electric or hybrid motor vehicles are energy-intensive, particularly when managing battery temperature and passenger compartment heating/cooling, as they often require significant electricity to maintain optimal battery temperature and heat the air in the passenger compartment.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management device with a heat transfer fluid circuit that includes multiple loops and bypasses, allowing for independent operation of heat exchangers and electric heating elements, along with a refrigerant fluid circuit for bifluid evaporators and condensers to efficiently manage battery temperature and air conditioning, optimizing energy use through various operating modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heat transfer fluid circuit with electric heating element is used to manage battery temperature, then battery thermal management is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the battery thermal management circuit with the passenger compartment climate control circuit into a single integrated heat transfer fluid circuit. The heat exchanger serves dual purposes: cooling batteries during operation and heating/cooling passenger compartment air. This merging allows waste heat from batteries to be reused for heating the passenger compartment, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining reliable thermal management for both systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger is designed as a multi-functional component that can simultaneously or alternatively: (1) cool batteries by transferring their heat to the heat transfer fluid, (2) heat the passenger compartment by transferring battery heat to cabin air, or (3) provide evaporative cooling to the passenger compartment. This universality eliminates the need for separate dedicated systems, reducing energy consumption while ensuring reliable thermal management adapts to various operating conditions.
2Ease of operation
If separate thermal management circuits are used for batteries and passenger compartment, then each system operates independently, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated circuit is segmented into functional zones with controllable flow paths: a battery thermal management loop with pump and heat exchanger, and a passenger compartment climate control loop with separate pump and heat exchanger sections. Bypass circuits allow selective activation of each segment, enabling independent operation when needed while maintaining the ability to integrate functions for simplified overall system operation, thus managing complexity through structured modularity.
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 enables efficient heating and cooling of batteries and passenger compartment air, reducing energy consumption by allowing for multiple operating modes that prioritize energy efficiency and effective temperature management, ensuring optimal battery performance and passenger comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a dual-fluid evaporator (19) arranged in thermal communication with the heat transfer fluid circuit B and the refrigerant circuit A
Implementation Method 2
a dual-fluid condenser (5) arranged jointly on the refrigerant circuit A and on the heat transfer fluid circuit B
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Device (1) for the thermal management of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, said thermal-management device (1) comprising a heat-transfer fluid circuit (B) comprising: • a first loop (B1) comprising a first pump (41), a first heat exchanger (42) and a second heat exchanger (43) located in the vicinity of batteries of the electric or hybrid motor vehicle, • a second loop (B2) comprising a second pump (46), a third heat exchanger (48) and an electric heating element (47) for the heat-transfer fluid, • a first bypass pipe (C1), and • a second bypass pipe (C2).