EV Multi-Mode Thermal Management System

摘要

A multi-mode vehicle thermal management system is provided that allows efficient thermal communication between a refrigerant-based thermal control loop and three non-refrigerant-based thermal control loops, where one of the non-refrigerant-based loops provides temperature control over the vehicle's passenger cabin, a second of the non-refrigerant-based control loops is thermally coupled to the vehicle's battery system and the third of the non-refrigerant-based control circuits is thermally coupled to the vehicle's drive train. The refrigerant-based control loop may be operated either in a heating mode or a cooling mode and is coupled to the vehicle's HVAC system using a refrigerant-air heat exchanger, and to one or more of the non-refrigerant-based control loops using refrigerant-fluid heat exchangers. A valve assembly is used to couple and/or decouple the passenger cabin and battery thermal control loops, thereby allowing these two thermal control loops to operate either in parallel or in series.

主权项

1. A multi-mode vehicle thermal management system, comprising:
a passenger cabin thermal control loop comprising a first circulation pump and a liquid-air heat exchanger, wherein said first circulation pump circulates a first heat transfer fluid within said passenger cabin thermal control loop and through said liquid-air heat exchanger, and wherein said passenger cabin thermal control loop provides temperature control of a vehicle passenger cabin; a battery thermal control loop comprising a second circulation pump, wherein said second circulation pump circulates said first heat transfer fluid within said battery thermal control loop, and wherein said battery thermal control loop is thermally coupled to a vehicle battery pack; a drive train control loop comprising a third circulation pump, wherein said third circulation pump circulates a second heat transfer fluid within said drive train control loop, wherein said drive train control loop is thermally coupled to at least one drive train component, wherein said drive train thermal control loop operates in parallel with and independent of said passenger cabin thermal control loop, and wherein said drive train thermal control loop operates in parallel with and independent of said battery thermal control loop; a valve assembly, wherein said passenger cabin thermal control loop operates in parallel with and independent of said battery thermal control loop when said valve assembly is configured in a first mode, wherein said passenger cabin thermal control loop is serially coupled to said battery thermal control loop when said valve assembly is configured in a second mode; a refrigerant-based thermal control loop, wherein said refrigerant-based thermal control loop is comprised of a refrigerant, a compressor, and a condenser/evaporator; a refrigerant-air heat exchanger coupled to said refrigerant-based thermal control loop by a first expansion valve, wherein said refrigerant-air heat exchanger is thermally coupled to a vehicle HVAC system; a refrigerant valve operable in at least two modes; and a refrigerant-fluid heat exchanger coupled to said passenger cabin thermal control loop, wherein said refrigerant valve in a first mode directs said refrigerant through said refrigerant-air heat exchanger and said first expansion valve, wherein said refrigerant valve in a second mode directs said refrigerant through said refrigerant-fluid heat exchanger, and wherein said first heat transfer fluid within said passenger cabin thermal control loop is heated when said refrigerant is directed through said refrigerant-fluid heat exchanger.