Hybrid drive unit having a low-temperature circuit

• US 20070137909A1
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Holz, Matthias, Pott, Ekkehard, Zillmer, Michael, Hladun, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 7,649,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.245
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/435 Supercharger or turbochargers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/24 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/02 Intercooler
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid drive unit (10) for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine (12) and at least one electric machine (14) optionally operable as a motor or as a generator, has a charge air compressor (22) for compression of combustion air supplied to the internal combustion engine (12) and a charge air cooler (32) for cooling the combustion air. The hybrid drive unit (10) has a low-temperature cooling circuit (38) carrying a liquid coolant and is designed separately from a high-temperature cooling circuit of the internal combustion engine (12) and has a heat exchanger (42) for cooling the coolant, whereby the low-temperature cooling circuit (38) includes the charge air cooler (32) and the electric machine (12) and/or electronic components (34, 36) allocated to the electric machine (14).

Claims

1. A hybrid drive unit for a motor vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine and at least one electric machine which is optionally operable as a motor or as a generator,

a charge air compressor for compression of combustion air supplied to the internal combustion engine,

a charge air cooler for cooling the combustion air, and

a low-temperature cooling circuit carrying a liquid coolant and having a heat exchanger for cooling the coolant, whereby the low-temperature cooling circuit includes the charge air cooler and the electric machine and/or electronic components allocated to the electric machine.

2. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the electronic components allocated to the at least one electric machine include power electronics and/or a DC/DC converter and/or an pulse-width-modulation inverter and/or at least one energy storage device, in particular a condenser storage mechanism.

3. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger for cooling the cooling medium of the low-temperature cooling circuit is an air-water heat exchanger.

4. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the low-temperature cooling circuit is designed so that a coolant temperature of max. 80°

C. is not exceeded during at least 70% of a vehicle operating time.

5. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 4, wherein the low-temperature cooling circuit is designed so that a coolant temperature of max. 80°

C., especially max. 70°

C., preferably max. 60°

C. is not exceeded for at least 80%, especially at least 90%, preferably at least 95% of the vehicle operating time.

6. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine is integrated into a separate engine cooling circuit.

7. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 6, wherein the engine cooling circuit and the low-temperature cooling circuit are connected to one another via a feed-through site, in particular a feed-through site whose flow rate is controllable.

8. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the low-temperature cooling circuit has a coolant pump.

9. A hybrid drive unit for a motor vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine,

at least one electric machine which is optionally operable as a motor or as a generator,

a charge air compressor for compression of combustion air supplied to the internal combustion engine,

a charge air cooler for cooling the combustion air, and

a low-temperature cooling circuit carrying a liquid coolant and having a heat exchanger for cooling the coolant, whereby the low-temperature cooling circuit includes the charge air cooler and the electric machine and/or electronic components allocated to the electric machine,

wherein the electronic components allocated to the at least one electric machine include power electronics and/or a DC/DC converter and/or an pulse-width-modulation inverter and/or at least one energy storage device, in particular a condenser storage mechanism.

10. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 9, wherein the heat exchanger for cooling the cooling medium of the low-temperature cooling circuit is an air-water heat exchanger.

11. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 9, wherein the low-temperature cooling circuit is designed so that a coolant temperature of max. 80°

C. is not exceeded during at least 70% of a vehicle operating time.

12. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the low-temperature cooling circuit is designed so that a coolant temperature of max. 80°

C., especially max. 70°

C., preferably max. 60°

C. is not exceeded for at least 80%, especially at least 90%, preferably at least 95% of the vehicle operating time.

13. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 9, wherein the internal combustion engine is integrated into a separate engine cooling circuit.

14. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 13, wherein the engine cooling circuit and the low-temperature cooling circuit are connected to one another via a feed-through site, in particular a feed-through site whose flow rate is controllable.

15. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 9, wherein the low-temperature cooling circuit has a coolant pump.

16. A hybrid drive unit for a motor vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine and at least one electric machine which is optionally operable as a motor or as a generator,

a charge air compressor for compression of combustion air supplied to the internal combustion engine,

a charge air cooler for cooling the combustion air, and

a low-temperature cooling circuit carrying a liquid coolant and having a heat exchanger for cooling the coolant, whereby the low-temperature cooling circuit includes the charge air cooler and the electric machine and/or electronic components allocated to the electric machine,

wherein

the low-temperature cooling circuit is designed so that a coolant temperature of max. 80°

C., especially max. 70°

C., preferably max. 60°

C. is not exceeded for at least 80%, especially at least 90%, preferably at least 95% of the vehicle operating time,

the internal combustion engine is integrated into a separate engine cooling circuit, and wherein

the engine cooling circuit and the low-temperature cooling circuit are connected to one another via a feed-through site, in particular a feed-through site whose flow rate is controllable.

17. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 16, wherein the electronic components allocated to the at least one electric machine include power electronics and/or a DC/DC converter and/or an pulse-width-modulation inverter and/or at least one energy storage device, in particular a condenser storage mechanism.

18. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 16, wherein the heat exchanger for cooling the cooling medium of the low-temperature cooling circuit is an air-water heat exchanger.

19. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 16, wherein the low-temperature cooling circuit is designed so that a coolant temperature of max. 80°

C. is not exceeded during at least 70% of a vehicle operating time.

20. The hybrid drive unit according to claim 16, wherein the low-temperature cooling circuit has a coolant pump.