Electric vehicle thermal management system

• US 20080251235A1
• Filed: 04/11/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhou, Peng
• Granted Patent: US 7,789,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00885 Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32281 comprising a single secondary circuit, e.g. at evaporator or condenser side
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00928 comprising a secondary circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An efficient thermal management system (100) that utilizes a single heat exchanger (133) is provided. A refrigeration subsystem (103) cools the heat exchanger (133). A first coolant loop (139) in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (133) is used to cool the energy storage system (137). A second coolant loop (151) corresponding to the HVAC subsystem (107) is also in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (133). Preferably a third coolant loop (109) corresponding to the drive motor cooling subsystem (101) is coupleable to the HVAC coolant loop (151), thus providing an efficient means of providing heat to the HVAC subsystem (107).

Claims

1. An electric vehicle thermal management system comprising:

a refrigeration subsystem comprising a refrigerant and a heat exchanger;

a first coolant loop in thermal communication with an energy storage system and in thermal communication with said heat exchanger; and

a heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) subsystem comprising a second coolant loop in thermal communication with said heat exchanger.

2. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, said refrigeration system further comprising a compressor, a condenser and a thermostatic expansion valve.

3. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, said energy storage system further comprising a plurality of batteries.

4. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, said first coolant loop further comprising a coolant pump and a coolant reservoir.

5. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 4, further comprising a heater in thermal communication with said first coolant loop.

6. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, said HVAC subsystem further comprising a radiator and a blower fan.

7. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 6, said second coolant loop further comprising a coolant pump.

8. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 6, further comprising a heater in thermal communication with said radiator.

9. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, further comprising a power train cooling subsystem, said power train cooling subsystem comprising a third coolant loop in thermal communication with a vehicle drive motor and in thermal communication with a radiator.

10. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 9, said third coolant loop further comprising a coolant pump and a coolant reservoir.

11. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 9, said power train cooling subsystem further comprising a power electronics module in thermal communication with said third coolant loop.

12. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 9, further comprising means for controllably and fluidly coupling said second coolant loop to said third coolant loop.

13. The electric vehicle thermal management system of claim 12, wherein said controllable fluid coupling means comprises a first flow control valve within said third coolant loop and a pair of flow control valves within said second coolant loop.

14. A heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system comprising:

a first coolant loop in thermal communication with a heat exchanger;

a radiator coupled to said first coolant loop;

a coolant circulation pump coupled to said first coolant loop;

a refrigeration subsystem coupled to said heat exchanger, said refrigeration subsystem further comprising a refrigerant and a compressor;

a second coolant loop in thermal communication with a vehicle drive motor; and

means for controllably and fluidly coupling said first coolant loop to said second coolant loop.

15. The HVAC system of claim 14, wherein said controllable fluid coupling means comprises a first flow control valve within said second coolant loop and a pair of flow control valves within said first coolant loop.

16. The HVAC system of claim 14, said refrigeration subsystem further comprising a condenser and a thermostatic expansion valve.

17. The HVAC system of claim 14, further comprising a third coolant loop in thermal communication with an energy storage system and in thermal communication with said heat exchanger.

18. The HVAC system of claim 14, further comprising a heater in thermal communication with said radiator.

19. A method of managing thermal loads within an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

cooling a heat exchanger with a refrigeration system;

circulating a first coolant within a first coolant loop, said first coolant loop in thermal communication with said heat exchanger and in thermal communication with an energy storage system;

circulating a second coolant within a second coolant loop, said second coolant loop in thermal communication with said heat exchanger and in thermal communication with a vehicle HVAC subsystem; and

circulating a third coolant within a third coolant loop, said third coolant loop in thermal communication with a vehicle drive motor.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of passing air through a radiator coupled to said second coolant loop, wherein said air is cooled as it passes through said radiator, and wherein said cooled air flows into a vehicle passenger cabin after passing through said radiator.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of coupling said second coolant loop to said third coolant loop and passing air through a radiator coupled to said second coolant loop, wherein said air is heated as it passes through said radiator, and wherein said heated air flows into a vehicle passenger cabin after passing through said radiator.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said first coolant circulating step further comprises the step of controlling the flow rate of said first coolant through said first coolant loop, and wherein said second coolant circulating step further comprises the step of controlling the flow rate of said second coolant through said second coolant loop.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of controlling the flow rate of said first coolant is performed with a first valve within said first coolant loop, and wherein said step of controlling the flow rate of said second coolant is performed with a second valve within said second coolant loop.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said first coolant circulating step and said first coolant flow rate controlling step are performed with a first circulation pump within said first coolant loop, and wherein said second coolant circulating step and said second coolant flow rate controlling step are performed with a second circulation pump within said second coolant loop.