HVAC and Battery Thermal Management for a Vehicle
First Claim
1. A HVAC and battery thermal system for a vehicle having a passenger cabin and a battery pack, the system comprising:
- a refrigerant loop including a compressor, a condenser, a first leg and a second leg, the first leg including an evaporator expansion device and an evaporator configured to provide cooling to the passenger cabin, and the second leg including a battery expansion device and a chiller; and
a coolant loop configured to direct a coolant through the battery pack and including a controllable coolant routing valve, a bypass branch and a chiller branch, the chiller being located in the chiller branch, and the coolant routing valve having a bypass outlet that directs the coolant into the bypass branch and a chiller outlet that directs the coolant into the chiller branch and through the chiller.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A HVAC and battery thermal system and method for a vehicle having a passenger cabin and a battery pack is disclosed. The system may comprise a refrigerant loop and a coolant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a first leg and a second leg, the first leg including an expansion device and an evaporator, and the second leg including an expansion device and a chiller. The coolant loop directs coolant through the battery pack and includes a controllable coolant routing valve, a bypass branch and a chiller branch, with the chiller in the chiller branch. The coolant routing valve has a bypass outlet that directs the coolant into the bypass branch and a chiller outlet that directs the coolant into the chiller branch. The coolant loop may also include a radiator branch and battery radiator, with the coolant routing valve including a radiator outlet that directs the coolant into the radiator branch.
83 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A HVAC and battery thermal system for a vehicle having a passenger cabin and a battery pack, the system comprising:
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a refrigerant loop including a compressor, a condenser, a first leg and a second leg, the first leg including an evaporator expansion device and an evaporator configured to provide cooling to the passenger cabin, and the second leg including a battery expansion device and a chiller; and a coolant loop configured to direct a coolant through the battery pack and including a controllable coolant routing valve, a bypass branch and a chiller branch, the chiller being located in the chiller branch, and the coolant routing valve having a bypass outlet that directs the coolant into the bypass branch and a chiller outlet that directs the coolant into the chiller branch and through the chiller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A HVAC and battery thermal system for a vehicle having a battery pack, the system comprising:
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a refrigerant loop including a compressor, a condenser, a battery expansion device and a chiller; and a coolant loop configured to direct a coolant through the battery pack and including a controllable coolant routing valve, a bypass branch, a radiator branch, a chiller branch, and a battery radiator in the radiator branch, the chiller being located in the chiller branch, and the coolant routing valve having a bypass outlet that directs the coolant into the bypass branch, a chiller outlet that directs the coolant into the chiller branch and through the chiller, and a radiator outlet that directs the coolant into the radiator branch and through the battery radiator. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of cooling a passenger cabin and a battery pack of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting a cabin cooling load requested for the passenger cabin; (b) detecting a battery thermal load required for the battery pack; (c) if a high cabin cooling load is requested and a relatively equally high level of battery pack cooling load is detected, then a refrigerant compressor is activated to direct a refrigerant through a HVAC module evaporator and a chiller, and a coolant routing valve is set to direct a coolant through the chiller and the battery pack; and (d) if a relatively lower cabin cooling load is requested and a relatively equally low level of battery pack cooling load is detected, then the refrigerant compressor is activated to direct the refrigerant through the HVAC module evaporator and the chiller, and the coolant routing valve is set to direct the coolant through the battery pack and through at least one of the chiller and a chiller bypass line. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification