Vehicle HVAC and RESS Thermal Management
First Claim
1. A HVAC and RESS thermal management system for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, a power plant and a battery pack, the system comprising:
- a RESS coolant circuit configured to direct a coolant through the battery pack and including a pump for pumping the coolant through the RESS coolant circuit, a coolant heating branch having a coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, and a controllable coolant routing valve that is actuatable to selectively direct the coolant through the coolant heating branch; and
a power plant coolant circuit including a heater core branch, the heater core branch having a HVAC pump for pumping the coolant through the heater core branch, a coolant heater, a heater core configured to be located in a HVAC module to provide heat to the passenger compartment, and the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger configured to provide heat transfer between the coolant in the coolant heating branch and the coolant in the heater core branch.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A HVAC and RESS thermal management system and a method of operation for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, a power plant and a battery pack is disclosed. The system comprises a RESS coolant circuit and a power plant coolant circuit. The RESS coolant circuit directs a coolant through the battery pack and includes a pump, a coolant heating branch has a coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, and a coolant routing valve that will selectively direct the coolant through the coolant heating branch. The power plant coolant circuit includes a heater core branch having a HVAC pump, a coolant heater, a heater core located in a HVAC module to provide heat to the passenger compartment, and the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, with the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger providing heat transfer between the coolant in the coolant heating branch and the coolant in the heater core branch.
90 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A HVAC and RESS thermal management system for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, a power plant and a battery pack, the system comprising:
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a RESS coolant circuit configured to direct a coolant through the battery pack and including a pump for pumping the coolant through the RESS coolant circuit, a coolant heating branch having a coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, and a controllable coolant routing valve that is actuatable to selectively direct the coolant through the coolant heating branch; and a power plant coolant circuit including a heater core branch, the heater core branch having a HVAC pump for pumping the coolant through the heater core branch, a coolant heater, a heater core configured to be located in a HVAC module to provide heat to the passenger compartment, and the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger configured to provide heat transfer between the coolant in the coolant heating branch and the coolant in the heater core branch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of thermally controlling a passenger compartment and a battery pack of a vehicle having a power plant, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting if a battery warming load is requested for the battery pack; (b) if the battery warming load is requested, activating a HVAC coolant pump to pump a coolant through a heater core branch of a power plant coolant circuit including a coolant heater and a coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger and activating the coolant heater to warm the coolant flowing therethrough; and (c) if the battery warming load is requested, activating a pump and setting a controllable coolant routing valve to direct the coolant through a coolant heating branch of a RESS coolant circuit including the battery pack and the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, whereby the coolant flowing through the coolant heating branch will absorb heat from the coolant flowing through the heater core branch in the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of thermally controlling a passenger compartment and a battery pack of a vehicle having a power plant, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting if a battery warming load is requested for the battery pack; (b) detecting if a coolant temperature in the power plant is above a predetermined temperature threshold; (c) detecting if a passenger compartment warming load is requested for the passenger compartment; (d) if the coolant temperature in the power plant is not above the predetermined temperature threshold and the passenger compartment warming load is requested, activating a HVAC coolant pump to pump a coolant through a heater core branch of a power plant coolant circuit including a coolant heater, a heater core in a HVAC module and a coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, activating the coolant heater to warm the coolant flowing therethrough, and activating a blower to cause air flow through the heater core; (e) if the coolant temperature in the power plant is equal to or greater than the predetermined temperature threshold and the passenger compartment warming load is requested, activating the HVAC coolant pump to pump the coolant through the heater core branch, setting a valve to direct the coolant from the heater core branch through the power plant in a power plant branch and back to the heater core branch, and activating the blower to cause air flow through the heater core; and (f) if the coolant temperature in the power plant is equal to or greater than the predetermined temperature threshold, the passenger compartment warming load is requested, and the battery warming load is requested, activating the HVAC coolant pump to pump the coolant through the heater core branch, setting a valve to direct the coolant from the heater core branch through the power plant in a power plant branch and back to the heater core branch, activating the blower to cause air flow through the heater core, activating a pump and setting a controllable coolant routing valve to direct the coolant through a coolant heating branch of a RESS coolant circuit including the battery pack and the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger, whereby the coolant flowing through the coolant heating branch will absorb heat from the coolant flowing through the heater core branch in the coolant-to-coolant heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification