Electric Vehicle and Thermal Management System Therefor

• US 20130206360A1
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hangzhou Sanhua Research Institute Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hangzhou Sanhua Research Institute Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Rongrong, Shi, Chuliang
• Granted Patent: US 9,428,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00007 Combined heating, ventilating, or cooling devices control systems or mechanisms B60H1/00642
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0005 the air being firstly cooled and subsequently heated or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00057 the air being heated and cooled simultaneously, e.g. using parallel heat exchangers
• 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 1/00899 Controlling the flow of liquid in a heat pump system controlling the properties of the refrigerant liquid, e.g. pressure or temperature, B60H1/3204
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/143 the heat being derived from cooling an electric component, e.g. electric motors, electric circuits, fuel cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/22 the heat being derived otherwise than from the propulsion plant B60H1/0025, B60H1/00492 and B60H1/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32284 comprising two or more secondary circuits, e.g. at evaporator and condenser side
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/323 characterised by comprising auxiliary or multiple systems, e.g. plurality of evaporators, or by involving auxiliary cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00957 comprising locations with heat exchange within the refrigerant circuit itself, e.g. cross-, counter-, or parallel heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3288 Additional heat source
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3289 Additional cooling source

Abstract

An electric vehicle and a thermal management system are provided, a cooling device thereof comprises a condenser (12), a throttling element (14) and an evaporator (13); a heat exchange device thereof comprises a first air cooled heat exchanger (22) and a heater (23); a heat recovery cooling device thereof comprises a heat emission component heat exchanger (35), a second air cooled heat exchanger (34) and a cooler (33); a passenger compartment temperature regulating device thereof comprises the heater (23) and a cooler (33). The first air cooled heat exchanger (22) and the heater (23) are in communication with the condenser (12) through a first flow regulating valve (21). The cooler (33) and the heat emission component heat exchanger (35) are in communication with the evaporator (13) through a second flow regulating valve (31). The second air cooled heat exchanger (34) is selectively connected in series to the heat emission component heat exchanger (35). The thermal management system ensures full utilization of heat, improves the cooling effect and the comfort level of the passenger compartment, reduces the amount of the charged coolant, and prevents the coolant from entering the passenger compartment.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for an electric vehicle, comprising a heat recovery cooling device, a refrigerating device, a heat exchanging device and a compartment temperature adjusting device, wherein

the refrigerating device comprises a compressor, a condenser, a throttling element and an evaporator that are connected by pipelines;

the heat exchanging device comprises a first air-cooled heat exchanger and a heater, the first air-cooled heat exchanger and the heater are connected to the condenser by pipelines;

the heat recovery cooling device comprises a heat release module and a cooler, the heat release module and the cooler are connected to the evaporator by pipelines;

the first air-cooled heat exchanger and the heater communicate with the condenser via a first flow regulating device;

the cooler and the heat release module communicate with the evaporator via a second flow regulating device.

2. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the compartment temperature adjusting device comprises an air circulating device, the air circulating device comprises an air flowing passage communicating a circulation vent with a compartment of the electric vehicle, and the cooler and the heater are arranged in the air flowing passage.

3. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the compartment temperature adjusting device comprises a medium circulating device, the medium circulating device comprises a heat exchanger within a compartment of the electric vehicle, and

wherein the cooler, the heater and the heat exchanger within the compartment are connected in series by pipelines.

4. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first flow regulating device is a three-way proportional regulating valve, with three valve ports thereof respectively communicating with the first air-cooled heat exchanger, the heater and the condenser.

5. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 20, wherein the second flow regulating device is a three-way proportional regulating valve, three valve ports of the three-way proportional regulating valve respectively communicate with the cooler, the heat exchanger and the evaporator.

6. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the second air-cooled heat exchanger is selectively connected in series with the heat exchanger for heat generating components via a three-way valve, three valve ports of the three-way valve are respectively connected with the evaporator, the second air-cooled heat exchanger and the heat exchanger.

7. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 20, wherein the heat exchanger for heat generating components comprises a first heat exchanger for a battery and a second heat exchanger for a frequency converter.

8. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the second heat exchanger for the frequency converter and the first heat exchanger for the battery are connected either in parallel or in series.

9. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 8, wherein a balance regulating valve is connected in a circuit of each of the second heat exchanger for the frequency converter and the first heat exchanger for the battery.

10. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein circulating medium in the refrigerating device and circulating medium in the heat recovery cooling device are hermetically isolated from each other;

and the circulating medium in the refrigerating device and circulating medium in the heat exchanging device are hermetically isolated from each other as well.

11. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerating device further comprises an internal heat exchanger having two passages, the two passages of the internal heat exchanger communicate with the evaporator and the compressor, and communicate with the condenser and the throttling element, respectively.

19. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the heat release module comprises a second air-cooled heat exchanger and a heat exchanger for heat generating components.

20. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the second air-cooled heat exchanger and the heat exchanger are selectively connected with each other in series or in parallel.

12. An electric vehicle comprising a compartment, heat generating components and a thermal management system, the thermal management system comprising a heat recovery cooling device, a refrigerating device, a heat exchanging device and a compartment temperature adjusting device, wherein

the refrigerating device comprises a compressor, a condenser, a throttling element and an evaporator that are connected by pipelines, the compressor, the condenser, the throttling element and the evaporator form an independent refrigerating unit;

the heat exchanging device comprises a first air-cooled heat exchanger and a heater, first air-cooled heat exchanger and the heater are connected to the condenser by pipelines;

the heat recovery cooling device comprises a heat release module and a cooler, the heat release module and the cooler are connected to the evaporator by pipelines;

the first air-cooled heat exchanger and the heater communicate with the condenser via a first flow regulating device;

the cooler and the heat release module communicate with the evaporator via a second flow regulating device.

13. The electric vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the first flow regulating device is a three-way proportional regulating valve with three valve ports thereof respectively communicating with the first air-cooled heat exchanger, the heater and the condenser.

14. The electric vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the heat release module comprises a second air-cooled heat exchanger and a heat exchanger for heat generating components, the second air-cooled heat exchanger and the heat exchanger are selectively connected with each other in series or in parallel.

15. The electric vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the second flow regulating device is a three-way proportional regulating valve with three valve ports thereof respectively communicating with the cooler, the heat exchanger and the evaporator.

16. The electric vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the compartment temperature adjusting device comprises an air circulating device, the air circulating device comprises an air flowing passage communicating a circulation vent with a compartment of the electric vehicle, and the cooler and the heater are arranged in the air flowing passage.

17. The electric vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the compartment temperature adjusting device comprises a medium circulating device, the medium circulating device comprises a heat exchanger within a compartment of the electric vehicle, and

wherein the cooler, the heater and the heat exchanger within the compartment are connected in series by pipelines.

18. The electric vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the heat exchanging device comprises a power pump connected between the first air-cooled heat exchanger and the condenser.