Hybrid vehicle powertrain thermal management system and method for cabin heating and engine warm up

• US 6,616,059 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2002
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanon Systems (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Sabhapathy, Peri, Lou, Zheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Boles, Derek
• Application Number:
  US10/036,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20030127528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 237/12.3 B, 237/12.3 R, 123/142.5 E, 180/65.2, 180/69.6, 180/69.4
• US Class Current: 237/12.30B
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/04 from cooling liquid of the plant B60H1/025, B60H1/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/22 characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs
• 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 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/44 Heat storages, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/46 Heat pumps, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/029 Expansion reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2007/146 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2037/02 : starting
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/24 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/30 : Circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/00 : Cooling circuits using auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 : for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/08 : Cabin heater
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/185 : for alternators or generators
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/20 : Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine F01P3/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/165 : characterised by systems with two or more loops
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20872 : Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 : Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/904 : Component specially adapted for hev

Abstract

A powertrain thermal management system for a hybrid vehicle having provisions for passenger cabin heating and engine warm up.

Claims

1. A powertrain thermal management system for a hybrid vehicle comprising:

a first cooling circuit having a first pump for circulating a coolant therein for removal of heat from a first heat source, said first heat source including at least one of an electric motor, a transmission heat exchanger, and an electronics cold plate;

a second cooling circuit having a second pump for circulating a coolant therein for removal of heat from a second heat source;

a heater core for providing heat to a passenger cabin of the hybrid vehicle; and

valve means in fluid communication with said first cooling circuit, said second cooling circuit, and said heater core, said valve means selectively routing coolant from at least one of said first cooling circuit and said second cooling circuit to said heater core.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second heat source is an internal combustion engine.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said valve means selectively routes coolant from said first cooling circuit to said second cooling circuit to aid in warm up of the internal combustion engine.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said valve means is a dual spool 6-way 2-position hydraulic valve.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said valve means is a single spool 6-way 2-position hydraulic valve.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein said valve means is a 4-way 2-position hydraulic valve.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein said valve means includes at least one 3-way 2-position solenoid valve.

8. The system according to claim 1 including a degas bottle fluidly connected to at least one of said first cooling circuit and said second cooling circuit for removing air from the at least one of said first cooling circuit and said second cooling circuit.

9. The system according to claim 1 including a heater in fluid communication with said valve means and said heater core.

10. A hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

an internal combustion engine for selectively imparting motion to the vehicle;

an electric motor for selectively imparting motion to the vehicle; and

a powertrain thermal management system further comprising;

a first cooling circuit having a first pump for circulating a coolant therein for removal of heat from a first heat source, said first heat source including at least one of the electric motor, a transmission heat exchanger, and an electronics cold plate;

a second cooling circuit having a second pump for circulating a coolant therein for removal of heat from a second heat source, the second heating source including at least the internal combustion engine;

a heater core for providing heat to a passenger cabin of the electric hybrid vehicle; and

valve means in fluid communication with said first cooling circuit, said second cooling circuit, and said heater core, said valve means selectively routing coolant from at least one of said first cooling circuit and said second cooling circuit to said heater core.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said valve means selectively routes coolant from said first cooling circuit to said second cooling circuit to aid in warm up of the internal combustion engine.

12. The vehicle according to claim 10 wherein said valve means is a dual spool 6-way 2-position hydraulic valve.

13. The vehicle according to claim 10 wherein said valve means is a single spool 6-way 2-position hydraulic valve.

14. The vehicle according to claim 10 wherein said valve means is a 4-way 2-position hydraulic valve.

15. The vehicle according to claim 10 wherein said valve means includes at least one 3-way 2-position solenoid valve.

16. The vehicle according to claim 10 including a degas bottle fluidly connected to at least one of said first cooling circuit and said second cooling circuit for removing air from the at least one of said first cooling circuit and said second cooling circuit.

17. The vehicle according to claim 10 including a heater in fluid communication with said valve means and said heater core.

18. A method of heating a passenger cabin with a powertrain thermal management system in a hybrid vehicle comprising the steps of:

providing a first cooling circuit having a first pump for circulating a coolant therein for removal of heat from a first heat source, the first heat source including at least one of an electric motor, a transmission heat exchanger, and an electronics cold plate;

providing a second cooling circuit having a second pump for circulating a coolant therein for removal of heat from a second heat source;

providing a heater core for supplying heat to a passenger cabin of the hybrid vehicle; and

selectively routing coolant from at least one of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit to the heater core;

removing the heat from the coolant routed to the heater core from the at least one of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit in the heating core and supplying the heat to at least one of an internal combustion engine and the passenger cabin of the hybrid vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18 including the step of heating the coolant routed from the at least one of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit with a water heater prior to removing the heat from the coolant in the heating core.

20. The method of claim 18 including the step of heating the second cooling circuit with the heat removed from the first heat source in the first cooling circuit.