Vehicle cooling system for a temperature-raising device and method for the cooling of a temperature-raising device

• US 6,705,101 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Inventors: Brotz, Friedrich, Geskes, Peter, Pfender, Conrad, Damsohn, Herbert, Luz, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Chen Wen
• Application Number:
  US10/163,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 622/592, 621/98, 621/99, 622/44, 622/39, 622/284, 236/91.C
• US Class Current: 62/198
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00 Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices heating, cooling or ventilating devices providing other air treatment, the other treatment being relevant, B60H3/00; ventilating solely by opening windows, doors, roof parts, or the like B60J; heating or ventilating devices for vehicle seats B60N2/56; vehicle window or windscreen cleaners using air, e.g. defrosters, B60S1/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00385 for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/03 and from a source other than the propulsion plant
• 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 1/3205 Control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32281 comprising a single secondary circuit, e.g. at evaporator or condenser side
• 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 2240/662 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 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 : for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/0409 : for the evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 25/005 : using primary and secondary systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 30/02 : of the compression type
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/02 : arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/04 : arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 : Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/405 : Cogeneration of heat or hot water
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 : related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 : Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• 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: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle cooling system (1) for a temperature-raising device (4), especially a drive battery or fuel cell, preferably for an electric or hybrid vehicle. The system has a coolant (7) that cools the device (4) with the involvement of an air-conditioning system (8) that serves for air-conditioning of the vehicle passenger compartment. It is preferred that the coolant (7) be a liquid coolant, which is carried in a cooling circuit (2) and for cooling of the liquid to be thermally integrated into the refrigeration circuit (3) of the air-conditioning system. The invention further relates to a method for cooling a temperature-raising vehicle device.

Claims

1. A cooling system for a temperature-raising device of a vehicle having an air-conditioning system that serves for air-conditioning of the passenger compartment of the vehicle and that includes a refrigeration circuit that circulates refrigerant, comprising:

a cooling circuit for cooling the temperature-raising device, the cooling circuit circulating a liquid coolant for cooling the temperature-raising device and including a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the coolant and the refrigerant;

wherein the first heat exchanger is integrated into the refrigeration circuit so that during a refrigeration cycle all of the refrigerant passing through the first heat exchanger exchanges heat with air being supplied to the passenger compartment.

2. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid coolant retains its physical state at all times.

3. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling circuit comprises at least one circulating pump.

4. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refrigeration circuit of the air-conditioning system comprises at least one compressor, at least one condenser, at least one expansion valve and at least one first evaporator serving for air-conditioning.

5. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 4, wherein a part of the first heat exchanger forms a second evaporator.

6. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first and the second evaporators are separate elements.

7. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first and the second evaporators form one unit.

8. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one of the first and the second evaporators further includes a bypass.

9. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one bypass comprises a control or regulating valve.

10. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a third evaporator, situated downstream of the first evaporator, in the direction of flow of the refrigerant, and forming an integral part of a second heat exchanger for cooling the temperature-raising device.

11. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first and the second heat exchangers are separate elements.

12. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first and the second heat exchangers form one unit.

13. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the expansion valve is arranged between the condenser and the first or second evaporator.

14. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising an overheating measuring point for determining an overheating measurement for controlling or regulating the expansion valve, said measuring point being situated between the first or second evaporator and the compressor.

15. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling circuit comprises at least one additional radiator for the coolant.

16. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first and/or second heat exchangers and the radiator are connected in parallel.

17. A vehicle cooling system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first and/or second heat exchangers and the radiator are connected in series.

18. A cooling system, for a temperature-raising device of a vehicle having an air-conditioning system that serves for air-conditioning of the passenger compartment of the vehicle and that includes a refrigeration circuit, comprising:

a cooling circuit for cooling the temperature-raising device, the cooling circuit being designed for circulating a liquid coolant for cooling the temperature-raising device;

wherein the liquid coolant is thermally integrated via a first heat exchanger with the refrigerant of the air-conditioning system;

wherein a part of the first heat exchanger associated with the refrigeration circuit of the air-conditioning system forms a second evaporator; and

wherein the first evaporator is situated either upstream or downstream of the second evaporator.

19. A method for cooling a temperature-raising device in a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:

cooling the vehicle device by a circulated liquid coolant; and

directly exchanging heat between the coolant and a refrigerant of an air-conditioning system for air-conditioning the passenger compartment of the vehicle; and

wherein the refrigerant that exchanges heat with the coolant also exchanges heat with the air being supplied to the passenger compartment in the same refrigeration cycle.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the temperature-raising device comprises a drive battery or fuel cell in a vehicle operating either as an electric vehicle and/or a hybrid vehicle.

21. A vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:

a temperature-raising device comprising at least one of a drive battery and a fuel cell as part of the propulsion unit for the vehicle;

an air-conditioning system that serves for air-conditioning the passenger compartment of the vehicle and that includes a refrigeration circuit that circulates refrigerant; and

a cooling system for the temperature-raising device comprising a cooling circuit circulating a liquid coolant for cooling the temperature-raising device and including a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the coolant and the refrigerant;

wherein the first heat exchanger is integrated into the refrigeration circuit so that during a refrigeration cycle all of the refrigerant passing through the first heat exchanger exchanges heat with air being supplied to the passenger compartment.