Electric vehicle and thermal management system therefor

• US 9,428,032 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Elve, M. Alexandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): COX, ALEXIS K
• Application Number:
  US13/881,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20130206360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A thermal management system includes a cooling circuit, a heat exchange circuit, a heat recovery cooling device and a passenger compartment temperature regulating device. The cooling device includes a condenser, a throttling element and an evaporator. The heat exchange device includes a first air cooled heat exchanger and a heater. The heat recovery cooling device includes a pump, a second air cooled beat exchanger and a cooler. The passenger compartment temperature regulating device includes an air flowing passage and a fan arranged in the air flowing passage, or a compartment heat exchanger. The first air cooled heat exchanger and the heater are in communication with the condenser through a first flow regulating valve. The cooler and the heat emission component heat exchanger are in communication with the evaporator through a second flow regulating valve. The second air cooled heat exchanger is selectively connected in series to the heat emission component heat exchanger.

Claims

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

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

the heat exchanging circuit including a first air-cooled beat 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 including a pump, a second air cooled heat exchanger and a cooler, the second air cooled heat exchanger and the cooler are connected to the evaporator by pipelines;

the first air-cooled heat exchanger and the heater fluidly communicate with the condenser via a first flow regulating device, the cooler and the second air cooled heat exchanger fluidly communicate with the evaporator via a second flow regulating device;

wherein the first flow regulating device is a three-way proportional regulating valve, with three valve ports thereof fluidly communicating with the first air-cooled heat exchanger, the heater and the condenser, respectively.

2. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the compartment temperature adjusting device includes an air flow passage communicating air flow through a circulation vent with a compartment of the electric vehicle and a fan arranged in the air flow passage, wherein the cooler of the heat recovery cooling device and the heater of the heat exchanging circuit are also 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 includes a compartment heat exchanger within a compartment of the electric vehicle, and

wherein the pump, the cooler of the heat recovery cooling device, the heater of the heat exchanging circuit and the compartment 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 second flow regulating device is a three-way proportional regulating valve, and three valve ports of the three-way proportional regulating valve fluidly communicate with the cooler, the evaporator, and at least one heat exchanger for heat generating components, respectively.

5. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the second air-cooled heat exchanger is selectively connected with the at least one heat exchanger for heat generating components via a three-way valve in parallel, wherein three valve ports of the three-way valve are connected with the evaporator, the second air-cooled heat exchanger and the at least one heat exchanger, respectively.

6. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the at least one heat exchanger for heat generating components includes a first heat exchanger for a battery and a second heat exchanger for a frequency converter.

7. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the second heat exchanger for the frequency converter and the first heat exchanger for the battery are connected in parallel.

8. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 7, wherein a balance regulating valve is connected in one circuit of the second heat exchanger for the frequency converter and one circuit of the first heat exchanger for the battery wherein the circuit of the second heat exchanger for the frequency converter and the circuit of the first heat exchanger for the battery are distinct from each other and distinct from the refrigerating circuit and heat exchanging circuit.

9. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a first circulating medium in the refrigerating circuit and a second circulating medium in the heat recovery cooling device are sealed and isolated from each other;

and the first circulating medium in the refrigerating circuit and a third circulating medium in the heat exchanging circuit are isolated from each other as well wherein the first, second and third circulating medium in the refrigerating circuit, the heat recovery cooling device and the heat exchanging circuit are distinct from each other.

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

11. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the heat recovery cooling devices further comprises at least one heat exchanger for heat generating components.

12. The thermal management system for the electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the second air-cooled heat exchanger and the at least one heat exchanger for heat generating components are selectively connected with each other in parallel.

13. 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 circuit, a heat exchanging circuit and a compartment temperature adjusting device,

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

the heat exchanging circuit including 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 including a pump, a second air cooled heat exchanger and a first cooler, the second air cooled heat exchanger and the cooler are connected to the evaporator by pipelines;

the first air-cooled heat exchanger and the heater fluidly communicate with the condenser via a first flow regulating device, the cooler and the second air cooled heat exchanger fluidly communicate with the evaporator via a second flow regulating device;

wherein the first flow regulating device is a three-way proportional regulating valve with three valve ports thereof fluidly communicating with the first air-cooled heat exchanger, the heater and the condenser, respectively.

14. The electric vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the heat recovery cooling device further comprises at least one heat exchanger for heat generating components, and wherein the second air-cooled heat exchanger and the at least one heat exchanger for heat generating components are selectively connected with each other 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 fluidly communicating with the cooler, the at least one heat exchanger and the evaporator.

16. The electric vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the compartment temperature adjusting device includes an air flowing passage communicating air through a circulation vent with a compartment of the electric vehicle and a fan arranged in the air flow passage, wherein the cooler of the heat recovery cooling device and the heater of the heat exchanging circuit are also arranged in the air flowing passage.

17. The electric vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the compartment temperature adjusting device includes a compartment heat exchanger within a compartment of the electric vehicle, and

wherein the cooler of the heat recovery cooling device, the heater of the heat exchanging circuit and the compartment heat exchanger within the compartment are connected in series by pipelines.

18. The electric vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the heat exchanging circuit includes a second pump connected between the first air-cooled heat exchanger and the condenser.