Thermal management system for vehicle

• US 9,744,827 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Michio, Kakehashi, Nobuharu, Enomoto, Norihiko, Katoh, Yoshiki, Sugimura, Kengo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Len
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rojohn, III, Claire
• Application Number:
  US14/782,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20160031288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 165202
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00485 Valves for air-conditioning devices, e.g. thermostatic valves valves per se F16K; thermostatic valves per se G05D23/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00885 Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485
• 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 1/22 the heat being derived otherwise than from the propulsion plant B60H1/0025, B60H1/00492 and B60H1/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32 Cooling devices B60H1/00478, B60H1/005 take precedence; vehicles adapted to transport refrigerated goods B60P3/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32284 comprising two or more secondary circuits, e.g. at evaporator and condenser side
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/02 with liquid cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/08 Cabin heater
• 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 9/00 Cooling having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F01P1/00 - F01P7/00 profiting from waste heat of combustion-engine cooling F02G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A heat medium circulation equipment, a first pump, and a second pump are connected to a first switching valve and a second switching valve. A heater core is connected to at least one of the first switching valve and the second switching valve, and connected to a heat medium circuit. A state, in which the heat medium discharged by a third pump flows into the heater core, is selected by switching of a switching device.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for a vehicle, comprising:

a first pump that draws and discharges a heat medium;

a second pump that draws and discharges the heat medium;

a third pump that draws and discharges the heat medium;

a heat medium circulation equipment through which the heat medium circulates;

a first switching valve connected with an outlet side of the first pump, an outlet side of the second pump, and an inlet side of the heat medium circulation equipment, the first switching valve switching between a state in which the heat medium discharged from the first pump flows into the heat medium circulation equipment and a state in which the heat medium discharged from the second pump flows into the heat medium circulation equipment;

a second switching valve connected with an intake side of the first pump, an intake side of the second pump, and an outlet side of the heat medium circulation equipment, the second switching valve switching between a state in which the heat medium flows out of the heat medium circulation equipment and into the first pump and a state in which the heat medium flows out of the heat medium circulation equipment and into the second pump;

a heat medium circuit in which the heat medium discharged by the third pump circulates;

a heat generation equipment disposed in the heat medium circuit and generating a heat;

a heat utilization equipment connected to at least one of the first switching valve and the second switching valve and connected to the heat medium circuit, the heat utilization equipment utilizing the heat of the heat medium; and

a switching device that switches between a state in which the heat medium discharged by one of the first pump and the second pump circulates through the heat utilization equipment and a state in which the heat medium discharged by the third pump circulates through the heat utilization equipment.

2. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein, when the heat medium discharged by the one of the first pump and the second pump circulates through the heat utilization equipment, the switching device blocks the heat medium discharged by the third pump from flowing through the heat utilization equipment.

3. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein, when the heat medium discharged by the third pump circulates through the heat utilization equipment, at least one of the first switching valve and the second switching valve, or the switching device blocks the heat medium discharged by the first pump and the heat medium discharged by the second pump from flowing through the heat utilization equipment.

4. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a branch part that branches a flow of the heat medium discharged from the first pump into a flow toward the first switching valve and a flow toward the heat utilization equipment; and

a merging part that merges the heat medium flowing out of the second switching valve and the heat medium flowing out of the heat utilization equipment.

5. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure adjustment device disposed in any one circuit of a first circulation circuit in which the heat medium discharged by the first pump circulates, a second circulation circuit in which the heat medium discharged by the second pump circulates, and the heat medium circuit, the pressure adjustment device adjusting a pressure of the heat medium; and

a first communication portion and a second communication portion through which the circuit provided with the pressure adjustment device communicates with the other two circuits, respectively, wherein

an average pressure of a pump discharge pressure and a pump suction pressure in the circuit provided with the pressure adjustment device is defined as a first average pressure,

the pressure of the heat medium is higher than the first average pressure on a predetermined portion of the circuit provided with the pressure adjustment device, and

the predetermined portion of the circuit provided with the pressure adjustment device communicates with the other two circuits through the first communication portion.

6. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 5, wherein

an average pressure of a pump discharge pressure and a pump suction pressure in the respective other two circuits is defined as a second average pressure,

the pressure of the heat medium is lower than the second average pressure on respective predetermined portions of the other two circuits, and

the circuit provided with the pressure adjustment device communicates with the respective predetermined portions of the other two circuits through the first communication portion.

7. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 5, further comprising:

a third communication portion through which the first communication portion communicates with the second communication portion, wherein

an average pressure of a pump discharge pressure and a pump suction pressure in the respective other two circuits is defined as a second average pressure,

the pressure of the heat medium is higher than the second average pressure on respective predetermined portions of the other two circuits, and

the circuit provided with the pressure adjustment device communicates with the respective predetermined portions of the other two circuits through the first communication portion,

the thermal management system further comprising;

a first narrowed part in the second communication portion disposed between the third communication portion and the circuit provided with the pressure adjustment device, the first narrowed part narrowing a flow of the heat medium; and

a second narrowed part in the second communication portion disposed between the third communication portion and the other two circuits, the second narrowed part narrowing a flow of the heat medium.

8. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 5, wherein

each of the remaining two circuits has a communication hole that communicates with the second communication portion, and

the communication hole is open upward in a direction of gravity.

9. The vehicle management system for a vehicle, according to claim 5, wherein

the first communication portion has two branch flow channels which are connected, respectively, to the other two circuits, and

the second communication portion has two branch flow channels which are connected, respectively, to the other two circuits.

10. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein

the switching device switches among a state in which the heat medium discharged by the one of the first pump and the second pump flows through the heat utilization equipment, a state in which the heat medium discharged by the other of the first pump and the second pump flows through the heat utilization equipment, and a state in which the heat medium discharged by the third pump flows through the heat utilization equipment, and

when the heat medium discharged by the other of the first and second pumps flows through the heat utilization equipment, the switching device blocks the heat medium discharged by the third pump from flowing through the heat utilization equipment.

11. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 10, further comprising:

a heat medium cooling unit that cools the heat medium by absorbing the heat of the heat medium; and

a second heat utilization equipment that uses the heat of the heat medium, wherein

when the heat medium discharged by the first pump flows in the heat utilization equipment, the switching device allows the heat medium discharged by the third pump to circulate through the heat medium cooling unit and the second heat utilization equipment.

12. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein the switching device is disposed between the heat utilization equipment and the at least one of the first switching valve and the second switching valve in a flow of the heat medium.

13. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein

the heat utilization equipment is connected to the first switching valve and the second switching valve, and

the switching device is disposed between the first switching valve or the second switching valve, and the heat utilization equipment in a flow of the heat medium.

14. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a heat medium heating unit that heats the heat medium, wherein

the heat medium heating unit is disposed in series with the heat utilization equipment and on an upstream side of the heat utilization equipment, in a flow of the heat medium.

15. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 14, further comprising:

a bypass passage through which the heat medium flowing out of the heat medium heating unit flows with bypassing the heat utilization equipment, wherein

the switching device is disposed between the heat medium heating unit and the heat utilization equipment in a flow of the heat medium,

the bypass passage is connected to the switching device,

when the heat medium discharged by the one of the first pump and the second pump circulates through the heat utilization equipment, the switching device blocks the heat medium from flowing through the bypass passage, and

when the heat medium discharged by the third pump circulates through the heat utilization equipment, the switching device allows the heat medium to circulate through the bypass passage.

16. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 15, further comprising:

a flow path for the heat medium, which extends from the heat utilization equipment to the one of the first pump and the second pump, wherein

the flow path for the heat medium, which extends from the heat utilization equipment to the one, has a branch part that branches to the heat medium circuit, and

the bypass passage is connected to a portion located on a downstream side of the branch part.

17. The thermal management system for a vehicle, claim 1, wherein

the at least one of the first switching valve and the second switching valve, and the switching device is switchable into a state in which the heat medium discharged by the first pump, the heat medium discharged by the second pump, and the heat medium discharged by the third pump do not circulate through the heat utilization equipment.

18. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one of the first switching valve and the second switching valve is connected with the heat medium circuit, and

the at least one switching valve is used as the switching device.

19. The thermal management system for a vehicle, according to any one of claim 1, further comprising:

a heat-medium outside-air heat exchanger in which the heat medium circulating through the heat medium circuit and the outside air exchange heat with each other, and

the heat utilization equipment and the heat-medium outside-air heat exchanger are disposed in parallel to each other in a flow of the heat medium in the heat medium circuit.