Electric vehicle thermal management system

• US 7,841,431 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2009
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhou, Peng
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II; J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): COOLMAN, VAUGHN
• Application Number:
  US12/587,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20100025006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.31, 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 622/44, 137/265
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• 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 1/00885 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 1/32281 comprising a single secondary circuit, e.g. at evaporator or condenser side
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• 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 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• 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

Abstract

A method for managing thermal loads within an electric vehicle using an efficient thermal management system (100) that utilizes a single heat exchanger (133) is provided. A refrigeration subsystem (103) cools the heat exchanger (133). A first coolant loop (139) in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (133) is used to cool the energy storage system (137). A second coolant loop (151) corresponding to the HVAC subsystem (107) is also in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (133). Preferably a third coolant loop (109) corresponding to the drive motor cooling subsystem (101) is coupleable to the HVAC coolant loop (151), thus providing an efficient means of providing heat to the HVAC subsystem (107).

Claims

1. A method of managing thermal loads within an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

cooling a first portion of a heat exchanger with a refrigeration system, wherein said step of cooling said first portion of said heat exchanger further comprises the steps of circulating a refrigerant within said refrigeration system and passing said refrigerant through a condenser and a thermal expansion valve;

circulating a first coolant within a first coolant loop, wherein said first coolant loop is separate from said refrigeration system and said first coolant is separate from said refrigerant, wherein a first portion of said first coolant loop passes through a second portion of said heat exchanger and wherein a second portion of said first coolant loop is thermally coupled to an energy storage system, wherein said energy storage system is comprised of a plurality of batteries;

circulating a second coolant within a second coolant loop, wherein said second coolant loop is separate from said refrigeration system and said first coolant loop, wherein said second coolant is separate from said refrigerant, wherein a first portion of said second coolant loop passes through a third portion of said heat exchanger and wherein a second portion of said second coolant loop is thermally coupled to a vehicle passenger cabin HVAC subsystem corresponding to a vehicle passenger cabin; and

circulating a third coolant within a third coolant loop, wherein said third coolant loop is separate from said refrigeration system and first coolant loop, wherein said third coolant is separate from said refrigerant, and wherein said third coolant loop is thermally coupled to a vehicle drive motor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first coolant circulating step further comprises the step of controlling the flow rate of said first coolant through said first coolant loop, and wherein said second coolant circulating step further comprises the step of controlling the flow rate of said second coolant through said second coolant loop.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of controlling the flow rate of said first coolant is performed with a first valve within said first coolant loop, and wherein said step of controlling the flow rate of said second coolant is performed with a second valve within said second coolant loop.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said first coolant circulating step and said first coolant flow rate controlling step are performed with a first circulation pump within said first coolant loop, and wherein said second coolant circulating step and said second coolant flow rate controlling step are performed with a second circulation pump within said second coolant loop.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of coupling said second coolant loop to said third coolant loop such that said second coolant and said third coolant intermix.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of controlling flow between said second coolant loop and said third coolant loop.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of circulating said third coolant through a radiator.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of passing air through said radiator using a blower fan.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of thermally coupling said third coolant loop to a power electronics module.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of passing air through a radiator coupled to said second coolant loop, wherein said air is cooled as it passes through said radiator, and wherein said cooled air flows into said vehicle passenger cabin after passing through said radiator.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of thermally coupling said first coolant loop to a heater.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of thermally coupling said second coolant loop to a heater.