Heat exchange system for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814696-B2
Application number	US-201816124812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2018
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A heat exchange system for a vehicle including a battery, an electric motor, and a transmission system is provided. The heat exchange system includes a heat pump, and a heat exchanger. The heat pump is used for air conditioning. The heat pump includes an electric compressor that compresses a refrigerant. The electric compressor is configured to be driven with electric power from the battery. The heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and lubricating oil that lubricates the transmission system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchange system for a vehicle including a battery, an electric motor as a propulsion power source, a transmission system, and a power control unit configured to convert electric power from the battery into an alternating current and supply the alternating current to the electric motor, the electric motor being configured to be driven with electric power supplied from the battery, the heat exchange system comprising:
a heat pump used for air conditioning, the heat pump including an electric compressor that compresses a refrigerant, the electric compressor being configured to be driven with electric power from the battery;
a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and lubricating oil that lubricates the transmission system, and
a cooling circuit through which a coolant for cooling the power control unit circulates, wherein
the heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat among three types of fluids that are the coolant, the lubricating oil, and the refrigerant.

2. The heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the heat pump further includes a first condenser, a second condenser, a heating expansion valve configured to operate during heating performed in a vehicle cabin, and a cooling expansion valve configured to operate during cooling performed in the vehicle cabin;
after flowing out of the electric compressor, the refrigerant flows through the heating expansion valve, the second condenser, and the cooling expansion valve in this order; and
the heat exchanger is disposed on a downstream side of the heating expansion valve but on an upstream side of the second condenser.

3. The heat exchange system according to claim 2 , wherein
the first condenser is configured to exchange heat between air inside the vehicle and the refrigerant of the heat pump during heating performed in the vehicle cabin, and
the second condenser is configured to exchange heat between the air outside the vehicle and the refrigerant during operation of the heat pump.

4. The heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the heat pump further includes a first condenser, a second condenser, a heating expansion valve configured to operate during heating performed in a vehicle cabin, and a cooling expansion valve configured to operate during cooling performed in the vehicle cabin;
after flowing out of the electric compressor, the refrigerant flows through the heating expansion valve, the second condenser, and the cooling expansion valve in this order; and
the heat exchanger is disposed on a downstream side of the second condenser but on an upstream side of the cooling expansion valve.

5. The heat exchange system according to claim 4 , wherein
the first condenser is configured to exchange heat between air inside the vehicle and the refrigerant of the heat pump during heating performed in the vehicle cabin, and
the second condenser is configured to exchange heat between the air outside the vehicle and the refrigerant during operation of the heat pump.

6. The heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein the heat pump further includes a bypass passage that bypasses the heat exchanger and a switching valve that opens and closes the bypass passage.

7. The heat exchange system according to claim 6 , wherein the switching valve is configured to switch between an open state and a closed state according to whether the bypass passage is to be closed or opened during cooling performed in a vehicle cabin.

8. The heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the electric motor is housed inside a case that houses the transmission system; and
the lubricating oil cools the electric motor inside the case.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tominaga Satoshi
• Tokozakura Daisuke
• Kubonoya Hideki

Classifications

• B60H1/22 Primary

  the heat source being other than the propulsion plant {(B60H1/00492 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F24D3/18 Primary

  using heat pumps · CPC title

• B60H1/00921 Primary

  where the flow direction of the refrigerant does not change and there is an extra subcondenser, e.g. in an air duct · CPC title

• B60H1/00914 Primary

  where the flow direction of the refrigerant does not change and there is a bypass of the condenser · CPC title

• B60H1/00899 Primary

  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 title