Integrated thermal management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11021041-B2
Application number	US-201916444724-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2019
Priority date	Jun 18, 2019
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

An integrated thermal management system includes a cooling circuit having a component thermal conditioning circuit, a battery thermal conditioning circuit, a cabin heating circuit, a cabin cooling circuit and a valve group configured for selectively interconnecting or isolating the component thermal conditioning circuit, the battery thermal conditioning circuit, the cabin heating circuit and the cabin cooling circuit.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An integrated thermal management system, comprising:
a coolant circuit having a component thermal conditioning circuit including a first coolant pump, a battery thermal conditioning circuit including a second coolant pump, a cabin heating circuit including a third coolant pump, a cabin cooling circuit including a fourth coolant pump and a valve group configured for (a) interconnecting one or more of said component thermal conditioning circuit, said battery thermal conditioning circuit, said cabin heating circuit and said cabin cooling circuit or (b) isolating one or more of said component thermal conditioning circuit, said battery thermal conditioning circuit, said cabin heating circuit and said cabin cooling circuit from one another; and
wherein said valve group includes a first valve between said battery thermal conditioning circuit and said cabin cooling circuit upstream of said cabin cooling circuit and a second valve between said battery thermal conditioning circuit and said cabin cooling circuit downstream of said cabin cooling circuit,
wherein said valve group includes a third valve between said battery thermal conditioning circuit and said component thermal conditioning circuit,
wherein said valve group includes a fourth valve between said battery thermal conditioning circuit and said cabin heating circuit,
wherein said valve group includes a fifth valve in said component thermal conditioning circuit upstream of said radiator and a radiator by pass line of said component thermal conditioning circuit; and
a controller configured (a) for controlling operation of said valve group, said first coolant pump, said second coolant pump, said third coolant pump and said forth coolant pump and (b) for operating said integrated thermal management system in a plurality of operating modes including a second cooling mode wherein said component thermal conditioning circuit and said cabin heating circuit are isolated from one another and coolant from said battery thermal conditioning circuit is metered through said first valve into said cabin cooling circuit and said coolant from said cabin cooling circuit is metered through said second valve into said battery thermal conditioning circuit.

2. The integrated thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said component thermal conditioning circuit further includes a component group and a radiator, and said component group includes at least one component selected from a first group consisting of an electric drive motor, a DC/DC converter, an on-board charger, an inverter, a LIDAR system, computer electronics and combinations thereof.

3. The integrated thermal management system of claim 2 , wherein said battery thermal conditioning circuit further includes a battery cold plate.

4. The integrated thermal management system of claim 3 , wherein said cabin heating circuit includes at least one heat source and a first cabin heat exchanger group, wherein said at least one heat source is selected from a second group consisting of a water-cooled condenser, an electric heater, a first thermal storage device and combinations thereof.

5. The integrated thermal management system of claim 4 , wherein said cabin cooling circuit includes at least one cold source and a second cabin heat exchanger group wherein said at least one cold source is selected from a third group consisting of a chiller, a second thermal storage device and combinations thereof.

6. The integrated thermal management system of claim 5 , wherein said cabin cooling circuit further includes a check valve downstream from said second cabin heat exchanger group.

7. The integrated thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said first valve, said second valve and said fifth valve are 3-way valves and said third valve and said fourth valve are 4-way valves.

8. The integrated thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said coolant circuit further includes a degas device.

9. The integrated thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of operating modes includes a third cooling mode wherein said cabin heating circuit is isolated from said component thermal conditioning circuit, said battery thermal conditioning circuit and said carbon cooling circuit, said component thermal conditioning circuit and said battery thermal conditioning circuit are interconnected by flow of said coolant through said third valve and said degas device, and said coolant is metered through said cabin cooling circuit by said second valve.

10. The integrated thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of operating modes includes a heating mode wherein said cabin heating circuit is isolated from said component thermal conditioning circuit, said battery thermal conditioning circuit and said carbon cooling circuit, said component thermal conditioning circuit and said battery thermal conditioning circuit are interconnected and said first valve and said second valve direct said coolant from said battery thermal conditioning circuit through said cold source without circulating coolant through said second cabin heat exchanger group.

11. The integrated thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of operating modes includes a dehumidification and reheat mode wherein said component thermal conditioning circuit and said cabin heating circuit are isolated from one another and said coolant from said battery thermal conditioning circuit is metered through said first valve into said cabin cooling circuit and said coolant from said cabin cooling circuit is metered through said second valve into said battery thermal conditioning circuit.

12. The integrated thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of operating modes includes a battery and cabin preconditioning mode wherein said component thermal conditioning circuit and said cabin cooling circuit are isolated from one another and said battery thermal conditioning circuit and said cabin heating circuit are interconnected by said fourth valve.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• He Jing
• Koberstein Manfred
• Lohmeyer Iii Loren John
• Powers Jacob Gregory
• Wenzel Todd Louis
• Schoeneman Christian Brent

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• B60L58/26

  by cooling · CPC title

• B60H1/3211

  for increasing the efficiency of a vehicle refrigeration cycle · CPC title

• B60H1/3207

  for minimizing the humidity of the air · CPC title