Heat pump system for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11186137-B2
Application number	US-202016896063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2020
Priority date	Nov 12, 2019
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

A heat pump system for a vehicle includes a cooling apparatus including a radiator, a first water pump, a first valve, and a reservoir tank, a battery cooling apparatus including a battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank through a second valve, a second water pump and a battery module, a chiller in a first branch line and connected to the battery coolant line through the second valve, a heating apparatus including a first connection line connected to the coolant line through a second valve, and a third water pump and a heater in the first connection line, an air conditioner including a second connection line connected to the battery coolant line through a fourth valve, and a fourth water pump and a cooler in the second connection line, and a centralized energy device connected to the first and second connection lines.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat pump system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a cooling apparatus including a radiator, a first water pump, a first valve, and a reservoir tank which are connected through a coolant line, the cooling apparatus configured to circulate a coolant in the coolant line to cool at least one electrical component provided in the coolant line;
a battery cooling apparatus including a battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank through a second valve, and a second water pump and a battery module which are connected through the battery coolant line, the battery cooling apparatus configured to circulate the coolant in the battery module;
a chiller provided in a first branch line that is connected to the battery coolant line through the second valve, the chiller configured to pass through a refrigerant to adjust a temperature of the coolant by performing heat-exchange between the coolant that is selectively introduced into a second branch line connecting the coolant line and the first branch line through the first valve, and the first branch line and the refrigerant;
a heating apparatus including a first connection line connected to the coolant line through a second valve, and a third water pump and a heater provided in the first connection line and configured to heat an interior of the vehicle using the coolant;
an air conditioner including a second connection line connected to the battery coolant line through a fourth valve, and a fourth water pump and a cooler provided in the second connection line and configured to cool the interior of the vehicle using the coolant; and
a centralized energy device connected to the first and second connection lines and configured to supply the coolant when of a low temperature to the an air conditioner, and to supply the coolant when of a high temperature to the heating apparatus, and to selectively heat-exchange heat energy generated upon condensing and evaporation of a refrigerant circulating inside with the coolant.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a first end of the second branch line is connected to the coolant line through the first valve, and a second end of the second branch line is connected to the first branch line between the second valve and the chiller; and
the heater and the cooler are provided inside an HVAC module.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the battery module is configured to be heated, and wherein when the battery module is heated:
the first valve is configured to be operated to open the second branch line;
in the cooling apparatus, on the basis of the second branch line, the coolant line connected to the radiator is closed and the first water pump is configured to be operated to circulate the coolant that has passed through the electrical component along the opened second branch line and the coolant line without passing the radiator;
a portion of the first branch line is connected to the second branch line;
the battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank is closed based on the first branch line;
in the battery cooling apparatus, the second water pump is configured to be operated to circulate the coolant along the battery coolant line and a portion of the first branch line in a state in which the second valve is configured to be operated to connect the reservoir tank and the battery coolant line;
in the heating apparatus, a third valve is configured to be operated to connect the coolant line and the first connection line, and in the cooling apparatus, the third water pump is configured to be operated to circulate the coolant with an increased temperature by waste heat of the electrical component to the first connection line; and
a high-temperature coolant is configured to flow into the coolant line from the first connection line, flow into the first branch line from the coolant line through the second branch line, and be supplied to the battery module connected to the battery coolant line through the first branch line.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the HVAC module includes an opening and closing door which is provided between the heater and the cooler and is configured to be controlled such that outside air passing through the cooler is selectively flowed into the heater according to cooling, heating, and dehumidification modes of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the HVAC module further includes an air heater provided at an opposite side of the cooler, with the heater interposed therebetween and configured to selectively heat the outside air passing through the heater; and
the air heater is configured to be operated to raise a temperature of the outside air passing through the heater when a temperature of the coolant supplied to the heater is lower than a target temperature for interior heating.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the centralized energy device comprises:
a condenser configured to circulate a refrigerant therein, provided in the first connection line between a third valve and the heater, condense the refrigerant through heat-exchange between the refrigerant and the coolant, and increase a temperature of the coolant;
an expansion valve connected to the condenser through a refrigerant line;
an evaporator connected to the expansion valve through the refrigerant line, provided on the second connection line between the fourth valve and the cooler, and configured to evaporate the refrigerant through heat-exchange between the refrigerant and the coolant, and lower a temperature of the coolant;
a compressor provided on the refrigerant line between the evaporator and the condenser; and
an accumulator provided on the refrigerant line between the evaporator and the compressor,
wherein the chiller is provided on the refrigerant line between the evaporator and the accumulator.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the condenser is configured to condense the refrigerant by heat-exchanging from the coolant circulating in the first connection line and the refrigerant of a high temperature supplied from the compressor in a heating mode of the vehicle, and supply the coolant of a high temperature to the heater through the first connection line.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the evaporator is configured to cool the coolant circulating in a cooling mode of the vehicle through the second connection line through heat-exchange with the refrigerant of a low temperature evaporated therein, and supply the coolant of a low temperature to the cooler through the second connection line.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the battery module is configured to be cooled in a cooling mode of the vehicle, and wherein when cooling the battery module:
in the cooling apparatus, the first water pump is configured to be operated to circulate the coolant in the coolant line;
the first valve is configured to be operated to close the second connection line;
in the battery cooling apparatus, the second valve is configured to be operated to open the first branch line;
a portion of the battery coolant line connected to the reservoir tank is closed based on the first branch line, and the second water pump is configured to be operated to supply the coolant having passed through the chiller to the battery module along the battery coolant line and the first branch line;
in the heating apparatus, the third valve is configured to be operated to connect the coolant line and the first connection line such that the coolant is supplied from the cooling apparatus;
the third water pump is configured to be operated to circulate the coolant along the first connection line;
in the air conditioner, the fourth valve is configured to be operated to form an independent closed circuit in the second connection line that is independent

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Jae Yeon

Classifications

• B60H1/00921

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

• B60H1/00385

  for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell · CPC title

• B60K2001/005

  the electric storage means · CPC title

• B60H1/143

  the heat being derived from cooling an electric component, e.g. electric motors, electric circuits, fuel cells or batteries · CPC title

• B60H1/2225

  arrangements of electric heaters for heating air · CPC title