Electric vehicle heat pump using enhanced valve unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11932078-B2
Application number	US-202217657320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2022
Priority date	Mar 31, 2021
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for an enhanced heat pump are provided. An example embodiment includes a housing, the housing having a particular number of connection ports, each connection port being connected to a component of the electric vehicle, and the connection ports being configured to pass fluid; and a stemshell positioned within the housing, the stemshell comprising a plurality of channels, wherein at least a portion of the channels are in fluidic connection with the connection ports, wherein the stemshell is configured to rotate within the housing, and wherein rotation causes adjustment of the connection ports correspond which correspond to the channels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus usable as part of a heat pump for an electric vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a housing, the housing having a particular number of connection ports, each connection port being connected to a component of the electric vehicle, and the connection ports being configured to pass fluid,
wherein the connections ports are oriented in a same direction; and
a stemshell positioned within the housing, the stemshell comprising a plurality of channels, wherein at least a portion of the channels are in fluidic connection with the connection ports, wherein the stemshell is configured to rotate within the housing, and wherein rotation causes adjustment of the connection ports which correspond to the channels.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stemshell has a vertical separation, and wherein a subset of the channels are at a first vertical height and a remaining subset are at a second vertical height.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the particular number is greater than or equal to 6.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the particular number is 8.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein there are 6 channels.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein there are four vertical channels and two horizontal channels.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a controller causes rotation of the stemshell.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller rotates the stemshell to specific orientations which correspond to specific heat pump modes.

9. An electric vehicle comprising:
a battery pack;
an electric motor; and
an octovalve, the octovalve being usable as part of a heat pump for an electric vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a housing, the housing having a particular number of connection ports, each connection port being connected to a component of the electric vehicle, and the connection ports being configured to pass fluid, wherein the connections ports are oriented in a same direction; and
a stemshell positioned within the housing, the stemshell comprising a plurality of channels, wherein at least a portion of the channels are in fluidic connection with the connection ports, wherein the stemshell is configured to rotate within the housing, and wherein rotation causes adjustment of the connection ports which correspond to the channels.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the electric vehicle further comprises a radiator, a chiller, a liquid chilled cooler (LCC), each of which is connected to the housing.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising a controller, the controller causing rotation of the stemshell.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the controller rotates the stemshell to specific orientations which correspond to specific heat pump modes.

13. A method implemented by a controller associated with controlling an octovalve configured for use as part of a heat pump for an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
obtaining input information associated with operation of the vehicle;
accessing a current heat pump mode associated with the octovalve, wherein the octovalve includes a stemshell positioned within the octovalve, the stemshell comprising a plurality of channels, wherein at least a portion of the channels are in fluidic connection with connection ports, wherein the stemshell is configured to rotate and cause adjustment of the connection ports which correspond to the channels,
wherein the stemshell has a vertical separation, and wherein a subset of the channels are at a first vertical height and a remaining subset are at a second vertical height;
determining adjustment to the heat pump mode based on the input information; and
causing update of the current heat pump mode, wherein the update causes rotation of the stemshell.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein there are 6 channels.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein there are four vertical channels and two horizontal channels.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the controller causes rotation of the stemshell to specific orientations which correspond to specific heat pump modes.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the input information indicates that the vehicle is charging, and wherein the updated heat pump mode indicates a reversal of coolant flow as compared to the current heat pump mode.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein a radiator and/or one or more drive units of the vehicle are bypassed.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the connections ports are oriented in a same direction.

Assignees

• Tesla Inc

Inventors

• Pinto Prem
• Hanks Daniel F

Classifications

• B60H1/00342 Primary

  of the liquid-liquid type · CPC title

• B60H1/00392

  for electric vehicles having only electric drive means · CPC title

• B60H1/00485 Primary

  Valves for air-conditioning devices, e.g. thermostatic valves · CPC title

• B60H1/08

  from other radiator than main radiator · CPC title

• B60H1/00899

  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 title