Thermal management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415398-B2
Application number	US-202318235881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2023
Priority date	Sep 16, 2019
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A thermal management system includes a cooling liquid circulation flow path, a refrigerant circulation flow path and a first heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger includes a first heat exchange portion and a second heat exchange portion. The cooling liquid circulation flow path includes a first heat exchange assembly, a second heat exchange assembly and a first branch. The thermal management system has a heating mode. After passing through the first heat exchange assembly, one path of the cooling liquid flows to the first branch, and another path of the cooling liquid flows to the second heat exchange assembly. The cooling liquid after flowing through the first branch and after flowing through the second heat exchange assembly merge and then flow to the first heat exchange portion. As a result, the number of heat exchangers used by the thermal management system to recover waste heat is reduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal management system, comprising:
a cooling liquid circulation flow path; and
a refrigerant circulation flow path;
the thermal management system comprising a first heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger comprising a first heat exchange portion and a second heat exchange portion which are capable of exchanging heat, a flow path of the first heat exchange portion being capable of communicating with the cooling liquid circulation flow path, a flow path of the second heat exchange portion being capable of communicating with the refrigerant circulation flow path, the cooling liquid circulation flow path comprising a first heat exchange assembly, a second heat exchange assembly, a first branch and the first heat exchange portion; the refrigerant circulation flow path comprising a compressor, a first indoor exchanger located in an air conditioning box, an outdoor exchanger located outside of the air conditioning box, and the second heat exchange portion;
the thermal management system comprising a heating mode in which the refrigerant circulation flow path is communicated to form a loop and the first indoor exchanger functions as a condenser so as to heat the air in the air conditioning box; the cooling liquid circulation flow path being communicated to form a coolant loop; the coolant loop comprising a first coolant loop which is at least formed by the first heat exchange assembly, the first branch and the first heat exchange portion, and a second coolant loop which is at least formed by the first heat exchange assembly, the second heat exchange assembly and the first heat exchange portion; after the cooling liquid flowing out of the first heat exchange assembly, one path of the cooling liquid flowing to the first branch, and another path of the cooling liquid flowing to the second heat exchange assembly; the cooling liquid after flowing out of the first branch and the cooling liquid after flowing out of the second heat exchange assembly merging and then flowing to the first heat exchange portion, and heat of the cooling liquid circulation flow path being transferred to the refrigerant circulation flow path through the first heat exchanger;
wherein no heat exchanger is provided on the first branch between an outlet of the first heat exchange assembly and an inlet of the first heat exchange portion, so that when the cooling liquid merges, before flowing into the inlet of the first heat exchange portion, a temperature of the cooling liquid flowing out of the second heat exchange assembly is different from a temperature of the cooling liquid flowing out of the first branch.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling liquid circulation flow path further comprises a first flow regulating device, the first flow regulating device comprising a first port, a second port and a third port, the first port is capable of communicating with the first heat exchange assembly, the second port is capable of communicating with the first branch, and the third port is capable of communicating with the second heat exchange assembly;
in the heating mode: the second port and the third port are both in communication with the first port, and after the cooling liquid flowing out of the first heat exchange assembly, the cooling liquid is divided by the first flow regulating device so as to flow to the first branch and the second heat exchange assembly, respectively.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 2 , wherein the first flow regulating device is a proportional regulating valve.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling liquid circulation flow path further comprises a second branch; in the heating mode: the second branch and the second heat exchange assembly are in communication to form a loop; after the cooling liquid in the second coolant loop flowing out of the second heat exchange assembly, one path of the cooling liquid flows to the second branch, and another path of the cooling liquid flows to the first heat exchange portion.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 4 , wherein the cooling liquid circulation flow path comprises a second flow regulating device, the second flow regulating device comprises a fourth port, a fifth port and a sixth port, the fourth port is capable of communicating with the second heat exchange assembly, the fifth port is capable of communicating with the first heat exchange portion, and the sixth port is capable of communicating with the second branch;
in the heating mode: the fifth port and the sixth port are both in communication with the fourth port, and after the cooling liquid passing through the second heat exchange assembly, the cooling liquid in the second coolant loop is divided by the second flow regulating device so as to flow to the second branch and the first heat exchange portion, respectively.

6. The thermal management system according to claim 5 , wherein the second flow regulating device is a proportional regulating valve.

7. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant circulation flow path further comprises a first regulating device and a third branch; in the heating mode: the compressor, the first indoor heat exchanger, the first regulating device, the outdoor heat exchanger and the second heat exchange portion are communicated to form a loop; and the compressor, the first indoor heat exchanger, the third branch and the second heat exchange portion are communicated to form a loop; the refrigerant flowing through the first indoor heat exchanger is such divided that one path of the refrigerant flows to the third branch, and another path of the refrigerant flows to the first regulating device.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 7 , wherein the refrigerant circulation flow path further comprises a second indoor heat exchanger and a second regulating device;
the thermal management system further comprises a cooling mode; in the cooling mode: the compressor, the first indoor heat exchanger, the outdoor heat exchanger, the second regulating device and the second indoor heat exchanger are communicated to form a loop; and the compressor, the first indoor heat exchanger, the outdoor heat exchanger, the third branch and the second heat exchange portion are communicated to form a loop; the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger is such divided that one path of the refrigerant flows to the third branch, and another path of the refrigerant flows to the second indoor heat exchanger.

9. The thermal management system according to claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant circulation flow path further comprises a flow path regulating device, the flow path regulating device comprises a first connection port, a second connection port, a third connection port and a fourth connection port, the first connection port is capable of communicating with the outdoor heat exchanger, the second connection port is capable of communicating with the second heat exchange portion, both the first regulating device and the third branch are capable of communicating with the third connection port, and the fourth connection port is capable of communicating with the second heat exchanger; the flow path regulating device comprises a first working state and a second working state, in the first working state, the first connection port is in communication with the second connection port, and the third connection port is in communication with the fourth connection port; in the second working state, the first connection port is in communication with the fourth connection port, the second connection port is not in communication with the third connection port; in the heating mode: the flow path regul

Assignees

• Hangzhou Sanhua Res Inst Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Kuiyang
• Liu Qiaofeng
• Dong Junqi
• Jia Shiwei

Classifications

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• B60H1/034

  from the cooling liquid of the propulsion plant and from an electric heating device · CPC title

• H01M10/6568 Primary

  characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M10/613

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title