Thermal management module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024426562-A1
Application number	US-202418641387-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 21, 2024
Priority date	Jun 22, 2023
Publication date	Dec 26, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A thermal management module comprising a heat exchanger and an expansion valve assembly is disclosed. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of first plates and a plurality of second plates disposed between two end plates. The first and second plates are alternatingly arranged in a stacked relationship. A divider plate is disposed between one of the first plates and an adjacent one of the second plates to divide the heat exchanger into a first portion (e.g., internal heat exchanger) and a second portion (e.g., chiller). When in the stacked relationship, the plates define at least a first flow path for a relatively high-pressure, high-temperature first fluid from a first circuit (e.g., a liquid refrigerant), a second flow path for a relatively low-pressure, low-temperature first fluid from the first circuit (e.g., liquid refrigerant), and a third flow path for a second fluid from a second circuit (e.g., coolant).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A thermal management module, comprising:
a heat exchanger in fluid communication with a first circuit having a first fluid therein and a second circuit having a second fluid therein, wherein the heat exchanger comprises:
a plurality of first plates;
a plurality of second plates, wherein the first plates and the second plates are alternatingly arranged in a stacked relationship; and
a divider plate disposed between one of the first plates and an adjacent one of the second plates, wherein the plates cooperate to form at least a first flow path, a second flow path, and a third flow path for at least one of the fluids, and wherein the fluids are in thermal energy exchange relationship with one another.

2 . The thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein the first flow path receives therein a relatively high-pressure, high-temperature first fluid from the first circuit.

3 . The thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein the second flow path receives therein a relatively low-pressure, low-temperature first fluid from the first circuit.

4 . The thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein the third flow path receives therein the second fluid from the second circuit.

5 . The thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein the divider plate divides the heat exchanger into a first portion and a second portion.

6 . The thermal management module of claim 5 , wherein the first portion is in fluid communication with the first circuit.

7 . The thermal management module of claim 5 , wherein the second portion is in fluid communication with the second circuit.

8 . The thermal management module of claim 5 , wherein the first portion is an internal heat exchanger.

9 . The thermal management module of claim 5 , wherein the second portion is a chiller.

10 . The thermal management module of claim 5 , wherein the first flow path is located entirely in the first portion of the heat exchanger.

11 . The thermal management module of claim 5 , wherein the second flow path is located in at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the heat exchanger.

12 . The thermal management module of claim 5 , wherein the third flow path is located entirely in the second portion of the heat exchanger.

13 . A thermal management module of claim 1 , further comprising an expansion valve assembly fluidly connected to the heat exchanger, wherein the expansion valve assembly is in fluid communication with the first circuit.

14 . The thermal management module of claim 13 , wherein the expansion valve assembly is in fluid communication with at least one of the first flow path and the second flow path.

15 . The thermal management module of claim 13 , wherein the expansion valve assembly includes an expansion valve for changing a relatively high-pressure, high-temperature first fluid from the first circuit into a relatively low-pressure, low-temperature first fluid.

16 . The thermal management module of claim 15 , wherein the second flow path receives the relatively low-pressure, low-temperature first fluid from the expansion valve assembly.

17 . The thermal management module of claim 15 , wherein the relatively high-pressure, high-temperature first fluid from the first circuit is in thermal energy exchange relationship with the relatively low-pressure, low temperature first fluid from the expansion valve assembly.

18 . The thermal management module of claim 15 , wherein the relatively low-pressure, low temperature first fluid from the expansion valve assembly is in thermal energy exchange relationship with the second fluid from the second circuit.

19 . A thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein the thermal management module is integrated into a thermal management system of a vehicle, and wherein the thermal management system further includes at least one of a compressor and a condenser in the first circuit.

20 . A method of managing thermal energy, comprising:
providing a thermal management module comprising a heat exchanger in fluid communication with a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein the heat exchanger comprises:
a plurality of first plates;
a plurality of second plates, wherein the first plates and the second plates are alternatingly arranged in a stacked relationship; and
a divider plate disposed between one of the first plates and an adjacent one of the second plates, wherein the plates cooperate to form at least a first flow path for receiving a first fluid from the first circuit, a second flow path for receiving the first fluid from the first circuit, and a third flow path for receiving a second fluid from the second circuit;
supplying at least one of the first fluid from the first circuit and the second fluid from the second circuit to the heat exchanger; and exchanging thermal energy between the first fluid in the second flow path and at least one of the first fluid in the first flow path and the second fluid in the third flow path.

Assignees

• Hanon Systems

Inventors

• Papoulis Evangelos
• Zhang Chao
• Agathocleous Nicos
• Sawant Amey
• Belford Kenneth
• Sorensen Robert

Classifications

• F25B2500/18

  Optimization, e.g. high integration of refrigeration components · CPC title

• F25B40/00

  Subcoolers, desuperheaters or superheaters · CPC title

• F28F27/02

  for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels ({static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026}; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12) · CPC title

• F28D9/0093

  Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids · CPC title

• F28D9/005 Primary

  the plates having openings therein for both heat-exchange media · CPC title