CN113580882B - Thermal management system and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide thermal management systems and vehicles. The thermal management system includes: a first subsystem including a first refrigerant, a first compressor, and a first refrigerant passage coupled between an outlet and an inlet of the first compressor, the first compressor configured to compress the first refrigerant and circulate the compressed first refrigerant in the first refrigerant passage, the first refrigerant for absorbing heat from a passenger compartment and a battery of the vehicle; a second subsystem including a second refrigerant, a second compressor, and a second refrigerant passage coupled between an outlet and an inlet of the second compressor, the second compressor configured to compress the second refrigerant and circulate the compressed second refrigerant in the second refrigerant passage, and the second refrigerant to release heat to the passenger compartment and the battery; and a first heat exchange device thermally coupled to the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage for transferring heat of the first refrigerant to the second refrigerant. The present disclosure improves the efficiency and cooling capacity of a thermal management system.

Description

Thermal management system and vehicle

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of thermal management technology, and more particularly, to a thermal management system and a vehicle including the thermal management system.

Background

In vehicles such as electric vehicles, a thermal management system is typically provided to regulate the temperature of the passenger compartment to improve the ride experience. At the same time, such thermal management systems may also meet thermal management requirements of some devices in the vehicle, such as batteries and motors. For example, when charging a battery of an electric vehicle, particularly when super-fast charging, the battery generates a large amount of heat, so in order to ensure that the battery does not overheat, it is necessary to cool the battery by using a thermal management system of the vehicle; in addition, the low temperature in winter limits the charge and discharge performance of the battery of the electric vehicle and also attenuates the capacity of the battery, so the battery can be heated using a thermal management system to maintain the cell temperature of the battery above a certain temperature, for example above 0 ℃.

Currently, vehicles such as electric vehicles mainly employ a thermal management system having a heat pump function in managing heat. Such thermal management systems typically include a set of passage systems that are capable of fluid communication with each other, and the refrigerant is allowed to circulate in summer and the heating cycle in winter by adding various valves to the set of passage systems. However, there are a number of problems with this thermal management system. For example, since the refrigeration cycle and the heating cycle share the same set of passage system, such a thermal management system requires adding a large number of valve elements to switch different flow directions for the refrigeration and heating conditions, which makes control too complicated and increases the flow resistance of the refrigerant flow, resulting in poor reliability and reduced system efficiency; in addition, such systems typically use a single refrigerant, which results in a failure to achieve both efficient cooling and heating, i.e., lower heating efficiency when using a cooling refrigerant and lower cooling efficiency when using a heating refrigerant, and often also requires a liquid storage tank or gas-liquid separator to match the different refrigerant fill requirements of cooling and heating.

The above-mentioned drawbacks of current thermal management systems further affect the performance of the vehicle in some respects. For example, when super-fast charging a battery of an electric vehicle, the battery will overheat due to the generation of a large amount of heat, but current thermal management systems lack sufficient cooling capacity to effectively cool the super-fast charged battery, which affects the fast charging performance of the vehicle battery. For example, to make up for the lack of heating capacity, auxiliary positive temperature coefficient (Positive Temperature Coefficient, PTC) heating devices or high voltage heaters (High Voltage Heater, HVH) are often provided in electric vehicles to provide auxiliary heating to heat the battery and passenger compartment during winter, but these auxiliary heating devices increase the energy consumption of the electric vehicle and thus affect the cruising performance of the vehicle.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to address the above-described problems, embodiments of the present disclosure provide an improved thermal management system and a vehicle including the same.

In a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a thermal management system comprising: a first subsystem including a first refrigerant, a first compressor, and a first refrigerant passage, the first refrigerant passage coupled between an outlet and an inlet of the first compressor, the first compressor configured to compress the first refrigerant and circulate the compressed first refrigerant in the first refrigerant passage, the first refrigerant to absorb heat from a passenger compartment and a battery of the vehicle; a second subsystem including a second refrigerant, a second compressor, and a second refrigerant passage, the second refrigerant passage coupled between an outlet and an inlet of the second compressor, the second compressor configured to compress the second refrigerant and circulate the compressed second refrigerant in the second refrigerant passage, and the second refrigerant to release heat to the passenger compartment and the battery; and a first heat exchange device thermally coupled to the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage for transferring heat of the first refrigerant to the second refrigerant.

In embodiments of the present disclosure, by providing two relatively independent subsystems in a thermal management system to provide a heating cycle and a cooling cycle, respectively, efficient cooling and heating may be performed and valve elements reduced to achieve simple control. In addition, heat transfer and coordination between the two subsystems may allow the thermal management system to achieve greater cooling capacity.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the thermal management system further comprises: a first heat exchange fluid system comprising a first heat exchange fluid and a first fluid passage, the first fluid passage being thermally coupled to the battery, the first heat exchange fluid for flowing in the first fluid passage to heat or cool the battery; a second heat exchange device thermally coupled to the first refrigerant passage and the first fluid passage for transferring heat of the first heat exchange fluid to the first refrigerant; and a third heat exchange device thermally coupled to the second refrigerant passage and the first fluid passage for transferring heat from the second refrigerant to the first heat exchange fluid. By the implementation mode, the battery can be effectively heated under the condition of low ambient temperature, and the charging and discharging performances of the battery are improved; and under the condition that the battery is charged and heated, the battery is effectively cooled, and the charging efficiency of the battery is improved.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the thermal management system further comprises: a second heat exchange fluid system comprising a second heat exchange fluid and a second fluid passage, the second fluid passage being thermally coupled to the drive motor of the vehicle, the second heat exchange fluid for flowing in the second fluid passage to cool the drive motor; and a fourth heat exchange device thermally coupled to the second refrigerant passage and the second fluid passage for transferring heat of the second heat exchange fluid to the second refrigerant. In this implementation, the operating temperature of the driving motor can be effectively reduced, and the heat generated by the driving motor can be fully utilized, namely, the driving motor is used as a heat source, and the heat of the driving motor is provided for the second subsystem to heat.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the first coolant passage includes two first sub-passages in parallel and at least one first valve, the at least one first valve is for controlling coolant flow in the two first sub-passages, and one of the first sub-passages includes an evaporator for transferring heat from the passenger compartment to the first coolant, and the other first sub-passage is thermally coupled to the second heat exchange device. By this implementation, more flexible thermal management can be achieved and different modes of operation are provided to meet the diverse refrigeration needs.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the second coolant passage includes two second sub-passages in parallel and at least one second valve for controlling coolant flow in the two second sub-passages, and one of the second sub-passages includes a first radiator for transferring heat from the second coolant to the passenger compartment, and the other second sub-passage is thermally coupled to the third heat exchange device. By this implementation, more flexible thermal management can be achieved and different modes of operation are provided to meet the various heating requirements.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the second refrigerant passage includes two third sub-passages in parallel and at least one third valve for controlling refrigerant flow in the two third sub-passages, and wherein one third sub-passage is thermally coupled to the first heat exchange device and the other third sub-passage is thermally coupled to the fourth heat exchange device. By this implementation, a more flexible thermal management and more modes of operation can be achieved.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the thermal management system further comprises: a third heat exchange fluid system comprising a third heat exchange fluid and a third fluid passage in which the third heat exchange fluid is capable of flowing, the third fluid passage comprising a second radiator for transferring heat from the third heat exchange fluid to the passenger compartment; and a fifth heat exchange device thermally coupled to the second refrigerant passage and the third fluid passage for transferring heat from the second refrigerant to the third heat exchange fluid. In this embodiment, by providing the third heat exchange fluid system and the fifth heat exchange means, the heat exchange means associated with the second subsystem may all use plate heat exchangers, whereby the second subsystem and all heat exchange means associated therewith may be integrated into one module, thereby reducing system costs and piping connections.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the second refrigerant passage includes two fourth sub-passages in parallel and at least one fourth valve for controlling refrigerant flow in the two fourth sub-passages, and wherein one of the fourth sub-passages is thermally coupled to the fifth heat exchange device and the other of the second sub-passages is thermally coupled to the third heat exchange device. By this implementation, a more flexible thermal management and more modes of operation can be achieved.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the thermal management system further includes a first fan, and the first refrigerant path of the first subsystem includes an evaporator, the first fan being disposed proximate to the evaporator and the first heat sink, wherein the evaporator is closer to the first fan than the first heat sink. By this implementation, a dehumidification function can be achieved, and also a compact arrangement and an enhancement of the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator and the first radiator can be achieved.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the thermal management system further includes a first fan, and the first refrigerant path of the first subsystem includes an evaporator, the first fan being disposed proximate to the evaporator and the second heat sink, wherein the evaporator is closer to the first fan than the second heat sink. By this implementation, a dehumidification function can be achieved, and also a compact arrangement and an enhancement of the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator and the second radiator can be achieved.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the thermal management system further comprises a second fan, wherein the second fluid pathway comprises a third heat sink for transferring heat from the second heat exchange fluid to the external environment or from the external environment to the second heat exchange fluid, the first refrigerant pathway comprises a condenser for transferring heat from the first refrigerant to the external environment, and wherein the second fan is disposed proximate the condenser and the third heat sink. By this implementation, a compact arrangement can be achieved and the heat exchange efficiency of the condenser and the third radiator is enhanced.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the second refrigerant is different from the first refrigerant. In the implementation mode, the heating efficiency and the refrigerating efficiency of the heat management system can be effectively improved by using different refrigerants in two relatively independent subsystems. Thus, the thermal management system can perform cooling and heating only with a more efficient heat pump without providing an auxiliary heating device such as a PTC heating device or an HVH heating device, which reduces the energy consumption of the vehicle and improves the overall efficiency and cruising performance of the vehicle.

In a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vehicle comprising: the thermal management system according to the first aspect.

In one implementation of the present disclosure, the vehicle includes an electric vehicle.

It will be appreciated that the vehicle of the second aspect provided above comprises a thermal management system according to the first aspect. Therefore, the explanation or explanation regarding the first aspect applies equally to the second aspect. In addition, the advantages achieved by the second aspect may refer to the advantages related to the first aspect, and will not be described herein.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter.

Drawings

The above and other features, advantages and aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like or similar reference numerals designate like or similar elements, and wherein:

fig. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3A shows a schematic structural diagram of a first subsystem of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3B shows a schematic structural diagram of a second subsystem of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3C illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a first heat exchange fluid system and a second heat exchange fluid system of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management system in a normal cooling mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5A illustrates a structural schematic diagram of a thermal management system in a heating mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5B illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management system in another heating mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 6 illustrates a structural schematic diagram of a thermal management system in a dehumidification mode, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Fig. 7 illustrates a schematic configuration of a thermal management system in a maximum cooling mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 8 illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9 shows a schematic structural diagram of a second subsystem and a third heat exchange fluid system in a thermal management system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. While certain embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present disclosure may be embodied in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

In describing embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "comprising" and its like should be taken to be open-ended, i.e., including, but not limited to. The term "based on" should be understood as "based at least in part on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The terms "first," "second," and the like, may refer to different or the same object. Other explicit and implicit definitions are also possible below.

Embodiments of the present disclosure propose an improved thermal management system and a vehicle comprising the thermal management system. By providing two subsystems through which the heating refrigerant and the cooling refrigerant flow relatively independently to provide a heating cycle and a cooling cycle, respectively, a thermal management system with high efficiency in cooling and heating and simple control can be provided, and the maximum cooling capacity can be improved through heat transfer between the two subsystems, and such enhanced cooling capacity can meet the cooling requirement required in the case of super-fast charging of a battery, for example.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a vehicle 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle 1000 may be any type of vehicle, such as an automobile, train, ship, aircraft, etc. As an example, as shown in fig. 1, a vehicle 1000 may include a thermal management system 100, a passenger compartment 200, a driving motor 300, and a battery 400, and the driving motor 300 may include a motor and a motor control unit. The thermal management system 100 thermally manages the passenger compartment 200 and the drive motor 300. For example, the thermal management system 100 may absorb heat from the drive motor 300, absorb heat from the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400, and release heat to the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400. In addition, the thermal management system 100 may also absorb heat from or release heat to the external environment. Thus, by transferring and controlling heat, the thermal management system 100 may regulate the temperature of the passenger compartment 200, the drive motor 300, and the battery 400, thereby enhancing the passenger seating experience and improving the performance of the vehicle 1000.

Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management system 100, fig. 3A illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a first subsystem 110 of the thermal management system 100, fig. 3B illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a second subsystem 120 of the thermal management system 100, and fig. 3C illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a first heat exchange fluid system 140 and a second heat exchange fluid system 170 of the thermal management system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3A, the thermal management system 100 may include a first subsystem 110, the first subsystem 110 including a first refrigerant, a first compressor 111, and a first refrigerant passage 112, the first refrigerant passage 112 coupled between an outlet and an inlet of the first compressor 111, the first compressor 111 configured to compress the first refrigerant and circulate the compressed first refrigerant in the first refrigerant passage 112, the first refrigerant to absorb heat from the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400 of the vehicle 1000. As an example, in the first subsystem 110, the first refrigerant may circulate in the first refrigerant passage 112. The first refrigerant may absorb heat from the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400 at a location near the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400, or from a heat exchange fluid that cools the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400. Then, the first refrigerant enters the first compressor 111 to be compressed. The compressed first refrigerant exits the first compressor 111 and flows to a position near the external environment to release its own heat to the external environment. The first refrigerant after releasing heat continues to flow and absorbs heat again from the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400. In this way, the first subsystem 110 may provide a heat pump function to transfer heat from the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400 to the external environment, thereby enabling cooling for the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3B, the thermal management system 100 may include a second subsystem 120, the second subsystem 120 including a second refrigerant, a second compressor 121, and a second refrigerant passage 122, the second refrigerant passage 122 coupled between an outlet and an inlet of the second compressor 121, the second compressor 121 configured to compress and circulate the second refrigerant in the second refrigerant passage 122, and the second refrigerant to release heat to the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400. As an example, in the second subsystem 120, the second refrigerant may circulate in the second refrigerant passage 122. The second refrigerant may release heat to the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400 at a location near the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400, or to a heat exchange fluid that heats the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400. Then, the second refrigerant enters the second compressor 121 to be compressed. The compressed second refrigerant exits the second compressor 121 and flows to a suitable location to absorb heat from elsewhere, such as from the motor or from the external environment. The second refrigerant after absorbing heat continues to flow and releases heat again to the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400. In this way, the first subsystem 110 may provide a heat pump function to transfer heat from elsewhere, such as the external environment and the motor, to the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400, thereby enabling heating of the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400. In one embodiment, the second compressor 121 may be arranged to be integrated with the first compressor 111, thereby reducing the occupied space.

In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the second refrigerant in the second subsystem 120 is different from the first refrigerant in the first subsystem 110. As an example, the first refrigerant may be a refrigerant having higher cooling efficiency, such as using more 1, 2-tetrafluoroethane (R134 a or HFC-134 a) or 2, 3-tetrafluoropropene (R1234 yf or HFO-1234 yf) in summer cooling, and the second refrigerant may be a refrigerant having higher heating efficiency, such as using more carbon dioxide (R744) in winter heating. By using different refrigerants in two relatively independent subsystems, the heating efficiency and the refrigerating efficiency of the heat management system can be effectively improved. Thus, unlike a single refrigerant thermal management system, the thermal management system 100 can perform cooling and heating using only a more efficient heat pump without providing an auxiliary heating device such as a PTC heating device or an HVH heating device, which reduces the energy consumption of the vehicle 1000 and improves the overall efficiency and cruising performance of the vehicle 1000.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in fig. 2, 3A and 3B, the thermal management system 100 may include a first heat exchanging device 130, the first heat exchanging device 130 being thermally coupled to the first refrigerant passage 112 and the second refrigerant passage 122 for transferring heat of the first refrigerant to the second refrigerant. Specifically, since the first heat exchanging arrangement 130 is thermally coupled to both the first refrigerant passage 112 and the second refrigerant passage 122, the first heat exchanging arrangement 130 can absorb heat of the first refrigerant in the first refrigerant passage 112 and release the heat to the second refrigerant in the second refrigerant passage 122. With this structure, the first refrigerant in the first subsystem 110 can not only release heat to the external environment, but also transfer heat to the second refrigerant in the second subsystem 120 by using the first heat exchange device 130, so that the maximum refrigerating capacity of the first subsystem 110 can be improved by using the second subsystem 120 under some working conditions.

For example, in the case where the battery 400 of the vehicle 1000 needs to be super-charged, the first subsystem 110 will dissipate heat from the battery 400, i.e., the first refrigerant in the first subsystem 110 needs to absorb heat from the battery 400 and transfer it to the external environment. However, the vehicle 1000 is typically stationary when charged, resulting in a weak air flow from the external environment, which limits the ability of the first subsystem 110 to release heat to the external environment. In this case, the first subsystem 110 of the thermal management system 100 may not only release the heat of the battery 400 to the external environment, but also transfer the heat to the second refrigerant in the second subsystem 120 by means of the first heat exchanging device 130, and then the second refrigerant may release the absorbed heat to the passenger compartment 200 through the second refrigerant passage 122, whereby the heat generated during the charging of the battery 400 may be more efficiently and rapidly absorbed and transferred by the first refrigerant. It can be seen that the refrigeration capacity of the first subsystem 110 can be greatly enhanced by the cooperation of the first subsystem 110, the second subsystem 120 and the first heat exchanging arrangement 130.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3C, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the thermal management system 100 may include a first heat exchange fluid system 140, the first heat exchange fluid system 140 including a first heat exchange fluid and a first fluid passage 141, the first fluid passage 141 being thermally coupled to the battery 400, the first heat exchange fluid being for flowing in the first fluid passage 141 to heat or cool the battery 400. In addition, the thermal management system 100 may further include a second heat exchange device 150 and a third heat exchange device 160, the second heat exchange device 150 being thermally coupled to the first refrigerant passage 112 and the first fluid passage 141 for transferring heat of the first heat exchange fluid to the first refrigerant, and the third heat exchange device 160 being thermally coupled to the second refrigerant passage 122 and the first fluid passage 141 for transferring heat of the second refrigerant to the first heat exchange fluid.

As an example, the first heat exchange fluid of the first heat exchange fluid system 140 may circulate in the first fluid passage 141 by driving of the pump 142. Since the first fluid pathway 141 of the first heat exchange fluid system 140 is thermally coupled to the battery 400, for example thermally coupled to the housing of the battery 400 or directly thermally coupled to the electrical core of the battery 400, the battery 400 may be cooled or the battery 400 heated by the first heat exchange fluid flowing in the first fluid pathway 141. In the case where the first heat exchange fluid cools the battery 400, after the first heat exchange fluid of the first heat exchange fluid system 140 absorbs heat from the battery 400, the first heat exchange fluid transfers the heat to the first refrigerant in the first subsystem 110 through the second heat exchange device 150, thereby achieving cooling of the heat exchange fluid to further circulate and cool the battery 400. In the case where the first heat exchange fluid heats the battery 400, after the first heat exchange fluid of the first heat exchange fluid system 140 releases heat to the battery 400, the first heat exchange fluid absorbs heat from the second refrigerant in the second subsystem 120 through the third heat exchange device 160, thereby achieving heating of the heat exchange fluid to further cycle heat the battery 400. In this way, the battery 400 can be effectively heated in the case where the ambient temperature is low, thereby improving the charge and discharge performance of the battery 400; and in the case of battery charge heating, the battery 400 can be effectively cooled, thereby improving the charge efficiency of the battery 400.

As shown in fig. 3A, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the first refrigerant passage 112 includes two first sub-passages 112-1, 112-2 and at least one first valve V11, V12 in parallel, the at least one first valve V11, V12 is used to control refrigerant flow in the two first sub-passages 112-1, 112-2, and one of the first sub-passages 112-1 includes an evaporator 1126, the evaporator 1126 is used to transfer heat from the passenger compartment 200 to the first refrigerant, and the other first sub-passage 112-2 is thermally coupled to the second heat exchange device 150.

Specifically, by controlling the opening and closing of the two first valves V11 and V12, the flow of refrigerant in the two first sub-passages 112-1 and 112-2 in parallel may be controlled so that the thermal management system 100 may operate in different modes. As an example, when the first valve V11 is opened and the first valve V12 is closed, the first refrigerant flows only through the first sub-passage 112-1 and absorbs heat from the passenger compartment 200 through the evaporator 1126 to lower the temperature of the passenger compartment 200, at which time the first sub-passage 112-2 does not have the first refrigerant flowing, and thus the second heat exchanging apparatus 150 does not perform any heat exchange; when the first valve V12 is opened and the first valve V11 is closed, the first refrigerant flows only through the first sub-passage 112-2 and absorbs heat from the first heat exchange fluid of the first heat exchange fluid system 140 through the second heat exchange device 150 to lower the temperature of the battery 400, at which time the first sub-passage 112-1 does not have the first refrigerant flowing, and thus no heat exchange is performed between the evaporator 1126 and the passenger compartment 200; and when the first valves V11 and V12 are simultaneously opened, the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400 can be simultaneously cooled. It can be seen that by providing parallel branches in the first refrigerant passage 112, more flexible thermal management can be achieved and different modes of operation can be provided to meet various refrigeration demands.

As an example, the first valves V11, V12 may be electronic expansion valves and divide the first refrigerant passage 112 into a high pressure side and a low pressure side. The first valves V11, V12 may be disposed upstream of the evaporator 1126 and the second heat exchange device 150, respectively, so that the evaporator 1126 and the second heat exchange device 150 are located on the low pressure side of the first refrigerant passage 112. By the opening and closing control of the first valves V11, V12, the flow of the first refrigerant from the high pressure side to the low pressure side of the evaporator 1126 and the second heat exchanging arrangement 150 can be effectively controlled. However, it is understood that the implementation of the first valves V11, V12 is not limited thereto, and for example, the first valves V11, V12 may be other suitable types of valves, and the number thereof may be greater or only one (e.g., one multi-way valve is provided).

As shown in fig. 3B, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the second coolant passage 122 includes two second sub-passages 122-1, 122-2 in parallel and at least one second valve V2, the at least one second valve V2 is used to control coolant flow in the two second sub-passages 122-1, 122-2, and one of the second sub-passages 122-1 includes a first radiator 1225, the first radiator 1225 is used to transfer heat from the second coolant to the passenger compartment 200, and the other second sub-passage 122-2 is thermally coupled to the third heat exchange device 160.

Specifically, by controlling the second valve V2, the flow of refrigerant in the two parallel second sub-paths 122-1 and 122-2 may be controlled so that the thermal management system 100 may operate in different modes. As an example, when the second valve V2 opens only the port communicating with the second sub-passage 122-1, the second refrigerant flows only through the second sub-passage 122-1, and releases heat to the passenger compartment 200 through the first radiator 1225 to raise the temperature of the passenger compartment 200, at which time the second sub-passage 122-2 does not flow the second refrigerant, and thus the third heat exchanging device 160 does not perform any heat exchange; when the second valve V2 opens only the port communicating with the second sub-passage 122-2, the second refrigerant flows only through the second sub-passage 122-2 and releases heat to the first heat exchange fluid of the first heat exchange fluid system 140 through the third heat exchange device 160 to heat the battery 400 by means of the first heat exchange fluid, at which time the second sub-passage 122-1 does not have the first refrigerant flowing, and thus no heat exchange is performed between the first radiator 1225 and the passenger compartment 200; and when the ports of the second valve V2 communicating with the two second sub-passages 122-1 and 122-2 are simultaneously opened, the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400 can be simultaneously heated. It can be seen that by providing parallel branches in the second refrigerant passage 112, more flexible thermal management can be achieved and different modes of operation can be provided to meet various heating requirements.

As an example, the second valve V2 may be a three-way valve, and is disposed upstream of the first radiator 1225 and the third heat exchanging arrangement 160. By employing an integrated valve, such as a multi-way valve, the assembly connections can be reduced, reducing the cost of the valve arrangement. However, it will be appreciated that the second valve V2 may be implemented in other ways, for example, two check valves may be provided in the second sub-passages 122-1 and 122-2, respectively, and controlled separately.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3C, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the thermal management system 100 includes a second heat exchange fluid system 170, the second heat exchange fluid system 170 including a second heat exchange fluid and a second fluid passage 171, the second fluid passage 171 being thermally coupled to the drive motor 300 of the vehicle 1000, the second heat exchange fluid being for flowing in the second fluid passage 171 to cool the drive motor 300. Further, the thermal management system may include a fourth heat exchange device 180, the fourth heat exchange device 180 being thermally coupled to the second refrigerant passage 122 and the second fluid passage 171 for transferring heat of the second heat exchange fluid to the second refrigerant.

As an example, the second heat exchange fluid of the second heat exchange fluid system 170 may circulate in the second fluid passage 171 by driving of the pump 172. Since the second fluid path 171 of the second heat exchange fluid system 170 is thermally coupled to the drive motor 300, e.g., to the housing of the motor and/or to the controller of the motor, heat generated by the drive motor 300 can be absorbed by the second heat exchange fluid flowing in the second fluid path 171. The operating temperature of the drive motor 300 may be effectively reduced by the second heat exchange fluid system 170. Meanwhile, the thermal management system 100 may also fully utilize the heat generated by the driving motor 300, i.e., the driving motor 300 is used as a heat source. Specifically, heat from the drive motor 300 in the second heat exchange fluid may be further provided to the second refrigerant of the second subsystem 120 through the fourth heat exchange device 180 for heating of the passenger compartment 200 and/or the battery 400. In addition to utilizing the waste heat generated during normal operation of the drive motor 300, the drive motor 300 may employ active heating techniques to provide more heat for the heating of the second subsystem 120. For example, the drive motor 300 may employ motor stall technology to actively generate heat to transfer sufficient heat to the passenger compartment 200 and/or the battery 400 via the second subsystem 120.

Furthermore, in some cases, such as when the second subsystem 120 is not operating, heat from the drive motor 300 in the second heat exchange fluid may also be released to the external environment. Alternatively, the second heat exchange fluid of the second heat exchange fluid system 170 may also absorb heat from the external environment, whereby heat from the external environment may be transferred to the second refrigerant of the second subsystem 120 along with the heat of the drive motor 300 to help raise the temperature of the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400.

As an example, a four-way valve V5 may also be provided between the second heat exchange fluid system 170 and the first heat exchange fluid system 140. With control of the four-way valve V5, the first heat exchange fluid system 140 and the second heat exchange fluid system 170 may be provided as two mutually independent systems operating in parallel with each other. In some cases, the four-way valve V5 may also be controlled to communicate the fluid passages of the first heat exchange fluid system 140 and the second heat exchange fluid system 170 in series to form a single fluid passage. For example, with a low degree of heat dissipation from the battery, first fluid passage 141 and second fluid passage 171 may be in communication to enable heat from battery 400 to be released to the external environment via the second fluid passage without operating first subsystem 110. The first heat exchange fluid system 140 and the second heat exchange fluid system 170 may employ the same or different heat exchange fluids, including, for example, water, ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, and the like, as well as mixtures of the above.

In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the second refrigerant passage 122 includes two third sub-passages 122-6, 122-7 and at least one third valve V31, V32 in parallel, the at least one third valve V31, V32 is used to control refrigerant flow in the two third sub-passages 122-6, 122-7, and one of the third sub-passages 122-6 is thermally coupled to the first heat exchange device 130 and the other third sub-passage 122-7 is thermally coupled to the fourth heat exchange device 180.

Specifically, by controlling the opening and closing of the two third valves V31 and V32, the flow of refrigerant in the two third sub-passages 122-6 and 122-7 in parallel may be controlled so that the thermal management system 100 may operate in different modes. As an example, when the third valve V31 is opened and the third valve V32 is closed, the second refrigerant flows only through the third sub-passage 122-6 and absorbs heat from the first refrigerant of the first subsystem 110 through the first heat exchanging arrangement 130 to assist the first subsystem 110 to release heat, at which time the third sub-passage 122-7 does not have the second refrigerant flowing, and thus the fourth heat exchanging arrangement 180 does not perform any heat exchange; when the third valve V32 is opened and the third valve V31 is closed, the second refrigerant flows only through the third sub-passage 122-7 and absorbs heat from the second heat exchange fluid of the second heat exchange fluid system 170 through the fourth heat exchange device 180 to heat the passenger compartment 200 and/or the battery 400, and at this time, the third sub-passage 122-6 does not flow the second refrigerant and thus no heat exchange is performed between the first heat exchange device 130 and the first subsystem 110; and when the third valves V31 and V32 are simultaneously opened, the first heat exchanging arrangement 130 and the fourth heat exchanging arrangement 180 may simultaneously exchange heat. Thus, by providing the third sub-passage 122-6, 122-7 in parallel in the second refrigerant passage 112, more flexible thermal management can be achieved.

As an example, similar to the first valves V11 and V12, the third valves V31, V32 may be electronic expansion valves and divide the second refrigerant passage 122 into a high pressure side and a low pressure side. The third valves V31, V32 may be disposed upstream of the first and fourth heat exchanging arrangements 130, 180, respectively, so that the first and fourth heat exchanging arrangements 130, 180 are located on the low pressure side of the second refrigerant passage 122. By the opening and closing control of the third valves V31, V32, the flow of the second refrigerant from the high pressure side to the low pressure side of the first heat exchanging arrangement 130 and the fourth heat exchanging arrangement 180 can be effectively controlled. However, it is understood that the implementation of the third valves V31, V32 is not limited thereto, and for example, the third valves V31, V32 may be other suitable types of valves, and the number thereof may be greater or only one (e.g., one multi-way valve is provided).

In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the thermal management system 100 includes a first fan F1, the first fan F1 being disposed proximate to the evaporator 1126 and the first heat sink 1225, wherein the evaporator 1126 is closer to the first fan F1 than the first heat sink 1225. In particular, the first fan F1 facilitates enhancing air circulation near the evaporator 1126 or the first radiator 1225 and blowing cooled or heated air toward different areas of the passenger compartment 200, thereby improving cooling or heating efficiency. In addition, in the case where the evaporator 1126 and the first radiator 1225 exchange heat with the passenger compartment 200 at the same time, the first fan F1 may blow air in the passenger compartment 200 toward the evaporator 1126 to cool down and dehumidify, and then the cooled dry air is blown toward the first radiator 1225 to heat up, thereby effectively reducing the humidity of the air in the passenger compartment 200. It follows that the arrangement described above may also provide a dehumidification function for the passenger compartment 200. In one embodiment, the first fan F1, the evaporator 1126, and the first radiator 1225 may constitute an air conditioning case, which may be disposed proximate to the passenger compartment 200 or directly in the passenger compartment 200.

In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the thermal management system 100 comprises a second fan F2, wherein the second fluid path 171 comprises a third heat sink 1715, the third heat sink 1715 for transferring heat from the second heat exchange fluid to the external environment, or vice versa, the first refrigerant path 112 comprises a condenser 1125, the condenser 1125 for transferring heat from the first refrigerant to the external environment, and wherein the second fan F2 is disposed proximate to the condenser 1125 and the third heat sink 1715. In particular, the second fan F2 is advantageous in enhancing the air flow near the condenser 1125 or the third radiator 1715, thereby increasing the efficiency of heat exchange. In one embodiment, the second fan F2, the condenser 1125, and the third radiator 1715 may constitute a front end module that may be located in an area of the vehicle 1000 that is close to the outside environment and where air flow conditions are good, such as in an area that is upwind of the front side of the vehicle.

Further, the second heat exchange fluid system 170 may include a valve V4. By controlling the valve V4, a sub-path containing the third heat sink 1715 may be communicated to the main path of the second heat exchange fluid system 170 (thermally coupled to the drive motor 300) or bypassed. For example, the sub-passage may be connected to the main passage when it is necessary to release heat of the driving motor 300 to the external environment or when it is necessary to absorb heat from the external environment to supply the second refrigerant to the second subsystem 120. In addition, in some cases, such as when the external environment temperature is low, and the second heat exchange fluid system 170 is also required to transfer heat to the second refrigerant of the second subsystem 120, the above-mentioned sub-path may be bypassed, that is, the heat exchange between the second heat exchange fluid and the external environment at the third heat sink 1715 is avoided, so that the heat from the driving motor 300 required for heating of the second subsystem 120 is prevented from being dissipated to the external environment.

As an example, in the thermal management system 100, the system piping of the first subsystem 110 and the second subsystem 120 may use hard piping, and the system piping of the first converter system 140 and the second heat exchange fluid system 170 in the thermal management system 100 may use rubber piping.

As an example, in the second subsystem 120 of the thermal management system 100, two intermediate heat exchangers IHX may also be provided at the inlet of the second compressor 121 and upstream of the third valves V31 and V32, respectively. Thereby, with the aid of the intermediate heat exchanger IHX, heat exchange can be performed between the second refrigerant at the inlet of the second compressor 121 and the second refrigerant upstream of the third valves V31 and V32. In this way, the overall efficiency of the second subsystem 120 may be further improved.

Further, the number of heat exchanging devices, heat sinks, and the like is not limited to the number shown in the drawings, but more or fewer heat exchanging devices and heat sinks may be employed. For example, the first heat sink 1225 may be a single heat sink, or may be two or more heat sinks connected in series, and the first heat exchanging device 130 may be composed of a single heat exchanging device, or may be composed of two or more heat exchanging devices.

Fig. 4 to 7 illustrate exemplary operation modes of the thermal management system 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein fig. 4 illustrates the thermal management system 100 in a normal cooling mode, fig. 5A and 5B illustrate the thermal management system 100 in a heating mode, fig. 6 illustrates the thermal management system 100 in a dehumidification mode, and fig. 7 illustrates the thermal management system 100 in a maximum cooling mode. The operation of the subsystems of the thermal management system 100, the heat exchange fluid system, and the various devices or apparatuses for heat exchange in the various modes of operation will be described in an exemplary manner below.

As shown in fig. 4, in the normal cooling mode, the thermal management system 100 may achieve cooling only for the passenger compartment 200, cooling only for the battery 400, and cooling both for the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400. In the first subsystem 110, the first refrigerant is compressed by the first compressor 111, the condenser 1125 releases heat to the external environment and the first refrigerant expands after passing through the valve V11 and absorbs heat from the passenger compartment 200 through the evaporator 1126 to cool the passenger compartment 200 with the valve V11 opened, and the first refrigerant expands after passing through the valve V12 and absorbs heat from the first heat exchange fluid of the first heat exchange fluid system 140 to cool the battery 400 through the second heat exchange device 150 with the valve V12 opened to cool the battery 400, and finally the first refrigerant returns to the first compressor 11 and continues the next cycle. The first heat exchange fluid system 140 and the second heat exchange fluid system 170 operate independently of each other in parallel under the control of the four-way valve V5, wherein in the first heat exchange fluid system 140, the first heat exchange fluid absorbs heat from the battery 400 and transfers the heat to the first refrigerant of the first subsystem 110 through the second heat exchange device 150, and in the second heat exchange fluid system 140, the second heat exchange fluid absorbs heat from the driving motor 300 and releases the absorbed heat to the external environment through the third heat sink 1715. In this normal cooling mode, the second subsystem 120 is not operating, and the heat exchange devices and heat sinks associated with the second subsystem 120 do not exchange any heat.

As shown in fig. 5A, in the heating mode, the thermal management system 100 may enable heating only for the passenger compartment 200, heating only for the battery 400, and heating both for the passenger compartment 200 and the battery 400. In the second subsystem 120, the second refrigerant is compressed by the second compressor 121; with the second valve V2 opening a port to the second sub-passage 122-1, the second refrigerant releases heat to the passenger compartment 200 at the first radiator 1225, and with the second valve V2 opening a port to the second sub-passage 122-2, the second refrigerant releases heat to the first heat exchange fluid of the first heat exchange fluid system 140 at the third heat exchange device 160 to heat the battery 400; subsequently, the second refrigerant expands after passing through the third valve V32 and absorbs heat from the driving motor 300 and the external environment through the fourth heat exchange device 180 from the second heat exchange fluid of the second heat exchange fluid system 170; finally, the second refrigerant returns to the second compressor 121 to continue the next cycle. The first heat exchange fluid system 140 and the second heat exchange fluid system 170 operate independently of each other in parallel under the control of the four-way valve V5, wherein in the first heat exchange fluid system 140, the first heat exchange fluid releases heat to the battery 400 and absorbs heat from the second refrigerant of the second subsystem 120 through the third heat exchange device 160, and in the second heat exchange fluid system 140, the fourth valve V4 (e.g., a three-way valve) connects the sub-passage including the third heat sink 1715 in series to the main passage, whereby the second heat exchange fluid can absorb heat from both the driving motor 300 and the external environment and transfer the absorbed heat to the second refrigerant of the second subsystem 120 through the fourth heat exchange device 180. In this heating mode, the first subsystem 110 is not operating, and the heat exchange devices, condenser, and evaporator associated with the first subsystem 110 do not exchange any heat.

As shown in fig. 5B, the thermal management system 100 may also operate in another heating mode as an alternative. The heating mode shown in fig. 5B differs from the heating mode shown in fig. 5A only in that the flow path of the second heat exchange fluid system 170 is changed, wherein a fourth valve V4 (e.g. a three-way valve) bypasses the sub-path comprising the third heat sink 1715. For example, in the case where the external environment temperature is too low, e.g., the external environment temperature is below-30 ℃, the third heat sink 1715 in the second heat exchange fluid system 170 has difficulty absorbing heat from the external environment due to the too low temperature, and may also release heat to the external environment. Thus, the fourth valve V4 may be controlled to bypass the sub-path containing the third heat sink 1715. That is, the second heat exchange fluid in the second heat exchange fluid system 170 no longer flows through the third heat sink 1715 such that heat from the drive motor 300 is provided entirely to the second refrigerant of the second subsystem 120 at the fourth heat exchange device 180 for heating the battery 400 and/or the passenger compartment 200 while avoiding heat release to the external environment through the third heat sink. In this case, the driving motor 300 may also employ an active heating technique to increase heat generation, for example.

As shown in fig. 6, in the dehumidification mode, the thermal management system 100 may reduce the humidity inside the passenger compartment 200 and the first subsystem 110 and the second subsystem 120 will operate simultaneously. In the first subsystem 110, the first refrigerant is compressed by the first compressor 111, and heat is released to the outside environment in the condenser 1125; with the first valve V11 open and the first valve V12 closed, the first refrigerant expands only through the valve V11 and absorbs heat from the passenger compartment 200 through the evaporator 1126; finally, the first refrigerant returns to the first compressor 11 and continues with the next cycle. In the second subsystem 120, the second refrigerant is compressed by the second compressor 121; since the second valve V2 opens only the port to the second sub-passage 122-1 and closes the port to the second sub-passage 122-2, the second refrigerant releases heat to the passenger compartment 200 only at the first radiator 1225; subsequently, the second refrigerant expands after passing through the third valve V32 and absorbs heat from the driving motor 300 and the external environment through the fourth heat exchange device 180 from the second heat exchange fluid of the second heat exchange fluid system 170; finally, the second refrigerant returns to the second compressor 121 to continue the next cycle. The first heat exchange fluid system 140 is not operated and the operation of the second heat exchange fluid system 170 is similar to the heating mode shown in fig. 5A and will not be described again. In the dehumidification mode, the evaporator 1126 of the first subsystem 110 and the first radiator 1225 of the second subsystem 120 exchange heat with the passenger compartment 200 at the same time, so that the first fan F1 blows air in the passenger compartment 200 to the evaporator 1126 to cool and dehumidify, and then the cooled dry air is blown to the first radiator 1225 to heat and raise the temperature, thereby effectively reducing the humidity of the air in the passenger compartment 200.

As shown in fig. 7, in the maximum cooling mode, the thermal management system 100 may provide the maximum cooling capacity for the battery 400 when the battery 400 is severely heated (e.g., when the battery 400 is super-fast charged), for example, up to 10kW or more, so as to ensure that the charging temperature of the battery meets the safety requirement. In this mode, the first subsystem 110 and the second subsystem 120 will operate simultaneously. In the first subsystem 110, the first refrigerant is compressed by the first compressor 111, and heat is released to the outside environment in the condenser 1125; meanwhile, the first refrigerant will release heat to the second refrigerant of the second subsystem 120 through the first heat exchange device 130; since the first valve V11 is closed and the first valve V12 is opened, the second refrigerant expands only after passing through the valve V12 and absorbs heat from the battery 400 through the second heat exchange fluid system 140 to cool the battery 400. In the second subsystem 120, the second refrigerant is compressed by the second compressor 121; since the second valve V2 opens only the port to the second sub-passage 122-1 and closes the port to the second sub-passage 122-2, the second refrigerant releases heat to the passenger compartment 200 only at the first radiator 1225; then, the second refrigerant expands after passing through the third valve V31 and absorbs heat from the first refrigerant of the first subsystem 110 through the first heat exchange device 130; finally, the second refrigerant returns to the second compressor 121 to continue the next cycle. The second heat exchange fluid system 170 is not in operation and the operation of the first heat exchange fluid system 140 is similar to the refrigeration mode shown in fig. 4 and will not be described again. In this maximum cooling mode, heat of the first refrigerant of the first subsystem 110 may be released not only to the external environment but also to the second refrigerant, and released to other places through the second refrigerant. Thus, the cooling capacity of the first subsystem 110 is greatly enhanced by the second subsystem 120, making the thermal management system 100 suitable for battery cooling for severe heat generation in scenarios such as super fast charging.

In embodiments of the present disclosure, efficient cooling and heating and simple control may be achieved by providing two relatively independent subsystems in a thermal management system to provide a heating cycle and a cooling cycle, respectively. At the same time, heat transfer and coordination between the two subsystems can further enhance the refrigeration capacity. Thus, the thermal management system may provide sufficient cooling capacity for battery cooling when the battery is severely hot (e.g., when the battery is super-charged). Furthermore, valve elements, the liquid reservoir, the gas-liquid separator, and auxiliary heaters such as PTC heaters may be reduced in the thermal management system, which reduces the overall cost of the system.

Fig. 8 illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a thermal management system 100 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 9 illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a second subsystem 120 and a third heat exchange fluid system 190 in a thermal management system 100 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The thermal management system 100 shown in fig. 8 includes a third heat exchange fluid system 190, the third heat exchange fluid system 190 including a third heat exchange fluid and a third fluid passage 192, the third heat exchange fluid being capable of flowing in the third fluid passage 192, the third fluid passage 192 including a second radiator 1925, the second radiator 1925 for transferring heat from the third heat exchange fluid to the passenger compartment 200. In addition, the thermal management system 100 of FIG. 8 further includes a fifth heat exchange device 191 thermally coupled to the second refrigerant passage 122 and the third fluid passage 192 of the second subsystem 120 for transferring heat of the second refrigerant to the third heat exchange fluid.

Unlike the second subsystem 120 of the thermal management system 100 shown in fig. 1, the second refrigerant of the second subsystem 120 of the thermal management system 100 shown in fig. 8 does not directly release heat to the passenger compartment 200 through the radiator, but first transfers heat to the third heat exchange fluid of the third heat exchange fluid system 190 through the fifth heat exchange device 191. In the third heat exchange fluid system 190, the third heat exchange fluid may circulate in the third fluid passage 192, for example, under the drive of the pump 193, and release heat absorbed from the second refrigerant of the second subsystem 120 to the passenger compartment 200 at the second radiator 1925. Similar to the first heat exchange fluid system 140 and the second heat exchange fluid system 170, rubber tubing may be used as system tubing in the third heat exchange fluid system 190, and the third heat exchange fluid may be the same as or different from the first heat exchange fluid and the second heat exchange fluid, and may include, for example, water, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, or the like, and mixtures of the above.

In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the second refrigerant passage 122 of the second subsystem 120 in fig. 8 includes two fourth sub-passages 122-3, 122-4 in parallel and at least one fourth valve V4, the at least one fourth valve V4 being used to control refrigerant flow in the two fourth sub-passages 122-3, 122-4, and one of the fourth sub-passages 122-3 is thermally coupled to the fifth heat exchange device 191 and the other of the second sub-passages 122-4 is thermally coupled to the third heat exchange device 160.

Similar to the two second sub-passages 122-1, 122-2 and the valve V2 of the second refrigerant passage 122, by controlling the fourth valve V4, the refrigerant flow in the two fourth sub-passages 122-3 and 122-4 in parallel may be controlled so that the thermal management system 100 may operate in different modes. The fourth valve V4 may be a three-way valve and is disposed upstream of the third heat exchange device 160 and the fifth heat exchange device 191. The provision of an integrated valve may reduce the assembly connections and reduce the cost of the valve arrangement. However, it will be appreciated that the fourth valve V4 may also be implemented in other ways, for example, two one-way valves may be provided in the fourth sub-passages 122-3 and 122-4, respectively, and controlled separately.

In the thermal management system 100 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the use of a radiator in the second subsystem 120 may be avoided by providing the third heat exchange fluid system 190. Thus, the means for heat exchange associated with the second subsystem 120 are all heat exchange means such as the fifth heat exchange means 191, e.g., the first heat exchange means 130, the third heat exchange means 160 and the fourth heat exchange means 180. These heat exchange devices may all use plate heat exchangers, whereby the second subsystem 120, the second compressor 121, the individual valves and all heat exchange devices associated therewith may be compactly arranged or integrated into one module, thereby reducing system costs and piping connections. Furthermore, the technical effects, modes of operation and associated descriptions described above in connection with the thermal management system 100 shown in FIG. 1 are equally applicable to the thermal management system 100 shown in FIG. 8 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the disclosure are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, while the foregoing description and related drawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of components and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of components and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In this regard, for example, other combinations of different components and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as being within the scope of the present disclosure. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims (14)

1. A thermal management system (100), comprising:

a first subsystem (110) comprising a first refrigerant, a first compressor (111), and a first refrigerant passage (112), the first refrigerant passage (112) coupled between an outlet and an inlet of the first compressor (111), the first compressor (111) configured to compress the first refrigerant and circulate the compressed first refrigerant in the first refrigerant passage (112), the first refrigerant for absorbing heat from a passenger compartment (200) and a battery (400) of a vehicle (1000);

A second subsystem (120) comprising a second refrigerant, a second compressor (121), and a second refrigerant passage (122), the second refrigerant passage (122) being coupled between an outlet and an inlet of the second compressor (121), the second compressor (121) being configured to compress the second refrigerant and circulate the compressed second refrigerant in the second refrigerant passage (122), and the second refrigerant being for releasing heat to the passenger compartment (200) and the battery (400); and

a first heat exchange device (130) thermally coupled to the first refrigerant passage (112) and the second refrigerant passage (122) for transferring heat from the first refrigerant to the second refrigerant.

2. The thermal management system (100) of claim 1, further comprising:

a first heat exchange fluid system (140) comprising a first heat exchange fluid and a first fluid passage (141), the first fluid passage (141) being thermally coupled to the battery (400), the first heat exchange fluid being for flowing in the first fluid passage (141) to heat or cool the battery (400);

-a second heat exchange device (150) thermally coupled to said first refrigerant passage (112) and said first fluid passage (141) for transferring heat of said first heat exchange fluid to said first refrigerant; and

Third heat exchange means (160) thermally coupled to said second refrigerant passage (122) and said first fluid passage (141) for transferring heat of said second refrigerant to said first heat exchange fluid.

3. The thermal management system (100) of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

a second heat exchange fluid system (170) comprising a second heat exchange fluid and a second fluid passage (171), the second fluid passage (171) being thermally coupled to a drive motor (300) of the vehicle (1000), the second heat exchange fluid for flowing in the second fluid passage (171) for cooling the drive motor (300); and

fourth heat exchange means (180) thermally coupled to said second refrigerant passage (122) and said second fluid passage (171) for transferring heat of said second heat exchange fluid to said second refrigerant.

4. The thermal management system (100) of claim 2, wherein the first refrigerant passage (112) comprises two first sub-passages (112-1, 112-2) in parallel and at least one first valve (V11, V12), the at least one first valve (V11, V12) for controlling refrigerant flow in the two first sub-passages (112-1, 112-2), and

one of the first sub-passages (112-1) includes an evaporator (1126), the evaporator (1126) is for transferring heat from the passenger compartment (200) to the first refrigerant, and the other first sub-passage (112-2) is thermally coupled to the second heat exchanging device (150).

5. The thermal management system (100) of claim 2, wherein the second refrigerant passage (122) includes two second sub-passages (122-1, 122-2) in parallel and at least one second valve (V2), the at least one second valve (V2) for controlling refrigerant flow in the two second sub-passages (122-1, 122-2), and

one of the second sub-passages (122-1) includes a first heat sink (1225), the first heat sink (1225) is for transferring heat from the second refrigerant to the passenger compartment (200), and the other second sub-passage (122-2) is thermally coupled to the third heat exchanging arrangement (160).

6. The thermal management system (100) of claim 3, wherein the second refrigerant passage (122) comprises two third sub-passages (122-6, 122-7) in parallel and at least one third valve (V31, V32), the at least one third valve (V31, V32) for controlling refrigerant flow in the two third sub-passages (122-6, 122-7), and

one of the third sub-passages (122-6) is thermally coupled to the first heat exchanging means (130) and the other third sub-passage (122-7) is thermally coupled to the fourth heat exchanging means (180).

7. The thermal management system (100) of claim 2, further comprising:

A third heat exchange fluid system (190) comprising a third heat exchange fluid and a third fluid passage (192), the third heat exchange fluid being flowable in the third fluid passage (192), the third fluid passage (192) comprising a second radiator (1925), the second radiator (1925) for transferring heat from the third heat exchange fluid to the passenger compartment (200); and

fifth heat exchange means (191) thermally coupled to said second refrigerant passage (122) and said third fluid passage (192) for transferring heat from said second refrigerant to said third heat exchange fluid.

8. The thermal management system (100) of claim 7, wherein the second refrigerant passage (122) includes two fourth sub-passages (122-3, 122-4) in parallel and at least one fourth valve (V4), the at least one fourth valve (V4) for controlling refrigerant flow in the two fourth sub-passages (122-3, 122-4), and

one of the fourth sub-paths (122-3) is thermally coupled to the fifth heat exchanging means (191) and the other of the second sub-paths (122-4) is thermally coupled to the third heat exchanging means (160).

9. The thermal management system (100) of claim 5, further comprising a first fan (F1), and the first refrigerant passage (112) of the first subsystem (110) comprises an evaporator (1126), the first fan (F1) being disposed proximate to the evaporator (1126) and the first heat sink (1225), wherein the evaporator (1126) is closer to the first fan (F1) than the first heat sink (1225).

10. The thermal management system (100) of claim 7, further comprising a first fan (F1), and the first refrigerant passage (112) of the first subsystem (110) comprises an evaporator (1126), the first fan (F1) being disposed proximate to the evaporator (1126) and the second heat sink (1925), wherein the evaporator (1126) is closer to the first fan (F1) than the second heat sink (1925).

11. The thermal management system (100) of claim 3, further comprising a second fan (F2), wherein the second fluid path (171) comprises a third heat sink (1715), the third heat sink (1715) for transferring heat from the second heat exchange fluid to an external environment or from the external environment to the second heat exchange fluid, the first refrigerant path (112) comprises a condenser (1125), the condenser (1125) for transferring heat from the first refrigerant to the external environment, and

wherein the second fan (F2) is disposed proximate to the condenser (1125) and the third heat sink (1715).

12. The thermal management system (100) of claim 1, wherein the second refrigerant is different from the first refrigerant.

13. A vehicle (1000), comprising:

the thermal management system (100) according to any one of claims 1-12.

14. The vehicle (1000) of claim 13, wherein the vehicle (1000) comprises an electric vehicle.