TWM466840U - Multifunction thermal energy control management system for vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a multifunction thermal energy control management system for vehicles, wherein the system is connected to a vehicle control unit. The system includes: a heat-accumulating module (thermal energy storage) having a first controlled valve controlled by the vehicle control unit; a cold-accumulating module having a second controlled valve controlled by the vehicle control unit; a heat-accumulating module controller connected to the heat-accumulating module and the vehicle control unit; a cold-accumulating module controller connected to the cold-accumulating module and the vehicle control unit; and a dispenser including a heat energy/dynamic energy converting unit and a heat energy/electric energy converting unit, wherein the dispenser is connected to the heat-accumulating module, the cold-accumulating module and the vehicle control unit and is controlled by the vehicle control unit, to enable heat transport and temperature equilibrium between the heat-accumulating module and the cold-accumulating module, or a conversion of electric energy and/or dynamic energy from a temperature differential between the heat-accumulating module and the cold-accumulating module.

Description

Multifunctional thermal energy management system for vehicles

This creation is about a multi-functional thermal energy management system, especially a multi-functional thermal energy management system for vehicles.

Due to the depletion of petroleum energy and the increasing awareness of environmental protection, transportation vehicles with thermal energy recovery and storage reuse mechanisms can reduce thermal energy unnecessary compared to traditional non-thermal energy recovery storage and reuse mechanisms. Waste, and can reduce pollution to the environment. Therefore, in recent years, (energy-saving) vehicles with clean and environmentally friendly thermal energy recovery and storage systems will become more and more popular.

However, some of the existing vehicles use a single type of thermal energy recovery storage module, such as a similar cold storage evaporator module. This single type of module can extend the problem of cold air supply when the vehicle is turned off. However, due to the limitation of the use environment, it is impossible to store heat in a cold environment, and it is not possible to reuse heat efficiently. Therefore, it is necessary to add other devices to compensate for the demand for heat. However, this will lead to problems such as an increase in vehicle weight, occupation of vehicle space, and the like, thereby accelerating the speed at which the vehicle consumes its driving energy, which is also one of the main reasons for the low endurance of the vehicle.

Therefore, providing a multi-option composite multi-function thermal energy storage and release control mechanism that can be switched according to demand has become an important issue in solving the problem of heat recovery of a vehicle.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a multifunctional thermal energy management system for a vehicle, which is connected to a vehicle control unit (VCU) for thermal energy demand. Match. The thermal energy management system includes: a thermal storage module having a first control valve controlled by the vehicle control unit; a cold storage module having a second control valve controlled by the vehicle control unit; a thermal storage module a group controller is connected to the heat storage module and the vehicle control unit to control heat energy transmission and balance in the heat storage module, and report the state of the heat storage module to the vehicle control unit; a cold storage module controller, Connecting to the cold storage module and the vehicle control unit to control heat energy transmission and balance in the cold storage module, and reporting the state of the cold storage module to the vehicle control unit; and a distributor including a thermal energy/kinetic energy conversion And a thermal energy/electric energy conversion unit, wherein the distributor is connected to the thermal storage module, the cold storage module, and the vehicle control unit, and is controlled by the vehicle control unit to perform the thermal storage module and the cold storage module Thermal energy transfer and temperature balance between the groups, or converting the temperature difference between the heat storage module and the cold storage module into electrical energy and/or kinetic energy.

Other embodiments and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings. In addition, in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention, the well-known components and principles are not described in this specification.

100‧‧‧ Thermal Energy Management System

VCU‧‧‧Vehicle Control Unit

C1‧‧‧ Thermal storage module controller

C2‧‧‧ Cooling module controller

T1‧‧‧ Thermal storage module

T2‧‧‧ cold storage module

D‧‧‧Distributor

D1‧‧‧ Thermal/kinetic energy conversion unit

D2‧‧‧ Thermal Energy/Electricity Conversion Unit

V1‧‧‧ first control valve

V2‧‧‧Second control valve

HD‧‧‧Heat load component

CD‧‧‧cooling load components

HL‧‧‧Heat media pipeline

CL‧‧‧Refrigerant piping

P‧‧‧Vehicle transmission

B‧‧‧Secondary battery

T1a‧‧‧Insulation insulation component

T2a‧‧‧Insulation insulation component

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a multi-function thermal energy management system for a vehicle.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a dispenser converting a temperature difference between a thermal storage module and a thermal storage module into electrical energy and/or kinetic energy.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a multi-function thermal energy management system 100 for a vehicle in which the multi-function thermal energy management system 100 is represented by an area enclosed by a dashed line. As shown in FIG. 1, thermal management system 100 can be coupled to vehicle control unit VCU, heating load element HD, and refrigeration load element CD for thermal energy demand distribution. The heat-generating load element HD may be, for example, an in-vehicle heating device, a heat pump system, a battery heating module, an in-vehicle component preheating module, or the like, but is not limited thereto. The cooling load component CD may be, for example, an in-vehicle cold air evaporator, a battery heat dissipation module, a power crystal heat dissipation module, or the like, but is not limited thereto. In an embodiment of the present invention, the heat generating load element HD and the cooling load element CD may be integrated in one Start.

The thermal energy management system 100 includes a thermal storage module T1 having a first control valve V1 controlled by the vehicle control unit VCU, a cold storage module T2 having a second control valve V2 controlled by the vehicle control unit VCU, and a thermal storage module. The controller C1 is connected to the heat storage module T1 and the vehicle control unit VCU to control the heat energy transmission and balance in the heat storage module T1, and returns the state of the heat storage module T1 to the vehicle control unit VCU; the cold storage module controller C2, Connected to the cold storage module T2 and the vehicle control unit VCU to control the heat energy transmission and balance in the cold storage module T2, and report the state of the cold storage module T2 to the vehicle control unit VCU; and the distributor D and the heat storage module T1. The cold storage module T2 and the vehicle control unit VCU are connected and controlled by the vehicle control unit VCU to perform heat energy transfer and temperature balance between the heat storage module T1 and the cold storage module T2, or to store the heat storage module T1 and the cold storage module. The temperature difference between the groups T2 is converted into electrical energy and/or kinetic energy.

When the vehicle control unit VCU receives the user's request, the control signal can be transmitted to the first control valve V1 and/or the second control valve V2 through the control loop (indicated by the thin solid line in FIG. 1) to control the first The opening and closing of the control valve V1 and/or the second control valve V2. Specifically, when it is required to provide thermal energy (heating) to the heat-generating load element HD, the vehicle control unit VCU may command the first control valve V1 to be turned on to allow the heat medium flowing through the heat storage module T1 to pass through the heat medium line HL ( The thick solid line in FIG. 1 indicates) flowing through the heat-generating load element HD; and when it is required to supply cold energy (cooling) to the refrigeration load element CD, the vehicle control unit VCU can command the second control valve V2 to open and let the flow through The refrigerant of the cold storage module T2 flows through the refrigerant line CL (indicated by the thick solid line in FIG. 1) through the refrigerant load element CD. In the embodiment of the present invention, the heat medium can be controlled by the first control valve V1 via the heat medium line HL in the heat storage module T1, the distributor D, the heat generating load element HD, and the cooling load element CD. The refrigerant can be circulated between the cold storage module T2, the distributor D, the heat generating load element HD, and the refrigerant load element CD via the refrigerant line CL by the control of the second control valve V2. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first control valve V1 and/or the second control valve V2 may be, for example, a solenoid valve.

In the present creation, the heat storage module controller C1, the cold storage module controller C2, the distributor D, the first control valve V1, the second control valve V2, the external heat exchanger, the external refrigerator, the heating load component HD And the cooling load element CD is transmitted through the control loop (shown by the thin solid line in FIG. 1) to the vehicle control unit VCU. In the present creation, the connections formed between the elements through the control loop may, for example, refer to connections on the signal and/or connections on the physical line.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the heat storage module controller C1 can control the heat energy transmission and balance in the heat storage module T1, and report the state of the heat storage module T1 to the vehicle control unit VCU, for example, control each of the heat storage modules T1. Thermal energy storage distribution and thermal energy transfer and balance between the heat storage elements, and returning the state of the energy stored in the heat storage module T1 to the vehicle control unit VCU (for example, the state of the energy can be represented by the heat storage capacity unit (kw) And the cold storage module controller C2 can control the heat energy transmission and balance in the cold storage module T2, and report the state of the cold storage module T2 to the vehicle control unit VCU, for example, control the heat energy between the cold storage components in the cold storage module T2. The storage and heat transfer and balance are stored, and the state of the energy stored in the cold storage module T2 is reported to the vehicle control unit VCU (for example, the state of the energy can be represented by the cold storage capacity unit (kw)). Since the heat storage module and the cold storage module are well known to those skilled in the art of heat storage/storage systems, the principles and components thereof will not be described herein.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the distributor D converting the temperature difference between the thermal storage module T1 and the cold storage module T2 into electrical energy and/or kinetic energy. As shown in FIG. 2, the distributor D can be connected to a vehicle transmission device P and a secondary battery B to assist the driving of the vehicle by utilizing the kinetic energy converted from the temperature difference between the thermal storage module T1 and the thermal storage module T2. The transmission device P, and/or the electrical energy converted by the temperature difference between the thermal storage module T1 and the thermal storage module T2 is stored in the battery B for use by other loads requiring electrical power. Although not shown in the drawings, the vehicle transmission P and the secondary battery B can transmit signals to the vehicle control unit VCU through the control loop. In an example, the distributor D may include a thermal/kinetic energy conversion unit D1, such as a Stirling engine, to convert the temperature difference between the thermal storage module T1 and the thermal storage module T2 into kinetic energy, due to Sterling The spirit engine is well known to those skilled in the art of exhaust gas, so its principles and components will not be described herein. However, the present creation is not limited to the use of the Stirling engine, and other similar mechanisms can be used in this creation as long as the temperature difference between the heat storage module T1 and the cold storage module T2 can be converted into kinetic energy. In an example, the distributor D may include a thermal energy/electric energy conversion unit D2, such as a thermoelectric power generation and/or a thermoelectric heat/cooler using a thermoelectric material, to store the thermal storage module T1 and the cold storage module T2. The temperature difference between them is converted into electrical energy. Since thermoelectric power generation using thermoelectric materials and/or thermoelectric heating/cooling devices are well known to those skilled in the art of thermoelectric conversion, their principles and components will not be described herein. However, the creation is not limited to the use of thermoelectric power generation and/or thermoelectric heating/cooling devices. Other similar mechanisms can be used in this creation, as long as the temperature difference between the thermal storage module T1 and the thermal storage module T2 can be converted into electrical energy. Just fine.

In one embodiment of the present invention, thermal energy ←→ electrical energy and thermal energy ←→ kinetic energy are reversible functions, and external kinetic energy can be utilized to generate thermal energy. Specifically, the thermal energy/kinetic energy conversion unit D1 can be coupled to a transmission system and/or Connected to the vehicle transmission device P, taking the Stirling engine as an example, when the transmission system and/or the vehicle transmission device P transmits kinetic energy to the Stirling engine to generate thermal energy, the thermal energy can be further stored in the thermal storage module T1 or Cool storage module T2. This transmission system can be, for example, a mechanism of a reduction gear of a vehicle, a gearbox, a transmission shaft, and the like. In addition, in an embodiment of the present invention, external electrical energy may be utilized to generate thermal energy. Specifically, the thermal energy/electric energy conversion unit D2 may be coupled to a power system and/or to the secondary battery B to be a thermoelectric material ( For example, a thermoelectric material including a thermoelectric cooling type and a thermoelectric heating type), when the power system and/or the secondary battery B transfer electric energy to, for example, a thermal energy/electric energy conversion unit D2 including a thermoelectric material to generate heat or cold energy The heat or cold energy can be stored in the thermal storage module T1 or the cold storage module T2. This power system can be, for example, a secondary battery or the like. In the embodiment of the present invention, the heat storage module T1 and the cold storage module T2 can be respectively provided with the heat insulating and heat insulating members T1a and T2a, so that the heat storage module T1 and the cold storage module T2 have the effect of thermal insulation. In the present creation, the distributor D can adjust the temperature difference between the heat storage module T1 and the cold storage module T2 according to the control signal from the vehicle control unit VCU, thereby providing different sizes of electric energy and/or kinetic energy, and its reversible Features.

In addition, cold energy or thermal energy may be stored at a higher temperature or a lower temperature during storage. However, not every load element requiring hot and cold may be applied to the same cold/heat supply temperature condition, so that it can be distributed. Device D regulates this temperature condition (similar to a DC/DC transformer) to achieve a temperature condition suitable for use with load components that require hot and cold. For example, the distributor D can transmit the thermal energy of the thermal storage module T1 to the cold storage module T2 or the cold storage module through the heat medium pipeline HL and the refrigerant pipeline CL connected thereto according to the control signal from the vehicle control unit VCU. The cold energy of T2 is transmitted to the heat storage module T1 for heat energy transfer and temperature balance between the heat storage module T1 and the cold storage module T2.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 , in the embodiment of the present invention, the heat storage module T1 can be connected to an external heat exchanger, and the heat exchanger can be connected to the vehicle control unit VCU through the control loop, and is controlled by the vehicle. The unit VCU transmits signals to each other and/or is controlled by the vehicle control unit VCU, and the external heat exchanger can transmit thermal energy to the thermal storage module T1 to store thermal energy in the thermal storage module T1; and the cold storage module T2 can be connected to An external chiller, in addition to the chiller, can be connected to the vehicle control unit VCU through the control loop and communicated with the vehicle control unit VCU The signal is and/or controlled by the vehicle control unit VCU, and the external cooler can transfer cold energy to the cold storage module T2 to store cold energy in the cold storage module T2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, when the vehicle control unit VCU receives the user's request and then transmits the signal to the thermal storage module controller C1 and the cold storage module controller C2, the thermal storage module controller C1 and the cold storage module controller C2 can The status of the respective modules is reported to the vehicle control unit VCU through the feedback signal, and then the vehicle control unit VCU performs energy calculation and energy optimization management according to the user's request and/or the feedback signal, for example, controlling the first control valve. V1 and/or the second control valve V2 directly supply thermal energy and/or cold energy to the heating load element HD and/or the cooling load element CD, and perform heat energy transfer between the heat storage module T1 and the cold storage module T2. The temperature is balanced, or the temperature difference between the thermal storage module T1 and the cold storage module T2 is converted into electric energy and/or kinetic energy, wherein the energy calculation can be performed by using a prediction (experimental empirical value) and a temperature/time-aware interactive operation.

Therefore, we can realize the multi-functional thermal energy control management of the vehicle through the multi-functional thermal energy control management system of this creation, and effectively reuse the thermal energy to achieve the purpose of energy saving and environmental protection.

In addition, those skilled in the art should understand that the versatile thermal management system of the present invention can be used not only for vehicles but also for other transportation vehicles.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments and drawings, those skilled in the art can understand that various modifications, changes and equivalents can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Modifications, variations, and equivalent substitutions are still within the scope of the appended claims.

100‧‧‧ Thermal Energy Management System

VCU‧‧‧Vehicle Control Unit

C1‧‧‧ Thermal storage module controller

C2‧‧‧ Cooling module controller

T1‧‧‧ Thermal storage module

T2‧‧‧ cold storage module

D‧‧‧Distributor

V1‧‧‧ first control valve

V2‧‧‧Second control valve

HD‧‧‧Heat load component

CD‧‧‧cooling load components

HL‧‧‧Heat media pipeline

CL‧‧‧Refrigerant piping

Claims (12)

A multi-functional thermal energy control management system for a vehicle is connected to a vehicle control unit for performing heat energy demand distribution, the thermal energy control management system comprising: a thermal storage module having a first control valve controlled by the vehicle control unit; a cold storage module having a second control valve controlled by the vehicle control unit; a heat storage module controller coupled to the heat storage module and the vehicle control unit to control heat energy transfer in the heat storage module Balancing and reporting the state of the thermal storage module to the vehicle control unit; a cold storage module controller coupled to the cold storage module and the vehicle control unit to control thermal energy transfer and balance in the cold storage module, and to The vehicle control unit reports the state of the cold storage module; and a distributor includes a thermal energy/kinetic energy conversion unit and a thermal energy/electric energy conversion unit, wherein the distributor and the thermal storage module, the cold storage module, and the vehicle The control unit is connected and controlled by the vehicle control unit to perform thermal energy transfer between the thermal storage module and the cold storage module Of balance, or the temperature difference between the heat storage module and the cold storage module is converted into electrical energy and / or kinetic energy. The multi-function thermal energy management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thermal energy/electric energy conversion unit is a thermoelectric power generation and/or a thermoelectric heating/cooling device. The multi-functional thermal energy management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thermal/kinetic energy conversion unit is a Stirling engine. The multi-function thermal energy management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thermal energy/electric energy conversion unit is connected to a power system. The multi-functional thermal energy management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thermal/kinetic energy conversion unit is connected to a transmission system. The multi-functional thermal energy management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the The heat storage module is connected to an external heat exchanger, wherein the external heat exchanger is connected to the vehicle control unit, and heat energy is transmitted to the heat storage module to store thermal energy in the heat storage module. The multi-function thermal energy management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cold storage module is connected to an external refrigerator, wherein the external refrigerator is connected to the vehicle control unit, and Cold energy is transferred to the cold storage module to store cold energy in the cold storage module. The multi-function thermal energy management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thermal energy management system is connected to a uniform thermal load component. The multi-functional thermal energy management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thermal energy management system is connected to a uniform cold load component. The multi-functional thermal energy management system for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the thermal energy management system is connected to a uniform cold load component. The multi-functional thermal energy management system for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the dispenser is connected to a secondary battery. The multi-function thermal energy management system for a vehicle of claim 11, wherein the dispenser is coupled to a vehicle transmission.