A heat pump includes a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a compressor, a first condenser, a vapor generator having a first region and a second region, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, and a first evaporator. A branching point is positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator. The branching point diverts a portion of a first heat exchange fluid circulating through the refrigerant loop to the vapor generator. The first expansion valve is positioned between the branching point and the vapor generator. An outlet of the vapor generator is coupled to a mid-pressure inlet port of the compressor.

Presented are joint active thermal management (JATM) systems with heat exchanger storage of surplus refrigerant, methods for making/operating such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A JATM system includes a coolant loop that fluidly connects to a vehicle battery system for pumping thereto coolant, an oil loop thermally coupled to the coolant loop and fluidly connected to a vehicle powertrain system for pumping thereto oil, and a refrigerant loop thermally coupled to the coolant loop and operable to circulate refrigerant for heating/cooling a passenger compartment. An electronic controller determines if a current amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant loop exceeds a calibrated threshold for the current operating mode of the JATM system. If so, the controller determines if one of the refrigerant loop's heat exchangers is available to store excess refrigerant. If the heat exchanger is available, the refrigerant loop stores excess refrigerant in the available refrigerant heat exchanger.

A heat pump system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may control a temperature of a battery module by using one chiller in which a refrigerant and a coolant are heat-exchanged, may recover waste heat generated from an electrical component and the battery module to use it for indoor heating, thereby improving the heating performance and efficiency, and may increase a flow rate of the refrigerant by applying a gas injection part that selectively operates in a heating mode of a vehicle, thereby maximizing heating performance.

A heat pump system of a vehicle controls a temperature of a battery module by using one chiller in which a refrigerant and a coolant are heat-exchanged, and recovers waste heat generated from an electrical component and a battery module to use it for indoor heating, thereby improving heating performance and efficiency, and the heat pump increases a flow rate of a refrigerant by applying a gas injection part that selectively operates in a heating mode of the vehicle, thereby maximizing heating performance.

A thermal management system for use in a vehicle includes a first cooling circuit for cooling a battery; and a second cooling circuit for cooling an electric motor configured to drive the vehicle. The first and second cooling circuits are connected to each other: (a) in series by a multi-way valve in a first mode of the thermal management system and in a first valve position of the multi-way valve, or (b) in parallel in a second mode of the thermal management system and in a second valve position of the multi-way valve. In a third mode of the thermal management system and in a third valve position, the multi-way valve is configured to take up an intermediate position in which coolant flows of the first and second cooling circuits are mixed with each other as needed.

A method of mitigating refrigerant leaks within a refrigeration system that includes: detecting a leak of a refrigerant from a refrigeration system; closing a first valve to inhibit a fluid flow of the refrigerant between an evaporator and a condenser fluidly connected to the evaporator; and operating a compressor to direct another fluid flow of the refrigerant from the evaporator to the compressor.

A double 6-way valve for a vehicle cooling system provides various modes, reduces the number of parts of the cooling system, and improves packaging, compared to a conventional cooling system. The double 6-way valve includes: an upper housing including a plurality of upper nipples disposed at equal intervals on an outer circumference surface thereof; a lower housing stacked under the upper housing and including a plurality of lower nipples disposed at equal intervals on an outer circumference surface thereof; an upper hub rotatably mounted within the upper housing; a lower hub rotatably mounted within the lower housing and stacked under the upper hub; and a driving apparatus to rotate the upper hub and the lower hub.

A two-position eight-way valve, including a valve body, a sliding column, and a control mechanism. The valve body is provided with an accommodating space having an opening. The control mechanism is connected to the opening. Provided on a sidewall of the accommodating space are a first through hole, a second through hole, a third through hole, a fourth through hole, a fifth through hole, a sixth through hole, a seventh through hole, and an eighth through hole allowing the accommodating space to be in communication with the external environment. The sliding column is provided within the accommodating space and is connected to the control mechanism.

Heat flow management device for motor vehicles has a refrigerant circulation, a power train coolant circulation and a heating line heat carrier circulation. The refrigerant circulation includes a compressor, an indirect condenser, an expansion element, an ambient heat exchanger, an evaporator and a chiller. The power train coolant circulation includes a coolant pump, the chiller, an electric motor heat exchanger and a power train coolant radiator, wherein the heating line heat carrier circulation comprises a coolant pump, the indirect condenser and a heating heat exchanger, wherein the refrigerant circulation and the power train coolant circulation are directly thermally coupled with one another across the chiller. Refrigerant circulation and heating line heat carrier circulation are directly thermally coupled with one another across the indirect condenser. Power train coolant circulation and the heating line heat carrier circulation are only indirectly thermally coupled with one another across the refrigerant circulation.

The present disclosure discloses a thermal management system. The thermal management system includes a refrigerant system and a coolant system. The thermal management system also includes a fourth heat exchanger. The fourth heat exchanger is disposed in the coolant system. The fourth heat exchanger can absorb heat from the air and release heat to the air, which is beneficial to improve the performance of the thermal management system.