The present invention relates to a heat management system having performance improved by reducing a distance between components constituting a refrigerant module and minimizing a pressure loss of a refrigerant, the heat management system including: a first heat exchanger heat-exchanging a heat exchange medium flowing thereinto from a compressor; a first expansion valve expanding the heat exchange medium flowing thereinto from the first heat exchanger and transferring the expanded heat exchange medium to a condenser; a second expansion valve expanding the heat exchange medium flowing thereinto from the condenser; a second heat exchanger heat-exchanging the heat exchange medium flowing thereinto from the second expansion valve with a heat-generating component; an accumulator storing the heat exchange medium flowing thereinto from the second heat exchanger; and an internal heat exchanger heat-exchanging the heat exchange medium discharged from the condenser with a heat exchange medium discharged from an evaporator.

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.

The present invention relates to a thermal management system and, more specifically, to a refrigerant system comprising: a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion valve, a second heat exchanger, and an accumulator which are connected in sequence to form a closed loop; and a connection block which connects a heat exchange medium outlet of the expansion valve to a heat exchange medium inlet of the second heat exchanger, and connects a heat exchange medium outlet of the second heat exchanger to a heat exchange medium inlet of the accumulator. Accordingly, the distances between components constituting the refrigerant system for vehicle interior cooling and electric/electronic component cooling are reduced, and thus the refrigerant pressure loss in blocks or pipes connecting the components can be reduced, the system performance can be improved, and the assemblability of the components constituting the refrigerant system can be improved.

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 refrigerated system includes a vapor compression system defining a refrigerant flow path and a heat recovery system defining a heat recovery fluid flow path. The heat recovery system is thermally coupled to the vapor compression system. The heat recovery system includes a first heat exchanger within which heat is transferred between a heat recovery fluid and an engine coolant and at least one recovery heat exchanger positioned along the heat recovery fluid flow path directly upstream from the first heat exchanger.

The invention concerns an installation for the thermal conditioning of a passenger compartment and/or at least one component of a motor vehicle, comprising a first circuit (1) for circulating a heat transfer fluid, a second circuit (2) for circulating a refrigerant fluid, capable of forming a heat pump type circuit, the heat transfer fluid circuit comprising heating and/or cooling means (M1, M2, M3) for at least one component of a motor vehicle, means (S1, S2) for storing calories and/or frigories, a first exchanger (E1) forming an evaporator and capable of exchanging heat with the refrigerant circuit, and means for circulating the heat transfer fluid capable of drawing the frigories and/or calories from the storage means (S1, S2) or the first exchanger (E1), so as to transfer them to the heating and/or cooling means (M1, M2, M3).

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.