A compact heat exchanger unit within an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, and a condenser region for the condensation of refrigerant is formed as a heat exchanging surface, and a high-pressure-refrigerant collector region as a refrigerant collector is formed in the integrated form as a plate packet of a heat exchanger within a plate heat exchanger.

A thermal regulation circuit for a vehicle includes a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a third heat exchanger. The first and the second heat exchangers are situated in series such that an ambient air flow passes through the first heat exchanger prior to passing through the second heat exchanger. The ambient air flow also passes through the third heat exchanger. The thermal regulation circuit is configured to allow a refrigerant fluid to circulate through the first heat exchanger and then the third heat exchanger. The thermal regulation circuit is configured to allow a heat-transfer fluid to circulate through the second heat exchanger.

A fluid management module having a support including at least one channel for the flow of a refrigerant fluid. The support bearing at least one component with a fluidic function such as an expansion member or a refrigerant valve. The fluid management module includes at least one main two-fluid heat exchanger arranged to allow heat exchange between the refrigerant fluid and a heat-transfer fluid. The support is assembled with the heat exchanger so as to form at least one sealed connection for the refrigerant fluid flowing between the channel of the support and the main two-fluid heat exchanger.

A method of operating a gas injection-type heat management system is disclosed. In one example, the system includes a first refrigerant line along which a compressor, an inner condenser, a first expansion valve, and a flash tank are sequentially provided and through which a refrigerant flows, a second refrigerant line along which a second expansion valve and an evaporator are sequentially provided and the refrigerant flows from the flash tank and circulates to the compressor via the second expansion valve and the evaporator, a third refrigerant line configured such that the refrigerant discharged from the flash tank flows directly to the compressor and a heat absorber for performing heat exchange between the refrigerant discharged from the inner condenser and the refrigerant discharged from the flash tank, and a controller for controlling whether to operate the compressor, whether to allow the refrigerant to flow and whether to expand the refrigerant.

A thermal management system, a vehicle, and a thermal management method. The thermal management system includes a tank assembly and a valve unit, the tank assembly includes a shell body and a cover plate, the shell body covers the cover plate and forms an accommodation chamber together with the cover plate, and the valve unit is installed on the shell body; the accommodation chamber is internally provided with a plurality of pipelines for liquid circulation, the shell body has a plurality of connection ports communicating with the accommodation chamber, a first end of the pipeline is correspondingly in communication with the connection port, and a second end of the pipeline and a portion of the pipeline are located outside of the accommodation chamber; and the valve unit has a plurality of valve ports correspondingly in communication with the connection ports.