THERMAL MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT FOR VEHICLES AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A THERMAL MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A thermal management arrangement for vehicles is disclosed including a refrigerant circuit having chillers and/or heat pump function and a heat carrier network for cooling and/or heating components of the vehicle. The heat carrier network has a heat carrier reservoir and a plurality of heat carrier supply segments fed from the heat carrier reservoir. A separately controlled and regulated ambient heat exchanger supply segment implements a circuit having a central low-temperature ambient heat exchanger and least one heat carrier reservoir.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A thermal management arrangement for a vehicle comprising: a refrigerant circuit having chillers and/or heat pump function; and a heat carrier network cooling and/or heating components of the vehicle, wherein the heat carrier network further comprises: a heat carrier reservoir; and a plurality of heat carrier supply segments fed from the heat carrier reservoir, wherein a separately controlled and regulated ambient heat carrier supply segment implements a circuit having a central low-temperature ambient heat exchanger and a heat carrier reservoir.

19. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the heat carrier reservoir, a heat carrier pump, and a heat carrier distribution unit are disposed in series.

20. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a volume flow of the ambient heat carrier supply segment is switched off in a heat pump mode when sufficient heat is input to a component heat exchanger or an additional heat carrier reservoir, or when ambient heat is required from the atmosphere, is at least equal to or a multiple of that of the heat carrier network.

21. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a plurality of heat carrier reservoirs are connected, depending on the heat carrier network, and are operated jointly or separately depending on an application mode, and are differentiated as cold and warm.

22. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a storage media, such as a PCM or an ice slush, are disposed in the heat carrier reservoir , or in series or parallel to the heat carrier network.

23. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a separately controlled and regulated evaporator heat carrier supply segment implements a circuit having the heat carrier reservoir, component heat exchangers, and/or a battery heat exchanger and an evaporator of the refrigerant circuit.

24. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 23, wherein a heat carrier pump is disposed downstream of the evaporator in the evaporator heat carrier supply segment.

25. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a separately controlled and regulated condenser heater heat carrier supply segment implements a temporarily closed circuit having a condenser of the refrigerant circuit and a heater heat exchanger, and wherein a heat carrier pump is disposed in the condenser heater heat carrier supply segment.

26. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a separately controlled and regulated component cooler heat carrier supply segment implements a circuit having the heat carrier reservoir and component heat exchangers.

27. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a separately controlled and regulated condenser cooler heat carrier supply segment implements a circuit having the heat carrier reservoir, a condenser of the refrigerant circuit, and a heater heat exchanger.

28. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a separately controlled and regulated cooler heat carrier supply segment implements a circuit having an evaporator of the refrigerant circuit and/or a battery heat exchanger and/or a cooler.

29. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein a separately controlled and regulated component heater heat carrier supply segment implements a circuit having the heat carrier reservoir, component heat exchangers, and/or a battery heat exchanger, a cooler, and an evaporator of the refrigerant circuit.

30. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein an electrical supplemental heater is disposed in the heat carrier network.

31. The thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein refrigerants R290, R1270, R1270, R134a, R152a, R1234yf, R744, or R600a are used in the refrigerant circuit.

32. A method for operating a thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein in a combined cooling and heating mode, a condenser heater heat carrier supply segment, an evaporator heat carrier supply segment, and, depending on a temperature level of a heat carrier in the heat carrier reservoir, the ambient heat carrier supply segment and the refrigerant circuit are connected by switching.

33. A method for operating a thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein in a cooling mode, a cooler heat carrier supply segment, a condenser cooler heat carrier supply segment, a component cooler heat carrier supply segment, the ambient heat carrier supply segment, and the refrigerant circuit are connected by switching.

34. A method for operating a thermal management arrangement according to claim 18, wherein in a heating mode, the component heater heat carrier supply segment, a condenser heater heat carrier supply segment, the ambient heat carrier supply segment, and the refrigerant circuit are connected by switching.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] Further details, features, and advantages of embodiments of the invention result from the following description of embodiment examples, with reference to the associated drawings. They show:

[0046] FIG. 1: principle schematic of a thermal management arrangement in combined cooling and heating mode,

[0047] FIG. 2: thermal management arrangement in cooling mode, and

[0048] FIG. 3: thermal management arrangement in heating mode.

MODE FOR THE INVENTION

[0049] FIG. 1 shows the principle schematic of a thermal management arrangement 1 in combine cooling and heating mode. The active areas of the heat carrier network 3, also referred to as heat carrier supply segments, are shown by means of arrowheads indicating the flow direction of the heat carrier fluid. The combined cooling and heating mode shown is an application case particularly in the transitional seasons in spring and fall.

[0050] The thermal management arrangement 1 comprises two main components, the refrigerant circuit 2 and the heat carrier network 3. The refrigerant circuit 2 is shown schematically in the basic form thereof and comprises the components evaporator 4, condenser/gas cooler 5, inner heat exchanger 6, expansion organ 7, and evaporator 8 connected in a circuit. The inner heat exchanger 6 is also referred to as the subcooling counterflow and is advantageously integrated in the refrigerant circuit 2, depending on the refrigerant used, but is not absolutely necessary. The refrigerant circuit can also be implemented for producing work, having two-stage compression and corresponding cooling and two-stage expansion.

[0051] The thermal management arrangement 1 further comprises the heat carrier network 3 serving for transporting a heat carrier fluid, transporting both heat and cold to the consumers. The heat carrier fluid in general is a mixture of water and glycol from the motor vehicle sector, but other heat carrier fluids for special cases are also conceivable. The heat carrier network 3 is connected by switching in various areas, also referred to as heat carrier supply segments, depending on the application of the thermal management arrangement 1, in order to implement particular heat transfer functions for various components of the thermal management arrangement 1.

[0052] A core element of the heat carrier network 3 is the heat carrier reservoir 11 for functionally storing a large quantity of heat carrier fluid. From this central heat carrier reservoir 11, the heat carrier fluid is transported to particular areas of the heat carrier network 3. For an even more complex heat carrier network 3, said network can also be equipped with a plurality of heat carrier reservoirs connected to each other or working separately, depending on the application. Said reservoirs can also be optionally insulated.

[0053] To this end, the heat carrier pump 13 is advantageously disposed directly on the heat carrier reservoir 11 and transports the heat carrier fluid via a heat carrier distributor unit 24 to the corresponding connected areas of the heat carrier network 3. The ambient heat carrier supply segment 25 has a particularly notable role within the heat carrier network 3. A low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12 is connected in the ambient heat carrier supply segment. The ambient heat carrier supply segment 25 forms a circuit of the heat reservoir 11, heat carrier pump 13, optionally the heat carrier distribution unit 24, and the low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12. All heat exchanges, that is, the absorbing or emitting of heat to the surrounding area or from the surrounding area, take place by means of the low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12, typically disposed centrally in the front end of the motor vehicle. The heat carrier fluid 11 is correspondingly supplied with heat from the surrounding area by means of the ambient heat carrier supply segment 25, or heat from the heat carrier fluid is emitted to the surrounding area from the heat carrier reservoir 11 by means of the low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12. In contrast to thermal management arrangements according to the prior art, the heat exchange from or to the surrounding area takes place exclusively by means of a single, central heat exchanger implemented and referred to as a low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12.

[0054] In the operating mode for combined cooling and heating shown in FIG. 1, in addition to the ambient heat carrier supply segment 25 described above, further heat carrier supply segments are also connected.

[0055] The condenser heater heat carrier supply segment 27 forms a circuit of the condenser/gas cooler 5 of the refrigerant circuit by means of the heater heat exchanger 16 of the ventilation system 15, and said separate heat carrier supply segment is driven by a heat carrier pump 19 in this case. For connecting the individual lines, in the embodiment example according to FIG. 1 two three-way valves 22 are provided, by means of which the circuit is connected within the heat carrier network 3.

[0056] An evaporator heat carrier supply segment 26 is further active in the described circuit configuration of the heat carrier network 3, forming a circuit starting from the heat carrier reservoir 11, through the heat carrier pump 13 and the heat carrier distributor unit 24. As shown in the principle schematic, a plurality of component heat exchangers 18 are optionally connected via a four-way valve 14, toward the evaporator 8 of the refrigerant circuit 2, and incorporated in the circuit by means of the heat carrier pump 20 and the air cooler 17 of the ventilation system 15 of the vehicle. Finally, the lines of the circuit are routed back the heat carrier reservoir 11.

[0057] A parallel branch is optionally provided by means of a branching point 31, by means of which the heat carrier fluid is routed from the heat carrier reservoir 11 to a battery heat exchanger 9 and then via a multi-way valve 21 to the heat carrier reservoir 11. In the depiction according to FIG. 1, a cooler 10 is additionally shown, but is not incorporated in the active heat carrier supply segments in the present control and circuit variant.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows a principle schematic of a thermal management arrangement 1 in cooling mode, in demand particularly for cooling the vehicle in the warm season of summer. In addition to directly cooling the vehicle interior for the comfort of the vehicle occupants, important components of the drive system and the electronic components and the battery are also cooled, for example.

[0059] In the present application mode for cooling, the ambient heat carrier supply segment 25 having the low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12 is optionally activated and again separately controlled and regulated. In addition, the functionally important cooling heat carrier supply segment 29 is also connected and supplies by means of the heat carrier pump 20 the evaporator 8 having the air cooler 17, and in parallel the battery heat exchanger 9 and optionally additionally the cooler 10 with heat carrier fluid cooled in the evaporator 8. Said heat carrier supply segment is not connected to the heat carrier reservoir 11 in the present circuit variant.

[0060] Heat carrier fluid from the heat carrier reservoir 11 is provided to the component heat exchangers 18 in the component cooler heat carrier supply segment 23.

[0061] The heat carrier reservoir 11 is further connected to the condenser/gas cooler 5 by means of the condenser cooler heat carrier supply segment 28, and further connected as a circuit to the heater heat exchanger 16 of the ventilation system 15 of the vehicle. The cooling of the components by heat carrier fluid by means of the heat carrier reservoir 11 occurs by cooling the heat carrier reservoir 11 to the ambient level, plus the temperature different of the low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12, by means of the low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12.

[0062] Cooling of the batteries by means of the battery heat exchanger 9 and cooling of the vehicle cabin by means of the ventilation system 15 and the air cooler 17 are done by means of the refrigerant circuit 2, working as a chiller.

[0063] FIG. 3 shows a principle depiction of a thermal management arrangement 1 in heating mode. For the heating principle, it is particularly significant, particularly for vehicles having high-efficiency combustion engines, having an additional high-temperature ambient heat exchanger in the front end, and for hybrid and electric vehicles, that heat is supplied by means of heat pump circuits and functions of the thermal management arrangement 1. The low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12 within the ambient heat carrier supply segment 25 thereby functions as a coupling element of the thermal management arrangement 1 to the surrounding area for absorbing ambient heat, with the goal of subsequently transforming and further using the ambient heat for heating tasks within the vehicle. The heat carrier reservoir 11 is connected to the evaporator 8 of the refrigerant circuit 2 within the component heater heat carrier supply segment 30 by means of the component heat exchanger 18. In parallel, by means of the branching point 31, functioning here as a collector point, the battery heat exchanger 9 is also incorporated after the evaporator 8 in parallel with the component heater heat carrier supply segment 30. In the present circuit variant, the condenser heater heat carrier supply segment 27 in turn is not connected to the heat carrier reservoir 11, and forms a circuit only with the condenser 5 of the refrigerant circuit 2 and the heater heat exchanger 16 of the ventilation system 15. For implementing the circuits, multi-way valves 21 and three-way valves 22 are used in a typical fashion.

[0064] A thermal management arrangement 1 is thereby provided in various functional types of combined cooling and heating operation, of cooling operation, and of heating operation, by means of a single, modularly constructed thermal management arrangement 1.

[0065] It is particularly advantageous when implementing in vehicles that only one low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12, separately controlled and regulated depending on the required temperature level of the heat carrier fluid, and connected to the heat carrier reservoir 11, is required, bringing advantages in cost, weight, and space.

[0066] Different volume flow rates can be advantageously implemented in the heat carrier network. In current systems, the condenser is operated as an evaporator in heat pump mode. In order to prevent the same from icing, said condenser is operated at a low temperature differential between the refrigerant and the surrounding area. This has a limiting effect on overheating the refrigerant, however, but also on the heat source power to be absorbed from the surrounding area. In addition, the pressure loss of the condenser operated as an evaporator, wherein the required evaporator operation leads to an increase in installation space in many cases, for example from 12 mm to 16 mm pressure drop requirement. In heat pump mode, a volume flow rate of 202-300 l/h is implemented in the evaporator heat carrier supply segment 26, for example, while the volume flow rate in the ambient heat carrier supply segment 25 is between 1000-1500 l/h. It is thereby possible to absorb a high heat source power from the surrounding area at a very low temperature differential, without icing the low-temperature ambient heat exchanger 12, and the refrigerant circuit can be operated at a low but safe overheating. Additional necessary electrical de-icing functions or enlarging of the line diameter of the entire heat carrier network are eliminated. If de-icing is required, then opening the three-way valve 22 or raising the temperature in the heat carrier reservoir 11 is sufficient.

[0067] The cooling by means of the evaporator can also be performed by means of refrigerant directly, or by a combination of directly and indirectly.

[0068] The heat carrier reservoir 11 can also be advantageously implemented in the form of at least two tanks selectively connected or not connected to each other.

[0069] The invention relates to a thermal management arrangement and a method for_operating a thermal management arrangement.