INTEGRATED THERMAL MANAGEMENT CIRCUIT FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

An integrated thermal management circuit for a vehicle includes a refrigerant line that causes a refrigerant to flow through a compressor, an interior condenser of an interior air conditioning device, and an exterior condenser outside the vehicle. The circuit causes the refrigerant discharged from the condenser to pass through an integrated chiller or an evaporator of the air conditioning device and to be introduced into the compressor. The circuit includes: a first cooling line causing a cooling water to circulate between a high voltage battery and a first radiator or between the high voltage battery and the integrated chiller; a second cooling line causing the cooling water to circulate between an electronic drive unit and a second radiator or between the electronic drive unit and the integrated chiller; and a bypass line provided in the first cooling line.

Claims

1. An integrated thermal management circuit for a vehicle, the circuit comprising: a refrigerant line that causes a refrigerant to flow in an order of a compressor, an interior condenser of an interior air conditioning device, and an exterior condenser outside the vehicle and then causes the refrigerant discharged from the exterior condenser to pass through an integrated chiller or an evaporator of the interior air conditioning device and thereafter to be introduced into the compressor; a first cooling line that causes a cooling water to circulate between a high voltage battery and a first radiator or between the high voltage battery and the integrated chiller; a second cooling line that causes the cooling water to circulate between an electronic drive unit and a second radiator or between the electronic drive unit and the integrated chiller; and a bypass line provided in the first cooling line and configured to cause the cooling water flowing through the first cooling line to bypass the integrated chiller by interconnecting an inlet side and an outlet side of the integrated chiller.

2. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant in the refrigerant line, heated by the integrated chiller or the evaporator, is compressed by the compressor and is cooled while passing sequentially through the interior condenser and the exterior condenser.

3. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first cooling line is provided with a water heater at a downstream point of the high voltage battery, and wherein the cooling water having passed through the water heater on the first cooling line passes through the first radiator or the integrated chiller and is then introduced into the high voltage battery, or bypasses the first radiator or the integrated chiller via the bypass line to thereby be introduced into the high voltage battery.

4. The circuit according to claim 3, wherein the first cooling line activates the water heater in a battery temperature rising mode, and wherein the cooling water heated by the water heater bypasses the first radiator or the integrated chiller via the bypass line to thereby be introduced into the high voltage battery to raise a temperature of the high voltage battery.

5. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first cooling line is provided with a first control valve at a point where the cooling water downstream of the first radiator and downstream of the integrated chiller joins upstream of the high voltage battery, and wherein the first control valve adjusts flow of the cooling water to be introduced into the high voltage battery by opening or closing a port on a side of the first radiator or a port on a side of the integrated chiller according to a thermal management mode of the high voltage battery.

6. The circuit according to claim 5, wherein the first control valve is a 3-way valve and is configured to close the port on the side of the integrated chiller in an outside-air cooling mode of the high voltage battery and to close the port on the side of the first radiator in a chiller cooling mode or a temperature rising mode of the high voltage battery.

7. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the second cooling line is provided with a second control valve at a point where the cooling water downstream of the second radiator and downstream of the integrated chiller joins upstream of the electronic drive unit, and wherein the second control valve adjusts flow of the cooling water to be introduced into the electronic drive unit by opening or closing a port on a side of the second radiator or a port on a side of the integrated chiller according to a thermal management mode of the electronic drive unit.

8. The circuit according to claim 7, wherein the second control valve is a 3-way valve and is configured to close the port on the side of the integrated chiller in an outside-air cooling mode of the electronic drive unit and to close the port on the side of the second radiator in an electric-device waste-heat recovery mode of the electronic drive unit.

9. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant line is provided with an expansion valve at an upstream point of the exterior condenser, at an upstream point of the integrated chiller, or at an upstream point of the evaporator, and wherein the refrigerant passing through the expansion valve at the upstream point of the exterior condenser, at the upstream point of the integrated chiller, or at the upstream point of the evaporator selectively expands according to a heating/cooling mode of the vehicle.

10. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein, when the first cooling line implements a battery temperature rising mode via the bypass line, the second cooling line implements an electric-device waste-heat recovery mode of the electronic drive unit and the refrigerant line implements indoor heating using waste heat of the electronic drive unit.

11. The circuit according to claim 10, wherein an expansion valve is provided at the upstream point of the integrated chiller, and wherein the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant line sequentially undergoes compression by the compressor, condensation by the interior condenser, expansion by the expansion valve at the upstream point of the integrated chiller, and evaporation by the integrated chiller to implement indoor heating using waste heat of the electronic drive unit.

12. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant line is provided with a frosting line, and wherein the frosting line is configured to cause the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant line to bypass the exterior condenser when frosting occurs in the exterior condenser by interconnecting an inlet side and an outlet side of the exterior condenser.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure should be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an integrated thermal management circuit for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which an electric-device waste-heat recovery mode, an interior heating mode, and a battery temperature increasing mode are respectively implemented;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which an outside-air and electric-device waste-heat recovery mode, an interior heating mode, and a battery temperature increasing mode are respectively implemented; and

[0029] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, to which a frosting line is added.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0030] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an integrated thermal management circuit for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which an electric-device waste-heat recovery mode, an interior heating mode, and a battery temperature increasing mode are respectively implemented. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which an outside-air and electric-device waste-heat recovery mode, an interior heating mode, and a battery temperature increasing mode are respectively implemented. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, to which a frosting line is added. When a component, device, element, or the like of the present disclosure is described as having a purpose or performing an operation, function, or the like, the component, device, or element should be considered herein as being “configured to” meet that purpose or to perform that operation or function.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an integrated thermal management circuit for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a refrigerant line 100, which causes a refrigerant to flow in the order of a compressor 10, an interior condenser 20 of an interior air conditioning device, and an exterior condenser 30 outside the vehicle. The refrigerant line then causes the refrigerant discharged from the exterior condenser 30 to pass through an integrated chiller 40 or an evaporator 50 of the interior air conditioning device and thereafter to be introduced into the compressor 10. The circuit further includes a first cooling line 200, which causes a cooling water to circulate between a high voltage battery 60 and a first radiator 70 or between the high voltage battery 60 and the integrated chiller 40. The circuit includes a second cooling line 300, which causes the cooling water to circulate between an electronic drive unit 80 and a second radiator 90 or between the electronic drive unit 80 and the integrated chiller 40 The circuit includes a bypass line 400, which is provided on the first cooling line 200 and causes the cooling water flowing through the first cooling line 200 to bypass the integrated chiller 40 by interconnecting the inlet side and the outlet side of the integrated chiller 40.

[0032] In addition, in the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the refrigerant in the refrigerant line 100, may be heated by the integrated chiller 40 or the evaporator 50, may be compressed by the compressor 10, and may be cooled while passing sequentially through the interior condenser 20 and the exterior condenser 30.

[0033] When a conventional thermal management circuit using an integrated chiller implements a battery temperature increase by a water heater 65, heating by a heat pump using the waste heat of an electronic drive unit 85 cannot be implemented. In this case, interior heating must depend on a PTC heater 22, which has a very low efficiency.

[0034] In view of this, the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure controls a 3-way valve 410, which interconnects the front and rear ends of the integrated chiller 40 and which is provided at the front end of the integrated chiller 40. The circuit allows the cooling water in the first cooling line 200 to be heated by the water heater 65 and bypass the integrated chiller 40. A battery temperature increase is thereby implemented and at the same time may independently implement heating by a heat pump using the waste heat of the electronic drive unit 80 via heat exchange between the cooling water of the second cooling line 300 and the refrigerant of the refrigerant line 100 in the integrated chiller 40.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which an electric-device waste-heat recovery mode, an interior heating mode, and a battery temperature increasing mode are respectively implemented. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which an outside-air and electric-device waste-heat recovery mode, an interior heating mode, and a battery temperature increasing mode are respectively implemented. The first cooling line 200 of the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be provided with the water heater 65 located at a downstream point of the high voltage battery 60. The cooling water having passed through the water heater 65 on the first cooling line 200 may pass through the first radiator 70 or the integrated chiller 40 and then may be introduced into the high voltage battery 60, or may bypass the first radiator 70 or the integrated chiller 40 via the bypass line 400 to thereby be introduced into the high voltage battery 60.

[0036] Specifically, in the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first cooling line 200 may activate the water heater 65 in the battery temperature increasing mode. The cooling water heated by the water heater 65 may bypass the first radiator 70 or the integrated chiller 40 via the bypass line 400 to thereby be introduced into the high voltage battery 60 to raise the temperature of the high voltage battery 60.

[0037] In addition, the first cooling line 200 of the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with a first control valve 210 at the point where the cooling water downstream of the first radiator 70 and downstream of the integrated chiller 40 joins upstream of the high voltage battery 60. The first control valve 210 is capable of adjusting the flow of cooling water to be introduced into the high voltage battery 60 by opening or closing a port on the side of the first radiator 70 or a port on the side of the integrated chiller 40 according to the thermal management mode of the high voltage battery 60.

[0038] Specifically, in the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first control valve 210 is a 3-way valve. The first control valve 210 is capable of closing the port on the side of the integrated chiller 40 in the outside-air cooling mode of the high voltage battery 60 and is also capable of closing the port on the side of the first radiator 70 in the chiller cooling mode or the temperature rising mode of the high voltage battery 60.

[0039] In addition, the second cooling line 300 of the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with a second control valve 310 at the point where the cooling water downstream of the second radiator 90 and downstream of the integrated chiller 40 joins upstream of the electronic drive unit 80. The second control valve 310 is capable of adjusting the flow of cooling water to be introduced into the electronic drive unit 80 by opening or closing a port on the side of the second radiator 90 or a port on the side of the integrated chiller 40 according to the thermal management mode of the electronic drive unit 80.

[0040] Specifically, in the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second control valve 310 is a 3-way valve. The second control valve 310 is capable of closing the port on the side of the integrated chiller 40 in the outside-air cooling mode of the electronic drive unit 80 and is also capable of closing the port on the side of the second radiator 90 in the electric-device waste-heat recovery mode of the electronic drive unit 80.

[0041] In addition, the refrigerant line 100 of the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with an expansion valve at an upstream point of the exterior condenser 30, at an upstream point of the integrated chiller 40, or at an upstream point of the evaporator 50. As such, the refrigerant passing through the expansion valve at the upstream point of the exterior condenser 30, at the upstream point of the integrated chiller 40, or at the upstream point of the evaporator 50 may selectively expand according to the heating/cooling mode of the vehicle.

[0042] In the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the first cooling line 200 implements the battery temperature rising mode via the bypass line 400, the second cooling line 300 may implement the electric-device waste-heat recovery mode of the electronic drive unit 80. The refrigerant line 100 may implement interior heating using the waste heat of the electronic drive unit 80.

[0043] Specifically, in the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the expansion valve is provided at the upstream point of the integrated chiller 40. The refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant line 100 sequentially undergoes compression by the compressor 10, condensation by the interior condenser 20, expansion by the expansion valve at the upstream point of the integrated chiller 40, and evaporation by the integrated chiller 40, to implement indoor heating using the waste heat of the electronic drive unit 80.

[0044] In conclusion, with the control of the first control valve 210 and the second control valve 310 provided downstream of the single integrated chiller 40, various operation modes such as electric-device outside-air cooling, electric-device waste-heat recovery, battery outside-air cooling, battery chiller cooling, and dehumidification modes may be independently implemented. These modes may be implemented in addition to the battery temperature increasing mode and the heat pump indoor heating mode. Thus, the thermal management efficiency of the vehicle may be enhanced.

[0045] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, to which a frosting line is added. The refrigerant line 100 of the integrated thermal management circuit for the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be provided with a frosting line 500, which causes the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant line 100 to bypass the exterior condenser 30 when frosting occurs in the exterior condenser 30 by interconnecting the inlet side and the outlet side of the exterior condenser 30. When frosting occurs in the exterior condenser 30, the refrigerant flows to the frosting line 500, so that no refrigerant is introduced into the exterior condenser 30. The refrigerant may expand in any of an expansion valve 110 provided at the front end of the exterior condenser 30 and an expansion valve 120 provided at the front end of the integrated chiller 40 on the refrigerant line 100 as needed. Various thermal management modes may be effectively implemented even if frosting occurs in the exterior condenser 30.

[0046] It should be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that, although the specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, various modifications and variations of the present disclosure can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present disclosure provided by the following claims.