ELECTRIC DRIVE VEHICLE

Abstract

A vehicle having: a power storage system; a main thermoregulation circuit that is configured to distribute a thermoregulation liquid within the power storage system; a thermoregulation system that is arranged in a front position, and is configured to cause the thermoregulation liquid to circulate in the main thermoregulation circuit; at least one component that is arranged in a rear position behind; and a secondary thermoregulation circuit that is arranged in a rear position and is coupled to the component. The main thermoregulation circuit has: a drawing point that goes through the rear wall of the power storage system and supplies the thermoregulation liquid to the secondary thermoregulation circuit; and a return point that goes through the rear wall of the power storage system and receives the thermoregulation liquid from the secondary thermoregulation circuit.

Claims

1) A vehicle (1) comprising: at least one electric machine (4); a power storage system (6), which is arranged in a central position, has a front wall (8) facing a front part of the vehicle (1) and has a rear wall (9) opposite the front wall (8) and facing a rear part of the vehicle (1); a main thermoregulation circuit (10), which is arranged inside the power storage system (6), is configured to distribute a thermoregulation liquid within the power storage system (6) and has an inlet (11) for the thermoregulation liquid and an outlet (12) for the thermoregulation liquid; a thermoregulation system (13), which is arranged in a front position in front of the front wall (8) of the power storage system (6) and is configured to cause the thermoregulation liquid to circulate in the main thermoregulation circuit (10) introducing the thermoregulation liquid into the inlet (11) and receiving the thermoregulation liquid from the outlet (12); at least one component (18, 19, 20), which is arranged in a rear position behind the rear wall (9) of the power storage system (6); and a secondary thermoregulation circuit (21), which is arranged in a rear position behind the rear wall (9) of the power storage system (6) and is coupled to the component (18, 19, 20); wherein the main thermoregulation circuit (10) comprises: a drawing point (22), which goes through the rear wall (9) of the power storage system (6) and supplies the thermoregulation liquid to the secondary thermoregulation circuit (21); and a return point (23), which goes through the rear wall (9) of the power storage system (6) and receives the thermoregulation liquid from the secondary thermoregulation circuit (21).

2) The vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the secondary thermoregulation circuit (21) is not provided with components designed to cool the thermoregulation liquid.

3) The vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein: the thermoregulation system (13) comprises a first pump (24), which is configured to cause the thermoregulation liquid to circulate through the main thermoregulation circuit (10); and the secondary thermoregulation circuit (21) comprises a second pump (25), which is configured to cause the thermoregulation liquid to circulate through the secondary thermoregulation circuit (21) by sucking the thermoregulation liquid from the drawing point (22).

4) The vehicle (1) according to claim 3 and comprising a control unit (32), which is configured to operate the second pump (25) only when the thermoregulation system (13) cools the thermoregulation liquid and only when the component (18, 19, 20) needs to be cooled.

5) The vehicle (1) according to claim 1 and comprising: a first component (18) consisting of an on-board charger of the power storage system (6); and a second component (19) consisting of a DC/DC converter powering low-voltage utilities.

6) The vehicle (1) according to claim 5, wherein, in a bifurcation (26), the secondary thermoregulation circuit (21) branches off into a first branch (27), along which the first component (18) is arranged, and a second branch (28), along which the second component (19) is arranged.

7) The vehicle (1) according to claim 6, wherein the secondary thermoregulation circuit (21) comprises a second pump (25), which is arranged upstream of the bifurcation (26) and is configured to cause the thermoregulation liquid to circulate through the secondary thermoregulation circuit (21) by sucking the thermoregulation liquid from the drawing point (22).

8) The vehicle (1) according to claim 6 and comprising: a first stop valve (29), which is arranged along the first branch (27), and a second stop valve (30), which is arranged along the second branch (28); and a control unit (32), which is configured to always open one single stop valve (28; 29) at a time keeping the other stop valve (29; 28) closed.

9) The vehicle (1) according to claim 6 and comprising a third component (20), which is arranged along the second branch (28) in series to the first component (18) and consists of a hydraulic circuit used by an electronically controlled active suspension system.

10) The vehicle (1) according to claim 6, wherein the two branches (27, 28) join one another downstream of the components (18, 19, 20) so as to flow together into the return point (23).

11) The vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the secondary thermoregulation circuit (21) has a nominal flow rate of the thermoregulation liquid ranging from 10% to 35% of a nominal flow rate of the thermoregulation liquid of the main thermoregulation circuit (10).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] This invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings that illustrate a non-limiting embodiment thereof, in which:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a road vehicle with electric drive produced according to this invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of some parts of the vehicle in FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of some parts of the vehicle in FIG. 1; and

[0018] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a detail in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0019] In FIG. 1, reference number 1 identifies, as a whole, a vehicle with electric drive provided with four drive wheels 2 (two front drive wheels 2 and two rear drive wheels 2).

[0020] The vehicle 1 comprises an electric drivetrain system 3 that is arranged at the front position (i.e., it is connected to the two front drive wheels 2) and an electric drivetrain system 3 that is arranged at the rear position (i.e., it is connected to the two rear drive wheels 2), is structurally identical to the electric drivetrain system 3 in the front position, and is mechanically independent and separate from the electric drivetrain system 3 arranged at the front position.

[0021] According to another embodiment not illustrated, the vehicle 1 comprises a single electric drivetrain system 3 (arranged at the front position or arranged at the rear position) and, thus, only has two drive wheels 2; in this embodiment, the vehicle 1 could also comprise a thermal drivetrain system connected to the drive wheels 2 that do not receive the motion from the single electric drivetrain system 3.

[0022] Each electric drivetrain system 3 comprises a pair of reversible electric machines 4 (i.e., that can function both as an electric motor absorbing electricity and generating mechanical torque, and as an electrical generator absorbing mechanical energy and generating electricity) provided with respective shafts and a pair of transmissions 5 connecting the electric machines 4 (i.e. the shafts of the electric machines 4) to the corresponding drive wheels 2 without the interposition of any clutch.

[0023] Each electric machine 4 is driven by a corresponding electronic AC/DC power converter (i.e., an inverter), which is connected to a power storage system 6 provided with chemical batteries; i.e., each electronic AC/DC power converter is bi-directional and comprises a side in direct current connected to the power storage system 6 and a side in alternating three-phase current that is connected to the corresponding electric machine 4.

[0024] According to what is illustrated in FIG. 3, the power storage system 6 has a flat and (relatively) thin shape in order to be integrated inside of the vehicle 1 chassis. In particular, the power storage system 6 comprises a container 7 that internally houses multiple modules provided with respective electrochemical cells with a parallelepipedal shape (i.e., having a pouch structure, or a prismatic structure). The container 7 has a lower wall (which constitutes the bottom of the vehicle 1 facing the road surface and is, of course, oriented horizontally), an upper wall that is parallel and opposite to the lower wall, a front wall 8 facing a front part of the vehicle 1 (i.e. facing the front of the vehicle 1 in relation to the forward direction D), and has a rear wall 9 that is opposite the front wall 8 and faces a rear part of the vehicle 1 (i.e. facing the back of the vehicle 1 in relation to the forward direction D).

[0025] According to what is illustrated in FIG. 2, the power storage system 6 is coupled to (integrated with) a main thermoregulation circuit 10 that is arranged inside the power storage system 6 (i.e., inside the container 7) and is configured to distribute a thermoregulation liquid (typically water-based) inside the power storage system 6 (i.e., inside the container 7). The main thermoregulation circuit 10 has an inlet 11 for the thermoregulation liquid (i.e. a point in which the thermoregulation liquid enters the main thermoregulation circuit 10) arranged through the front wall 8 of the power storage system 6 (i.e. of the container 7); in addition, the main thermoregulation circuit 10 has an outlet 12 for the thermoregulation liquid (i.e. a point in which the thermoregulation liquid leaves the main thermoregulation circuit 10) arranged through the front wall 8 of the power storage system 6 (i.e. of the container 7). In use, the thermoregulation liquid circulates through the main thermoregulation circuit 10 entering through the inlet 11 and leaving (in equal measure) through the outlet 12.

[0026] The vehicle 1 comprises a thermoregulation system 13, which is arranged in a front position in front of the front wall 8 of the power storage system 6 (i.e., of the container 7) and is configured to cause the thermoregulation liquid to circulate in the main thermoregulation circuit 10 introducing the thermoregulation liquid into the inlet 11 and receiving (in equal measure) the thermoregulation liquid from the outlet 12. In use, the thermoregulation system 13 cools the thermoregulation liquid (if the power storage system 6 needs to be cooled) i.e., it heats the thermoregulation liquid (if the power storage system 6 needs to be heated).

[0027] In the example embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the thermoregulation system 13 comprises a heat pump circuit 14 that is provided (among other things) with a compressor 15 and a heat exchanger 16 that exchanges heat with the thermoregulation liquid (i.e., it can both heat and cool the thermoregulation liquid). Obviously, the heat pump circuit 14 could be replaced with an electric heater and a conventional cooling circuit. The thermoregulation system 13 preferably also comprises a radiator 17 that may be used (when the environmental conditions are right) to cool the thermoregulation liquid in combination with or alternately to the heat pump circuit 14.

[0028] The vehicle 1 comprises a component 18 consisting of an on-board charger of the power storage system 6; i.e., the component 18 is used only when the vehicle 1 is parked, to recharge the power storage system 6, using an external power source connected via cable.

[0029] The vehicle 1 comprises a component 19 consisting of a DC/DC converter powering the low-voltage utilities of the vehicle 1 itself; i.e., only when the vehicle 1 is in use, the DC/DC converter transfers a part of the power stored at high voltage (several hundred nominal volts) in the power storage system 6 into an additional low-voltage electrical circuit (typically 12 nominal volts and generally provided with its own backup battery) to which a series of low-voltage utilities of the vehicle 1 is connected.

[0030] The vehicle 1 comprises a component 20 consisting of a hydraulic circuit used by an electronically controlled active suspension system; i.e., the active suspension system uses pressurised oil flowing in the hydraulic circuit to adjust the suspension response.

[0031] The components 18, 19, and 20 are all arranged at the rear position behind the rear wall 9 of the power storage system 6 (i.e., of the container 7) and, thus, are arranged opposite the thermoregulation system 13 (which is located at the front).

[0032] The vehicle 1 comprises a secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 that is arranged at the rear position behind the rear wall 9 of the power storage system 6 (i.e., of the container 7) and is coupled to three components 18, 19, and 20 to cool the components 18, 19, and 20 themselves (when necessary). It is important to highlight how the components 18, 19, and 20 must be cooled when their internal temperature is high, but they must never be heated since they do not have a minimum use temperature beyond which their performance deteriorates (considering the climates in which the vehicle 1 may reasonably be used).

[0033] The main thermoregulation circuit 10 comprises a drawing point 22 that goes through the rear wall 9 of the power storage system 6 (i.e., of the container 7) and supplies the thermoregulation liquid to the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21; in addition, the main thermoregulation circuit 10 comprises a return point 23 that goes through the rear wall 9 of the power storage system 6 (i.e. of the container) and receives the thermoregulation liquid from the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21. The two points 22 and 23 are preferably arranged relatively close to each other along the main thermoregulation circuit 10; i.e., between the drawing point 22 and the return point 23 the main thermoregulation circuit 10 only has one (short) connection pipe that does not perform thermal exchange with any component inside the power storage system 6.

[0034] As a result, the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 uses the thermoregulation liquid that has been treated (i.e., cooled or heated) by the thermoregulation system 13 and drained (temporarily, i.e., borrowed) from the main thermoregulation circuit 10 for its own operation. In fact, the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 is entirely free of components designed to cool the thermoregulation liquid, since the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 only has the function of circulating the thermoregulation liquid drained (borrowed) from the main thermoregulation circuit 10 and treated (i.e., cooled or heated) by the thermoregulation system 13.

[0035] The thermoregulation system 13 comprises a pump 24 (obviously arranged at the front position), which is configured to cause the thermoregulation liquid to circulate through the main thermoregulation circuit 10. In addition, the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 comprises a pump 25 (obviously arranged at the rear position), which is configured to cause the thermoregulation liquid to circulate through the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 by sucking the thermoregulation liquid from the drawing point 22. In fact, without adequate sucking from the pump 25, only a minimum, negligible portion of the thermoregulation liquid would naturally flow through the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 from the drawing point 21 to the return point 22.

[0036] The secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 has a bifurcation 26 in which the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 is bifurcated into a branch 27 along which only the component 18 is arranged and a branch 28 along which the components 20 and 19 are arranged, one in series after the other. The two branches 27, 28 join one another downstream of the components 18, 19, 20 so as to flow together into the return point 23. The pump 25 is arranged upstream of the bifurcation 26, i.e., it is arranged between the drawing point 22 and the bifurcation 26.

[0037] Along the branch 27 an electronically controlled stop valve 29 is arranged that is designed to open or close the passage through the branch 27; similarly, along the branch 28, an electronically controlled stop valve 30 is arranged that is designed to open or close the passage through the branch 28.

[0038] In particular, the component 20 (i.e., the hydraulic circuit used by the electronically controlled active suspension system) comprises a heat exchanger 31 in which the pressurised oil flowing in the hydraulic circuit transfers heat to the thermoregulation liquid flowing along the branch 28 of the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21.

[0039] The vehicle 1 comprise a control unit 32 monitoring the operation of the thermoregulation circuits 10 and 21. In particular, the control unit 32 is configured to always and only open one stop valve 28 or 29 at a time, keeping the other stop valve 29 or 28 closed. In fact, the component 18 requires thermoregulation (in particular, cooling) only when the vehicle 1 is parked while the components 19 and 20 require thermoregulation (in particular cooling) only when the vehicle 1 is in motion and it is, thus, clear that the respective cooling requirements are mutually exclusive. In addition, the control unit 32 is configured to drive the pump 25 only when the thermoregulation system 13 cools the thermoregulation liquid and only when the components 18, 19, and 20 need to be cooled. In fact, when the external temperature is low and the power storage system 6 needs to be heated (thus, the thermoregulation liquid is hotter than the external environment) there is never the need to heat the components 18, 19, and 20 as well.

[0040] According to a preferred embodiment, the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 has a nominal flow rate (for example, from 8-10 litres/minute) of the thermoregulation liquid that ranges between 10% and 35% of a nominal flow rate (for example, from 45-55 litres/minute) of the thermoregulation liquid of the main thermoregulation circuit 10. This condition makes it possible to ensure that the impact of the presence of the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 on the main thermoregulation circuit 10 is small and, thus, acceptable; in other words, the use of the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21 entails, overall, an increase of a few degrees centigrade of the temperature of the thermoregulation liquid and this increase of a few degrees centigrade does not have a significant impact on the uniformity of the cooling ensured by the main thermoregulation circuit 10. In other words, due to the presence of the secondary thermoregulation circuit 21, the temperature of the thermoregulation liquid at the return point 23 is a few degrees centigrade above the temperature of the thermoregulation liquid at the drawing point 22; in any case, this increase in temperature of a few degrees centigrade of the thermoregulation liquid has no significant impact on the uniformity of the cooling ensured by the main thermoregulation circuit 10.

[0041] The embodiments described herein may be combined between them without departing from the scope of protection of this invention.

[0042] The vehicle 1 described above has numerous advantages.

[0043] In the first place, the vehicle 1 described above enables the cooling, when necessary, of the components 18, 19, and 20 that are located at the rear position, using the cooling generated by the thermoregulation system 13 that is arranged at the rear position (i.e., arranged far from the components 18, 19, and 20) and, thus, without the need to install radiators at the rear position.

[0044] In addition, the vehicle 1 described above has no large hydraulic pipes that flow from the front to the rear, crossing the space of the passenger compartment, with a clear saving in weight and bulkiness. This result is obtained by using the whole power storage system 6 as a large pipe to carry a small part of the thermoregulation liquid that has been treated (i.e., cooled or heated) by the thermoregulation system 13 from the front to the rear.

[0045] Finally, the vehicle 1 described above has very reduced costs and production complexity, since the only true change is the creation of the points 22 and 23 at the rear wall 9 of the power storage system 6 (i.e., of the container 7).

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST FOR FIGURES

[0046] 1 vehicle [0047] 2 wheels [0048] 3 drivetrain system [0049] 4 electric machine [0050] 5 transmission [0051] 6 power storage system [0052] 7 container [0053] 8 front wall [0054] 9 rear wall [0055] 10 main thermoregulation circuit [0056] 11 inlet [0057] 12 outlet [0058] 13 thermoregulation system [0059] 14 heat pump circuit [0060] 15 compressor [0061] 16 radiator [0062] 17 heat exchanger [0063] 18 component [0064] 19 component [0065] 20 component [0066] 21 secondary thermoregulation circuit [0067] 22 drawing point [0068] 23 return point [0069] 24 pump [0070] 25 pump [0071] 26 bifurcation [0072] 27 branch [0073] 28 branch [0074] 29 stop valve [0075] 30 stop valve [0076] 31 heat exchanger [0077] 32 control unit [0078] D forward direction