A TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM, A VEHICLE PROVIDED THEREWITH AND A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION THEREOF

Abstract

A temperature control system for a vehicle, comprising a main circuit comprising a tubing in which there is provided a coolant, a main circuit pump configured to pump said coolant through the tubing in a first direction. Connected in parallel to the main circuit are first and second sub-circuits for cooling or heating of components connected thereto. In the sub-circuits there are provided first and second pumps that pump coolant through said sub-circuits from a first end to second end at which the respective sub-circuit is connected the main circuit. The first end is upstream the second end as seen in the first direction in the first circuit, and the first end of the first sub-circuit and the first end of the at least one second sub-circuit are joined to a common tubing section which in its turn is connected to the tubing of the main circuit.

Claims

1. A temperature control system for a vehicle, comprising: a main circuit comprising a tubing in which there is provided a coolant, a main circuit pump configured to pump said coolant through the tubing of the main circuit in a first direction, and at least one unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit, a first sub-circuit for cooling or heating a first component, said first sub-circuit comprising a tubing that has a first end and a second end, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit at a position upstream the position at which the second end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit as seen in said first direction; and at least one second sub-circuit for cooling or heating a second component, said second sub-circuit comprising a tubing that has a first end and a second end, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit at a position upstream the position at which the second end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit as seen in said first direction, wherein the first sub-circuit comprises a first pump configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end of the tubing of the first sub-circuit to the second end thereof, wherein the second sub-circuit comprises a second pump configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end of the tubing of the second sub-circuit to the second end thereof, and wherein the first end of the first sub-circuit and the first end of the at least one second sub-circuit are joined to a common tubing section which in its turn is connected to the tubing of the main circuit.

2. A temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein said common tubing section has a length which is sufficient for mixing in said common tubing section a flow of coolant delivered by the main circuit pump and a flow of coolant delivered by said first pump of the first sub-circuit and by said second pump of the at least one second sub-circuit such that the temperature of the coolant is homogenous at an end of the common tubing section where the first and second sub-circuits depart from each other.

3. A temperature control system according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit configured in at least one mode to control the output, as measured in volume per time unit, of the main circuit pump, the first pump of the first sub-circuit and the second pump of the at least one second sub-circuit, such that the sum of the output of the first pump of the first sub-circuit and the output of the second pump of the at least one second sub-circuit exceeds the output of the main circuit pump.

4. A temperature control system according to claim 1 further comprising: a first sensor configured to measure a parameter reflecting the temperature t.sub.1 of said first component; a second sensor configured to measure a parameter reflecting the temperature t.sub.2 of said second component; and a control unit which is connected to the first sensor and to the second sensor and which is configured to control the operation of the first pump on basis of input received from the first sensor and to control the operation of the second pump on basis of input received from the second sensor.

5. A temperature control system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is connected to the pump of the main circuit and to the at least one unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit and is configured to control the operation of the pump of the main circuit and said unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit on basis of input received from the first sensor and the second sensor.

6. A temperature control system according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to activate the pump of the main circuit and/or said unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit, as a response to input received from said first or second sensor, or from a sensor that measures the temperature of the coolant in the first sub-circuit and the second sub-circuit, that indicates that sufficient heating or cooling of the first component or second component is not achieved by control of the first and second pump.

7. A temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein the pump of the main circuit has a lower maximum output, measured in units of fluid per minute, than the sum of the maximum output of the first and second pumps.

8. A temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the tubing of the main circuit that presents the openings to which the first and second ends of the first and second sub-circuits are connected is separable from an upstream part of said tubing and a downstream part of said tubing by means of tubing connections via which it is connected to said upstream part and downstream part, respectively.

9. A temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein said first component and said second component are components of a vehicle.

10. A temperature control system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of first component and the second component is a battery for the accumulation of electric energy.

11. A temperature control system according to claim 1, wherein the first component has a preferred operation temperature range a-b, and the second component has a preferred operation temperature range c-d, and that a-b overlaps c-d.

12. A vehicle, comprising: a first component which has a preferred operating temperature range a-b; at least one second component which has a preferred operating temperature range c-d; and a temperature control system comprising: a main circuit comprising a tubing in which there is provided a coolant, a main circuit pump configured to pump said coolant through the tubing of the main circuit in a first direction, and at least one unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit; a first sub-circuit for cooling or heating the first component, said first sub-circuit comprising a tubing that has a first end and a second end, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit at a position upstream the position at which the second end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit as seen in said first direction; and at least one second sub-circuit for cooling or heating the second component, said second sub-circuit comprising a tubing that has a first end and a second end, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit at a position upstream the position at which the second end is connected to the tubing of the main circuit as seen in said first direction, wherein the first sub-circuit comprises a first pump configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end of the tubing of the first sub-circuit to the second end thereof, wherein the second sub-circuit comprises a second pump configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end of the tubing of the second sub-circuit to the second end thereof, and wherein the first end of the first sub-circuit and the first end of the at least one second sub-circuit are joined to a common tubing section which in its turn is connected to the tubing of the main circuit, wherein the first component is provided in connection to the first sub-circuit and configured to be heated or cooled by heat exchange with coolant flowing through the first sub-circuit, and wherein the second component is provided in connection to the second sub-circuit and configured to be heated or cooled by heat exchange with coolant flowing through the second sub-circuit.

13. A vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said first component and second component is any one of: a battery for accumulation of electric energy; a compressor; an electric heater device; a condenser; and power electronics.

14. A vehicle according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the first and second component is a battery for the accumulation of electric energy.

15. A method of controlling the operation of a temperature control system according to claim 1, said method comprising the following steps: measuring a parameter reflecting the temperature t.sub.1 of a first component; comparing the measured parameter to a preferred operational temperature range a-b of the first component; controlling the output of the first pump on basis of said comparison such that a<t.sub.1<b; measure a parameter reflecting the temperature t.sub.2 of a second component; comparing the measured parameter to a preferred operational temperature range c-d of the second component; and controlling the output of the second pump on basis of said comparison such that c<t.sub.2<d, and repeating said steps continuously.

16. A method according to claim 15, comprising the following step: if any of the conditions a<t.sub.1<b or c<t.sub.2<d is not achieved by means of control of the output of the first pump or the second pump, controlling the operation of the pump of the main circuit and the operation of the unit for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit in addition to controlling the output of the first and second pump such that a<t.sub.1<b and c<t.sub.2<d.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described more in detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawing, on which:

[0055] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of temperature control system according to the invention,

[0056] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment and

[0057] FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing essential steps of an embodiment of the method according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0058] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a temperature control system according to the present invention. Preferably the temperature control system is arranged in a vehicle, such as a bus or truck, for the purpose of heating or cooling components, including masses of gas and/or masses of liquid. According to one embodiment, the temperature control system is configured to cool a plurality of batteries which are configured to operate as accumulators of electric energy and to act as an energy storage which is used for feeding one or more electric motors/engines configured for the propulsion of the vehicle.

[0059] The temperature control system comprises a main circuit 1 comprising tubing 2 in which there is provided a coolant. The system further comprises a main circuit pump 3 configured to pump said coolant through the tubing 2 of the main circuit 1 in a first direction, shown with an arrow in FIG. 1. The temperature control system also comprises at least one unit 4, 5, 6 for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit 1. Said unit 4, 5, 6 may comprise a fan-cooled radiator 4, a heater 5 and/or a cooler 6. The cooler 6 may comprise an evaporator via which the coolant exchanges heat with a refrigerant of a cooling system provided with a compressor, a condenser and said evaporator. In the shown embodiment, the radiator 4 is connected in parallel with the heater 5 and the cooler 6. A directing valve 26 is provided for controlling coolant flow to the radiator 4 and the heater 5 and cooler 6. Other set ups and arrangements are of course conceivable. For example, the unit for heating or cooling may comprise at least one further circuit from which coolant of predetermined temperature is introduced into the main circuit. Such further circuits then, per definition, becomes part of the main circuit disclosed in this application.

[0060] In addition to the main circuit 1, the temperature control system also comprises a first sub-circuit 7 for cooling or heating a first component 8, said first sub-circuit comprising a tubing 9 that has a first end 10 and a second end 11, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing 2 of the main circuit at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit. The first end 10 is connected to the tubing 2 of the main circuit 1 at a position upstream the position at which the second end 11 is connected to the tubing 2 of the main circuit 1 as seen in said first direction.

[0061] The temperature control system also comprises a second sub-circuit 12 for cooling or heating a second component 13, said second sub-circuit 12 comprising a tubing 14 that has a first end 15 and a second end 16, which are connected to respective openings in the tubing 2 of the main circuit 1 at positions that are spaced apart from each other as seen in a longitudinal direction of the tubing of the main circuit 1. The first end 15 is connected to the tubing 2 of the main circuit 1 at a position upstream the position at which the second end 16 is connected to the tubing 2 of the main circuit 1 as seen in said first direction.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the first component 8 has a preferred operational temperature range a-b, and the second component 13 has a preferred operational temperature range c-d, wherein a-b overlaps c-d.

[0063] There is also provided a sensor 25 for sensing the temperature of the coolant in a section of the main circuit situated between the common tubing section 27 and the second ends 11, 16 of the first and second sub-circuits 7, 12. Alternatively the sensor 25 is supplemented or replaced by corresponding sensors arranged for the measurement of the coolant temperature in the common tubing section 27 or in the first and second sub-circuits 7, 12 downstream the first ends 10, 15 of the first and second sub-circuits 7, 13, but upstream the first and second components 8, 13 as seen in the flow directions generated in the first and second sub-circuits 7, 12.

[0064] Further to the above-mentioned features, the first sub-circuit 7 comprises a first pump 17 configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end 10 of the tubing 9 of the first sub-circuit 7 to the second end 11 of the first sub-circuit 7.

[0065] The second sub-circuit 12 comprises a second pump 18 configured to pump a coolant in a direction from said first end 15 of the tubing 14 of the second sub-circuit 12 to the second end 16 of the second sub-circuit 12.

[0066] The first end 10 of the first sub-circuit 7 and the first end 15 of the second sub-circuit 12 are joined to a common tubing section 27 which in its turn is connected to the tubing 2 of the main circuit 1.

[0067] The common tubing section 27 has a length which is sufficient for mixing in said common tubing section 27 a flow of coolant delivered by the main circuit pump 3 and a flow of coolant delivered by said first pump 17 of the first sub-circuit 7 and by said second pump 18 of the second sub-circuit 12 such that the temperature of the coolant is homogenous, i.e. equal over a cross section of the common tubing section 27, at an end of the common tubing section 27 where the first and second sub-circuits 7, 12 depart from each other.

[0068] The temperature control system further comprises a control unit 21. At least in one mode of operation, the control unit is configured 21 to control the output, as measured in volume per time unit, of the main circuit pump 3, the first pump 17 of the first sub-circuit 7 and the second pump 18 of the second sub-circuit 12, such that the sum of the output of the first pump 17 of the first sub-circuit 7 and the output of the second pump 18 of the second sub-circuit 12 exceeds the output of the main circuit pump 3.

[0069] In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the second end 11 of the first sub-circuit 7 and the second end 16 of the second sub-circuit 12 are joined to a second common tubing section 28 which in its turn is connected to the tubing 2 of the main circuit 1.

[0070] The temperature control system further comprises a first sensor 19 configured to measure a parameter reflecting the temperature t1 of said first component 8 and, a second sensor 20 configured to measure a parameter reflecting the temperature t2 of said second component 13. The control unit 21 is connected to the first sensor 19 and to the second sensor 20 and is configured to control the operation of the first pump 17 on basis of input received from the first sensor 19 and to control the operation of the second pump 18 on basis of input received from the second sensor 20.

[0071] The control unit 21 is connected to the pump 3 of the main circuit 1 and to the at least one unit 4, 5, 6 for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit 1 and is configured to control the operation of the pump 3 of the main circuit 1 and said unit 4, 5, 6 for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit 1 on basis of input received from the first sensor 19 and the second sensor 20. The control unit 21 is also connected to and configured to control the directing valve 26.

[0072] The control unit 21 is configured to activate the pump 3 of the main circuit 1 and/or said unit 4, 5, 6 for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit 1, as a response to input received from said first or second sensor 19, 20 that indicates that sufficient heating or cooling of the first component 8 or second component 13 is not achieved by control of the first and second pump 17, 18.

[0073] A portion 22 of the tubing 2 of the main circuit 1 that presents the openings to which the first and second ends 10, 11, 15, 16 of the first and second sub-circuits 8, 12 are connected via the common tubing section 27 of the first ends 10, 15 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and the common tubing section 28 of the second ends 11, 16 (FIG. 2) is separable from an upstream part of said tubing and a downstream part of said tubing 2 by means of tubing connections 23, 24 via which it is connected to said upstream part and downstream part respectively. The portion 22 carrying said openings thus forms an easily replaceable unit which can be replaced to another corresponding unit with another setup of openings, depending on the need.

[0074] According to some embodiments, the tubing connections 23, 24 may comprise one or more of a threaded connection, an o-ring, a gasket, a snap-fit arrangements, and the like. Moreover, according to some embodiments, the tubing connections 23, 24 may be be soldered, welded, glued, attached via vibration welding of plastic, or the like. The distance between the pump 3 of the main circuit 1 and a tubing connection 23 may be large or may be short. According to some embodiments, a tubing connection 23 may be attached directly onto an outlet conduit of the pump 3 of the main circuit 1.

[0075] FIG. 3 shows a flow chart in which steps of the method according to the present invention is presented. The method comprises the following steps:

[0076] Measuring the temperature t of the coolant downstream the second ends 11, 16 of the first and second sub-circuits 7, 12 as seen in said first direction, either by measurement in said mixing zone and/or by individual measurement of the coolant temperature in the first and second sub-circuits 7, 12 downstream the first ends 10, 15 of the first and second sub-circuits 7, 12, but upstream the first and second components 8, 13, box S1.

[0077] Comparing the measured coolant temperature t with a preferred operational temperature range a-b of the first component 8 and with a preferred operation temperature range c-d of the second component 13, box S2.

[0078] If the measured coolant temperature t is outside the ranges a-b and/or c-d, then operation of the pump 3 of the main circuit 1 and said unit 4, 5, 6 for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit 1 should be controlled such that the measured coolant temperature t becomes inside said ranges a-b and c-d, box S3.

[0079] Measuring a first parameter reflecting the temperature t.sub.1 of the first component 8 in the first sub-circuit, and measuring a second parameter reflecting the temperature t.sub.2 of the second component 13 in the second sub-circuit, box S4.

[0080] Comparing the temperature t.sub.1 reflected by the first measured parameter to the preferred operational temperature range a-b of the first component 8, to determine if a<t.sub.1<b, and comparing the temperature t.sub.2 reflected by the second measured parameter to the preferred operation temperature range c-d of the second component 13 to determine if c<t.sub.2<d, box S5.

[0081] If a<t.sub.1<b is not fulfilled, controlling the output of the first pump 17 of the first sub-circuit 7 on basis of said comparison such in order to obtain that a<t.sub.1<b, and if c<t.sub.2<d, controlling the output of the second pump 18 on basis of said such that c<t.sub.2<d, box S6.

[0082] These steps are preferably performed by the action of the control unit 21 in interaction with the first and second sensors 19, 20, the sensor 25 for measuring the coolant temperature, the pump 3 in the main circuit 1, the unit 4, 5, 6 for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit 1, and the first and second pumps 17, 18.

[0083] It should be stated that if the temperature t of the coolant is not within the ranges a-b and c-d, this will be interpreted by the control unit 21 as an indication that sufficient heating or cooling of the first component 8 or second component 13 is not achieved by control of the first and second pumps 17, 18 alone, but that added functionality of the pump 3 in the main circuit 1 and the unit 4, 5, 6 for cooling or heating the coolant in the main circuit 1 is needed.

[0084] Although the invention has been exemplified only by showing an embodiment in which there are only two sub-circuits it should be understood that the intended scope of protection also includes solutions in which there are numerous such sub-circuits, and by means of which the temperature of a plurality of components, including batteries, are controlled. Controlling the temperature of a component also includes controlling the temperature of a mass of gas or liquid, preferably by controlling the temperature of a component that in its turn affects the temperature of the mass of gas or liquid.

[0085] It should be added that of course, the claimed scope of protection also covers designs in which there are further components/parts in each respective circuit. Such components/parts may be provided serially or in parallel with the components/parts that have been disclosed in this disclosure.