WO2024222845A1 - Thermal management system, control method, and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A thermal management system, a control method, and a vehicle, which relate to the technical field of energy, and aim to solve the problem of the operation of a thermal management system in a low-temperature environment being limited. The thermal management system comprises a compressor (11), a condenser (12), a first expansion valve (13), a first evaporator (14) and a gas-liquid separator (15), which are sequentially in communication in a loop by means of a pipeline, wherein the gas-liquid separator (15) comprises a cavity (151) and a heater (152), the cavity (151) being internally provided with a gas-liquid separation structure (153), and the heater (152) being used for heating a refrigerant, which is located in the cavity (151). The thermal management system may further comprise a first temperature sensor (21), wherein the first temperature sensor (21) is used for measuring the temperature of a gas, which is sucked in by the compressor (11); and the heater (152) is configured in such a way that the heating power of the heater is increased when the temperature value of the sucked gas measured by the first temperature sensor (21) is less than or equal to a preset value. In the thermal management system, the refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator (15) can be heated, so as to ensure that the thermal management system can still operate normally in a low-temperature environment.

Description

Thermal management system, control method and vehicle

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on April 28, 2023, with application number 202310487033.2 and application name “A Thermal Management System, Control Method and Vehicle”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference in this application.

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of energy technology, and in particular to a thermal management system, a control method and a vehicle.

Background Art

In electric vehicles, the thermal management system can be used to effectively regulate the temperature of the vehicle to effectively meet the user's usage needs. For example, in colder ambient temperatures, the temperature in the passenger compartment is usually lower. The thermal management system can increase the temperature in the passenger compartment according to the user's heating needs. In order to reduce energy consumption, the thermal management system began to be equipped with a heat pump system, which can move heat from a lower temperature environment and transport the heat to the passenger compartment. However, in a low temperature environment (such as below -20°C), the heat pump system in the thermal management system is limited by the evaporation temperature and evaporation pressure of the refrigerant, and cannot effectively move heat from the low temperature environment, resulting in the heat pump system not being able to work properly. Therefore, the normal operation of the thermal management system is affected, and the user experience is also reduced. Therefore, how to ensure the normal operation of the thermal management system in a low temperature environment has become a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently.

Summary of the invention

The present application provides a thermal management system, a control method and a vehicle that can operate normally in a low temperature environment.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a thermal management system, which may include a compressor, a condenser, a first expansion valve, a first evaporator, and a gas-liquid separator that are cyclically connected in sequence through a pipeline. The gas-liquid separator includes a cavity and a heater, and the cavity has a gas-liquid separation structure. The heater is disposed in the cavity and is used to heat the refrigerant located in the cavity. The thermal management system may also include a first temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor is used to detect the suction temperature of the compressor, and the heater is used to increase the heating power when the suction temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor is less than or equal to a preset value.

In the thermal management system provided in the present application, the refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator can be heated by using a heater. On the one hand, the liquid refrigerant can be transformed into a gaseous state, thereby providing sufficient gaseous refrigerant for the compressor. In addition, the heater can also increase the temperature of the refrigerant, thereby increasing the intake temperature of the compressor, which helps to increase the load capacity of the compressor and improve the heating capacity of the thermal management system in a low temperature environment.

In one example, the thermal management system may further include a heat recovery pipe. The heat recovery pipe is connected between the condenser and the first expansion valve, and at least a portion of the heat recovery pipe is located in the cavity and is in thermal contact with the refrigerant in the cavity. The refrigerant in the heat recovery pipe and the refrigerant in the cavity can generate heat exchange, which can reduce the temperature of the refrigerant in the heat recovery pipe and increase the degree of supercooling, which is beneficial to improving the circulation characteristics of the refrigerant. The heat recovery pipe is integrated in the cavity, so that the gas-liquid separator not only has the function of gas-liquid separation, but also has the function of a heat regenerator. In specific applications, the number of devices used can be effectively reduced, which is beneficial to reducing the complexity of the thermal management system and the difficulty of deployment.

In one example, the cavity has a liquid containing part and a gas containing part, wherein the heater can be arranged inside or outside the liquid containing part, so as to effectively heat the liquid refrigerant.

In one example, the gas-liquid separator may further include a boiling structure, the boiling structure is located in the liquid containing portion, and the boiling structure is in thermal contact with the heater. The heat generated by the heater can be effectively transferred to the boiling structure. The liquid refrigerant in contact with the boiling structure can have a higher evaporation efficiency, which is conducive to the gasification of the liquid refrigerant.

In specific configuration, the boiling structure may include at least one of a capillary structure, a hole structure or a groove structure. In practical application, a reasonable boiling structure may be selected according to actual needs, which has good flexibility.

In one example, the thermal management system further includes a first heat exchange pipeline, the condenser has a first heat exchange channel, and the first heat exchange pipeline is connected to the first heat exchange channel. The first heat exchange pipeline can effectively transfer heat in the condenser to the area to be heated.

In one example, the thermal management system may further include a second evaporator and a second expansion valve connected in sequence through a pipeline. The pipeline where the second evaporator and the second expansion valve are located is connected in parallel with the passage where the first evaporator and the first expansion valve are located. In specific applications, the refrigerant can absorb heat from the first evaporator or from the second evaporator, which has good flexibility in use.

In one example, the thermal management system further includes a second heat exchange pipeline, the second evaporator has a second heat exchange channel, and the second heat exchange The heat exchange pipeline is connected to the second heat exchange channel. The heat in the second heat exchange pipeline can be effectively transferred to the second evaporator, thereby helping to improve the utilization rate of heat.

In one example, the thermal management system may further include a second temperature sensor, which is used to detect the temperature of the area to be heated. The compressor is used to reduce the rotation speed when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the target temperature value; or the heater is used to reduce the heating power when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the target temperature value. The temperature of the area to be heated can be effectively detected by the second temperature sensor to facilitate automatic control.

In one example, the thermal management system may also include a third temperature sensor, which is used to detect the exhaust temperature of the compressor. The compressor is used to reduce the speed when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is less than the target temperature value, and the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the safety threshold. Alternatively, the heater is used to reduce the heating power when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is less than the target temperature value, and the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the safety threshold. By detecting the exhaust temperature of the compressor, the power of the compressor can be effectively regulated. In addition, it can also prevent the exhaust temperature from being too high and having adverse effects on the compressor.

In one example, the thermal management system may further include a speed sensor, which is used to detect the speed of the compressor. The compressor is used to increase the speed when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is less than the target temperature value, the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is less than the safety threshold, and the speed of the compressor is less than the preset speed. Alternatively, the heater is used to increase the heating power when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is less than the target temperature value, the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is less than the safety threshold, and the speed of the compressor is greater than or equal to the safety speed.

On the second aspect, the present application also provides a control method for a thermal management system, which may include judging whether the suction temperature of the compressor is less than or equal to a preset value based on the heating demand of the area to be heated. If the suction temperature is less than or equal to the preset value, the heater is caused to increase the heating power. When the suction temperature of the compressor is low, the compressor may not operate normally. Therefore, in the example provided in the present application, the heating power of the heater can be adjusted by detecting the suction temperature of the compressor to meet the intake temperature requirement of the compressor, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the thermal management system.

In one example, if the intake air temperature is greater than a preset value, the method may further include:

It is determined whether the current temperature of the zone to be heated is greater than or equal to the target temperature. If the current temperature of the zone to be heated is greater than or equal to the target temperature, it is determined whether the heating power of the heater is zero. If the heating power of the heater is zero, the compressor is made to reduce the speed; if the heating power of the heater is not zero, the heater is made to reduce the heating power.

In one example, if the current temperature of the zone to be heated is less than the target temperature, the method may further include:

Determine whether the exhaust temperature of the compressor is greater than or equal to the safety temperature. If the exhaust temperature is greater than or equal to the safety temperature, determine whether the heating power of the heater is zero. If the heating power of the heater is zero, reduce the speed of the compressor; if the heating power of the heater is not zero, reduce the heating power of the heater.

In one example, if the exhaust temperature of the compressor is less than the safe temperature, the method may further include:

It is determined whether the speed of the compressor is less than the safe speed. If the speed of the compressor is less than the safe speed, the compressor speed is increased; if the speed of the compressor is greater than or equal to the safe speed, the heater is increased in heating power.

In a third aspect, the present application also provides a vehicle, including a vehicle body and the above-mentioned thermal management system, which can be installed on the vehicle body to effectively manage the thermal energy of the vehicle. By adopting the above-mentioned thermal management system, when the vehicle is in a relatively low temperature environment, heat can still be provided to the area to be heated (such as the passenger compartment), thereby effectively improving the use range of the vehicle and the user experience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a conventional heat pump system provided by the present application;

FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG7 is a thermal management system architecture provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG8 is a flow chart of a control method for a thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In order to facilitate understanding of the thermal management system provided in the embodiment of the present application, its application scenario is first introduced below.

As shown in FIG1 , the thermal management system 01 can be used in a vehicle to effectively control the temperature of the vehicle. For example, the thermal management system 01 can effectively control the temperature in the passenger compartment so that the temperature in the passenger compartment meets the actual needs of the user. Specifically, when the temperature in the passenger compartment is low, the thermal management system 01 can heat the passenger compartment according to the user's heating needs. When the temperature in the passenger compartment is high, the thermal management system 01 can cool the passenger compartment according to the user's cooling needs.

With the continuous development and widespread application of clean energy, more and more vehicles are beginning to use batteries as a source of energy for driving. In addition, the battery can also supply power to the thermal management system 01 to meet the power supply needs of the thermal management system 01. The heat pump system can transfer heat from a low-level heat source to a high-level heat source, and has advantages such as low energy consumption. In order to ensure the vehicle's endurance, a heat pump system can be equipped in the thermal management system 01 to provide heating for the vehicle. When the vehicle has a heating demand, the heat pump system can transport heat from the external environment to the vehicle.

As shown in Figure 2, it is a schematic diagram of the structure of a conventional heat pump system provided by the present application. The heat pump system may include a compressor 011, a condenser 012, an expansion valve 013 and an evaporator 014 that are connected in a circular manner through a pipeline. The refrigerant can circulate in the circulation pipeline, and the heat pump system mainly relies on the phase change of the refrigerant between the gaseous state and the liquid state to realize the heat transfer. Under normal operating conditions, the compressor 011 can compress the refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas. When the refrigerant enters the condenser 012, the refrigerant liquefies and releases heat, thereby increasing the temperature of the condenser 012. When the refrigerant passes through the expansion valve 013, the pressure decreases. When the refrigerant enters the evaporator 014, it can absorb heat from the evaporator 014 and become a gas. The heat in the condenser 012 can be transported to the passenger compartment to meet the heating demand of the passenger compartment. The external environment can heat up the evaporator 014 to ensure the normal operation of the heat pump system.

In actual applications, when the external ambient temperature is low (e.g., less than -20°C), the heat pump system is limited by the evaporation temperature and evaporation pressure of the refrigerant and cannot effectively transport heat from the low-temperature environment, causing the heat pump system to not work properly. Therefore, the normal operation of the thermal management system is affected.

To this end, the present application provides a thermal management system that can operate normally in a low temperature environment.

In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more clear, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

The terms used in the following embodiments are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to be used as limitations on the present application. As used in the specification and appended claims of the present application, the singular expressions "one", "a kind of" and "the" are intended to also include expressions such as "one or more", unless there is a clear indication to the contrary in the context. It should also be understood that in the following embodiments of the present application, "at least one" refers to one, two or more than two.

References to "one embodiment" and the like described in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, the phrases "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in other embodiments", etc. that appear at different places in this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or more but not all embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways. The terms "including", "having" and their variations all mean "including but not limited to", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways.

As shown in FIG3 , in an example provided in the present application, the thermal management system 10 may include a compressor 11, a condenser 12, a first expansion valve 13, a first evaporator 14, and a gas-liquid separator 15 that are circulated and connected in sequence through a pipeline. The refrigerant may circulate in sequence in the circulation path formed by the compressor 11, the condenser 12, the first expansion valve 13, the first evaporator 14, and the gas-liquid separator 15. The gas-liquid separator 15 includes a cavity 151 and a heater 152. The cavity 151 has a gas-liquid separation structure 153, and the gas-liquid separation structure 153 can be used to achieve gas-liquid separation of the refrigerant. The heater 152 is disposed in the cavity 151 and is used to heat the refrigerant in the cavity 151, so as to increase the temperature of the refrigerant. In addition, the thermal management system 10 also includes a first temperature sensor 21 and a controller 20. The first temperature sensor 21 is used to detect the suction temperature of the compressor 11. The heater 152 is used to increase the heating power when the suction temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor 21 is less than or equal to a preset value. Specifically, the controller 20 can be connected to the first temperature sensor 21 and the heater 152. The controller 20 can receive the intake temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor 21 and compare the intake temperature value with a preset value. When the intake temperature value is less than or equal to the preset value, the controller 20 can send a control signal to the heater 152 to increase the heating power of the heater 152.

For ease of understanding, the functions of the components in the thermal management system 10 and the flow process of the refrigerant are first described below.

The gas-liquid separator 15 is a device that can separate gas and liquid. After the refrigerant enters the gas-liquid separator 15 from the inlet 1511 of the gas-liquid separator 15, the gas-liquid separation structure 153 located in the cavity 151 can effectively separate the liquid and gaseous refrigerants. Under the action of gravity, the liquid refrigerant will be stored in the lower part of the cavity 151. The gaseous refrigerant will gather in the upper part of the cavity 151. The gaseous refrigerant can be discharged from the outlet 1512 of the gas-liquid separator 15 to the compressor 11.

The gaseous refrigerant can enter the compressor 11 from the air inlet of the compressor 11, and the compressor 11 can compress the gaseous refrigerant into high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant. The compressed gas is discharged from the exhaust port.

When the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant enters the condenser 12 , the refrigerant liquefies and releases heat, thereby increasing the temperature of the condenser 12 .

When the liquid refrigerant passes through the expansion valve, its pressure decreases.

After the refrigerant enters the first evaporator 14, it can absorb heat from the first evaporator 14 and become gaseous. It is understandable that the temperature of the first evaporator 14 has a certain influence on the degree of gasification of the refrigerant. When the ambient temperature is high, the refrigerant is more likely to absorb heat in the first evaporator 14, and the gasification effect is better. On the contrary, when the ambient temperature is low, the refrigerant is less likely to absorb heat in the first evaporator 14, and the gasification effect is worse.

The refrigerant discharged from the first evaporator 14 enters the gas-liquid separation structure 153 from the inlet 1511 of the gas-liquid separator 15 to achieve gas-liquid separation.

In actual applications, when the ambient temperature is low, the temperature of the refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 15 will also be low, and the temperature of the refrigerant entering the compressor 11 will also be low. In addition, the density of the gaseous refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 15 will be low, which may cause insufficient flow of the refrigerant entering the air inlet of the compressor 11, affecting the normal operation of the thermal management system 10. In addition, when the ambient temperature is low, the temperature of the first evaporator 14 will also be low, and the effect of the gasification of the refrigerant in the first evaporator 14 will also be reduced, resulting in a low flow of the gaseous refrigerant entering the gas-liquid separator 15, which will also affect the normal operation of the thermal management system 10.

In the example provided in the present application, the refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 15 can be heated by using the heater 152. On the one hand, the liquid refrigerant can be transformed into a gaseous state, thereby providing sufficient gaseous refrigerant for the compressor 11. In addition, the heater 152 can also increase the temperature of the refrigerant, thereby increasing the intake temperature of the compressor 11, which helps to increase the load capacity of the compressor 11 and improve the heating capacity of the thermal management system in a low temperature environment.

In summary, in the thermal management system 10 provided in the present application, the adverse effects of ambient temperature on the thermal management system 10 can be effectively avoided, so that the thermal management system 10 can operate in a relatively low environment (such as below -20°C).

For ease of understanding, an exemplary description is first given below in conjunction with an application scenario of the thermal management system 10 .

For example, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 , when the thermal management system 10 is applied in a vehicle, the compressor 11, the condenser 12, the first expansion valve 13, the first evaporator 14, the gas-liquid separator 15 and the related pipelines in the thermal management system 10 can be fixed to the vehicle body. In some cases, when there is a demand for heat in the passenger compartment, the condenser 12 can provide heat to the passenger compartment to meet the user's heat demand. The first evaporator 14 can be exposed to the external environment so that the heat in the external environment can be transferred to the first evaporator 14. It should be noted that when the external environment temperature is high, the heat in the external environment can be transferred to the first evaporator 14, so that the refrigerant in the first evaporator 14 can absorb heat and vaporize, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the thermal management system 10. When the external environment temperature is low (such as below -20°C), the first evaporator 14 cannot effectively absorb heat from the external environment, so the refrigerant in the first evaporator 14 cannot be effectively vaporized. However, in the thermal management system 10 provided in the present application, the refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 15 can be heated by the heater 152, and the refrigerant can be vaporized after absorbing the heat of the heater 152, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the entire thermal management system 10 in a low temperature environment.

That is, by applying the thermal management system 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the vehicle can still provide sufficient heat to the passenger compartment in a low temperature environment. Of course, in actual applications, the thermal management system 10 can also be applied to base stations, household energy storage equipment, industrial energy storage equipment or data centers, and the present application does not limit the specific application scenarios of the thermal management system 10.

The specific structure of the thermal management system 10 will be exemplarily described below.

In a specific configuration, the heater 152 may be integrated into the cavity 151 .

For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , in an example provided in the present application, the heater 152 may be integrated at the bottom of the cavity 151 , which is beneficial to reducing the volume of the entire gas-liquid separator 15 .

Specifically, the cavity 151 has a liquid containing portion 151b for containing liquid refrigerant and a gas containing portion 151a for containing gaseous refrigerant. The liquid containing portion 151b is located at the lower part of the cavity 151, and the gas containing portion 151a is located at the upper part of the cavity 151. Due to the different specific gravities of gas and liquid, under the action of gravity, the liquid refrigerant will be stored in the liquid containing portion 151b, and the gaseous refrigerant will be stored in the liquid containing portion 151b.

The heater 152 is located outside the cavity 151 and is thermally bonded to the bottom wall of the cavity 151, so that the heat generated by the heater 152 can be effectively conducted into the cavity 151 through the bottom wall of the cavity 151, thereby heating the liquid refrigerant.

It can be understood that the above-mentioned liquid accommodating portion 151b and gas accommodating portion 151a are virtual divisions of the space in the accommodating chamber. In actual application, there may be no obvious boundary between the liquid accommodating portion 151b and the gas accommodating portion 151a.

In addition, in a specific implementation, the gas-liquid separation structure 153 in the gas-liquid separator 15 can be various.

For example, in the example provided in the present application, the gas-liquid separation structure 153 may be a cyclone structure. Due to the different densities of gas and liquid, when the liquid refrigerant and the gaseous refrigerant are mixed and rotated together, the centrifugal force on the liquid refrigerant is greater than the centrifugal force on the gaseous refrigerant, so that the liquid refrigerant flows into the liquid receiving portion 151b in the cavity 151 under the action of gravity, thereby achieving gas-liquid separation.

It is understandable that, in actual application, the gas-liquid separator 15 can adopt currently more commonly used types such as baffle separation, wire mesh separation, etc. The present application does not limit the working principle of the gas-liquid separator 15 and the type of gas-liquid separation structure 153.

In addition, as shown in FIG3 , in an example provided in the present application, the gas-liquid separator 15 also includes a boiling structure 154, and the boiling structure 154 is located in the cavity 151, and the heater 152 can heat the boiling structure 154, thereby helping to improve the evaporation efficiency of the refrigerant. Specifically, the boiling structure 154 is located in the liquid accommodating portion 151b, and is in thermal contact with the inner side of the bottom wall of the cavity 151. The heater 152 is located on the bottom wall of the cavity 151, and is in thermal contact with the outer side of the bottom wall. The heat generated by the heater 152 can be transferred to the boiling structure 154 through the bottom wall. The liquid refrigerant in contact with the boiling structure 154 can have a higher evaporation efficiency, which helps to gasify the liquid refrigerant.

In a specific configuration, the boiling structure 154 may include at least one of a capillary structure, a pore structure or a groove structure.

For example, the boiling structure 154 may be a copper plate, and the surface of the copper plate may have micron-level pores, grooves or protrusions. When the liquid refrigerant adheres to the surface of the copper plate, the contact area between the refrigerant and the copper plate is large, which is conducive to improving the heating efficiency of the refrigerant and facilitating the gasification of the liquid refrigerant.

In specific configuration, the boiling structure 154 can be made of aluminum, silicon with good thermal conductivity, copper, aluminum, etc. The specific material and structural shape of the boiling structure 154 can be reasonably selected and adjusted according to actual needs, and will not be described in detail here.

It is understood that in the example provided in the present application, in order to ensure a shorter heat conduction path between the heater 152 and the boiling structure 154, the heater 152 and the boiling structure 154 are both in thermal contact with the bottom wall of the cavity 151. In other examples, the heater 152 may also be in thermal contact with the side wall or other areas of the cavity 151.

Alternatively, in some examples, the heater 152 may also be disposed in the cavity 151. In addition, the heater 152 and the boiling structure 154 may also be integrated, thereby helping to reduce the volume and manufacturing cost of the gas-liquid separator 15.

In addition, as shown in FIG4 , in another example provided in the present application, the thermal management system 10 may further include a heat recovery pipe 155. The heat recovery pipe 155 is connected between the condenser 12 and the first expansion valve 13, and at least a portion of the heat recovery pipe 155 is located in the cavity 151 and is in heat conduction contact with the refrigerant in the cavity 151.

Specifically, after being discharged from the condenser 12 , the refrigerant flows into the heat recovery pipe 155 , and then flows to the first expansion valve 13 through the heat recovery pipe 155 .

When the refrigerant circulates in the heat recovery pipe 155, since the heat recovery pipe 155 passes through the cavity 151 and is in heat-conducting contact with the refrigerant in the cavity 151, heat exchange occurs between the refrigerant in the heat recovery pipe 155 and the refrigerant in the cavity 151. Normally, the temperature of the refrigerant in the heat recovery pipe is higher, and the temperature of the refrigerant in the cavity 151 is lower. Therefore, the temperature of the refrigerant in the heat recovery pipe is reduced and the supercooling degree is increased, which is conducive to improving the circulation characteristics of the refrigerant.

In the example provided in the present application, the cavity 151 has an inlet 1513 and an outlet 1514 , the heat recovery pipe 155 is located in the cavity 151 , and one end of the heat recovery pipe 155 is connected to the inlet 1513 , and the other end is connected to the outlet 1514 .

In summary, in the example provided in the present application, the heat recovery pipe 155 is integrated in the cavity 151, so that the gas-liquid separator 15 not only has the function of gas-liquid separation, but also has the function of a heat regenerator. In specific applications, the number of devices used can be effectively reduced, which is conducive to reducing the complexity of the thermal management system 10 and the difficulty of deployment. Among them, the heat recovery pipe 155 can specifically be a bent copper tube, aluminum tube, etc. The length of the heat recovery pipe can be appropriately increased to improve the heat exchange effect of the refrigerant.

It is understandable that in other examples, an independent heat regenerator may also be provided in the thermal management system 10. In actual application, reasonable selection and adjustment may be made according to actual needs.

In addition, in the specific setting, the gas-liquid separator 15 can also be integrated with the condenser 12 or the first evaporator 14 to improve the integration degree of the thermal management system 10, which is beneficial to improving the convenience of the thermal management system 10 during deployment.

In a specific application, the condenser 12 may be a liquid condenser 12 .

Specifically, as shown in FIG5 , the thermal management system 10 may further include a first heat exchange pipeline 101. A first heat exchange channel (not shown) is provided in the condenser 12, and the first heat exchange pipeline 101 is connected to the first heat exchange channel. Cooling media such as oil and water may circulate in the first heat exchange pipeline 101, and the cooling medium and the refrigerant may exchange heat in the condenser 12, so that the heat released by the refrigerant may be transferred to the cooling medium. In addition, the first heat exchange pipeline 101 may further include a warm air core 156, and after the cooling medium absorbs heat from the condenser 12, the heat may be transferred to the warm air core 156. A fan 1561 may be provided near the warm air core 156, and the airflow generated by the fan 1561 may transport the heat on the surface of the warm air core 156 to the target area. For example, when the thermal management system 10 is applied in a vehicle, the target area may specifically be a passenger compartment.

The heater core 156 may be a plate-fin heat exchanger that is commonly used at present. In simple terms, the heater core 156 has a pipeline for the circulation of the cooling medium and an air flow channel for the circulation of air. The air flow passing through the heater core 156 can generate heat exchange with the cooling medium, thereby effectively taking away the heat of the cooling medium.

In addition, it should be noted that in the example provided in the present application, the condenser 12 is a liquid condenser 12, and there are two independent pipelines inside the condenser 12, and the two pipelines can achieve effective heat conduction contact. One of the pipelines can provide a circulation path for the cooling medium, and the other pipeline can provide a circulation path for the refrigerant, so that the refrigerant and the cooling medium can achieve effective heat exchange in the condenser 12.

It is understandable that in other examples, the condenser 12 may also be a plate-fin heat exchanger. That is, the first heat exchange pipeline 101 may be omitted, and the condenser 12 may have the function of a warm air core 156. The airflow passing through the condenser 12 may transport the heat of the condenser 12 to the target area.

In addition, the first evaporator 14 may be a plate-fin heat exchanger. That is, the first evaporator 14 has a pipeline for the circulation of refrigerant and an air flow channel for the circulation of air. When the temperature of the air in the external environment is higher than the temperature of the first evaporator 14, the refrigerant flowing through the first evaporator 14 may be heated.

In the thermal management system 10, more evaporators may be provided to increase the temperature of the refrigerant.

For example, as shown in FIG5 , in an example provided in the present application, the thermal management system 10 further includes a second evaporator 157 and a second expansion valve 158 connected in sequence through pipelines. The pipeline where the second evaporator 157 and the second expansion valve 158 are located is connected in parallel with the passage where the first evaporator 14 and the first expansion valve 13 are located. In addition, the thermal management system 10 further includes a second heat exchange pipeline 102; the second evaporator 157 has a second heat exchange channel, and the second heat exchange pipeline 102 is connected to the second heat exchange channel.

Specifically, a cooling medium such as oil or water can flow through the second heat exchange pipeline 102, and the cooling medium and the refrigerant can exchange heat in the second evaporator 157, so that the heat of the cooling medium can be transferred to the refrigerant. In addition, the second heat exchange pipeline 102 can be connected to a heat-generating component such as a motor or a chip in the vehicle. Through the second heat exchange pipeline 102, the heat generated by the heat-generating component such as a motor or a chip can be effectively transferred to the second evaporator 157 through the cooling medium, thereby heating the refrigerant flowing through the second evaporator 157, which helps to improve the utilization efficiency of heat.

In actual applications, when the external ambient temperature is low and the temperature of heat-generating components such as motors or chips is high, the opening of the first expansion valve 13 and the second expansion valve 158 can be appropriately adjusted so that the refrigerant only flows through the second evaporator 157 for heat exchange without flowing through the first evaporator 14.

Alternatively, when the external ambient temperature is high and the temperature of components such as motors or chips is low, the opening of the first expansion valve 13 and the second expansion valve 158 can be appropriately adjusted so that the refrigerant only flows through the first evaporator 14 for heat exchange without flowing through the second evaporator 157.

In addition, in actual application, it is possible that the temperature of the motor or chip and other devices is low and there is a need for heating. In this case, the second expansion valve 158 may not throttle the refrigerant, so that the refrigerant can heat the second evaporator 157, thereby heating the motor or chip and other devices. That is, the second evaporator 157 can function as the secondary condenser 12.

However, in the entire thermal management system 10 , in order to ensure the circulation characteristics of the refrigerant, an expansion valve is required to throttle and expand the refrigerant.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5 , in an example provided in the present application, an expansion valve 159 a may be added to the front end of the gas-liquid separator 15 , so that the refrigerant can be effectively throttled and expanded to ensure the circulation characteristics of the refrigerant.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG6 , in another example provided in the present application, the expansion valve 159b may also be disposed in an independent pipeline. When the valve 159c is closed, the refrigerant may flow back to the gas-liquid separator 15 through the pipeline where the expansion valve 159b is located, without passing through the first evaporator 14 and the second evaporator 157.

In addition, in actual application, as shown in FIG7 , in order to effectively regulate the operating state of the thermal management system 10, in an example provided in the present application, the thermal management system 10 further includes a second temperature sensor. The second temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the area to be heated, and the controller is connected to the second temperature sensor to reduce the speed of the compressor 11 or reduce the heating power of the heater 152 when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the target temperature value.

For example, when the thermal management system 10 is applied in a vehicle, the area to be heated may be a passenger compartment. For example, when the user adjusts the target temperature of the passenger compartment to 25°C, when the actual temperature of the passenger compartment detected by the second temperature sensor reaches 25°C or is greater than 25°C, the controller may reduce the speed of the compressor 11 or reduce the heating power of the heater 152, thereby reducing the heat released by the refrigerant in the condenser 12.

In addition, the thermal management system 10 may further include a third temperature sensor, which is used to detect the exhaust temperature of the compressor 11. The controller is connected to the third temperature sensor, and is used to reduce the speed of the compressor 11 or reduce the heating power of the heater 152 when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is less than the target temperature value and the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the safety threshold, thereby reducing the exhaust temperature of the compressor 11 and avoiding damage to the compressor 11.

In one example, the thermal management system 10 may also include a speed sensor, which is used to detect the speed of the compressor 11. The controller is connected to the speed sensor, and is used to increase the speed of the compressor 11 when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is less than the target temperature value, the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is less than the safety threshold, and the speed of the compressor 11 is less than the preset speed. Alternatively, the controller is used to increase the speed of the compressor 11 when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is less than the target temperature value, the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is less than the safety threshold, When the speed of the compressor 11 is greater than or equal to the safe speed, the heater 152 increases the heating power. In summary, in specific applications, the heat released by the refrigerant in the condenser 12 can be increased by increasing the speed of the compressor 11, or the heat released by the refrigerant in the condenser 12 can be increased by increasing the heating power of the heater 152, which has good flexibility.

In addition, as shown in FIG8 , the embodiment of the present application further provides a control method for a thermal management system, which may include:

The area to be heated has a heating demand.

It is determined whether the suction temperature Tb of the compressor is greater than a preset value Tc according to the heating demand of the area to be heated.

If the suction temperature Tb is not greater than (ie, less than or equal to) the preset value Tc, the heater is made to increase the heating power P. In this way, the suction temperature of the compressor is increased, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the compressor.

The preset value Tc may be the startup temperature of the compressor. The preset value may be preset by the manufacturer or may be set by the user according to actual needs, and this application does not limit this.

In addition, if the intake air temperature Tb is greater than the preset value Tc, the method may further include:

It is determined whether the current temperature Ta of the area to be heated is less than the target temperature T0.

If the current temperature Ta of the zone to be heated is not less than (ie, greater than or equal to) the target temperature T0, it is determined whether the heating power P of the heater is zero.

If the heating power P of the heater is zero, the compressor rotation speed ra can be reduced. If the heating power P of the heater is not zero, the heater heating power P can be reduced.

If the current temperature Ta of the area to be heated is less than the target temperature T0, the method may further include:

Determine whether the exhaust temperature Th of the compressor is lower than the safety temperature Ts.

If the exhaust temperature Th is not less than (ie, greater than or equal to) the safety temperature Ts, it is determined whether the heating power P of the heater is zero.

If the heating power P of the heater is zero, the compressor can be rotated at a lower speed. If the heating power P of the heater is not zero, the heating power P of the heater can be reduced.

In addition, if the exhaust temperature Th of the compressor is lower than the safe temperature, the method may further include:

Determine whether the compressor speed ra is less than the safe speed rmax.

If the speed of the compressor ra is less than the safe speed rmax, the compressor can increase the speed ra. If the speed of the compressor ra is greater than or equal to the safe speed rmax, the heater increases the heating power P to improve the heating effect of the thermal management system.

In specific applications, the control method of the thermal management system can be appropriately adjusted according to actual needs, which will not be elaborated here.

The above are only specific implementations of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims (16)

A thermal management system, characterized in that it comprises a compressor, a condenser, a first expansion valve, a first evaporator and a gas-liquid separator which are cyclically connected in sequence through a pipeline; The gas-liquid separator comprises a cavity and a heater, and the cavity has a gas-liquid separation structure; The heater is disposed in the cavity and is used to heat the refrigerant in the cavity; Also included is a first temperature sensor; The first temperature sensor is used to detect the suction temperature of the compressor, and the heater is used to increase the heating power when the suction temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor is less than or equal to a preset value. The thermal management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermal management system further comprises a heat recovery pipe; The heat recovery pipe is connected between the condenser and the first expansion valve. At least a portion of the heat recovery pipe is located in the cavity and is in heat-conducting contact with the refrigerant in the cavity. The thermal management system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cavity has a liquid containing portion and a gas containing portion; The heater is disposed inside or outside the liquid containing portion. The thermal management system according to claim 3 is characterized in that the gas-liquid separator also includes a boiling structure, the boiling structure is located in the liquid accommodating portion, and the boiling structure is in thermal contact with the heater. The thermal management system according to claim 4, characterized in that the boiling structure comprises at least one of a capillary structure, a pore structure or a groove structure. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the thermal management system further comprises a first heat exchange pipeline; The condenser has a first heat exchange channel therein, and the first heat exchange pipeline is connected to the first heat exchange channel. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the thermal management system further comprises a second evaporator and a second expansion valve connected in sequence through a pipeline; The pipeline where the second evaporator and the second expansion valve are located is connected in parallel with the passage where the first evaporator and the first expansion valve are located. The thermal management system according to claim 7, characterized in that the thermal management system further comprises a second heat exchange pipeline; The second evaporator has a second heat exchange channel therein, and the second heat exchange pipeline is connected to the second heat exchange channel. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is characterized in that it also includes a second temperature sensor, which is used to detect the temperature of the area to be heated, and the compressor is used to reduce the rotation speed when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the target temperature value; or the heater is used to reduce the heating power when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the target temperature value. The thermal management system according to claim 9, further comprising a third temperature sensor, wherein the third temperature sensor is used to detect the exhaust temperature of the compressor; The compressor is used to reduce the speed when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is less than the target temperature value and the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the safety threshold; Alternatively, the heater is used to reduce heating power when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than a target temperature value and the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is greater than or equal to a safety threshold. The thermal management system according to claim 10, further comprising a rotation speed sensor, wherein the rotation speed sensor is used to detect the rotation speed of the compressor; The compressor is used to increase the speed when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is less than the target temperature value, the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is less than the safety threshold, and the speed of the compressor is less than the preset speed; The heater is used to increase the heating power when the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the target temperature value, the exhaust temperature value detected by the third temperature sensor is lower than the safety threshold, and the speed of the compressor is greater than or equal to the safety speed. A control method for a thermal management system, characterized in that it is applied to the thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, and the method comprises: Determining whether the suction temperature of the compressor is less than or equal to a preset value according to the heating demand of the area to be heated; If the intake air temperature is less than or equal to the preset value, the heater is enabled to increase heating power. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that if the intake air temperature is greater than the preset value, the method further comprises: Determining whether the current temperature of the zone to be heated is greater than or equal to the target temperature; If the current temperature of the zone to be heated is greater than or equal to the target temperature, determining whether the heating power of the heater is zero; If the heating power of the heater is zero, the compressor is caused to reduce its rotation speed; if the heating power of the heater is not zero, the heater is caused to reduce its heating power. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that if the current temperature of the area to be heated is less than the target temperature, the method further comprises: Determining whether the exhaust temperature of the compressor is greater than or equal to a safe temperature; If the exhaust temperature is greater than or equal to the safety temperature, determining whether the heating power of the heater is zero; If the heating power of the heater is zero, the compressor is caused to reduce its rotation speed; if the heating power of the heater is not zero, the heater is caused to reduce its heating power. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that if the exhaust temperature of the compressor is lower than a safe temperature, the method further comprises: Determining whether the rotation speed of the compressor is less than a safe rotation speed; If the rotation speed of the compressor is less than the safe rotation speed, the rotation speed of the compressor is increased; if the rotation speed of the compressor is greater than or equal to the safe rotation speed, the heating power of the heater is increased. A vehicle, comprising a vehicle body and a thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the thermal management system is installed on the vehicle body.