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DE-102024132565-A1 - Thermal management system with a refrigerant circuit and coolant circuit with heating device for a motor vehicle and motor vehicle with such a thermal management system

DE102024132565A1DE 102024132565 A1DE102024132565 A1DE 102024132565A1DE-102024132565-A1

Abstract

A thermal management system for a motor vehicle with at least a partially electric drive is described, wherein the thermal management system comprises: a refrigerant circuit (11); a coolant circuit (28-2); wherein the refrigerant circuit (11) and the coolant circuit (28-2) are in thermal contact by means of a heat exchanger (28), in particular a chiller, wherein the coolant circuit (28-2) comprises at least one coolant pump (60, 70) and is in thermal contact with a battery storage unit (62) of the motor vehicle in order to cool the battery storage unit (62) and to operate the heat exchanger (28), in particular the chiller, as a heat pump, in particular a water heat pump, by means of the heated coolant. It is provided that at least one heating device (64) is arranged in the coolant circuit (28-2), which is configured to additionally heat the coolant. Furthermore, a motor vehicle with such a thermal management system is described.

Inventors

  • Philipp Grießl
  • Christian Rebinger
  • Dirk Schroeder

Assignees

  • AUDI AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241108

Claims (9)

  1. Thermal management system (100) for a motor vehicle (200) with at least a partially electric drive, wherein the thermal management system (100) comprises: a refrigerant circuit (10); a coolant circuit (28-2); wherein the refrigerant circuit (10) and the coolant circuit (28-2) are in thermal contact by means of a heat exchanger (28), in particular a chiller, wherein the coolant circuit (28-2) comprises at least one coolant pump (60, 70) and is in thermal contact with a battery storage unit (62) of the motor vehicle (200) in order to cool the battery storage unit (62), and to operate the heat exchanger (28), in particular the chiller, as a heat pump, in particular a water heat pump, by means of the heated coolant, characterized in that at least one heating device (64) is arranged in the coolant circuit (28-2), which is configured to additionally heat the coolant.
  2. Thermal management system (100) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the heating device (64) is arranged upstream of the battery storage unit (62) in the coolant circuit (28-2).
  3. Thermal management system (100) according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the heat exchanger (28), in particular chiller, and the battery storage unit (62) are arranged in series with respect to the flow direction of the coolant, such that coolant heated by the heating device (64) first flows past the battery storage unit (62) and then to the heat exchanger (28).
  4. Thermal management system (100) according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the heat exchanger (28), in particular chiller, and the battery storage unit (62) are arranged parallel to each other with respect to the flow direction of the coolant, such that coolant heated by the heating device (64) flows in respective coolant partial volume flows to the battery storage unit (62) and to the heat exchanger (28).
  5. Thermal management system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one valve device (66) is arranged in the coolant circuit (28-2) which is configured to adjust the coolant flow to or from the heating device (64).
  6. Thermal management system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a control unit (50) which is configured to activate or deactivate the heating device (64) depending on at least one operating parameter of the thermal management system (100), in particular as a boost function for heating the coolant when starting a heat pump operation using the heat exchanger (28), in particular chiller.
  7. Thermal management system (100) according to Claim 6 , characterized in that the control unit (50) is configured to heat the coolant supply of the heat exchanger (28) in such a way, in particular by means of the activated heating device (64), that a low pressure level is established in the refrigerant circuit (11) which enables heat pump operation of the heat exchanger (28), in particular chiller.
  8. Thermal management system (100) according to Claim 7 , characterized in that the control unit (50) is configured to adjust or regulate the low-pressure level such that the low-pressure side refrigerant pressure is greater than a permanently minimum permissible inlet pressure of the refrigerant at a refrigerant compressor (12) of the refrigerant circuit (11) and that the low-pressure side refrigerant pressure is greater than a refrigerant pressure at which a density reversal occurs between the refrigerant and oil contained in the refrigerant circuit.
  9. Motor vehicle (200) with an at least partially electric drive and with a battery storage unit (62) that provides electrical energy for the drive, characterized in that it has a thermal management system (100) according to one of the preceding claims.

Description

The invention relates to a thermal management system for a motor vehicle with at least a partially electric drive, wherein the thermal management system comprises: a refrigerant circuit, a coolant circuit, wherein the refrigerant circuit and the coolant circuit are in thermal contact by means of a heat exchanger, in particular a chiller, wherein the coolant circuit comprises at least one coolant pump and is in thermal contact with a battery storage unit of the motor vehicle in order to cool the battery storage unit, and by means of the heated coolant the refrigerant circuit as a heat pump, and preferably the heat exchanger, in particular chiller, as a heat pump evaporator, in particular a water heat pump evaporator. Thermal management systems of various designs are known from the prior art. For example, reference is made to the following: US 2020 031 193 A1 , DE 10 2019 107 191 A1 , DE 10 2018 112 968 A1 and DE 10 2012 100 554 B4 pointed out. When using the chiller as a water-source heat pump evaporator, waste heat is typically utilized, which occurs as loss heat in the thermal management system. Consequently, usable heat is usually available with a significant delay, meaning that water-source heat pump operation can only start or begin with a delay or at reduced capacity. The object underlying the invention is seen as being to provide a thermal management system that enables optimized use of the chiller in a water heat pump operation. This problem is solved by a thermal management system and a motor vehicle with the features of the respective independent claims. Advantageous embodiments with appropriate further developments are specified in the dependent patent claims. A thermal management system for a motor vehicle with at least a partially electric drive is proposed, comprising: a refrigerant circuit, a coolant circuit, wherein the refrigerant circuit and the coolant circuit are thermally connected via a heat exchanger, in particular a chiller, wherein the coolant circuit includes at least one coolant pump and is thermally connected to a battery storage unit of the motor vehicle to cool the battery storage unit, and the heated coolant is used to operate the heat exchanger, in particular the chiller, as a heat pump, in particular a water-source heat pump. It is provided that at least one heating device is arranged in the coolant circuit, which is configured to additionally heat the coolant. Furthermore, the coolant circuit or the chiller can be fluidically connected to other high-voltage components of the thermal management system of a vehicle, such as an electric drive and/or electrical control units, such as at least power electronics. This makes it possible to quickly and with little time delay bring the coolant to a temperature level that allows the heat exchanger, especially the chiller, to be used as a water heat pump evaporator. In the thermal management system, the heating device can be located upstream of the battery storage unit in the coolant circuit. In the thermal management system, the heat exchanger, in particular the chiller, and the battery storage unit can be arranged in series relative to each other with respect to the coolant flow direction, such that coolant heated by the heating device first flows past the battery storage unit and then to the heat exchanger. This allows coolant to be supplied to the heat exchanger at a temperature higher than that achievable solely by cooling the battery storage unit (waste heat). In the thermal management system, the heat exchanger, particularly the chiller, and the battery storage unit can be arranged parallel to each other with respect to the coolant flow direction, such that coolant heated by the heating device flows to the battery storage unit and the heat exchanger in separate partial volume flows. This makes it possible to supply coolant heated by the heating device directly to the heat exchanger. This allows for particularly precise temperature control of the coolant supply line to the heat exchanger. The thermal management system may include at least one valve assembly in the coolant circuit, which is configured to regulate the coolant flow to or from the heating device. This at least one valve assembly may also be used for... The coolant should be directed to the battery storage unit and/or the heat exchanger, in particular the chiller. It should be noted that suitable valve devices, such as multi-way valves, mixing valves, shut-off valves, and the like, can be provided to achieve the desired configurations in the coolant circuit. The thermal management system can include a control unit configured to activate or deactivate the heating device depending on at least one operating parameter of the thermal management system, in particular as a boost function for heating the coolant when starting a heat pump operation using the heat exchanger, especially chillers. In addition to boosting a water heat pump, such a heater can also be used for tempe