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EP-4737144-A2 - THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES

EP4737144A2EP 4737144 A2EP4737144 A2EP 4737144A2EP-4737144-A2

Abstract

A thermal management system (100) for a battery electric vehicle comprises an air conditioner (AC) system for providing cooling to a cabin of the battery electric vehicle. The thermal management system also includes a chiller (101) for providing cooling to a battery (121) within the battery electric vehicle. The AC system provides heating to the cabin (123) by acting as an indirect heat pump.

Inventors

  • WU, SHOUHAO
  • OPPERMANN, DEAN ALAN

Assignees

  • International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251006

Claims (15)

  1. A thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle, comprising: an air conditioner (AC) system for providing cooling to a cabin of the battery electric vehicle; a chiller for providing cooling to a battery within the battery electric vehicle; and wherein the AC system provides heating to the cabin by acting as an indirect heat pump.
  2. A thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the AC system provides heating to the cabin by acting as an indirect heat pump by extracting heat from waste heat, especially by extracting waste heat from power electronics located within the battery electric vehicle.
  3. A thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the AC system provides heating to the cabin by acting as an indirect heat pump by extracting heat from a power motor located within the battery electric vehicle, and/or by extracting heat from the battery.
  4. A thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle (BEV), comprising: a cabin heater that obtains heat from waste heat generated in the BEV and transfers the heat to a coolant; an in-dash heater core coupled with the cabin heater via the coolant, wherein the in-dash heater core receives the heat via the coolant; and an in-dash blower coupled with the in-dash heater core, wherein the in-dash blower blows air over the in-dash heater core to provide heat to a cabin of the BEV.
  5. A thermal management system in accordance with claim 4, wherein the coolant provides heat to at least one battery in the BEV, especially when the ambient outdoor temperature is between approximately -10 and 0 degrees Celsius.
  6. A thermal management system in accordance with claim 4 or 5, wherein the liquid condenser passes the refrigerant through a chiller and back into a cooling side of the thermal management system, in particular through a four-way coolant valve and a coolant pump to cool the at least one battery.
  7. A thermal management system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the chiller passes the refrigerant through an accumulator to a refrigerant compressor.
  8. A thermal management system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the refrigerant compressor heats the refrigerant and passes the refrigerant to the liquid condenser.
  9. A thermal management system in accordance with claim 7 or 8, wherein the refrigerant compressor acts as a component of a heat pump.
  10. A thermal management system in accordance with any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the refrigerant compressor passes the refrigerant to a liquid condenser.
  11. A thermal management system in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 10, the thermal management system further comprising an electric heater.
  12. A thermal management system in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 11, wherein the chiller passes the coolant through a coolant pump, and wherein the coolant pump passes the coolant over the at least one battery to cool the at least one battery.
  13. A thermal management system in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 12, wherein the chiller passes the refrigerant through an accumulator, in particular to a refrigerant compressor.
  14. A thermal management system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the refrigerant compressor heats the refrigerant and passes the refrigerant to the liquid condenser to provide heat to the cabin of the BEV.
  15. A thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle (BEV) of any one of claims 1 to 14, comprising: a battery coolant loop that provides thermal management to batteries within the BEV; a cabin coolant loop that provides thermal management to a cabin within the BEV; at least one other coolant loop that provides thermal management to other portions within the BEV; a first four-way valve that provides connection to or separation between the battery coolant loop and the at least one other coolant loop; and a second four-way valve that provides connection to or separation between the cabin coolant loop and the at least one other coolant loop.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates generally to a cooling and heating system for a vehicle, and more particularly to a thermal management system for battery electric vehicles. BACKGROUND For internal combustion engine (ICE) powered vehicles, refrigeration is only needed for driver and passenger cabin air conditioning. Cabin heating is provided from the heat generated by the ICE. Engine cooling is typically provided through a radiator and an engine-driven fan. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are growing in popularity. BEVs utilize batteries as the source of motive power for cars, trucks, and other vehicles. Early BEVs used fuel-fired heaters or resistive electric heaters for cabin heating. The former requires combustion of hydrocarbon fuel and generates CO2 and other harmful emissions. The latter uses electricity to directly heat the air or coolant, which is an inefficient process. A need therefore exists for a thermal management system that provides an efficient way to manage the cooling and heating of a cabin, batteries, and electric components of BEVs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Provided herein is a thermal management system for battery electric vehicles. The thermal management system utilizes waste heat, a compressor, electric heaters, a compressor running as a heat pump, to provide heating to a cabin of a battery electric vehicle. The heating is preferably provided to a cabin of the BEV and provides heat to the driver and any passengers or occupants of the cabin. The thermal management system also provides heat to batteries in the BEV and a defroster in the BEV. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention can also provide cooling for drivers, passengers, and batteries in the BEV. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioning (AC) system runs as an indirect heat pump, extracting heat from the waste heat from the power electronics, power motor and batteries, depending on the ambient and vehicle running conditions. This is an efficient way of heating the cabin and passengers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. These drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle using waste heat and a compressor as a heat source according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle using electric heaters, waste heat, and a compressor as a heat source according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle using waste heat and a compressor as heating for the cabin, batteries, and defogging according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle providing heating for the cabin and cooling for the batteries according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle using only waste heat for heating without running the compressor according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle providing cooling for a driver and batteries while the air conditioner is running according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system for a battery electric vehicle providing cooling for a driver and batteries using ambient air according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. In the following detailed description, various embodiments are described with reference to the appended drawings. The skilled person will understand that the accompanying drawings are schematic and simplified for clarity. Like reference numerals refer to like elements or components throughout. Like elements or components will therefore not necessarily be described in detail with respect to each figure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management system 100 for a battery electric vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Thermal management system 100 preferably comprises a chiller 101 and includes expansion valve 114 and check valve 111 therebetween. In-dash heater core 102 is coupled to in-dash blower 106, which blows air across in-dash heater core 102 during operation. Chiller 101 is also coupled to in-dash evaporator 103 with expansion valves 109 and