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KR-20260064779-A - THERMAL MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE INCLUDING THE SAME

KR20260064779AKR 20260064779 AKR20260064779 AKR 20260064779AKR-20260064779-A

Abstract

A thermal management device for a vehicle and a thermal management system for a vehicle comprising: a radiator in which heat exchange between coolant and air is performed; a condenser in which heat exchange between refrigerant and air is performed; a receiver dryer configured to separate liquid refrigerant and gaseous refrigerant while removing moisture from the refrigerant discharged from the condenser; and a heat exchange module connected to the radiator to enable the movement of coolant and configured to selectively perform heat exchange between the refrigerant of the receiver dryer and the coolant supplied from the radiator.

Inventors

  • 김종원
  • 한대규

Assignees

  • 현대자동차주식회사
  • 기아 주식회사

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20241029

Claims (20)

  1. A radiator in which heat exchange between coolant and air is performed; A condenser in which heat exchange between the refrigerant and air is performed; A receiver dryer configured to separate liquid refrigerant and gaseous refrigerant while removing moisture from the refrigerant discharged from the condenser; and A thermal management device for a vehicle comprising a heat exchange module connected to the radiator to enable the movement of coolant and configured to selectively perform heat exchange between the refrigerant of the receiver dryer and the coolant supplied from the radiator.
  2. In claim 1, A vehicle thermal management device in which the above heat exchange module is installed outside the above receiver dryer.
  3. In claim 2, A thermal management device for a vehicle, wherein the heat exchange module has a coolant passage formed to be in contact with the outer surface of the receiver dryer.
  4. In claim 2, A thermal management device for a vehicle, wherein the heat exchange module has a coolant passage arranged spirally around the receiver dryer.
  5. In claim 1, The above heat exchange module is, A heat exchanger comprising a cooling water passage and configured to allow heat exchange between the refrigerant of the receiver dryer and the cooling water passing through the cooling water passage; A bypass flow path provided to allow the cooling water to pass through while bypassing the heat exchanger; and A thermal management device for a vehicle comprising a valve device for controlling the flow of coolant so that coolant supplied from the radiator can selectively flow through the heat exchanger and the bypass passage.
  6. In claim 5, The above heat exchange module further includes a main body block having a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet, and A thermal management device for a vehicle, wherein the cooling water flow path of the heat exchanger and the bypass flow path directly connecting the cooling water inlet and the cooling water outlet are formed inside the main body block.
  7. In claim 5, The above valve device is, A valve body that controls the flow of cooling water to the bypass channel and heat exchanger according to the rotated position; An actuator that rotates the above valve body; and A thermal management device for a vehicle including a valve controller that controls the operation of the above actuator.
  8. In claim 7, The above valve body is, A first flow path section formed to connect the cooling water inlet of the heat exchange module at the first rotational position with the cooling water flow path of the heat exchange section; A second flow path formed to connect the cooling water inlet at the second rotational position with the bypass flow path; and A thermal management device for a vehicle comprising a barrier wall formed to simultaneously block the coolant inlet of the heat exchanger and the bypass flow path at a third rotational position.
  9. In claim 1, The above heat exchange module includes a main body block having a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet, and The above main body block is, A receiving portion into which at least a portion of the above receiver dryer is inserted; and A thermal management device for a vehicle comprising a flow path groove formed on the inner surface of the receiving portion to form a coolant flow path between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet, which is sealed by the outer surface of the receiver dryer when at least a portion of the receiver dryer is inserted.
  10. In claim 9, A thermal management device for a vehicle, wherein the above-mentioned Eurohome is formed on the inner surface of the receiving portion to form a spiral arrangement structure that wraps around a receiver dryer inserted into the receiving portion.
  11. In claim 9, A vehicle thermal management device in which the portion inserted into the receiving part of the above receiver dryer is the lower part of the receiver dryer filled with liquid refrigerant.
  12. In claim 1, A thermal management device for a vehicle, wherein the coolant outlet of the heat exchange module, through which the coolant that has completed heat exchange with the refrigerant is discharged, is connected to a coolant line for thermal management of a battery and power electronic system.
  13. A cooling and heating system that performs cooling and heating of the vehicle interior using a refrigerant; A component thermal management system that performs thermal management for a battery or Power Electric (PE) system using cooling water and refrigerant; and A thermal management system for a vehicle comprising a heat exchange module connected to allow the movement of a radiator and coolant of a component thermal management system, and configured to selectively perform heat exchange between the refrigerant of a receiver dryer installed in the condenser of a heating and cooling system and the coolant supplied from the radiator.
  14. In claim 13, The above component thermal management system is, A PE thermal management system comprising: a first water pump; a water heating heater for heating PE cooling water; a PE cooling water passage provided in a component of a power electronics (PE) system; a radiator in which heat exchange between the PE cooling water and air is performed; and a PE cooling water line connected to allow the PE cooling water to circulate between the first water pump, the water heating heater, the PE cooling water passage, and the radiator. A chiller refrigerant line connected to the refrigerant line of the above-mentioned heating and cooling system and a PE cooling water line connected to the above-mentioned PE cooling water line, configured to enable mutual heat exchange while the refrigerant of the chiller refrigerant line and the PE cooling water pass through; and A vehicle thermal management system including an expansion valve for a chiller installed in the chiller refrigerant line on the chiller inlet side.
  15. In claim 14, The above component thermal management system is, A thermal management system for a vehicle further comprising a battery thermal management system including a second water pump, a battery coolant passage provided in the battery, and a battery coolant line connected to allow battery coolant to circulate between the second water pump and the battery coolant passage.
  16. In claim 15, The above battery coolant line is connected to the above chiller, and A thermal management system for a vehicle, wherein the above chiller is configured to enable mutual heat exchange while the refrigerant of the chiller refrigerant line, the PE coolant, and the battery coolant pass through.
  17. In claim 14, The above PE thermal management system is, A heater cooling water line branched from the PE cooling water line between the first water pump and the chiller, to which the water heating heater is connected and installed; and A vehicle thermal management system further comprising a first valve installed at a location where the heater coolant line branches off from the PE coolant line between the first water pump and the chiller.
  18. In claim 17, The above PE thermal management system is, A connecting line branched from the PE cooling water line between the PE cooling water passage section and the first water pump and connected to the heater cooling water line; and A thermal management system for a vehicle further comprising a second valve installed at a location where the connection line branches off in the PE coolant line between the PE coolant passage section and the first water pump.
  19. In claim 18, The above PE thermal management system is, A thermal management system for a vehicle further comprising a third valve installed at a location where the PE coolant line connected to the radiator branches off from the PE coolant line between the chiller and the PE coolant passage section.
  20. In claim 13, A vehicle thermal management system in which the above heat exchange module is installed outside the above receiver dryer.

Description

Thermal management apparatus and thermal management system for a vehicle including the same The present invention relates to a thermal management device for a vehicle in which heat exchange is performed between a refrigerant in a receiver dryer and coolant discharged from a radiator, and a thermal management system for a vehicle including the same. Generally, automobiles are equipped with a thermal management system to manage the overall heat of the vehicle. The vehicle's thermal management system manages the energy required for interior heating and cooling, as well as for cooling or heating components of the battery and Power Electric (PE) systems. A vehicle's thermal management system can be defined as a system in a broad sense that includes a cooling system and a heating system for indoor air conditioning, as well as a component thermal management system that performs thermal management, such as cooling or heating, for components of the battery and power electronics systems using refrigerants and coolants. Typically, a vehicle's thermal management system includes a refrigerant system in which a compressor, condenser, receiver dryer, expansion valve, evaporator, and accumulator are connected through refrigerant lines. The components of the aforementioned refrigerant system are the main components constituting an air conditioning system for indoor cooling, and the refrigerant passes through these components sequentially while circulating along the refrigerant line. In addition, the vehicle's thermal management system includes a cooling system in which a water pump for circulating refrigerant and coolant, a chiller for performing heat exchange between the refrigerant and coolant, and a radiator for performing heat exchange between the coolant and air are connected through a cooling line. In addition, the vehicle's thermal management system can operate in a heating mode that supplies heated air into the vehicle interior for vehicle interior heating, a cooling mode (air conditioner mode) that supplies cooled air into the vehicle interior for vehicle interior cooling, and a dehumidification mode that supplies air that has undergone heat exchange with a refrigerant into the vehicle interior for vehicle interior dehumidification. Among these, when operating in heating mode, a refrigerant and an electric heater (e.g., a PTC heater) can be used, and if the refrigerant temperature is sufficiently high, indoor heating can be achieved using the high-temperature refrigerant without the operation of the electric heater. Meanwhile, there is a demand for technology that improves cooling and air conditioning performance by stabilizing the system and additionally releasing heat from the refrigerant to the outside in refrigerant circulating systems, thereby resolving high temperature and high pressure issues within the system. Furthermore, there is a demand for technology capable of improving the efficiency of automotive thermal management systems that include refrigerant systems. For example, when rapid battery charging and cooling are performed simultaneously in an electric vehicle during the summer, a heat exchange means is required to effectively release heat from the battery through the coolant, and an additional heat exchange means is required to effectively release heat from the refrigerant to ensure cooling performance. To address the problem of excessive heat load generation, the thermal management systems disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0121931 (Sept. 2, 2022) and Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0129189 (Sept. 23, 2022) utilize a water-cooled heat exchanger (water-cooled condenser) that performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and cooling water for the purpose of securing a subcool. However, using a water-cooled heat exchanger requires the additional installation of related components and presents the problem of increased system complexity. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the circuit configuration of a thermal management system for a vehicle including a thermal management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing control elements and operating elements in a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a thermal management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the receiver dryer and the heat exchange module separated in a thermal management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a heat exchange module in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a side view of a heat exchange module in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 'A-A' in Figure 5. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 'B-B' in Figure 5. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 'C-C' in Figure 6. Figure 10 is a cross-s