KR102715809B1 - Betterly thermal management system for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle battery thermal management system is disclosed. The vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cooling device including a radiator and a water pump connected to a coolant line, and circulating coolant in the coolant line to cool at least one electrical component; an HVAC module including a case having a blower for blowing air into a vehicle interior, an evaporator disposed inside the case, and an opening/closing door for controlling air passing through the evaporator to selectively flow into a heat exchanger and an air heater for temperature control of the vehicle interior, and an air conditioning device further including a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve interconnected with the evaporator through a refrigerant line; and a battery connected to the coolant line through at least one connecting line so that the coolant supplied from the cooling device is circulated to warm up or cool down.

Description

BETTERLY THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE

The present invention relates to a vehicle battery thermal management system, and more specifically, to a vehicle battery thermal management system for efficiently controlling the temperature of a battery using an HVAC module of an air conditioning unit and coolant.

Typically, an automotive air conditioning system includes an air conditioning unit that circulates refrigerant to heat or cool the interior of the vehicle.

These air conditioning devices are designed to maintain a comfortable indoor environment by maintaining the temperature inside the car at an appropriate temperature regardless of external temperature changes. The refrigerant discharged by the operation of the compressor is circulated through the condenser, receiver dryer, expansion valve, and evaporator back to the compressor, thereby heating or cooling the car's interior through heat exchange by the evaporator.

That is, when the air conditioner is in cooling mode in the summer, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant compressed by the compressor is condensed through the condenser, then passes through the receiver dryer and expansion valve and evaporates in the evaporator, thereby lowering the temperature and humidity of the room.

Meanwhile, as interest in energy efficiency and environmental pollution issues has grown, there has been a demand for the development of eco-friendly cars that can practically replace internal combustion engine cars. These eco-friendly cars are usually categorized as electric cars that are powered by fuel cells or electricity, or hybrid cars that are powered by engines and batteries.

Among these eco-friendly vehicles, electric vehicles use batteries made up of multiple rechargeable or rechargeable secondary cells as a pack as their main power source, so they produce no exhaust gas and very little noise.

In this way, the performance of batteries used as the main power source for electric vehicles is affected by battery temperature, so maintaining the temperature of the battery and its distribution evenly is a very important issue.

Accordingly, in electric vehicles according to the prior art, a battery temperature control device and a heat pump system, as well as a battery cooling device, must each be configured as separate sealed circuits to control the temperature of the battery including the motor, electrical components, and fuel cell.

However, in conventional electric vehicles, a battery temperature control device is separately installed to warm up or cool down the battery depending on the condition of the vehicle so that the battery can perform optimally. However, there is a problem in that it is difficult to secure installation space in a narrow engine room and the layout becomes complicated.

In addition, there is a problem in that noise and vibration generated by frequent opening and closing of valves provided for battery temperature control are transmitted to the vehicle interior, which reduces ride comfort and increases manufacturing costs.

Accordingly, technology development for battery temperature control is underway to maximize energy efficiency while extending the battery life at a low cost.

The information contained in this background section has been prepared to promote understanding of the background of the invention and may include matters that are not prior art already known to those skilled in the art.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a vehicle battery thermal management system capable of simplifying the system by efficiently controlling the temperature of the battery using an HVAC module of an air conditioning unit and coolant without adding a separate battery temperature control device.

According to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, a vehicle battery thermal management system comprises: a cooling device including a radiator and a water pump connected to a coolant line, and circulating coolant in the coolant line to cool at least one electrical component; an HVAC module including a case having a blower for blowing air into a vehicle interior, an evaporator disposed inside the case, and an opening/closing door for controlling air passing through the evaporator to selectively flow into a heat exchanger and an air heater for controlling temperature inside the vehicle, and further comprising a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve interconnected with the evaporator through a refrigerant line; and a battery connected to the coolant line through at least one connecting line so that the coolant supplied from the cooling device is circulated to warm up or cool down.

The cooling device may further include: a first valve provided in the coolant line between the radiator and the water pump; a reservoir tank provided in the coolant line between the first valve and the water pump; a second valve provided in the coolant line between the water pump and the electrical components; a third valve provided in the coolant line between the electrical components and the radiator; and a coolant heater provided in the coolant line between the electrical components and the third valve, and selectively connected to the second valve and a bypass line such that coolant passing through the electrical components is supplied depending on the operation of the second valve, or coolant is supplied without passing through the electrical components.

The above second valve can close the coolant line connected to the electrical components and open the bypass line in the warm-up mode of the battery.

The above coolant heater can be operated in the warm-up mode of the battery.

The above connecting line may include a first connecting line connecting the coolant line to the battery through the first valve; a second connecting line connecting the battery and the reservoir tank; a third connecting line connecting the coolant line to the heat exchanger through the third valve; a fourth connecting line connecting a fourth valve provided between the heat exchanger and the battery and the heat exchanger; a fifth connecting line connecting the fourth valve and the first connecting line; and a sixth connecting line connecting the fourth valve and the second connecting line.

The above battery can be cooled in a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode depending on the heating temperature.

In the first cooling mode, the first connecting line may be opened by operation of the first valve, the coolant line connected to the reservoir tank may be closed, the coolant line connected to the electrical equipment may be closed by operation of the second valve, the bypass line may be opened, the third connecting line connected to the heat exchanger may be closed by operation of the third valve, and the fourth, fifth, and sixth connecting lines may be closed by operation of the fourth valve.

In the first cooling mode, coolant cooled in the radiator can cool the battery by passing through the battery through the first connecting line and the second connecting line.

In the second cooling mode, the cooling water line connected to the radiator and the reservoir tank and the first connecting line may be closed through the operation of the first valve, the cooling water line connected to the radiator may be closed through the operation of the third valve, the third connecting line connected to the heat exchanger may be opened, the fourth and fifth connecting lines may be opened through the operation of the fourth valve, and the sixth connecting line may be closed.

In the second cooling mode, the bypass line can be closed by operation of the second valve when cooling of the electrical components is required.

In the second cooling mode, the air supplied from the blower is cooled through heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant passing through the evaporator, and can cool the cooling water passing through the heat exchanger while passing through the heat exchanger.

In the warm-up mode of the battery, the coolant line connected to the radiator and the reservoir tank and the first connecting line may be closed through operation of the first valve, the coolant line connected to the electrical components may be closed through operation of the second valve, the bypass line may be opened, the coolant line connected to the radiator may be closed through operation of the third valve, the third connecting line connected to the heat exchanger may be opened, the fourth and fifth connecting lines may be opened through operation of the fourth valve, and the sixth connecting line may be closed.

The fourth valve can close the fifth connecting line and open the sixth connecting line to prevent the inflow of coolant into the battery when warming up or cooling of the battery is not required while the fourth connecting line is open.

The above first, second, third, and fourth valves may be 3-way valves.

The above heat exchanger may be an air-cooled heat exchanger that exchanges heat between cooling water and air.

The above components may include a motor, an Electric Power Control Unit (EPCU), and an On Board Charger (OBC).

As described above, according to the vehicle battery thermal management system according to the embodiment of the present invention, the temperature of the battery can be efficiently controlled using the HVAC module of the air conditioning unit and coolant without adding a separate battery temperature control device, thereby simplifying the system and reducing the manufacturing cost.

In addition, since the present invention enables efficient temperature management of the battery, it enables optimal performance of the battery, improves the efficiency, durability, and lifespan of the battery, and increases the overall driving range of the electric vehicle.

In addition, the present invention cools the coolant to a lower temperature and supplies it to the battery by utilizing low-temperature outside air supplied to the interior after heat exchange with the refrigerant in the HVAC module when the battery overheats in the cooling mode of the vehicle, thereby quickly and efficiently cooling the overheated battery.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an operational status diagram for a battery warm-up mode in a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an operational state diagram for cooling a battery in a first cooling mode in a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an operation status diagram for cooling a battery and cooling a vehicle interior in a first cooling mode in a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an operation status diagram for cooling a battery and cooling a vehicle interior in a second cooling mode in a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an operational state diagram for cooling a battery, cooling an electrical component, and cooling a vehicle interior in a second cooling mode in a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

Prior to this, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, and therefore, there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace them at the time of filing this application.

In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and the same reference numerals are used for identical or similar components throughout the specification.

The size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, and therefore the present invention is not necessarily limited to what is shown in the drawings. In order to clearly express various parts and areas, the thickness is shown by enlarging it.

And throughout the specification, whenever a part is said to “include” a component, this does not mean that it excludes other components, but rather that it may include other components, unless otherwise specifically stated.

Additionally, terms such as “...unit,” “...means,” “...part,” “...element,” etc., described in the specification mean a comprehensive unit of configuration that performs at least one function or operation.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention can efficiently control the temperature of a battery (B) by using an HVAC module (110) of an air conditioning unit (100) and coolant without adding a separate battery temperature control device.

This battery thermal management system is applied to hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles. Referring to Fig. 1, the battery thermal management system may include a cooling device (10), an air conditioning device (100), and a battery (B).

First, the cooling device (10) includes a radiator (12) and a water pump (14) connected to a cooling water line (11). The cooling device (10) circulates cooling water in the cooling water line (11) through the operation of the water pump (14) to cool the electrical components (15).

The above radiator (12) is placed at the front of the vehicle, and a cooling fan (13) is provided at the rear to cool the coolant through the operation of the cooling fan (13) and heat exchange with the outside air.

Here, the above-mentioned electric component (15) may include a power control unit (15a: Electric Power Control Unit, EPCU) including a motor and a charger (15b: On Board Charger, OBC).

The above power control device (15a) may generate heat during driving, and the charger (15b) may generate heat when charging the battery (B).

These components (15) can be arranged in series in the cooling water line (11).

In addition, a reservoir tank (16) is provided in the coolant line (11) between the radiator (12) and the water pump (14). Coolant cooled in the radiator (12) can be stored in the reservoir tank (16).

The cooling device (10) configured in this manner cools the electrical components (15) so that they do not overheat by circulating the coolant cooled in the radiator (12) along the coolant line (11) through the operation of the water pump (14).

Here, the cooling device (10) may further include first, second, third, and fourth valves (V1, V2, V3, V4) and a cooling water heater (18).

First, the first valve (V1) is provided in the cooling water line (11) between the radiator (11) and the water pump.

The above second valve (V2) is provided in the cooling water line (11) between the water pump (14) and the electrical component (15).

The above third valve (V3) is provided in the cooling water line (11) between the above-mentioned electrical component (14) and the above-mentioned radiator (11).

The above fourth valve (V4) is placed between the heat exchanger (115) included in the HVAC module (110) and the battery (B), and can control the flow of cooling water flowing through the connecting lines described below.

Here, the first, second, third, and fourth valves (V1, V2, V3, V4) may be 3-way valves.

And the cooling water heater (18) is provided in the cooling water line (11) between the electrical components (15) and the third valve (V3).

The coolant heater (18) can be selectively connected to the second valve (V2) and a bypass line (17) so that coolant passing through the electrical component (15) is supplied according to the operation of the second valve (V2), or coolant is supplied without passing through the electrical component (15).

Here, the coolant heater (18) may be an electric heater that operates on power supplied from the battery (B). The coolant heater (18) configured in this manner operates in the warm-up mode of the battery (B), and can heat the supplied coolant and supply it to the battery (B) in a state where the temperature is increased.

That is, the battery (B) supplied with coolant having an elevated temperature can have its temperature rapidly increased.

Here, the second valve (V2) can close the cooling water line (11) connected to the electrical component (15) and open the bypass line (17) in the warm-up mode of the battery (B).

In this embodiment, the air conditioning device (100) includes a compressor (103), a condenser (105), an expansion valve (107), an evaporator (109), and an HVAC module (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning: 110) connected through a refrigerant line (101).

First, the compressor (103) can compress the gaseous refrigerant and supply the compressed refrigerant to the condenser (105).

The above condenser (105) is placed in front of the radiator (12) and can condense the refrigerant flowing into the interior by exchanging heat with the outside air.

Here, the condenser (105) may be equipped with a receiver dryer (105a) that removes moisture and foreign substances from the gaseous refrigerant contained in the condensed refrigerant.

The above expansion valve (107) receives refrigerant condensed from the condenser (105) and expands it. This expansion valve (107) may be a mechanical expansion valve.

In this embodiment, the evaporator (109) is placed inside the HVAC module (110) and evaporates the refrigerant that has been expanded by the expansion valve (107) and introduced in a low-temperature, low-pressure state through heat exchange with air.

And the HVAC module (110) includes a case (113) equipped with a blower (111) to blow air into the interior of the vehicle, and an opening/closing door (119) that selectively controls the air passing through the evaporator (109) to flow into the heat exchanger (115) and the air heater (117) to control the temperature inside the vehicle.

The above heat exchanger (115) and the air heater (117) are arranged at the rear of the evaporator (109) inside the case (113), and the opening/closing door (119) can be provided between the evaporator (109) and the heat exchanger (115).

Here, the air heater (117) can be operated when heating of the vehicle interior is required, and can be an air heating electric heater operated by power supplied from the battery (B).

Additionally, the heat exchanger (115) may be an air-cooled heat exchanger that exchanges heat between cooling water and air.

That is, when cooling the interior of a vehicle, outside air flowing into the HVAC module (110) from outside the vehicle or air supplied from the blower (111) can be cooled through heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant flowing into the evaporator (109) while passing through the evaporator (109) and then flowed into the interior of the vehicle.

And the battery (B) can be connected to the cooling water line (11) through at least one connecting line so that the battery is warmed up or cooled while the cooling water supplied from the cooling device (10) is circulated.

The above connecting lines are composed of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth connecting lines (21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31).

First, the first connecting line (21) connects the coolant line (11) to the battery (B) through the first valve (V1). The second connecting line (21) connects the battery (B) and the reservoir tank (16).

Here, the first connecting line (21) may be an inlet line that introduces coolant into the interior of the battery (B), and the second connecting line (23) may be a discharge line that discharges coolant that has passed through the interior of the battery (B).

In this embodiment, the third connecting line (25) connects the cooling water line (11) to the heat exchanger (115) through the third valve (V3).

The fourth connecting line (27) connects the fourth valve (V4) provided between the heat exchanger (115) and the battery (B) to the heat exchanger (115). The fifth connecting line (29) connects the fourth valve (V4) and the first connecting line (21).

Here, the fifth connecting line (29) can be connected to the first connecting line (21) located close to the battery (B), and the coolant flowing into the fifth connecting line (29) can pass through a portion of the first connecting line (21) and flow into the battery (B).

And the sixth connecting line (31) connects the fourth valve (V4) and the second connecting line (23).

Here, the sixth connecting line (31) can be connected to the second connecting line (23) located at a set distance from the battery (B), and the coolant flowing into the sixth connecting line (31) can flow to the reservoir tank (16) along the second connecting line (23) without passing through the battery (B).

That is, when warming up or cooling of the battery (B) is not required while the fourth connecting line (27) is open, the fourth valve (V4) can close the fifth connecting line (29) and open the sixth connecting line (31) to prevent the inflow of coolant into the battery (B).

In this embodiment, the battery (B) can be cooled in a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode depending on the heat generation temperature.

Hereinafter, the operation and function of a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail.

First, the operation according to the warm-up mode of the battery (B) in the vehicle battery thermal management system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is an operational status diagram for a battery warm-up mode in a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 2, in the warm-up mode of the battery (B), the water pump (14) included in the cooling device (10) operates so that coolant is circulated along some of the coolant lines (11) that are open among the coolant lines (11).

Here, the cooling water line (11) connected to the radiator (12) and the reservoir tank (16), and the first connecting line (21) are closed through the operation of the first valve (V1).

In addition, through the operation of the second valve (V2), the cooling water line (11) connected to the electrical component (15) is closed and the bypass line (17) is opened.

And through the operation of the third valve (V3), the cooling water line (11) connected to the radiator (12) is closed, and the third connecting line (25) connected to the heat exchanger (115) is opened.

Accordingly, the coolant is prevented from flowing into the radiator (12), thereby preventing it from being cooled through heat exchange with the outside air.

Here, the fourth and fifth connecting lines (27, 29) are opened through the operation of the fourth valve (V4). At the same time, the sixth connecting line (31) is closed through the operation of the fourth valve (V4).

Then, the cooling water circulated through the operation of the water pump (14) in the cooling device (10) is supplied to the cooling water heater (18) from the reservoir tank (16) through the bypass line (17) opened by the second valve (V2).

At this time, the cooling water heater (18) operates and heats the cooling water supplied through the bypass line (17) to increase the temperature.

The coolant, whose temperature has increased, flows along the third connecting line (25) and passes through the heat exchanger (115), and then flows into the battery (B) through the open fourth and fifth connecting lines (27, 29), thereby rapidly increasing the temperature of the battery (B).

Accordingly, the battery (B) can be warmed up more efficiently and quickly by the coolant whose temperature is increased through the operation described above.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, when explaining the operation of the warm-up mode of the battery (B), it is explained as an example that the air conditioner device (100) is not operated, but it is not limited thereto, and the air conditioner device (100) can be selectively operated when cooling or heating of the vehicle interior is required.

That is, when cooling of the vehicle interior is required, the opening/closing door (119) of the HVAC module (110) can close the heat exchanger (115) and the air heater (117) side so that the outside air or air cooled while passing through the evaporator (105) is directly introduced into the vehicle interior without lowering the temperature of the coolant passing through the heat exchanger (115).

In this embodiment, the operation of cooling the battery (B) in the first cooling mode is described with reference to the attached FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 is an operational state diagram for cooling a battery in a first cooling mode in a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an operational state diagram for cooling a battery in a first cooling mode and cooling a vehicle interior in a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, referring to Fig. 3, in the first cooling mode of the battery (B), the water pump (14) included in the cooling device (10) operates so that the coolant is circulated along some of the coolant lines (11) that are open among the coolant lines (11).

Here, the first connecting line (21) is opened by the operation of the first valve (V1). At the same time, the first valve (V1) can close the cooling water line (11) connected to the reservoir tank (16).

In addition, through the operation of the second valve (V2), the cooling water line (11) connected to the electrical component (15) is closed and the bypass line (17) is opened.

The third connecting line (25) connected to the above heat exchanger (115) is closed through the operation of the third valve (V3).

And the fourth, fifth, and sixth connecting lines (27, 29, 31) are closed through the operation of the fourth valve (V4).

Accordingly, the coolant, whose temperature is lowered as it is cooled through heat exchange with the outside air in the radiator (12), first flows into the battery (B) along the open first connecting line (21), thereby cooling the battery (B) more efficiently.

The coolant that has completed cooling of the above battery (B) flows into the reservoir tank (16) along the second connecting line (23), and passes through the coolant heater (18) while circulating through the bypass line (17) opened by the operation of the water pump (14).

At this time, the cooling water heater (18) does not operate, thereby preventing the cooling water from being heated.

In addition, since the cooling water circulates along the bypass line (17) without passing through the electrical components (15), the temperature can be prevented from rising due to heat generated from the electrical components (15).

The coolant that has passed through the coolant heater (18) flows into the radiator (12) along the coolant line (11) connected to the radiator (12), and is cooled through heat exchange with the outside air while passing through the radiator (12).

The coolant that passes through the above radiator (12) can efficiently cool the battery (B) by repeating the process described above.

That is, in the first cooling mode, the coolant cooled in the radiator (12) can efficiently cool the battery (B) by passing through the battery (B) through the first connecting line (21) and the second connecting line (23).

Meanwhile, in the process of cooling the battery (B) in the first cooling mode, if cooling of the vehicle interior is required, as shown in FIG. 4, the air conditioning unit (100) circulates refrigerant along the refrigerant line (101) through the operation of the compressor (103).

That is, the high temperature and high pressure gaseous refrigerant compressed from the compressor (103) is circulated along the refrigerant line (101) and condensed through the condenser (105), then expanded while passing through the receiver dryer (105a) and the expansion valve (107), and evaporated in the evaporator (109).

At this time, in the HVAC module (110), the air supplied while the blower (111) operates is cooled as it passes through the evaporator (109) and is introduced into the vehicle's interior with a lowered temperature, thereby lowering the temperature and humidity inside the vehicle.

Here, the opening/closing door (119) can be opened to allow outside air or air passing through the evaporator (109) to pass through the heat exchanger (115) and the air heater (117) as the supply of cooling water to the heat exchanger (115) is stopped and the operation of the air heater (117) is stopped.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the opening/closing door (119) is described as one example in which the outside air or air passing through the evaporator (109) is opened to pass through the heat exchanger (115) and the air heater (117), but is not limited thereto, and the opening/closing door (119) may close the heat exchanger (115) and the air heater (117) so that the outside air or air cooled while passing through the evaporator (105) is introduced directly into the vehicle without passing through the heat exchanger (115) and the air heater (117).

And in this embodiment, the operation of cooling the battery (B) in the second cooling mode is described with reference to the attached Fig. 5.

FIG. 5 is an operation status diagram for cooling a battery and cooling a vehicle interior in a second cooling mode in a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, in the second cooling mode of the battery (B), the air conditioning unit (100) operates due to cooling demand in the vehicle interior.

In the air conditioning device (100), the high temperature and high pressure gaseous refrigerant compressed from the compressor (103) is circulated along the refrigerant line (101) and condensed through the condenser (105), then expanded while passing through the receiver dryer (105a) and the expansion valve (107), and evaporated in the evaporator (109).

At this time, in the HVAC module (110), the air supplied by the blower (111) operates is cooled as it passes through the evaporator (109) and is introduced into the vehicle's interior with a lowered temperature, thereby lowering the temperature and humidity inside the vehicle.

Here, the opening door (119) is opened to allow outside air or air passing through the evaporator (109) to pass through the heat exchanger (115) and the air heater (117).

And in the cooling device (10), the water pump (14) operates so that the cooling water is circulated along some of the cooling water lines (11) that are open among the cooling water lines (11).

Here, the cooling water line (11) connected to the radiator (12) and the reservoir tank (16), and the first connecting line (21) are closed through the operation of the first valve (V1).

In addition, through the operation of the second valve (V2), the cooling water line (11) connected to the electrical component (15) is closed and the bypass line (17) is opened.

And through the operation of the third valve (V3), the cooling water line (11) connected to the radiator (12) is closed, and the third connecting line (25) connected to the heat exchanger (115) is opened.

Accordingly, the coolant is prevented from flowing into the radiator (12), thereby preventing it from being cooled through heat exchange with the outside air.

That is, in the summer when cooling of the vehicle interior is required, the temperature of the coolant cooled while passing through the radiator (12) may be relatively higher than in the winter because the outside temperature is high.

Therefore, in the second cooling mode for cooling the overheated battery (B), the flow of coolant into the radiator (12) can be blocked.

And the fourth and fifth connecting lines (27, 29) are opened through the operation of the fourth valve (V4). At the same time, the sixth connecting line (31) is closed through the operation of the fourth valve (V4).

Then, the cooling water circulated through the operation of the water pump (14) in the cooling device (10) is supplied to the cooling water heater (18) from the reservoir tank (16) through the bypass line (17) opened by the second valve (V2).

At this time, the cooling water heater (18) does not operate, thereby preventing the cooling water from being heated.

The cooling water that has passed through the cooling water heater (18) flows along the third connecting line (25) and passes through the heat exchanger (115).

At this time, the low-temperature outside air or air cooled while passing through the evaporator (109) can quickly lower the temperature of the cooling water by exchanging heat with the cooling water flowing into the heat exchanger (115) while passing through the heat exchanger (115).

That is, in the second cooling mode, the air supplied from the blower (111) is cooled through heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant passing through the evaporator (109), and while passing through the heat exchanger (115), it cools the cooling water passing through the heat exchanger (115).

Accordingly, the low-temperature cooling water that has been cooled while passing through the heat exchanger (115) can efficiently cool the overheated battery (B) by flowing into the battery (B) through the open fourth and fifth connecting lines (27, 29).

The coolant that has completed cooling of the battery (B) flows into the reservoir tank (16) along the second connecting line (23), and while circulating through the bypass line (17) opened by the operation of the water pump (14), passes through the coolant heater (18), and then flows back into the heat exchanger (115) through the third connecting line (25), thereby repeating the process described above.

Accordingly, the overheated battery (B) can be cooled more efficiently and quickly by the circulating low-temperature coolant while repeatedly performing the operation as described above.

And, in the process of cooling the battery (B) in the second cooling mode, the operation when cooling of the electrical component (15) is required is explained with reference to the attached Fig. 6.

FIG. 6 is an operational state diagram for cooling a battery, cooling an electrical component, and cooling a vehicle interior in a second cooling mode in a vehicle battery thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 6, in the second cooling mode of the battery (B), the air conditioning unit (100) operates due to cooling demand in the vehicle interior.

In the air conditioning device (100), the high temperature and high pressure gaseous refrigerant compressed from the compressor (103) is circulated along the refrigerant line (101) and condensed through the condenser (105), then expanded while passing through the receiver dryer (105a) and the expansion valve (107), and evaporated in the evaporator (109).

At this time, in the HVAC module (110), the air supplied by the blower (111) operates is cooled as it passes through the evaporator (109) and is introduced into the vehicle's interior with a lowered temperature, thereby lowering the temperature and humidity inside the vehicle.

Here, the opening door (119) is opened to allow outside air or air passing through the evaporator (109) to pass through the heat exchanger (115) and the air heater (117).

And in the cooling device (10), the water pump (14) operates so that the cooling water is circulated along some of the cooling water lines (11) that are open among the cooling water lines (11).

Here, the cooling water line (11) connected to the radiator (12) and the reservoir tank (16), and the first connecting line (21) are closed through the operation of the first valve (V1).

In addition, through the operation of the second valve (V2), the cooling water line (11) connected to the electrical component (15) is opened and the bypass line (17) is closed.

And through the operation of the third valve (V3), the cooling water line (11) connected to the radiator (12) is closed, and the third connecting line (25) connected to the heat exchanger (115) is opened.

Accordingly, the coolant is prevented from flowing into the radiator (12), thereby preventing it from being cooled through heat exchange with the outside air.

That is, in the summer when cooling of the vehicle interior is required, the temperature of the coolant cooled while passing through the radiator (12) may be relatively higher than in the winter because the outside temperature is high.

Therefore, in the second cooling mode for cooling the overheated battery (B), the flow of coolant into the radiator (12) can be blocked.

And the fourth and fifth connecting lines (27, 29) are opened through the operation of the fourth valve (V4). At the same time, the sixth connecting line (31) is closed through the operation of the fourth valve (V4).

Then, the cooling water circulated through the operation of the water pump (14) in the cooling device (10) is supplied to the cooling water heater (18) from the reservoir tank (16) through the bypass line (17) opened by the second valve (V2).

At this time, the cooling water heater (18) does not operate, thereby preventing the cooling water from being heated.

The cooling water that has passed through the cooling water heater (18) flows along the third connecting line (25) and passes through the heat exchanger (115).

At this time, the low-temperature outside air or air cooled while passing through the evaporator (109) can quickly lower the temperature of the cooling water by exchanging heat with the cooling water flowing into the heat exchanger (115) while passing through the heat exchanger (115).

That is, in the second cooling mode, the air supplied from the blower (111) is cooled through heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant passing through the evaporator (109), and while passing through the heat exchanger (115), it cools the cooling water passing through the heat exchanger (115).

Accordingly, the low-temperature cooling water that has been cooled while passing through the heat exchanger (115) can efficiently cool the overheated battery (B) by flowing into the battery (B) through the open fourth and fifth connecting lines (27, 29).

The coolant that has completed cooling of the battery (B) flows into the reservoir tank (16) along the second connecting line (23) and sequentially passes through the electrical components (15) along the coolant line (11) opened by the operation of the water pump (14), thereby cooling the electrical components (15).

The cooling water that cools the above-described components (15) passes through the cooling water heater (18) and then flows back into the heat exchanger (115) through the third connecting line (25), thereby repeating the process described above.

Accordingly, the overheated battery (B) and the electrical components (15) requiring cooling can be quickly and efficiently cooled by the circulated low-temperature cooling water while repeatedly performing the operation described above.

Therefore, by applying the vehicle battery thermal management system according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the temperature of the battery (B) can be efficiently controlled by using the HVAC module (110) of the air conditioning unit (100) and the cooling water circulating in the cooling unit (10) without adding a separate battery temperature control device, thereby simplifying the system and reducing the manufacturing cost.

In addition, since the present invention enables efficient temperature management of the battery (B), it is possible to achieve optimal performance of the battery (B), improve the efficiency, durability, and lifespan of the battery (B), and increase the overall driving distance of the electric vehicle.

In addition, the present invention cools the coolant to a lower temperature and supplies it to the battery by utilizing low-temperature outside air supplied to the interior after heat exchange with the refrigerant in the HVAC module when the battery overheats in the cooling mode of the vehicle, thereby quickly and efficiently cooling the overheated battery.

As described above, although the present invention has been described by means of limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and variations are possible by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains within the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of equivalents of the claims to be described below.

10: Cooling device
11: Coolant line
12 : Radiator
13: Cooling fan
14 : Water pump
15: Battle goods
17 : Bypass line
18 : Coolant Heater
21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th connecting lines
100 : Air conditioning unit
101 : Refrigerant line
103 : Compressor
105 : Condenser
107 : Expansion valve
109 : Evaporator
110 : HVAC Module
111 : Blower
113 : Case
115 : Heat exchanger
117 : Air heater
119 : Opening door
V1, V2, V3, V4: First, second, third, and fourth valves

Claims (16)

A cooling device comprising a radiator and a water pump connected to a cooling water line, and circulating cooling water through the cooling water line to cool at least one electrical component;
An air conditioning device comprising a case equipped with a blower for blowing air into a vehicle interior, an evaporator arranged inside the case, and an HVAC module equipped with an opening/closing door for controlling air passing through the evaporator to selectively flow into a heat exchanger and an air heater for controlling the temperature of the vehicle interior, and further including a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve interconnected with the evaporator through a refrigerant line; and
A battery connected to the cooling water line through at least one connecting line so that the cooling water supplied from the cooling device is circulated to warm up or cool down;
The above cooling device
A first valve provided in the coolant line between the radiator and the water pump;
A reservoir tank provided in the cooling water line between the first valve and the water pump;
A second valve provided in the cooling water line between the water pump and the electrical components;
A third valve provided in the coolant line between the above-mentioned components and the above-mentioned radiator; and
A coolant heater provided in the coolant line between the above-described electrical components and the third valve, and selectively connected to the second valve and a bypass line so that coolant passing through the electrical components is supplied according to the operation of the second valve, or coolant is supplied without passing through the electrical components;
A vehicle battery thermal management system characterized by further including: delete In the first paragraph,
The above second valve
A vehicle battery thermal management system characterized in that the coolant line connected to the electrical components is closed and the bypass line is opened in the warm-up mode of the battery. In the first paragraph,
The above coolant heater
A vehicle battery thermal management system characterized in that it operates in a warm-up mode of the above battery. In the first paragraph,
The above connecting line
A first connecting line connecting the coolant line to the battery through the first valve;
A second connecting line connecting the above battery and the above reservoir tank;
A third connecting line connecting the cooling water line to the heat exchanger through the third valve;
A fourth valve provided between the heat exchanger and the battery and a fourth connecting line connecting the heat exchanger;
A fifth connecting line connecting the fourth valve and the first connecting line; and
A sixth connecting line connecting the fourth valve and the second connecting line;
A vehicle battery thermal management system comprising: In paragraph 5,
The above battery
A vehicle battery thermal management system characterized by cooling in a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode according to a heating temperature. In Article 6,
In the above first cooling mode
By operating the first valve, the first connecting line is opened and the cooling water line connected to the reservoir tank is closed.
By the operation of the second valve, the cooling water line connected to the electrical component is closed and the bypass line is opened.
By the operation of the third valve, the third connecting line connected to the heat exchanger is closed,
A vehicle battery thermal management system, characterized in that the fourth, fifth, and sixth connecting lines are closed by operation of the fourth valve. In Article 6,
In the above first cooling mode
A vehicle battery thermal management system characterized in that the coolant cooled in the radiator cools the battery by passing through the first connecting line and the second connecting line. In Article 6,
In the above second cooling mode,
By operating the first valve, the coolant line connected to the radiator and the reservoir tank, and the first connecting line are closed.
By the operation of the third valve, the cooling water line connected to the radiator is closed, and the third connecting line connected to the heat exchanger is opened.
A vehicle battery thermal management system, characterized in that the fourth and fifth connecting lines are opened and the sixth connecting line is closed through the operation of the fourth valve. In Article 6,
In the above second cooling mode
A vehicle battery thermal management system, characterized in that the bypass line is closed by operation of the second valve when cooling of the electrical components is required. In Article 6,
In the above second cooling mode, the air supplied from the blower
A vehicle battery thermal management system characterized in that it cools the coolant passing through the heat exchanger while passing through the heat exchanger in a cooled state through heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant passing through the evaporator. In Article 6,
In the warm-up mode of the above battery,
By operating the first valve, the coolant line connected to the radiator and the reservoir tank, and the first connecting line are closed.
By the operation of the second valve, the cooling water line connected to the electrical component is closed and the bypass line is opened.
By the operation of the third valve, the cooling water line connected to the radiator is closed, and the third connecting line connected to the heat exchanger is opened.
A vehicle battery thermal management system, characterized in that the fourth and fifth connecting lines are opened and the sixth connecting line is closed through the operation of the fourth valve. In Article 6,
The above fourth valve
A vehicle battery thermal management system characterized in that, when warming up or cooling of the battery is not required while the fourth connecting line is open, the fifth connecting line is closed and the sixth connecting line is opened to prevent the inflow of coolant into the battery. In paragraph 5,
The above first, second, third, and fourth valves
A vehicle battery thermal management system characterized by a 3-way valve. In the first paragraph,
The above heat exchanger
A vehicle battery thermal management system characterized by an air-cooled heat exchanger that exchanges heat between coolant and air. In the first paragraph,
The above items are
A vehicle battery thermal management system comprising a motor or electric power control unit (EPCU) and an on board charger (OBC).

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