Patent ID: 11938782
Assignee: DANA CANADA CORPORATION
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  H  F | IPC B  F

Claim 17:
18. A heating/cooling system for a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), the system comprising a first heating/cooling loop and a second heating/cooling loop, wherein each said heating/cooling loop comprises a vehicle component, a heat exchanger for at least heating and optionally cooling the vehicle component, a fluid flow conduit, and a circulation pump;
wherein the heat exchanger comprises:
(a) a fluid flow passage adapted for flow of a fluid, the fluid flow passage having an inlet and an outlet;
(b) a first plate and a second plate in opposed facing relation to one another, wherein each of the first plate and the second plate are thermally conductive, have an inner surface facing inwardly toward the fluid flow passage and an outer surface facing outwardly from the fluid flow passage, wherein the fluid flow passage is defined by a space between the inner surface of the first plate and the inner surface of the second plate; and
(c) a first electrical heating element located outside the fluid flow passage and adjacent to the outer surface of the first plate, such that heat produced by the first electrical heating element is transferred through the first plate to the fluid in the fluid flow passage during use of the heat exchanger;
wherein the first electrical heating element has a thickness between 1 μm and about 1000 μm;
wherein the first electrical heating element comprises an electrically insulating dielectric base layer which is closest to the outer surface of the first plate, and an electrically resistive heater layer on the dielectric base layer;
wherein the electrically insulating dielectric base layer comprises a thermally conductive, electrically insulating composite layer comprising a polymer mixed with a particulate filler material;
wherein the first heating/cooling loop comprises:
(a) a first vehicle component comprising a rechargeable battery for powering an electric drive motor of the vehicle;
(b) a first heat exchanger comprising the heat exchanger which includes at least one of said electrical heating elements, one or more first fluid flow passages for a first heat transfer fluid circulating through said first heating/cooling loop, and a first inlet and a first outlet for the one or more first fluid flow passages;
(c) a second heat exchanger for cooling the first heat transfer fluid;
(d) a first circulation pump for circulating the first heat transfer fluid through the first heating/cooling loop; and
(e) a first conduit for circulating the first heat transfer fluid throughout the first heating/cooling loop; and
wherein the second heating/cooling loop comprises:
(a) a second vehicle component comprising one or more heat-generating electronic components of the HEV/BEV;
(b) said first heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger further includes one or more second fluid flow passages for a second heat transfer fluid circulating through said second heating/cooling loop, and a second inlet and a second outlet for the one or more second fluid flow passages, wherein the one or more first fluid flow passages and the one or more second fluid flow passages are arranged to permit heat transfer between the first heat transfer fluid and the second heat transfer fluid, and to provide heating of the first heat transfer fluid and the second heat transfer fluid by the at least one electrical heating element;
(c) a third heat exchanger for cooling the second heat transfer fluid;
(d) a second circulation pump for circulating the second heat transfer fluid through the second heating/cooling loop; and
(e) a second conduit for circulating the second heat transfer fluid throughout the second heating/cooling loop.