Patent ID: 12240291

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various different forms, and the embodiments are provided only so that the disclosure of the present invention is complete, and to fully inform those of ordinary skill in the scope of the invention. In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements.

FIGS.1and2are circuit diagrams showing an integrated thermal management system for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention;FIGS.3and4are circuit diagrams showing an integrated thermal management system for a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention;FIGS.5and6are circuit diagrams showing an integrated thermal management system for a vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention;FIG.7is an enlarged view of area “A” ofFIG.5;FIG.8is a configuration diagram showing an integrated chiller in which a gas injection heat exchanger is integrally configured in the integrated thermal management system for a vehicle according to the third embodiment of the present invention; andFIGS.9and10are circuit diagrams showing an integrated thermal management system for a vehicle according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

First,FIGS.1and2are circuit diagrams showing an integrated thermal management system for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawings, an integrated thermal management system for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present invention includes a main refrigerant line100in which a refrigerant circulates sequentially through a compressor110, an inner condenser120, an outdoor heat exchanger140, and an evaporator150, an integrated chiller400that performs heat exchange between a first coolant200flowing through a battery210, a second coolant300flowing through an electronic component310, and the refrigerant, a gas injection refrigerant line500branched from a downstream point of the inner condenser120of the main refrigerant line100based on a flow direction of the refrigerant, and connected to the compressor110, and a gas injection heat exchanger510that performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the gas injection refrigerant line500and the refrigerant flowing through the main refrigerant line100.

Although the integrated thermal management system for a vehicle of embodiments of the present invention may be applied to various thermal management systems, the first embodiment will be described first as a representative example thereof. In the case of a circuit of the first embodiment, one refrigerant is circulated, and two coolants are circulated separately from each other.

To be specific, in the case of the refrigerant, first, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor110flows through the inner condenser120provided inside an indoor air conditioner to be condensed. Thus, indoor air is heated by the heated inner condenser120. The condensed refrigerant may be secondarily condensed through the outdoor heat exchanger140, and reversely, may also absorb heat from the outside air through the outdoor heat exchanger140after being expanded through an external expansion valve131. That is, during indoor cooling, the outdoor heat exchanger140operates as a condenser, and when indoor heating is required, the outdoor heat exchanger140operates as an evaporator. The refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger140is combined after passing through the integrated chiller400or the evaporator150of the indoor air conditioner connected in parallel, passes through an accumulator160, and then is recovered to the compressor110. In addition, the integrated chiller400may cool the coolant or raise the temperature of the coolant by the operation of an integrated expansion valve133provided at the front end of the integrated chiller400.

The coolant may be divided into the first coolant200flowing through the battery210and the second coolant300flowing through the electronic component310. The first coolant200basically circulates the battery210and a radiator230, branches in parallel from the corresponding line, flows through the integrated chiller400, and exchanges heat with a refrigerant. Accordingly, the battery210may be cooled by the radiator230or the integrated chiller400, and the temperature of the battery210may be raised by the integrated chiller400and may also be raised by a separate water heating heater220. It is also possible to transfer waste heat of the battery210through the integrated chiller400and utilize it for indoor heating by using a heat pump. The flow path selection of the first coolant200is made by the multi-way valve240.

For the electronic component310, heat may be radiated by the radiator230with the help of the second coolant300. In addition, waste heat is transferred through the integrated chiller400connected in parallel so that the waste heat may be utilized for heating through the heat pump. The flow path selection of the second coolant300is made by the multi-way valve240.

In the case of heat-pump heating through waste heat recovery among the various thermal management modes above, when the temperature of the outside air is too low or the temperature of electronic components, etc. is too low, the density of the refrigerant flowing into the compressor is lowered, making it difficult to secure a sufficient flow rate, thereby deteriorating the overall heating performance and efficiency.

Therefore, in order to solve this problem, embodiments of the present invention aim to increase the refrigerant flow rate through gas injection.

To this end, the gas injection refrigerant line500is branched from the downstream point of the inner condenser120of the main refrigerant line100based on the flow direction of the refrigerant and is connected to the compressor110. Then, the gas injection heat exchanger510performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the gas injection refrigerant line500and the refrigerant flowing through the main refrigerant line100.

In addition, in the gas injection refrigerant line500, an expansion valve132is provided at an upstream point of the gas injection heat exchanger510so that the refrigerant of the gas injection refrigerant line500may be supplied to the compressor110through the gas injection heat exchanger510in an expanded state.

By the above configuration, most of the refrigerant discharged from the inner condenser120is supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger140or the integrated chiller400, but a portion of the refrigerant is supplied to the gas injection heat exchanger510after being expanded through the expansion valve132. The original refrigerant before expansion and before being supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger140or the integrated chiller400exchanges heat with the refrigerant expanded in the gas injection heat exchanger510. Accordingly, the refrigerant of the gas injection refrigerant line500is warmed up after expansion, and is supplied to the compressor110in a gaseous state to secure the flow rate of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor and to increase the heating performance. In this case, the compressor110may be of a type in which refrigerant is introduced through two refrigerant inlets, compressed, and discharged through one outlet.

Whether or not the gas injection is performed and the degree to which the gas injection is performed may be controlled by the controller C controlling the compressor and the expansion valve to control whether the refrigerant flows or expands.

FIG.1shows a gas injection non-operation mode of the integrated thermal management system of the first embodiment. When the gas injection is not in operation, the controller C may block the refrigerant discharged from the inner condenser120from being introduced into the gas injection refrigerant line500and allow the refrigerant to flow into the main refrigerant line100. To this end, in the gas injection non-operation mode, the controller C may close the expansion valve132of the gas injection refrigerant line500to block the refrigerant discharged from the inner condenser120from being introduced into the gas injection refrigerant line500and allow the refrigerant to flow into the outdoor heat exchanger140. In this case, the temperature of the outside air is secured to some extent, so it is possible to secure sufficient heat through the outdoor heat exchanger140, and through this, the density and flow rate of the refrigerant may be secured. Thus, it is more advantageous in terms of overall efficiency to secure sufficient heat through the outdoor heat exchanger140than to utilize gas injection.

Meanwhile,FIG.2shows a gas injection operation mode. When the gas injection is in operation, the controller C allows some of the refrigerant discharged from the inner condenser120to flow to the gas injection refrigerant line500and the rest to the main refrigerant line100, so that heat exchange is made between the refrigerant flowing from the gas injection heat exchanger510to the main refrigerant line100and the refrigerant flowing into the gas injection refrigerant line500. That is, in the gas injection operation mode, the controller C by controlling an opening degree of the expansion valve, allows some of the refrigerant discharged from the inner condenser120to flow to the gas injection refrigerant line500to expand through the expansion valve132and to exchange heat with the refrigerant of the main refrigerant line100in the gas injection heat exchanger, so that the refrigerant is supplied to the compressor in a heat-absorbed state.

Through this process, it is possible to improve various inefficient situations, such as when the outside air temperature is too low or when frost is formed on the outdoor heat exchanger.

FIGS.3and4show the second embodiment of the present invention. In this case, as a branch refrigerant line102connected in parallel between the outdoor heat exchanger140and the compressor110, a first branch coolant line201connected in parallel between the battery210and the radiator230, and a second branch coolant line301connected in parallel between the electronic component310and the radiator230pass through the integrated chiller400, the heat exchange is made between the refrigerant, the first coolant, and the second coolant through the integrated chiller400.

The integrated chiller400is configured such that the refrigerant, the first coolant, and the second coolant flow independently of each other and exchange heat with each other. To this end, the branch refrigerant line102through which the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger140flows, the first branch coolant line201through which the first coolant flowing through the battery flows, and the second branch coolant line301through which the second coolant flowing through the electronic component flows are passed through the integrated chiller.

In the gas injection refrigerant line500, the expansion valve132is provided at an upstream point of the gas injection heat exchanger510so that the refrigerant in the gas injection refrigerant line500is supplied to the compressor through the gas injection heat exchanger510in the expanded state.

In addition, the gas injection heat exchanger510is configured such that the first branch coolant line201and the second branch coolant line301pass therethrough, so that the heat exchange is made between the refrigerant flowing into the main refrigerant line100through the gas injection heat exchanger510, the refrigerant flowing into the gas injection refrigerant line, the first coolant, and the second coolant through the gas injection heat exchanger510. That is, the refrigerant flowing through the gas injection refrigerant line500needs to absorb heat after expansion, and the heat is not only obtained through the original refrigerant, but also through the additionally warmed first coolant200or second coolant300. This allows a higher temperature refrigerant to be introduced into the compressor, and accordingly, it is possible to obtain the effect of further increasing the heating efficiency.

FIG.3shows the flow of refrigerant when gas injection is not used, and shows a case in which the refrigerant flows only through the main refrigerant line100by closing the expansion valve132.FIG.4shows a case in which gas injection is used. After a portion of the refrigerant is branched and expanded, it is warmed up by the existing refrigerant and coolant, and then added to the compressor110.

Meanwhile,FIGS.5and6show the third embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the gas injection heat exchanger510is integrally formed with the integrated chiller400, so that one heat exchanger implements both functions. As in the second embodiment, the operation relationship shows a case in which gas injection is not used inFIG.5and a case in which gas injection is used inFIG.6.

However, the third embodiment is somewhat different from the second embodiment in that the gas injection heat exchanger and the integrated chiller are integrated.

FIG.7is an enlarged view of area “A” ofFIG.5, andFIG.8is a configuration diagram showing an integrated chiller in which a gas injection heat exchanger is integrally configured in the integrated thermal management system for a vehicle according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

When the gas injection heat exchanger510and the integrated chiller400are integrated, it is possible to be mechanically integrated as shown inFIG.7, and it is also possible to stack a plurality of flow plates as shown inFIG.8.

In the case ofFIG.7, the refrigerant passes through the expansion valve133integrated in the chiller, then flows through the integrated chiller400, and the first coolant200and the second coolant300also flow through the integrated chiller400. The gas injection heat exchanger510is directly connected to the side of the integrated chiller400, and the first coolant200and the second coolant300are directly introduced into the gas injection heat exchanger510and pass therethrough. At the same time, the main refrigerant and the gas injection refrigerant flow through the gas injection heat exchanger510.

FIG.8is a case in which these two heat exchangers are integrally manufactured. In this case, the first to sixth flow plates (a to f) are sequentially stacked and configured, the refrigerant in the main refrigerant line may flow through the first flow plate (a), the refrigerant of the gas injection refrigerant line may be introduced into the fourth flow plate (d) and then pass through the inside and be discharged through the second flow plate (b), the first coolant of the first branch coolant line may be introduced into the third flow plate (c) and then pass through the inside and be discharged through the fifth flow plate (e), and the refrigerant flowing into the branch refrigerant line may flow through the sixth flow plate (f).

The temperature of the fluid flowing through each flow plate may be determined in the following order.T1>T3>T5>T2>T4>T6

T1 (inner condenser), T3, and T5 (first coolant/second coolant) correspond to the configuration of a heat source that provides heat, whereas T2, T4 (gas injection refrigerant), and T6 (main refrigerant) correspond to the configuration of a heat absorber that absorbs heat.

Therefore, according to the configuration of the flow plate order as above, it is possible to minimize unnecessary heat transfer by disposing each flow plate such that a temperature difference from an adjacent flow plate is minimized.

FIGS.9and10are circuit diagrams showing an integrated thermal management system for a vehicle according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

In this case, the expansion valve131, the gas injection heat exchanger510, and the multi-way valve180may be sequentially provided between the inner condenser120and the outdoor heat exchanger140of the main refrigerant line100.

The gas injection refrigerant line500may be branched at a point between the inner condenser120and the expansion valve131of the main refrigerant line100and may be connected to the compressor110through the multi-way valve180.

The controller C controls whether or not the refrigerant flows and expands by controlling the compressor110, the expansion valve131, and the multi-way valve180.

This is a case where the outdoor heat exchanger140and the expansion valve131are used together, rather than using a separate expansion valve only for the gas injection heat exchanger510.

Accordingly, in the gas injection non-operation mode, the controller C may control the multi-way valve180so that the refrigerant discharged from the inner condenser120flows into the main refrigerant line100without being introduced into the gas injection refrigerant line500.

In the gas injection operation mode, the controller C may control the multi-way valve180so that some of the refrigerant discharged from the inner condenser120flows to the gas injection refrigerant line500and the rest to the main refrigerant line100, and thus heat exchange is made between the refrigerant flowing from the gas injection heat exchanger510to the main refrigerant line100and the refrigerant flowing into the gas injection refrigerant line500. To be specific, some of the refrigerant discharged from the inner condenser120is branched at an upstream point of the expansion valve131and flows through the gas injection heat exchanger510, and flows into the gas injection refrigerant line500through a branched line502. The remaining refrigerant flows through the gas injection heat exchanger510to exchange heat after passing through the expansion valve131, and flows to the main refrigerant line100through the outdoor heat exchanger140.

According to embodiments of the present invention, by implementing a gas injection type heat pump method with a heat exchanger, which can increase the flow rate of refrigerant in the heat pump system in the vehicle's integrated heat management system, the refrigerant flow rate is secured even under low outside temperature conditions, thereby improving energy efficiency in terms of thermal management during vehicle heating.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings and the above-described preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto, but is defined by the following claims. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art can variously change and modify the present invention within the scope without departing from the spirit of the claims to be described later.