Active high voltage liquid cooled thermal management system

Abstract

A thermal management system for vehicles includes a refrigerant circuit containing at least one evaporator for providing conditioned air to a passenger compartment of the vehicle. A coolant circuit circulates coolant to cool an electric power source and high voltage electronics powered by the electric power source. A heat exchanger communicated with the refrigerant circuit and the coolant circuit transfers heat from the coolant to the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit.

1 . A thermal management system for vehicles, comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit including at least one evaporator to receive a cooled refrigerant and to provide conditioned air to a passenger compartment of the vehicle;   a coolant circuit for circulating coolant to cool an electric power source and high voltage electronics powered by the electric power source; and   a heat exchanger communicated with the refrigerant circuit and the coolant circuit for transferring heat from the coolant to the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal management system, of  claim 1 , further comprising a valve responsive to at least one temperature signal to control the flow rate of refrigerant through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal management system of  claim 2 , wherein the valve is closed to stop the flow of refrigerant to the heat exchanger when the refrigerant is not required to transfer heat from the coolant. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal expansion valve to control the flow rate of refrigerant through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal management system of  claim 4 , wherein the thermal expansion valve includes a shutdown mode to cut off the flow of refrigerant to the heat exchanger when the refrigerant is not required to transfer heat from the coolant. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the coolant circuit further comprises a first coolant loop for the electric power source and a second coolant loop for the high voltage electronics, and both the first coolant loop and the second coolant loop are coupled to the heat exchanger via a proportioning valve to control the ratio of coolant sent to the first coolant loop and the second coolant loop. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger, the electric power source, and the high voltage electronics are plumbed in series with one another such that coolant exiting the heat exchanger is communicated with the electric power source prior to being communicated with the high voltage electronics. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises one or more of an AC/DC voltage converter, a transformer, or a controller for a hybrid electric powertrain. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , further including an ambient air loop coupled with the coolant circuit, the ambient air circuit including a second heat exchanger for transferring heat from the coolant using ambient air. 
     
     
         10 . A thermal management system for vehicles having a refrigerant loop in which refrigerant is circulated for conditioning air in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, comprising:
 a coolant loop circulating liquid coolant and including:
 an electric power source cooled by the coolant; 
 high voltage electronics cooled by the coolant; and 
 a heat exchanger communicated with the coolant loop and the refrigerant loop to receive coolant and refrigerant and to transfer heat from the coolant to the refrigerant to control the temperature of the electric power source and the high voltage electronics. 
   
     
     
         11 . The thermal management system of  claim 10 , further comprising a valve responsive to at least one temperature signal to control the flow rate of refrigerant through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal management system of  claim 11 , wherein the valve is a thermal expansion valve including a shutdown mode to close the valve and stop the flow of refrigerant to the heat exchanger when the coolant is able to control the temperature of the electric power source and the high voltage electronics without transferring heat to the refrigerant. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal management system of  claim 10 , wherein the coolant plumbing loop further includes a first coolant loop for the electric power source and a second coolant loop for the high voltage electronics, both the first coolant loop and the second coolant loop communicated with the heat exchanger via a proportioning valve to control the ratio of coolant sent to the first coolant loop in relation to the second coolant loop. 
     
     
         14 . The thermal management system of  claim 10 , wherein the heat exchanger, the electric power source, and the high voltage electronics are connected in series with one another such that coolant exiting the heat exchanger is communicated with the electric power source prior to being communicated with the high voltage electronics. 
     
     
         15 . The thermal management system of  claim 10 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises one or more of an AC/DC voltage converter, a transformer, or a controller for a hybrid electric powertrain. 
     
     
         16 . The thermal management system of  claim 10 , further including an ambient air loop coupled with the coolant loop, the ambient air loop including a second heat exchanger for transferring heat from the coolant using ambient air. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal management system of  claim 10 , wherein the electric power source includes one of a battery and a fuel cell. 
     
     
         18 . A thermal management system for vehicles having a refrigerant loop circulating refrigerant for conditioning air in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, comprising:
 a power supply cooling loop circulating liquid coolant for controlling the temperature of an electric power source;   a high voltage electronics cooling loop circulating liquid coolant shared with the power supply cooling loop for controlling the temperature of high voltage electronics; and   a heat exchanger coupled with the power supply cooling loop, the high voltage electronics cooling loop and the refrigerant loop to transfer heat from the liquid coolant to the refrigerant in the refrigerant loop.   
     
     
         19 . The thermal management system of  claim 18 , further comprising a proportioning valve coupled with the high voltage electronics cooling loop and the power supply cooling loop to control the amount of coolant from the heat exchanger that passes through each of the loops. 
     
     
         20 . The thermal management system of  claim 18 , further including a thermal expansion valve for controlling the amount of refrigerant that passes through the heat exchanger.