Thermal Management System And An Electric Vehicle Including The Thermal Management System

Abstract

A thermal management system (1) for controlling the temperature in a cabin (2) and an energy storage system (3) of an electric vehicle including a vehicle component (4). Also, an electric vehicle comprising the thermal management system (1). The system (1) comprises one heat exchanger (5) and one heater (6) arranged to heat the cabin (2) and to provide heat to the heat exchanger (5). The system (1) comprises a first valve (7) for thermal fluid, a first temperature sensor (8) and a control unit (9) arranged to determine (S4) if the cabin (2) or the energy storage system (3) is to be heated, based on a received temperature of the first temperature sensor (8), the temperature in the cabin (2) and in the energy storage system (3), to determine (S5) if there is excess heat in the thermal fluid, and to control (S6) the opening and closing of the first valve (7) so that the thermal fluid is provided to the heater (6) when there is excess heat in the thermal fluid and any of the energy storage system (3) and the cabin (2) is to be heated.

1 . A thermal management system for controlling the temperature in a cabin and an energy storage system of an electric vehicle including a vehicle component, the system comprising:
 one heat exchanger arranged to heat the energy storage system,   one heater arranged to heat the cabin when the cabin temperature is colder than a user selected temperature and to provide heat to the heat exchanger when the energy storage system is colder than a minimum temperature,   a first valve arranged to receive a thermal fluid that has been used for cooling the vehicle component, the first valve having an openable and closable outlet in fluid communication with the heater,   a first temperature sensor arranged to measure the temperature of the received thermal fluid, and   a control unit arranged to:
 receive the measured temperature of the thermal fluid from the first temperature sensor, 
 receive data associated with a measured temperature in the cabin, 
 receive data associated with a measured temperature in the energy storage system, 
 determine if any of the cabin or the energy storage system is to be heated, based on the received data, 
 determine if there is excess heat in the thermal fluid based on the received measured temperature of the thermal fluid used for cooling the vehicle component, and 
 control the opening and closing of the outlet of the first valve so that the thermal fluid is provided to the heater via the outlet of the first valve when there is excess heat in the thermal fluid and any of the energy storage system and the cabin is to be heated. 
   
     
     
         2 . The thermal management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises a heater temperature sensor arranged to measure the temperature of the thermal fluid in the heater, and the control unit is arranged to receive the measured temperature of the thermal fluid in the heater from the heater temperature sensor and to determine if there is excess heat in the thermal fluid based on the received measured temperature of the thermal fluid from the first temperature sensor and the measured temperature of the thermal fluid in the heater. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal management system according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 one cooling unit arranged to cool the cabin when the cabin is warmer than a user selected temperature and to provide cold to the heat exchanger for cooling the energy storage system when the energy storage system is warmer than a predetermined maximum temperature.   
     
     
         4 . The thermal management system according to  claim 1 , comprising a second valve, which is a three-way valve, arranged with an inlet arranged to receive the thermal fluid from the heater, a first outlet in fluid communication with the cabin and a second outlet in fluid communication with the heat exchanger, and the control unit is arranged to control the flow of thermal fluid through the second valve. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal management system according to  claim 4 , wherein the control unit is arranged to:
 control the opening and closing of the first outlet of the second valve so that the thermal fluid is provided to the cabin when there is excess heat in the thermal fluid and the cabin is to be heated,   control the opening and closing of the second outlet of the second valve so that the thermal fluid is provided to the heat exchanger when there is excess heat in the thermal fluid and the energy storage system is to be heated.   
     
     
         6 . The thermal management system according to  claim 1 , comprising a third valve, which is a three-way valve, arranged with an inlet from the energy storage system, a first outlet to the heat exchanger and a second outlet to an external passive cooling system, and wherein the control unit (is arranged to:
 control the opening and closing of the first outlet and second outlet of the third valve so that a third thermal fluid which is used to heat or cool the energy storage system is directed either to the heat exchanger or to the external passive cooling system.   
     
     
         7 . The thermal management system according to  claim 6 , comprising a second temperature sensor, arranged to measure the temperature of the third thermal fluid entering the third valve, and wherein the control unit is arranged to:
 receive the measured temperature of the third thermal fluid from the second temperature sensor,   control the opening and closing of the first outlet and the second outlet of the third valve based on the received temperature.   
     
     
         8 . The thermal management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first valve has a second openable and closeable outlet and the thermal management system comprises a fourth valve wherein the control unit is arranged to:
 control the opening and closing of the fourth valve so that it is opened when the first outlet of the first valve is opened and closed when the first outlet of the first valve is closed, and   control the opening and closing of the second outlet so that it is opened when the first outlet of the first valve is closed and opened when the first outlet of the first valve is closed.   
     
     
         9 . The thermal management system according to  claim 1 , comprising one or more pumps and wherein the control unit is arranged to:
 control the speed of the one or more pumps based on the based on the received the received data and on the received measured temperature.   
     
     
         10 . The thermal management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a chiller. 
     
     
         11 . An electric vehicle comprising a cabin, an energy storage system, a vehicle component, a thermal fluid for cooling the vehicle component, and a thermal management system including:
 one heat exchanger arranged to heat the energy storage system   one heater arranged to heat the cabin when the cabin temperature is colder than a user selected temperature and to provide heat to the heat exchanger when the energy storage system is colder than a minimum temperature,   a first valve arranged to receive a thermal fluid that has been used for cooling the vehicle component, the first valve having an openable and closable outlet in fluid communication with the heater,   a first temperature sensor arranged to measure the temperature of the received thermal fluid, and   a control unit arranged to:
 receive the measured temperature of the thermal fluid from the first temperature sensor, 
 receive data associated with a measured temperature in the cabin, 
 receive data associated with a measured temperature in the energy storage system, 
 determine if any of the cabin or the energy storage system is to be heated, based on the received data, 
 determine if there is excess heat in the thermal fluid based on the received measured temperature of the thermal fluid used for cooling the vehicle component, and 
 control the opening and closing of the outlet of the first valve so that the thermal fluid is provided to the heater via the outlet of the first valve when there is excess heat in the thermal fluid and any of the energy storage system and the cabin is to be heated. 
   
     
     
         12 . The electric vehicle according to  claim 11 , wherein the thermal management system further comprises a heater temperature sensor arranged to measure the temperature of the thermal fluid in the heater, and the control unit is arranged to receive the measured temperature of the thermal fluid in the heater from the heater temperature sensor and to determine if there is excess heat in the thermal fluid based on the received measured temperature of the thermal fluid from the first temperature sensor and the measured temperature of the thermal fluid in the heater. 
     
     
         13 . The electric vehicle according to  claim 11 , wherein the thermal management system further comprises one cooling unit arranged to cool the cabin when the cabin is warmer than a user selected temperature and to provide cold to the heat exchanger for cooling the energy storage system when the energy storage system is warmer than a predetermined maximum temperature. 
     
     
         14 . The electric vehicle according to  claim 11 , wherein the thermal management system further comprises a second valve, which is a three-way valve, arranged with an inlet arranged to receive the thermal fluid from the heater, a first outlet in fluid communication with the cabin and a second outlet in fluid communication with the heat exchanger, and the control unit is arranged to control the flow of thermal fluid through the second valve. 
     
     
         15 . The electric vehicle according to  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is arranged to:
 control the opening and closing of the first outlet of the second valve so that the thermal fluid is provided to the cabin when there is excess heat in the thermal fluid and the cabin is to be heated,   control the opening and closing of the second outlet of the second valve so that the thermal fluid is provided to the heat exchanger when there is excess heat in the thermal fluid and the energy storage system is to be heated.