Liquid cooled thermal management system and related method of controlling the liquid cooled thermal management system

A thermal management system comprising:

• a radiator for cooling a first coolant in a first coolant circuit;
• a storage containing one or more power electronics, the storage being connected to the first coolant circuit;
• an energy storage unit connected to a second coolant circuit, wherein a second coolant in the second coolant circuit cools the energy storage unit;
• a heat exchanger connected to the first coolant circuit and to the second coolant circuit, the heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the first coolant and the second coolant, wherein the first coolant circuit and the second coolant circuit extend as separate flow paths through the heat exchanger;
• a thermostatic valve connected to the first coolant circuit, the thermostatic valve being configured to output the first coolant to at least one of the storage containing the one or more power electronics and the heat exchanger;
• a refrigeration unit connected to the second coolant circuit, and configured to cool the second coolant;
• a coolant temperature sensor configured to output a temperature of the coolant in the second coolant circuit;
• and
• a controller configured to control at least the refrigeration unit based on the temperature of the coolant output by the coolant temperature sensor, wherein, when the temperature of the coolant output by the coolant temperature sensor is greater than an upper coolant temperature threshold, the controller generates and sends a signal to turn on the refrigeration unit.

A method of controlling a thermal management system, the method comprising:

• circulating a first coolant in a first coolant circuit having:
• a radiator for cooling the first coolant;
• a storage containing one or more power electronics;
• a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger;
• and
• a thermostatic valve configured to output the first coolant to at least one of the storage containing the one or more power electronics and the heat exchanger;
• circulating a second coolant in a second coolant circuit having:
• the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger configured to cool the second coolant using the first coolant;
• an energy storage unit cooled by the second coolant;
• and
• a refrigeration unit configured to cool the second coolant;
• cooling, using the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, the second coolant using the first coolant;
• detecting, using a coolant temperature sensor, a temperature of the second coolant;
• and
• controlling, using a controller, the refrigeration unit based on the temperature of the coolant output by the coolant temperature sensor, wherein, when the temperature of the coolant output by the coolant temperature sensor is greater than an upper coolant temperature threshold, the controller generates and sends a signal to the refrigeration unit to turn on.