# US 12,179,573 B2 · Thermal management system and vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,573 B2 - Document ID: US12179573B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/642,061 - Filed: 2020-09-04 - Published: 2022-12-22 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-16 - Assignees: Vitesco Technologies GmbH - Applicants: Vitesco Technologies GmbH - Inventors: Gerhard Eser; Sebastian Brettner; Manuel Dillinger; Markus Feulner; Hong Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179573B2 ## CPC - B60K 11/02: with liquid cooling - F01P 3/20: Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine (F01P3/22 takes precedence) - B60L 58/26: by cooling - B60K 2001/005: {the electric storage means} - B60K 2001/006: {the electric motors} - F01P 2050/24: Hybrid vehicles - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A thermal management system for a vehicle and a vehicle having a thermal management system, the thermal management system having a first coolant circuit for a battery and a second coolant circuit for an electric motor for driving the vehicle. The two coolant circuits can be operated in series or in parallel by a multi-way valve. The thermal management system further includes an oil cooling circuit for additionally cooling the electric motor, wherein the oil cooling circuit is thermally connected to the second coolant circuit via a heat exchanger. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermal management system for a vehicle, comprising: a first coolant circuit for a battery; a second coolant circuit for an electric motor configured to drive the vehicle; a multi-way valve configured to operate the first and second coolant circuits: in a first mode and in a first valve position of the multi-way valve, the first and second coolant circuits in series with one another or in a second mode and in a second valve position of the multi-way valve, the first and second coolant circuits in parallel with one another or in a third mode and in a third valve position of the multi-way valve, in which the multi-way valve assumes an intermediate position in which coolant flows of the first and second coolant circuits are mixed with each other as needed; an oil cooling circuit for additionally cooling the electric motor; and a heat exchanger that thermally connects the oil cooling circuit to the second coolant circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermal management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is arranged fluidically in parallel with a coolant-cooled stator of the electric motor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The thermal management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first feed line leads from a first junction of the second coolant circuit upstream of the coolant-cooled stator to the heat exchanger and a second feed line leads from the heat exchanger to a second junction of the second coolant circuit downstream of the coolant-cooled stator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The thermal management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oil cooling circuit has a monitoring system having at least one pressure sensor for monitoring an oil flow generated by an oil pump. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The thermal management system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the monitoring system has a speed sensor, which is arranged on the oil pump. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The thermal management system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the monitoring system has an additional pressure sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The thermal management system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one pressure sensor, is arranged upstream of the heat exchanger and downstream of the oil pump. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The thermal management system as claimed in claim 6, each pressure sensors, is arranged upstream of the heat exchanger and downstream of the oil pump. ### Claim 9 A vehicle having a thermal management system comprising: a first coolant circuit for a battery; a second coolant circuit for an electric motor configured to drive the vehicle; a multi-way valve configured to operate the first and second coolant circuits: in a first mode and in a first valve position of the multi-way valve, the first and second coolant circuits in series with one another or in a second mode and in a second valve position of the multi-way valve, the first and second coolant circuits in parallel with one another or in a third mode and in a third valve position of the multi-way valve, in which the multi-way valve assumes an intermediate position in which coolant flows of the first and second coolant circuits are mixed with each other as needed; an oil cooling circuit for additionally cooling the electric motor; and a heat exchanger that thermally connects the oil cooling circuit to the second coolant circuit.