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US 12,576,687 B2Granted
Thermal management system, vehicle including the same, and method for controlling thermal management circuit
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorRyo Michikawauchi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switching device of a thermal management system is configured to switch a thermal management circuit to a first circuit mode or a second circuit mode based on the relationship between a battery temperature and a threshold temperature. When a predetermined condition that the amount of change in chiller temperature associated with switching of the circuit mode of the thermal management circuit is expected to be larger than a reference amount is satisfied before the switching of the circuit mode, the control device adjusts the threshold temperature so that the amount of change in chiller temperature becomes smaller than the reference amount.
Claims7
A thermal management system, comprising:
- a thermal management circuit;
- and
- a control device comprising a processor and configured to control the thermal management circuit, wherein
- the thermal management circuit includes
- a battery configured to allow a heat medium to flow through the battery,
- a heat exchanger configured to allow the heat medium to flow through the heat exchanger,
- a refrigeration cycle configured to allow a refrigerant to flow through the refrigeration cycle,
- a chiller configured to exchange heat between the heat medium and the refrigerant,
- a battery temperature sensor configured to detect a battery temperature, the battery temperature being a temperature of the heat medium flowing through the battery,
- a chiller temperature sensor configured to detect a chiller temperature, the chiller temperature being a temperature of the heat medium flowing through the chiller, and
- a switching device configured to switch the thermal management circuit between or among a plurality of circuit modes,
- the circuit modes include
- a first circuit mode in which the chiller is thermally disconnected from the battery and is thermally connected to the heat exchanger, and
- a second circuit mode in which the chiller is thermally connected to the battery, and
- the control device is configured to
- switch the thermal management circuit to the first circuit mode or the second circuit mode based on a relationship between the battery temperature and a threshold temperature, and
- when a predetermined condition that an amount of change in the chiller temperature associated with switching of the circuit mode of the thermal management circuit is expected to be larger than a reference amount is satisfied before the switching of the circuit mode, adjust the threshold temperature in such a manner that the amount of change in the chiller temperature becomes smaller than the reference amount.
14 more elements
A method for controlling a thermal management circuit,
- the thermal management circuit including
- a chiller configured to exchange heat between a heat medium flowing through a battery and a heat exchanger and a refrigerant flowing through a refrigeration cycle, and
- a switching device configured to switch the thermal management circuit between or among a plurality of circuit modes, and
- the circuit modes including
- a first circuit mode in which the chiller is thermally disconnected from the battery and is thermally connected to the heat exchanger, and
- a second circuit mode in which the chiller is thermally connected to the battery, the method comprising:
- detecting a battery temperature, the battery temperature being a temperature of the heat medium flowing through the battery;
- detecting a chiller temperature, the chiller temperature being a temperature of the heat medium flowing through the chiller;
- switching the thermal management circuit to the first circuit mode or the second circuit mode based on a relationship between the battery temperature and a threshold temperature;
- and
- when, before switching the thermal management circuit to the first circuit mode or the second circuit mode, an amount of change in the chiller temperature associated with switching of the circuit mode of the thermal management circuit is expected to be larger than a reference amount, adjusting the threshold temperature in such a manner that the amount of change in the chiller temperature becomes smaller than the reference amount.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.