# US 12,759,368 B2 · Vehicular thermal management system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,368 B2 - Document ID: US12759368B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/486,346 - Filed: 2023-10-13 - Published: 2024-12-05 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-05-31 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Inventors: Ki Hyun Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759368B2 ## CPC - B60H 1/00278: {for the battery} - B60H 1/323: {characterised by comprising auxiliary or multiple systems, e.g. plurality of evaporators, or by involving auxiliary cooling devices} - B60H 2001/003: {Component temperature regulation using an air flow} - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES ## Abstract An embodiment vehicular thermal management system includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) subsystem and a power electronics cooling subsystem thermally connected to the HVAC subsystem. The HVAC subsystem includes a compressor, a heating-side expansion valve disposed on a downstream side of the compressor, an exterior heat exchanger disposed on a downstream side of the heating-side expansion valve, a cooling-side expansion valve disposed on a downstream side of the exterior heat exchanger, an evaporator disposed on a downstream side of the cooling-side expansion valve, a distribution line configured to allow at least a portion of a refrigerant discharged from the exterior heat exchanger to be directed from an upstream side of the cooling-side expansion valve to the compressor, and a battery disposed on the distribution line. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicular thermal management system, the system comprising: a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) subsystem comprising: a compressor; a heating-side expansion valve disposed on a downstream side of the compressor; an exterior heat exchanger disposed on a downstream side of the heating-side expansion valve; a cooling-side expansion valve disposed on a downstream side of the exterior heat exchanger; an evaporator disposed on a downstream side of the cooling-side expansion valve; a distribution line configured to allow at least a portion of a refrigerant discharged from the exterior heat exchanger to be directed from an upstream side of the cooling-side expansion valve to the compressor; a battery comprising a refrigerant passage; a warm-up line configured to allow the refrigerant to be directed from the downstream side of the compressor to the battery; an interior condenser disposed between the compressor and the heating-side expansion valve; and a first control valve configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to be directed toward the interior condenser or the battery; and a power electronics cooling subsystem thermally connected to the HVAC subsystem, wherein the first control valve includes an inlet port communicating with an outlet of the compressor, a first outlet port communicating with the interior condenser, and a second outlet port communicating with an inlet of the warm-up line, wherein the refrigerant passage of the battery is fluidly connected to the distribution line, wherein the refrigerant passage of the battery is thermally separated from the power electronics cooling subsystem, and wherein an outlet of the warm-up line communicates with an inlet of the battery. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises a battery-side expansion valve located on an upstream side of the battery in the distribution line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2, wherein the battery-side expansion valve comprises an inlet port communicating with the exterior heat exchanger and an outlet port communicating with the battery. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system according to claim 3, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises an upstream bypass line configured to allow the refrigerant to be directed from the upstream side of the battery to a downstream side of the battery. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system according to claim 4, wherein the battery-side expansion valve further comprises a bypass port communicating with the upstream bypass line. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises a downstream bypass line configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the battery to be directed to the heating-side expansion valve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises a second control valve configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the battery to be directed toward the compressor or the heating-side expansion valve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises a bypass line configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the heating-side expansion valve to bypass the exterior heat exchanger. ### Claim 9 A vehicular thermal management system, the system comprising: a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) subsystem comprising: a compressor; a heating-side expansion valve disposed on a downstream side of the compressor; an exterior heat exchanger disposed on a downstream side of the heating-side expansion valve; a cooling-side expansion valve disposed on a downstream side of the exterior heat exchanger; an evaporator disposed on a downstream side of the cooling-side expansion valve; a distribution line configured to allow at least a portion of a refrigerant discharged from the exterior heat exchanger to be directed from an upstream side of the cooling-side expansion valve to the compressor; a battery comprising a refrigerant passage; a warm-up line configured to allow the refrigerant to be directed from the downstream side of the compressor to the battery; an interior condenser disposed between the compressor and the heating-side expansion valve; a first control valve configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to be directed toward the interior condenser or the battery; and a refrigerant circulation path through which the refrigerant is circulatable; a power electronics cooling subsystem thermally connected to the HVAC subsystem, the power electronics cooling subsystem comprising a power electronics coolant circulation path through which a power electronics coolant circulates; and a heat exchanger thermally connecting the HVAC subsystem and the power electronics cooling subsystem, the heat exchanger comprising a first passage fluidly connected to the refrigerant circulation path and a second passage fluidly connected to the power electronics coolant circulation path, wherein the first control valve includes an inlet port communicating with an outlet of the compressor, a first outlet port communicating with the interior condenser, and a second outlet port communicating with an inlet of the warm-up line, wherein the refrigerant passage of the battery is fluidly connected to the distribution line, wherein the refrigerant passage of the battery is thermally separated from the power electronics cooling subsystem, and wherein an outlet of the warm-up line communicates with an inlet of the battery. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, wherein the first passage of the heat exchanger is fluidly connected to the refrigerant circulation path between the heating-side expansion valve and the exterior heat exchanger. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises a heat exchanger bypass line configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the heating-side expansion valve to be directed from an upstream side of the first passage of the heat exchanger to a downstream side of the first passage of the heat exchanger. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises a dehumidification bypass line configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the heating-side expansion valve to be directed from an upstream side of the first passage of the heat exchanger to the evaporator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises a second control valve configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the heating-side expansion valve to be directed toward the evaporator, the first passage of the heat exchanger, or a downstream side of the first passage of the heat exchanger. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises a heating-side bypass line configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the first passage of the heat exchanger to be directed to the compressor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises a third control valve configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the first passage of the heat exchanger to be directed toward the exterior heat exchanger or the compressor. ### Claim 16 A vehicular thermal management system, the system comprising: a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) subsystem comprising: a compressor; a heating-side expansion valve disposed on a downstream side of the compressor; an exterior heat exchanger disposed on a downstream side of the heating-side expansion valve; a cooling-side expansion valve disposed on a downstream side of the exterior heat exchanger; an evaporator disposed on a downstream side of the cooling-side expansion valve; a first distribution line configured to allow at least a portion of a refrigerant discharged from the exterior heat exchanger to be directed from an upstream side of the cooling-side expansion valve to the compressor; a battery disposed comprising a refrigerant passage; a second distribution line configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the exterior heat exchanger to be directed from the upstream side of the cooling-side expansion valve to the compressor; a warm-up line configured to allow the refrigerant to be directed from the downstream side of the compressor to the battery; an interior condenser disposed between the compressor and the heating-side expansion valve; a control valve configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to be directed toward the interior condenser or the battery; and a refrigerant circulation path through which the refrigerant is circulatable; and a power electronics cooling subsystem thermally connected to the HVAC subsystem, wherein the control valve includes an inlet port communicating with an outlet of the compressor, a first outlet port communicating with the interior condenser, and a second outlet port communicating with an inlet of the warm-up line, wherein the refrigerant passage of the battery is fluidly connected to the first distribution line, wherein the refrigerant passage of the battery is thermally separated from the power electronics cooling subsystem, and wherein an outlet of the warm-up line communicates with an inlet of the battery. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system according to claim 16, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises an autonomous driving controller disposed on the second distribution line. ### Claim 18 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises: an expansion valve located on an upstream side of the battery in the distribution line, the expansion valve comprising: an inlet port communicating with the exterior heat exchanger; an outlet port communicating with the battery, and a bypass port; and an upstream bypass line configured to allow the refrigerant to be directed from the upstream side of the battery to a downstream side of the battery, wherein the bypass port communicates with the upstream bypass line. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system according to claim 18, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises: a downstream bypass line connected to the second control valve and configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the battery to be directed to the heating-side expansion valve; a third line extending from the heating-side expansion valve to a heat exchanger; a branch line branching off from the third line between the heating-side expansion valve and the heat exchanger and connecting to a third control valve; and a heat exchanger bypass line branching off from the third control valve and configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the heating-side expansion valve to bypass the heat exchanger. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system according to claim 19, wherein the HVAC subsystem further comprises: a fourth control valve disposed at a point where a heating-side bypass line and the third line are connected, the fourth control valve configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the heat exchanger to be directed toward the exterior heat exchanger or the compressor; and a switching valve at a point where a bypass line and the third line are connected, the switching valve configured to allow the refrigerant discharged from the heating-side expansion valve to selectively bypass the exterior heat exchanger through the bypass line or pass through the exterior heat exchanger.