Heat pump systems having deicing features

A thermal management system for an electric vehicle, the thermal management system comprising:

• a first fluid loop configured to transfer, to an ambient air and when the thermal management system is operated in either a first mode or a second mode, a first heat from a first thermal fluid at a first air-side heat exchanger, the first heat generated by a first heat load;
• a second fluid loop configured to transfer, when the thermal management system is operated in the first mode, a second heat from a second thermal fluid at a second air-side heat exchanger to the ambient air, the second air-side heat exchanger further configured to, when the thermal management system is operated in the second mode, capture a portion of the first heat transferred to the ambient air and transfer the portion of the first heat to the second thermal fluid;
• a third fluid loop configured to, when the thermal management system is operated in the first mode, transfer, at a first internal heat exchanger, the second heat from a third thermal fluid to the second thermal fluid, the second heat being generated by an operation of a second heat load, the second fluid loop further configured to, when the thermal management system is operated in the second mode, transfer at the first internal heat exchanger, at least some of the portion of the first heat from the second thermal fluid to the third thermal fluid to elevate a temperature of the second heat load;
• and
• an impeller configured to direct a flow of the ambient air in a first direction when the thermal management system is operated in the first mode, and direct the flow of ambient air in a second direction when the thermal management system is operated in the second mode, the first direction facilitating the flow of the ambient air over the second air-side heat exchanger before the ambient air flows over the first air-side heat exchanger, the second direction facilitating the flow of the ambient air over the first air-side heat exchanger before the ambient air flows over the second air-side heat exchanger.

A method for operating a thermal management system, the method comprising:

• directing, when the thermal management system is operating in a first mode, and by an operation of an impeller, a flow of an ambient air in a first direction at which the ambient air flows over a second air-side heat exchanger before the ambient air flows over a first air-side heat exchanger;
• transferring a first heat from a first thermal fluid at the first air-side heat exchanger to the ambient air, the first heat being generated by an operation of a first heat load;
• transferring, when the thermal management system is operating in the first mode, a second heat from a third thermal fluid to a second thermal fluid at a first internal heat exchanger, the second heat being generated by a second heat load;
• transferring, at the second air-side heat exchanger when the thermal management system is operating in the first mode, the second heat from the second thermal fluid to the ambient air;
• directing, when the thermal management system is operating in a second mode, and by the operation of the impeller, the flow of the ambient air in a second direction at which the ambient air flows over the first air-side heat exchanger before the ambient air flows over the second air-side heat exchanger;
• recapturing, by the second air-side heat exchanger when the thermal management system is operating in the second mode, a portion of the first heat from the ambient air and transferring, at the second air-side heat exchanger, the portion of the first heat to the second thermal fluid;
• and
• transferring, at the first internal heat exchanger when the thermal management system is operating in the second mode, at least some of the portion of the first heat from the second thermal fluid to the third thermal fluid.