System for cooling electric vehicle batteries

A battery cooling system for cooling a battery assembly of an electric vehicle, the battery cooling system comprising:

• a reversible HVAC system having a heating mode and a cooling mode for providing conditioned air to a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle, the heating mode transferring a first measure of heat from an external heat source to the passenger compartment, the reversible HVAC system comprising;
• a compressor for compressing a refrigerant;
• a flow switching device coupled to the compressor for controlling the direction of refrigerant flow;
• an inside heat exchanger for transferring heat between the refrigerant and the passenger compartment, wherein during the heating mode heat is transferred from the refrigerant to air being blown into the passenger compartment and during the cooling mode heat is transferred from air being blown into the passenger compartment to the refrigerant;
• an outside heat exchanger for transferring heat between the refrigerant and the outside environment, wherein during the cooling mode heat is transferred from the refrigerant to an outside environment and during the heating mode heat is transferred from the outside environment to the refrigerant;
• and
• a flow management device for regulating refrigerant flow in an automotive HVAC system, the flow management device comprising:
• a housing defining a first port, a second port, and a flow path extending between said first port and said second port to communicate a flow of refrigerant therebetween;
• a first flow sensitive valve sealingly disposed in said flow path for preventing the flow of high pressure refrigerant from the second port to the first port;
• a second flow sensitive valve sealingly disposed in said flow path for preventing the flow of high pressure refrigerant from the first port to the second port;
• a pressure reducing device disposed in said flow path for pressure reducing high pressure refrigerant that flows through either said first flow sensitive valve or said second flow sensitive valve;
• and
• a pressure sensitive valve for preventing the flow of high pressure refrigerant between the first port and the second port, said pressure sensitive valve having a first position and a second position such that when the pressure sensitive valve is in the first position pressure reduced refrigerant is permitted to flow from the pressure reducing device to the second port and when the pressure sensitive valve is in the second position pressure reduced refrigerant is permitted to flow from the pressure reducing device to the first port;
• a secondary coolant system for absorbing a second measure of heat generated by the battery assembly, thereby cooling the battery assembly;
• a secondary heat exchanger for transferring the second measure of heat from the secondary coolant system to the reversible HVAC system;
• a secondary pressure reducing device for controlling the flow of refrigerant into the secondary heat exchanger;
• wherein the second measure of heat transferred from the battery assembly supplements the first measure of heat for providing energy for the HVAC system heating mode.