Optimal source electric vehicle heat pump with extreme temperature heating capability and efficient thermal preconditioning

{
  "publication_number": "US11807067B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Optimal source electric vehicle heat pump with extreme temperature heating capability and efficient thermal preconditioning",
  "abstract": "A vehicle thermal management system includes a vehicle heat pump system, a battery system coolant loop, a drive train coolant loop, and control electronics. The vehicle heat pump system includes a compressor, a cabin condenser, a cabin evaporator, a cabin blower, and a chiller. The battery system coolant loop is in thermal communication with a battery system and with the chiller and selectively in thermal communication with the drive train coolant loop. The control electronics control the components of the vehicle thermal management system to heat the cabin, cool the cabin, heat the battery system, cool the battery system, and cool the drive train. The control electronics may control the compressor to operate in an efficient mode or a lossy mode in which the compressor generates heat. The control electronics may also control the components of the vehicle thermal management system to precondition the battery.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A vehicle thermal management system configured for inclusion in a vehicle, the vehicle thermal management system comprising: a vehicle heat pump comprising a cabin cooling system and a radiator; a coolant valve system configured to operate in a plurality of modes, wherein each mode is associated with one or more coolant loops, and wherein each coolant loop connects a different subset of the cabin cooling system, the radiator, a battery coolant loop, and a drive train coolant loop; and control electronics configured to select between the plurality of modes, wherein selection of a mode causes adjustments of serial and/or parallel connections between individual coolant loops associated with the selected mode.",
    "2. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the coolant valve system is an eight-way valve.",
    "3. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the control electronics are configured to select between the plurality of modes based on inputs comprising one or more of range information, heating and/or cooling limits associated with a battery, and a temperature associated with a cabin of the vehicle.",
    "4. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the cabin cooling system comprises a compressor, a cabin condenser, a cabin evaporator, and a cabin blower.",
    "5. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein a first mode is associated with a particular coolant loop which connects the battery system coolant loop and the drive train coolant loop, such that the battery system coolant loop and the drive train coolant loop are serially connected.",
    "6. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 5, wherein the cabin cooling system is connected to the particular coolant loop, and wherein heat from the particular coolant loop is used to heat a cabin of the vehicle.",
    "7. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle heat pump draws heat from the particular coolant loop.",
    "8. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein a second mode is associated with two coolant loops operating in parallel, the two coolant loops comprising the battery system coolant loop and the drive train coolant loop.",
    "9. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the cabin cooling system comprises a cabin heater, wherein a third mode is associated with a particular coolant loop which connects the battery system coolant loop and the drive train coolant loop, and wherein the vehicle heat pump draws heat from the particular coolant loop and the cabin heater.",
    "10. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 9, wherein the third mode is configured for selection based on a cabin heating request exceeding that which is available via the particular coolant loop or based on a battery of the vehicle being required to heat within a threshold amount of time.",
    "11. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein a third mode is associated with a particular coolant loop which connects the battery system coolant loop and the drive train coolant loop, wherein the vehicle heat pump draws heat from the particular coolant loop, the cabin heater, and the cabin cooling system operating in an internally recirculating mode.",
    "12. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the cabin cooling system comprises a cabin heater, a cabin evaporator, and a cabin compressor, wherein a third mode is associated with a particular coolant loop which connects the battery system coolant loop and the drive train coolant loop, wherein the vehicle heat pump draws heat from the particular coolant loop, the cabin heater, and the cabin compressor, and wherein the cabin evaporator is operated to consume power associated with the cabin compressor.",
    "13. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein a fourth mode is associated with a particular coolant loop which connects the battery system coolant loop and the cabin cooling system, and wherein the vehicle heat pump provides heat to the battery system coolant loop which is usable to heat a battery of the vehicle.",
    "14. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 13, wherein heat from ambient is sourced via a cabin evaporator included in the cabin cooling system.",
    "15. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 13, wherein a cabin of the vehicle is placed in a global recirculation mode, such that heat is sealed in the cabin while the vehicle heat pump provides heat to the battery.",
    "16. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the cabin cooling system comprises a compressor, wherein a fifth mode is associated with a first coolant loop and a second coolant loop, wherein the first coolant loop causes heat to be drawn from ambient and from the compressor operated in an inefficient mode, and wherein the second coolant loop connects the battery system coolant loop and drive train coolant loop.",
    "17. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the radiator is usable to extract heat from ambient.",
    "18. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the control electronics are configured to select between the plurality of modes based on information from a controller associated with the cabin cooling system, a measure associated with fogging in a cabin of the vehicle, and range information associated with the vehicle.",
    "19. The vehicle thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the control electronics are further configured to use information indicating an upcoming charging event.",
    "20. A method implemented by a vehicle thermal management system comprising control electronics, the vehicle thermal management system being configured for inclusion in a vehicle, wherein the method comprises: obtaining input information from a controller associated with a cabin cooling system, a measure associated with fogging in a cabin of the vehicle, and range information associated with the vehicle; and selecting between a plurality of modes based on the input information, wherein the vehicle thermal management system further comprises: a vehicle heat pump comprising the cabin cooling system and a radiator, and a coolant valve system configured to operate in the plurality of modes, wherein each mode is associated with one or more coolant loops, wherein each coolant loop connects a different subset of the cabin cooling system, the radiator, a battery coolant loop, and a drive train coolant loop, and wherein selection of a mode causes adjustments of serial and/or parallel connections between individual coolant loops associated with the selected mode."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to electric vehicles; and more particularly to the heating and cooling of vehicle components, including the cabin of an electric vehicle.\n\nAn extremely large percentage of the world's vehicles run on gasoline using an internal combustion engine. The use of such vehicles, more specifically the use of vehicles which rely on fossil fuels, i.e., gasoline, creates two problems. First, due to the finite size and limited regional availability of such fuels, major price fluctuations and a generally upward pricing trend in the cost of gasoline are common, both of which can have a dramatic impact at the consumer level. Second, fossil fuel combustion is one of the primary sources of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and thus one of the leading contributors to global warming. Accordingly, considerable effort has been spent on finding alternative drive systems for use in both personal and commercial vehicles.\n\nElectric vehicles offer one of the most promising alternatives to vehicles that use internal combustion drive trains. One of the principal issues involved in designing an efficient electric drive train as well as a vehicle that is “user friendly” is thermal management, primarily due to the required configured conditions of the battery system cells and the need to provide on-demand heating and cooling within the passenger cabin. As a result, the thermal management systems used in many electric and hybrid vehicles have limited capabilities and/or are overly complex. For example, early generation electric vehicles used multiple independent thermal management subsystems.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60H 1/00278",
    "B60H 1/00392",
    "B60H 1/00564",
    "B60H 1/00907",
    "B60H 1/00921",
    "B60H 1/143",
    "B60H 1/22",
    "B60H 1/26",
    "B60H 1/3213",
    "B60H 1/32281",
    "B60H 2001/00307",
    "B60H 2001/00928",
    "B60H 2001/00949",
    "B60H 2001/2246",
    "B60H 2001/327",
    "B60L 58/26",
    "Y02T 10/70"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60H 1/00",
    "B60H 1/22",
    "B60H 1/26",
    "B60H 1/32",
    "B60L 58/26"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Tesla Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Nicholas MANCINI",
    "Joseph Stratford Maxwell Mardall",
    "Jan Kopitz",
    "Curt Raymond O'Donnell",
    "Daniel F. Hanks",
    "Huize Li"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2021-03-19",
  "publication_date": "2023-11-07",
  "grant_date": "2023-11-07",
  "priority_date": "2017-09-07",
  "application_number": "US-202117249954-A",
  "family_id": "65517697",
  "cited_by_count": 14,
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