Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Lawrence P Ziehr

Michael H Carlson

Eugene Victor Gonze

Mark D Nemesh

Gregory A Major

Paul S Lombardo

Cameron P Smith

Kyle Holihan

Satish P Ketkar

George M Claypole

Todd M Tumas

Michele Bilancia

Daniel J Shepard

Nathan J English

James R Salvador

Bryan M Styles

Munther M Salim

Tanner E Goeson

Brian P Lemon

Douglas Dickson

Norman Joseph Weigert

Andrew M Zettel

Nathan D Ampunan

Aniket P Kothari

Chad E Marlett

Richard A Marsh

Matthew Simonini

Krishnaraj Inbarajan

Keith D Buford

Mark A Manickaraj

Jason J Nolte

Mark R Willey

William R Hill

Francesco Castorina

Francesco Cianflone

Thomas K Lockwood

Jonathan K Williams

Matthew J Martinchick

Stephen L Shen

Danielle A Cory

Michael J Miller

Anthony James Donatelli

Rick W Szymczyk

Benjamin C Groen

Marcelo X Ribadeneira

June S Bian

A vapor injection refrigerant system includes a compressor, a condenser coupled to the compressor, an evaporator coupled to the condenser, and a chiller coupled to the condenser. The compressor includes at least a first stage and a second stage and is configured to output refrigerant in vapor form. The chiller is configured to inject refrigerant in vapor form into the second stage of the compressor. Additionally, the system may include a three-way valve having a first outlet coupled to the second stage of the compressor and a second outlet coupled to an outlet of the evaporator, and a control module configured to control the three-way valve to inject refrigerant in vapor form into the second stage of the compressor at a pressure greater than a pressure of the first stage of the compressor. Other example vapor injection refrigerant systems are also disclosed.

Vapor injection refrigerant systems

Thermal management in a vehicle involves a compressor to output a refrigerant in vapor form for circulation in a refrigerant loop. A thermal management system includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system in the refrigerant loop including an evaporator and an HVAC condenser, and an exterior condenser in the refrigerant loop configured to vent heat to an exterior of the vehicle. A first variable refrigerant flow valve controls a flow rate of the refrigerant output by the compressor into the HVAC condenser, and a second refrigerant flow valve controls a flow rate of the refrigerant output by the compressor into the exterior condenser. A controller controls the first refrigerant flow valve and the second refrigerant flow valve based on a target output temperature for the HVAC condenser.

Vehicle thermal management at condensers of the refrigerant loop

A thermal management system for a vehicle includes a plurality of fluid flow circuits including a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) circuit circulating a flow of refrigerant therethrough and including an evaporator, a chiller heat exchanger, a first expansion valve located upstream of the evaporator, a second expansion valve located upstream of the chiller heat exchanger, and a heat exchanger located fluidly upstream of the expansion valves. A propulsion cooling circuit circulates a flow of coolant therethrough which is utilized to condition one or more propulsion components of the vehicle. The flow of coolant is directed through the heat exchanger, thus subcooling the flow of refrigerant. A controller is operably connected to one or more control points of the thermal management system and is configured to adjust the one or more control points to achieve a target amount of subcooling of the flow of refrigerant at the heat exchanger.

Vehicle cabin comfort management system

A thermal management method and system in a vehicle include a chiller to cause heat transfer between a coolant loop that defines a path in which a coolant circulates and a refrigerant loop that defines a path in which a refrigerant circulates. The system includes an electronic expansion valve (EXV) in the refrigerant loop to control a flow of the refrigerant into a first part of the chiller, and a coolant pump in the coolant loop to control a flow of the coolant into a second part of the chiller. A controller controls the EXV and the coolant pump based on a target amount for the heat transfer.

Vehicle thermal management

A vehicle includes a thermal energy management system with first and second thermal fluid loops. The first thermal fluid loop includes a coolant pump configured to circulate a coolant through a vehicle battery and a chiller. The second thermal fluid loop is configured to circulate a refrigerant through the chiller, a compressor, and at least one condenser. The controller is configured to control the thermal energy management system according to a passenger compartment cooling mode and a battery cooling mode. In the passenger compartment cooling mode the compressor is operated at a first power setting. In the battery cooling mode the compressor is operated at a second power setting and the chiller is controlled to transfer thermal energy from the first thermal fluid loop to the second fluid thermal loop. The second power setting is less than the first power setting.

Thermal system control for a vehicle

A system and method for managing thermal energy of a vehicle having a battery and an electric propulsion system are provided. The system monitors a current battery temperature, calculates an actual average battery temperature, and compares the calculated actual average battery temperature to a target lifetime battery temperature. If the actual average battery temperature is greater than the target lifetime battery temperature, and the current battery temperature is greater than the target lifetime battery temperature, the system cools the battery to below the current battery temperature. However, if the actual average battery temperature is less than the target lifetime battery temperature, and the current battery temperature is greater than the target lifetime battery temperature, the system delays cooling the battery. Therefore, the system may avoid expending energy to cool the battery in certain conditions.

Battery thermal management

A method for continuously managing thermal energy in a motor vehicle includes initializing a continuous thermal energy management control loop within a controller disposed in the motor vehicle, calculating a quantity of stored energy in a thermal management system equipped to the motor vehicle, calculating a quantity of thermal energy waste in the thermal management system, determining if thermal energy is needed within a component of the thermal management system, selectively generating thermal energy, selectively transporting thermal energy to the component of the thermal management system, determining a thermal storage capacity of the thermal management system, determining if a thermal energy deficit exists within the thermal management system, and directing a flow of a thermal energy carrying liquid to a thermal energy reservoir.

Vehicle thermal systems low to high quality energy management, storage, recovery, and optimization

A thermal energy management system for a vehicle supplies thermal energy to a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The thermal energy management system includes three thermal fluid loops. The first thermal fluid loop includes a coolant pump for circulating a coolant through at least a vehicle battery, a transmission oil cooler of the vehicle, and a chiller such that the coolant selectively transfers thermal energy from the vehicle battery, the transmission oil cooler, and the chiller. The second thermal fluid loop circulates oil through the transmission oil cooler. The third thermal fluid loop circulates a refrigerant through at least the chiller and at least one condenser such that the third thermal fluid loop transfers thermal energy to the passenger compartment.

Vehicle thermal system architecture

A method for managing thermal energy of a vehicle having a battery and an electric propulsion system is provided. The system monitors a current battery temperature, after the vehicle is connected to an outside power source at a plug time, and determines an outside air temperature. The system predicts a cabin heating temperature for a subsequent drive cycle. The subsequent drive cycle occurs when the vehicle is no longer connected to the outside power source. If the predicted cabin heating temperature is greater than the outside air temperature, the system heats the battery to a thermal storage temperature that is greater than a target operating temperature of the battery. Therefore, thermal energy is stored within the battery, and may be transferred to heat the cabin.

A vehicle propulsion system includes an engine having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, a coolant pump having an outlet in communication with the engine coolant inlet, a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the engine coolant outlet and that generates a pressure signal indicative of a pressure in the engine coolant outlet, and a controller in communication with the pressure sensor and the coolant pump. The controller is programmed to control a flow of coolant through the engine from the coolant pump based upon the pressure signal.

Thermal management system and method for a vehicle propulsion system

Disclosed are two-valve, split-layout engine cooling systems, methods for making and method for operating such cooling systems, engine coolant valve assembly configurations, and vehicles equipped with an active thermal management system for cooling select powertrain components. A disclosed thermal management system includes a radiator for cooling coolant fluid, and a coolant pump for circulating coolant fluid received from the radiator. A set of conduits fluidly connect the coolant pump to an engine block, a cylinder head, and an exhaust manifold. Another set of conduits fluidly connect the engine block, cylinder head, and exhaust manifold to the radiator, coolant pump, and one or more oil heaters. A first valve assembly is operable to regulate coolant flow between the coolant pump and the radiator. A second valve assembly is operable to regulate coolant fluid flow, individually and jointly, between the engine block, cylinder head, exhaust manifold, radiator, coolant pump, and oil heater(s).

Thermal management systems, coolant valves and control logic for vehicle powertrains

A method of using a thermoelectric generator for warming a transmission on a vehicle having an internal combustion engine is provided. The method includes starting the internal combustion engine, thereby generating a hot exhaust gas; circulating coolant through a heating loop in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and the thermoelectric generator; passing the hot exhaust gas through a hot-side of the thermoelectric generator and circulating the coolant through the cold-side of the thermoelectric generator, thereby transferring heat from the hot exhaust gas to the coolant and generating an electric current; and selectively powering an electric heating element with the electric current. The electric heating element is in thermal communication with a transmission fluid of the transmission. The coolant is circulated through the thermoelectric generator, by an auxiliary coolant pump powered by the electrical current, for a predetermined length of time after shutdown of the internal combustion engine.

Thermoelectric generator for transmission warm-up

A vehicle, system, and method of warming the transmission fluid with a thermoelectric generator is also provided. Disclosed is vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a transmission containing a transmission fluid, a coolant circuit configured to remove heat from the engine, and a thermoelectric generator. The thermoelectric generator is in non-contact thermal communication with the hot exhaust gas produced by the engine and the relatively cooler coolant circulating through the coolant circuit. The thermoelectric generator produces a current from the temperature gradient between the exhaust gas relative and coolant and transfers heat from the exhaust gas to the coolant. The heat coolant is conveyed to a transmission heat exchanger to heat the transmission fluid. A heating element is disposed in thermal contact with the transmission fluid and the heating element is powered by the electric current produced by the thermoelectric generator.

A method of controlling a rate of warm-up of an internal combustion engine fluidly connected to an exhaust system is disclosed. The method includes identifying a cold-start of the engine. The method also includes regulating, in response to the identified cold-start of the engine, an exhaust pressure modulation (EPM) valve arranged in a main exhaust passage of the exhaust system. The main exhaust passage channels engine exhaust gas to the ambient. Such regulation of the EPM valve will restrict a flow of the engine exhaust gas to the ambient and increase exhaust gas backpressure in the exhaust system up to a predetermined pressure value. Furthermore, the subject regulation of the EPM valve will increase a load on and the rate of warm-up of the engine. A vehicle having an engine and a controller programmed to control a rate of the engine's warm-up of according to the method is also disclosed.

Control of engine exhaust backpressure following engine cold-start

A thermal management system having a first heating device, such as a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS), and a second heating device, such as an internal combustion engine (ICE), for a vehicle is provided. The system may allow waste heat within an ICE to be stored in a RESS, and may cool the RESS by depositing heat in the ICE. The RESS and the ICE are located in a first coolant circuit and a second coolant circuit, respectively. The system also includes a third coolant circuit interconnected with the first coolant circuit, and in thermal communication with the second coolant circuit via a first heat exchanger. The first and third coolant circuits are configured to circulate a first coolant, and the second coolant circuit is configured to circulate a second coolant. The RESS and the ICE are each configured to selectively operate as a heat source or a heat sink.

Multi-circuited vehicular thermal management system and method

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Clarkston, MI, United States of America

Lawrence P Ziehr