Thermal management system and related methods for vehicle having electric traction motor and range extending device

Abstract

A vehicle, such as a parallel or series hybrid vehicle, includes both an electric traction motor and a range extending device such as, for example, an internal combustion engine, or a fuel cell. In an embodiment, a thermal management system for the vehicle includes a passenger cabin heating circuit configured to circulate heat exchange fluid through a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and a passenger cabin heating heat exchanger. A motor circuit can be configured to circulate heat exchange fluid through the electric traction motor, a transmission control module, and a DC/DC converter. The motor circuit can be selectably connected to the passenger cabin heating circuit by a valve. An engine circuit is configured to circulate heat exchange fluid through the internal combustion engine, a radiator, and the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. The liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat between heat exchange fluid of the passenger cabin heating circuit and heat exchange fluid of the engine circuit.

1 . A method of heating a vehicle passenger cabin of a vehicle, the method comprising:
 a) heating heat exchange fluid with an electric traction motor of the vehicle and with a range extending device of the vehicle; and   b) heating the vehicle passenger cabin using the heat exchange fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange fluid is a first heat exchange fluid, and step a) includes:
 c) heating a second heat exchange fluid with the range extending device; and   d) heating the first heat exchange fluid with the second heat exchange fluid.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein step d) includes passing the first and second heat exchange fluids through a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange fluid flows through the motor and through the range extending device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the heat exchange fluid is a first heat exchange fluid, and wherein step a) includes:
 f) heating a second heat exchange fluid with the motor and with the range extending device; and   g) heating the first heat exchange fluid with the second heat exchange fluid.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 i) heating the heat exchange fluid with at least one of a transmission control module of the vehicle and a DC/DC converter of the vehicle; and   j) heating the vehicle passenger cabin using the heat exchange fluid.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the range extending device is an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         8 . A thermal management system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a passenger cabin heating circuit configured to circulate heat exchange fluid through a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and a passenger cabin heating heat exchanger; and   a second circuit configured to circulate heat exchange fluid through a range extending device, a radiator, and the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger,   wherein the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat between heat exchange fluid of the passenger cabin heating circuit and heat exchange fluid of the second circuit.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a motor circuit configured to circulate heat exchange fluid through an electric traction motor, the motor circuit being selectably connected to the passenger cabin heating circuit by a cabin heating circuit valve. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a battery circuit configured to circulate heat exchange fluid through a battery pack, the battery circuit being selectably connected to the motor circuit by a battery circuit valve. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the motor circuit is further configured to circulate heat exchange fluid through at least one of a transmission control module and a DC/DC converter. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a power electronics cooling circuit configured to circulate heat exchange fluid through at least one of a transmission control module and a DC/DC converter, the power electronics cooling circuit being selectably connected to the passenger cabin heating circuit by a cabin heating circuit valve. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the second circuit includes an electric traction motor. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a cabin heating circuit pump positioned to circulate heat exchange fluid through the cabin heating circuit. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a second pump positioned at the second circuit. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the range extending device is an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         17 . A method of heating a battery pack of a vehicle having an electric traction motor, the method comprising:
 heating heat exchange fluid with a range extending device of the vehicle;   providing heat from the heat exchange fluid heated by the range extending device to a heat exchanger; and   transferring heat using the heat exchanger to heat exchange fluid circulating through a battery circuit that includes the battery pack.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising heating the heat exchange fluid circulating through a battery circuit using the electric traction motor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the range extending device is an internal combustion engine.