Integrated thermal management module for vehicle
An integrated thermal management module for a vehicle includes a gas-liquid separator having an internal space configured to accommodate a refrigerant discharged from an evaporator, the gas-liquid separator being configured to supply to a compressor a portion of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator that is in a gas state in the internal space, a refrigerant heat exchanger provided on a refrigerant inlet side of the gas-liquid separator, the refrigerant heat exchanger being configured to exchange heat of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator with heat of the refrigerant having a flow path between a condenser and an expansion valve before the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator is introduced into the internal space of the gas-liquid separator.
1 . An integrated thermal management module for a vehicle, the integrated thermal management module comprising:
a gas-liquid separator having an internal space configured to accommodate a refrigerant discharged from an evaporator, the gas-liquid separator being configured to supply to a compressor a portion of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator that is in a gas state in the internal space; and
a refrigerant heat exchanger provided on a refrigerant inlet side of the gas-liquid separator, the refrigerant heat exchanger being configured to exchange heat of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator with heat of the refrigerant having a flow path between a condenser and an expansion valve before the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator is introduced into the internal space of the gas-liquid separator, the refrigerant heat exchanger comprising:
a first channel through which the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator is discharged to the internal space of the gas-liquid separator;
a second channel through which the refrigerant having a flow path between the condenser and the expansion valve is discharged to the expansion valve; and
a partition wall provided between the first channel and the second channel to separate the first channel and the second channel from each other;
wherein a cross-sectional area of each of the first channel and the second channel has a circular shape; and
wherein the partition wall is configured to cross a center of a circle of the circular shape.
2 . The integrated thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein a first side of the circle protrudes to the internal space of the gas-liquid separator and a second side of the circle separated by the partition wall protrudes outside the gas-liquid separator.
3 . The integrated thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein each of the first channel and the second channel has a spiral shape.
4 . The integrated thermal management module of claim 3 , wherein a flow path of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator and the flow path of the refrigerant having a flow path between the condenser and the expansion valve are along the spiral shape of the first channel and the second channel, respectively, and are in opposite directions.
5 . The integrated thermal management module of claim 3 , wherein a first inlet portion of the first channel is disposed on a border portion of the spiral shape of the first channel, a first discharge portion of the first channel is disposed on a center portion of the spiral shape of the first channel, a second inlet portion of the second channel is disposed on a center portion of the spiral shape of the second channel, and a second discharge portion of the second channel is disposed on a border portion of the spiral shape of the second channel.
6 . The integrated thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant heat exchanger is formed integrally with the gas-liquid separator or is assembled to the gas-liquid separator.
7 . The integrated thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein the expansion valve is provided on the refrigerant heat exchanger and is connected to the refrigerant heat exchanger in a direction in which the refrigerant having a flow path between the condenser and the expansion valve is discharged.
8 . A method of operating an integrated thermal management module for a vehicle, the method comprising:
exchanging, using a refrigerant heat exchanger, heat of a refrigerant discharged from an evaporator with heat of the refrigerant having a flow path between a condenser and an expansion valve;
introducing the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator to an internal space of a gas-liquid separator after the exchanging of the heat of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator with the heat of the refrigerant having a flow path between the condenser and the expansion valve; and
supplying a portion of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator that is in a gas state from the internal space to a compressor, wherein the refrigerant heat exchanger comprises:
a first channel through which the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator is discharged to the internal space of the gas-liquid separator;
a second channel through which the refrigerant having a flow path between the condenser and the expansion valve is discharged to the expansion valve; and
a partition wall provided between the first channel and the second channel to separate the first channel and the second channel from each other;
wherein a cross-sectional area of each of the first channel and the second channel has a circular shape; and
wherein the partition wall is configured to cross a center of a circle of the circular shape.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the heat of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator is exchanged at the refrigerant heat exchanger provided on a refrigerant inlet side of the gas-liquid separator.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the refrigerant heat exchanger is formed integrally with the gas-liquid separator or is assembled to the gas-liquid separator.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the expansion valve is provided on the refrigerant heat exchanger and is connected to the refrigerant heat exchanger in a direction in which the refrigerant having a flow path between the condenser and the expansion valve is discharged.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the expansion valve is formed integrally with the gas-liquid separator or is assembled to the gas-liquid separator.
13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the internal space of the gas-liquid separator has a shape in which an open portion is formed at a first end portion of the gas-liquid separator and a hemispherical portion is formed at a second end portion of the gas-liquid separator.
14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the expansion valve is formed integrally with the gas-liquid separator or is assembled to the gas-liquid separator.
15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the first channel and the second channel of the refrigerant heat exchanger has a spiral shape, and wherein the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator and the refrigerant having a flow path between the condenser and the expansion valve flow along the spiral shape of the respective channels in opposite directions.
16 . An integrated thermal management module for a vehicle, the integrated thermal management module comprising:
a gas-liquid separator having an internal space configured to accommodate a refrigerant discharged from an evaporator, the gas-liquid separator being configured to supply to a compressor a portion of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator that is in a gas state in the internal space; and
a refrigerant heat exchanger provided on a refrigerant inlet side of the gas-liquid separator, the refrigerant heat exchanger being configured to exchange heat of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator with heat of the refrigerant having a flow path between a condenser and an expansion valve before the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator is introduced into the internal space of the gas-liquid separator, the refrigerant heat exchanger comprising:
a first channel through which the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator is discharged to the internal space of the gas-liquid separator;
a second channel through which the refrigerant having a flow path between the condenser and the expansion valve is discharged to the expansion valve; and
a partition wall provided between the first channel and the second channel to separate the first channel and the second channel from each other,
wherein each of the first channel and the second channel has a spiral shape, and wherein a first inlet portion of the first channel is disposed on a border portion of the spiral shape of the first channel, a first discharge portion of the first channel is disposed on a center portion of the spiral shape of the first channel, a second inlet portion of the second channel is disposed on a center portion of the spiral shape of the second channel, and a second discharge portion of the second channel is disposed on a border portion of the spiral shape of the second channel.
17 . The integrated thermal management module of claim 16 , wherein the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator and the refrigerant having a flow path between the condenser and the expansion valve flow along the spiral shape of the first channel and the second channel, respectively, and flow in opposite directions.
18 . The integrated thermal management module of claim 16 , wherein the refrigerant heat exchanger is formed integrally with the gas-liquid separator or is assembled to the gas-liquid separator.
19 . The integrated thermal management module of claim 16 , wherein the internal space of the gas-liquid separator has a shape in which an open portion is formed at a first end portion of the gas-liquid separator and a hemispherical portion is formed at a second end portion of the gas-liquid separator.
20 . The integrated thermal management module of claim 16 , wherein the partition wall has a material with a high thermal transfer efficiency and a strong corrosion resistance or strong durability against the refrigerant.