Micro-tube type condenser integrated in automobile wheel hub unit

Abstract

This invention relates to a micro-tube condenser integrated into an automotive wheel hub unit. It includes an arc-shaped group of condensing bends and gas and liquid collection chambers connected to both ends of the condensing bends. An inlet pipe is provided on the gas collection chamber, and an outlet pipe is provided on the liquid collection chamber. Lateral fixing plates are provided on both sides of the condensing bends, connecting the gas and liquid collection chambers. Multiple inter-tube fixing plates are provided along the length of the condensing bends, each with fixing holes and vent holes for securing the condensing bends. This micro-tube condenser can be integrated into the wheel hub, occupying minimal space and enabling efficient heat exchange with external cooling air. It boasts high heat exchange performance, optimizing internal space utilization and effectively reducing vehicle weight. Furthermore, it provides more space for the layout of other components of the wheel hub motor, propelling the wheel hub motor drive system towards higher integration and superior performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of heat dissipation technology for wheel hub motors, and more specifically to a micro-tube type condenser integrated into an automotive wheel hub unit. Background Technology

[0002] Current mainstream heat dissipation methods (air cooling, water cooling, oil cooling) all have drawbacks: air cooling is inefficient, water cooling increases weight, and oil cooling has additional losses, making it difficult to balance efficiency and lightweight design.

[0003] To address the heat dissipation issue of the hub motor and its electronic control system, an immersion boiling cooling scheme using an insulating cooling medium is proposed. The condenser, as the core component, dissipates heat through forced convection heat exchange with external cooling air. Given the limited space in the hub motor, the integrated and miniaturized design of the condenser is crucial for ensuring the efficient operation of the entire cooling system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a micro-tube condenser integrated into the automotive wheel hub unit, which can be integrated into the wheel hub, occupying little space, and can fully exchange heat with the external cooling air, with high heat exchange performance.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A micro-tube condenser integrated into an automotive wheel hub unit includes an arc-shaped group of condensing bends and a gas accumulation chamber and a liquid accumulation chamber connected to both ends of the condensing bends. An air inlet pipe is provided on the gas accumulation chamber, and a liquid outlet pipe is provided on the liquid accumulation chamber. Lateral fixing plates are provided on both sides of the condensing bends, connecting the gas accumulation chamber and the liquid accumulation chamber together. Multiple inter-tube fixing plates are provided along the length of the condensing bends, each with fixing holes and vent holes for fixing the condensing bends within the condensing bends.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the condenser bends extend in an arc shape; the central angle of the condenser bends is 70°-110°.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the condenser bend group is composed of multiple condenser bends arranged in a rectangular array.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the condenser bend is a round tube with an outer diameter of 1.0-1.8 mm and a wall thickness of 0.1-0.2 mm; the diameter of the vent hole is 0.7-0.9 mm.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the total number of condenser bends in the condenser bend group is 513, 658, 780, or 908.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, ventilation holes are provided on the lateral fixing plate.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lateral fixing plate is a fan-shaped plate corresponding to the side of the condensing bend group. The inter-pipe fixing plate is arranged along the radial direction of the condensing bend group. Multiple first clamping plates are evenly arranged at both ends of the inter-pipe fixing plate connected to the lateral fixing plate. The lateral fixing plate is provided with a first clamping groove corresponding to the first clamping plate. The ventilation holes are arranged between the corresponding positions of adjacent inter-pipe fixing plates on the lateral fixing plate and between the corresponding positions of the inter-pipe fixing plates on the lateral fixing plate and the ends of the lateral fixing plates. The ventilation holes are fan-shaped.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the gas accumulation chamber and the liquid accumulation chamber have the same structure, including a second panel disposed on the outer side, a third panel disposed on the inner side, a first panel connected between the upper and lower ends of the second panel and the third panel, and the ends of lateral fixing plates connected to the front and rear sides of the second panel and the third panel. The third panel is provided with connection holes corresponding to each condensation bend. Multiple second clamping plates are evenly disposed at both ends of the third panel connected to the lateral fixing plates, and the lateral fixing plates are provided with second clamping grooves corresponding to the second clamping plates.

[0014] A hub motor cooling system includes an annular evaporator and the aforementioned condenser, wherein the annular evaporator is disposed inside the hub motor and the condenser is disposed on the upper front side of the hub motor.

[0015] An automotive wheel hub unit includes an automotive wheel hub, a wheel hub motor, an electronic control chip, and the aforementioned wheel hub motor cooling system.

[0016] The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are as follows:

[0017] The micro-tube condenser provided by this invention features a quarter-circumference curved tube design. By precisely adapting to the arc geometry of the wheel hub motor and the car wheel hub, it achieves integrated integration with the internal space of the car wheel hub, completely breaking the space limitations of traditional condensers. While ensuring that heat exchange function is not affected, its curved surface layout, which conforms to the annular evaporator, minimizes the space occupied by the condensing device. This miniaturized design lays a solid foundation for the compact design of wheel hub motor systems, not only optimizing internal space utilization but also reducing unnecessary structural redundancy and effectively reducing the overall vehicle weight. It also leaves more space for the layout of other wheel hub motor components, propelling wheel hub motor drive systems towards higher integration and superior performance.

[0018] The lateral fixing plate features a perforated structure with ventilation holes, achieving rigid fixation of the inter-pipe fixing plate while creating a lateral flow channel for cooling air. During vehicle operation, cooling air from the external environment enters through the ventilation holes above the condenser and on the outside of the wheel hub, exiting through the ventilation holes on the inside of the wheel hub for heat exchange. This structure guides the cooling air around the wheel hub to directly exchange heat with the outer surface of the condenser bend. The airflow disturbance effect in the perforated area increases the effective heat exchange area, overcoming the limitations of traditional fixing plates that only provide mechanical fixation, and significantly improving the condenser's heat exchange performance.

[0019] The tube fixing plate has evenly distributed circular holes with a diameter of 0.7-0.9mm, which optimizes the flow path of cooling air while ensuring stable fixation of the condenser bend. Compared with traditional fixing plates with fewer holes, this micro-aperture design reduces obstruction to the cooling air volume and velocity, allowing the airflow to exchange heat more fully with the condenser bend, effectively improving the heat exchange efficiency of the condenser. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention from another angle.

[0022] Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure after removing the condenser bend group in this invention.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the condenser bend group in this invention.

[0025] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air inlet flange and the air accumulation chamber in this invention.

[0027] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of point B in the middle.

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pipe fixing plate in this invention.

[0029] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A magnified view of a portion of point C in the middle.

[0030] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the annular evaporator and the condenser in this invention.

[0031] The components are as follows: 1. Gas accumulation chamber, 2. Liquid accumulation chamber, 3. Condensation bend group, 4. Side fixing plate, 401 first slot, 402 second slot, 5. Ventilation hole, 6. Pipe fixing plate, 601 fixing hole, 602 vent hole, 603 first clamping plate, 7. Air inlet pipe, 8. Air inlet flange, 9. Liquid outlet pipe, 10. Liquid outlet flange, 11. First panel, 12. Second panel, 13. Third panel, 1301 connecting hole, 1302 second clamping plate, 14. Hub motor, 15. Motor winding, 16. Airtight container, 17. Coolant, 18. Bubble pump, 19. Bubble, 20. Electronic control chip, 21. Steam outlet, 22. Liquid return port. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0033] like Figures 1-4 The illustration shows a micro-tube condenser integrated into an automotive wheel hub unit. It includes an arc-shaped condenser bend group 3 and a gas accumulation chamber 1 and a liquid accumulation chamber 2 connected to both ends of the condenser bend group 3. The gas accumulation chamber 1 is equipped with an inlet pipe 7, and the liquid accumulation chamber 2 is equipped with an outlet pipe 9. The inlet pipe 7 and the outlet pipe 9 are connected to the steam outlet 21 and the liquid return port 22 of an annular evaporator, respectively. The inlet pipe 7 is equipped with an inlet flange 8 (CF25 flange), and the inlet pipe 9 is equipped with an outlet flange 10 (CF16 flange). Lateral fixing plates 4 are provided on both sides of the condenser bend group 3, connecting the gas accumulation chamber 1 and the liquid accumulation chamber 2 together. Multiple inter-pipe fixing plates 6 are arranged along the length direction (i.e., the arc-shaped direction) of the condenser bend group 3. Each inter-pipe fixing plate 6 is equipped with fixing holes 601 and vent holes 602, used to fix the condenser bends in the condenser bend group 3.

[0034] The gas accumulation chamber 1 stores and buffers the steam discharged from the steam outlet 21 of the annular evaporator before it enters the condenser bend group 3. The condenser bend group 3 allows the steam inside to exchange heat with the outside air through convection, causing the steam in the condenser bend group 3 to undergo phase change and become condensate, which then flows back into the annular evaporator. The liquid accumulation chamber 2 stores the condensate cooled in the condenser bend group 3 before it enters the annular evaporator through the liquid return port 22. The lateral fixing plate 4 is used to fix the gas accumulation chamber 1, the liquid accumulation chamber 2, and the inter-tube fixing plate 6 into a whole.

[0035] In this embodiment, three pipe fixing plates 6 are provided, which are evenly arranged between the gas accumulation chamber 1 and the liquid accumulation chamber 2, respectively fixing the upper half, middle half and lower half of the condensation bend group 3.

[0036] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the condenser bend group 3 is composed of multiple condenser bends arranged in a rectangular array, and the two ends of the condenser bends in the condenser bend group 3 are set flush with each other.

[0037] The condenser bend group 3 extends in an arc shape; the central angle of the condenser bend group 3 is 70°-110°, preferably 90°.

[0038] In this embodiment, the condenser bend is a circular tube with an outer diameter of 1.0-1.8 mm, preferably 1.1 mm, and a wall thickness of 0.1-0.2 mm, preferably 0.1 mm; the vent hole 602 has a diameter of 0.7-0.9 mm, preferably 0.8 mm. The total number of condenser bends in the condenser bend group 3 is approximately 513-908, for example, 513, 658, 780, or 908. Preferably, there are 780 bends. When the total number of condenser bends is 780, they are arranged in a 26*30 rectangular array, with 26 bends arranged vertically along the side fixing plate 4 and 30 bends arranged radially along the side fixing plate 4. The structure of the condenser bends ensures maximum heat dissipation from the condenser to the outside.

[0039] like Figures 1-4 As shown, the lateral fixing plate 4 is provided with ventilation holes 5. By setting ventilation holes 5, a hollow structure design is achieved, which can realize the function of lateral ventilation, so that the lateral air can fully exchange heat with the condenser bend group 3.

[0040] like Figures 1-4 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the lateral fixing plate 4 is a fan-shaped plate corresponding to the side of the condenser bend group 3. The inter-pipe fixing plate 6 is arranged along the radial direction of the condenser bend group 3. Multiple first clamping plates 603 are evenly arranged at both ends of the inter-pipe fixing plate 6 connected to the lateral fixing plate 4. Multiple first clamping slots 401 corresponding to the first clamping plates 603 are evenly opened on the lateral fixing plate 4 along the radial direction. The ventilation holes 5 are arranged between the corresponding positions of adjacent inter-pipe fixing plates 6 on the lateral fixing plate 4 and between the corresponding positions of inter-pipe fixing plates 6 and the ends of the lateral fixing plate 4. The ventilation holes 5 are large fan-shaped through holes. Alternatively, the ventilation holes 5 can also be multiple evenly distributed small through holes.

[0041] like Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the gas accumulation chamber 1 and liquid accumulation chamber 2 have the same structure, including a second panel 12 on the outer side, a third panel 13 on the inner side, a first panel 11 connecting the upper and lower ends of the second panel 12 and the third panel 13, and the ends of lateral fixing plates 4 connecting the front and rear sides of the second panel 12 and the third panel 13. The third panel 13 is provided with connection holes 1301 corresponding to each condenser bend, and the ends of the condenser bends are fixedly connected to the connection holes 1301. Multiple second clamping plates 1302 are evenly provided at both ends of the third panel 13 connected to the lateral fixing plates 4. Multiple second clamping grooves 402 corresponding to the second clamping plates 1302 are opened along the radial direction on the lateral fixing plates 4 to facilitate the installation and positioning of the third panel 13. The panels in the gas accumulation chamber 1 and liquid accumulation chamber 2 are welded together at the connection points between the panels and the lateral fixing plates 4, so that the gas accumulation chamber 1 and liquid accumulation chamber 2 are completely sealed, and the condenser bend group 3 can be connected to the annular evaporator. To ensure the overall structural strength and stability of the condenser, the tube fixing plate 6 and the side plate fixing plate 4 are also fixed by welding.

[0042] like Figure 11 As shown, the present invention also provides a hub motor cooling system, which includes an annular evaporator and the micro-tube condenser. The annular evaporator is disposed inside the hub motor 14, and the condenser is disposed on the outside of the hub motor 14 (i.e., the outside of the car wheel hub), which is located in front and above. The front refers to the direction of the car's forward movement. By placing the condenser at the front and slightly above the hub motor 14, it is beneficial for cooling air to enter the condenser bend group 3 from the top and outer side of the condenser.

[0043] In in-wheel motor cooling systems, addressing the heat generation of high-power motors and the integrated thermal management of the motor and electronic control chip are key challenges. This invention employs immersion boiling cooling for the electronic control chip, achieving efficient cooling through direct contact with an insulating cooling medium that causes it to boil. However, the limited space in automotive wheel hubs and the significant heat generation of high-power motors make traditional condensers difficult to integrate and inefficient in heat exchange. The miniaturized design of the condenser offers significant advantages, precisely adapting to the confined space of the wheel hub, overcoming the spatial limitations of traditional condensers, and enabling deep integration with the in-wheel motor system. Furthermore, by optimizing the structure and layout, maximizing the contact area with outside air within a limited space effectively improves heat exchange efficiency, providing a superior solution to the in-wheel motor cooling problem.

[0044] Therefore, to overcome the drawbacks of condensers being difficult to integrate into car wheel hubs and the limited heat exchange area between the condenser and the outside air, the micro-tube condenser designed in this invention is a quarter-circumference bent tube, perfectly fitting the arc shape of the car wheel hub. This maximizes the length of the condenser tubes to ensure sufficient phase change and increases the heat exchange area with the outside air. The hollow structure of the side fixing plate 4 allows the condenser bend tube group 3 to exchange heat with the side airflow, and the evenly distributed 0.8mm diameter vent holes 602 on the inter-tube fixing plate 6 increase the airflow between the tubes and reduce wind resistance, maximizing the heat exchange between the condenser and the outside air.

[0045] The annular evaporator is an annular, airtight container 16 located inside the hub motor 14, used to encapsulate the cooling medium. The lower part of the airtight container 16 contains coolant 17, and the upper part of the container has a steam outlet 21, while the lower part has a return outlet 22. A bubble pump 18 is installed on the inner wall of the airtight container 16. Due to gravity, the coolant 17 is located in the lower half of the airtight container 16. To promote heat transfer in the upper half, the bubble pump 18 transports the cooling medium to the upper part of the container. The bubble pump 18 uses the rising airflow generated by the rising bubbles to drive the coolant 17 upwards, thereby ensuring relatively uniform cooling of the entire hub motor 14. The electronic control chip 20 is located on the inner wall of the airtight container 16, and its location is adjacent to the cooling medium.

[0046] During operation, the heat generated by the hub motor 14 and the electronic control chip is absorbed by the cooling medium of the annular evaporator. The liquid cooling medium undergoes a phase change and evaporates into steam. The steam enters the gas accumulation chamber 1 through the steam outlet 21, the CF25 flange, and the air inlet pipe 7. Due to pressure changes, the steam in the gas accumulation chamber 1 enters the condensation bend pipe group 3. The steam in the pipe group condenses into coolant through convection heat exchange with the external cooling air and enters the liquid accumulation chamber 2. Then, it flows back to the airtight container 16 through the liquid outlet pipe 9, the liquid outlet flange 10, and the liquid return port 22, thus realizing the circulation of the cooling medium.

[0047] It should be noted that the phase change cooling medium is an insulating cooling medium, with Novec 7100 being the preferred insulating medium, but it is not limited to electronic fluorinated liquids and can be selected according to the operating temperature range of the hub motor 14 and the electronic control chip.

[0048] This invention is used for highly integrated cooling of hub motors. The micro-tube condenser designed in this invention enables two-phase flow circulation cooling in the cooling of high-power hub motors 14. Compared with conventional condensers, it can achieve stable cooling of hub motors 14 while they are in operation.

[0049] In addition, the present invention also provides an automotive wheel hub unit, which includes an automotive wheel hub, a wheel hub motor 14, an electronic control chip 20, and a wheel hub motor heat dissipation system.

[0050] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A micro-tube type condenser integrated into an automotive wheel hub unit, characterized in that: It includes an arc-shaped condenser bend group (3) and an air accumulation chamber (1) and a liquid accumulation chamber (2) respectively connected to the two ends of the condenser bend group (3). An air inlet pipe (7) is provided on the air accumulation chamber (1), and a liquid outlet pipe (9) is provided on the liquid accumulation chamber (2). Lateral fixing plates (4) are provided on both sides of the condenser bend group (3), and the air accumulation chamber (1) and the liquid accumulation chamber (2) are connected together by the lateral fixing plates (4). Multiple inter-pipe fixing plates (6) are provided on the condenser bend group (3) along its length direction. The inter-pipe fixing plates (6) are provided with fixing holes (601) and vent holes (602). The condenser bends in the condenser bend group (3) are fixed by fixing holes (601). Ventilation holes (5) are provided on the lateral fixing plate (4); The lateral fixing plate (4) is a fan-shaped plate corresponding to the side of the condensing bend group (3). The inter-pipe fixing plate (6) is arranged along the radial direction of the condensing bend group (3). Multiple first clamping plates (603) are evenly arranged at both ends of the inter-pipe fixing plate (6) connected to the lateral fixing plate (4). The lateral fixing plate (4) is provided with a first clamping groove (401) corresponding to the first clamping plate (603). The ventilation hole (5) is arranged between the corresponding positions of adjacent inter-pipe fixing plates (6) on the lateral fixing plate (4) and between the corresponding positions of inter-pipe fixing plates (6) on the lateral fixing plate (4) and the end of the lateral fixing plate (4). The ventilation hole (5) is fan-shaped.

2. The micro-tube condenser integrated into an automotive wheel hub unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The condenser bend group (3) is composed of multiple condenser bends arranged in a rectangular array.

3. A micro-tube condenser integrated into an automotive wheel hub unit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The condenser bend group (3) extends in an arc shape; the central angle of the condenser bend group (3) is 70°-110°.

4. A micro-tube condenser integrated into an automotive wheel hub unit according to claim 3, characterized in that: The condenser bend is a round tube with an outer diameter of 1.0-1.8 mm and a wall thickness of 0.1-0.2 mm; the vent hole (602) has a diameter of 0.7-0.9 mm.

5. A micro-tube condenser integrated into an automotive wheel hub unit according to claim 4, characterized in that: The total number of condensing bends in the condensing bend group (3) is 513, 658, 780 or 908.

6. A micro-tube condenser integrated into an automotive wheel hub unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas accumulation chamber (1) and liquid accumulation chamber (2) have the same structure, including a second panel (12) on the outside, a third panel (13) on the inside, a first panel (11) connecting the upper and lower ends of the second panel (12) and the third panel (13), and the ends of the lateral fixing plates (4) connecting the front and rear sides of the second panel (12) and the third panel (13). The third panel (13) is provided with connection holes (1301) corresponding to each condenser bend. Multiple second clamping plates (1302) are evenly provided at both ends of the third panel (13) connected to the lateral fixing plate (4). The lateral fixing plate (4) is provided with second clamping slots (402) corresponding to the second clamping plates (1302).

7. A hub motor cooling system, characterized in that: It includes an annular evaporator and a condenser as described in any one of claims 1-6, wherein the annular evaporator is disposed inside the hub motor (14) and the condenser is disposed on the front upper side of the hub motor (14).

8. A type of automotive wheel hub unit, characterized in that: It includes an automobile wheel hub, a wheel hub motor (14), an electronic control chip (20), and the wheel hub motor cooling system as described in claim 7.

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