Active Suspension Heat Exchange Using the Vehicle Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle active suspension systems face challenges in managing heat exchange efficiently, particularly in varying environmental conditions, without affecting other thermal users or requiring complex and costly solutions.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchange system integrates a common heat exchanger with oil and water/glycol circuits, utilizing metal pipes without insulation to transfer heat to the vehicle frame, and adjusts flow rates using control units to optimize heat distribution between the frame and exchanger, balancing temperatures and maximizing heat recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If heat is transferred from the oil cooling circuit to the heat exchange liquid (water/glycol) circuit through a heat exchanger, then heat recovery for passenger compartment heating is improved, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the active suspension cooling circuit with the vehicle's existing HVAC heat exchange circuit. The oil cooling circuit and water/glycol circuit share a common heat exchanger, merging two thermal management functions into a single integrated system. This allows heat recovery from the suspension to the HVAC system without requiring a completely separate heat exchange system.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger serves multiple functions: it cools the active suspension components by transferring heat from the oil circuit, and simultaneously provides heating to the passenger compartment by transferring that heat to the water/glycol circuit. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each thermal management task.
2Temperature
If the heat exchange liquid temperature is already high, then passenger compartment heating efficiency is improved, but the ability to remove heat from the suspension oil is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the flow rates of both the oil circuit and water/glycol circuit through controllable pumps. When the water/glycol temperature is high and suitable for heating, the system increases water flow through the heat exchanger to maximize heat recovery. When the water/glycol temperature is too high to effectively cool the oil, the system reduces water flow or redirects the oil flow to alternative cooling paths, maintaining optimal heat exchange efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (flow rates, pump speeds) based on real-time temperature conditions. By adjusting the flow rate parameters of the oil and water/glycol circuits, the system adapts to varying temperature differentials and maintains effective heat transfer between the suspension cooling circuit and the HVAC system under different operating conditions.
3Loss of energy
If a complex heat management system with multiple circuits is implemented, then heat recovery capability is improved, but the number of components and layout complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the active suspension thermal management system with the vehicle's existing HVAC system by sharing the water/glycol heat exchange circuit. This merging approach allows heat recovery functionality to be added without completely redesigning or duplicating existing thermal management infrastructure, thereby reducing the total number of separate components and circuits required.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively manages suspension temperatures within an optimal range, recovers heat for passenger compartment heating, and maintains efficient operation with minimal components and cost, while utilizing the frame as a heat sink.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger, which, in turn, allows the circulating oil to cool, for example by transferring heat to an air flow
Implementation Method 2
transfer the heat of the oil to a heat exchange liquid (for example, a mixture of water and glycol)
Implementation Method 3
utilizing metal pipes without insulation to transfer heat to the vehicle frame
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle has a metal frame, active suspensions for supporting respective wheels, and a heat exchange system for managing heat of at least one component of the active suspensions; the heat exchange system is provided with a heat exchange circuit, which has a pump for supplying a heat exchange liquid, a heat exchanger, at least one heat exchange segment in the active suspensions, a return branch from the active suspensions towards the pump, and a delivery branch from the pump towards the active suspensions; at least one of the return and delivery branches comprises a metal pipe, which is free of thermal insulators and is arranged along the metal frame to transfer heat to the latter; in particular, the heat exchange is adjusted by varying the speed of the pump.