Vehicle Control Unit Cooling Module With Adaptive Fin Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle control units face inefficient cooling at low temperatures due to the high viscosity of ethylene glycol-based coolants, leading to reduced volumetric flow rate and increased pressure, which complicates the cooling process and requires more powerful, expensive pumps.
Innovation Solution
A cooling module with a turbulence insert and bimetallic actuator that displaces cooling fins based on temperature changes, maintaining a constant volumetric flow rate and pressure loss across a wide temperature range, preventing coolant clumping and enhancing heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If ethylene glycol is added to cooling water to prevent freezing at low temperatures, then the coolant can function in temperature ranges down to -40°C, but the viscosity of the coolant increases significantly below -10°C, leading to decreased volumetric flow rate and increased pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system employs a bimetallic actuator that dynamically adjusts the geometry of cooling fins based on temperature. At low temperatures, the bimetallic strip changes shape to increase the spacing between cooling fins, reducing resistance to coolant flow and maintaining volumetric flow rate despite the increased viscosity of the ethylene glycol-based coolant.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of cooling fin spacing in response to temperature changes. The bimetallic actuator modifies the geometric parameters of the heat dissipation structure, increasing fin spacing at low temperatures to compensate for the increased coolant viscosity and maintain effective cooling performance across the operating temperature range.
2Productivity
If a more powerful cooling pump is used to compensate for decreased volumetric flow rate at low temperatures, then the cooling performance can be maintained, but the system becomes more complicated and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system uses the temperature-dependent shape change of the bimetallic actuator to automatically adjust cooling fin spacing, creating a self-regulating mechanism that maintains cooling performance without requiring external control systems or more powerful pumps. The system serves itself by using the temperature effect to drive the geometric adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the need for a more powerful mechanical pump with a passive geometric adjustment mechanism. Instead of increasing pump power to overcome increased viscosity, the system uses the bimetallic actuator to modify the flow path geometry, reducing flow resistance and maintaining performance with the existing pump.
3Temperature
If cooling fins are used to improve heat transfer, then cooling efficiency increases, but the cooling fins create resistance to coolant flow at low temperatures, further decreasing volumetric flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fins are designed with dynamic spacing capability through the bimetallic actuator mechanism. At low temperatures, the fins are automatically spaced further apart, reducing flow resistance and maintaining coolant flow velocity. At higher temperatures, the fins can be positioned closer together to maximize heat transfer surface area and cooling efficiency.
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 solution ensures efficient cooling performance across −40° C. to +90° C., avoiding coolant clumping and maintaining consistent flow and pressure, thus improving the overall cooling efficiency and durability of the system.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one first bimetal is placed such that the at least one group of first cooling fins are displaced, based on a temperature-dependent change in the shape of the at least one first bimetal
Implementation Method 2
The turbulence insert comprises at least first cooling fins... generating a turbulent flow of the coolant through the cooling module
Implementation Method 3
conducting a coolant through a cooling module, wherein the cooling module is in thermal contact with the vehicle control unit
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a cooling module for a vehicle control unit, comprising a cooling element, connections for conducting a coolant through the cooling element, a turbulence insert placed in the cooling element comprising at least first cooling fins, and at least one first bimetal located in the cooling element, wherein the at least one first bimetal is placed such that it displaces the at least one group of first cooling fins depending on a temperature-dependent shape change of the at least one first bimetal. The invention also relates to a vehicle control unit with a cooling module and a method for water cooling a vehicle control unit.