Aircraft Battery Cooling via Wing Pressure Differential
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft cooling systems for batteries often rely on fans or ventilators, which increase noise, maintenance, and production costs, and pose risks due to the presence of a fan as a potential spark source in battery compartments.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system utilizing the Venturi effect to create a cooling air flow between an air inlet on the pressure side and an air outlet on the suction side of an aircraft wing, eliminating the need for fans and ensuring reliable, low-cost, and safe cooling by leveraging pressure differences to dissipate heat without liquid cooling mediums.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fans or ventilators are used to cool batteries in aircraft wings, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but noise level increases and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the fan or ventilator from the cooling system, replacing active mechanical cooling with passive cooling utilizing natural air flow through the wing structure. This eliminates the noise source while maintaining cooling functionality through strategically positioned air inlets and outlets.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system utilizes the aircraft's own motion through the air to generate cooling air flow. The wing structure itself serves as the cooling device, with air inlets and outlets positioned to exploit pressure differentials created during flight, making the system self-sufficient without external power sources.
2Temperature
If fans or ventilators are used to cool batteries, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fan component is completely removed from the system, eliminating the need for maintenance of moving parts, bearings, motors, and associated electrical systems. The passive cooling system has no consumable or wear-prone components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the aircraft's flight characteristics to generate cooling air flow automatically, requiring no external power source or control systems. This eliminates maintenance of electrical systems, control electronics, and power transmission components.
3Temperature
If fans are installed in battery compartments, then cooling is achieved, but safety risks increase due to potential spark sources
Solution Approach 1:
The fan is removed from the battery compartment, eliminating the primary spark source. The passive cooling system uses only static structural elements (air inlets, outlets, and wing geometry) that cannot generate sparks, thereby intrinsically improving safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling air flow is generated by the aircraft's motion and pressure differentials rather than mechanical means, eliminating the need for motors, switches, and electrical connections that could create ignition sources in the potentially explosive atmosphere around lithium-ion batteries.
4Temperature
If liquid cooling systems are used, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic cooling (air flow) instead of hydraulic cooling (liquid circulation). By utilizing the aircraft's flight environment and natural air pressure differentials, the system achieves effective cooling without pumps, hoses, radiators, or liquid coolant, significantly reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exploits the aircraft's motion through the atmosphere to generate the cooling medium (air flow) automatically. The wing structure itself creates the necessary pressure differentials through its aerodynamic design, eliminating the need for external cooling infrastructure.
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
This solution provides a reliable, low-cost, and safe cooling method that reduces noise and maintenance costs while preventing the risk of explosive gas mixtures, ensuring efficient heat dissipation and enhanced safety by eliminating the need for fans and liquid cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
A flow dynamics area is known from US 2010/303634 A1... the air is naturally compressed... a flow of cooling air in a moving vehicle is established by fitting an air inlet and an air outlet at suitable locations on the vehicle. Suitable places for an air intake are places with a relatively high pressure. Due to the Venturi effect, the high pressure spots are where the air moves relatively slowly around the vehicle.
Implementation Method 2
The external flow 3 brushing past the wing 1 creates a pressure difference between the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 in such a way that a cooling air flow 4 occurs inside the wing 1... The pressure difference between the air inlet and air outlet creates an air flow from air inlet to air outlet.
Implementation Method 3
The cooling can be achieved in that the component to be cooled is directly swept over by a flow of cooling air... The cooling serves to dissipate the heat generated by losses to the environment... This solution provides a reliable, low-cost, and safe cooling method that reduces noise and maintenance costs while preventing the risk of explosive gas mixtures, ensuring efficient heat dissipation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for cooling a component (2) in a vehicle by means of a cooling air flow (4), wherein the device has at least one air inlet (11) and at least one air outlet (12), which are arranged such that the cooling air flow (4) is adjusted from the air inlet (11) to the air outlet (12) as a result of a difference in pressure produced during movement of the vehicle as a result of varying high flow velocities of the ambient air. The invention also relates to a method for cooling a component (2) in a vehicle by means of an above-named device.