Bidirectional Pump Drive Train Cooling Arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive train cooling arrangements for motor vehicles are inefficient in terms of energy consumption and production costs, particularly when supplying multiple cooling circuits, and often require complex electromagnetically controlled valves that demand high cleanliness standards.
Innovation Solution
A bidirectional pump-driven cooling arrangement that uses ATF oil for both cooling and lubrication, allowing simultaneous or alternating coolant supply to multiple circuits based on demand, with a modular design that eliminates the need for electromagnetically controlled valves and reduces energy consumption by only operating when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate pumps are used for cooling wet-running multi-plate clutches and for lubricating transmissions, then each component can be cooled/lubricated independently, but the device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cooling circuits (clutch cooling and transmission cooling) into a single integrated cooling system that uses one pump to supply coolant to both circuits. This merging approach reduces the number of pumps from two separate pumps to one shared pump, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to independently control cooling to each circuit through separate flow control valves.
2Ease of operation
If electromagnetically controlled valve arrangements are used to control coolant flow, then coolant distribution can be precisely controlled, but manufacturing and assembly cleanliness demands increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs electromagnetically controlled valve arrangements that serve multiple functions: controlling coolant flow to the clutch cooling circuit, controlling coolant flow to the transmission cooling circuit, and enabling selective activation of different cooling circuits based on operational requirements. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of valves needed while maintaining precise flow control capability, thereby reducing the cumulative cleanliness demands during manufacturing and assembly.
3Reliability
If multiple separate cooling circuits are provided for hybrid drive trains, then all components can be cooled simultaneously, but energy consumption and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic cooling system where a single pump alternates between supplying coolant to different cooling circuits based on real-time cooling demands. The system uses flow control valves and control logic to dynamically redirect coolant flow to the clutch cooling circuit or transmission cooling circuit as needed, and can even supply both circuits simultaneously when required. This dynamic allocation allows the system to maintain adequate cooling coverage for all components while consuming less energy than would be required to operate multiple pumps continuously.
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 enables efficient thermal management of drive trains with reduced energy consumption and production costs, maintaining coolant purity and preventing overheating, while allowing adaptation to various transmission configurations and driving conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a pump electric motor (34), by means of which the pump (32) can be driven in both directions of rotation
Implementation Method 2
a bidirectional pump (32), having a first pump connection (35A) and a second pump connection (35B), by means of which a coolant volume flow can be supplied to a clutch cooling circuit (36) and/or to at least one further cooling circuit (44, 45)
Implementation Method 3
a first check valve (38), which opens in a first direction of flow and closes in a second direction of flow
Implementation Method 4
a first cooling circuit (36) which can be used, for example, to cool a wet-running multi-plate clutch or a set of two wet-running multi-plate clutches (14) of a double-clutch transmission (16)
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a drive train cooling arrangement (30) for motor vehicles, comprising a first cooling circuit (36) and a second cooling circuit (44, 45) and comprising a pump arrangement (32), by means of which coolant can be fed to the first and the second cooling circuit. The pump arrangement has a bidirectional pump (32) which has a first pump connection (35A) and a second pump connection (35B) and which can be driven by a pump electric motor (34). The first pump connection (35A) is connected to the first cooling circuit (36), and the second pump connection (35B) is connected to the second cooling circuit (44, 45). A coolant volumetric flow rate (74; 86, 88) which is provided for the first and/or the second cooling circuit can be adjusted by changing the rotational speed of the pump electric motor (34).