Air Conditioning Columns for Electric Bus Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electric buses, the traditional heat pump layout delivers hot air at ceiling level, which is uncomfortable for passengers during heating, necessitating the use of dedicated pipes to divert hot air to the floor, increasing costs and space usage.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning system with columns and joining means that connect to both the ceiling and floor, allowing conditioned air to be directed to the interior, using a valve to manage airflow between top and bottom, eliminating the need for dedicated pipes and enhancing passenger comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the heat pump is installed on the roof to deliver hot air at ceiling level, then the cooling function is optimized, but the heating comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air distribution system is made dynamic through the use of a three-way valve that can redirect airflow between different outlets based on the selected mode (cooling or heating). This allows the system to adapt its behavior to different operational requirements, delivering cold air to ceiling outlets during cooling and hot air to floor outlets during heating, thereby resolving the contradiction between cooling optimization and heating comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of airflow destination by using a three-way valve to switch between two different outlet configurations. During cooling, airflow is directed to ceiling outlets; during heating, the same airflow is redirected to floor outlets. This parameter change allows the single heat pump installation to serve both cooling and heating functions effectively without compromising either performance
2Ease of operation
If dedicated pipes are added to divert hot air to the floor, then heating comfort is improved, but device complexity and space usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the cooling and heating air distribution functions into a single integrated system. The existing ceiling outlets and floor outlets are combined with a three-way valve that can direct airflow to either set of outlets based on the operational mode. This merging eliminates the need for separate dedicated pipe systems for heating, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining heating comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The air distribution system is designed with multi-functionality, where the same heat pump and airflow system serve both cooling and heating purposes. By equipping the system with a three-way valve and dual outlet configurations (ceiling and floor), the system becomes universal, capable of adapting to different thermal comfort requirements without requiring additional dedicated infrastructure
3Ease of operation
If dedicated pipes are added to divert hot air to the floor, then heating comfort is improved, but installation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the cooling and heating air distribution functions into a single integrated system. The existing ceiling outlets and floor outlets are combined with a three-way valve that can direct airflow to either set of outlets based on the operational mode. This merging eliminates the need for separate dedicated pipe systems for heating, reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The air distribution system is designed with multi-functionality, where the same heat pump and airflow system serve both cooling and heating purposes. By equipping the system with a three-way valve and dual outlet configurations (ceiling and floor), the system becomes universal, capable of adapting to different thermal comfort requirements without requiring additional dedicated 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
Enables comfortable heating and cooling by circulating air to the desired level without dedicated pipes, reducing costs and space usage while improving passenger comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a three-way valve configured to direct the flow of conditioned air to either the top outlet or the bottom outlet
Implementation Method 2
an air conditioning module configured to produce (hot or cold) conditioned air in order to condition the air inside the bus
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
Air conditioning system (7) for a vehicle (1) for the public transport of passengers comprising a conditioned air source, the system (7) comprises a plurality of support columns (5) for the passengers of the vehicle and first and second means (10, 11) for joining each of the plurality of columns (5) to the ceiling (4) and to the floor (3) of the vehicle, each of the first joining means (10) being configured to join a top end of one of the columns (5) to the conditioned air source, each of the plurality of columns (5) being configured to allow the passage of conditioned air to its interior, the first and second joining means (10, 11) also being configured to allow the passage of conditioned air towards the interior of the vehicle (1).