Individual Cabin Heat Exchangers for Vehicle Thermal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle cabin thermal control systems are inefficient in regulating temperature across multiple cabins from a single mixing chamber, leading to energy wastage and increased complexity, as they rely on electric heaters and hot air from propulsion engines, which are costly and complex to maintain.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that use individual heat exchangers associated with each cabin's supply conduit, connected to a thermal regulation loop, allowing for independent temperature adjustment of air from a mixing chamber using heat transfer fluids at varying temperatures, eliminating the need for electric heaters and hot air injections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single mixing chamber supplies air equally to all cabins, then the system structure is simple, but the temperature control precision for each cabin deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single mixed air stream into separate supply lines for each cabin, with individual temperature control mechanisms (electric heaters or hot air injection) installed on each line. This segmentation allows each cabin to receive air at its required temperature while maintaining a relatively simple central mixing chamber structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If electric heaters are used to adjust air temperature for each cabin, then the temperature regulation precision is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary hot air stream from the propulsion engines that serves as a heat source for temperature adjustment. Instead of relying solely on electric heaters, the system uses this thermal intermediary to preheat or supplement heating for cabin air supplies, reducing the energy burden on electric heating elements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hot air from propulsion engines is injected into cabin supply lines, then the temperature adjustment capability is improved, but the system complexity and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the propulsion engine air intake system serve a dual function: providing thrust for the vehicle and serving as a source of hot air for cabin temperature control. By extracting hot air from the engine air supply lines, the system gains temperature adjustment capability without adding dedicated heating equipment, thereby avoiding increased system complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If individual temperature control is implemented for each cabin, then the adaptability to different thermal needs is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the thermal management functions of multiple cabins into a unified system that uses a single mixed air chamber as the common source. By merging the air supply paths and using centralized mixing with distributed temperature adjustment points, the system achieves individual cabin adaptability while avoiding the complexity of completely independent temperature control systems for each cabin.
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 approach enables efficient, reliable, and cost-effective individual cabin temperature control, optimizing energy consumption and simplifying the thermal management system, while maintaining operation across various vehicle conditions.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heat exchanger, named individual exchanger, is associated with said supply conduit specific to this cabin, air from the mixing chamber passing through a first circuit of each individual exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and a device for thermally controlling a plurality of cabins of a vehicle from a mixing chamber supplied with air from at least one air supply device of which at least the temperature is controlled, each cabin being supplied with air by a supply conduit specific to this cabin. At least one cabin is supplied with air at a temperature adjusted by at least one individual exchanger associated with the supply conduit specific to this cabin, in which a second circuit is supplied with a heat transfer fluid from at least one heat transfer fluid thermal regulation loop of the vehicle. Also disclosed is a vehicle provided with at least one thermal control device.