Multi-Stage Charge Air Cooling via Compression and Expansion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling arrangements for turbocharged internal combustion engines, such as charge-air coolers, require significant structural space and negatively impact the energy balance of vehicles due to inefficient cooling methods.
Innovation Solution
A cooling arrangement with multiple compressor and expansion stages connected in parallel, driven independently by electric motors, allowing for precise control and flexibility, including bypass arrangements to optimize energy use and structural compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a charge-air cooler is used to cool the compressed charge air, then the charge air can be cooled effectively, but a relatively large cooling surface is required which occupies significant structural space
Solution Approach 1:
The charge air cooling process is divided into multiple compression stages with intermediate cooling. The compressor is segmented into at least two compression stages, with a cooling device positioned between them. This allows progressive cooling of the charge air without requiring a single large cooling surface, as each stage handles a portion of the total temperature reduction requirement.
2Temperature
If an air-conditioning compressor is used to cool the compressed charge air, then the charge air can be cooled, but this has a major adverse effect on the energy balance of the motor vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged with the compression process itself. Instead of using a separate air-conditioning compressor to cool the charge air, the system uses a multi-stage compressor with intermediate cooling. The compression and cooling functions are integrated into a single system, eliminating the need for additional energy-consuming cooling components and improving the overall energy balance.
3Temperature
If a cooling device is provided between a single compressor stage and a single expansion stage, then the charge air can be cooled, but the arrangement has little flexibility with regard to structural-space-specific and drive-specific requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The compressor is divided into multiple compression stages that can be independently configured. Each stage can be adapted to specific structural space constraints and drive requirements. The system can be customized by adjusting the number of stages, their arrangement, and the cooling device positioning, providing high flexibility for different vehicle applications while maintaining effective charge air cooling.
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 and precise cooling of charge air, reducing structural requirements and improving energy balance by allowing for flexible configuration and precise tuning of the cooling process.
Implementation Method 1
an expansion arrangement, which has at least one expansion stage for lowering the pressure level and thus for cooling the charge air
Implementation Method 2
a compressor arrangement, which has at least one compressor stage
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling arrangement for cooling charge air of a supercharged internal combustion engine. In a charge-air line that leads to the internal combustion engine, there are provided a compressor arrangement, which has at least one compressor stage, and an expansion arrangement, which has at least one expansion stage for lowering the pressure level and thus for cooling the charge air. A cooling device is provided between the compressor arrangement and the expansion arrangement. The at least one compressor stage and the at least one expansion stage are connected in series and are respectively connected in terms of drive to an electric motor. The compressor arrangement has at least two compressor stages connected in parallel.