Common Fill Port for Thermally Isolated Cooling Circuits
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle cooling systems require separate filling ports for each thermally isolated cooling circuit, increasing maintenance complexity and costs due to the need for independent filling processes for multiple circuits with different operating temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A multi-circuit degas bottle design with a common filling port and a flow restrictor that allows simultaneous filling of two cooling circuits with different operating temperatures by opening when the vehicle is non-operational and closing when operational, maintaining thermal isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate filling ports are provided for each cooling circuit, then thermal isolation between circuits with different operating temperatures is maintained, but maintenance complexity and costs increase due to multiple independent filling processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple filling ports into a single common filling port that serves multiple cooling circuits. The degas bottle structure integrates chambers for different temperature circuits with a shared filling access point, allowing coolant replenishment for multiple circuits through one unified interface rather than requiring separate ports for each circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The degas bottle acts as an intermediary component between the common filling port and the multiple cooling circuits. It receives coolant from the single filling port and distributes it to various circuits through internal chambers and flow paths, while maintaining thermal isolation between circuits of different temperature ranges.
2Device complexity
If a common filling port is used for multiple cooling circuits, then maintenance complexity is reduced, but thermal isolation between circuits with different operating temperatures may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The degas bottle is segmented into multiple independent chambers, each serving a specific cooling circuit with a particular temperature range. These segmented chambers are thermally isolated from one another within the unified degas bottle structure, preventing heat transfer between circuits while allowing centralized filling through the common port.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions or chambers within the degas bottle are designed with local quality variations to accommodate different temperature requirements. Each chamber has properties optimized for its specific cooling circuit's temperature range, allowing the common filling port to serve multiple circuits with different thermal characteristics while maintaining appropriate thermal isolation.
3Ease of operation
If multiple separate filling ports are required, then each cooling circuit can be independently filled, but time and resources are lost due to multiple separate filling actions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple filling operations into a single action by providing a common filling port that can replenish coolant for multiple cooling circuits simultaneously or sequentially through the unified degas bottle structure, eliminating the need for multiple separate filling actions and reducing total filling time.
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
Reduces maintenance complexity and costs by allowing a single filling port to serve multiple cooling circuits while maintaining thermal isolation, enabling efficient and cost-effective fluid replenishment.
Implementation Method 1
The flow restrictor may be configured to open to enable cooling fluid provided via the fill port, when the vehicle is in a non-operational state, to flow from the second chamber to the first chamber and configured to be closed when the vehicle is in the operational state
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle cooling system includes a first cooling circuit having a first operating temperature range when the vehicle is in an operational state, a second cooling circuit having a second operating temperature range, and a degas bottle. The degas bottle has a first chamber operably coupled to the first cooling circuit and a second chamber operably coupled to the second cooling circuit. The degas bottle includes a fill port operably coupled to the second chamber and a flow restrictor disposed at a divider separating the first and second chambers. The flow restrictor is configured to open to enable cooling fluid provided via the fill port, when the vehicle is in a non-operational state, to flow from the second chamber to the first chamber and be closed when the vehicle is in the operational state to prevent the cooling fluid from flowing between the first and second chambers.