Coolant Circuit Thermal Management for Power Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
On-vehicle power electronics devices face reduced service life due to excessive temperatures, and existing cooling systems consume energy, affecting vehicle fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system with a power electronics device and a coolant circuit thermally coupled to it, including a fluidic pump, a fluid/air heat exchanger, an air pump, and a shutter device, controlled by a controller to manage airflow and coolant flow for efficient heat rejection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling circuits with fans and pumps are employed to manage temperature in power electronics devices, then temperature control is improved, but electric power consumption increases affecting vehicle fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system employs dynamic control of the fluidic pump and air pump based on real-time temperature sensor feedback. The controller adjusts pump speeds and fan operations according to actual thermal conditions, enabling the system to provide adequate cooling only when and where needed, thereby reducing unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining effective temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multiple temperature sensors positioned at different locations within the power electronics device to identify specific hot spots. The controller directs cooling resources to particular areas with highest thermal demand rather than uniformly cooling the entire device, optimizing the balance between temperature control effectiveness and energy consumption.
2Reliability
If cooling circuits are employed to manage temperature in power electronics devices, then service life is extended, but electric power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates temperature sensors that continuously monitor thermal conditions and provide feedback to the controller. Based on this feedback, the controller intelligently activates or deactivates the fluidic pump and air pump, ensuring cooling is provided only when temperature thresholds are exceeded. This feedback mechanism extends device service life by preventing overheating while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary pump operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed to autonomously respond to thermal conditions without continuous external control input. The temperature sensors and controller work together to self-regulate pump operation based on real-time device temperature, enabling the system to protect the power electronics device and extend its service life while consuming electric power only when thermally necessary.
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
The system effectively manages heat rejection from power electronics devices, maintaining preferred operating temperatures while minimizing energy consumption, thus extending device lifespan and optimizing fuel efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid/air heat exchanger, an air pump configured to transfer air across the fluid/air heat exchanger to reject heat from the coolant
Implementation Method 2
control coolant flow through the fluid/air heat exchanger to reject heat from the power electronics device to the coolant
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle system includes a power electronics device and a coolant circuit thermally coupled to the power electronics device. The coolant circuit includes a fluidic pump and a fluid/air heat exchanger, an air pump configured to transfer air across the fluid/air heat exchanger, and a shutter device configured to control airflow across the fluid/air heat exchanger. A controller controls the fluidic pump to control coolant flow through the fluid/air heat exchanger to reject heat from the power electronics device to the coolant and correspondingly controls the air pump and the shutter device to control airflow across the fluid/air heat exchanger to reject heat from the coolant to achieve a preferred heat rejection from the power electronics device.