Cooling device, cooling system, and control method of cooling system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles with short overhang bodies require a compact cooling system that efficiently separates and manages refrigerant and cooling water flows, as existing cooling devices are not optimized for size reduction and efficiency improvement.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with parallelly arranged cooling tubes, separated by a diaphragm that can move rectilinearly, and a control method that calculates and adjusts the flow of refrigerant and cooling water based on load ratios to prevent mixing and optimize heat exchange, using separate circuits for refrigerant and cooling water with specific gravity-based separators and a shared cooling fan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional cooling device structure is used in electric vehicles with short overhang, then the cooling function is maintained, but the vehicle size cannot be reduced and space efficiency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the condenser and radiator into a single integrated cooling device with shared housing, tank, and cooling fan. The condenser and radiator are arranged in parallel within the same structure, allowing both refrigerant cooling and motor component cooling functions to be performed by one device rather than two separate devices, thus reducing overall size while maintaining cooling performance
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated cooling device performs multiple cooling functions simultaneously - it cools both the refrigerant in the air conditioning system and the motor components (inverter, motor controller) through separate but parallel circuits. The single device structure serves universal cooling needs, maximizing space utilization in vehicles with short overhang
2Device complexity
If refrigerant and cooling water flows are mixed in the same cooling device, then device complexity is reduced, but heat exchange efficiency decreases and fluid contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling device is segmented into two independent parallel circuits - a refrigerant circuit and a cooling water circuit. The diaphragm creates separate chambers that prevent mixing of refrigerant and cooling water while allowing both fluids to flow through their own dedicated passages. This segmentation maintains heat exchange efficiency by keeping fluid paths separate while still using a unified device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The diaphragm acts as an intermediary element that separates the refrigerant and cooling water flows while allowing thermal energy transfer. It creates a physical barrier that prevents fluid mixing but enables heat exchange between the two circuits through the cooling tubes, thus maintaining both circuit independence and thermal efficiency
3Device complexity
If the cooling device uses fixed flow paths for refrigerant and cooling water, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to varying load conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The diaphragm is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position based on operating conditions. The actuator controls the diaphragm's movement to vary the flow distribution between the refrigerant and cooling water circuits, enabling the system to adapt to different load conditions such as varying air conditioning demands and motor cooling requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The control system uses feedback from temperature sensors and load conditions to adjust the diaphragm position via the actuator. Based on real-time monitoring of refrigerant temperature, cooling water temperature, and system load, the controller dynamically adjusts the flow paths to optimize cooling performance for current operating conditions
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 maximizes size reduction and efficiency by allowing the cooling device to adapt to varying loads, ensuring effective heat exchange and preventing fluid mixing, thereby enhancing the cooling performance in electric vehicles with limited space.
Implementation Method 1
A diaphragm is located inside each of the tanks, separating the tank into a first space allowing the first cooling fluid to flow therein and a second space allowing the second cooling fluid to flow therein
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of cooling tubes arranged in parallel, through which a first cooling fluid and a second cooling fluid flow
Implementation Method 3
A first gas-liquid separator configured to separate gas from a fluid discharged from the tank may be provided in the air conditioning circuit
Implementation Method 4
A cooling water separator configured to separate the cooling water from a fluid discharged from the tank using a difference in specific gravity may be provided in the air conditioning circuit
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling device includes a number of cooling tubes arranged in parallel such that a first cooling fluid and a second cooling fluid can flow in the cooling tubes. A tank communicates with the cooling tubes to allow the first cooling fluid or the second cooling fluid to flow through the cooling tubes. A diaphragm is located inside the tank to separate the tank into a first space allowing the first cooling fluid to flow therein and a second space allowing the second cooling fluid to flow therein. The diaphragm is coupled to the tank to be rectilinearly movable in a direction of an arrangement of the plurality of cooling tubes.