Vehicle Cooling Duct Layout With Bulging Tubes for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric component cooling structures in vehicles face limitations in layout flexibility and high sound propagation from blowers to the occupant compartment.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-mounted electric component cooling structure that includes a ventilation portion, blower, and duct system with bulging tube portions to reduce sound propagation and enhance layout flexibility by forming a complex sound attenuation path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a shield plate is provided adjacent to the blower and the flow path is formed using wall members adjacent to the blower, then sound propagation from the blower to the occupant compartment is reduced, but the layout flexibility of the cooling structure is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling structure is divided into separate functional modules: a blower module, a duct module with integrated shield plates, and a housing module. This segmentation allows each module to be independently designed and positioned, enabling flexible layout arrangements while maintaining sound attenuation functionality through the integrated shield plates in the duct module.
Solution Approach 2:
A duct with integrated shield plates serves as an intermediary element between the blower and the occupant compartment. This intermediary structure channels airflow while simultaneously blocking sound propagation, allowing the blower to be positioned away from the occupant compartment without direct line-of-sight exposure, thus improving layout flexibility while maintaining noise reduction.
2Ease of manufacture
If the cooling structure uses fixed wall members adjacent to the blower, then the structure is simple to manufacture, but the placement options for cooling components are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The duct is designed as a universal component that performs multiple functions: guiding airflow from the blower to the cooling target, providing sound attenuation through integrated shield plates, and serving as a structural support element. This multi-functionality allows the same duct design to be used in various configurations and positions, increasing placement options while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield plates are integrated into the duct structure in three-dimensional space, utilizing the vertical and lateral dimensions of the duct rather than requiring separate planar shield plates. This dimensional integration allows sound attenuation functionality to be achieved within the existing duct volume, maintaining structural simplicity while enabling more flexible spatial arrangements of cooling components.
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 structure effectively reduces sound propagation to the occupant compartment while allowing greater flexibility in the arrangement of cooling components, overcoming the limitations of conventional designs.
Implementation Method 1
a blower (2) that generates a flow of air for cooling the predetermined electric component (P)
Implementation Method 2
a duct (3) that forms a flow path extending from the ventilation portion (1) to the blower (2), wherein the duct (3) includes a plurality of bulging tube portions (34)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
[Problem to be Solved] The layout flexibility is improved, and sound propagation to an occupant compartment is reduced. [Solution] A vehicle-mounted electric component cooling structure includes: a ventilation portion 1 that has a ventilation hole 11 penetrating a wall 10 forming an occupant compartment S1 of a vehicle; a blower 2 that is provided in a rear region of the vehicle and causes an air flow for cooling a predetermined electric component P in the rear region; and a duct 3 that forms a flow path extending from the ventilation portion 1 to the blower 2. In the vehicle-mounted electric component cooling structure, the duct 3 includes a cylindrically formed reference tube portion 33, and a plurality of bulging tube portions 34 (34A and 34B) that bulge outward at an outer surface of the reference tube portion 33 and are cylindrically formed.