Dual DC/DC Converter Housing With Shared Cooling Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of providing two DC/DC converters in hybrid and electric vehicles due to the need for two separate cooling systems, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
Accommodating two DC/DC converters in a single storage case, allowing for a common cooling system and independent control units to manage power distribution and maintain operation even in case of failures, thereby reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two separate cooling systems are provided for two DC/DC converters, then each converter can be cooled independently, but the cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate cooling systems into a single shared cooling system. The storage case is designed with a unified cooling structure that can cool both DC/DC converters simultaneously, eliminating the need for duplicate cooling components and reducing overall system cost while maintaining adequate cooling performance for both converters.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed as a universal solution that serves multiple functions - it can cool both DC/DC converters through a single system. The storage case incorporates a cooling structure that provides multi-functional capability, allowing one cooling system to handle the thermal management needs of both converters.
2Reliability
If two DC/DC converters are provided for redundancy, then power supply reliability is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling infrastructure for two redundant DC/DC converters into a single integrated cooling system. This reduces device complexity by eliminating redundant cooling components while preserving the redundancy benefit of having two converters for continued power supply during failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage case and cooling system are designed as universal structures that can accommodate and cool multiple DC/DC converters simultaneously. This multi-functional design allows the system to support redundant converters without proportionally increasing cooling system complexity.
3Temperature
If two DC/DC converters are accommodated separately, then each converter has dedicated cooling, but the storage space and system cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling functions for multiple converters into a single integrated cooling structure within the storage case. This shared cooling approach reduces the total volume required compared to providing separate cooling systems for each converter, while still maintaining effective temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is nested within the storage case structure, with the cooling components efficiently arranged to serve multiple converters in a compact configuration. This nested arrangement optimizes space utilization and reduces the overall volume of the stationary object.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The two DC/DC converters 31A and 31B perform DC/DC conversion of the power source voltage of the driving battery 2 for supplying power to the motor of the vehicle and supply to an automatic operation load 5 and a general load 6 as an electrical component mounted on the vehicle. A switch 32 is connected between the outputs of the two DC/DC converters 31A and 31B. The two DC/DC converters 31A and 31B and the switch 32 are accommodated in one accommodating case 33.