Dual-Inlet ECU Cooling for Heavy-Duty Vehicle Heat Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In heavy-duty vehicles, the ECU compartment faces challenges in maintaining optimal operating temperatures due to heat buildup from multiple ECUs, especially under severe conditions like high ambient temperatures and strong sunlight, leading to performance degradation and potential failure.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system with an air circulation duct connected to both the vehicular air conditioning device and the driver's cab, featuring movable inlets and a fan to control airflow, allowing selective air supply and enhanced air circulation to ECUs, ensuring temperature regulation within a safe range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple ECUs are integrated into the ECU compartment, then the functionality and control capability of the motor vehicle are improved, but the temperature inside the ECU compartment increases leading to performance degradation and potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply system is segmented into multiple independent inlet paths: a first inlet connected to the vehicular air conditioning device and a second inlet connected to the driver's cab. Each inlet can be independently controlled by its own closing element, allowing selective activation based on operating conditions. This segmentation enables the system to handle higher heat loads from multiple ECUs by providing dedicated cooling pathways without compromising control capability.
2Temperature
If air circulation is increased to cool the ECUs, then the temperature control is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components like fan and multiple inlets
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system merges the existing vehicular air conditioning infrastructure with a supplemental air intake from the driver's cab. Instead of creating a completely separate cooling system, the invention combines resources already present in the vehicle (air conditioning device and ambient air) to achieve enhanced cooling. The fan and closing elements are integrated into this combined system, reducing overall complexity compared to implementing entirely independent cooling mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing elements are designed to be movable between open and closed positions based on suction force generated by the fan and airflow force from the air conditioning device, respectively. This self-regulating mechanism allows the inlets to automatically adjust their opening degree according to the operating conditions and cooling demand, eliminating the need for complex electronic control systems while maintaining effective temperature control.
3Device complexity
If a single air supply source is used for ECUs, then the system simplicity is maintained, but the adaptability to different operating conditions (high ambient temperature, strong sunlight) is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static single-inlet design to a dynamic multi-inlet configuration where each inlet can independently adjust its opening degree. The first closing element responds to airflow force from the air conditioning device, while the second closing element responds to suction force from the fan. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to adapt to various operating conditions including high ambient temperatures and strong sunlight, while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through passive responsive mechanisms.
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 cooling system effectively maintains the ECUs within a reliable temperature range, enhancing their performance and preventing failure, even under severe conditions, by allowing controlled air supply from both the air conditioning and the cab, thus improving the overall functioning of the motor vehicle.
Implementation Method 1
the second closing element is movable between the open and the closed position based on a suction force generated by the fan of the air circulation duct
Implementation Method 2
ECUs dissipate heat when in operation, the more ECUs in an ECU compartment, the higher the temperature inside the ECU compartment
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a cooling system (10) for at least one electronic control unit (11) of a motor vehicle, the cooling system comprising a housing (12) for the at least one electronic control unit, the housing comprising an air circulation duct (14) configured to supply air to the at least one electronic control unit, characterized in that the air circulation duct comprises: - a first inlet (16) configured to be connected to a vehicular air conditioning device (106), and - a second inlet (18) configured to be connected to inside a driver's cab (101) of the motor vehicle.