Electric Drive Cooling via Segmented Parallel Heat Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric drive cooling arrangements are inefficient and costly due to the use of high-powered fans, which lead to limited power draw and increased manufacturing costs, and insufficient heat management.
Innovation Solution
Distributing a choke unit, power step unit, and capacitor unit into separate, separately coolable entities with parallel cooling apparatuses, such as low-power fans, thermosyphon elements, or cooling elements, to enable precise and efficient cooling of each entity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a high-powered fan is used to provide cooling flow through the flow channel, then sufficient cooling is achieved, but the fan becomes noisy and expensive with high power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling system into multiple independent parallel cooling apparatuses, each responsible for cooling a specific entity (choke unit, power step unit, capacitor unit). This segmentation allows each fan to operate at lower power while collectively providing sufficient cooling for all components, resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and power consumption.
2Temperature
If a high-powered fan is used to overcome counterpressure in the flow channel, then cooling is achieved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling system into multiple independent parallel cooling apparatuses, each responsible for cooling a specific entity (choke unit, power step unit, capacitor unit). This segmentation allows each fan to operate at lower power while collectively providing sufficient cooling for all components, resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and power consumption.
3Ease of manufacture
If power draw is limited to manage heat load with inexpensive cooling, then manufacturing cost decreases, but cooling efficiency becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling system into multiple independent parallel cooling apparatuses, each responsible for cooling a specific entity (choke unit, power step unit, capacitor unit). This segmentation allows each fan to operate at lower power while collectively providing sufficient cooling for all components, resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different cooling approaches to different entities based on their specific cooling requirements. Each entity (choke unit, power step unit, capacitor unit) can be cooled by appropriately sized cooling apparatuses matched to its heat generation characteristics, achieving cost-effective cooling while maintaining adequate heat management for each component.
4Device complexity
If components are arranged in series in a single flow channel, then structure is simple, but cooling efficiency decreases due to counterpressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling system into multiple independent parallel cooling apparatuses, each responsible for cooling a specific entity (choke unit, power step unit, capacitor unit). This segmentation allows each fan to operate at lower power while collectively providing sufficient cooling for all components, resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-series flow channel arrangement to a parallel multi-dimensional cooling architecture. By distributing cooling apparatuses in parallel across multiple entities, the system eliminates the cumulative counterpressure problem of series arrangement while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design.
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 allows for efficient utilization of the electric drive's power without overheating, reducing manufacturing costs and enabling the use of lower-power cooling components, thus improving cooling efficiency and reducing noise and energy losses.
Implementation Method 1
cooling air is sucked from outside the electric drive to a fan which blows cooling air to a flow channel through the choke unit, the power step unit, and the capacitor unit
Implementation Method 2
a cooling arrangement for cooling a choke unit, a power step unit, and a capacitor unit
Data Source
AI summary
An electric drive is disclosed which includes at least a choke unit, a power step unit, and a capacitor unit for implementing power supply to an electricity-consuming device. A cooling arrangement is disclosed for cooling the choke unit, the power step unit, and the capacitor unit. The choke unit, the power step unit, and the capacitor unit can be distributed into at least two separate and separately coolable entities, and the cooling arrangement can include parallel cooling apparatuses for cooling the at least two separate and separately coolable entities.