Electric fluid heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric heating systems for vehicles, particularly electric vehicles, face inefficiencies in heating the passenger compartment under cold outdoor conditions, requiring additional electric heating devices and complex thermal modules, which can be costly and difficult to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
An electric fluid heater design featuring a heating block with a parallelepipedal configuration, comprising tubes with heating elements and heat sinks, where the fluid flows between a top and bottom plate, and headers with protrusions, allowing for efficient heat exchange and simplified manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If additional electric heating devices are added to the fluid circulation loop, then heating performance under cold outdoor conditions is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the heating function directly into the heat exchanger by embedding heating elements within the heat exchanger structure itself, rather than adding separate heating devices to the fluid circulation loop. This merging of heating and heat exchange functions reduces overall device complexity while maintaining heating performance under cold conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both a heat exchange component and a heating device. The heating elements integrated within the heat exchanger enable it to provide thermal conditioning when outdoor temperatures are low, eliminating the need for separate dedicated heating devices.
2Power
If multiple thermal modules are used in the electric heating device, then sufficient heating power is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple separate thermal modules as in conventional designs, the patent combines the heating elements directly within the heat exchanger structure. This integration achieves the required heating power through a unified design that simplifies manufacturing processes and reduces assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating elements are integrated with the heat exchanger structure, creating a composite system where the heating component and heat exchange component work as a unified whole. This composite approach simplifies manufacturing compared to assembling multiple discrete thermal modules.
3Reliability
If conventional heat exchanger design is used, then fluid circulation is achieved, but heating efficiency under cold conditions is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat exchange function with the heating function by integrating heating elements directly into the heat exchanger. This allows the system to maintain reliable heating efficiency even when outdoor temperatures are low, as the integrated heating elements can compensate for insufficient heat pump performance in cold 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
The design provides a cost-efficient and simple manufacturing solution for electric heating systems, enhancing heat transfer efficiency and fluid distribution, thereby improving heating performance in vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
The heating element has electric heating means, e.g. one or more heating resistors serigraphically formed as serigraphic resistive tracks on the outer surface of the heating element
Implementation Method 2
The tubes serve to electrically insulate the heating elements from the outside while allowing thermal conduction between the heating elements and the heat sinks
Implementation Method 3
A fluid circulation in the circulation space between the core and the heating element ensures a heat transfer between the heating element and the fluid
Data Source
AI summary
Electric fluid heater for a vehicle, including a heating block with an inlet and an outlet for the fluid, a first channel for the fluid intended to flow between the inlet and the outlet, a first tube and a second tube with opposing ends mounted in headers, the tubes having heating elements. The first channel is delimited by a top plate and a bottom plate sealingly connected to the first tube, the second tube and the headers.