Electric Valve Partition Plate for Fluid Leakage Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric valves in thermal management systems for electric vehicles face risks of fluid leakage, which can lead to electrical safety hazards due to the interconnection of different valve ports and the potential for fluid to enter sensitive electronic components.
Innovation Solution
An electric valve design featuring a housing with a partition plate that divides the internal space into two areas, connected via a through hole with radial diversion grooves to direct leaking fluid away from the actuating assembly, combined with a modular motor selection system allowing for brushless DC or brush DC motor installation to enhance operational flexibility and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the valve ports are interconnected to enable various working states, then the adaptability of the valve is improved, but the risk of fluid leakage causing electrical safety hazards increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a first space for the valve core and a second space for the actuating assembly through a partition plate, physically separating the fluid control function from the electrical actuation function. This segmentation prevents fluid from reaching electrical components while maintaining multiple valve working states through the interconnected valve ports.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition plate acts as an intermediary barrier between the fluid pathway and electrical components. It includes a through hole with sealing structure to allow necessary connection while blocking fluid leakage, and diversion grooves to redirect any leaked fluid away from sensitive areas toward safe discharge paths.
2Reliability
If a partition plate is introduced to separate the valve core and actuating assembly, then electrical safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The partition plate is integrally formed with the housing as a unified structure, combining the sealing partition function with the housing structure itself. This merging approach provides electrical isolation while maintaining structural integrity and simplifying manufacturing, avoiding the need for separate assembly steps.
3Reliability
If diversion grooves are added to direct leaking fluid away, then the safety is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The diversion grooves are designed with self-draining geometry that uses gravity and fluid pressure to automatically guide leaked fluid from the through hole along the groove toward the outlet, without requiring external actuation or complex control mechanisms. The grooves extend radially outward and connect to the housing outlet, creating a passive leakage management system.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides an electric valve including a valve core, an actuating assembly to actuate the valve core and a housing receiving the valve core and the actuating assembly. The housing is provided with a partition plate dividing an internal space of the housing into a first space and a second space. The valve core and the actuating assembly are respectively accommodated in the first and second space and connected with each other via a through hole defined in a centre of the partition plate. The partition plate defines at least one diversion groove communicating with the through hole. Said at least one diversion groove extends through a sidewall of the housing.