Electrical heating device for a motor vehicle, and associated heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning apparatus
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric heating devices for motor vehicles are large, heavy, and have significant pressure drop and heating inertia, making them unsuitable for rapid and effective heating of the passenger compartment, especially in cold environments.
Innovation Solution
An electric fluid heating device with a central core and heating element, featuring a disturbing element that extends along the fluid guide circuit to promote heat exchange, made of metallic material with good thermal conduction properties, such as aluminum foil, to enhance heat transfer efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional electric heating devices with PTC elements in a housing are used, then heating function is provided, but the device size becomes large and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device is segmented into a modular structure with a central core and multiple heating elements arranged around it, allowing for compact configuration and reduced overall size while maintaining heating functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The heating elements are nested around the central core in a concentric arrangement, with fluid channels passing through the core and heating elements, creating a compact nested structure that reduces device volume and weight
2Reliability
If traditional electric heating devices with PTC elements are used, then heating function is provided, but pressure drop becomes high
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid circuit is designed with dynamic flow paths that pass through the central core and around heating elements, optimizing flow velocity and pressure distribution to minimize pressure drop while maintaining effective heat transfer
Solution Approach 2:
The heating device utilizes three-dimensional concentric arrangement with fluid channels extending in multiple dimensions through the core and heating elements, creating efficient flow paths that reduce pressure drop compared to traditional two-dimensional configurations
3Reliability
If traditional electric heating devices with PTC elements are used, then heating function is provided, but heating inertia becomes significant
Solution Approach 1:
The heating elements utilize thin-film or compact PTC elements with reduced thermal mass, allowing for faster heating response and reduced heating inertia while maintaining effective heating function
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal parameters of the heating device are optimized by reducing the mass and thermal capacity of heating elements and fluid channels, changing the thermal response characteristics to reduce heating inertia and improve response time
4Reliability
If heat exchanger with cooling fluid circulation is used, then heating function is provided, but device bulk and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device is designed to be integrated with the existing air conditioning refrigerant circuit, allowing the refrigerant to serve dual functions as both cooling medium and heating fluid, eliminating the need for separate heating circuit components and reducing device bulk
Solution Approach 2:
The heating function is merged with the existing air conditioning system by using the same refrigerant circulation infrastructure, combining heating and cooling functions into a single integrated system that reduces overall device volume and component count
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 solution reduces pressure drop and heating inertia, allowing for efficient and rapid heating while maintaining a compact size, meeting the constraints imposed by car manufacturers and improving thermal performance.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element defining a circuit for guiding the fluid between the heating element and the central core
Implementation Method 2
the fluid to be heated circulates around the plurality of PTC heating means
Implementation Method 3
at least one disturbing element arranged in the circuit for guiding the fluid around the central core able to disturb the flow of the fluid
Implementation Method 4
the disturbing element is made of metallic material... allow, thanks to its good thermal conduction properties, a better conduction of the heat coming from the heating element into a section of the guide circuit remote from the heating element
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3c
Figure 4a~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (5) for electrically heating fluid for a motor vehicle, said heating device (5) comprising at least one heating module (7a, 7b) for heating said fluid, said at least one heating module (7a, 7b) comprising a central core (11) and a heating element (13) defining a guide circuit (15) that guides the fluid between said heating element (13) and said central core (11) such that said at least one heating module (7a, 7b) comprises at least one disturbing element (17; 27; 37; 47) arranged in the fluid guide circuit (15) around the central core (11) and able to disturb the flow of said fluid. The invention also relates to a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning apparatus (1) for a motor vehicle that comprises such an electrical heating device (5).