Vehicle Energy Storage Cooling Duct and Blower Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for energy storage devices in hybrid diesel electric vehicles are inefficient due to the intake of contaminants and require multiple blowers, which complicates control and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system that includes an interior duct, a blower, a vent coupling, and a secondary duct to improve air quality and reduce the number of blowers by positioning the air inlet above the platform, using filtering media, and a controller to manage the flow of cooling fluid based on temperature sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an individual blower is provided for each energy storage device, then each device can be cooled independently, but the number of blowers increases leading to complex control and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual blowers into a single common blower that serves all energy storage devices. The blower is positioned in a common intake passage and directs cooled air to multiple devices through separate ducts, reducing the total number of blowers while maintaining independent cooling capability through controllable duct configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The common blower performs the cooling function for all energy storage devices simultaneously, making it a multi-functional component. The system allows a single blower to serve multiple purposes by directing airflow to different devices as needed, reducing redundancy while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
2Productivity
If air is drawn from beneath the locomotive platform, then cooling is effective, but contaminants such as rocks, pebbles, dust and debris are intake
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces filtering media as an intermediary component between the air intake and the energy storage devices. The filter captures contaminants like dust and debris while allowing cooling air to pass through, protecting the devices from harmful particles while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtering media performs preliminary cleaning of the incoming air before it reaches the energy storage devices. By filtering contaminants in advance, the system prevents damage to the devices without compromising the cooling airflow.
3Ease of operation
If multiple blowers are used for each energy storage device, then individual cooling control is achieved, but maintenance becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple blowers into a single common blower, the system reduces the number of components that require maintenance. The common blower has fewer moving parts overall, simplifying maintenance procedures while maintaining the ability to control cooling to individual devices through duct configurations.
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 system effectively filters contaminants from incoming air, reduces the number of blowers needed, and enhances the efficiency of cooling by dynamically controlling the flow of cooling fluid, thereby improving air quality and simplifying maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The blower is configured to be fluidly coupled with the interior duct to draw the cooling fluid through the interior duct and to cause a first portion of the cooling fluid to flow at least one of over or through the energy storage device
Implementation Method 2
a first portion of the cooling fluid to flow at least one of over or through the energy storage device
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes an interior duct, a blower, a vent coupling, and a secondary duct. The interior duct is fluidly coupled with the inlet and with an energy storage device disposed in a vehicle. The blower draws cooling fluid received through the inlet and through the interior duct to cause a first portion of the cooling fluid to flow over and/or through the energy storage device. The vent coupling directs the first portion of the cooling fluid that flowed over and/or through the energy storage device into a vented area. The secondary duct directs a second portion of the cooling fluid from the interior duct into the vent coupling to mix with the first portion of the cooling fluid after the first portion of the cooling fluid flows over and/or through the energy storage device.